Recognizing that more clients are requesting for greater flexibility when booking their facility slots during the posting stage, Wide Angle Digital Post Productions (WAD) is offering their services on the Internet for online bookings. A fast-growing post production boutique in Manila, WAD hopes that by introducing what they believe is the industry's first web booking facility, clients will find the last stage in production an efficient, hassle-free experience.WAD founder and TVC director Cris Mojica reveals that he got the idea from the airline-ticketing model."Last year on one of my trips to the US, while browsing for a flight and a seat on my airline, the idea popped up. I thought about how easy it was to book a flight, change seats, divert destinations, shift class and even connect to different carriers in-between, all in the comfort of my own bedroom and my personal computer. A few days later, I was with my programmer trying to figure out how we could integrate our post house with a system that not only flows within our operation but also caters to the needs of our customers via the Internet."How relevant will it be to enable our agency producers, accounts, creatives, practitioners of the trade, and clients a system that will save them precious time!"How it worksThe idea is to provide the customer "real-time" access to availabilities on the editing suite, while displaying the relevant charges involved. First, the client will be provided with a registry-coded password for the purpose of logging in. This will ensure that only industry practitioners are able to gain access to the system. The database will further serve as the system's coordinates for other channels of services that the online booking will offer such as e-job orders, post P.O.s, account statements, etc.Once in, you will be asked for inputs on the work you require: project title, job requirement, suite choice, editor, time and date. Once all the information you require is set, you then 'click' to access the next level in the system. Here you will see your requested work timeline (if it is available) and find out whether or not there are available slots in the schedule.The system will prompt you for an alternative timeline, should the slot you select be unavailable at the time of booking. The system can even automatically choose an alternative timeline on your behalf, subject to availability and your project's timetable.The system will then send you an automated email response and a copy of your job order (e-jo) - wherein your desired work requirement and timeline is stated for your booking confirmation. This will be followed by subsequent e-mail and phone confirmation by WAD's traffic operators, offering round-the clock service.Just like airline e-boarding passes, these e-jos will serve as your "econfirmation ticket" that your job order schedule is confirmed, final and set to go.Open bandwagonUltimately the system will help provide both client and Wide Angle Digital a computerized record of work and actual job transactions in soft and hard copies for more systematic billing and accounting.Mojica beams: "This system is a first in my country... I cannot say the same for our region or that of the world. The Philippines has always been a key contributor in aesthetics and practice in the region's post production growth since two decades ago and a prime example of being a laudable survivor as well."Being the fi rst in the region? The world? Who knows? And who cares - I surely don't. All I know for sure is that the system will help contribute to the changing landscape of our industry. And one thing too is for sure - the region and the world will eventually adopt this new idea with a variety of improvisations very quickly - this is after all Darwin's proven theory."Instead of worrying that his online booking idea can easily be duplicated by other post facilities, Mojica's sentiments are exactly the opposite: "In time I am hoping that we would be able to convince the major players in our industry to follow and help us improve the system's eventual "bugs" and ultimately help the system obtain its real purpose - to help meet the demands of our "speed hungry" clients in the post industry."Since opening its doors about 19 months ago, WAD has had an eventful start, shooting and posting a string of HD TVCs. Its post set-up includes such hardware as Grass Valley's Edius 4 Broadcast, Avid Express Pro HD and Final Cut 2, powerful desktop systems running on PCs and the latest Mac Pro's Xeon Quad processors for high-speed processing and excellent imagery.

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