Radiant Images Plays a Role in Creating Distinctive Cinematic Look of Magic City on Starz

Addition of acclaimed TV drama marks continued growth for LA-based rental house and digital cinema innovator

LOS ANGELES (November 9, 2012) – Radiant Images is supporting the highly-anticipated second season of Magic City and Cinematographer Gabriel Beristain, ASC, by providing the vintage Super Baltar lenses that give the Starz TV drama its distinctive cinematic look. Shooting is ongoing in Miami with the show scheduled to be back on the air in 2013.

Beristain is pairing the Bausch & Lomb Super Baltars with the ARRI Alexa, also provided by Radiant, to create the look and feel of The Godfather and other films for the stylistic, period TV show set in the late 1950s at a Miami Beach luxury hotel.

“In Gabriel Beristain’s capable hands, the Super Baltars create a warmth and softness that you don’t get from a modern lens and that really sets Magic City apart visually on TV,” said Radiant Images’ co-founder Michael Mansouri, who was on set recently in Miami providing personalized service and support to the Magic City crew.

Mansouri and Radiant Images first started working with Magic City Creator/Writer/Executive Producer Mitch Glazer and Cinematographer Beristain in pre-production for Season 1, helping test a variety of digital (and film) cameras to find what would give the show a signature look.

Beristain has said he also experimented with filters, diffusion nets and DaVinci Resolve color correction before determining that the best way to achieve the desired look was to use the same Super Baltar lenses used on The Godfather pictures.

Radiant Images is providing Magic City with one of the few sets of Super Baltar lenses available with PL mounts, a needed feature so they are able to pair with the ARRI Alexa. Beristain has at his disposal a set of six finely tuned and calibrated Super Baltars in a variety of focal lengths  – 20mm, 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 100mm.

In addition to the vintage lenses and fully outfitted ARRI Alexas, the other key piece of equipment provided by Radiant to Magic City is its customized, one-of-a-kind Mini Technocrane 6-12 .

The compact Technocrane was built specially for Radiant Images based on specifications the company developed to best serve client needs. It is ideal for small spaces and interior shooting with a fully retracted position of 6 feet and the ability to fully extend from the center column to reach a total length of 12 feet. The custom Mini Technocrane is outfitted with a Varizoom remote head and reaches a maximum lens height of 14 feet.

Magic City received strong reviews in its first season, in part for its stunning visual quality. More than one reviewer has suggested the program is a cross between Mad Men and The Sopranos.

Set in Miami Beach in 1959, Magic City tells the story of how one man, Ike Evans, builds the immaculate Miramar Playa Hotel on prime beachfront property and watches celebrities, politicians and mobsters gather to play.

Michael Mansouri said he is a fan of the show, pointing to the captivating storyline, strong writing and acting, and the attractive visual elements created by Beristain. “Radiant Images believes in Mitch Glazer’s Magic City and the unmatched talent of Gabriel Beristain,” he said. “We couldn’t be more pleased and proud to support this production.”

For more information, visit online at www.radiantimages.com or call 323-737-1314. Find Radiant Images on Facebook and Twitter.

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Magic City photo courtesy of STARZ/Greg Williams

View Radiant Images' demo of its custom Mini Technocrane 6-12:

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