“It’s a great Australian story of an immigrant who came here with nothing and started something,” says Josh Pomeranz, Managing Director of Spectrum Films.
He’s talking about the company’s 50-year history, and he’s right.
Fifty years ago, his father Hans, an immigrant from Holland, started a company which we know now as Spectrum Films. It began as a one room editing suite in North Sydney before moving to Willoughby (famous for starting off as a chicken shop and for the parties held in the parking lot) before settling at its current home in the hub of Sydney’s Entertainment centre, Fox Studios.
“Dad started this company in 1964 and I’m immensely proud of what has been achieved during that time,” says Pomeranz, who took over from his father as MD in 2002.
“I’m hugely proud that we have reached this milestone and the achievement that represents.”
To say the post production business has changed over the past five decades is a gross understatement.
“There have been lot of changes technology-wise,” says Spectrum’s General Manager Adam Scott. “And post production will continue to diversify. We’re like the one stop shop now – we have a bigger offering than ever before. Everything from onset all the way through to finishing and colour grading and DCP, to sound design and sound mixing. We’re not just an offline house, we do the online and colour grading as well.”
Spectrum also services projects across the board, from TV drama, documentary, feature film and independent, smaller budget projects.
“We’re in full flight mode at the moment with Gods of Egypt,” says Scott. “They are shooting as we speak, and that post production will run right through until the middle of next year.
“But on the other hand we remain firm believers in offering a helping hand to emerging filmmakers. People who have come straight out of film school and need that step up or that break – we want to give back, that is key to us.”
In a further diversification of its offerings, Spectrum has recently been getting involved with local feature film investment.
“We did that with The Little Death and we are again with Wyrmwood,” says Scott.
“We’re involved with these guys who are first time filmmakers who needed a friend and we were there to help and polish.”
Pomeranz is involved as Exectutive Producer on both projects.
The official 50 year anniversary is on December 11, 2014, but Pomeranz and Scott have decided to hold off on throwing a famous Spectrum shindig until next year.
Promises Scott: “Once everyone recovers from their hangovers from Christmas, we’ll be back to give you another one.”