Optix Post Production, a new Toronto-based video post facility, will officially open its doors Oct. 1 along with Crunch Recording Group to provide a one-stop audio and video post location.

Located in the Ontario Design Centre at 157 Princess Street, Optix will offer two non-linear post suites as well as a multimedia division. Optix will feature an edit suite equipped with an SGI High impact workstation running Jaleo digital editing and compositing software which offers uncompressed ccir-601 video capability.

A second suite will feature an Avid Media Composer with digital card option. The Avid will be used for online only and Optix will offer digital video effects with Pinnacle 3D dve. Optix will handle simple audio mixes on the Avid with Pro Tools software and a Yamaha Pro Mix digital mixing console.

The facility represents an investment of about $750,000 including equipment and renovations.

Opening simultaneously in the same building is Crunch, owned by J’e Serafini and Steve Pecile. Crunch will handle more complex audio mixing, voice-over recording and audio sweetening.

The facility will feature two audio control rooms with recording areas, two Pro Tools iii systems, a 24-track Tascam DA88 digital multitrack system, and Yamaha 02R digital mixing desks with digital interfaces to ProTools and Tascam DA88. Crunch also offers the Avid omf file interchange service.

The people behind Optix are principal editor and compositing artist George Levai, equipped with a background in tv series, commercials and music videos, brother Attila Levai, a multimedia specialist, and sales manager and client liaison Paul Moyer.

Plans are to introduce multimedia programming, authoring and production as well as Web site design, and further in the future, server-related services.