The phrase ‘one-stop shop’ is probably overused in the video and audio production business. However, in the case of London’s Hangman Studios, it is entirely correct. Not only is the facility able to cater for all client needs from pre-production, direction and shooting through to 5.1 mixes and DVD authoring, it’s also able to achieve this, efficiently and cost-effectively, in a 100 percent Mac environment.
James Tonkin is the man behind Hangman. At just 24 he runs the facility where he works as a director, and boasts a client list including Konami, Archive, Eagle Rock and, most notably, teen idol and international singing superstar Robbie Williams.
Apple technology has been key to the success of Tonkin’s venture right from the start. Having initially encountered the Mac as a music technology student, James spent his first grant cheque on a beige G3. More powerful systems followed, plus the chance, upon leaving college, to gain experience of Apple’s Final Cut Pro video editing software on a truly seminal project. “I worked on the 1 Giant Leap project that incorporated hours of DV footage from around the world”, explains Tonkin. Not only did he cut his editing teeth on this ‘audio-visual album’ he also gained the opportunity to showcase his creativity.
The latter was duly noted by Tim Clark and David Enthoven of IE Music, the management company behind both 1 Giant Leap and Robbie Williams. For some time Clark and Enthoven had been looking to bring video and audio facilities — of which they made considerable use — in-house in a bid to increase control and save money, as well to establish a creative hub to develop new ideas.
US Trailer for Robbie Williams’ Escapology Album — Edited by James Tonkin at Hangman Studios using Final Cut Pro 4.
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“They wanted to become self-sufficient”, explains Tonkin. “They were looking to exercise more control over all the different aspects of their projects — particularly Robbie Williams — as well as to cut costs”. Hangman was the result, a networked dual-studio facility that integrates an audio service with a video service, and effectively offers an end-to-end Mac-based digital production solution.
The video studio (Studio One) is based around dual processor Power Mac G4s running, among other software packages, Final Cut Pro 4, DVD Studio Pro 2, Discreet Combustion and Adobe After Effects. Studio One also features Pinnacle CinéWave acceleration, a Fibre Channel SAN and a Sony DVCAM editing player/recorder. Situated in an adjacent room, Studio Two is a fully-functional digital recording studio based around Apple hardware running Digidesign Pro Tools and Logic Platinum.
Tonkin manages the facility with producer Gillian Nisbet, using the technology to provide clients with pre-production and directing services, shooting, offline and online editing in compressed and uncompressed formats, sound dubbing, 5.1 surround sound mixing, Web approvals, graphics, grading and DVD authoring. In fact, it would be quicker to list the production services that Hangman does not provide.
Next page: 21st Century Digital Production
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James Tonkin
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Tools of the Trade
Studio 1 (Video Editing)
Hardware
Software
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Useful Links
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Photos of James Tonkin copyright © 2003 Living Light Ltd.
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