London-based bespoke post production facility, The Look, has upgraded its six Grass ValleyRio high performance online editing and post production systems to support multiple, simultaneous streams of 4K and 8K playback.
Rio forms the heart of the facility’s Dolby Vision certified post production pipeline along with the Rio Connect collaborative workflow engine and Rio Assist software. The Look decided to future-proof its facility after winning contracts to post several major drama series for 2019 and 2020.
As consumer investment in 4K and HDR-enabled television sets rise, there is pressure on broadcasters and content providers to invest in and produce programming in higher resolution formats, including HDR, 4K and 8K. With the push from studios to deliver more high-end, big-budget television series in 4K and HDR, the newly upgraded Rio suites allow The Look to significantly speed up its 4K and HDR pipelines to meet this demand.
“Evolving to support Dolby Vision and future-proofing our facility to prepare for 8K is a key part of our strategy as we deliver the high-end results clients expect from The Look. Rio helps us meet all of these requirements and more while delivering flawless quality with fast turnaround of HDR deliverables,” said Thomas Urbye, chief executive officer and senior colourist at The Look. “Our clients increasingly expect all episodes in a series to remain live right up to final delivery. With the upgraded Rios we can play 4K video in real-time and share any project to any machine in just a few seconds using Rio Connect. Grading can now happen without any rendering, so clients don’t have to wait to watch clips. With nearly the entire pipeline going through Rio, we can now meet even the tightest deadlines.”
With a Dolby CMU box, timeline trim passes can easily be made for multiple display devices with all information stored in a single XML, which accompanies the master files. All parameters can be controlled from Grass Valley’s Neo panel with frame and shot analysis choices that also facilitate faster workflows on projects with long timelines. The Rio toolset also enables The Look’s colorists to finish projects with an intuitive feel. Rio Connect eliminates the need to move huge files between systems, saving time and money.
Katsushi Takeuchi, vice president and general manager, Editing Systems, Grass Valley, said: “Rio is a hallmark for the highest quality post production and finishing – from its real-time performance to its complete, integrated toolset and ultra-fast workflows. The Dolby Vision and color grading enhancements were fundamental to The Look, making it an attractive solution for its studio that enables them to deliver top-level quality for major projects. The Look is a perfect example of how Rio enables post houses to meet the need to evolve their workflows in a changing mediascape and we are proud to support them in delivering the highest standards.”
About Grass Valley
Grass Valley’s end-to-end ecosystem of reliable, open standards-based solutions helps content creators, broadcasters and media organizations to produce brilliant content and build successful media businesses. Our award-winning technology and trusted industry expertise empower our customers to create captivating experiences that connect people anywhere, on any device, through the magic of media.
As the industry’s R&D powerhouse, with the most comprehensive suite of solutions for compelling live content, we are the trusted partner to many of the biggest and most creative names in the media and entertainment business. We help our customers transition to IP and cloud-based infrastructures to enable flexible, scalable and smart workflows. Our advanced solutions enable the production of rich, high quality content that brings the viewer closer to the action; engages them with the story and connects them with each other. Headquartered in Montreal, Grass Valley has been in the broadcast business for 60 years and is part of St. Louis-based Belden Inc. For more information, visit www.belden.com.
Belden, Belden Sending All The Right Signals, and the Belden logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Belden Inc. or its affiliated companies in the United States and other jurisdictions. Grass Valley products listed above are trademarks or registered trademarks of Belden Inc., GVBB Holdings S.A.R.L. or Grass Valley Canada. Belden Inc., GVBB Holdings S.A.R.L., Grass Valley Canada and other parties may also have trademark rights in other terms used herein.
