COLOGNE, GERMANY — MMC Studios (www.mmc.de) recently partnered with WeFadeToGrey (www.wefadetogrey.de) to open a new color grading theater - one of the largest in western Germany. The producers of the spy thriller The Operative were the first film team to make use of “The Suite,” which features a 33-foot-wide screen, cinema projection and high-end sound technology. The Operative stars Diane Kruger and Martin Freeman, and was directed by Yuval Adler.
The new color grading suite is specifically designed for feature film work and resembles a movie theater. Its list of gear includes 430-square-foot screen, a Christie CP 4230 4K projector, Dolby Atmos sound (via a Dolby CP 850 sound processor and JBL 48-speaker setup), and a separate lounge area.
“The Suite covers the most diverse requirements of our customers, whether they wish to finish their fiction projects or use the suite for screenings,” explains Bastie Griese, head of film production at MMC Studios Cologne. “This grading theater is the only one of its kind in Germany’s state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and there are very few other comparable facilities in Europe”.
The new grading theater features FilmLight’s Baselight Two Generation VII grading system with a Blackboard 2 control surface and the DaVinci Resolve Linux three-GPU advanced panel.
“Color correction on such a large screen allows you to work in an extremely precise manner and is relatively tire-free,” notes Swen Linde, managing director of WeFadeToGrey, MMC Studios’ strategic partner. “You really get a true indication of the look.”
Directors, cinematographers and producers will also be able to hear what the audience will eventually experience in the cinema, thanks to its Dolby Atmos system. Those shooting in Cologne are now able to quickly and easily transfer their footage to the local color grading suite.