Pandora International

Pandora International was an English post-production technology company that developed hardware and software for controlling telecine machines, editing film transfers, and performing high-resolution colour correction. The company began trading in 1988 under the leadership of Steve Brett and Martin Greenwood, initially operating from Northfleet in Kent. Its products were aimed at specialist facilities converting and manipulating motion-picture film and videotape, a technically demanding part of the production workflow before digital intermediate processes became commonplace. A central part of Pandora's early business was the Pogle family of telecine controllers. Early systems used twin Motorola 68020 computers and could control telecine machines including the Spirit DataCine FDL 60, FDL 90 and Quadra, as well as multiple videotape decks. The systems supported field-accurate editing and three-two sequence control, features that were important when transferring film shot at 24 frames per second into video formats such as NTSC. Later Pogle configurations used Silicon Graphics Indy and O2 workstations, reflecting the broader migration of post-production tools toward graphical computer platforms. Pandora also developed dedicated colour-correction equipment. Its DCP external colour corrector implemented the Rec. 601 digital-video standard and was designed to accept digital signals directly from film or videotape sources. In 1995, the company introduced PiXi, a successor to DCP capable of handling resolutions up to 1920 by 1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. A version of PiXi technology was incorporated into Picasso, a system from Post Impressions, and was used by Industrial Light & Magic on The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. In 1997 Pandora introduced MegaDEF, combining two PiXi units with an additional multiplexer. The company described it as the first commercially available system able to process 2048 by 1556 images in real time. MegaDEF could work with Spirit DataCine equipment and, from 1999, with Philips Specter VDC-2000 virtual telecine systems under the control of a Pogle Platinum. Its capabilities were used in feature-film work, including selected-colour manipulation in Pleasantville and the transformation of green landscapes into yellow and brown tones for O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which was processed at Cinesite in Hollywood. Pandora's technology was also associated with large-scale visual-effects and digital-intermediate workflows. MegaDEF systems could connect to Quantel iQ through a proprietary optical-fibre interface, and systems were sold to Peter Jackson during production of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The company received an Emmy Award in 2001 for pioneering work related to the development of digital intermediates, an important transition from photochemical colour timing toward digitally managed feature-film finishing. Pandora moved from Northfleet to nearby Greenhithe in 2001 and acquired Ingress Abbey for use as its headquarters. Following a dispute with developer Crest Nicholson, the property was sold in 2012. The company's later products included Evolution, an updated Pogle-based colour-suite and telecine controller, and Revolution, a nonlinear colour-correction system capable of real-time processing at resolutions up to 4096 by 3072 pixels. Pandora International was ultimately dissolved in 2016 following an application by the Official Receiver. It is therefore a defunct specialist technology brand whose principal historical importance lies in telecine automation, real-time colour correction, and the early development of digital-intermediate workflows.

Pandora International began trading in 1988 under the leadership of Steve Brett and Martin Greenwood. The company was initially based in Northfleet, Kent, and focused on equipment for telecine control and colour correction. Its early Pogle systems used paired Motorola 68020 computers to control telecine machines such as the Spirit DataCine FDL 60, FDL 90 and Quadra, together with up to four videotape decks. This enabled field-accurate editing and three-two sequence control during film-to-video transfer. Later Pogle systems adopted Silicon Graphics Indy and O2 computers as computer-based post-production became more prominent. The company's DCP external colour corrector supported the Rec. 601 digital-video standard and was designed to accept digital input directly from film or videotape. Pandora replaced DCP with PiXi in 1995. PiXi supported resolutions up to 1920 by 1080 pixels at 30 frames per second and became part of the technology lineage used in Post Impressions' Picasso system. That system was used by Industrial Light & Magic on The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. Pandora introduced MegaDEF in 1997. The system combined two PiXi colour correctors with a multiplexer and provided real-time processing at up to 2048 by 1556 resolution. It could be paired with Spirit DataCine equipment and later with the Philips Specter VDC-2000 virtual telecine. Control was provided by the Pogle Platinum. MegaDEF contributed to feature-film workflows including Pleasantville, where selected colours were removed from scenes, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, where colour correction at Cinesite helped create a muted yellow-brown Dust Bowl appearance from green source landscapes. Pandora systems were also sold to Peter Jackson during work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy and could interface with Quantel iQ through a proprietary optical-fibre connection. In 2001 Pandora moved to Greenhithe and acquired Ingress Abbey as its headquarters. The same year, it received an Emmy Award for pioneering work in the development of digital intermediates. The award reflected Pandora's role in the transition toward digital manipulation and finishing of motion pictures rather than relying exclusively on photochemical laboratory processes. The company's later product range included Evolution, an updated Pogle colour-suite and telecine controller, and Revolution, a nonlinear colour-correction system capable of real-time processing at resolutions up to 4096 by 3072. Pandora sold Ingress Abbey in 2012 following a dispute with developer Crest Nicholson. After a 2013 application by the Official Receiver, the company was dissolved in 2016. Pandora International's legacy is consequently tied to specialist post-production engineering, particularly the development of telecine automation, high-resolution real-time colour correction, and tools that supported the early digital-intermediate era.

