Making a name

A Northern Ontario film and television innovator has been recognized for its success around the world.

Cinevate Inc., which began three years ago in founder Dennis Woods’s basement, on Monday was officially awarded the Pan-Northern Innovation Challenge Award for its pioneering work that helps adapt optical filming equipment with newer digital technology.

Woods, Civevate’s president, said the award is a reaffirmation of the quality of work the company has conducted at its Cumberland Street headquarters and confirmation to customers that a small, eight-person operation in Thunder Bay has a place on the global stage.

"It’s certainly recognition to our customers that we’re not just an online company that’s looking to relieve them of their cash. We’re a company that cares. I think the more people get to know us, the more they get to know what we do here," Woods said.

The company, which last April won a prestigious Premier’s Catalyst Award, was originally nominated for a regional innovation award through the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre for work on the Bravis 35 lens adapter.

"It gives you the depth of field that you would normally get with 35-millimetre film. In a nutshell it’s a part that you can screw on to the front of your camera and mount it up, and it makes it look like your video camera is shooting film, which is a lot cheaper than shooting film," Woods said.

Cinveate has about six patents in the work, including innovative hand-held camera mounts that allow shooters a much steadier image and a linear tracking system that could revolutionize the way major sporting events are shot. They’re even working on home-based 3D technology.

"There are other linear tracking systems. But there are not like this, which is fully-bearinged and designed so you can put that big heavy camera on it and get that smooth shot, without spending a whole lot of time setting it up," Woods said.

Rob Deline, executive director at Innovation Initiatives Ontario North, said after studying the finalists, which included Thunder Bay’s JustParts.com, Sault Ste. Marie-based Algoma Steel and Stick it to the Man Technologies and Sudbury’s Mirarco, Cinevate best seemed to fit the bill.

"They started in the basement and they ended up starting a real global niche. So for many reasons it was just the best company by far in terms of the overall innovation and concept," Deline said.

Accompanying the award was a cheque for $2,500.