The Canadian commercial post-production facility alter ego has opened an LA studio in Santa Monica and installed two Baselight Two systems in its pair of new grading suites. The new facility is run by alter ego partner and colorist Eric Whipp, who is joined by colorist Kya Lou, color assistant Corey Martinez, and executive producer Pravina Sippy.
Alter ego has grown steadily since its launch in 2007 and the team has been contemplating expansion for some time. “The post-pandemic world has opened the door to more remote workflows, which makes it a perfect time to expand,” said Greg Edgar, managing partner at alter ego.
The LA facility will offer color, visual effects, finishing, and motion design services. Like the Toronto facility, the new studio is largely commercials focused but will provide creative support on a variety of content, including series and feature films. The two new Baselight color suites are connected to alter ego’s Toronto systems, making a total of eight suites across the company.
“We opened alter ego with two Baselight suites over 16 years ago, and never looked back,” said Whipp. “For us it’s the perfect grading tool. We love the VFX capabilities and integration, and it also keeps the whole company synced with each other. These days there’s always pick-ups and last-minute changes on jobs, so we are able to do that in either location.”
“The new tools in Baselight 6.0 are amazing,” added Whipp. “Specifically, X Grade is a game changer. I felt the same way when I first used Base Grade. It’s just a very fluid method of controlling specific areas of the image without bad keys or noise.”
Joining the team on Baselight in Santa Monica, Lou is a sought-after colorist with a distinctive style whose credits include Old Spice, Google, and Calvin Klein. “Kya’s work is amazing,” said Whipp. “She has a great sensibility and attention to detail that we love. There’s also a level of polish and structure to her work that makes it stand out from other reels.”
“I’m excited to be a part of a dynamic roster of artists that I admire on a creative and technical level,” said Lou.
The company’s expansion has also led to the addition of another talented colorist in Toronto, Ana Escorse. Escorse won the music video award at the 2022 FilmLight Color Awards for her work on Rachel Reis’ Lovezinho. Born and raised in Brazil, her sense of color can be traced back to her early exposure and attraction to Brazilian Baroque art.
“Ana’s rich and vibrant style is a great addition to our award-winning team,” said Whipp. “Diversity is important to us, too. We’ve been actively looking for female talent and growing our own talent. The industry has long been very male-driven and it’s great to help change that.”