Nucoda Helps Tunnel Inc. Bring Technological Insight and
Workflow to Studio e in South Korea
300 Phoenix and Nucoda Workstations at the Centre of Project
September 9, 2011 (Los Angeles, CA/Amsterdam, NE) Tunnel Consulting, the technology driven arm of Tunnel Inc., is in the final stages of completing Phase One of an international consultation and implementation project for Studio e, a mega studio/facility/media centre based in South Korea’s sixth largest city, Gwangju. Tunnel has chosen Image Systems’ Phoenix restoration tools and Nucoda grading line to power the international project.
The Studio e facility will restore, convert, archive and manage the distribution of thousands of hours of Korean broadcast library content. Studio e will create universal masters of a vast library of film and television programs using the integrated workflow of the Phoenix and Nucoda solutions that are designed for high volume. In addition to the mastering of the library, DI and 2D to 3D conversions are central in the workflow. The Studio e site will be one of the world’s largest implementation of Nucoda and Phoenix solutions.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Tunnel Inc. is respected for a strong technological focus and creative approach. The team from Tunnel travelled to South Korea in early 2011 to analyse the entire spectrum that would be needed to bring a project of this size to fruition-beginning at one end and going all the way to the other-from ingest, colour management, shot clean up and restoration, to simple visual effects, digital asset management, and finally to storage and distribution. They developed the workflow, supervised the design of the facility, specified and ordered the technology, trained staff, and in some cases created customised solutions. The launch is set for late 2011.
Studio e has 300 workstations, divided into 30 pods of 10 workstations. In looking at the technology needed for a project of this magnitude, Kyle Jackson, Co-Founder, Tunnel Inc., returned to his long-standing relationship with Image Systems. In Santa Monica, Tunnel Inc. has two Nucoda Film Masters and finishing credits on over 180 films and many TV, web, and commercial projects using the Nucoda product line. This core experience with Image Systems gave Kyle and Tunnel Consulting partner, Matthew Treinish, the perspective to execute the restoration and colour portion of the pipeline.
Jackson notes, “We knew from our experience that the range of capabilities – Phoenix for restoration and Nucoda for grading, as well as the tools in the highly regarded DVO toolset – was a perfect fit. By the time you see and access everything that Nucoda can do, there simply are more tools and opportunities for VFX, grading and conform; it becomes a clear choice and viable financial option. As a long time user of the Nucoda grading line, I am now thoroughly impressed with the Phoenix restoration line. The solutions from Image Systems are absolutely the best in the market.”
At Studio e, there are also 15 master colourist workstations with a more robust set up than the pods, which includes Phoenix Finish and many of the DVO tools, as well as Nucoda Compose and Nucoda Fuse and with the Avid Artist panel to facilitate the execution of a wide array of actions. By combining the Avid panel and Nucoda Fuse, in-house DI workflows have a cost-efficient option for high quality colour and image processing tools. The joint solution will be presented for the first time at IBC 2011. Tunnel is the first customer to acquire this integrated package.
There is also a significant asset management component to the project. Digital asset management experts from 5th Kind were enlisted by Tunnel Consulting to help design and implement their DAM as a custom solution. “Managing this quantity of content comes with a significant need for flexible, powerful asset management. We’ve been able to work closely with our colleagues at 5th Kind to develop a custom solution that integrates with the SAN and Nucoda tools that is highly effective,” comments Jackson.
Additionally, Adam Hawkey, Senior DI Colourist for Image Systems, gave twenty Studio e managers from South Korea hands-on, intense training. Those managers will, in turn, train the staff back in South Korea.
Phase Two of Studio e is set to begin late 2011/early 2012, and will further expand operations to include other types of content and outside projects. Tunnel’s involvement in the undertaking is a harbinger of an emerging model of technological consultation, where global experts work to support emerging markets and businesses based on their experience and expertise. Image Systems tools will be designed into the expansion plans.
