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Gradient Effects: So-Cal Studio Delivers Dynamic Visual Artistry For Feature Films And Expands Suite Into 5.1 Surround With Blue Sky Big Blue System
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By Diane Gershuny
Located in Marina Del Rey, California, Gradient Effects has delivered dynamic visual artistry for feature films and other forms of entertainment since 2006, offering complementary a suite of services for CGI design, pre-production, on-set supervision, digital intermediate and post-production. Founders Thomas Tannenberger (Visual Effects Supervisor) and Olcun Tan (Visual Effects Supervisor/Head of R&D) lead a talented team of artists and developers committed to creating breakthrough visual effects quickly and economically.
Throughout his career, Olcun has distinguished himself as a Visual Effects Supervisor who develops software for customized visual effects. Before founding Gradient Effects, he worked as a lead effects developer at Dreamworks Animation and held lead positions at MillFilm, Das Werk, and Moving Picture Company. Among his credits are Flushed Away, Over the Hedge, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, The Patriot, Enemy at the Gates, The Thirteenth Floor, Blood and Chocolate, Southland Tales and Fireflies in the Garden.
Gradient’s visionary founder, Thomas Tannenberger is known for his expertise in digital post-production and visual effects creation. He has produced visual effects for more than 20 feature films such as Fireflies in the Garden, Blood and Chocolate, The Dead Girl, Southland Tales, Run, Lola, Run, Princess and Warrior, Enemy at the Gates, The Musketeer and the Academy Award-winning, The Pianist. Building on a background that included experience as an editor and compositing artist, Thomas co-founded Das Werk, one of Europe’s leading post-production facilities where he served as the chief of operations and chief technological officer.
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The Challenge:
Founders Tannenberger and Tan wanted to transform an unfinished room into a complete digital intermediate suite within the Gradient Effects facility. At its heart, the room would feature a state-of-the-art Quantel Pablo 2K/4K grading/finishing editing system. Beyond that, the principals looked to a team of consultants to surround the Pablo system with complimentary audio components that would enhance the suite and create a true theatre environment in both sound and picture.
 The Solution:
The team of consultants and contractors that were brought in to build out the room consisted of audio design consultant Charles Pell of Cobalt Blue Technology, studio contractors Ray Bermudez and Chris Robideaux, along with Joe Purcell who built the Barco DP-1500 projector mount above the entryway hallway, plus Bruce Black responsible for the acoustic design of the room and all installation of equipment and wiring, Steve Potter, handling the system documentation package for Gradient Effects, and Danny Kaplan of Kaplan Electric, facilitating all of the electrical work.
“The problem we ran into was that room initially was already framed out with carpeting installed on the walls, which made the project a bit harder to deal with,” recalls Pell. “The ceiling was plain drywall, which had to be isolated from the rest of the room. Ray and Chris built the speaker/screen wall and provided the space for a 12' 6" Stewart Flat Screen. Overall, the room was 24 feet deep and around 17-1/2 feet wide. The ceiling sat at about 10' x 6". We installed a T-Bar drop ceiling 6" below the original ceiling. Ray and Chris built 2 x 4 fabric covered 703 diffusers, which were installed above the seating area in front of the desk. Soon to be installed are RPG diffusers in the T-Bar ceiling and side/real walls that will complete the project. We designed and built carpet-covered poly cylindrical diffusers on the left and right front walls of the studio. They help to break up early sound reflections, which can play havoc with stereo imaging.”
With the Quantel Pablo at the heart of the system, they installed an AJA-1 FS-1 to decode the AES audio dissembled and embed audio into the HD/SDI video stream, and to delay the 5.1 audio, allowing it to play in sync with the Barco DP-1500 picture. Additionally, a Blue Sky Big Blue 5.1 monitoring system was installed in the studio. Specifically, this included three SAT 12's and one SUB 15 Universal. An additional four I/ON (in-wall/on-wall) passive studio monitors were installed in the sidewalls, serving as the surround channel monitors (these were powered by a MC2 4-channel amplifier, located in the machine room).
The Benefits
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With the finishing touches virtually in place, the Gradient Effects group were thrilled with the results. From start to finish, the desire was to build a room that would stand on its own, rivaling other comparable pro facilities. “All the equipment we chose had been integrated successfully at other high-end facilities, so it was proven as a reliable, performing installation. It also came highly recommended by our friends at Armadillo design house,” offers Tena Montoya, Director of Business Development for Gradient Effects. “Having the Blue Sky 5.1 surround setup and technology gives us a working environment that mimics the experience of the final end user—the consumer in a movie theater. Blue Sky’s bass-managed system allows us to playback mixed projects with full 5.1 fidelity so the directors or other creatives have not only a true theater picture, but true theater sound.”
As for future projects, Gradient Effects recently started production on a 3-part mini-series and are using the room for screening the Richard Kelly-directed, The Box (starring James Marsden and Cameron Diaz), and a Ricky Gervais-directed comedy, This Side of The Truth (with Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, Jen Garner, and others).
For more information about Gradient Effects visit: www.gradientfx.com
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For product information on BlueSky click here 
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