Construction has halted on the Academy Museum in Los Angeles in the wake of the global pandemic but its organizers still expect to be able to meet their previously announced opening date of December 14. "We are keenly aware that we're working towards the opening of the Academy Museum during a time of great challenge," said Bill Kramer, director of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
To help sound editors, mixers and other post-production professionals, who suddenly find themselves working from home, Ambidio is making its immersive sound technology, Ambidio Looking Glass, available for free. Sound pros can use it as a monitoring tool for theatrical and television projects requiring immersive sound.
Sony Corporation today announced the establishment of the Sony Global Relief Fund for COVID-19, a $100 million fund to support those around the world affected by the COVID-19 virus. Through this fund, Sony will provide support in three areas: assistance for those individuals engaged in frontline medical and first responder efforts to fight the virus, support for children and educators who must now work remotely, and support for members of the creative community in the entertainment industry, which has been greatly impacted by the spread of the virus.
Lindsey Optics has introduced the Large Format Viewfinder to provide optical through the lens viewing. With a sleek, modular design, it supports an unprecedented range of formats from Super 35 to Alexa 65. Company CEO Dwight Lindsey says, “We created our LF Viewfinder for filmmakers who prefer to test a ‘look’ by viewing directly through the actual lens instead of electronic means like monitors or digital tools. Our Large Format Viewfinder solves the viewing issue, while also meeting the need for format diversity.”
Arri Rental has announced that Andy Shipsides will assume the role of president of Arri Rental North America Camera on May 1. Peter Crithary will transition from president of Arri Rental, North America to lead the marketing function for Arri Inc. in the newly created role of vice president of marketing and market development for the Americas. Shipsides will work alongside Carly Barber, the president of Arri Rental US Lighting, and will be responsible for overseeing camera rental operations in North America.
The Ymagis Group has named Thierry Lescasse as group executive vice president, finance, succeeding Benoît Jacheet, whose transition mission concluded with the completion of the financial restructuring plan. Jacheet will remain with the company for several weeks to ensure a smooth transition.
Veteran colorist Walter Volpatto, CSI has been appointed to the leadership of the Colorist Society International as a Fellow. A senior colorist at EFilm in Hollywood, Volpatto was nominated for a 2019 HPA Award for his work on the film Green Book. His more than 100 credits also include the features Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Dunkirk, Midway and Independence Day: Resurgence, as well as the television series Homecoming and Queen Sugar. He joins Dale Grahn, Lou Levinson, Charles Poynton and Kevin Shaw as CSI Fellows.
Ana Monte, lead sound designer and Daniel Deboy, lead sound engineer founded Delta Soundworks in Heidelberg, Germany in 2016. The company is a 3D/immersive audio post-production facility with projects that span across installations, virtual reality, 360-degree films and gaming, as well as feature films, documentaries, TV shows and commercials. Their team consists of a highly skilled and creative group of production sound mixers, recording engineers, sound designers, Foley artists, composers and music producers. Digital Cinema Report recently spoke with Monte and Deboy about their business and some very interesting projects.
For more than 10 years, production sound mixer and location sound recordist, David Thirion, has been using DPA microphones to capture audio for film and television projects. Their audio quality and natural sound was a key reason for his choice, but equally important was the tiny size of some models, which makes them ideal for situations where they need to be hidden on actors’ bodies or in costumes.
In a cinematic universe expanding with superheroes, the creative challenge for filmmakers is to set newcomers apart from the crowd. The task was doubly important for Bloodshot, the first installment of a new franchise that Sony Pictures plans for characters of comic-book publisher Valiant Entertainment. The studio assigned responsibility to Dave Wilson, an established video game cinematic and trailer director for Blur Studio but first-time feature director, who in turn worked alongside cinematographer Jacques Jouffret, whose credits as a camera operator include Deepwater Horizon and Transformers: The Last Knight, and as a DP include The Purge and Mile 22.
