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SIM Digital Acquires PS Production Services Ltd.

psps — Mon, 06 May 2013 08:00:44 +0000

SIM Digital announced today that it has acquired PS Production Services Ltd, one of Canada’s largest lighting, grip, generator, digital camera, and dolly equipment rental houses with offices in Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax. This latest move by SIM follows a string of acquisitions including Bling Digital in 2009 and Master Key Finishing in 2012. The amalgamation of services saw SIM strengthen its global position as the most comprehensive service provider for the motion picture and television industry. The addition of PS further fuels those offerings, a service model that has been widely embraced by the industry.

Founded by Doug Dales in 1972, PS has grown from a small two-man team to become one of Canada’s most recognizable grip and lighting rental houses with over 130 employees. Despite Doug’s untimely passing two years ago, PS continued his legacy with genuine pride as seen through its significant growth.

“Doug was someone I very much admired and respected,” said Rob Sim, President and CEO of SIM Digital. “Both of our companies started out with humble beginnings and through hard work and constant dedication, we were both able to successfully grow our companies to where they are today. Our cultures are very similar so when this opportunity presented itself, I couldn’t think of two companies that better complemented one another. That thought was echoed throughout our management team, who worked diligently to see the SIM and PS deal come together.”

“There are tremendous synergies with this latest acquisition,” stated SIM’s Chief Strategy Officer, James Martin. “We were fortunate to have the support of Granite Partners, a leading Canadian investment firm in bringing this deal to fruition. Granite has played an integral role in finalizing the acquisition and will be working in partnership with SIM moving forward.”

The ability to deliver the most comprehensive service offering available in the industry today played a key role for both parties working so diligently to get a deal done. “PS is already recognized as a first class grip and lighting facility and when you combine that with our expertise in cameras along with our Bling Post Division, we now have the ability to bundle and deliver full-service solutions which have become incredibly attractive to our clients working throughout North America,” said SIM’s Chief Operating Officer, John DeBoer.

Current PS President and CEO, Douglas Barrett, who, after almost 7 years at the helm of PS, will be stepping aside to pursue new ventures. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my years at PS and extend my sincere thanks and best wishes to all my former colleagues,” said Barrett. “While everyone at PS is tremendously proud of what we have achieved together, the passing of company founder Doug Dales in 2010 made it inevitable the company would be sold. PS and SIM are both great companies and, I know that together, they will be unstoppable.”

Commenting on the deal and the future for PS Rae Thurston, Chief Operating Officer of PS, said, “This is the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for both SIM and PS as we move forward as a unified company providing our combined group of customers with the best products and services in the industry.”

Integration between the two companies will begin immediately with all SIM Canadian offices now offering digital cameras, lenses & accessories; lighting, grip and package trucks, as well as Bling Post Services including: dailies, data management, off-line post production and finishing.

About SIM Digital

With offices across the USA, Canada and China, SIM Digital is a world-class rental facility specializing in digital production equipment and workflow services. SIM offers one of the largest and most diverse inventories of the latest digital cinematography tools from top manufacturers including ARRI, Sony, RED, Panasonic, Canon, Fujinon, Angenieux, Zeiss, Cooke, etc. In tandem with its innovative Bling Digital division, the company offers the industry’s most comprehensive workflow solutions for feature and television production, encompassing cameras, data, dailies, offline editorial, final color grading and online, and archiving. For more information, visit www.simdigital.com.

About PS Production Services

PS Production Services Ltd. is one of Canada’s largest professional motion picture and television production equipment rental houses. Through offices in Toronto, Vancouver and Halifax they supply production equipment that includes camera, lighting, grip, data management, dollies, package trucks, remote heads and cranes to the Canadian entertainment industry. The PS team of professionals supports projects ranging from small independents to large U.S. productions. For more information, visit www.psps.com.

About Granite Partners

Founded in 1996, Granite Partners is one of Canada’s most successful mid-market private investment firms. Granite has an unparalleled track record of helping owner managers build upon and unlock the value they have created in their businesses. Since inception, Granite has consistently delivered exceptional returns to its limited partners as well as the owner managers of the companies it invests in.

PS Honours Paul Pope with the Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award

psps — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 13:17:39 +0000

Douglas Barrett, President and CEO of PS Production Services Ltd., today announced that Paul Pope, founder and senior producer at Pope Productions in Newfoundland, is the recipient of the 2013 Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award. The award was presented to Paul at the annual PS Dinner on the Hill, held during the Canadian Media Production Association Prime Time Conference in Ottawa.