• 2016

  Company is dissolved

  [1]Pandora Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Pandora International is formally dissolved.

• 2013

  Official Receiver applies for dissolution

  [1]Pandora Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  An application by the Official Receiver begins the process that culminates in the company's dissolution.

• 2012

  Ingress Abbey is sold

  [1]Pandora Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  The company sells Ingress Abbey after a dispute with developer Crest Nicholson.

• 2001

  Headquarters move and Emmy recognition

  [1]Pandora Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Pandora moves to Greenhithe, acquires Ingress Abbey as its headquarters, and receives an Emmy for pioneering digital-intermediate work.

• 1999

  MegaDEF gains Philips Specter compatibility

  [1]Pandora Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  MegaDEF is used with the Philips Specter VDC-2000 virtual telecine system under Pogle Platinum control.

• 1997

  MegaDEF is introduced

  [1]Pandora Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Pandora launches MegaDEF, a real-time 2048 by 1556 colour-correction system combining two PiXi units with a multiplexer.

• 1995

  PiXi colour corrector launches

  [1]Pandora Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Pandora introduces PiXi as a successor to its DCP colour corrector, supporting resolutions up to 1920 by 1080 at 30 frames per second.

• 1988

  Pandora International begins trading

  [1]Pandora Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  The company begins trading from Northfleet under the leadership of Steve Brett and Martin Greenwood.

A specialist professional technology supplier for film-transfer facilities, telecine operators, colourists, visual-effects companies, and digital-intermediate post-production workflows.

• Telecine control system

  Pogle

  Pogle was Pandora's principal family of telecine controllers. Early configurations used twin Motorola 68020 computers and controlled telecine machines, including Spirit DataCine models, together with videotape decks. The systems supported field-accurate editing and three-two sequence control. Later generations used Silicon Graphics workstations, and the Pogle Platinum provided control for advanced systems such as MegaDEF.

• External colour corrector

  DCP

  DCP was Pandora's external colour-correction system for film and videotape post-production. It implemented the Rec. 601 digital-video standard and was among the company's early systems designed to accept digital input directly from film or videotape sources in both NTSC and PAL environments.

• Colour corrector · 1995

  PiXi

  Introduced in 1995, PiXi replaced the DCP and extended Pandora's real-time colour-correction capabilities to resolutions up to 1920 by 1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. A version of the technology was incorporated into Post Impressions' Picasso system and used in Industrial Light & Magic production work.

• High-resolution colour-correction system · 1997

  MegaDEF

  MegaDEF combined two PiXi colour correctors with an additional multiplexer. Introduced in 1997, it provided real-time processing at up to 2048 by 1556 resolution and could be integrated with Spirit DataCine and Philips Specter VDC-2000 systems. Its use extended from conventional telecine work into feature-film digital-intermediate and visual-effects workflows.

• Telecine controller and colour suite

  Evolution

  Evolution was one of Pandora International's final product families. It updated the Pogle concept for colour-suite and telecine-control applications, continuing the company's focus on integrated control of film-transfer and colour-finishing operations.

• Nonlinear colour corrector

  Revolution

  Revolution was a later nonlinear colour-correction system from Pandora. It was specified as capable of real-time processing at resolutions up to 4096 by 3072 pixels, positioning it for high-resolution digital-intermediate and advanced post-production workflows.

• 2016

  Dissolution of Pandora InternationalOther

  Background

  The Official Receiver applied for action against the company in 2013.

  Action taken

  Pandora International was dissolved in 2016.

  Aftermath

  The company ceased to operate as an independent post-production technology business.

  Source

• 2001

  Relocation to GreenhitheStrategy

  Background

  Pandora expanded its premises beyond its original Northfleet base.

  Action taken

  The company moved to Greenhithe and acquired Ingress Abbey for use as its headquarters.

  Aftermath

  The property was later sold in 2012 following a dispute with developer Crest Nicholson.

  Source

• 1997

  Launch of MegaDEFProduct launch

  Background

  Film and television finishing workflows required increasingly high-resolution, real-time colour processing.

  Action taken

  Pandora combined two PiXi units and a multiplexer to create MegaDEF, a system capable of real-time 2048 by 1556 processing.

  Aftermath

  MegaDEF was used in feature-film colour and visual-effects work, including Pleasantville and O Brother, Where Art Thou?.

  Source

• 1995

  Launch of PiXiProduct launch

  Background

  Pandora sought to replace its DCP colour corrector with a system capable of higher-resolution digital processing.

  Action taken

  The company introduced PiXi with support for resolutions up to 1920 by 1080 at 30 frames per second.

  Aftermath

  PiXi technology was later incorporated into Post Impressions' Picasso system and used by Industrial Light & Magic.

  Source

1. 1Pandora Internationalen.wikipedia.org