I M A X
Journey to Mecca: With Ibn Battuta
The Greatest Traveler in Premodern History
Cosmic Picture / SK Films
Film Format: 2D
Release Date: Jan 2009
Moroccan law student Ibn Battuta set out for Mecca in 1325 to perform the Hajj. Over 30 years he traveled three times further than Marco Polo. Experience the greatest annual pilgrimage on earth through the epic story of one of history's greatest travelers and join the Hajj as it happens today.
Winner Le Prix Du Public / La Géode Film Festival
Paris / Jan 2009
Luminair's George Elder and Hollywood pros
produce "Boxboarders" mockumentary in L.A.
Chicago - "Boxboarders!" is a mockumentary written and directed by Hollywood's Rob Hedden and shot in his home town of Laguna Beach, whose credits widely range from "Clockstoppers" to many "reunion" TV shows and sitcoms, and Jay Smith were Elder's co-producers. "Boxboarders!" follows the unlikely rise to fame of a group of teenage surfing slackers who are unable to hit the waves. Instead, they accidentally create an insanely-reckless land version of the sport, after putting a refrigerator box on a skateboard and surfing the hilly streets of Laguna Beach. The DP on the 24p HD project was Matthew Williams ("Touched by an Angel" "Promised Land" series), editor, David Bertman ("Seven Days Six Nights"); costumes designed by Bob Moore ("No Laughing Matter"), all L.A. "Boxboarders!" has no distribution deal as yet. The company may hire a producer's rep to sell to a distributor, or go the festival route to build an audience. "We have a very funny movie on our hands," Elder said.
In 2004, Elder produced a feature-length doc, "Piaf: Her Story, Her Songs," starring Raquel Bitton and produced for Modern Entertainment. Lion's Gate bought Modern's 500-film library and is distributing "Piaf." - Ruth L Ratny
Mountain View, CA -
Silicon Graphics has teamed with Universe Partners, LLC, for the upcoming large-format IMAX film project, "Stephen Hawking's Beyond the Horizon." As the film's lead corporate technology partner, SGI has committed two million dollars in the form of visualization support, systems and personnel, in line with the company's dual focus on scientific and media computing. Universe Partners was formed with the sole purpose of working with Professor Hawking to develop a general audience IMAX film that visualized the new horizons of Cosmology.
Post Magazine
"Digital Intermediates" article / Aug 2003
Aug 2003, Los Angeles - "In many cases, the imagery could not have been produced using traditional filmmaking processes. At the open house, attendees were shown a B&W short film called "Wanted," photographed by independent filmmaker Matthew Williams.
According to Sunset Digital's COO, Jeff Ross, "People really took a step back when we explained that Matt had shot it in color [using the Panasonic VariCam 720p HD camcorder] and then we 'sucked all the color out' in the digital intermediate process. When it was finished, it was a gorgeous B&W movie that really maximized the dynamic range of the imagery." At the end of the process, the B&W images were recorded onto 35mm film."
