M+E Daily

IMAX will expand access to its Stream Smart technology to Prime Focus Technologies’ customers across Europe, Asia, and Australia. PFT and its parent company, DNEG, are industry leaders providing a full suite of technology and creative solutions, including IMAX post-production and 3D mastering.

The expanded partnership will dramatically increase the global availability of Stream Smart, which helps streaming platforms deliver maximum picture quality while significantly reducing distribution and storage costs.

“We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with IMAX, an industry trailblazer with a remarkable legacy of revolutionising the global entertainment industry,” said Ramki Sankaranarayanan, Global CEO of PFT. “For over a decade, CLEAR®, our flagship product, has spearheaded digital packaging and delivery services for prominent streaming platforms worldwide. CLEAR® & Stream Smart will help optimize our customers’ encoding pipeline, so they deliver better streaming quality while optimising CDN & storage costs.”

“Many of Hollywood’s biggest streaming platforms use Stream Smart™ to ensure quality and reduce costs, and we’re excited to work with our partners at PFT to extend the reach of our technologies throughout key markets in Europe, Asia, and Australia,” said Vikram Arumilli, General Manager of Streaming and Consumer Technology at IMAX. “Our suite of streaming technology products, including Stream Smart™, provides a best-in-class service for direct-to-consumer broadcast and streaming companies, and PFT’s’ ability to leverage this for their customers is a win-win for both organisations.”

IMAX and DNEG joined forces in 2022 for post-production, which included Indian films like Jawan, Pathaan, and RRR. This extended partnership will build upon the established theatrical relationship between IMAX and DNEG to develop a comprehensive video optimisation solution. Stream Smart™ is an enterprise software product designed to deliver the best image quality and optimise delivery to unlock cost savings. This product was built from cutting-edge scientific advancements, state-of-the-art engineering, trusted studio relationships, and rooted in a real-world at-scale Emmy®-winning collaboration with Disney Streaming Services and SSIMWAVE.

Stream Smart™ will be the centrepiece of the IMAX showcase at IBC 2023.