About Me

About Me

Summary

Trench Digital is the trading name used by Jack Watts. I am an independent media technology solutions consultant based in London, UK. Having worked for globally recognised brands such as Technicolor, Deluxe, Warner Bros and Twickenham Film Studios, I have gathered decades of experience in the Media and Entertainment industry and haved aided in cultivating multiple workflows and implementations still relied upon today. My specialist discipline is in software engineering surrounding the implementation of advanced formats such as Digital Cinema and IMF along with a complete understanding of their underlying and peripheral industry standards.

Professional Experience

I started my career in Ireland as a 35mm film handler. I was one of the first people in the country to venture into Digital Cinema mastering and delivery. During this period I provided training to facilitate the transition from Film to Digital. My main focus of business through my servicing agency at the time, Danai Media Services was offering DVD, Blur-Ray and D-Cinema mastering as well as servicing film festivals and providing on-site remastering of content as during the age of digital transition, lets just say there was a lot of mess delivered (non-compliant material) which needed to be conformed ahead of their screening. This servicing outlet eventually merged with another company called ‘The Company’ which focused on Short Film and Theatre productions, Danai was to become the media servicing arm of the new venture which was rebranded into Trench Entertainment where I over saw Post Production Directorial duties. This company was then dissolved in 2012 when I moved to London and took up a residency in Technicolor and eventually Deluxe post merger.

In 2018 I exited Deluxe and started my own independent contracting company. resurrecting the brand Trench, I called it Trench Digital. During this time I have worked to many high profile hollywood studios, international brands and provided education and training globally from LA to London and across Europe. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 and personal illness at the time, I had to revert Trench Digital to sole trader status.

Industry Participation

Over the years I have participated in many industry bodies that cater to the Film & TV industry. My participation is mostly on the engineering and standards development pillar of such organisation rather than the social and event driven side.

OrganisationParticipation
edcf
  • Board Member 2018
  • Technical Manager
  • SMPTE DCP Transition Project SME Consultant
smpte
  • Standards Participating Member: TC 27C, TC 35PM
  • Co-Chair 21DC 2019 - 2023
  • Virtual Course Instructor 2019 - present
smpte
  • Participating Member
  • Chair Working Group 02 - Packaging & Delivery
smpte
  • IMF Technical Working Group
smpte
  • Participating Member



Credits Reel


The following credits reel is a collection of some of the titles I worked on as a Digital Cinema Compressionist before pivoting fulltime into the technology and solutions that exist under the under the hood!

Music: Hypnotica [Choir and No Choir Mix], Two Steps From Hell, Album: Legend (2008)


Current


My current full-time commitment is with a London based company called base. Here I am accountable for the strategy, design, implementation and traction of product development for the company's digital transformation product portfolio. it has a strong focus on media technology for Film and Broadcast.