Applying its expertise in high definition post-production, Ascent Media, through its Company 3, R!OT Santa Monica, Encore Hollywood and POP Sound facilities, recently provided a full complement of post services to Young & Rubicam, New York, and Sony Electronics’ Broadcast and Production Systems Division for their groundbreaking Dreams 2004 short film series. Working in concert, the four Ascent Media companies provided high definition color correction, digital conversion, compositing, editorial finishing and audio mixing services for 6 of the 10 films in the series.  Dreams 2004 was created to promote 24p production technology.

The films recently debuted at special screenings held at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York and at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in Los Angeles. The films will also screen at the 51st Cannes International Advertising Festival in France in June.

All of the shorts were shot with Sony’s F-900 Cine Alta 24p camcorder, which records to HDCAM cassettes.

Ascent Media has years of experience in HD post-production and was therefore able to bring a high level of expertise to the project, according to Bill Frazee, the company’s Vice President of North American Commercial Services. “Our Ascent companies introduced all services for HD finishing at our facilities years ago to accommodate our episodic television clients like HBO,” Frazee noted. “Today, all of our facilities are fully HD capable.”

“We were delighted to assist Y&R and Sony on this project, not only to showcase our resources and talent, but also to promote awareness in the commercial production community of the benefits of 24p,” he added.

The role played in the project by Ascent Media, whose facilities are all fully equipped for HD post, included down-rezzing the HDCAM source material to facilitate editorial work by the several boutique editorial houses involved in the project. Additionally, Company 3 Colorist Stefan Sonnenfeld performed color correction work for the films by directors Ifergan, Cornell, Garcia and Williams. R!OT’s Bob Festa color corrected the film by Ariola. R!OT’s Kiki Chansamone and Sean Wilson handled the conform for Cornell’s film, while the facility’s Randy Lowder conformed Ariola’s film. The conform for Williams’ film was done at Encore Hollywood by Jonathan Slater. The mix for Ariola’s film was handled by POP Sound’s Zac Fisher, assisted by Kaynaz Shroff. POP Sound’s Tim West mixed Williams’ film, assisted by Erich Netherton. Producers on the project included Mary O’Gara (R!OT), Missy Papageorge  and Christine Carr (Company 3), Dana Bloder (Encore Hollywood) and Susie Harshman (POP Sound).

For more information about how Company 3, Encore Hollywood, POP Sound, and R!OT can support your creative and post-production activities, contact Bill Frazee, Vice President, North American Commercial Advertising, Ascent Media Group at 310-434-6000 or by email at bfrazee@ascentmedia.com .

About Ascent Media Group

Santa Monica, California-based Ascent Media Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NYSE: L, LMC.B), provides creative and technical services to the media and entertainment industries through its Creative Services, Creative Sound Services, Media Management Services and Networks Services groups.  At more than 70 facilities in the regions of Southern California, New York, London and Singapore and at locations throughout the world, Ascent Media Group provides effective solutions for the creation, management and distribution of content to major motion picture studios, independent producers, broadcast networks, cable channels, advertising agencies and other companies that produce, own and/or distribute entertainment, news, sports, corporate, educational, industrial and advertising content.