APS Provides HD Post Production for 'Over Canada' Documentary Bound for CTV, PBS, and World's Fair 2000

APS HELPS "OVER CANADA" SHOWCASE THE SPECTACULAR BEAUTY OF CANADA IN A HIGH-DEFINITION DOCUMENTARY SET FOR HDTV BROADCAST IN CANADA, THE UNITED STATES, AND AN HD-PROJECTED SHOWING AT WORLDíS FAIR 2000.

Vancouver, Canada (September 24, 1999)óAPS (American Production Services), one of the leading facilities for High-Definition (HD) production and post, in Seattle, Washington, today announced that it provided HD post production services to "Over Canada," a stunning 60-minute HD documentary capturing the beauty of Canada at the dawn of the New Millennium.

Beginning in October 1999, the documentary will be broadcast by CTV and TVA, two major Canadian networks, as well as by 100 PBS stations in the United States. Also, next year, a special widescreen HD presentation is also planned for The Worldís Fair 2000, in Hannover, Germany.

"HD is such an outstanding medium. It gives you dimensional quality, crystal clarity, and a richness of imagery that is truly as good as being there. The detail is so spectacular that you can look at the same pictures over and over again and still see something new," says Gary McCartie, Producer/Director for ìOver Canada," as well as president of Gary McCartie Productions, Inc., in Vancouver, Canada.

Gary McCartie Productions is producing "Over Canada" in association with The Jim Pattison Group, also in Vancouver, and KCTS-TV, a PBS affiliate, in Seattle, Washington. The Royal Bank Financial Group, a major Canadian bank, also helped finance the $5.5 million production.

Since "Over Canada" is comprised mostly of aerial footage, the production employed a twin-engine Eurocopter helicopter capable of flying low, at night, and over large bodies of water. Using custom mounts (by Tyler Mounts of California), a Sony HDW-750 High-definition camera was attached to the nose of the aircraft, while either the Sony HDW-750 or HDW-700 was attached to the side. The HDW-700, an HDCAM format HD camcorder, was also used to shoot subject matter on the ground.

The footage, shot in 1080i/30 HD, was edited by APS's Walter McGinn using Sonyís HDS-7000 3 M/E production switcher with two frame stores and primary and secondary color correction; the Sony HDME-7000 two-channel digital video effects system; the BVE-9100 editor, HDW-500 video tape machines; and a complement of HD monitors.

"The reason we chose to post at APS is as much the outstanding people as the leading edge facility they provide. Walt McGinn is the best HD editor Iíve seen, probably the best in the country. When it comes to bringing out the visual impact of HD imagery, Walt is an expert and an artist,î says McCartie.

Before "Over Canada," McCartie produced other HD documentaries, including one called ìOver British Columbia." McCartie noted, "While we were projecting a break-even period of three years, "Over British Columbia" actually recovered all its costs within three weeks." Profitability was enhanced by the sale of a VHS version and a companion 200-page hard cover book.

Like its predecessor, "Over Canada" will be released on VHS, with representative stills featured in a 200-page hard cover book, as well as a CD with the original soundtrack composed by Canadian musicians. In 2000, there are plans to release a DVD version as well. "Because we had such phenomenal success documenting just the Province of British Columbia," McCartie said, "we decided to produce another HD documentary to show posterity how all of Canada looked at the turn of the Millennium."

Sample pictures are available on the community HD web site www.HighDef.Org