*Sony takes Optix into HD realm

Toronto’s Optix Digital Post & FX has stepped into the world of high-definition television with a new hd system from Sony and involvement in the new Alliance Atlantis project I Was a Sixth Grade Alien.

The 22-episode kids’ comedy series will be shot on Sony HD Cam and down-converted to 601 with the new Sony HD system at Optix, which is connected directly to the shop’s Jaleo editing system running on SGI Octane.

Optix will handle offline and online, and additional effects and animation will be done at toybox. Optix sister company Crunch Recording will handle audio.

Optix also recently expanded its facility with two new Avid offline suites. Shooting on hd and down-converting for domestic broadcast allows flexibility for future hd delivery and Optix says it will be actively pursuing the u.s. market.

*Avid’s new Illusion

Avid Technology has announced it will commence shipping the Avid Media Illusion digital effects and compositing system in its Version 5.1 configuration, effective now.

The new release is said to provide more intimate integration with the company’s Media Composer and Symphony nonlinear and finishing systems. Marquee, Avid’s resolution-independent 3D title creation and animation package, is also integrated into the new package.

Version 5.1 is available for various sgi workstations beginning at us$24,800, with the Marquee plug-in included at no extra charge.

avid has also introduced the Power Bundle software compilation for the Avid Xpress for nt product. Until June 30, those who buy Avid Xpress for nt in the Deluxe or Elite configuration and two Avid storage drives will receive the Power Bundle, a us$9,7000 assortment of software applications and plug-ins including Ultimatte for Windows avx plug-in, Avid Elastic Reality, Artel’s Borisfx avx plug-in, icesoftfx, Terran Interactive’s Media Cleaner-ez and Avid Xpress 16:9 Editing Option.

*Shaw picks DVCPro again

Shaw Communications has bought into Panasonic’s DVC Pro broadcast technology, purchasing the newsbyte nonlinear editing system for the production of additional news programming in the Barrie and Richmond Hill, Ont. offices.

The Panasonic equipment is touted for the quicker turnaround time of a digital system, allowing greater speed and flexibility for last-minute changes in the production of local programming. In addition to speed, Shaw cites ease of use as another deciding factor in the equipment purchase.

*Commotion chills out

Waltham, Mass.-based ice has announced an accelerated (or ice’d in the parlance of the company) version of Puffin Designs’ visual effects software Commotion.

The iceing of the product accelerates the core functions of Commotion, including motion tracking, stabilization and special effects from two to 50 times.

ICE’d Commotion ships in April and is priced at us$4,990 for Commotion 2.0 users, including the blueice hardware card, or us$995 for Commotion users with existing ice hardware.

*Miranda, Artel hook up

Montreal’s Miranda Technologies, maker of digital video/audio interfacing and display products, and Marlborough, Mass.-based Artel Video Systems have formed a strategic alliance to support the creation of integrated, end-to-end video transmission and conversion capability to video network service providers.

The resultant solutions are designed to allow video and audio signals to be delivered to broadcasters and post facilities in any digital or analog format and to allow providers to combine Ethernet data traffic with video signals.

The alliance involves joint marketing and sales of the companies’ products, technology sharing and co-development of new products.

Miranda says the alliance means that broadcasters and producers can create content without concern about how to distribute it in multiple formats like 4:2:2, composite digital or composite analog.

*People

* Toronto’s Magnetic North has appointed l.a.-based Herb Dow as sales and marketing consultant. Dow will be responsible for selling Magnetic North’s service to the l.a. market.

* Vancouver’s Lost Boys Studios has added new staff in the content creation and production areas.

The studio has brought aboard visual effects animator Eric Petey, a Vancouver Film School 3D animation and visual effects program grad. Roula Lainas has joined the shop as visual effects producer, having previously been at TOYBOX West and Alpha Cine Motion Picture Labs. Pauline Burns joins Lost Boys as visual effects coordinator.