Digital Film Central, Vancouver’s newest post production house, has selected Baselight ONE-S, FilmLight’s ground-breaking, software-based color grading system, as the key component of its digital intermediate pipeline—currently the only complete DI service in British Columbia. Central, as the facility is commonly called, opened its doors just this month and already has several film projects lined up for DI work.
Central was founded by post production industry veteran Curtis Staples and cinematographer James Tocher as an affiliate of Digital Film Group, Vancouver’s largest film recording service. The new company is focused almost exclusively on digital intermediate work and, in addition to color grading via Baselight ONE-S, offers scanning (to 6K), Truelight colour management and film recording.
The facility also provides I/O support services to Vancouver’s burgeoning visual effects community. As part of an agreement with FilmLight, Central will be offering its visual effects clients access to FilmLight’s Truelight colour management technology as part of a collaborative workflow between visual effects and digital intermediate.
“We built this facility specifically to provide digital film services,” said Staples. “Vancouver is the third largest production market in North America, behind only Los Angeles and New York. However, our business plan is not dependent only on servicing films shot in our region.”
Staples pointed out that Digital Film Group has recorded more than 125 titles to 35mm film since its founding in 1999, many of which were not produced in Canada. “Digital Film Group has relationships outside Canada and the United States and has done film mastering for producers from Chile, Argentina and Bolivia, as well as from Europe and Asia. We just happen to be located in Vancouver.”
Central selected Baselight for its DI pipeline after thoroughly reviewing and testing various colour grading options. Although cost, reliability, efficiency and ease of use were important considerations, quality was the crucial factor in Central’s choice. “We did an exhaustive analysis of Baselight and its competitors,” Staples recalled. “We tested Baselight for a month last fall and for three more weeks this winter and we very impressed with the performance. The quality of the results made Baselight the obvious choice.”
Baselight is a grading and finishing system for film and video, providing real-time operation at resolutions of up to 4K. All systems incorporate FilmLight’s acclaimed Truelight 3D colour management system, ensuring accurate emulation of the deliverable on the grading display. Baselight utilizes centralized grade database architecture, supporting enterprise-wide collaborative working.
Contact – Deepa Parbhoo ([email protected]) +44 20 7292 0400
About Digital Film Central
Digital Film Central is a new, independent post production facility and the first facility in Vancouver to offer complete digital intermediate. The facility employs top talent and the latest in digital imaging technology at every step in the post production process and offers service in HD, 2K and beyond. Additionally, Central offers visual effects I/O and colour management services, providing a one-stop solution to the digital film community in western Canada and worldwide. For more information, visit www.digitalfilmcentral.com.
Contact – Curtis Staples ([email protected]) 604 879 5800
