Post Magazine

July 2015

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www.postmagazine.com 37 POST JULY 2015 with an expert to fill that gap. Most of the jobs we do are not coming in the form of a traditional brief. We've made two wagers: that the need for storytelling will never go away, and that mastering problem-solving is more important than mastering any particular tool. We're not competing against the larger companies as much as I thought we would be — at least not yet. In gen- eral, we're taking on different types of projects — some traditional ad work, but much that's coming in is less tradition- al. Ranging from massive billboards to amazingly elaborate internal exploratory videos, viral promos, to high-end pub- lic-facing how-to videos and, of course, the occasional broadcast campaign. I believe that doing true A-to-Z work gives us an edge. We're not just a part- nership of various companies; we are an actual integrated team whose skillset spans from writing and animation all the way to music composition and mixing. Most of our team members are on either the visual or the sound side, but over time, the lines are blurring. That said, running a small, multidis- ciplinary company and dealing with the large array of business and technical responsibilities that arise without special- ized people/departments to tackle them can be an enormous drain. Learning how to navigate these things is unbelievably important! I don't see what we're doing as a model for everyone by any means, but I do see the growing need for boutique operations like ours who are capable and willing to fill this niche in the market. FINISH POST By Rob Bessette Senior Colorist Boston www.finishboston.com Finish Post is a small post house lo- cated in the heart of Boston that has been a staple in the commercial world for over 20 years. As a member of The Soundtrack Group, Finish Post has been able to operate on a level comparable to some of the larger, iron-clad post houses at the top of the industry. We have a pretty simple business plan when it comes to acquiring new gear. We try to recognize what would make our clients' lives easier and run with it. After thorough research and discussing inter- nally with our sister companies at The Soundtrack Group, we come to an edu- cated decision based on the projected need for the product in question. Being part of this aggressive post group allows us some financial freedom to invest like the larger houses. We have similar resources combined with the individual attention of a smaller house, it's a pretty good combination. In the post world, speed and function- ality are critical, and recognizing when upgrades are a necessity is half the battle. Recently we overhauled our color suite with new OLED monitors, Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve color panels and significant hardware upgrades that place our color suite on the top tier of the industry. There isn't much that we can't handle in realtime. Red, Phantom, ArriRaw, F65 all in 4K and 6K have all run through the suite without a hiccup. While detailed research and client needs drive us when investing in new gear, we also look at the shelf life and projected longevity. "This market is always evolving. We do our best to stay ahead of the curve and noticing a need before they really even exist," says Amy Blankenship, COO of Finish Post. "With the influx of movies shooting in the Boston area over the past couple of years, we were getting continued requests for DCPs and private screen- ings. All of our film clients were having to make their DCP at one vendor and then rent a theatre to review it. That's when we decided to invest in a 4K Barco projector and simplify the process for everyone. It's like our own little private movie theatre." In addition to our new projector, we also recognize the fact that work will have to be transferred outside of our facility from time to time. That's why we looked at a solution that would allow us the ability to transfer files quickly and securely. Our Aspera server can handle large files and send them at the maxi- mum speed. At Finish Post, we pride ourselves on providing all the luxuries of a large post house, while maintaining the charm and efficiency of a smaller one. POSTAL By Andrea Theodore Executive Producer New York/Los Angeles www.postal.tv Being a small post facility has so many advantages in today's world. Artistically, a small team allows us to be nimble, tailoring our roster of artists based on specific project needs, whether it's a commercial, a feature, or a piece of orig- inal content. Business-wise, our boutique setup allows us to be very competitive on budgets. With smaller teams and less overhead, Postal has the flexibility to experiment more than larger studios, which gives our artists the opportunity to hone new skills and push themselves creatively. We've found that our employ- ees prefer this kind of work environment compared with larger more traditional studio environments. Additionally our creative directors and producers can be much more hands-on and really focus on nurturing talent. As the commercial world evolves, these advantages mean that smaller fa- cilities are primed for success. Today it's not just about creating a :30 spot. Clients are looking for fully-integrated cam- paigns across traditional and digital plat- forms, and social media — and they are looking to vendors to help determine the best and most efficient paths to success. Boutique shops are in a unique position to try new things and adapt quickly to ever-changing digital platforms — there just aren't as many moving parts for us to worry about. Another way that small post shops can quickly adapt is by bringing more services in-house. With our sister compa- ny Humble, we're able to keep production and post services under one roof, which is a big advantage both creatively and financially. Clients feel confident knowing that the same team is shepherding the creative from start to finish, and we've built up great resources in the process. Ultimately, it's an exciting time in the industry for everyone. Both small and large facilities are producing incredible content and there are more ways to share that content than ever. We thrive on competi- tion from shops of all sizes, and are excited to see where the future takes us. www.postmagazine.com FOR MORE SMALL POST HOUSES, VISIT US AT

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