The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) is to partner with the Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA). The partnership will begin with SMPTE providing administrative support to HPA, and it is expected to culminate in the merger of the two bodies by May 2015.

The partnership unites two leading technical organisations serving the media and entertainment business. It gives both SMPTE and HPA the opportunity to extend their reach and expand their membership while better serving the whole industry – from the engineering and technical professionals to the creative community.

‘HPA is known not only for its unique brand identity, but also for facilitating open dialogue among all disciplines in the entertainment industry,’ says SMPTE President, Wendy Aylsworth. ‘Complementing SMPTE’s work in standards and education, these qualities will enrich the experience of SMPTE members worldwide, giving them the opportunity to engage in more frequent dialogue with nontechnical and supporting industry professionals. For these and many other reasons, we look forward to extending the HPA brand to a broader global audience.’

‘With this partnership, HPA and SMPTE strengthen our collaborative work in addressing how our communities plan for the future of technology and the creative process,’ says HPA Board President, Leon Silverman. ‘For HPA, a closer relationship with SMPTE is also valuable in that it will enable our organization to extend the reach of our content and our work to a global audience beyond Hollywood.’