Ben Eagleton builds Sydney grading facility around FilmLight

Ben Eagleton builds Sydney grading facility around FilmLight
December 3, 2013 Meriam Khan

[03 December 2013]

Leading Australian colourist sets up new home for Baselight system

Internationally-renowned colourist, Ben Eagleton, has returned to Sydney to establish his colour grading facility BE, in Surry Hills. Famed for his award-winning TV commercials and music videos, Ben started his new post-production venture in July 2013. With a wealth of international experience and expertise in grading high production value projects, Ben made a choice when kitting out his own facility to standardise on Baselight for grading, offering clients the flexibility to manage content in the most complex post-production workflows without compromising creativity.

BE Facility Sydney copy

BE was established in the same building as award-winning post house, Fin Design & Effects. Fin had no colour grading capability, so the symbiotic nature of their businesses made for a perfect fit. While Fin and BE are run as separate companies, they have a data connection that allows them to collaborate seamlessly on projects when required.

“Our facility offers the latest DI capabilities underpinned by Baselight,” said Ben Eagleton. “I have spent my career working on different colour grading solutions, but Baselight wins hands down with its sophisticated grading tools, easily manipulated shapes, superb trackers and seamlessly integrated Blackboard control surface – allowing for unparalleled creative freedom.”

Eagleton went on to say that he is able to do things in Baselight that he would not even attempt on other systems. “I would spend twice as long trying to achieve a result that was only half as good as what I can do on Baselight – so for me there is no other choice.”

For FilmLight, Arthur Johnsen, International Accounts, commented, “Ben is part of that small band of world-class colourists, and we wish him well in his new venture. He has had the opportunity to try out all the colour grading solutions on the market, and naturally we are delighted that he chose Baselight and its uniquely powerful creative toolset.”

Before setting up BE, Ben had an illustrious career working in some of the major post-production cities like London and New York. He started his career as a colourist at Rushes in London, after which he set up what was probably the world’s first data-centric grading facility, BEAN, in 2007. Ben then went on to be the department head at New York’s Smoke and Mirrors before joining Fuel VFX in 2011.

BE currently works primarily in the TV commercial and film market with some recent notable projects including “Nissan Juke” by Steve Rogers, “Hyundai Head” by Hamish Rothwell and “BNZ Coin” by Gary Freedman (Glue Society), as well as short films like “The one that got away” by the Mullane Brothers.