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December 2014

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www.postmagazine.com 6 POST DECEMBER 2014 BLUE COLLAR POST COLLECTIVE COMES TOGETHER NEW YORK — While the post industry has a num- ber of trade shows and conferences throughout the year, those who attend are often on the executive level and management. For entry- and mid-level pros working in post production, the opportunities to network, learn and share their knowledge might appear less accessible. Enter the Blue Collar Post Collective, a new group (you can fi nd them on Facebook) that is working to expand opportunities for young post professionals to meet, network, collaborate and even mentor. Blue Collar Post Collective was created by Katie Hinsen and James Reyes, both of whom work together at a post facility in Manhattan. Hinsen is a fi nishing artist and Reyes oversees editorial and dailies technology. "I knew a lot of people from other post houses [and James] knew a lot of people from where he came from," Hinsen recalls. "The thought was that there are a lot of young people at all [these places], and they really should all know each other." In April, the pair began sharing their connections and, via email, organized a meet up for young col- leagues in the industry. "We thought we'd have 10 or 12 people show up, but 40 people turned out," Hinsen recalls of the fi rst get together. In September, Blue Collar Post Col- lective launched a Facebook page, and the group's number of followers quickly grew. At press time, Blue Collar Post Alliance has as many as 150 members, many of which use the Facebook page to share posts about job opportunities, events and other ideas. Hinsen feels Blue Collar Post Collective helps fi ll what she sees as a void in the post industry. "We're often excluded, not just from trade shows, but from conferences," she says of younger professionals. "To go to a conference, you are talking hundreds of dollars. A lot of the learning opportunities that are out there — seminars — they all cost a lot of money. So many would benefi t from these things that are out there, but just don't have the opportunity." Reyes and Hinsen were able to attend an or- ganized meeting of producers in Manhattan, and their experience further reinforced the need for representation of young up-and-comers in the post industry. "We stood out like a sore thumb," they both recall. "It was very corporate: it was older, it was richer, it was executives," says Hinsen. "It really showed us there is a huge contingent of the post community that is excluded from these things." Blue Collar Post Collective is what they describe as "the anti boys club." They are working to get the word out in the New York area, encouraging non-executives to get involved. They also have plans for the year ahead. In 2015, Blue Collar Post Collective hopes to organize a number of get togethers, where pros can share their knowledge with those who may not have the fi nancial resources to attend a typical trade show or convention. While not endorsed by any specifi c facilities, the group's members include working professionals at Light Iron, Goldcrest, Post Factory, Technicolor, MTV, Company 3, Trevanna Post and A&E Networks, among others, as well as a number of freelancers. This pool of resources presents opportunities to share knowledge on 4K workfl ows, digital intermediates, editing, turnovers, sound and other technologies. Blue Collar Post Collective is a public group on Facebook, but pros do need to be accepted as members in order to post to the page and attend events. Editors, assistant editors, VFX artists, online editors, technicians, producers and fi nishing artists are all invited to check out their page. — BY MARC LOFTUS PANAVISION ACQUIRES LIGHT IRON LOS ANGELES — Panavision (www.pana vision.com) recently reached an agreement to acquire post production technology innovator Light Iron (www.lightiron.com). The acquisition leverages the strengths of the designer, manufacturer and rental provider of high precision camera systems with a leader in digital workfl ow solutions. Together, they plan to off er turnkey tech- nology solutions that encompass pre-pro- duction through delivery. Light Iron has facilities in New York and Los Angeles. The company will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Panavision, maintaining its executive leadership and talent. Light Iron's Outpost mobile post sys- tems will be made available via Panavision rental facilities worldwide. "We've been following Light Iron for some time and have been very, very im- pressed with their creativity, their technol- ogy and their problem solving," says Kim Snyder, CEO/president, Panavision. "We evaluated the business and talked to [Light Iron CEO, Michael Cioni] and his team, and felt there was a lot of opportunity, across the board, synergistically, to come together and have them be a part of the family, take advantage of our global footprint and bring the two businesses together." Post caught up with Snyder and Cioni just before the news broke. For our exclu- sive interview on the deal and how they see things moving forward in the weeks and months ahead, visit www.postmagazine. com. — BY MARC LOFTUS BITS & PIECES Panavision's Kim Snyder with Light Iron's Michael Cioni. Blue Collar Post Collective founders James Reyes and Katie Hinsen.

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