BURBANK, CA - FotoKem, here, has acquired the assets of Imagica USA, the US subsidiary of Imagica Corporation of Tokyo, Japan. The studio is home to Imagica's multi-format wetgate optical printer (Bigfoot), Multi-65mm digital film scanners and MSM-Solitaire 65mm film recorders and through the acquisition will make it the only US facility capable of providing optical and/or digital conversions to all of the prevailing 70mm formats - 5, 8, 10 or 15 perf. In addition to scanning, recording and final color correction, FotoKem's large format division will provide digital visual effects, titles and opticals. With a film laboratory on the same site, FotoKem is positioning itself as a one-stop facility for worldwide 65/70mm post.
One of the two 65mm scanners acquired in the deal is currently being fitted with an 8K sensor. The upgrade, says FotoKem senior VP/GM, digital film services, Bill Schultz, will make it the "highest resolution 65mm motion picture scanner on the planet." The Imagica will also be among the world?s fastest large format scanner, processing an 8192 X 10928, 15 perf scan at 36 seconds per frame.
A majority of the key personnel at Imagica also migrated to FotoKem. Andrew Oran, director of sales, special formats for FotoKem, was chief of production at Imagica USA for five years before heading up large format operations at a lab in Europe. He is joined by his successor at Imagica USA, Jose Parra. The pair will lead a core group that includes long-term Imagica USA veterans in the roles of optical supervisor, printer operator, line-up, digital artist and production coordinator.