Peter Jacksons Park Road Post Production, the leading New Zealand post production facility, has purchased a second Quantel Pablo 4K non-linear color correction system as well as Quantels revolutionary Genetic Engineering teamworking infrastructure. The new set-up will enable Park Road to work simultaneously on several projects, dramatically improving workflow, and deliver sparkling results to clients in much shorter timescales.
Double handling big data files is slow work and inefficient – and time equals money, says Adam Scott, Park Roads Head of DI. By installing a second Pablo and Genetic Engineering, we can share jobs between suites – perhaps conforming in one, doing the grade in the theatre then finishing back in the original suite. With Genetic Engineering, all the media is available instantly to every connected suite; its a much more elegant approach. Clients are a lot more techno-savvy nowadays and demand a better, faster and cheaper result. Thats just what were giving them.
Park Road has also purchased the Sam data server as part of the Genetic Engineering set-up, which will allow its Shake, Combustion and After Effects suites open access to all stored media, further improving workflow. We are also looking at scanning direct into the GenePool from our Spirit datacine, Scott continues, and early next year may also hook it all up to the ARRI scanner and recorders at (sister company) Weta Digital via a dark fibre link.
Park Road recently completed its first 4K project on Pablo, grading Peter Jacksons Crossing the Line short film, which was shot on the Red camera. The speed of Pablo impressed everyone. Operationally in the color grade session it could have been 2K – nobody could tell. In fact there were comments about how fast it was at 4K, recalls Scott. There really isnt anything as fast and complete as Pablo. Now with Genetic Engineering, its a no-brainer; its a great addition to our world-class DI infrastructure.