STUDIO VISIT

SERVICE PROVIDERS IN SOUTH TYROL Cine Chromatix Italy

Tucked away in a former pasta factory in Merano lies a young VFX company, with a first-rate post-production cinema and big ambitions A Studio

Tour of … Cine Chromatix Italy

“We want to grow and build our reputation in the European film landscape by impressing others with our skills.” Operations Manager Matthias Keitsch, VFX Supervisor Nicola Nardone and Studio Manager Florian Geiser (from left) in the studio’s common room.

By MARIANNA KASTLUNGER

Photos

PATRICK SCHWIENBACHER From the outside, the old Pobitzer mill on the

outskirts of Merano/Meran looks a bit faded and outdated. But first impressions can be deceiving, because inside is a thriving hub for film and media professionals of all kinds, including the Italian subsidiary of Berlin-based Cine Chromatix with its top-of-the-range post-production stations. As soon as you step through the doors, the atmosphere is inspiring – and not just thanks to the industrial chic decor with its untreated wooden floorboards, high ceilings and huge windows. Today, as Matthias Keitsch, Operations Manager for Cine Chromatix Italy explains, the former mill, pasta factory, and carpentry workshop is “a lively center that brings people

SERVICE PROVIDERS IN SOUTH TYROL Cine Chromatix Italy

together” – or at least it will be again when the safety restrictions put in place due to the pandemic allow. He and his colleagues are all in their mid-thirties or younger and come from Berlin, South Tyrol and other regions of Italy. “This melting pot of people from different backgrounds enriches our creativity,” explains Nicola Nardone, VFX Supervisor from Apulia in southern Italy. The strict Italian lockdown last spring did nothing to dampen the team’s appetite for hard work: “We just had to work on the effects for Help, I Shrunk My Friends from home,” explains Keitsch. “Which meant we had to take the whole of our work equipment home with us,” adds Nardone. The company’s young team had an extraordinary 2020 and are starting to make a real name for themselves in the VFX field. In 2019, their projects included Abel Ferrara’s Siberia (Data Managing) and the German children’s film Sprite Sisters (DIT and VFX), while in 2020 they worked on Roberto Faenza’s Resilient (► see report on Resilient on p. 20). With its nine permanent staff members, an international network of freelancers and a proactive acquisition strategy, which includes workshops for young talent, Cine Chromatix Italy has established itself as the largest company in the boutique South Tyrolean film industry. “We’re really helping to strengthen this local industry,” chimes in Studio Manager Florian Geiser during our relaxed meeting. We’re sitting in the bright, spacious common room in the heart of the old building. This warm welcome is just one of the company’s many qualities that are so valued by its visitors and clients alike.

A VFX RETREAT WITH MOUNTAIN VIEWS Fueled up on caffeine, it’s time to step into the production rooms. In addition to the VFX workstations and admin offices, the company’s top-quality facilities include the jewel in its crown: its in-house cinema with a DCI projector and room-in-room design for color grading and sound mixing. “This infrastructure allows us to offer producers filming here lots of different solutions,” explains Geiser. Cine Chromatix Italy sees itself as a full in-house service provider – and a bridge between north and south. Regardless of whether they’re from Berlin or Rome, their clients relish the opportunity to work in Merano. As Keitsch explains: “The town has become a kind of retreat for our clients. They come here and work extremely hard for weeks on end, but can enjoy the delicious food, mountain vistas and South Tyrolean countryside in their spare time.” It’s a comprehensive package that Cine Chromatix Italy first offered for the full post-production of Effetto Domino in 2019 – to much praise: “The film’s sound designer, Paolo Segat – who, by the way, is also Paolo

Inspiring atmosphere: Nine employees work behind the façade of the old Pobitzer Mill.

SERVICE PROVIDERS IN SOUTH TYROL Cine Chromatix Italy

Scouting am Penser Joch im Sarntal: Die Balance zwischen Produktionsbedürfnissen und dem Schutz der alpinen Natur ist Defranceschi ein besonderes Anliegen. Comprehensive service provider: Cine Chromatix Italy has high-quality VFX workstations at its disposal and an on-site cinema for color grading and audio mixing.

RESILIENT Cine Chromatix Italy was involved in Roberto Faenza’s feature film project (▶ article p. 20) from the very first location visits. Services rendered included CG animation, set extension and post-production.

SERVICE PROVIDERS IN SOUTH TYROL Cine Chromatix Italy

Sorrentino’s sound expert – absolutely loved working here,” reveals Nardone. The trio feel confident about the future: “We want to grow and build our reputation in the European film landscape by impressing others with our skills.”

DIFFICULT TIMES AND HUGE AMBITIONS It could all have turned out very differently, however. Cine Chromatix Italy was founded in 2017 as a joint venture between the Berlin-based Cine Chromatix and the South Tyrolean production firm Ammira Film. The merger primarily owed its success to the enthusiasm and networking skills of Ammira’s founder and then managing director Wolfgang Fliri. When Fliri passed away suddenly in 2018, Keitsch, Geiser and Nardone were left reeling and found themselves at a complete loss. “Besides dealing with our personal grief, we had to decide who would take over the reins now that we had lost Wolfgang, our friend and the brains of the operation,” recalls Keitsch. “Through that period we became a really tight-knit unit,” he says, looking back. The work was divided among the core group of people and the company was acquired fully by Cine Chromatix in Berlin, who, as Keitsch explains, “were truly friendly and helpful throughout.” It has been expanding and building on its success ever since. “Despite the adversity we’ve had to overcome in the beginning, we’re determined to strengthen South Tyrol’s film industry,” says Geiser – and the company’s continuous growth is proof that they’re on the right track. “Perhaps we’ll transform the old mill into a huge media center one day,” he imagines. His two colleagues laugh, teasing him for his grand ideas. “Well, the old pasta factory is big enough, if nothing else,” quips Nardone, grinning. Stranger things have happened, after all. T#12