Pacific Data Post, a Santa Monica-based telecine boutique, has been launched. The new venture is a subsidiary of Dallas-based Video Post & Transfer (VP&T).
Partners in Pacific Data Post are VP&T president Neil Feldman and VP/general manager Steve Behar, a 20-year telecine veteran who comes over after three and a half years at Digital Magic, Santa Monica. The startup also consists of senior colorist Paul Lear, another Digital Magic alum.
Feldman related that VP&T had been seeking a tie into the Los Angeles film community. "This seemed to be a perfect opportunity for us to have a small, focused boutique," said Feldman. "I felt there was an opportunity here to serve the Los Angeles market."
The 6,000-square-foot facility will initially operate two telecine rooms. Two other suites are also in the works but Feldman said it remains to be seen if they too will offer film transfer. "We’ll see what the market will most profit by," related Feldman.
In addition to offering a Philips Spirit DataCine, Pacific Data Post has billed itself as being first in the world to have installed the new Millennium Machine, manufactured by U.K.-based Innovation TK. The Millennium Machine has the ability to transfer all film formats—Super8 to 70mm and Vista Vision—to any video or data format, from standard definition to HDTV and 2K, in real time.
Behar said that he and Feldman had begun discussions about opening a new entity a year ago. Although Behar had been thinking of striking out on his own over the past 10 years, he said he waited until he found the right people to go into business with. "Neil [Feldman] is, by far, the best person to be involved with," said Behar. "He understands the business—the technical side and where the technology is going. When you put it all together, it’s a great mix; all the pieces of the puzzle fit together."
Behar added that he and Feldman shared similar business philosophies. "Clients want to go to a post facility or boutique where they feel they’re going to be serviced and taken care of," said Behar. "We decided that the timing was right [to open Pacific Data Post], because [with] these corporations that are buying up these companies, I really don’t think they’re looking at the client’s needs."
Vis-à-vis his longtime working relationship with director Joe Pytka of Venice-based PYTKA, Behar has worked on spots for high-profile clientele over the years. His recent credits include Pytka-helmed spots for Hallmark via Leo Burnett Co., Chicago; IBM via Ogilvy & Mather, New York; and MVP.com via Leagas Delaney, San Francisco.
An ongoing friendship with editor Brendan O’Carroll of Santa Monica-based Oasis Editorial has also yielded Behar regular work for Jack-in-the-Box, via Kowloon Wholesale Seafood Company, Santa Monica. Those spots were directed by Kowloon owner Dick Sittig through bicoastal/international @radical.media.
Behar’s other notable telecine credits include the snap.com spot "New Friend," via Burbank, Calif.-based NBC On-Air Promotions, directed by Ray Dillman of bicoastal Gartner. Last fall, the spot won the primetime commercial Emmy Award (SHOOT, 9/3/99, p.1). And earlier this week, it copped the TV Sweepstakes honor at the International Broadcasting Awards (see separate story, p. 1). The spot depicts a boy named Tommy using a snap.com-powered Web site in order to teach himself sign language, which enables him to strike up a friendship with a deaf boy who rides his school bus.
Behar began his career in telecine at the former Hollywood-based Image Transform in ’77, before moving on to a 10-year stint at now defunct Editel/ L.A. From there, he went on to Dubs Inc., Hollywood, where he started and ran the duplication company’s telecine division. After that, Behar spent two years at Hollywood-based Post Logic Studios before shifting over to Digital Magic three and a half years ago.
Lear spent the last seven-and- a-half years at Digital Magic, where he worked on spots for American Express via Ogilvy & Mather, New York. and Uproar. com via Grey Entertainment, New York; both directed by Rob Pritts of Backyard Productions, Chicago and Venice, Calif. Lear has colorized recent spots for Coors via Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago, and Minute Maid via Leo Burnett Co., both helmed by Kevin Smith (also of Backyard), as well as client-direct spots for Buy. com directed by Mark Bennett of bicoastal 1/33 Productions.
Behar said he will be primarily involved in the day-to-day operations of the company, though he will continue to do transfers for regular clients such as Pytka. Behar will be doing sales for Pacific Data Post in tandem with Mike Hemingway, visual effects producer for Santa Monica-based effects/finishing company Digital Revolution. "I’ll be working through both facilities," said Hemingway. "I’ll be referring transfer work [to Pacific Data Post], as well as referring finishing from there back over to our facility. I’m promoting it as a strategic alliance."
Pacific Data Post is rounded out by comptroller Jonathan B. Johnson, who formerly worked in the same capacity at Post Logic; and by operations manager Liza Kerlin, who joined from Hollywood-based The Post Group, where she was an account executive.
