Sonic Debuts Scenarist® 3

Latest Advancements in DVD Added to Hollywood’s Choice for DVD Authoring

Las Vegas, Nevada (April 7, 2003) – Sonic Solutions debuted today at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention (NAB) Sonic Scenarist 3, the latest version of its industry-standard professional DVD authoring system for feature film and commercial DVD title production. Scenarist 3 incorporates the latest DVD technologies for today’s demanding DVD production requirements and prepares facilities for the upcoming HD-DVD revolution.

Scenarist 3 elevates DVD authoring to a higher level by providing facilities with more detailed authoring controls, such as advanced copy-and-paste functions that allow duplication of individual or entire DVD navigation command areas to accelerate complex title creation on a single system. A VTS Import/Export Manager – an advanced workflow management tool that allows complex projects to be distributed over multiple authoring seats in a true workgroup environment and then be merged into a single finished title – radically accelerates and streamlines the high-end authoring process.

New in Scenarist 3:
Advanced Copy and Paste of DVD Commands – In addition to the already rich and powerful copy and paste functions in Scenarist, users now have the ability to paste entire command sections from one command area to another, significantly streamlining the process of creating complex and feature-rich DVD titles.

Import and Export VTS – Sections of the finished project may be used in a new project and complex title authoring distributed across multiple authoring seats, providing significant time savings and yielding a more efficient authoring process.

Pan-Scan Video Support – Scenarist 3 enables any 16:9 encoded video to be imported, centering the image as intended.

PlantDirect™ Tapeless Premastering – Successfully introduced in Sonic ROM Formatter 2, PlantDirect Tapeless Premastering enables facilities to transfer DVD images electronically via a network connection to the replication facility, saving time and money over conventional DLT writing and shipping.

Auto Update from Track Editor - Moving from a DVD Creator® or DVD Fusion authoring environment to Scenarist is facilitated with this new capability.

Improved Template Handling – Scenarist template functions are enhanced with additional integration into the workflow, improving the efficiency of creating DVD box sets, preparing titles prior to receiving video and audio assets, or creating a standardized authoring template from which to start new projects.

Enhanced Simulation Window - With significant enhancements and the introduction of a new Menu Editor and Command Editor, Scenarist 3 lets users focus on the task they are performing. By using specialized editors for the most frequently needed tasks, programming a DVD is made even simpler.

Expanded DVD Recorder support – Scenarist 3 adds support for a large number of DVD and CD writing devices and support for all currently available formats, including DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-R and DVD+R as well as writing to CD media.

“DVD title production is becoming increasingly more demanding both in terms of complexity and the ever-growing number of titles that need to be produced,” said Mark Johnson, Director of Research and Development at Technicolor Creative Services in Burbank, California. “Our business relies on Scenarist’s ability to deliver finished titles on time and with the ‘must-have’ level of control and compatibility that our major clients demand. With Scenarist 3, we can now provide an even greater degree of DVD creation capacity and efficiency.”

"Scenarist 3 delivers significant new capabilities for professional DVD title production, control and delivery,” said Nicolai Otto, Sonic Scenarist Product Manager. “No other system matches the power over the DVD specification and title creation efficiency that is designed into Scenarist – this latest version resets the benchmark for professional DVD production."

Scenarist 3 is targeted to be available for delivery in April 2003, with systems ranging in price from $4,999 to $35,000.

About Sonic Scenarist
With its extremely precise control of the DVD specification and the unequaled DVD-player compatibility of the titles it produces, Scenarist has become the backbone of the commercial DVD industry and is used to design and create the vast majority of blockbuster DVDs, feature releases, and high-end commercial titles available today. Sonic Scenarist is available in three editions. Scenarist Studio offers a focused feature set for filmmakers and multimedia designers seeking advanced access to the DVD specification at an affordable price. Scenarist Studio includes the ability to create DVD-9 titles, work with 16:9 video content, and create DVDs with up to three camera angles. Scenarist Advanced adds copy protection, regional coding and closed-caption support to the feature list. Scenarist Professional is the full-featured Hollywood-standard authoring system used to create millions of DVD discs in commercial release. Scenarist Professional gives users the most complete level of control over the DVD specification and allows for the most interactive titles with up to nine video angles, DTS support, Text Data, Jacket Pictures and many other features. All editions use the same user interface and the same reliable and proven project and layout engine to ensure the most compatible discs.

About Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC)
Based in Marin County, California, Sonic Solutions (http://www.sonic.com) is the world's leading supplier of DVD creation software for professional, industrial and consumer applications. The majority of major film releases on DVD have been produced on Sonic's professional DVD authoring systems in studios around the world. Sonic's MyDVD® and DVDit!® are the most widely used DVD creation applications by consumers and video enthusiasts and are the solutions of choice among the key PC and after-market drive suppliers. Sonic's RecordNow is a leading solution for audio and data mastering. Sonic's AuthorScript, the DVD and CD formatting and burning engine that underlies Sonic's applications, is the most widely deployed DVD software engine and has been licensed by Adobe, Microsoft, Sony, and many others.

Sonic, the Sonic logo, Backup MyPC, CinePlayer, DVD PrePlay, DVD Producer, Edit-on-DVD, OpenDVD, PrimeTime, RecordNow and Simple Backup are trademarks of Sonic Solutions. AuthorScript, AutoDVD, DVD-Audio Creator, DVD Creator, DVDit!, DVD Fusion, MyDVD, NoNOISE, ReelDVD, Scenarist and Sonic Solutions are registered trademarks of Sonic Solutions. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners and, in some cases, are used by Sonic under license. Specifications, pricing and delivery schedules are subject to change without notice.