Rohde & Schwarz provides efficient workflows at the Berlinale 2018

For the sixth time in a row, Rohde & Schwarz supported the 68th edition of the Berlinale in 2018 with their innovative solutions. The R&S CLIPSTER mastering station and the R&S SpycerBox Cell storage unit from Rohde & Schwarz merged smoothly into the film presentation workflow. Thanks to efficient procedures, the moving pictures were projected onto the screen reliably and with extremely high quality.

The Munich-based company supported the film festival with three R&S CLIPSTER mastering stations and the reliable R&S SpycerBox Cell storage unit. The systems located in the Colt Technology Services data processing center were key elements of the Berlinale’s digital workflow. The R&S CLIPSTER quickly and reliably generated extreme high-quality digital cinema packages (DCP) for the screenings.

About 1100 films in total were shown at the Berlinale, including the European Film Market screenings. The R&S SpycerBox Cell buffered the video files, enabling the R&S CLIPSTER to quickly and efficiently process the enormous data volumes. The mastering station supports a variety of video formats, allowing previously digitized films to be quickly converted and processed. In addition, the mastering station generates high-quality DCPs faster than in realtime. Last-minute adjustments, such as subtitle changes, are also easy to make.

Ove Sander, Technical Manager Digital Cinema at the Berlin International Film Festival: “We tremendously appreciate the support from the Rohde & Schwarz systems. Without the CLIPSTER’s enormous speed, we would not be able to convert all the films supplied as video files to DCP format in time for screening and guarantee our visitors a unique experience. And the CLIPSTER always fulfils our high expectations for image quality and reliability.”

Founded in 1951, the Berlinale is now not only the largest cultural event in the German capital, but also one of the key events of the international film industry. Over 21,000 professional visitors from more than 130 countries, including some 4000 journalists, register for the Berlin International Film Festival every year. With around 330,000 paid admissions each year, the Berlinale is not only an industry get-together, but also one of the biggest public film festivals worldwide. The Berlinale is more than just a major media event – it is a hotspot for networking and discussion, where cinematography, glamour and business join hands for 11 days.