Local film tech company tackles US

Kiwa Digital has landed in Nashville with plans to launch its voice synchronization software to the U.S. market.

The New Zealand technology firm will introduce the software via Nashville film school, Watkins College of Art, Design - Film.

With a 130-year history in the visual arts, Watkins is a four-year baccalaureate college based in Nashville, offering BFA degrees in Film, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Interior Design and Photography, and a Masters in Film Production.

Watkins has added VoiceQ, the most advanced ADR and dubbing cueing system in the world, to its film curriculum, making it the first school in the USA to use the post-production software in a classroom setting.

"There isn't a more intuitive and powerful dialogue looping software available. It's a major upgrade for our campus facility, and will allow our students to utilize the same professional tools they will find in the industry," says Watkins adjunct Scott Hallgren, who teaches the Film School's sound classes.

"Watkins filmmakers can now have the same experiences as directors and sound editors in working with actors in post-production situations.

Richard Gershman, chair of the Film School, says the organisations share a vision of an industry that is "simply exploding.

"The need for expert visual, digital content has expanded to include almost all businesses, and certainly any with a presence on the web," he says.

"We want to educate and train the next generation of filmmakers to engage an audience across multiple platforms with creative, inspired, meaningful content.

"Kiwa shares Watkins' vision that the future of the industry is wide open, and their expertise in preparing young filmmakers makes them an ideal partner," adds Steven Renata, CEO of Kiwa Digital.