Digital Pictures has welcomed the Sanctum production team to its state-of-the-art, 3D ready, post-production facility in South Melbourne.

The reported $30 million dollar stereoscopic feature is based on a thrilling tale of documentary filmmaker Andrew Wight’s near death experience whilst leading a diving expedition of 15 men in the remote underground cave systems of the Australian Nullarbor Plains.

“This is such an exciting opportunity for Digital Pictures. We have extremely talented people who are passionate about delivering the very best in picture quality. We've invested in the best technology and people for it to be post produced at a world-class standard.” said Rachel Knowles, Head of Post Production, Digital Pictures.

Emmy Award winning post-production supervisor Marc van Buuren and his team are working exclusively with Digital Pictures on the feature’s 3D post-production. “I was based at Digital Pictures for post production on Roger Donaldson’s The Bank Job and I really enjoyed the creative and technical collaboration I experienced. The enthusiasm with which they embraced the possibility of being involved with a 3D feature film influenced our decision to bring Sanctum here. Through research and development they were able to provide the most efficient 3D workflow from the offline Avid edit right through to final delivery items,” said, Marc Van Buuren, Post-Production Supervisor, Sanctum.

Digital Pictures will undertake the 3D conform, digital colour grading, digital mastering for 3D cinema, 2D digital cinema, the DI 35mm negative, and the HD video deliveries for the production. “We have been set up for Digital Cinema for some time, and now we have set ourselves up with the 3D software and hardware packages, we are 3D ready! We have completed a number of tests for Sanctum which have been screened for Universal in the US and to great success. Now we are in the process of renovating our theatrette and installing a silver screen for RealD,” said Penelope Felton, Head of Digital Film, Digital Pictures.

VFX and animation company Iloura has also partnered with the Sanctum team to undertake a complex and challenging VFX and animation package also and amazing world of 3D. Wight, who scripted the film is co-producing the project along with FilmNation’s Aaron Ryder. Alister Gierson (Kokoda) is directing, and Oscar award winner James Cameron cements his commitment to stereoscopic technology and story telling as the film’s Executive Producer.

Sanctum is slated for a 2010 release across 2,000 screens in the US, with all international territories, except Japan at time of release, confirmed.