LATEST NEWS
New documentary celebrating the life of documentary photographer Tish Murtha opened Sheffield Doc Fest!
06th June, 2023
"Working with Emily and the Onsight team on the colour grade for Tish was a wonderful experience. As a colourist, Emily has great instincts and we quickly established a palette for the three narrative strands across actuality, recon and Tish's original photographs. Further to that, I was impressed by Emily's empathy for Tish's story and how she reflected the mood on screen as the story progressed with subtle yet significant adjustments. I look forward to our next collaboration." Paul Sng, Director
New documentary TISH is an exploration into the life and work of photographer Tish Murtha, her role as a mother, artist, and young working-class woman from the North East; her perspective, challenges, and motivations. The documentary opened the 30th edition of Sheffield DocFest on June 14th.
Led in part by Ella, Tish’s daughter, the documentary looks to ‘elevate and preserve Tish’s legacy’, displaying attitudes towards working-class communities - especially their artists. Directed by Paul Sng, the film takes a personal approach to the space crafted by Tish’s work, the insight she offered into marginalised communities, and the relationships she forged in the creation of her art. The documentary is produced by Jen Corcoran through Freya Films and Sng’s Velvet Joy Productions, with cinematography by Hollie Galloway, and the voice of Tish played by Maxine Peake. The team has strong affiliation with the voices and stories being told in TISH, the story of a female working-class artist from the Northeast of Britain. The documentary serves to celebrate working-class communities and culture in the same way Tish used her photography. The production has received support from the BBC, BFI, and Screen Scotland.
Emily Russul Saib, our colourist, completed a four day, Projection grade, SDR for the project. “As the documentary is about a photographer we didn't want to alter any of the stills that were taken by Tish.” The documentary was made up by various interviews shot on Sony a7s in Rec709 which were given a grade, film archive which was corrected and balanced, reconstruction filmed on Arri in Log C and then stills taken by Tish. Emily particularly enjoyed working with Paul and having his trust. The project was overseen by Post Producer Cem Kilinchan.
Tish was born in South Shields in March 1956, but later moved to Elswick in the West End of Newcastle Upon Tyne. She took her first steps into photography by way of a course at Bath Lane, Newcastle, followed by the Documentary Photography course in Newport (set up by David Hurn and the only one of it’s kind at the time), propelled by her lecturer who also helped secure her the education grant that allowed her to go. In Newport, she captured PM James Callaghan opening up a new stretch of the M4, Aubrey Hames’ year as Mayor of Newport, and local election campaigns.
Returning to Newcastle, her photography turned towards her friends and family, and the documenting of marginalised communities from an insider’s perspective. Trust was the primary building block of her relationships with her subjects, offering copies of her photographs, fostering an understanding of what she was trying to achieve with her access. Tish used her photography to display these communities positively, while forcing a spotlight onto the challenges and disadvantages faced by those pictured. Two of these projects were Youth Unemployment, and Juvenile Jazz Band, later raised as subjects of debate in the House of Commons, in which she wanted to show ‘how tenacious, resourceful, clever and resilient they were (and had to be) - Tish was always fiercely protective of them.’
Tish passed away in 2013, the day before her 57th birthday, after suffering a brain aneurysm. Her organ donation meant that the lives of four women, and the eyesight of four men, were saved. This is another part of her legacy that her daughter Ella looks to remember and campaign for.
We’ve been featured in the 117th edition of British Cinematographer!
30th May, 2023
Playing Politics
Merkel, an astonishing documentary feature on Germany’s erstwhile chancellor, has kept the team at OnSight busy. Cinematographers Reinhold Vorschneider and Konrad Waldmann lensed the story of how a triple political outsider - a woman, a scientist, and an East German - became one of the most successful politicians in the world. Colourist Andy Lee graded the film with Andrew Fisun providing the online edit and picture post overseen by Jeff Halsey. Fisun worked closely with director Eva Weber on conforming and replacing the archive footage throughout the fine cuts, as well as credits and titles creation. The project was complex, due to a multitude of archive sources, and an incredibly fast turnaround for festival deadlines.
BLUE WHALES: RETURN OF THE GIANTS is here!
26th May, 2023
"It was an absolute pleasure to work with the fantastic team at Onsight on the 3D Giant Screen film Blue Whales - Return of the Giants. Their huge experience of delivering previous 3D Giant Screen films was critical to the success of this ambitious film and was hugely reassuring to me as a newcomer to this demanding and highly specialised format. At every stage of post-production, from the grade and online to creating the 3D version, Onsight were incredibly creative, collaborative and organised - the images look incredible on the giant screen and with the 3D shots it’s like you’re swimming with blue whales." - Hugh Pearson, Director (Oceanic Films)
Blue Whales: Return of the Giants follows the unbelievable journey of Blue Whales from near-extinction to rising populations, and the scientists committed to learning more about the elusive animal - the biggest to have ever lived.
