The staff at Molinare were delighted to be informed this morning that Steve Milne and his consortium are to buy the Company, the sale of which is expected to complete next week.
Steve Milne first purchased the Company in 2003 and then sold the majority of his shares in 2008 to Century Communications Ltd before making a complete exit from the Company in September 2010. The Indian company have invested substantially over the last four years, and the company was awarded Best Post Production House at this year’s Broadcast Awards.
(Full story to come upon the completion of the sale)
Next month the most eagerly anticipated film of the year, probably of the decade, reaches cinemas – Ridley Scott’s PROMETHEUS.
Molinare worked with the Prometheus team throughout the entire pre-production process, testing the whole DI pipeline from shooting and digital dailies, through editorial and full DI post production, to the creation and review of 3D stereoscopic and 2D digital and film print deliverables. We were then delighted to host them at our central Soho offices during the film’s edit.
Molinare’s technical team attended the initial test shoot on the Red Epic camera, and set up an offline edit suite with 3D stereoscopic monitoring, testing various resolutions to find the optimum performance for the creative edit and review screenings. We then conformed the edited sequence, testing EXR and DPX workflows, and performed geometric corrections, colour and depth grade in our 3D stereoscopic grading theatre, working with director Ridley Scott and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski to enhance the atmospheric look of the scenes.
To ensure the quality of final delivery, our team then created 3D stereoscopic and 2D digital cinema packages as well as a 2D film print, closely matching the tone and look for all mediums. The whole team reviewed the deliverables closely on our Dolby 3D and Xpand projection theatres, as well as screening the test at a RealD cinema in London’s Leicester Square, and validated the entire workflow and colour management for digital and film.
When the film went into full production, Molinare hosted the offline editorial team in Soho and utilised a high speed private network to Pinewood Studios to transfer dailies directly to the shared edit storage. The offline was carried out at high resolution and the output of the edit suites was fed directly to our main grading theatre to allow full 3D stereoscopic review throughout the offline process.
We were absolutely delighted to be awarded Best Post Production House at last night’s Broadcast Awards, held at Grosvenor House. The Molinare team were out in force at the event, and we were blown away when the win was announced.
2011 was a year of highs for Molinare, including relaunching our brand (including an epic relaunch party!) and some truly fantastic Broadcast projects crossing our path.
One of the Broadcast highlights was our post-production of BBC2’s The Hour for Kudos Film and Television, which led to an RTS Award nomination for Gareth Spensley’s grade on the series. Producer Ruth Kenley-Letts, who has also teamed up with us on Silent Witness, said she was “blown away” by the work we completed on the drama series.
Our relationship with the MasterChef team continued in 2011 when we helped them make the move to HD, providing technical support and a cloud-based review and editing service for the production to view and assemble rushes remotely
MasterChef series producer Karen Ross said: “Molinare is not merely a facilitator but a contributor, and there is nowhere else we would have received this kind of ongoing service.”
A huge thanks to all our clients, staff and supporters, who over the past year have helped us go from strength to strength, with the crowning glory being this accolade. We’re looking forward to seeing what the rest of 2012 will bring.
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.
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.
Lionsgate UK is producing its first feature comedy, based around UK TV character Keith Lemon. Leigh Francis, who created and starred as the character in TV shows Bo’ Selecta! and Keith Lemon’s World Tour, has co-written the script for the film along with Paul Angunawela, who will direct.
The feature version will follow Keith as he moves from Leeds to London in his quest to become a successful entrepreneur, just like his hero Richard Branson. Verne Troyer is confirmed to star alongside Francis.
Shooting is due to begin on November 17 in Belfast, with funding from Northern Ireland Screen.
Mark Huffam, Simon Bosanquet and Aidan Elliott will produce for Belfast-based Generator Entertainment. Zygi Kamasa, CEO of Lionsgate UK will executive produce. Nick Manzi and Emma Berkofsky developed the film in house after and will also executive produce for Lionsgate UK.
Molinare have also put in financing.
Lionsgate is eyeing an August 2012 release around the same slot as this year’s box office smash The Inbetweeners to cater for the film’s largely teen audience.
It will be the second time Lionsgate UK has partnered with Francis, following Lionsgate Home Entertainment’s release last Christmas of Keith Lemon’s Fit!, a comedic DVD parody of the fitness video market, which sold over 100,000 units.
Zygi Kamasa, Lionsgate UK’s CEO, told Screen that the decision to make the feature came after the success of the DVD last year. “Keith Lemon’s show is one of the highest rated shows on ITV2 every week, he has a million followers on twitter. He has clearly got an audience.”
Kamasa said the film would be “in the Ali G world of slightly heightened reality.”
Lionsgate UK recently announced they are handling distribution and sales on Colin Firth starrer The Railway Man and exec producing Mike Newell’s Great Expectations which started shooting on 10 October. The company is also still in development on a feature version of The Professionals, which Kamasa said he hoped would shoot by the end of next summer. Cast and director are yet to be announced.
Lionsgate UK’s theatrical slate includes Lasse Hallström’s Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Ralph Fiennes’ directorial debut Coriolanus and David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method.
“We want to invest more and more into British films. We have 3 or 4 projects ongoing at the moment and Keith Lemon fitted in as something alternative but potentially very commercial,” added Kamasa.
We are delighted to welcome John Palmer to Molinare as Head of Digital Film Services, who will be leading our talented DI department and developing our Film Restoration capabilities.
John’s brings over 25 years experience of working with Film to Molinare, having been the Scanning and Laser Recording Supervisor on features such as Quantum Of Solace, Never Let Me Go, Paul and many others. John’s care and committment to producing the best quality images, means that he is recognised as one of the industry’s best known and respected Restoration specialists. His Restoration portfolio includes The Manxman and The Ring, both of which formed part of the Hitchcock 9, and Underground 1928.
John has extensive experience of of varied archive materials including Nitrate, YCM 3-strip and 2-strip. In conjunction with the state of the art equipment that Molinare’s DI department contains (including the 6K ARRIScan with Wet Gates, ARRILaser II and Relativity software), John’s arrival will undoubtedly assist Molinare in our intent to become a main contender in the Archive Restoration market.
Molinare has boosted its VFX department with the appointment of two Executive Producers, Meg Guidon and Nicola Instone.
Meg Guidon brings over twenty years’ experience to Molinare VFX, returning to the company where she began her illustrious career. After taking roles at Cinesite and Mill Film in the 1990s – where she produced with the Oscar-winning VFX team for Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ – Meg relocated to Los Angeles in 2000 to represent the UK’s VFX industry. She worked there as a Vice Consul in the Foreign Office to promote trade with the US, forging enviable links within the US post production community. More recently Meg has worked as a VFX consultant and bidding producer both in Soho and internationally, producing projects such as ‘Clash Of The Titans’ and ’Ironclad’ and working freelance as an animation producer at Passion Pictures amongst others.
Nicola Instone will move into a business development role, and brings a wealth of experience to Molinare VFX, having worked at various facilities including MPC, The Mill and Prime Focus. Nicola’s producing credentials include ‘The Wolfman,’ and ‘Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader’ and while at Prime Focus she also produced the 2D to 3D conversion of Shrek. This is all in addition to Nicola being a prominent member of the Visual Effects Society. She was honoured in 2008 with the VES Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series for ‘Fight For Life.’
Scott Holmgren, Molinare COO, is delighted with the appointments: “Meg and Nicola are highly-respected industry figures and we are pleased to welcome them to Molinare. Nicola‘s producing experience will be crucial to her task of driving new business, while Meg’s international and UK connections offer an opportunity for Molinare to improve its visibility in the global marketplace. Their appointments will undoubtedly strengthen Molinare’s already outstanding VFX team.”
Misfits was the big winner at this year’s Broadcast Awards on Wednesday evening, picking up the awards for Best New Programme and Best Multichannel Programme. Audio was completed here at Molinare from our RTS award-winning team (comprising Billy Mahoney, Roger Dobson and Tony Gibson).
Small Island was also a winner, picking up the award for Best Single Drama. Molinare completed full post production on this critically-acclaimed drama from Ruby Films.
It was a tremendously successful night at the VES Awards for the UK – 3 awards for Inception, a Lifetime Achievement award for Ray Harryhausen and the Inaugural VES Visionary Award for UK director Chris Nolan.
Dayne Cowan, Molinare VFX’s Creative Head, had the honour of being asked to present the awards for two different categories on the evening. The King’s Speech and Molinare’s involvement was a prominent talking point in conversations with the 1000 attendees.
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