DigitalFilm Tree, a post and design company specializing in Final Cut Pro consultation and workflow design, today announced that it worked closely with J&J productions to create a Final Cut Pro editing workflow for the Rob Minkoff film The Forbidden Kingdom, edited by Eric Strand, due in theaters April 18, 2008.
"Each phase of our film from editorial, to VFX, to sound was conducted in a different country of the world, from Korea to America and Australia, “ said director Minkoff, ” DigitalFilm Tree's supervision of the workflow and our Final Cut Pro setup always provided me with the files, shots, and information I required, wherever I was. They made the technology serve the creativity of our film."
The custom editing system from Digitalfilm Tree, shipped to and installed at Hengdian World Studios in China, consisted of three 2.66 Ghz Apple Dual Core Intel Xeon computers running Final Cut Pro Studio. The systems share 8 TB of data storage using Apple Xserve Raids.
Strand, whose editorial credits include Donnie Darko and Borderland, commented, “"When I first started this film, knowing it was going to be shot with the Panavision’s Genesis camera, and edited on Final Cut Pro, I knew there were several companies to choose from. I was very familiar with DigitalFilm Tree, and well aware of their outstanding work with Walter Murch on Cold Mountain. It helped put my mind at ease that we were going to be working with a team of creative experts that had been there from the beginning, using Final Cut Pro on big motion pictures."”
Working nearly 6, 500 miles away from mainland USA presented extraordinary challenges for editing. Located in Hengdian, a 5 hour drive from Shanghai in China, the production had no quick or close at hand means of support. The system design had to be simple and reliable, yet robust enough to contain a film of such large magnitude. In the end the system and the workflow was seamless and without problems. Executive Producer Raffaella de Laurentiis commented, "I wanted to use Final Cut Pro since it allowed us flexibility and stability on our remote location in Mainland China. DigitalFilm Tree was instrumental in setting-up our Final Cut Pro Workstations and Editorial workflow. I don't know how we would have functioned so well without them."
“Being part of the creation of The Forbidden Kingdom was an extraordinary and special privilege for us,” said Ramy Katrib, founder and CEO of DigitalFilm Tree. “This was the first high-profile, Chinese-American production using the Panavision Genesis camera and edited on Final Cut Pro. The post challenges for us were daunting, but in end I am proud to say that we came through 100%.”
“I think that our biggest concern was the remoteness of the location,” said Zed Saeed, senior post-production consultant at DigitalFilm Tree. “A lot of care had to be given to create a system that needed the minimum amount of upkeep and yet perform flawlessly.”
Directed by Rob Minkoff (The Haunted Mansion, Stuart Little) and starring Jet Li and Jackie Chan (first time in a film together), The Forbidden Kingdom tells the story of an American teen who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics. He makes a magical discovery in a Chinatown pawn shop, where he discovers a legendary weapon of a Chinese warrior, the Monkey King. With the weapon in hand, the teen finds himself traveling back to ancient China where he joins other warriors on a dangerous mission to free the imprisoned Monkey King.
The Forbidden Kingdom opens worldwide on April 18th.
About DigitalFilm Tree
DigitalFilm Tree was launched in 1998, starting a revolution in the professional post-production industry by proving that newer, more innovative systems can be used to finish professional motion pictures and high-definition programming. The company offers post-production, creative and design services, education, and extensive consulting for professional film and video environments. DFT’s innovative offerings include digital dailies for editing, all manner of offline and online finishing, color correction and graphics, and a multitude of high-definition services. DigitalFilm Tree serves an unprecedented array of studio-based and independent creatives worldwide. Clients range from first-time filmmakers to NBC’s Scrubs. For more information visit www.digitalfilmtree.com. To download photographs and other materials related to this press release go to www.digitalfilmtree.com/fk