Archive for January, 2012

Molinare & Arts Alliance Media Partner For Digital Cinema Distribution Services

Arts Alliance Media (AAM), the London-based digital cinema company, and Molinare have entered into an agreement to partner in offering Arts Alliance Media’s digital cinema services to Molinare’s post-production clients. The move will see producers being offered a seamless end-to-end service from preproduction through to theatrical release.

 

AAM, which has provided digital cinema content and distribution services to clients throughout Europe since 2006, will work with Molinare to provide services such as DCP (Digital Cinema Package) creation and reversioning for different territories, along with a full QC service in either of its two fully equipped digital cinemas, in London and Paris. The collaboration/combined services offering will also provide AAM clients the chance to benefit from a full managed post production service with Molinare.

 

Services available will also include distribution to cinemas globally – including the option of satellite transmission direct to cinema servers, or the alternative of distribution on hard drive or USB. AAM will also provide a full security key (KDM) management service to ensure content can only be unlocked by a specified cinema screen at the specified time.

 

Scott Holmgren, Molinare’s Chief Operating Officer, commented “Being able to offer this final step of digital cinema asset creation and distribution means that we can now offer our customers a totally integrated workflow through to getting their product to cinemas. Arts Alliance Media’s experience in the digital cinema world is unparalleled and we’re delighted to be working with them and looking forward to the new services we’re going to have on offer.”

 

Victoria Galloway, Content & Distributor Services Director of Arts Alliance Media added “Working as a partner with Molinare means that we can get involved with clients at an earlier stage and help them to plan requirements for their cinema release anywhere in the world, with everything from trailers to the final feature in different versions. We were impressed with the fantastic service Molinare provide to their clients, and the reputation they have for technical excellence, and we’re excited to work with them to bring the efficiencies and quality of digital cinema to more filmmakers.”

Hammers Films to release extended unseen ‘Dracula’

Hammer Films have announced that they will be releasing a “definitive” version of Terence Fisher’s 1958 Gothic masterpiece DRACULA, which will have its World Premiere screening on Saturday 18th February at 3pm at the Flicker Club as part of the Vault festival in London.

 

Recently-discovered footage that was originally cut from the British version has been restored by Molinare’s DI and Restoration team (overseen by John Palmer, Head of Digital Film Services) to the BFI’s  2007 restoration version. The Japanese footage features an extended and particularly gruesome death scene for Dracula, as well as a moment considered too erotic by the censors of the day.

 

In total, Hammer will be restoring over 30 titles.

Molinare To Shift Focus Away From Post Equity Deals

5 January, 2012 | By Sarah Cooper

 
 
 

EXCLUSIVE: London-based post-production outfit Molinare has revealed that its long term strategy will be based primarily around attracting productions through the quality of its work, as opposed to being required to make equity investments.

 

The decision comes at a time when an increasing number of post-production companies are choosing – or being required – to offer equity investment in order to secure work on feature films, partly due to a growing expectation from producers that post houses will be able to provide them with the final piece of equity to complete their financing jigsaw.

Whilst Molinare will continue to invest in features, its head of business Richard Conway [pictured] told Screen that it would “no longer be the primary driving force.”

 

Molinare is currently working on the post production for Eran Creevy’s hotly anticipated second feature Welcome To The Punch, Jon Wright’s monster movie Grabbers, Dustin Hoffman’s Quartet as well as Julian Temple’s upcoming project This Is London, none of which have involved an equity investment from the company, although it has put some investment into Lionsgate’s forthcoming Keith Lemon feature, Keith Lemon: The Film.

 

“Our fortunate investment in The King’s Speech was a lightning strike. We must not assume it will ever happen again. That does not mean we are not investing at all, but the financing we can provide is no longer the primary driving force to attract film makers to Molinare, the quality of the post production is,” said Conway, who joined Molinare in late 2008 following its takeover by Century Communications.

 

“Many in the industry have become uncomfortable with post houses dictating as to what they can and cannot have within the restraints of an investment deal. It’s refreshing to see more and more respected industry figures working with Molinare through choice not necessity,” explained Conway, who points to the company’s multimillion pound two-year refurbishment plan – including a new grading theatre, equipment upgrades, client hospitality and an expanded VFX department – as helping to attract film and TV productions.

 

As part of a year of change for the company, there have been several high profile appointments, including Asa Shoul, who is joining the company this month as a senior colourist. Shoul’s credits include Kick-Ass and Clash Of The Titans. He is also known for grading high profile TV dramas including HBO’s Generation Kill and StrikeBack: Project Dawn.

 

John Palmer was appointed as head of digital film services in October, with a remit to develop Molinare’s archive/restoration, whilst Meg Guidon and George Zwier joined the VFX department last year.

Asa Shoul joins Molinare

Molinare has welcomed top Colourist Asa Shoul to its grading team.

 

As one of the industry’s most respected and multi-award winning Colourists, Asa brings a wealth of experience and an expansive portfolio to Molinare, having graded over 35 feature films including Layer Cake, The Constant Gardener, Kick-Ass and Clash Of The Titans. He is also known for grading high profile TV dramas including HBO’s Generation Kill and Strike Back: Project Dawn.

 

Asa began his illustrious career in 1994 when he joined Framestore as a telecine colourist. Whist there, he became one of the pioneers of digital feature grading, helping to develop the Baselight grading system. In 1998 Asa won the International Monitor Award for his grading on Hallmark’s mini-series Merlin, and subsequently won two more of these awards for Hallmark’s Alice in Wonderland and Arabian Nights.

 

During a recent two year stint at Technicolor, Asa rebuilt their colour science pipeline and has been D.I. consultant on features such as Gulliver’s Travels, John Carter, World War Z, and Gambit.

 

Scott Holmgren, Molinare’s COO is delighted that Asa will be joining Molinare: “The addition of Asa to our already fantastic team of Colourists, coupled with our state of the art grading theatres, demonstrates to the industry that we have the resources to tackle even the largest studio productions.”