Summary of Digital Symphony Goes On Blind Date with Universal
Digital Symphony equipped the syndicated series "Blind Date" with seven Macintosh G4-based Avid Media Composer 1000XLs featuring Meridien hardware. This upgrade enables in-house nonlinear online finishing, significantly improving picture quality and workflow efficiency for the show's editors while providing 24-hour technical support to meet tight production schedules.
Parts used in the Blind Date Editing Project:
- Macintosh G4-based Avid Media Composer 1000XLs
- Meridien hardware boards
- Nextel mobile phone
- Digital Betacam deck
- Rolling rack
- Meridien-equipped digitizing stations
(PRWEB) July 1, 2000
Press Contacts:
Tony Schmitz
Flashpoint Media
(818) 985-4516
Greg Howard
Digital Symphony
(818) 973-7600
BURBANK, CA Digital Symphony has installed seven Macintosh G4-based Avid Media Composer 1000XLs to handle editing chores on the syndicated series Blind Date produced by Gold Coast Television. The Burbank rental and support facility is supplying the production with the latest Avid 1000XL equipped with the new Meridien hardware. The Meridien boards take in uncompressed video and will enable Blind Date editors to complete a nonlinear online in-house on the Avids, saving the company the time and cost of out-of-house digital online finishing.
In addition to installing the new systems, Digital Symphony is providing 24-hour technical support to keep the fast-moving daily series on schedule. Ben Benedetti, executive director of client services for Digital Symphony, provided supervising post producer Rick Roberts with a special Nextel mobile phone that connects directly with a Digital Symphony technical support person. All I have to do is press a button and Im talking to one of their [Digital Symphony] support staff, said Roberts. Were turning out 6 episodes a week and Digital Symphony has kept us on track with outstanding service.
The series, syndicated to nearly 90% of the US market by Universal Worldwide Television, deploys 3 film crews a week to accompany previously selected couples on their blind date. Condensing the nearly 30 hours per week of footage into six 30-minute episodes requires a team of 14 editors and 3 assistants working on 9 Avid Media Composers.
Digital Symphonys new Avid Media Composers with the Meridien hardware provide Blind Date with noticeably improved picture quality over last seasons AVR77 resolution. The Meridien hardware represents the latest generation of Avid product, said Benedetti. Previous ABVB hardware used variable compression, analyzing each frame and compressing it according to complexity of the image. The Meridien hardware uses a more efficient compression algorithm and provides a fixed rate of compression throughout for more consistent image quality.
Digital Symphony is further streamlining the Blind Date workflow by designing a plug-and-play rolling rack for the Digital Betacam deck used for online finishing. The mobile deck can now be used for both the output of the final program as well as digitizing material into the other Meridien-equipped digitizing stations. The rolling rack in effect gives Roberts three online output options instead of just one.
About Digital Symphony
Digital Symphony is a leading supplier of state-of-the-art Avid editing, storage and networking solutions for feature films, MOWs, episodics, sitcoms and all other television postproduction along with 24/7 technical support. Recent projects are Magnolia, the new Tom Cruise film, and City of Angels, the new television series from Stephen Bochco. Television clients include all the major networks, studios, syndicators and cable channels.
Digital Symphony is currently located at 314 N. Victory in Burbank. The company will soon be moving to a new 16,000 square foot facility nearby that will house 25 edit bays with further expansion to a new 6500 square foot building in Hollywood that will accommodate another 20 edit bays. For inquiries, call Bennett Goldberg, Ben Benedetti or Martin Royer. Tel. (818) 973-7600.
- What hardware allows editors to complete nonlinear online in-house?
The new Meridien hardware installed on Avid Media Composer 1000XLs takes in uncompressed video to enable in-house finishing. - How does Digital Betacam improve the workflow?
A plug-and-play rolling rack allows the digital Betacam deck to be used for both final program output and digitizing material. - Does the Meridien hardware offer better image quality than previous systems?
Yes, it provides noticeably improved picture quality over last season's AVR77 resolution by using a more efficient compression algorithm. - Can producers contact support staff immediately during production?
Yes, Ben Benedetti provided a special Nextel mobile phone that connects directly with a Digital Symphony technical support person. - How many episodes are produced weekly for this series?
The team turns out six 30-minute episodes per week. - What is the main benefit of the fixed rate of compression in Meridien hardware?
It ensures consistent image quality throughout the footage compared to variable compression. - How many edit bays are planned for the new Hollywood facility?
The expansion to the new building in Hollywood will accommodate another 20 edit bays.
