Sonic Launches Scenarist Publisher, Bringing Automated Efficiency to DVD Authoring Workflow
Form-Based Approach Radically Reduces Production Times and Costs; Future Version to Help Prepare Catalog Content for On-Demand Electronic Distribution
Las Vegas, Nevada, CES (January 9, 2007) - Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today launched Scenarist® Publisher, a revolutionary DVD authoring system for the creation of full-featured DVD-Video titles from a simple, yet powerful, wizard-driven interface. Built upon Sonic's world-standard Scenarist authoring engine, Scenarist Publisher automates the authoring workflow, allowing multiple titles with different content to be generated from a single Scenarist DVD project with virtually no additional authoring. By leveraging authoring time across multiple titles, Scenarist Publisher drastically reduces QC requirements while vastly increasing productivity, giving authoring facilities the option to redeploy their skilled authors to work on new high-definition titles. Scenarist Publisher is also the platform upon which Sonic is building an efficient and cost-effective system for Hollywood studios and other content owners to quickly prepare premium catalog video entertainment for on-demand electronic distribution.
"Sonic's Scenarist Publisher simplifies and streamlines the sort of DVD authoring that studios demand as they move from preparing content for proven DVD platters to preparing content for high definition and electronic sell-through," said Richard Doherty, research director for The Envisioneering Group. "By authoring just once for distribution for multiple consumer audience platforms, both studios - and content owners - will be able to ensure high-quality interactive experiences while reducing their production costs. That means more titles and more engaging repeat experiences for consumers."
Scenarist Publisher-created titles are based on full-featured projects authored in Sonic's powerful Scenarist DVD, used in the production of billions of DVDs worldwide. Scenarist Publisher analyzes the structure and features of a Scenarist DVD project and creates a "form" for building similar titles. With a simple user interface that allows the video, audio, and graphics for the title's movies and menus to be specified in minutes by semi-skilled staff, these Publisher "forms" can save days of re-authoring and QC work per title. Completed forms are processed into disc images either individually or in batches by Scenarist Publisher's network-integrated multiplexing management system. Individual projects can also be reopened in Scenarist DVD for additional customization.
"We're excited to be able to offer our customers a refined DVD creation paradigm at a time when changing market conditions demand new levels of efficiency and productivity," said Rolf Hartley, senior vice president and general manager of Sonic's Professional Products Group. "Scenarist Publisher is the right solution at exactly the right time, enabling professional authoring facilities to meet the expanding needs of their customers in the multi-format authoring world."
Additionally, Scenarist Publisher is being developed to help authoring studios serve content owners that wish to prepare video entertainment for DVD-on-demand distribution. Introduced earlier this year, Sonic DVD On DemandT is a comprehensive technology platform for the electronic sell-through of digital entertainment that can be burned to DVD. For Hollywood studios and other content owners, on-demand distribution opens new low-cost channels to sell products directly to customers. With physical costs such as manufacturing, distribution and inventory management all but eliminated, Sonic DVD On Demand makes otherwise cost-prohibitive distribution of special interest or catalog content possible for the first time. Scenarist Publisher will become an important addition to Sonic's systems for electronic distribution, creating an end-to-end solution from content preparation through delivery.
Scenarist Publisher for DVD production is available now, and is being demonstrated by Sonic in its private meeting room at the Renaissance Hotel (Copa Conference Suite A and B) during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), January 8th to the 12th, Las Vegas, NV. For more information on Scenarist Publisher, contact Sonic at scenaristpublisher@sonic.com.
About Sonic Solutions
Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC; http://www.sonic.com) is the leader in digital media software, providing a broad range of interoperable, platform-independent software tools and applications for creative professionals, business and home users, and technology partners. Sonic's products range from advanced DVD authoring systems and interactive content delivery technologies used to produce the majority of Hollywood DVD film releases, to the award-winning Roxio®-branded CD and DVD creation, playback and backup solutions that have become the premier choice for consumers, prosumers and business users worldwide.
Sonic products are globally available from major retailers, online at Sonic.com and Roxio.com, and are bundled with PCs, after-market drives and consumer electronic devices. Sonic's digital media creation engine is the de facto standard and has been licensed by major software and hardware manufacturers, including Adobe, Microsoft, Scientific-Atlanta, Sony, and many others. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California.