Nightshift at Ealing

Sunday, 20 January 2008 | posted by Stefan_BC

Hi all,

the edit for our 2 minute opening clip takes place at the world famous Ealing Studios - the world's oldest film studios. Films such as The Ladykillers, or Passport to Pimlico and, more recently, Notting Hill and An Ideal Husband were shot here.

The main entrance of the Ealing Studios

I got there around 6 last night, just when a first version of the edit was finished. There are two editing suites in use at the same time - while Adam works on the designs for the animation for the opening sequence, Taimur works on Lisa's first edit of the footage from Horsley, adjusts the different sound tracks, inserts titles and then grades and renders the whole thing. Good thing, too, that they are able to work simultaneously, considering we only have two days to get from the raw footage to the finished clip. Thankfully they're all used to pressure - when they're not documenting exciting British Council projects, Lisa, Phil and Taimur also work for UK news channels quite often. Compared to that our project is probably a breeze.. 

Adam and Taimur solving problems

Adam is the CGI animator and works on the first few seconds of the clip. What he does certainly looks complicated to the untrained eye: It's mainly squares, lines and grids on his screen, out of which he miraculously shapes a spinning globe in the night sky, molecules whirling around, growing bigger and eventually revealing the faces of many of the East Horsley group. Only little short of magic, if you ask me. The difficult part, really, is to imagine what it will look like once it's been computed, how the animation will look with the title graphics, how it will go together with the rest of the clip and other worries like that. Unfortunately, there is no preview button. Once you start rendering, it takes the better part of the night until you see what the animated clip will actually look like.

Lisa and Adam - no one said this would be easy..

Today it's about the finishing touches, more rendering, of course and making sure everything works. Then all Taimur has to do is save it on tape - three different formats to be absolutely sure it'll play in Davos - and the edit for the two minute film is finished. Very exciting to witness the film take shape at Ealing last night - huge thanks, again, to Lisa, Taimur, Adam and Phil for the hard work! Having seen the almost finished version last night I'm convinced that this clip won't leave anyone indifferent in the audience at Davos. It's easy to make such an amazing group of people as you are look good, of course, but still - great job Native Voice and Widei!

Group picture for the mantelpiece

That's it for now,

have a relaxing Sunday,

best,

Stefan