Nice Shoes isn't just experienced with HD, they are HD evangelists. The
New York post house has not only been working with high definition for
at least six years on high-end commercial spots for such clients as
MTV, Pepsi, IBM and Kodak but the facility has also taken HD on the
road-literally. Nice Shoes has been bringing its knowledge of the
technology to its clients to help teach them the ins and outs of HD
production and post.
New York post house has not only been working with high definition for
at least six years on high-end commercial spots for such clients as
MTV, Pepsi, IBM and Kodak but the facility has also taken HD on the
road-literally. Nice Shoes has been bringing its knowledge of the
technology to its clients to help teach them the ins and outs of HD
production and post.
WHAT'S THEIR GIG
The company, which was formed in 1996 when founding partners Dominic
Pandolfino, Scott Burch, Howie Burch, Joe Bottazzi and Ed Patrowitz
left their prior gig at Manhattan Transfer to pursue their own
collective dream of running a business the way they thought it should
be run, wants its clients to understand HD technology, style and
technique and how it relates to the entire production process.
Pandolfino, Scott Burch, Howie Burch, Joe Bottazzi and Ed Patrowitz
left their prior gig at Manhattan Transfer to pursue their own
collective dream of running a business the way they thought it should
be run, wants its clients to understand HD technology, style and
technique and how it relates to the entire production process.
According to Managing Director Kristen Kupjian, "One of our strengths
is that we're always looking toward the future and always trying to
help bring our clients there with us. It's obvious that HD is the
direction we're going in and we've been at the forefront of it."
is that we're always looking toward the future and always trying to
help bring our clients there with us. It's obvious that HD is the
direction we're going in and we've been at the forefront of it."
The company has been sending a team made up of Executive Producer Pat
Portela, Colorist Chris Ryan and Aron Baxter, digital effects artist at
sister visual effects company Guava, on the road to visit its various
clients around the country to run educational seminars on HD-related
issues from shooting, editing and color correction to final delivery.
Portela, Colorist Chris Ryan and Aron Baxter, digital effects artist at
sister visual effects company Guava, on the road to visit its various
clients around the country to run educational seminars on HD-related
issues from shooting, editing and color correction to final delivery.
"We realized from many of the phone calls we were getting that people
really needed more information about how HD works," says Biz Lynskey,
managing director at Nice Shoes. "The directors weren't shooting the
projects correctly and then we'd have to fix it in post. We've been
showing our clients how things should be shot, how to deal with things
that come up while you're finishing, titling, framing, etc. We've
received amazing feedback from our clients. The seminars have really
helped with our credibility, too. It's really helped our reputation."
Kupjian adds, "A lot of our clients didn't know they could shoot an HD
commercial with film, which I found very surprising. They thought it
had to be done with video. I think that many of our clients are
intimidated by HD and feel they should already know more about it than
they actually do. But part of our message is that there is no right way
when you're dealing with HD. There are many different circumstances.
The solutions are really on a case-by-case basis, and I think that's
comforting to our clients when they hear that."
really needed more information about how HD works," says Biz Lynskey,
managing director at Nice Shoes. "The directors weren't shooting the
projects correctly and then we'd have to fix it in post. We've been
showing our clients how things should be shot, how to deal with things
that come up while you're finishing, titling, framing, etc. We've
received amazing feedback from our clients. The seminars have really
helped with our credibility, too. It's really helped our reputation."
Kupjian adds, "A lot of our clients didn't know they could shoot an HD
commercial with film, which I found very surprising. They thought it
had to be done with video. I think that many of our clients are
intimidated by HD and feel they should already know more about it than
they actually do. But part of our message is that there is no right way
when you're dealing with HD. There are many different circumstances.
The solutions are really on a case-by-case basis, and I think that's
comforting to our clients when they hear that."
THE COOL FACTOR
Not only is Nice Shoes keeping its clients well educated, but it's also
adhering to its corporate philosophy of promoting from within. About
twice a year, the studio holds nighttime classes, from about 6 p.m. to
2 a.m., for its newer employees, teaching them how to use the gear the
company uses to produce some of its most successful projects. "We're
probably the only company that still does this in New York," says
Lynskey. "We hire entry-level people for positions in shipping,
reception or client services to start at the bottom and run the
business. Then we eventually enroll them into our training program at
night where they learn all about video, from start to finish."
adhering to its corporate philosophy of promoting from within. About
twice a year, the studio holds nighttime classes, from about 6 p.m. to
2 a.m., for its newer employees, teaching them how to use the gear the
company uses to produce some of its most successful projects. "We're
probably the only company that still does this in New York," says
Lynskey. "We hire entry-level people for positions in shipping,
reception or client services to start at the bottom and run the
business. Then we eventually enroll them into our training program at
night where they learn all about video, from start to finish."
"It's a great program," says Pandolfino. "While other companies train
their employees as they're on the job, we run the training as if it's a
totally separate department." In other words, once one of their staff
goes into the training program, that's all they do. They don't have to
worry about other projects and deadlines looming over their heads.
"When these kids come out of that class," he says, "they know their
stuff inside and out."
their employees as they're on the job, we run the training as if it's a
totally separate department." In other words, once one of their staff
goes into the training program, that's all they do. They don't have to
worry about other projects and deadlines looming over their heads.
"When these kids come out of that class," he says, "they know their
stuff inside and out."
