Adriano Mestroni, senior colorist and partner, says: "We realized that over time the capacities of our CG artists, who at first were only three, were always increasing. They worked better and better, so in the end we decided it was about time to give a turning point to the image of BAND. Outside we were perceived primarily as a specialist in visual 2D fx and color grading. After some time I must say it was a great choice because we can now offer a great 3D department with seven professionals and seven stations that operate continuously. I can say, without being presumptuous, that now we are at the level of competitors that historically were considered the only ones in a position to be able to meet the need for computer graphics at a certain level; and they were already very strong in this area, in Italy. Now we have massive demands in 3D and do not address only the most minor clips randomly inserted in commercials, as in the past. Today we can also compete in tenders with 3D to a high level, including the movies."

It was also totally renewed the SAN, storage area network, with Elements equipments (as before, fiber optics connected) but now much more powerful, allowing to play simultaneously two rooms in 4K and six suites in 2K, so with a very high potential. In HD, if desired, BAND may play 15 contemporary suites on the same file. Mestroni adds: "By this year's end we will make a further strengthening of the SAN that will become the most powerful in the field of advertising post production."
In practice BAND has integrated new tools to improve the workflow, media asset management and media library that simplify the transfer of data to the central storage in post production operations. It also includes a file manager, a full-text search engine and a task manager to automate processes in the workflow.
In addition to the increased power of this new communication infrastructure, BAND also boasts two outward networks to upload and download materials, even if all the "heavy" software is operating locally; in the cloud only light softwares are used.
In addition to the renewal of all the Mac Pro workstations it was also renewed the second internal SAN by Apple, that is a server for offline and for other internal purposes, such as moving files and managing the archive.
Another important development was the purchase of the new LTO 7 for long-term archiving to tape, connected to the SAN, for daily backup of everything.
Enhancing the 3D positions it was essential to adopt three other Maya solutions, although some freelances work alongside with personal software.
In BAND, now, in total there are a Flame Premium, three Flame Assist, ie 4 rooms of compositing and finishing on high standard, capable to operate effectively to meet real-time demands of the customer attending the session.
Then other softwares involved are Nuke for compositing on each 3D workstation, for a total of six, plus two Nuke Studio installed in the finishing suites that can communicate with compositing and operate in real time.
For color grading, one of the most famous among the specializations of BAND, two suites operating with Da Vinci Resolve (one with Black Magic panel) and the other with Autodesk Lustre 2016.
In six years of the employees in BAND rose from 6 to 16, in addition to freelance enrolled in case of need. Mestroni says: "It was also necessary to call a new producer to avail ourselves to meet the increasingly high demands.
Our specification as BAND remains advertising, even if high qualifications and skills now define us more than suitable to follow other markets such as the movies."
Mestroni continues: "Regarding the new openings into the future I have to mention the 4K and HDR, in fact among ten productions now at least one is requested in 4K, so I would say that this format is taking off. Also on this front - and this seems to be the real turning point for image and quality - we begin to see a lot of interest in HDR 4K. So a post production and an HDR monitors can offer images that are vastly more beautiful than previously. While all softwares are updated, but the new release does not dramatically improve results, post and display in HDR - in my opinion - are really the only major tangible revolution. "