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“...In another world first, Lip Sync has taken delivery of the first Quantel iQ system with new hardware acceleration to optimise 4K performance.”
Investment Breeds Success At Lip Sync Post
T he last twelve months has seen tremendous activity
at Soho’s Lip Sync Post. The digital lab, once a gleam in Head of Post Production Kevin Phelan’s eye, is now very much a
reality thanks to a £2 million invest- ment by the company in the digital intermediate process.
The original two Arri Laser recorders have now been joined by the first of two Northlight film scan- ners – and the second, awaiting deliv- ery, is expected to be the first dual 16/35 gauge machine to be installed world-wide.
In another world first, Lip Sync has just taken delivery of the first Quantel iQ system with new hardware acceler- ation to optimise 4K performance.
This recent purchase completes the digital jigsaw for Lip Sync’s lab as the iQ, with its Qcolour option, will perform the vital grading function in addition to editing and compositing.
“The lab is a totally resolution- independent operation, “explains Phelan, “we can work with any com- bination of formats and resolutions and create a stunning final output to 35mm film.”
In addition to the new kit, its unique proprietary data-to-film record- ing and manipulation software and the
creation a new ‘clean-room’ environ- ment for the digital lab, Lip Sync has also recruited Alasdair MacCuish, for- merly head of the digital lab at Framestore CFC, to run its new facility.
“Fujicolor Intermediate FCI is an excellent medium and eminently suit- able for output from our Laser recorders,” asserts MacCuish. “Whenever our clients specify Fuji, they have been delighted with the end result. Also, and this is impor- tant, the level of service we have received from Fuji has been of a con- sistently high standard.”
The establishment of the digital lab consolidates Lip Sync Post’s ‘one- stop’ approach to film and television postproduction, where clients’ proj- ects move seamlessly between the facility’s areas of expertise in film, graphics and sound. This was demon- strated recently at the Toronto Film Festival where no less than four entries were given the Lip Sync treat- ment in one or more of these areas.
Touching the Void is directed by Kevin Macdonald (One Day In September). This much-acclaimed doc- umentary/drama is based on the book by mountaineer Joe Simpson and recreates the harrowing true story of Simpson and climbing partner Simon Yates’ 1985 ascent of the sheer face of an Andean mountain.
Following the recording of inter- views with the actors playing the climbers, shot on HD in London, the crew decamped to Peru. With the aid of a 70-strong mule train to transport equipment, filming took place at eleva- tions up to 19,000 feet where the action was shot on 35mm film using Aaton cameras.
The more difficult climbing sequences were shot on lightweight 16mm equipment. Further 16mm footage, mainly for close ups, was later shot during a month-long ses- sion in the Alps.
Back in London, all the material was output to HD for cutting before handing over to the digital lab at Lip Sync Post while the graphics depart- ment created the title sequences. The lab used its Arri Laser recorders to create the final output to 35mm film
which Kevin describes as “seamless – you’d be hard pushed to identify indi- vidual formats.”
Also shown at Toronto was Penny Woolcock’s Principles Of Lust, where Lip Sync contributed the 5.1 surround mix and title graphics. Subsequently, Penny returned to Lip Sync for her film of John Adams’ opera The Death Of Klinghoffer.
The opera is based on the murder by terrorists of wheelchair-bound US tourist Leon Klinghoffer, aboard the hijacked cruise ship Achille Lauro. Here, Lip Sync was responsible for titles, graphics and digital transfer to film. The feature has just been awarded the Prix Italia 2003 for best arts film.
Lip Sync’s graphics department contributed 10 FX sequences for another Toronto entry, Intermission (dir. John Crowley), an Irish urban
Photos l-r: A scene from Kevin Macdonald’s Touching The Void; Kevin Phelan, Head of Postproduction at Soho’s Lip Sync Post; Mike Carter, Senior Sound Mixer at Lip Sync Post completing Festival Express; Graphics for the title sequence of BBC’s Canterbury Tales
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