FILM4 SELECTS PIXEL POWER FOR FREE-TO-AIR RE-BRAND

Stand 7.138, IBC2006, Amsterdam, 8 September 2006: UK movie channel Film4 is using Clarity from Pixel Power to drive its re-branding as it switches business models from subscription-based to free-to-air. Channel 4 Television continues its legacy with Pixel Power to implement intelligent titling and automated graphics-recall to double the speed at which it creates promos and trailers.

Clarity uses Pixel Power’s new customised data transfer interface software to animate titles and appointments-to-view based on how long the text is and what graphics must fit around it. Film titles tend to be longer than those for TV programmes and so occupy more lines on screen when a promo is created.

To ensure Film4’s titles are animated in the correct sequence, Pixel Power’s interface picks up content information from an easy-to-use Excel spreadsheet and adapts it automatically for presentation on screen. In adapting the software for Film4, Clarity’s interface now allows movie titles with one, two or three lines of text to appear on screen, compared with the maximum of two lines it generates for Channel 4, E4 and More4.

“In the traditional post production environment, creating movie promos, with individual clips of each film, could take longer than an hour whereas Pixel Power allows us to do the same task in 20 minutes,” explains Matthew Williams, graphics manager at Channel 4. “The channel’s branding is now in line with its stable-mates and the project has been so successful that we now seek to operate more aspects of Clarity under automation such as planning and playout. Pixel Power continues to be a trusted partner whose team goes the extra mile to help us find efficient solutions, allowing us to achieve a specific on-air look without the need for going into an edit suite.”

“Pixel Power’s installations for Channel 4 Television demonstrate Clarity’s ability to maintain brand consistency while still being flexible enough to allow for differences and individual technical challenges,” says Pixel Power managing director James Gilbert. “They also show how we work closely with broadcasters to create sophisticated graphics solutions with cost-effective, low-cost workflows.” The implementation marks the completion of Pixel Power projects with all the Channel 4 divisions, including Channel 4, E4, More4 and now Film4. All channels use Clarity 500, Pixel Power’s high-end SD graphics solution with timeline-based menus and interoperability with third-party systems including Film4’s Pro-Bel automation.

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Notes to editor

Pixel Power is a leader in the development and production of SD and HD broadcast graphics systems, news production workflow tools and live interactive content with more than 2,000 installations worldwide. With a local presence around the world the company’s award-winning solutions suit broadcasters, post-production houses and outside broadcast (OB) trucks of all sizes for distinctive, professional, reliable and cost-effective on-air graphics.

Established in Cambridge, UK, in 1987, the company also has a wholly owned subsidiary office in Florida, USA, and a dedicated network of distributors and support offices around the world.

Channel 4 Television is a publicly-owned not-for-profit broadcaster operating in the UK. Its main public-service channel, Channel 4, is a free-to-air service funded entirely by advertising and sponsorship. Channel 4 transmits across the whole of the UK, except some parts of Wales, which are covered by the Welsh language S4C. It is available on all digital platforms (terrestrial, satellite and cable) as well as through traditional analogue transmission.

Channel 4 also operates other services, including the free-to-air digital TV channels E4 and More4 and Film4 (which was relaunched as a free-to-air channel on 23 July 2006), and an ever-growing range of online activities at channel4.com, including the broadband service FourDocs. The Film4 production division produces and co-produces feature films for the UK and global markets. For more information, please visit www.channel4.com