Totally integrated facility results from expansions

Press, 6 December 1989, Page 34

Totally integrated facility results from expansions

The new video suite at Orly Productions does not represent a complete conversion away from the traditional 35mm film used by the company. The head of Orly, Mr Ross Beck, sees the two mediums as complementary and providing real versatility in terms of production. The new suite is the final state in a systematic upgrading of the facilities available at Orly Productions, a process of improvement that has gone on for more than a year. On its own merits the new studio would be rated as highly impressive, but it is the other excellent facilities available that enable it to be used to full capacity. Although much of the work undertaken by Orly is done on location the studio is a vital component of the over-all production process. It has recently been sound-proofed and a

ground-to-ceiling cyclorama installed ot create the visual illusion of infinity.

Intriguingly in an era when North Island dominance of commerce is still the prevailing norm, a hefty portion of Orly’s workload comes from North Island clients.

Nonetheless, Mr Beck and his staff have resolutely ignored the siren call of the north.

“We were just not interested in those supposedly green pastures. Instead, we could see incredible potential in maintaining and expanding our operation here in Christchurch,” Mr Beck said.

In arriving at this decision he was aware that Orly Productions is in a strong position as the longest-established and largest independent production house in the region. Film stock is still developed in the North Island,

but with the new video suite facilities there is now no need to go out of the city to arrive at a finished product. “With a one-day turnaround facility for making some tapes this also reflects in increased opportunities for the local advertising industry,” Mr Beck says. “We are now well-posi-tioned to take advantage of the expansion of the television channels and the increased workload this is bringing.”

While the traditional association with “bluechip” accounts and major agencies will continue, Ross Beck would also like to build up Orly’s portfolio of local work.

“We are promoting our new facilities in part to break down the mystique barrier that we are sure puts off smaller concerns that could benefit from our expertise,” he says. His production philo-

sophy is strong on the employs a mix of top staff with high quality production systems. “The higher the quality product you begin with

merits of a “front-end loaded” approach that the better the end quality when you run off VHS copies from the master tapes,” he says.