At the heart of this film is a passion for these animals, our oceans, and conservation. Narrated by award-winning actor Andy Serkis, the film revolves around two scientific expeditions discovering more about blue whales. One concerns a population of blue whales that have not been seen for 50 years, and the team leading the high-risk search for them. The other features Diane Gendron, “The Blue Whale Whisperer”, and her team in their task of deciphering the role of blue whales in the ocean health and ecosystem by listening in to their ‘whale conversations’.
“We need to find out more about creatures like these because they inspire us to have hope. The film is a wonderful marriage of storytelling, fact-giving and entertainment.” - Andy Serkis
The film is directed and produced by Hugh Pearson, with senior producer Myles Connolly, Oceanic Film's Production Manager Zoe Webb, and is scored by Steven Price. It is partnered with HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, California Science Center, SK Films, Oceanic Films, and the NSF.
An uplifting, inspiring success story, the stunningly shot Blue Whales: Return Of The Giants opened globally in select Giant Screen and IMAX Theaters on May 25, 2023.
OnSight provided full Picture Post for this project, using our unique OPR (OnSight Picture Remastering) service. This covered full 6K picture post, 2D to 3D conversion, visual effects, shot extensions, bespoke giant screen deliverables and colour grading for both xenon and laser projection. The project was completed with colourist Andy Lee, Senior Online Editor Adam Sample, Stereo Supervisor Rik Tester, Online Editor Dan Bourne, VFX Artists David Wigram and Chris Panton, Edit Assistant Alfie Mitchell, and Digital Asset Coordinator Danielle Kidd. The project was overseen by Senior Post Producer Joana Coelho.
Special performance by Ed Sheeran kicks off new season of Apple Music Live
25th May, 2023
Ed Sheeran performed his new album, - (subtract) for the first time in full on the 10th of May, streaming on Apple Music and Apple TV+. The performance takes place at the Eventim Apollo in London, alongside a 12-piece band that includes Aaron Dessner of The National.
OnSight were pleased to deliver conform, online and deliverables by Alfie Mitchell, and hosting of the grade, all overseen by Post Producer Jade Townsend. Alfie handled conform, VFX returns, coordination of deliverables and technical know-how for the Dolby Vision grade. Challenges of format and timescales were met smoothly. The 90 min show was graded in Dolby Vision, with remote signoff for the look. Tight deadlines meant conforming and making deliverables were pushed right up to the wire. The project was finished in 4K Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and is one of only a few concerts in the market available in 4K Dolby Vision with a matching immersive audio experience.
The 14-track album is now available to stream, and was produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner. In the Apple Music Live performance, Sheeran explains the inspiration and story behind the album.
“I’m delighted to share my Subtract album show with you, I was really nervous on the day, as it was my first time performing the new album tracks. The show was brought to life by Aaron and the incredible band, and it was an honour to stand beside them. It was an emotional night, but I’m so pleased we got to document it.” - Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is one of the world's best selling music artists, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide. Two of his albums are some of the best selling in UK chart history, with hits such as Shape Of You, Thinking Out Loud, and Perfect.
Sheeran’s Apple Music Live performance directed by Paul Dugdale, produced by Simon Fisher (SiFi Films), and with colour by James Tonkin debuted on Wednesday, May 10 on Apple Music at apple.co/AMLEdSheeran.
Everybody Dies… Sometimes receives rave reviews, and the awards to match!
23rd May, 2023
“Working with On Sight has been incredible for me as a first time filmmaker. Jeff and the team have helped me so much and imparted such wisdom in the process. It has been such a treat making Everybody Dies… Sometimes with them!” - Charlotte Hamblin, Director
Everybody Dies… Sometimes has been selected for Tribeca 2023, after winning 4 awards (Audience Award, Best Comedy Performance, Best First Time Filmmaker, The Big Pitch Award) in the KINO Short Film Festival, along with The Best British Short at the British Short Film Awards and Best Comedy Director at the London Director Awards!
Directed by Charlotte Chamblin, and Produced by Leonora Darby, James Harris, and Mark Lane from Teashop Productions, Everybody Dies… Sometimes is a dark comedy about death anxiety that follows Mara as she grapples with the belief that she has killed everybody she's gotten close to.
OnSight delivered Picture Post for this project, with Senior Colourist Andy Lee, Senior Online Editor Adam Sample, and Senior Post Producer Jeff Halsey.
“Arguably one of the best films ever entered into our festival, Everybody Dies… Sometimes is a model short. Other filmmakers pay attention - there's a reason why it's received the most amount of award nominations in the history of our festival.
It’s entertaining and easily programmable, utilising every moment of its short running time without overstaying its welcome. But… what's even more annoying about this near perfect film is that it is Charlotte Hamblin’s debut as writer/director. It’s bafflingly impressive that someone could deliver such a tightly structured, entertaining, and well-crafted short on their first shot out of the gate.” - Dustin Curtis Murphy, Festival Director KINO Short Film Festival