Technicolor Creative Services, Montreal, has launched 4 Westmount Square (4WS), a unit dedicated to servicing commercial postproduction and visual effects.
“Commercial clients have been coming in for color grading; Technicolor saw the market and the opportunity,” explained director of commercials Patrice Cormier. There are a limited number of color correction suites available in Montreal and that has sometimes prompted local commercialmakers to go to Toronto to work, he related, explaining that with the color correction services, the hope is to keep more work both in house and in the city.
4WS opened with two Smoke/Flame suites, a 2D and 3D graphics unit, and color correction services using Autodesk (Discreet) Lustre in a theatrical, nonlinear environment.
Cormier explained that the new unit will operate in shared but separate space from TCS Montreal, which focuses on long-form work. The new venture was designed to cater to what agency clients expect in terms of facility design, comfortable suites, staff, project management and client services.
Cormier’s career has focused on advertising; he earlier worked as a spot editor at Montreal’s Buzz Image Group. From ’97-’02 he was interface specialist at Autodesk (then Discreet), during which time as a project head and senior trainer he visited more than 300 post houses around the world. He then returned to Buzz as VP business development; during that time he was the architect of Buzz’s HD unit.
At 4WS, Cormier designed the dedicated commercial Smoke/Flame rooms for client-attended sessions. He said the Smoke/Flame combo was an easy choice as “it’s the only thing, I think, for doing commercials. It can work in real time, and clients ask for it by name.” The graphics unit includes a variety of software including Mac graphics, Final Cut Pro and Maya.
Color correction is particularly unique, as 4WS is one of the first facilities in the world to offer to commercial clients a nonlinear Autodesk (Discreet) Lustre color grading theatre. This theatrical environment is equipped with a NEC digital projector; the workflow also incorporates Filmlight’s Northlight Film scanner and the Arrilaser film recorder. The Lustre combines Autodesk’s Incinerator for added power. Source materials may include HDCAM SR, HD D5 or 2k data. This theatre will be shared with TCS’ long-form business, while construction is planned for a second Lustre suite dedicated to commercial work.
“For commercials, I think the advantage to Lustre is to see the final project actually conformed [in shot order],” said Nico Ilies, chief commercial and feature colorist. “Typically you only see the final project at then end.”
HD capabilities, he added, are another plus. “In the next year we expect a demand for HD [commercials],” he predicted. “The footage can be scanned, and you can create multiple commercials, right away. You can create SD, HD, film and you are not restricted to the format.”
Also available for commercials is newly hired colorist Vickie-Lynn Roy. The 4WS team also includes creative director Louis-Martin Duval, executive producer Guyaine Dutil, editor/effects artist Jean-Marc Laurin, and art director Emmanuel “Maz” Mazeron.
Cormier reported that Technicolor also plans to take advantage of synergies with its other commercial businesses: 49 Ontario (formerly Toybox) in Toronto and The Moving Picture Company in London. He reported that the Montreal business has already been tapping into the larger 3D capabilities in Toronto for a commercial project, and plans also call for the launch of a new Web site for this complete group of commercial post businesses.
TCS/Montreal and 4WS are also connected to Technicolor’s private high-speed network that links with other Technicolor companies in cities including London, Los Angeles, New York and Toronto.
EPs Jim Huie and Nick Pitcavage Launch Supper Club Pictures
Production company and content studio Supper Club Pictures has been launched. The new venture offers commercials, branded content, and film for leading ad agencies and brands. Former Alkemy X executive producers Jim Huie and Nick Pitcavage have formed Supper Club with a curated roster of directors which includes Dean Blumberg, Benny Nicks, Josh Forbes, Tatjana Green, Johnny Andow, Joe Dixon, and André Robert Lee.
All the directors had most recently been with Alkemy X, except for Nicks who had been freelancing in the U.S. market. He continues to be repped by Colossale in Montreal.
The concept behind Supper Club was inspired by the elevated experience conjured by its namesake. Much like how a supper club elevates the average dining experience, Supper Club seeks to elevate content production with a personal experience that prioritizes creativity and quality. With a team of award-winning directors and producers and a passion for connecting with creators, Supper Club has adopted a talent-first approach and collaborative ethos.
Pitcavage noted, “Anyone can put a production together, so producers have to bring much more than logistics to a project. At Supper Club, we use the movie-magic tools at our disposal to elevate the creative beyond what is presented on the page. We also understand the critical client services part of the business, so communication and clarity from the chaos of set-life is factored into everything we do. Combining this with our talented director roster is what sets us up to be a production company of the future.”
Supper Club is designed to appeal to a growing segment of agencies and brands seeking specialized creators for collaboration. Huie shared, “Supper Club is built to champion the art of production. We’re... Read More