Oktobor invests in new colour suite, new gear

Award winning visual effects and animation studio Oktobor today gave details of the major new investments it has made in creating a new colour suite, complete with the latest Baselight 4 colour grading system linked to a smart storage area network (SAN).

Says Oktobor GM Bruce Everett: “Our Lead Colourist Kenny Gibb has an incredible eye for detail. Having worked for clients including Nike, McDonalds, Heinz and Nokia and agencies that include Fallon, Y&R, AMV, JWT and M&C Saatchi, he has a well-established reputation for making his rooms work the best way possible. This was certainly the case with the new colour suite which he has overseen, from the design to the latest equipment.”

Oktobor recently announced several new additions to its team. Thislatest investment in technology and environment further complimentsEverett’s strategy of continued growth and greater efficiencies.

Says Gibb: “Having been given the opportunity to design the suitefrom the ground up we have been able to deliver a space which providesOktobor’s clients with a much more intimate and effective experience.The layout devised ensures everyone is close by during the gradingsession and can assess the images being created via the best monitoravailable on the market today. I’m delighted to say, with the continuedbacking of our parent company Omnilab Media, we have been able toinstall the latest Grade 1 Barco LCD – a first for any facility in NewZealand.”

Oktobor’s new Baselight 4.1 is the latest state of the art colourgrading platform available and providing colourists and directors withnew, unique solutions for image manipulation. The Baselight’s levels ofperformance exceed anything else currently available in the marketplaceand it has rapidly become the grading system of choice for the world’stop post production houses.

Adds Gibb: “Baselight has been designed to be at its most productivefor multiple workflows. All decisions are captured in a databaseallowing instant access to any image and the ability to work with allinput and output resolutions as a conformed sequence within a singletimeline. Every action can be modified via the Blackboard controlsurface until the last possible moment, then delivered via our fibrenetwork to our finishing suites immediately, without the delayassociated with traditional film transfers. Crucially our acquisitionof Baselight means we can provide tapeless workflow colour grading forany image medium including film, Red, 5D and Phantom. Baselight alsoincorporates Truelight, providing colour-accurate delivery emulation onany grading display. The finished result is the best that money can buyand the system provides our clients a world class grading suite ofequal quality and calibre to the one I worked with at The MovingPicture Company in the UK.”

Says Everett: “Kenny’s vision for the colour suite has beeninspirational. Together with the interior designers he has delivered aroom which is modern and timeless. The room has wooden floors, crispdécor, bespoke furniture and perfectly houses the clever custom-madedesk and Baselight system and the Grade 1 Barco flat screen monitorallowing images to be represented in the most accurate way possible.”

Oktobor have also invested in a new 45Tb smart SAN linking theBaselight by fibre to a major back up library which protects and storesall media and data. The SAN delivers realtime 2K into the company’sfibre network which also distributes it in realtime.

Adds Everett: “These new systems allow Oktobor to employ much moreefficient and safer workflows. It’s a sea change from the use ofvideotape to a data based environment. This now allows common andshared workflows between the Baselight system and our Flame suites,with Baselight acting as an integration between 2D and colour. We cannow offer clients a much more sophisticated tool set and far greatercolour depth in their final cut – and it’s 3D capable right here andnow.”

Oktobor’s new technology and workflows represent a fundamental changeto the relationship and function of telecine as it now translates filminto the electronic world.

Says Gibb: “Our colour department now operates more like Flame orMotion and Design where the artist designs and grades a look from theplanning stage of a project, allowing creatives and directors to showtheir clients the look early in the production process. This appliesacross TVCs too. It gives our clients a real advantage and with thesignificant financial backing we have at Oktobor, it further enhancesour total commitment to colour where many have walked away from it.”

Adds Everett: “I believe Kenny Gibb is one of the bestcolourists in New Zealand, his track record and internationallyrecognized body of work speaks for itself which is why we were so keenon hiring him.  With this major investment in technology Kenny’s roleextends outside of the new colour suite, due to his experience andsuccessful track record in these areas, he is now responsible forcolour across all of Oktobor.”

Oktobor’s new colour grading suite, Baselight 4 system and smart SAN isfully working and operational. All enquiries for bookings should bemade through Oktobor’s account director Ganesh Raj on +64 9 306 6616 orat graj@oktobor.com.

Picture: Oktobor Senior Colourist Kenny Gibb at the Baselight 4 desk in the company’s new colour suite.