CCI Updates Capabilities with State-of-the-Art Digital Post System

Dec 10, 1998. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fl., Dec. 10, 1998 --- Communications Concepts, Inc. (CCI),an audio visual company headquartered in Cape Canaveral, has invested more than a quarter million dollars in a powerful non-linear post production system, the high performance Softimage/DS. This system provides CCI with enormous capability in the fields of image compositing and special effects, giving the company a competitive edge in the creation of high-end commercials, videos and TV programs.

According to CCI vice-president Jim Lewis, "This digital production suite is similar to that now being used by the major television networks and can produce special effects on a par with the latest Hollywood effects you see in today's blockbuster movies."

The SoftImage‚/DS is composed of an Avid/SoftImage dual stream editor and
compositor, allowing for seamless integration of an unlimited number of video layers, specific and independent color a sophisticated form of video layering, which allows the addition of effects such as moving titles, textures, reflections, lens flares and smoke to name only a few. The unit provides independent color correction within the scene and picture tracking that locks objects in one picture to an object in another picture.

The system runs on a Windows NT dual-Pentium II-processor platform with over 100 gigabytes disc storage that allows for over 90 minutes of uncompressed video storage. The system also includes other cutting edge effects packages: BorisFX for 3-D special effects, Thunder Tools, 3D Monsters and Primate compositing and effects software tools.

A Panasonic D-5 Digital Tape Recorder, used by many studios and networks working with HDTV, a Yamaha 01V Digital Audio Mixer, and Panasonic high resolution color monitors and accessories complete the package. In addition, a MADRAS real-time transcoder allows input and output to all current video formats -- both analog and digital.

According to Lewis, the majority of digital editing systems use a compressed image. "With CCI's SoftImage‚/DS, video is processed non-compressed. This gives the benefit of much cleaner, crisper frames, especially advantageous for producing special effects and for archiving purposes", he explained.

CCI's Digital Studio is also a dual-stream non-linear system. "It will be much faster than most non-linear systems in the Central Florida market," added Lewis. "This means the system will perform transitions such as wipes and dissolves real time, as opposed to single stream non-linear systems and when multiple complex effects are
required the multiple processor computer running under the Windows NT allows these effects to be rendered rapidly" The complete system allows clients to either work faster and/or create programs with a lot more visual effects.

Lewis said the system also includes the ability to store the final edited program along with the entire edit list and all the clips, graphics and effects in unedited form on
D-5 tape.

"This lets us make changes to clients' projects without digitizing. We'll be able to reload, make the changes, and put it back on tape without degrading the quality, a problem usually associated with generation transfer. This has
the added advantage of allowing us to "clone" tapes instead of duplicating them."

CCI is offering competitive pricing for digital post production on the new SoftImage/DS - D-5 system. "We set at our rates the same or lower that those charged by other Central Florida post production suites with lesser capability than ours," Lewis said. Introductory specials will be offered during the next two months as an enticement to clients who are interested in trying the new system.

Communications Concepts, Inc. is one of the few productions companies to offer all services in-house. Its list of clients include Fortune 500 firms such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Harris Corp. and IBM, broadcast networks CNN and the BBC; government agencies such as the EPA, the U.S. Navy; and the international governments of Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico.