Two cities, one finish

At Altered Images, we work with customers to deliver technology that solves real production challenges. In partnership with EditShare, we helped Gorilla create a high-performance shared storage environment that has transformed finishing workflows across its Cardiff and Bristol facilities.

By implementing EditShare NVMe storage, Gorilla has accelerated collaboration, reduced manual media management and given creative teams fast, reliable access to native media for high-end television and feature film projects.

"The addition of tier-zero shared storage has given us the flexibility to join the two sites and has changed the way we finish customer productions." - Rich Moss, Managing Director, Gorilla.

Rich Moss

Managing Director, Gorilla.

The challenge

As Gorilla’s high-end television and feature film work expanded, its finishing teams were increasingly relying on local storage. Media had to be manually copied between systems, conforms recreated and projects continually synchronised throughout production.

The business needed a dedicated high-performance shared storage platform that could support demanding finishing workflows while connecting teams across Cardiff and Bristol.

The solution

Gorilla deployed EditShare NVMe shared storage at its Cardiff facility before expanding the environment to Bristol with support from Altered Images. Connected via a low-latency 10Gb link, both sites can now synchronise media automatically, allowing artists in each location to work locally while accessing the same production assets.

The infrastructure supports Baselight, DaVinci Resolve, Flame, Avid and QC workflows, with connectivity up to 100Gb depending on workstation requirements.

"We've worked with Gorilla for more than 20 years. Every recommendation is based on long-term value and personal support, and EditShare delivered exactly that." Mike Fitchie, Head of Technical Presales, Altered Images

Mike Fitchie

Head of Technical Presales, Altered Images

Faster workflows, less media management

One of the biggest improvements has been the removal of manual media handling.

Projects can now be conformed once, synchronised automatically between both facilities and immediately accessed by artists without rebuilding projects or manually transferring files.
“EditShare has completely transformed our conform workflows.” – Mark Bankhead, Online Finishing Editor, Gorilla

Instead of spending valuable time managing media, teams can focus on grading, finishing and delivery.
“That whole media-handling element has gone away. We can focus on doing the work because moving media around was time we couldn’t charge for.” – Mark Bankhead

Greater flexibility across both facilities

The new infrastructure allows Gorilla to allocate artists, grading suites and technical resources across Cardiff and Bristol far more efficiently.

Colourists can work on the same production from different locations while sharing access to identical media, creating a far more flexible production environment.
“EditShare has made it much easier for colourists to work in parallel across the company.” – Christine Kelly, Colourist, Gorilla

Performance for high-end finishing

The platform is designed around native camera workflows, allowing Gorilla to work directly with high-resolution media including ARRIRAW and Sony Venice footage.

The storage also supports grading, online finishing, QC and delivery from a single shared environment.
“The storage delivers whatever we throw at it.” – Rich Moss

Faster delivery and QC

The benefits extend beyond finishing.

QC teams can now review image sequence exports directly from EditShare storage without first copying terabytes of data onto local drives, dramatically reducing preparation time and simplifying complex deliveries containing multiple revisions and patches.

Built for future growth

The system has already supported productions including The Rapture, H Is for Hawk and The Dream Lands, demonstrating how collaborative finishing can take place seamlessly across multiple sites.

Looking ahead, Gorilla is exploring EditShare FLOW Automation to automate routine technical processes and further streamline operations.
“FLOW has removed the operational complexity, allowing our colourists to focus entirely on the creative side of the job.” – Ken Burnett, Technical Operations Manager, Gorilla

The storage started as a response to the performance requirements of high-end finishing. It has since opened up the flexibility to connect our sites, share our resources and change how we deliver that work as a business. The Altered Images and EditShare teams have been an absolute pleasure to work with. - Rich Moss, Managing Director, Gorilla

Rich Moss

The result

By combining Altered Images’ technical expertise with EditShare’s high-performance storage platform, Gorilla has created a connected finishing environment that supports faster collaboration, reduces manual processes and gives creative teams the flexibility to work seamlessly across two cities.

The storage started as a response to the performance requirements of high-end finishing. It has since opened up the flexibility to connect our sites, share our resources and change how we deliver that work as a business. The Altered Images and EditShare teams have been an absolute pleasure to work with. - Rich Moss, Managing Director, Gorilla

Rich Moss

Managing Director, Gorilla

Altered Images is a UK leading technology solutions and services provider specialising in post-production, vfx, audio and studio infrastructure projects.

We design, deliver and support end-to-end best of breed technology solutions for some of the UK’s largest post and vfx facilities, broadcasters, educational institutions and corporate brands creating engaging video and audio media.

As an Avid and EditShare Elite Partner, with top accreditations from manufacturers including Autodesk, Blackmagic Design, Adobe, Ross Video, Grass Valley and many more, we advise on everything from edit workflows to multicamera studios and galleries.

Our success is based on nearly 30 years of providing customers with industry leading trusted workflow and technology consultancy backed by qualified, experienced post sales support.

With offices in Shepperton, just outside London, and team members based across the UK Altered Images creates longstanding customer partnerships providing local services on a national scale.