FotoKem Purchases ARRI Relativity Software

November 30, 2009

Source: ARRI

FotoKem, a leading full-service motion picture post production house, has recently added the powerful Relativity software suite to their arsenal of existing ARRI Digital Intermediate Systems products including the ARRILASER and ARRISCAN systems.

The Relativity suite offers innovative tools for fast, efficient and interactive control of image texture caused by film grain and electronic noise, as well as video standards conversion and content re-timing, all using sophisticated motion estimation techniques.

Explains Paul Chapman, FotoKem’s Senior VP of Technology, “FotoKem and ARRI have had a long history and this is part of the reason why we are here together with Relativity. ARRI has a great reputation, not just as a product manufacturer but also with technology. We wanted to partner with ARRI for this exciting new tool.” The collaboration between the companies around Relativity began earlier this year when FotoKem hosted the product’s launch event for the American Society of Cinematographers at their Burbank facility.

ARRI Relativity software is powered by Pixel StringsTM, the first engine to harness the potential of GPU-based parallel processing for motion estimation and spatial-temporal image filtering. In its most comprehensive version, the entire Relativity software bundle is currently comprised of five different applications: Texture Control, Clean, Film Simulation, SpaceTime Converter and Retimer.

Following a rigorous testing process, FotoKem configured the Relativity software for their particular needs to include Texture Control, Clean, Film Simulation and SpaceTime Converter. With Texture Control, one can manipulate the level of film grain and electronic noise, mixing and matching the textures of 16mm, 35mm and digitally acquired images for a particular effect or visual continuity, and (if desired) even generate synthetic grain with Film Simulation.

Clean provides an efficient single pass removal of both white and black randomly located dust, fibres, and small scratches for material transferred from film. The SpaceTime Converter allows time resampling for creative tempo changes, slow motion and speed ramp effects. It also allows the conversion of any TV or motion picture format into another, with crop/zoom, spatial resampling, frame rate conversion, de-interlacing and addition or removal of 3:2 pulldown through an easy-to-use interface.

Chapman notes, “Here at FotoKem we are implementing the frame conversion and grain reduction tools. We ran the software through a significant period of evaluations. Our team felt the tool was user friendly and effectively did the job in such a way that it increased productivity.”

FotoKem was established in 1963 and today the post facility offers a full menu of services for features and commercials including film processing, timing and printing, telecine, restoration, in addition to filed-based workflows, digital intermediate pipelines and services for new camera technologies including the ARRIFLEX D-21.

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