The acquisition of New York-based post-production house Post Logic Studios by Prime Focus studios is just one of the small steps taken to get Hollywood.
MUMBAI: The acquisition of New York-based post-production house Post Logic Studios by Prime Focus studios is just one of the small steps taken to get Hollywood interested in India.
According to Larry Birstock, CEO, Post Logic, “a lot of collaboration is waiting to happen once the workflow model is put into place”.
Birstock who’s currently in India to visit Prime Focus’ Indian facilities believes that with globalisation, such working models are inevitable. (In fact, Birstock is already getting used to living in a small world. The night before, he was watching the American SuperBall match Live on TV and “had an interesting time” discussing the match via SMS chat with his son in the US.)
“Initially when Prime Focus announced the acquisition, there was a sense of apprehension within the domestic industry here about an Indian company taking over. But very soon clients realised that the acquisition offers more value and global scale, like never before. We’re in an international business and now Hollywood studios are getting increasingly interested in India,” he says.
Birstock points out that while biggies like Warner Bros and Sony Pictures have already announced Bollywood projects, “they realise that certain components of their existing post production work can be done in India”.
“If you spend time in Hollywood, you’ll notice that there is a lot of interest in the media business in India. Not just from the studios but also from the independents. They realize that the services and technology required for their projects are available in India.”
A possible reason why studios are looking eastwards is because the post production business by its nature offers narrow profit margins and the belly of the orient could be a good bargain, provided quality of work remains consistent.
“Price is an important component. Under the Prime Focus umbrella we can now undertake projects that will work on a cost-effective model without compromising on the quality of services,” he says.
The acquisition of visual effects (VFX) specialist Frantic Films Software has been an added bonus, he says. Primarily because it gives certain “value-add to the proposition of being a one-stop shop for clients”. Birstock says, “Niche facilities will exist, but studios and clients are increasingly looking at a single window where they can get their post-production executed.”
Frantic Films already has a reputation in fluid dynamics and R&D departments, he says. “Thanks to Frantic, we now have more depth in VFX in addition Prime Focus’ existing facilities of DI, film mastering and restoration and colour science,” he says.
“We have the scope of offering the most remarkable quality of work in a cost-effective model.”
It’s been a transition in waiting for Post Logic. The shift has taken place from film processing labs to digital intermediate (DI) and Birstock therefore has more of the Spielbergs and Sam Mendes lining up for post production work.
In fact, Post Logic has already earned the first mover advantage when it comes to DI. It won the mandate to do the post production for the recently completed project titled Reach for Me, touted as the first feature film ever to be shot on 4K, lensed with Dalsa cameras.
“It looks phenomenal on screen. The resolution is four times higher than the ones you generally see in cinema,” he says, cautioning, “Conventionally post-production artists have the celluloid tapes to fall back upon as a back-up. In Dalsa, 4K the only back-up is digital and we’re fortunate to have been assigned this responsibility.”
Prime Focus’ footprint is now present in the most robust entertainment markets in the world - US, UK and India.
The company’s local facilities serve India’s currently booming $2.5 billion entertainment industry with the regional film industry contributing a “significant amount” to the company’s revenues, according to Amit Gupta, Prime Focus director of corporate development.
Its London facilities - VTR Ltd, Blue Post Production, The Hive, The Machine Room and K Post - serve the European projects while its US facilities, now under Post Logic and Frantic Films, serve the domestic film and television industry. Post Logic has offices in New York and Hollywood while Frantic Films is based out of Los Angeles, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
c_arcopol@dnaindia.net
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