Toronto shop Bullet Digital Post has long offered an array of services to the production industry with a combination of editing facilities and digital video camera rental with its Catchlight component. The shop is now taking that approach to the next level with a strategic alliance that marks the addition of high-end talent and gear.

Bullet (previously known as The Edit Sweet) recently forged an alliance with Toronto’s Lunchbox Productions that will see Lunchbox and a new Discreet Logic Flame suite take up residence in the Bullet offices at 55 Sudbury Street.

Lunchbox itself recently formed a new internal partnership, with founder Sam Paglia joining forces with creative director Paul Clark.

Clark, an effects supervisor/ director, computer animator, art director and graphics designer, had previously worked with Toronto’s Dan Krech Productions, with credits including cg/art direction on the Carl’s Jr. ‘traveling tattoo’ spot with Dennis Rodman and the Mott’s Clamato ‘Talking Can’ effort. Most recently, Clark was creative director at Toronto’s dave, assembling and directing artists in the Flame and cgi departments.

Paglia had been working in graphics since 1988 with his company BIG Image, which did point-of-sale and print ad work for the likes of Coke, Kraft, m&ms and Fruitopia (overseeing graphics for the launch of the beverage in Canada) as well as an array of art for recording artists. Paglia sold his business in 1997 and formed Lunchbox to focus on graphic design and advertising.

Paglia and Clark had just teamed up when the deal with Bullet was struck, with both partnerships representing for Paglia a move into the realm of moving pictures.

The shop has also brought in Flame operator Bruce Wood, who previously was the Flame demo expert at VideoDesign.

Clark says the newly aligned shop will offer its expertise to commercial and long-form clients, providing a full spectrum of services from storyboard throughout completion.

‘We wanted to have one big shop in terms of capability but a small shop in terms of functionality and personal attention,’ says Clark.

Clark has also worked on the corporate design side, with credits that include creating the label and look for the original John Labatt Classic and work for Hiram Walker, Revlon and Sears.

Clark says a rounded knowledge of all sides of the creative equation will allow the company to bring an extra element of understanding clients’ needs. Being well versed in editing and cg systems, Clark says he is able to mix and match equipment to suit projects as well as budgets.

The shop will also incorporate a print division, with Lunchbox currently working on the new North American launch for m&ms.

For Bullet, the alliance brings a new component to the services offered in the facility, furthering the shop’s goal of being a comprehensive facility partner for producers.

‘We’ve always striven to be an integrated company, allowing people to get as many services under one roof as possible,’ says Bullet president Rob Engman. ‘Now aside from the digital camera rental inventory and edit suite complement, we also have the high-end effects and compositing capabilities that Flame offers.’

In addition to the Flame, Lunchbox also brings expertise in other compositing and effects systems like Adobe After Effects as well as other animation software packages, which increases the scope of services offered under the Bullet framework and expands the breadth of project types and budgets for which the facility can provide services.

Engman says the company is also aiming to integrate an audio post component into the facility before the end of the year.

For a shop of Bullet’s size and configuration, says Engman, forming alliances of this nature and expanding the scope of its operation will enable them to continue to thrive in a competitive environment.

‘A major strategy going into the next era is to form strategic alliances with people that make sense for all parties,’ says Engman, ‘whether that is with people offering complementary facilities services or alliances with producers or production companies.’

Earlier this year, Engman renamed the editing component of Catchlight/The Edit Sweet to Bullet Digital Post, coinciding with a move to the new digs at 55 Sudbury and some ownership changes in the company.

The facility is equipped with four Avid editing suites and a linear tape suite, a component sp suite as well as a vtr room that supports multiple formats including DVC Pro and provides services for tv series, feature films and commercials.

‘With Lunchbox we have our own in-house art department,’ says Engman. ‘That will be of great benefit to existing clients and will interest new clients as well.’

Lunchbox will remain a separate entity in terms of ownership within the Bullet building, but the two companies will bring the expertise of each to shared projects, with Bullet handling editing and Lunchbox looking after effects and graphics.

‘Through the technical infrastructure of this building and its vtr resources, we offer [Lunchbox] a lot of flexibility and support,’ says Engman.