LONDON -- 24 June 2015 -- The United Kingdom (UK) Section of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers(R) (SMPTE(R)), a leader in motion-imaging standards and education for the communications, media, entertainment, and technology industries, today announced that it is partnering with Mesclado, a European leader in media workflows and education, to deliver a one-day course on Interoperable Master Format (IMF). Scheduled for Wednesday, 8 July, at the British Film Institute (BFI) located at 21 Stephen Street in London, "IMF: The New Universal Master" will give technical and nontechnical staff within the motion-imaging industry an opportunity to take the lead in understanding IMF and how this SMPTE standard works across all areas of the industry.
"IMF is one example of an industrywide standard created within SMPTE, and this course from the SMPTE UK Section brings experts together to educate SMPTE Members and others in the UK's thriving post community about how IMF can assist organisations to be more efficient, creative, and productive," said Peter Weitzel, SMPTE membership director and secretary/treasurer of the SMPTE UK Section. "IMF is a standard that fosters new ways of thinking about media workflows, and it will have a profound effect across the post industry."
Intended for professional applications worldwide, IMF is a file-based framework designed to represent high-quality versions of a given, finished multimedia work destined for distribution across multiple channels, including broadcast and internet. Consultant Ken Burrows will join François Abbe of Mesclado to examine and explain this framework and standard during "IMF: The New Universal Master."
Burrows is a technology consultant in the digital media, production, broadcast, and distribution sectors who previously served as chief technology officer (CTO) for broadcast and distribution at Channel 4. In addition to being a founding member of the UK Digital Production Partnership (DPP), Burrows served as the organisation's technical lead responsible for the conception and implementation of the common file-based AS-11: Material eXchange Format (MXF) DPP standard for programme delivery to UK broadcasters.
Abbe is Mesclado's founder and president, and he has built his reputation as a respected media expert through 20 years in the broadcast industry, with experience in research and development, product management, and solution architecture. He was instrumental in the conception of MPEG-2 coding for digital terrestrial television (DTT), high-definition (HD) MXF, IMF, objective image quality control, and HD within a data processing and file-based environment.
Together, Burrows and Abbe will provide course participants with the comprehensive background knowledge to appreciate the real benefits of IMF and provide an overview of the business advantages gained when using IMF for business-to-business ready-to-air media exchange. The two experts also will present a panorama of existing IMF solutions, including real-world examples and use cases, and future developments planned for the standard and its implementation. To ensure that each participant's issues or questions can be dealt with during the course, Burrows and Abbe also will devote time to small-group discussions. There will also be demonstrations of IMF workflows from Rohde and Schwarz, who are supporting this course.
"IMF: The New Universal Master" is ideal for technical directors, engineers, project managers, decision-makers, and chiefs of project marketing; familiarity with broadcast workflow and information technology (IT) is recommended. Information on registration is available at http://www.smpte.org/uk-imf. The SMPTE UK Section course is £450 plus VAT for nonmembers, £360 plus VAT for SMPTE members, and £380 plus VAT for those employed by a UK Screen Association member.
Further information about the SMPTE UK Section is available at www.smpte.org/uk. Further information about Mesclado is available at www.mesclado.com.
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About Mesclado
Mesclado is an independent team of architects and consultants for broadcast systems, experts in the optimisation of performance and cost efficiency in today's broadcast environment. Mesclado is working with media groups, content owners, and providers of service to develop, design, and deliver on complex or innovative projects. Mesclado is also actively contributing worldwide in the evolution of standards of professional audiovisual industry. More information is available at www.mesclado.com and via Twitter @Mesclado.
About the SMPTE(R) United Kingdom (UK) Section
The SMPTE(R) United Kingdom (UK) Section was re-established in 2012. The Section has seen a high degree of interest and support from across the creative, manufacturing, broadcasting, and service organisations in the UK's thriving media landscape. Widespread support for the Section and its work is evident in rapidly increasing attendance at Section meetings across the UK. This interest allowed the SMPTE UK Section to grow from 100 members in 2012 to more than 400 members in 2015.
About the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers(R) (SMPTE(R))
The Oscar(R) and Emmy(R) Award-winning Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers(R) (SMPTE(R)), a professional membership association, is a leader in the advancement of the art, science, and craft of the image, sound, and metadata ecosystem, worldwide. An internationally recognised and accredited organisation, SMPTE advances moving-imagery education and engineering across the communications, technology, media, and entertainment industries. Since its founding in 1916, SMPTE has published the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal and developed more than 800 standards, recommended practices, and engineering guidelines.
More than 6,000 members -- motion-imaging executives, engineers, creative and technology professionals, researchers, scientists, educators, and students -- who meet in Sections throughout the world, sustain the Society. Through the Society's partnership with the Hollywood Professional Alliance(R) (HPA(R)), this membership is complemented by the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide the expertise, support, tools, and infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television programs, commercials, digital media, and other dynamic media content. Information on joining SMPTE is available at www.smpte.org/join.
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Photo Link: www.wallstcom.com/SMPTE/SMPTE-Peter-Weitzel-Podium.jpg
Photo Caption: Peter Weitzel speaks at the UK Section Seminar on UHD in London (February 2015).
Photo Link:www.wallstcom.com/SMPTE/SMPTE-UK-Seminar-Audience.jpg
Photo Caption: Participants of the UK Section Seminar on UHD in London (February 2015)
