After a decade-long business partnership, I-Cubed editor/effects artist Arturo Cubacub and engineer Mark Adler are splitting up and going their separate ways probably around May 1.
While each will offer different types of services, they will continue to share a variation of the I-Cubed name for the time being.
Arturo plans to open full-service I-Cubed Productions in 4,000-sq. ft. of undisclosed new space that will have a stage and sweep. Currently in lease negotiations, his anticipated start date in the new location is May 1.
Adler’s I-Cubed Digital Services remains in their present River East space that will be downsized to 4,000-sq. ft. Alder will continue to specialize in digital intermediate film restoration and other post services.
Arturo’s new I-Cubed will, of course, continue to serve advertising clientele with creative editing and special effects for which he is noted. He is in the process of acquiring Discreet equipment for his “new type of integrated production and post company.”
It was Arturo’s decision to split so that he could move out of conventional post business restrains and “offer a new style of shooting and editing geared to “echo boomer” demographics of 15-29 year olds.
And aiming at those same demographics, he will produce original content and materials that initially would fit all distribution outlets ? television, theatrical, internet and new media ? and not have to be repurposed for each, he said.
I-Cubed Productions’ staff will basically consist of Arturo, an assistant and an in-house producer. All others will be freelance personnel.
The small, flexible, concept is an outgrowth of his experience making “B17,” the film/webisodes he calls a “mini-epic” of social commentary, in which he uses sexual themes as political metaphors.
Eleven “B17” episodes play on YouTube, where it has clocked 1.5 million hits to date since being posted 18 months ago. According to the Emails he’s received, Arturo said he’s told that “people found my directorial and camera style very affective.”
In fact, the directorial and camera style influenced New York agency Saatchi & Saatchi creatives to rethink their approach to a new campaign, yet to be released, Arturo noted.
Adler is working on strategic relations
The more low key Adler will retain the company’s multi-million dollar arsenal of digital equipment: A NuCoda software color correction system; NuCoda film cutter a conforming system; DaVinci Restoration software; film scanning and recording and output to film.
Adler has a lock on the city’s only DI workflow at this time, although editor/color correction master Tom Rovak and NoLo Digital Film, the new company of three former I-Cubed staffers, are seeking space for their respective DI post facilities.
“What I’d like to have happen,” said Adler, “is to work out strategic relationships with creative editing and other services so that we can share clients and technology.”
Still to be resolved before the breakup can be classified official are legal and accounting matters, currently in the process of negotiation between the former partners.
I-Cubed’s breakup is the third established posthouse to close its doors since September, 2005 when Superior Street, also a 10-year old company, declared bankruptcy.
Thirty-year old Swell shuttered in June, 2006 and a few months later Del Hall Video closed its doors after 25 years when a realtor bought it property. Post Effects was sold to AnswersMedia in February. And Avenue Edit changed ownership earlier in 2006.
Mark Adler can be reached at 773/316-1888. Arturo can be reached at 312/645-0303. View “B17” at www.youtube.com/bseventeen .
