Quay Brothers choose DIVE on First Film Produced in U.S.

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgPress Release from DIVE

PHILADELPHIA, PA—Renowned filmmakers Timothy and Stephen Quay chose DIVE to manage color correction, titles, and audio mix on their film Through the Weeping Glass: On the Consolations of Life Everlasting (Limbos & Afterbreezes in the Mütter Museum).

DIVE (www.divevisual.com [1]), the film finishing division of ShootersINC, was pleased to play a part in the first film produced in the U.S. by the Quay Brothers. With its sophisticated Digital Intermediate workflow, DIVE worked with the Quays on scene-by-scene color adjustments to their film shot on Canon 5D MKII in the dimly lit rooms and bright corridors of the Mütter Museum.

“The Quay Brothers are well known for very moody integration of sound and visuals in their stop-animation work, and this film definitely has their very unique stamp,” says DIVE VFX Supervisor Mark O. Forker. “Various sequences have various flavors and the Quays use light and color to create relationships between sequences throughout the film, so a full DI, with all of its sophistication, was important.”

Voiced by Sir Derek Jacobi and commissioned by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the project focuses on the history and curious collections of the institution’s famed Mütter Museum. The film is beautiful, macabre, and thoughtful and reflects the oeuvre of the Quay Brothers as well as the Mütter Museum. Shadows and sound design underscore the lives behind some of the remarkable human remains in the Museum’s collections, such as the skeleton of Harry Eastlack, who suffered from fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, and the plaster death cast of the famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng.

“The Quay Brothers wanted to keep things indigenous when finishing the documentary on the Mütter Museum,” says Producer Edward Waisnis. “We opted for DIVE as the finishing house based on their reputation for excellence, and we were not disappointed. The attention--and sensitivity--to the project by all of the staff and technicians at DIVE exceeded expectations of what we contracted.”

Forker and the DIVE team took a personal interest in the project and, in turn, found very willing collaborators in the Quay Brothers.

“The Quays were very open to an exchange of ideas, and once they knew the full scope of what DIVE could do, they were even more excited about the possibilities,” says Forker. “The brothers’ ability to do as they wished on this piece brought a sense of freedom and potential to the team as a whole. It’s a joy to be a part of the artistic vision that comes working on a Quay film.”

Through the Weeping Glass, supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, premieres at 8 pm on September 22 at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia with a special exhibition on the making of the film guest curated by Barbara London. The film will also be presented on September 24 & 25 at The Museum of Modern Art in New York (and a 35mm print of the film will become part of MoMA’s permanent collection). On September 27 the film will be screened at Sony Pictures Studios’ Cary Grant Theater, hosted by The Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles.

About DIVE:
Based in Philadelphia, PA, DIVE (www.divevisual.com [1]), is the visual effects, DI and film finishing division of ShootersINC, led by veteran Visual Effects Supervisor Mark O. Forker. As one of the east coast’s premier postproduction facilities for film finishing services, DIVE offers filmmakers the opportunity to complete Visual Effects, Digital Intermediates and Titles by coupling creative continuity with an integrated workflow. For more information, contact DIVE VP Business Development Bob Lowery (bob@divevisual.com [2]) or Executive Producer Andy Williams (andy@divevisual.com [3]) at 267.514.7700.

CREDITS:
Quay Brothers    DIRECTOR
Edward Waisnis    PRODUCER

DIVE CREDITS:
Mark O. Forker   DIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Andy Williams   DI PRODUCER
Rob Giglio   DIGITAL COLORIST
Paul Byers   SOUND MIXER
Mark Longchamps   CONFORMING EDITOR

EQUIPMENT LIST:
DaVinci Resolve RT
Autodesk Smoke
FinalCut Pro 7
Nuke
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
ProTools HD