The Motion Picture Sound Editors organization has announced its 2003 Golden Reel Awards nominations, and several Canucks figure among them.

Toronto’s Tattersall Sound and Picture – the new moniker for Jane Tattersall’s post shop – has picked up four noms. Two are for the CBS/Alliance Atlantis mini Salem Witch Trials, which made the shortlist for sound effects editing in long-form TV, headed up by supervising sound editor David McCallum. The project was also nominated for dialogue editing, with McCallum and supervising dialogue and ADR editor Janice Ierulli among those cited.

The shop took an impressive three of the eight noms in the long-form SFX editing category. It was also recognized for the TNT MOW Word of Honor, with Tattersall herself credited as supervising sound editor, and the CBS MOW Ice Bound, on which Ierulli is supervising sound editor.

The CBS/AAC mini Hitler: The Rise of Evil is up for three awards, including SFX editing and dialogue editing in long-form TV for Toronto shop Critical Post, which has already won an Emmy for its work on the project. Critical partners Tom Bjelic and John Douglas Smith are credited as supervising sound editors. Hitler is also up for music editing for Toronto’s Yuri Gorbachow. Gorbachow is nominated again, along with assistant Andrew Wright, in the music editing in episodic TV category for Queer as Folk.

In the special venue format, Masters Workshop, which has locations in Toronto and Montreal, is up for best sound editing for Bugs! 3D for shop creative director Tim Archer and crew.

Winners will be announced Feb. 28 in Los Angeles.

-www.mpse.org

Optix expands and colors the Rings

Toronto post company Optix Digital Pictures has expanded, rebranded and is pounding its chest for its part in the blockbuster Lord of the Rings trilogy.

As part of its plans to increase its global presence, Optix recently acquired Hamburg, Germany-based transfer, color correction, editing and animation house The Posthouse AG, which in turn held a facility in Wellington, New Zealand. Optix, formerly known as Optix Digital Post & FX, has rebranded its now-three locations under the banner of Optix Digital Pictures.

Optix’s Wellington shop, spearheaded by Peter Doyle, was responsible for the color grading on all three Lord of the Rings films. Doyle also took part in the development of the digital intermediate grading software now sold as Discreet lustre.

Optix CFO Don Schmeichel has stated that these acquisitions are only the beginning of Optix’s growth plans. With the New Zealand addition and its two facilities in its Toronto hometown, where it began seven years ago, the company is well-positioned in two of the hottest sites for Hollywood location shooting. Optix’s main Toronto shop provides editorial, color grading, FX and animation services.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the final installment in director Peter Jackson’s series, has so far raked in more than US$345 million at the North American box office, $50 million of that in Canada. It is nominated for 11 Academy Awards.

-www.optix-i.com