“Each year at this time PS is honoured to recognize an individual producer who has made an important voluntary contribution to building the Canadian production industry,” said Barrett. “This year the jury felt that no one has done more at both a regional and national level than Paul Pope. We are thrilled to present this award to Paul in memory of our founder, Doug Dales—himself a determined industry builder.”

A generous mentor, Paul has been instrumental in nurturing the careers of virtually every filmmaker to come out of Newfoundland and Labrador and is a passionate voice for independent production at a national level. His long-standing tradition of supporting Canadian artists and ensuring that Canadian stories are brought to the screen make Paul a highly regarded and important contributor to the industry.

Paul has been a tireless advocate of the Newfoundland film and television industry for over 20 years. He has been actively involved with the Newfoundland Independent Film Cooperative (NIFCO) since it was founded in 1975, serving as its President for 12 years, and continuing to this day as a board member. In addition to his advocacy for the film and television community in Newfoundland Paul also sits on numerous other boards including The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), The Producers Association of Newfoundland (PAN), The Atlantic Studio Cooperative (ASC) and the Resource Centre for the Arts (RCA). Paul has also served on the Board for the Canadian Media Fund (CMF) and has received the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Achievement Award and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Memorial University.

Over the years Paul has produced a number of major projects including Extraordinary Visitor, Secret Nation and Welcome to Canada and has also helmed many award winning productions including the Genie Award winning miniseries Above and Beyond, the critically acclaimed Rare Birds, Sundance award winner Grown Up Movie Star and the Gemini Award winning documentary My Left Breast.

About the Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award

The Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award is presented annually by PS in recognition of a producer’s sustained contributions and commitment to strengthening the Canadian film and television industry. Each year’s honouree is selected by a jury composed of the previous recipients including Linda Schuyler, Stephen Stohn, Wayne Grigsby, David MacLeod, Doug McLeod, Ira Levy, Stephen Ellis, Phyllis Laing and Robin Cass.

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For additional information please contact:
Scott Hosmer, Director of Marketing and Communications
PS Production Services Ltd.
Tel: 416.466.0037
scotthosmer@psps.com

In a Family Way, Directed by Doug Dales is now on DVD

psps — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:33:19 +0000

Many didn’t know that Doug had a passionate ambition to direct his own films. For years, he had projects in development in the hope that one of them would move into production. Well, at the very end of his life, his dream did come true.

As a memorial to Doug, and to make sure that all of his family, friends and colleagues have the opportunity to see his work, we have created a special edition of the film and are delighted to be able to make this available to you.

If you would like a copy please click the link below to provide us with your address. We are more than happy to ship you one.

In a Family Way DVD Request

We at PS are all very proud of Doug’s accomplishment. He made a wonderful film for us to enjoy. We hope you love it as much as we do!

PS Toronto Crane Days

psps — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 16:03:35 +0000

Come out and see, interact with and discuss PS’s impressive arsenal of cranes and remote heads. Don’t miss this opportunity to get a hands-on look at our complete MovieBird® line-up which includes the MovieBird® 17, 30 and our latest addition the all-new MovieBird® 45 during this three-day open house.

Peter Adamiec the designer and creator of MovieBird® will also be in attendance to discuss the latest technology and developments from his company TechnoCrane Poland.

December 10 – 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. | December 11 – 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. | December 12 – 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Cinespace Studios, SPFX Studio | 777 Kipling Avenue, Toronto

Codex Workflow Classes

psps — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:20:34 +0000

PS Camera will be hosting several Codex Workflow Classes (CDX-TP-1 & 2) for DMT’s and Camera Assistants on November 13th from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and November 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. These classes will cover the Onboard S recorder for ARRIRAW and Canon CinemaRAW and the Codex Transfer Station and Virtual File System. Come see the complete workflow and learn more about shooting RAW.

For more info on the content to be covered please click here or read the brief course material overview below.

CDX-TP-1 & 2 – Onboard recorder and Transfer Station for Mac OS X Training

Workflow overview
Setting up and operating the Codex Onboard Recorder to record HD, Stereo 3D, Canon CinemaRAW and ARRIRAW (including correct cabling and software settings)
On set playback from the recorder as a technical gate check
Offspeed/variframe recording
Collecting useful and accurate metadata onset, including shot and roll naming (plus metadata when shooting stereo)
Networking to the Codex Onboard to allow control from the remote UI
Loading of LUT files
Configuring the Codex Onboard to capture CDL Data on set
Troubleshooting the Codex Onboard on set

Please RSVP for your preferred session to pennywatier@psps.com as space is limited.
Please Note: Prior experience with digital cameras and digital post production workflow is a requirement.

PS PRODUCTION SERVICES CELEBRATES 40 YEARS WITH A FACELIFT

admin — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 00:01:05 +0000

Leading equipment rental company, PS Production Services Ltd. is debuting a new brand and logo to reflect its evolution and growth in the Canadian film and television industry.

