Slate Media Group, a leading independent provider of postproduction services to the film and TV industry, announced that its PostWorks New York has acquired the assets of Mega Playground, a post facility in New York’s West Village. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Simultaneously, a long-term lease was finalized at the West Village facility, reflecting the commitment of Slate Media Group and PostWorks to downtown New York, the hub for television and feature finishing.
“This acquisition significantly adds much needed capacity to our New York operations,” said Slate Media Group New York’s COO Rob DeMartin. With Slate Media’s other West Village and Soho footprint, the combined companies will offer 185,000 square feet of space for post services, which the company bills as being NYC’s largest facility.
Slate Media Group provides postproduction services to film and television producers through several brands, including Technicolor-PostWorks New York, PostWorks New York and bicoastal Hula Post Production. Collectively, Slate Media Group companies provide a full range of post services, including dailies, lab services, editorial system rentals, editorial conform, color grading, finishing, graphics, sound editorial and sound finishing.
Mega Playground was formed in 1994 and serves a diverse clientele that includes major film and television studios, broadcasters, independent producers, documentary filmmakers and others.
Review: Director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
It's the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in "The Wizard of Oz." But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into "Wicked" at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt "Defying Gravity," that enduring girl-power anthem.
How many people have seen "Wicked"? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have "Wicked" the movie, director Jon M. Chu's lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.
Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this "Wicked," powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?
Tricky question. Some people just don't buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love "Wicked," well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best "Wicked" movie money could buy — well, it's... Read More