(l-r) Colorist John Dowdell, Managing Director Tim Spitzer and Milo Hernandez of Goldcrest and Thomas Grieser, ARRI Technical Representative, pose with the new ARRISCAN.

Two postproduction facilties have recently adopted the ARRISCAN film scanner into their respective workflows: Goldcrest Post in New York and EFILM in Hollywood. Using CMOS technology, the ARRISCAN provides high-speed performance through parallel data outputs and flexible output modes through active pixel technology. Because of its innovative design, the ARRISCAN is suited for almost any scanning application including digital intermediate, visual effects, restoration, archival and dailies.

As the first installation of the ARRISCAN on the East Coast of the U.S, the staff at Goldcrest understood that the quality of DI work is limited only by the quality of the scan. The facility began offering digital intermediates (DIs) in 2004, when Goldcrest opened a specially-designed theater to provide clients a 2K data or HD online editorial and color correction services in a cinema environment to ensure accurate pre-visualization. Says Tim Spitzer, Managing Director of Goldcrest Post New York, “Beyond initial photography, the basis for all data based DI work is the quality of the scan. Having first seen the ARRISCAN at IBC (International Broadcasters Conference), I was arrested by the image quality. The ARRISCAN’s oversampling, and dual exposure scan capturing the full d-min to d-max of the film being scanned, gave the dimensionality and radiance of the final images not delivered from other systems. The ability of the system to handle all 35mm and 16mm formats, pin registered, and deliver quality matching that of the newest generation of film stocks with their ever-expanding dynamic range, provides Goldcrest with the ability to deliver end product without inherent compromise.”

Recent projects Goldcrest has completed using the ARRISCAN include John Cameron Mitchell’s Super 16mm-originated DI of Shortbus, and 2K scanning of feature interpositives (IPs) for video deliverables on Mira Nair’s Namesake and Ed Burns’ The Groomsmen.

The dual ARRISCAN installation at EFILM

After careful evaluation and testing, Hollywood-based EFILM has chosen to purchase two ARRISCAN film scanners for integration into their digital lab services. EFILM has pioneered numerous breakthroughs in postproduction digital imaging for motion pictures, including the first groundbreaking 4K digital intermediate (DI) on Spiderman 2.

Explains Bill Feightner, EFILM’s Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, “We really wanted to take the big leap in performance, quality and stability. We looked at a number of brands out there, but it was pretty obvious in terms of colorimetry, low  noise and dynamic range, that the ARRISCAN exceeded anything else out on the market. EFILM is a very pragmatic company, ARRI offers us excellent service and the ARRISCAN won out over any of the other technologies out there.”

EFILM has created an efficient, integrated environment for filmmakers to work through the digital intermediate process, which they refer to as the “digital laboratory.” The ARRISCAN enables EFILM to increase productivity and experience a new standard of quality in film scanning. EFILM is already familiar with the dependability of another ARRI workhorse, the ARRILASER film recorder. The facility owns and operates 14 machines, with all digital intermediates recording out onto the ARRILASER.

An Tran