February 20, 2007

Shooters Post & Transfer Forms DIVE Visual Effects and Film Finishing House

Philadelphia, Penn. - Shooters Post & Transfer, an award-winning visual effects, design, and postproduction facility, has announced the launch of DIVE, a new visual effects and film finishing house led by veteran visual effects supervisor Mark Forker, who recently held the post of visual effects supervisor at Digital Domain in Los Angeles.
The new company will focus on providing the film community with visual effects, digital intermediates, finishing, and titles. Forker will provide visual effects supervision services to studios and filmmakers via his existing relationships with visual effects facilities worldwide.

"At a time when the box office and independent film markets are experiencing a tremendous shift to an all digital workflow, and visual effects a part every film, we felt it was time to add someone with Mark's expertise and talent to position us best in this changing world of motion pictures," Ray Carballada, Shooters Post & Transfer COO, explains. "The launch of DIVE and the fact that it will be helmed by such a prominent and respected name in the filmmaking community sends a clear message to producers and directors that the company is serious in its commitment. With independent films a big issue is always the post budget. In DIVE we have developed a model to provide independent filmmakers a level of finishing that in the past was unattainable. They also face many difficult creative choices when it comes to visual effects and finishing. With Mark they have a resource they can turn to that can provide studio level picture expertise."

Fresh from a 12 year run at Digital Domain, the seminal visual effects company founded by James Cameron and Stan Winston, Forker has contributed his talents as a digital compositor and visual effects supervisor to such films as Apollo 13, Titanic, Cinderella Man, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and most recently in the theaters, the kid superhero comedy Zoom.

Despite his high-profile credits, however, Forker admits to being excited about working with independent filmmakers and smaller projects in general. "Increasingly, I've found that some of the most satisfying jobs I've worked on were smaller in scale," Forker notes. "Independent filmmakers tend to spend more time working on the creative and often need someone with experience to help them realize their vision from the post side of things. When Ray told me that several independent filmmakers had already approached him, I was immediately interested in being a part of it."

"I've known Ray Carballada for many years," Forker continues, "and I've watched Shooters grow steadily into the impressive company they are today. Knowing what I know, it was a complete no-brainer for me to come aboard. They are creative risk-takers but they always have their clients' best interests at heart. They'll step out onto limbs to make things work and usually succeed. I'm happy to be a part of what they're building."