BURLINGTON, MA — Avid (www.avid.com) is underscoring its commitment to emerging independent filmmakers by continuing to support the Sundance Institute's annual June Directors Lab, which is currently taking place in Utah. The company has been working with the program for more than 20 years, and this year, the eight selected projects and associated program participants will use Media Composer 6 software, Nitris DX hardware and ISIS 5000 shared storage to enhance and speed their creative process.
The Directors Lab offers a select group of projects and participants the opportunity to work with an accomplished group of creative advisors, professional actors and production crews to shoot and edit key scenes from their screenplays. Some of the notable films supported over the Feature Film Program's history include: Beasts of the Southern Wild, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Maria Full of Grace, Requiem for a Dream and Boys Don't Cry. During the Directors Lab, filmmakers go through a production process — rehearse, shoot and edit — on multiple scenes.
"The Directors Lab provides new feature film directors with a unique environment in which to collaborate and work towards bringing their stories to the screen," explains Keri Putnam, executive director of Sundance Institute. "Just as we look for innovation and quality when selecting projects to participate in the Lab, we aim to innovate in the ways we use technology to help these filmmakers realize their visions."
Avid is supplying seven Media Composer 6 systems, a Nitris DX interface, and a 32TB ISIS 5000 shared storage system. The addition of the ISIS 5000 for the 2012 program will enable participants and the four crews to share and access media across multiple locations as well as enhance flexibility by allowing multiple participants to access material whenever they need it.