Equipping The Community Of Independent Filmmakers

Overview

Customer: Raindance Film School

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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The Raindance Film School was founded in 1992 and has become a global independent filmmaking education institution. Hosting one of the largest independent film festivals in Europe and with over 12 hubs across seven cities, Raindance's global reputation brings recognition and credibility to students, placing them within a worldwide community of filmmakers.

One of Raindance's newest campuses is located in Dubai. With comprehensive courses covering various aspects of filmmaking, Raindance Dubai equips students with the skills and knowledge needed for a successful career in cinema, promising an exciting journey into the world of film. Led by Principal and CEO, Zulfiqar Choudhry, Raindance Dubai is more than just a school; it's a vibrant community that brings together talent from diverse backgrounds.

THE CHALLENGE

When Raindance Dubai shifted its curriculum to prioritize intensive computing tasks, it became evident that the school required an investment in new technology. While traditional filmmaking post-production workflows such as editing, color grading, and audio mixing demand specialized tools, the more advanced requirements for visual effects and motion graphics underscore the critical need for powerful and cost-effective filmmaking hardware.

  “When you're focusing on micro-budget filmmaking, you need to invest in the right technology that will provide you with value, but at the same time not to compromise on quality, power, performance and speed,” says Choudhry.

THE SOLUTION

Workstation - Slick and silent with no compromise on performance
Raindance Dubai uses the Al Ershad Creator Workstation powered by ASUS as part of its production workflow. Complementing this workstation is the ProArt GeForce RTX™ 4070 Ti graphics card, capable of effortlessly processing massive volumes of video data up to 8K resolution without any lag. Moreover, its ProArt LC 420 integrated all-in-one cooler keeps the temperature down while maintaining peak performance without sacrificing silence. With no compromise on performance, Raindance uses this for all of its feature film productions.

On-set Monitor - Pinpoints accuracy for filmmaking
When working on location, Raindance relies on the ASUS ProArt Display PA24US monitor to playback footage, providing an accurate representation of colors captured, ensuring visual consistency across different shots. It’s a 24-inch 4K UHD display with a built-in motorized colorimeter that empowers filmmakers to seamlessly color match footage from various sources and formats. In the fast-paced world of filmmaking, the monitor enables students to achieve a high level of accuracy and quality in every frame. In addition, its 12G-SDI input can receive video signals up to 4K@60Hz and up to quad-view at same time.

  “At the end of each year, our students write, direct, and produce their own short film, which is screened at the Raindance Film Festival. They need to work on monitors that reflect true color. And now with the ASUS ProArt monitors, our students can do exactly that,” says Choudhry.

HDR Monitors - Nail every detail from pre-production to post
For post-production, Raindance uses the ASUS ProArt Display PA32UCXR to finish the projects. Especially when doing final HDR grading, this 32-inch 4K mini-LED panel is bright enough to showcase every detail of the image. With a 1 million to 1 contrast ratio and 1600nits peak brightness, the monitor excels in the final stages of production where every detail matters.

To fit with the overall ergonomics of the equipment while keeping the desk space down, Raindance has paired the reference monitor with the ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV as its GUI monitor. It features 99% DCI-P3 and 99% Adobe RGB color spaces to provide students with the true colors they need to finish the feature films.

THE OUTCOME

By using the PC paired with ProArt professional monitors, Raindance Film School Dubai's production workflow has improved its feature film production workflow as a whole. From on-set filming to post-production HDR grading, these advanced tools empower aspiring filmmakers to achieve color accuracy and visual consistency in every frame of their feature films.

  “It just lifts productivity and creativity for the students, enhancing their focus on approach to production through pre-production and production and ending up in post,” concludes Andrew Smith, Manager of Raindance Film School Dubai.

Product installed