FilmLight announces delivery of seven Baselight color grading systems to Sony Pictures Entertainment. The systems will be installed at its newly-built digital intermediate facilities on the Sony Studios lot in Culver City, California, and connected to the studio’s Digital Backbone. The package includes three Baselight EIGHT systems that have been installed in state-of-the-art 4K digital intermediate grading theaters designed for both standard and 3D stereoscopic feature film work. The installation also includes two Baselight FOURs for use in suites designed primarily for television projects and two Baselight Assists, for pre-grading and other preparatory work.
The color grading systems are linked using a combination of FilmLight’s high-speed cloud network and Sony’s proprietary network. “Sony has built a post-production facility that will set the standard for the industry for years to come, and FilmLight is extremely proud that Sony Pictures has chosen Baselight as its grading platform,” said FilmLight Founder Wolfgang Lempp. “Baselight provides Sony Pictures with a grading platform that allows it to work in 4K effortlessly. And, because it is a software-based tool and employs commodity hardware, Baselight will continue to evolve as Sony’s needs grow and technology improves.”
FilmLight’s Baselight EIGHT is the most powerful and sophisticated software-based color grading platform on the market today, with 96TB of local storage and the ability to grade 4K images in real-time, even while tracking multiple masks. At Sony Pictures’ new post production facilities, the three Baselight EIGHTs are part of a complete 4K DI pipeline that also includes 4K film scanners, 4K visual effects systems, film and data projection systems, and film recorders.
The theaters can service both film-originated and digitally-acquired source media. In addition to finishing films for theatrical release, the grading theaters will be used for mastering and re-mastering films for home theater and archival purposes. Central to the design philosophy of the facility is the high-speed infrastructure that connects everything together, reducing transfer and waiting times to an absolute minimum.
“In building a new facility from scratch, Sony Pictures had an opportunity to deploy state-of-the-art workflows and the most current technologies in every facet,” observed Craig Risebury, President of FilmLight’s U.S. subsidiary. “The result is a true 4K pipeline that is extraordinarily efficient and virtually unlimited creative possibilities, with absolutely no compromises.”
About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 130 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com.
About FilmLight
FilmLight is a manufacturer of film scanning, color grading and color management systems that are helping to transform film and video post production and setting new standards for quality, reliability and performance. The company’s products are in use every day by leading post production facilities around the globe as essential components in their digital intermediate, commercials and video production pipelines. Fueled by some of the industry’s brightest minds, FilmLight is committed to delivering innovative tools that allow creative professionals to work at the forefront of the digital media revolution. Founded in 2001, FilmLight is headquartered in London, where its research, design and manufacturing operations are centered. Sales and support are conducted through regional service centers located in London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Sydney, Auckland and Singapore, and through qualified partners worldwide. For more information visit www.filmlight.ltd.uk.