Jackson and Treinish agree and note, “This project was a major undertaking of over eight years of strategy and execution. Working with our friends and colleagues at Image Systems always has been one of the most rewarding technological collaborations we have ever engaged in, and their willingness to work closely with us to devise solutions on the Studio e project was crucial. They understand real world demands as well as the creative needs. Just as important as the toolset, is their willingness to respond with flexibility, ingenuity and dedication. We look forward to working with them in the expansion of Tunnel, in our global consultations, and as part of the innovation plan for our future.”
About Image Systems
Image Systems Media Unit, formerly Digital Vision, is a division of Image Systems AB, which specializes in high-resolution image processing, film scanning and motion analysis solutions. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Image Systems has offices in Linköping, London and Los Angeles. The company has three business units: Media, Defense and Motion, managed via a global network of qualified distributors. Its Nucoda and Phoenix image grading and restoration software solutions and Golden Eye range of scanners provide innovative tools to create and master media in HD, 2K/4K and stereoscopic 3D. The TEMA software platform provides a range of user friendly, high-speed motion analysis solutions for the automotive industry and other industrial test and design applications. The TrackEye software and Golden Eye scanners provide image analysis solutions for the military reconnaissance and testing markets. For additional information, visit www.imagesystems.tv.
All trademarks used herein, whether recognized or not, are the properties of their respective companies.
About Tunnel Consulting
TUNN3L was formed by Kyle Jackson and Matthew Treinish and is the technology driven arm of Tunnel Inc, with a business-minded approach to the entertainment industry and the ever-changing content creation and distribution business. TUNN3L CONSULTING develops software and technology to take the friction out of doing business in the content creation industries. From simplifying and enabling post-production processes to redefining the way business is done in entertainment overall, TUNN3L CONSULTING is among the only companies to have a real grasp on the quickly changing landscape of the business as a whole. With both long-term industry executives and technology wunderkinds, TUNN3L
CONSULTING is positioned to be among the few companies that is transforming the business to become sustainable in the age of the digital download and rapidly changing production and distribution processes. Tunnel Consulting has experience designing, integrating and implementing facilities that include both small technologically advanced post-production facilities domestically to enormous 2D-3D conversion, restoration and HD Upgrade studios worldwide. Tunnel Consulting currently controls a film fund dedicated to film investments on finishing elements for film and T.V. content worldwide and continues to be a valuable resource for producers in need of financial structuring and distribution game-plans. A link to a recent article about the company is
http://tunnelpost.com/sites/default/files/images/Matt_Kyle_AL_Article.pdf
About Tunnel Inc.
Tunnel, Inc. is a Santa Monica-based company that utilizes its strong technology focus and unique creative approach to create, restore, and deliver high-end media content, including feature films, television programs, live events, commercials, music videos, and trailers. Founded by Kyle Jackson and Alan Pao, TUNNEL started as a solution to one post production related problem and has since grown in both physical size and scope tremendously over the last 6 years to reach beyond post production to all aspects of the TV and Film Industry. In 2010 TUNNEL again expanded the operation into an entirely new state of the art and custom built 15,000 sq ft facility only 2 blocks from the beach in beautiful downtown Santa Monica, California.TUNNEL’s focus is on developing a suite of complementary, technolog and financial-based service businesses that streamline and make sustainable the creation and distribution of Film and TV content. TUNNEL has continued its tradition of innovation by working with a couple select partners to make the post process easier and more readily available to films of all sizes. From helping to invent a DI platform that ushered in a new wave of feature film finishing to constantly pushing the boundaries of every application we use, TUNNEL quietly stirred up a storm in the post production industry and has continued to navigate out in front of those battling the storm behind us.
TUNNEL also parlayed their success in post-production into opportunities in film production and financing. Maximizing their dollars through the strength of their vertical integration, TUNNEL has produced over 18 films in the past 5 years. Through their finance division, Promenade FIlm Fund, TUNNEL and Promenade plan to actively participate in funding over 6-10 projects per year ranging from $2 to $40 Million per project.
Over the next few years TUNNEL is actively focused on investing time and resources in further redefining a rapidly changing industry. From software development and partnering with the technology leaders in all aspects of the production and post production process to redefining the way films are financed and distributed, Tunnel is again pushing the boundaries to bring back an sustainable content creation business model and environment.
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