HDHUB Completes 'Why Democracy ?' Documentary series

Why Democracy? documentary project, the largest dedicated factual media event in history, was screened to over 200 million viewers in over 200 countries via 42 broadcasters worldwide during October 2007.

Why Democracy comprised 10 long and 18 short films made by independent award-winning filmmakers from around the world, including China, India, Japan, Liberia, USA, Bolivia, Denmark, Afghanistan, Egypt, Pakistan and Russia. Series editor Nick Fraser says, 'We commissioned these films because the question of democracy seemed to us to be the single most important political issue of our time.'

The HDHUB in Cape Town carried out the post production and versioning of all ten full-length documentaries and eighteen short films over a three month period. This resulted in over 470 hours of broadcast masters for 42 of the world's top broadcasters including BBC, NHK, ZDF, ARTE and PBS.

The HDHUB provided two HD online suites as well as a colour-grading suite working back to back on this project, HDHUB Managing director James Middleton said, "Each film had a different set of requirements. On some projects we had to do a full online and grade, while others just required titling and subtitling to meet the broadcast requirements. We finished each film to HDCAM and made standard definition copies on Digital Betacam. Our tape transfer facility worked around the clock to meet the delivery and stringent technical requirements of broadcasters.

It was a great opportunity for The HDHUB to be involved in such a landmark project, in addition to working with award-winning filmmakers around the world, not to mention being involved in such a thought-provoking series."

The HDHUB was awarded the project by Producer Don Edkins and series editor Nick Fraser after working on the award winning Please Vote For Me, which became the first film in the series.

For more information, please visit the website, www.whydemocracy.net.