The company has spent the past several months gearing up for the conversion of its large location library to an extensive digital database. By providing producers with accessible, information-rich and easily revised location files, Absolute intends to add efficiency and enhanced service to the locations process.

Absolute Locations was launched in 1997. The company is owned by president Paul Kenyon, with financial backing from Toronto-based Partners' Film Company, which has an arm's- length relationship with the facility.

The company had formerly operated out of the Partners' complex but moved into its own space a year ago, taking over and renovating an abandoned building in downtown Toronto. The company has since gone from a one-man show to a company of 18 full time staff and has significantly expanded the scope of its service, positioning itself as a one-stop locations company. Services encompass the main location business, including a library of over 5,000 photo files, as well as a location protection and equipment rental operation. The company also oversees rental of two high-end commercial support vehicles, souped up honey wagons known as Ellie and Violet.

The establishment of a digital database is intended to create the means for a visual conversation between production parties, says Kenyon.

As the service is developed, production companies will be able to use the service like a high powered search engine; all locations will be categorized and customers will be able to zero in on exact locations.

Currently, Absolute responds to location requests with images from its photo library. The company has also recruited several "focus scouts" to digitally photograph specific locations requested.

Results of a search are posted and users are pointed to a dedicated web address which they can visit and access full information and visuals on a location. The location pictures are posted in JPEG format.

The focus scouts, meanwhile are basically scouts in training. Another of Absolute's goals is to groom the next generation of locations people with expertise in not only scouting but management, with an eye to enhancing the professionalism on commercial locations and ensuring smooth relations with other film personnel and civilians alike. Absolute also has relationships with about 30 professional location managers in the city and links this talent with commercial projects. "The key expertise isn't necessarily the guy who finds you a location anymore," says Kenyon. "It's getting a production company in and out unscathed."

Efficient location planning can help in today's condensed production process, says Kenyon. "There used to be three weeks between when bids were assigned and when cameras roll," he says. "Now it's about 10 days, and by the time this system is fully integrated, we expect that will drop further to five or six days."

Absolute's technology partner on the project is Toronto-based United Systems Solutions which has been has developing a database over the past two years and which is being field tested at Absolute now. Absolute has been working to build, as well as fine-tune and customize that database. The company has conducted tests to determine what enhancements can be offered and the timeline for the complete roll-out of the product which will take place in a number of phases, says project manager Adam Saunders. Phase one has seen the introduction of a web-based search and phase two is underway now with Saunders' team working on enhancements like e-commerce capability.

One of the main challenges now, says Kenyon is to deliver a narrow search result, i.e. if a user is seeking a kitchen, having only kitchens returned, instead of the entire house in which the kitchen is located. The company will also integrate immersive imaging technology, like Quick Time VR and, possibly, Ipix to provide users with the capability to virtually walk through a location and scope a 360-degree view. The system will also provide ancillary functions, for example, once a location is chosen, the system will default to the appropriate application permit.

While the service is being fine-tuned, users will access files online for no cost, but the business model will ultimately involve subscriptions, likely available in the spring of 2000. When a suitable location is found on the database, subscribers can, through an e-commerce transaction, purchase the entire file, including a high resolution image for use in pre-pro meetings. Users have the option of downloading the entire (very large) file, but Absolute will also prepare a color laser print which can be shipped, or the company can burn a CD of the file and send it, complete with software necessary to open, access and print the file.

One of the key challenges of locations services has traditionally been obsolescence of files, says Kenyon - with locations changing in appearance or becoming no longer filmmable. Absolute plans to address changing files by using interactive messaging to determine if files need to be updated or pulled.

If the system proves successful for a commodity like locations services, says Kenyon, it can work for props, standing sets, wardrobe and other services. Absolute may also expand from an Ontario to a national presence.

WEB.FILES
Absolute: www.absolute.to