Developed by Toronto-based branding and communications firm, Tenzing Communications Inc., the overall approach includes a new slogan, “For Sure.,” reflecting PS’s 40 positive, can-do, years of industry service.

“The new brand is a reflection of the true, service focussed, DNA of PS,” says Douglas Barrett, President and CEO. “Our success has been built on responding to customer needs in the only way we know, through knowledge and expertise, flawless reliability and great personal attitude.”
Along with the new brand, the traditional PS logo has been refreshed and updated. “For PS employees,” says Barrett, “the red PS symbol originally designed by Doug Dales has never just been a logo. It has always been a personal badge of honour.”

The last two years has also seen significant growth in the company, and the Canadian industry as a whole. During this time, PS has enhanced the customer experience through a mix of process innovations and the launch of mobile and desktop websites, while continuing to offer the latest equipment and technology in lighting, grip and digital capture.

Founded by Doug Dales in 1972, PS has grown from a small two-man team to become one of Canada’s largest and most preferred equipment rental house with over 130 employees in offices across Canada. Despite Doug’s untimely passing two years ago, PS continues his legacy with a genuine pride in helping its customers and better serve the Canadian film and television industry.

Says Barrett, “No project is too big or too small has been the business approach throughout our history and continues today. The new brand is a reflection of the company’s real assets: skills and people.”

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About PS Production Services

PS Production Services Ltd. supplies production equipment to the Canadian entertainment industry. Its production equipment and resources are used on film sets across Canada. With office locations in Vancouver, Toronto, and Halifax, the company’s team of professionals supports projects ranging from small independents to large U.S. productions. For more information, visit http://www.psps.com.

For additional information please contact:

Scott Hosmer
Director of Marketing & Communications
PS Production Services Ltd.
T 416.462.2482 | scotthosmer@psps.com 
www.psps.com

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PS Expands IT Leadership With Rupert Penzinger Hire

admin — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 14:26:56 +0000

Toronto – PS Production Services Ltd.is pleased to announce the hiring of Rupert Penzinger as Director, Information, Innovation and Technology. In this role Mr. Penzinger will manage the business's IT operations as it continues to capitalize on technology that further enhances its overall business capabilities. The addition of Mr. Penzinger to PS’s Senior Management team brings a tremendous amount of expertise in IT strategic planning and development to the company.

Mr. Penzinger joins PS from Orange IT in Toronto, where he was Director of Technology. Previously he held several other senior roles with Canadian Tire Corporation where he developed the company’s five-year technology road map to align business objectives with the corporate strategy. In his role at PS, he will be responsible for leading all IT strategy, planning and implementation activities across the company.

Douglas Barrett, President and CEO of PS Production Services Ltd. commented: "We are continually integrating more and more technology into our operations which requires an increasingly active response from our IT Department. To that end, we are delighted to have Rupert on board and we are excited by the sharpened focus and IT leadership Rupert brings to the organization.”

For additional information please contact:

Scott HosmerDirector of Marketing and Communications
PS Production Services Ltd.
T 416.462.2482 | scotthosmer@psps.com
www.psps.com

NAB 2012 Videos

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:07:28 +0000

PS is pleased to present the latest news and technology from NAB 2012. Check out the videos to see the latest technology from the show.

PS Honours Robin Cass with the Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award

admin — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:36:04 +0000

Ottawa – Douglas Barrett, President and CEO of PS Production Services Ltd., today announced that Robin Cass, a founding partner of both Triptych Media and Union Pictures in Toronto, is the recipient of the 2012 Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award. The award was presented to Robin at the annual PS Dinner on the Hill, held during the Canadian Media Production Association Prime Time Conference in Ottawa.

“PS is proud to present this award to a prominent and distinguished industry patron who over the course of his career has done so much to enhance the fortunes and success of the Canadian feature production industry” said Barrett. “The award recognizes Robin’s tenacious advocacy and tremendous commitment on behalf of all Canadian filmmakers and his famously collaborative efforts to produce and promote great Canadian films.”

Robin has been a tireless advocate of bold, character-driven films throughout his entire career and has become an active co-production partner in Canada and internationally. For the past 20 years he has worked tirelessly to build and support the organizations and institutions that ensure feature films get made in Canada and are seen around the world. Robin is a former board member and executive board member of the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA), the Rogers’ Industry Centre for the Toronto International Film Festival, Crow’s Theatre and the About Face organization.