In addition to training, the company recently introduced Nice Spots, a
Web-based system designed for sharing media (see
studiomonthly.com/5870.html). John DiMaggio, manager of Nice Spots, says he spent about two years developing the
system and says all you need to run it is Macromedia Flash and
ShockWave, as well as QuickTime. "This is actually the first time Nice
Shoes has created a piece of software," he says. The system is ideal
for client approval on various projects. Explains DiMaggio, "You can
upload spots during the approval process and then other users, from
anywhere in the world, can make comments on certain frames on a spot so
everyone involved with that project can see them. There's actually a
chalkboard function designed for users to be able to mark up a frame
if, let's say, there's something's wrong or there's something someone
wants to address. But the approval part is just one aspect of it. It
can also be used for archival and retrieval purposes. You can put your
whole library on there," he says, which means you won't have to pay for
storage, dubbing or shipping.
Web-based system designed for sharing media (see
studiomonthly.com/5870.html). John DiMaggio, manager of Nice Spots, says he spent about two years developing the
system and says all you need to run it is Macromedia Flash and
ShockWave, as well as QuickTime. "This is actually the first time Nice
Shoes has created a piece of software," he says. The system is ideal
for client approval on various projects. Explains DiMaggio, "You can
upload spots during the approval process and then other users, from
anywhere in the world, can make comments on certain frames on a spot so
everyone involved with that project can see them. There's actually a
chalkboard function designed for users to be able to mark up a frame
if, let's say, there's something's wrong or there's something someone
wants to address. But the approval part is just one aspect of it. It
can also be used for archival and retrieval purposes. You can put your
whole library on there," he says, which means you won't have to pay for
storage, dubbing or shipping.
(Below is a spot Nice Shoes worked on for Pepsi.It was transferred with the Spirit and color corrected with the
Davinci 2K.)
Davinci 2K.)
THE GEEK FACTOR
Although they never said it in so many words, the team's love of their
Grass Valley Specter FS virtual datacine is obvious. And while they
work with a long list of impressive gear that includes Discreet Smoke,
Flame and Inferno, Mac G5 workstations, DaVinci 2K color correctors, a
Grass Valley Spirit datacine and Sony 32-inch HD monitors throughout
the entire studio, it's the Specter they just can't seem to stop
talking about.
Grass Valley Specter FS virtual datacine is obvious. And while they
work with a long list of impressive gear that includes Discreet Smoke,
Flame and Inferno, Mac G5 workstations, DaVinci 2K color correctors, a
Grass Valley Spirit datacine and Sony 32-inch HD monitors throughout
the entire studio, it's the Specter they just can't seem to stop
talking about.
"We started out with one around December 2004 that our engineers in
research and development and our colorists worked together with to make
sure it was customized for our needs," says Kupjian. Since the Specter
is a server-based system, it can store each scene of a project that
needs to be color corrected, allowing the team at Nice Shoes to load a
client's entire project onto it the night before that client is
scheduled to come in for a color-correction session. "That way, when
the client comes in to work on their project, they don't have to worry
about reel changes. Their scenes have already been scanned in and are
in order. It saves our clients a lot of time and money. A typical
eight-hour session can now take half that time. It's a new workflow
that we developed that really is unique. We just bought our third
Specter because our clients love it. And that's just the kind of thing
we like to do here at Nice Shoes: Come up with unique workflows that
benefit our clients."
research and development and our colorists worked together with to make
sure it was customized for our needs," says Kupjian. Since the Specter
is a server-based system, it can store each scene of a project that
needs to be color corrected, allowing the team at Nice Shoes to load a
client's entire project onto it the night before that client is
scheduled to come in for a color-correction session. "That way, when
the client comes in to work on their project, they don't have to worry
about reel changes. Their scenes have already been scanned in and are
in order. It saves our clients a lot of time and money. A typical
eight-hour session can now take half that time. It's a new workflow
that we developed that really is unique. We just bought our third
Specter because our clients love it. And that's just the kind of thing
we like to do here at Nice Shoes: Come up with unique workflows that
benefit our clients."
WHAT THEY DO
Full-service post-production, specializing in high-end commercial finishing
WHO THEY ARE
Kristen Kupjian, Managing Director
Biz Lynskey, Managing Director
John DiMaggio, Manager of Nice Spots
Dominic Pandolfino, Partner
Joe Bottazzi, Partner/Chief Engineer
Scott Burch, Partner/Colorist
Howie Burch, Partner
Lez Rudge, Colorist
Chris Ryan, Colorist
Lenny Mastrandrea, Colorist
Russ Bigsby, Editor
Rich Schreck, Editor
Eric Gelgand, Editor
Ed Skupeen, Editor
John Shea, Editor
Biz Lynskey, Managing Director
John DiMaggio, Manager of Nice Spots
Dominic Pandolfino, Partner
Joe Bottazzi, Partner/Chief Engineer
Scott Burch, Partner/Colorist
Howie Burch, Partner
Lez Rudge, Colorist
Chris Ryan, Colorist
Lenny Mastrandrea, Colorist
Russ Bigsby, Editor
Rich Schreck, Editor
Eric Gelgand, Editor
Ed Skupeen, Editor
John Shea, Editor
TECHNOLOGY
Grass Valley Specter FS virtual datacine
Grass Valley Spirit datacine
Discreet Smoke, Flame and Inferno
Mac G5 workstations
DaVinci 2K color correctors
Quantel Henry Infinity
Sony 32-inch HD monitors
Grass Valley Spirit datacine
Discreet Smoke, Flame and Inferno
Mac G5 workstations
DaVinci 2K color correctors
Quantel Henry Infinity
Sony 32-inch HD monitors
Nice Shoes
www.niceshoes.com
352 Park Ave. South, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10010
212.683.1704
352 Park Ave. South, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10010
212.683.1704
Sections: Business Technology
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