Lombardo Named Cinesite President
Dan Lombardo has been named president of Cinesite Hollywood, and Jerry Pooler is stepping up to a new role as exec director, creative. Lombardo will also continue in his new role of general manager. He joined the facility two years ago as vp of production. He succeeds Ruth Scovill as president. Pooler joined Cinesite in 1992 when the facility pioneered the use of digital technology during the restoration of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS.
Cinesite is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kodak's Entertainment Imaging division. The company was founded in Los Angeles in 1992, and opened a digital studio in London in 1994. The two facilities have subsequently provided visual effects, digital intermediate, film restoration and scanning and recording services for more than 300 motion pictures.
Kodak recently announced that Cinesite Hollywood will concentrate on providing digital intermediate and film restoration services, as well as high-quality digital film scanning and recording services, and such basic visual effects as paint, wire and rig removal.
"These are the next frontiers where the evolution of hybrid film technology can make important contributions to enhancing image quality and advancing the art of filmmaking," says Lombardo. "Digital intermediate technology is a powerful tool that gives filmmakers significant creative flexibility. Our most recent projects include OPEN RANGE and S.W.A.T."
Pooler adds, "There is also growing interest in advances in digital technology for restoring films, which is largely motivated by an appetite for content for DVDs and other home video libraries, and also for programming cable, satellite and broadcast TV outlets." Pooler anticipates that many vintage television programs will also be restored and re-mastered for distribution on DVD and other home video formats.
Bertrand Decoux, vp and general manager of worldwide entertainment imaging services for Kodak's Entertainment Imaging division, also announced that Cinesite is installing Northlight film scanners at both the Los Angeles and London facilities. This new generation of scanners, developed by FilmLight in London, utilizes an 8K tri-linear CCD array manufactured by Kodak to convert analog images stored on film to digital files. The machine can scan 35 mm color negative at speeds around four times faster than currently installed machines at Cinesite facilities. The enhanced speed will make it much more practical to scan film at 4K resolution.
"We believe that the ability to scan at 4K resolution will amplify the movie-going experience," Decoux says. "The picture quality will be more pristine and nuances in colors, contrast and other details will be more apparent."
The new Northlight film scanners are also designed to handle 35mm film recorded with either three or four perforations of height per frame.
Lombardo began his career at Amblin Entertainment and advanced through the management ranks at various visual effects facilities. He was vp of production at Computer Film Company and Manex Visual Effects before joining Cinesite Hollywood in 2001. Lombardo subsequently managed Cinesite creative teams that produced visual effects sequences for some 60 feature films.
Pooler began his career at CFI Labs in Los Angeles. Later, he moved to Apogee and helped create visual effects for such classic films as STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE and THE LAST STAR FIGHTER. Pooler was among the first Cinesite employees, and has been a key player in providing the highest quality imaging to clientele. He oversaw the facility's restoration of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, and, subsequently, played a primary role in restoring such classic films as SLEEPING BEAUTY, FANTASIA and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
Decoux says that Cinesite (Europe) Ltd. is expanding its range of services to offer a complete palette of digital and visual effects services, and physical effects, including model construction and photography.
Established in 1992, Cinesite (www.cinesite.com) is a Kodak subsidiary and part of the company's Entertainment Imaging division. Cinesite Hollywood offers digital intermediate and mastering, digital restoration, and scanning and recording services. Cinesite (Europe) Ltd. in London offers visual effects, models and model unit photography. Its Pinewood Film Studios-based subsidiary Effects Associates offers physical effects.