HD evolution for Belgian commercials

Brussels-based postproduction house The Matchbox was set up five years ago. “We are not a big company that wants to cover the whole chain of post production. We’re a small outfit that tries to be as flexible as possible,” says Wim De Rick, who is joint founder of the company. “We offer fast, effective and high quality work, mainly covering the end of the post production chain, such as colour correction and special effects.”

Eighty per cent of The Matchbox’s work is in commercials, the rest in trailers, television shows, credits and feature films.

“Lately we are seeing a new evolution in Belgian commercials,” explains De Rick. Before, he says the choices were either Super 16 or 35mm film. Now CineAlta HD gives advertising agencies another high quality option. “The choice depends on what look you want as an end result. I’m convinced that a lot of commercials that are shot on 35mm could have been made on HD and would have cost a lot less and look better.”

The Matchbox’s latest HD project was for Armand Productions, a series of commercials for Bon D’état (state investments). One commercial shows two fencers in swordplay, eventually revealing that the winner is fighting with a much longer weapon.

Director Sergio Honorez has worked with The Matchbox on several HD commercials including Bon D’état and Le Forum.

“When I saw my first images shot in HD, I was extremely pleased with the sharpness, the absence of grain and the flexibility I had to work with the colours in post production,” he comments. “In advertising, the only alternative to 35mm was Super 16. And even if people sometimes shot in Super 16 for aesthetic reasons, it was often for budget reasons too. And then, someone suggested: ‘Why don’t you use HD?’

“So, you start testing, you start lining up the pros and cons.”

Honorez’s HD pros so far are: “Each second is made of 25 beautiful progressive images, just like in 35mm. Tapes are a lot less expensive than 35mm reels and their processing. You let the camera roll and you end up with hours of material for de-rushing: a real treat for director and editor. There are no scratches on the negative, which means less stress.

“Also during shooting, you get a beautiful picture on an HD monitor. Not the film grain – but if you like that, you can add some in post production. And there is no sound sync, it’s right there on the tape with the image.”