Over the years Robin has been at the forefront of many celebrated and award winning feature films including John Greyson's ground-breaking film Zero Patience, A Musical About AIDS, Lillies (1996 Genie, Best Film), Falling Angels (2003 TIFF award winner), The Republic of Loveand The Hanging Garden (audience award-winner at TIFF) and Amal, Richie Mehta’s internationally acclaimed debut feature film.

"Looking at the list of past recipients of this award sure makes a guy proud to be included in such terrific, talented and smart company! I am absolutely thrilled to be this year's proud recipient," said Cass during the award ceremony.

Robin’s latest endeavour, through Union Pictures, was as the Producer for the sequel to Don Shebib’s seminal Canadian film Goin’ Down the Road – Down the Road Again. He is also an Executive Producer on Doug Dales’ debut feature, Hello October and a mentor and Executive Producer for the shorts The Armoire by Jamie Travis and Shawn Alex Thompson’s An Insignificant Man.

About the PS Industry Builder Award

The Industry Builder Award is presented annually by PS in recognition of a producer’s sustained contributions and commitment to strengthening the Canadian film and television industry. Each year’s honouree is selected by a jury composed of previous recipients including Linda Schuyler, Stephen Stohn, Wayne Grigsby, David MacLeod, Doug McLeod, Ira Levy, Stephen Ellis and Phyllis Laing.

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For additional information please contact:
Scott Hosmer, Director of Marketing and Communications
PS Production Services Ltd.
Tel: 416.466.0037

PS Production Services Ltd. launches a new mobile website

admin — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:25:47 +0000

Toronto – PS Production Services Ltd. today announced the launch of its new mobile website, PS Mobile. The launch of PS Mobile comes on the heels of the company’s successful website re-launch in January and is the first mobile specific website for the Canadian film and television production community.

PS Mobiletakes the key features of the regular PS website and simplifies them for the smaller mobile screens. PS Mobile is designed for industry professionals to view contact, product and news information quickly and easily as more of them switch to mobile browsing.

“Since the launch of our new website we have seen mobile traffic increase, and the time has come to provide our customers with a mobile site that meets their need for convenient access to information anywhere, at any time, through their mobile devices,” said Scott Hosmer, Director of Marketing and Communications for PS Production Services Ltd. “People need information and they need it now. The new PS Mobile website was designed to provide exactly that,” said Hosmer.

In addition to providing a streamlined version of the standard website PS Mobile includes a production toolbox section that is available exclusively on the new mobile site. The production toolbox offers users quick and easy access to reference material such as gel colour correction charts, beam width information, film and television electrical guidelines, illuminance tables and much more.

To access the new site users simply need to visit www.psps.com on their mobile device and they will automatically be directed to the mobile friendly version. Users looking to access the company’s full website on their mobile device can still do so with a single click on any page. PS Mobilehas been designed and optimized to operate on various operating systems, including the popular iPhone OS and Android OS.

To coincide with the launch of PS Mobile the company also announced its Go Mobile and Win Contest. When users visit the site they will be able to enter the contest for a chance to win an iPad. The contest will run from September 27 to October 27.

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For additional information please contact:

Scott Hosmer, Director of Marketing and Communications
PS Production Services Ltd.
T 416.462.2482 | scotthosmer@psps.com
www.psps.com

Insider E-NewsNews Events »

SIM Digital Acquires PS Production Services Ltd.

PS Honours Paul Pope with the Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award

In a Family Way, Directed by Doug Dales is now on DVD

PS Toronto Crane Days

Codex Workflow Classes

PS PRODUCTION SERVICES CELEBRATES 40 YEARS WITH A FACELIFT

PS Expands IT Leadership With Rupert Penzinger Hire

NAB 2012 Videos

MYT Works -- Cam-Lifter -- NAB 2012

Matthews -- Universal Tablet Mount (MUT Mount) -- NAB 2012

Epic HD -- NAB 2012

OConnor -- O-Focus Dual Mini -- NAB 2012

RED Epic S35 -- NAB 2012

RED Scarlet with Accessories -- NAB 2012

Rotolight -- Nova -- NAB 2012

Skywave -- Wireless HDMI Transmitter -- NAB 2012

Gemini Raw -- NAB 2012

Blackmagic Cinema Camera -- NAB 2012

Atomos Ninja 2 -- NAB 2012

Blackmagic Battery Converter and Mini Converter -- NAB 2012

Cinped C-3000 -- NAB 2012

Ikonoskop -- a-cam dII -- NAB 2012

SmallHD -- DP7 LCD & OLED -- NAB 2012

AJA Ki Pro Quad -- NAB 2012

Sony NEX-FS700U 4K Camera -- NAB 2012

PS Honours Robin Cass with the Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award

PS Production Services Ltd. launches a new mobile website