HD Post Production Services
HD Studios offers comprehensive post production services. Our state-of-the-art equipment and highly skilled personnel provide only the highest quality results for our clients.
Post Production Services Provided by HD Studios
| HDCAM Downconversion and HD Clones: | See prices below |
|---|---|
| FCP Offline Bay Rental: | $200/day |
| Avid Offline Bay Rental: | $200/day |
| HD CGI, Graphics, and Titling: | Call for rates |
| Avid DS/HD Nitris Online w/ Editor: | $350/hour |
| Avid DS/HD Nitris Color Correction w/ Colorist: | $350/hour |
| Avid DS/HD Nitris Effects: | Call for rates |
| Pro Tools: Audio Sweetening, Foley, and ADR: | $125/hour |
| Pro Tools 5.1 Mix: | $125/hour |
| Arri Laser 35mm Film-out: | Call for rates |
Post Overview
After acquiring high definition content using our Sony HDW F900 high definition cameras or any other HD or HDV camera, what is the optimal HD post production workflow? In addition to camera rental and crew, HD Studios can handle all of your HD, HDV, XD, standard definition, and 35mm post production needs.
Below is a chronological overview of the post production workflow for a hypothetical shoot with a Sony F900 HD camera. If you have footage in another HD format, XD, HDV, 35mm, or SD please contact us and we will send you a bid for the services you require.
HDCAM Downconverts and HD Clones
After you've shot, you will need to downconvert your HDCAM source tapes to another format unless you have the HD/SDI input to capture the footage and the storage capacity to edit uncompressed HD.
HD Studios can downconvert HDCAM to any format at our facility. The following HDCAM downconverts are available:
| HDCAM to DVCAM: | $95/tape |
|---|---|
| HDCAM to DigiBeta: | $175/tape |
| HDCAM to Firewire Drive: | $120/tape |
| HDCAM to DVD: | $95/DVD* |
| HDCAM Clones: | Call for Rates |
* Service available for $30/DVD when used in conjunction with HDCAM to DVCAM downconverts
All downconverts can be burned with the 23.976 and 29.97 timecode for reference, which can be helpful during your HD conform.
Our HD downconvert rates are 30-40% lower than that of our close competitor. Please contact us for rates.
HD Studios can also make HDCAM clones of your source tapes. You may wish to consider this as a security precaution. Please contact us for our latest HDCAM clone rates.
HD Offline (AVID or FCP Offline Bay Rental)
Now that you have HDCAM downconverts you are ready to begin offline editing.
HD Studios offers three options for offline editing
- Hire one of our editors and rent an Avid or Final Cut Pro offline bay from HD Studios. This would entitle you to use of our 10,000 square foot facility (conference room, restrooms, kitchen, etc.), including printers, fax machines, copy machines, phones for local calls, and a WiFi T1 internet connection.
- Rent one of our offline bays and use your own editor. This would also include the office amenities listed above.
- Offline at another location. If you decide to offline elsewhere and you intend to online at HD Studios, please contact us to make certain you have the proper sequence settings. Proper settings will make sure your HD online / HD conform is as seamless as possible. This precaution may potentially save you thousands of dollars.
Our rate is $200 per day for the use of the Avid or Final Cut Pro editing bay. Rates for our offline editors can be found on our crew page. We will put you in contact with potential editors based on the specifics of your project needs.
HD C.G.I., Graphics, and Titling
HD Studios can fulfill your HD graphic, compositing, and titling needs. From simple lower thirds to sophisticated show opens and motion animation, our in-house designers have the experience and talent to bring your ideas to life.
If you choose to hire your own designer, our staff can accurately recreate their elements if necessary.
AVID HD Online or FCP HD Online
All online editing is completed in a comfortable Avid DS/HD Nitris bay located within HD Studios' 10,000 square foot facility in West Los Angeles (Marina Del Rey).
Our staff will help at every stage in order make your HD online as efficient and cost effective as possible. After discussing the particulars of your project we can email or fax you an estimate.
Once you have completed your offline, bring your project file or edit decision list and the HDCAM source tapes to HD Studios. Using our Avid DS/HD Nitris and HDCAM deck, we can then take your uncompressed HD footage online. If you have 1920×1080 graphics, we will upload them into the system at this point. The layback of your audio master will also occur at this time.
HD Studios' Avid DS/HD Nitris delivers media processing power equivalent to thirty Pentium 4 processors. It is designed to facilitate offline editing, compositing, online editing, color correction and mastering in multiple compressed and uncompressed standard definition and high definition formats.
The Avid Nitris is a true finishing system and its advantages over other systems are numerous. The Nitris is capable of working in a true 10-bit color space. This ensures that your images will remain as pristine as when you first acquired them and that your graphics and effects will be more vibrant.
Nitris hardware delivers real-time performance for up to eight streams of standard definition media and two streams of 10-bit HD media. Real-time effects include real-time dissolves, SMPTE wipes, DVEs, Symphony-style color correction, HD universal mastering, keys, and downstream graphics. Avid Nitris supports more high-quality formats then any other non-linear system.
When HD Studios was founded, we wanted to purchase a robust, reliable finishing system. We found it in the Avid DS/HD Nitris. It's difficult to help producers comprehend the vast difference between the two systems, but we have a quick side-by-side comparison between the Avid DS/HD Nitris and the Final Cut Pro Kona system.
AVID DS/HD Color Correction
All color correction is completed in an Avid DS/HD Nitris bay located within HD Studios' 10,000 square foot facility in West Los Angeles (Marina Del Rey).
Color correction is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to make your project stand out. Once HD Studios completes your online edit, many producers choose to make a color correction pass for several reasons. Color correction may be needed to meet broadcast specifications, for scene matching, or as the final step in achieving your intended look. Our colorists are among the best in the world.
HD Studios' online editors and colorists credits include Lucasfilm (Star Wars: Episode III), Lord of the Rings, Spiderman, The Matrix, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, the BBC, HDNet, Discovery Networks Direct TV, Activision, Scion, the US Federal Government, Quinceanera, (2006 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury and Audience Award Winner), dozens of independent feature producers, Velvet Revolver, The Foo Fighters, P. Diddy, Rufus Wainwright, Kid Rock, Rob Zombie, and David Bowie.
Despite these credits our rates are still among the most competitive in the industry.
Please contact us for more information or an estimate.
Pro Tools: Sweetening, ADR, Foley, and 5.1 Mix
HD Studios recommends doing your 5.1 mix after you have completed your online. Clients often wish to alter edits during the online process which unfortunately changes the audio timing as well.
We have the equipment and ability to handle your ADR, foley, and 5.1 mix. Our rate is $125/hour.
Arri Laser 35mm Film-out
If you plan on originating in high definition, but transferring to 35mm, contact us as early as possible in the production process. There are certain menu settings in the Sony HDW-F900 high definition camera which will optimize the HD image for transfer to film.
After you've completed your HD online and have your HDCAM master you can transfer it to 35mm film. We currently use a Arri Laser scanner to transfer HD to 35mm film. The cost is $325/minute per transfer. Based on the circumstances, we offer a one-minute free transfer for you as a sample.
Contact us with the details of your project.
Digital Intermediate
The digital intermediate process is quickly becoming the standard for finishing feature films and commercials. If you acquire on 35mm or 16mm we can scan all the film into the digital realm where it can be manipulated. The creative benefit is that it provides unprecedented control over film color. This degree of control is available for entire features, allowing the creation of a look that would otherwise be impossible or require relatively unpredictable custom processing. This is a major advantage of the Avid DS HD Nitris.