Warner Bros. and Prime Focus form strategic alliance

MUMBAI, INDIA: Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging and Prime Focus have entered into a strategic alliance that will allow both companies to expand their abilities to offer their state of the art digital post production capabilities to filmmakers on a global scale. The agreement will provide filmmakers around the world with access to the expert talents and services both companies have been providing through their state of the art facilities. It also allows both companies to manage their workflows more efficiently between Warner Bros. MPI in Burbank, and Prime Focus’s facilities throughout multiple locations in India and London as well as in New York, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Los Angeles.

“Working with Prime Focus not only gives Motion Picture Imaging a global footprint, it allows both our companies to provide our clients, wherever they are working, with convenient facilities, expanded capacity and the complete range of digital services for their films,” said Chuck Dages, Executive Vice President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.  “And, with the positive reputations both our companies have established in our areas of expertise, filmmakers will know their work is being handled with a high standard of quality that they deserve.”

“As part of our global agenda of providing high end digital creative services to clients around the world, this alliance with Warner Bros allows us to extend our pipeline across continents and various verticals within our business.  Warner Bros. is continuously creating content across a wide variety of mediums and on a scale that will be well served by this expanded pipeline,” says Namit Malhotra, Managing Director, Prime Focus. He adds, “The strategic alliance with MPI underscores our ability to service not only Warner projects, but also all the other esteemed clients of the company. It is indeed something that will create great value going forward for both companies and we truly are delighted with the development of this relationship.”

The two companies will be able to move content seamlessly from facility to facility, using the most cost efficient method, which will allow them to process work in the time zone that most closely meets individual filmmaker’s needs and schedules.  It is also expected that Prime Focus’ world class digital VFX capabilities will compliment and enhance the offerings and services required by the increase of local productions developed globally.

Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging (MPI) is a state-of- the-art post-production facility.  Located on the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank, MPI’s services and experts are equally available and have been used by Warner Bros. films as well as those of outside clients.  MPI is also a leader in the field of film preservation and restoration and has developed a unique and patented process to digitally restore classics from the vast Warner Bros. Studios film and television library as well as those of other clients.  The facility has received safety certification to store and work with nitrate film stock.

Prime Focus Group is India’s biggest integrated post-production company. It offers a comprehensive spectrum of services ranging from editing, visual effects, digital film lab (Digital Dailies, DI, film scanning and film recording), film restoration and remastering, camera and motion control rentals for film, television and advertising productions. The company was founded in 1997 and continues to expand to offer clients in film, television and advertising the industry’s top talent and technologies from premium facilities around the world. After achieving a leadership position in India and successful establishment in the UK, in December 2007, Prime Focus acquired Post Logic Studios and Frantic Films which are the two specialized post production and visual effects companies in North America. Currently the group employs nearly 1500 people and operates out of facilities in India, London, New York, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Los Angeles.