Cooke Optics' ZGC, the American distributor for the multi-award winning manufacturer of precision lenses for film and television has appointed Rich Eilers to the role of director of sales, effective February 29.
On February 27th, supervising sound editor and sound designer Richard King will receive the Motion Picture Sound Editors’ 2016 Career Achievement Award. A three-time Academy Award winner (Inception, The Dark Knight and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World), King will join such previous sound professionals as Skip Lievsay, Randy Thom, Larry Singer, Walter Murch and George Watters II as a recipient of the MPSE’s highest honor.
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers is seeking proposals for technical papers for the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition October 24-28 in Hollywood, California. The proposed papers must be informational and address technical theory, research, innovations, applications, or practices specific to any of the evolving technologies associated with the media technology industry. Initial abstracts must be submitted online no later than April 22.
WCPMedia Services recently helped MIA Market, Italy’s first-ever international market for film, television, documentaries and video games, connect content owners with potential buyers through the use of its groundbreaking media management platform. The cloud-based service allowed MIA’s 1600 participants—in Rome and in 58 countries worldwide—to view new content on demand via secure, online screening rooms. MIA was held recently in Rome in conjunction with the Rome Film Fest.
Hollywood Professional Association president Leon Silverman has stepped down as president of the organization that he helped found to make room for the next generation of leadership and a newly expanded board of directors. In his traditional remarks made during the opening session of the 2016 HPA Tech Retreat, Silverman also announced that the HPA Board has elected Seth Hallen to succeed him. Hallen, senior vice president of Global Creative Services at Sony DADC New Media Solutions, has been an HPA board member since 2007, working closely with Silverman and the board on a number of key initiatives and management of the organization. Silverman will continue to serve on the board of directors in the newly created role of Past President.
Panasonic has announced that an AG Remote Operation Panel application facilitating remote control of the AG-DVX200PJ 4K camcorder from an iPad is immediately available as a free download from the Apple App Store. Installation of a wireless module, AJ-WM30 or ASUS USB-N53 (both sold separately), is required. The firmware in the camcorder may need to be updated to the newest version. With iPad, iOS7.1, iOS8.1, iOS9 are supported. iPhone is not supported.
ScriptHop has introduced Character Breakdown Tool, software that is designed to help agents, executives and creatives streamline the process of identifying and defining roles within a screenplay. The full multi-platform content management system will launch later in 2016.
Laika was honored at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ Scientific & Technical Awards on Saturday, February 13 in Beverly Hills, California. Brian McLean and Martin Meunier received the Scientific and Engineering Award for Laika’s pioneering use of rapid prototyping for character animation in stop-motion film production. Laika, the animation studio located just outside Portland, Oregon, has produced three films, all of which have earned Oscar nominations for Outstanding Animated Film.
PS Production Services provided lighting, power, dolly and grip equipment for Deadpool, the comic book thriller from 20th Century Fox that opened internationally this month. PS supported the production during two and a half months of shooting on location in Vancouver. The shoot included a spectacular crash sequence staged on the Georgia Viaduct, near the city’s downtown. Deadpool smashed records, garnering $260 million at the box office worldwide for its opening weekend.
Cinematographer Shane Hurlbut, ASC used a series of 10 Cooke S4/i focal lengths to shoot Gabriele Muccino's latest feature Fathers and Daughters, starring Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried. Hurlbut's lens package for the Canon EOS D500 and MōVI digital 3-axis gyro-stabilized handheld camera gimbal included the Cooke S4/i 14mm, 18mm, 21mm, 27mm, 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, and 135mm lenses. Fathers and Daughters, a Voltage Films and Busted Shark production of a Voltage Pictures Film, marks the ninth feature film Hurlbut has shot with Cooke lenses.
