News on BDE looks good to me, but what do I know??
ATLANTA--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--May 28, 1998--Brilliant Digital Entertainment Inc., (AMEX:BDE -
news), a leading interactive entertainment content and tools developer and pioneer in Internet pay per view,
Thursday announced a new proprietary tool set that will empower developers and producers without any
programming experience to create interactive Multipath Movies.
The tool set, which emulates film writing and production techniques and eliminates the need for expensive
programming teams, is being demonstrated at booth No. 2240 at E3.
Multipath Movies are three-dimensional, digitally animated stories, each with multiple plot alternatives or paths
leading to distinct conclusions that are influenced by the user. Each Multipath Movie runs approximately the same
length as a film or video.
Brilliant Digital Entertainment's proprietary software tools allow for seamless interactivity with a click of the
mouse. This easy-to-use Internet-based system is similar to purchasing a pay-per-view movie on a home
television. Subscribers are issued an access code that permits them to instantly access new Multipath Movie
episodes.
''Brilliant Digital Entertainment's robust multi-purpose engine combined with an intuitive set of design principles
will empower developers and producers to unite traditional filmmaking techniques and cinematic story telling with
on-screen interactivity to produce a wide range of 3-D animated creations,'' said Mark Dyne, chairman and chief
executive officer, Brilliant Digital Entertainment.
''The tool set can replace a bevy of money and time-consuming expenses such as computer programming teams
and entertainment resources that aren't needed if the tool set is used,'' Dyne added.
The tool set is being used by Brilliant Digital Entertainment to generate many Multipath Movie titles such as ''The
Multipath Adventures of Superman,'' ''Xena: The Warrior Princess,'' ''Popeye and Friends: The Rescue and
Sunken Treasure,'' ''Gravity Angels,'' ''Ace Ventura: The Case of the Serial Shaver,'' and other concepts that are
also being demonstrated at the show.
Producing Multipath Movies vs. Traditional Filmed Methods
The production of a Multipath Movie is very similar to the production of a traditional film. In a traditional film,
directors must select a script, identify various locations, build sets and choose actors. Using the tool set to create
interactive Multipath Movies or other 3-D productions, developers build virtual sets to appear in their digital
movies.
In a film, actors have wardrobes and lavish props. In the Multipath Movie, virtual actors are designed from 3-D
models and textures as objects. Textures can be clothes or even eye color, and objects can be cars or guns,
buildings or even other actors.
Multipath Means Multi-Editing Capabilities
Filming and editing in the traditional film process are two separate functions that cannot be performed
simultaneously. Through digital production, a scene, or group of scenes, can be blocked, animated and edited at
the same time. As a result, the director can immediately view the scene and make any necessary changes while
avoiding substantial costs and logistical problems.
Delete or Add Actors and Scenes at the Click of a Mouse
At the click of a mouse, the digital Multipath Movie process allows the director to easily add, delete or alter actors,
plots, sets, special effects, textures and lighting, just like a Hollywood movie without all the hassle.
Because the characters and sets are all digitally produced and then animated, major visual components and personal
features such as skin tone and hair color only need to be changed once to mirror the effect throughout the Multipath
Movies or any digital production of this type.
Users can point, click and create interactive content by using all five tools: ScriptNav, TalkTrack, SCuD Engine,
Mr. Copy and Digital Projector.
ScriptNav -- This tool allows writers to compose, edit and finalize a script using any popular word-processing
package. The scriptwriter can insert directional branches throughout the script to create multiple paths of plot or
action and multiple endings. Finally, ScriptNav enables the writer to read, review and correct any issues.
TalkTrack -- This tool synchronizes a character's lip movements corresponding with dialogue tracks. TalkTrack
examines the dialogue sound tracks of each character and links them to a database of visual lip patterns and
movements to create unique facial gestures. This tool dramatically reduces production time and effort and is easier
to use than other sound tools. Multiple language versions of the same movie can now be dubbed and synchronized
without any awkward appearances.
The SCuD Engine -- This tool is the centerpiece of Multipath Movie development. SCuD provides a
multi-window-editing environment where objects can be pasted and edited. Its built-in 3-D engine allows for the
visual and sound lay-up, cinematography, synchronization, editing and immediate previewing of scenes,
providing a ''WYSIWYG'' approach. SCuD links to each of the other tools to provide a central environment
where all aspects of Multipath Movie production come together.
Mr. Copy -- This tool intelligently arranges, optimizes and compresses all final Multipath Movie data to be played
on the Digital Projector. Using licensed technology, Mr. Copy compresses and decompresses thousands of audio
and bit map files that were created during the development stages. Mr. Copy can compress three hours of content
to be captured in as little as 20MB of disc space.
Digital Projector -- This tool contains all the necessary components for the end user to load and play the final
Multipath Movie or digital creations. The Digital Projector contains all of the necessary elements from each of the
tools to enable playback to take place.
''Used in conjunction with commercially available tools such as 3-D Studio Max, Brilliant Digital Entertainment's
tool set will allow any developer to produce a high-quality Multipath Movie from the initial scripting to final
output,'' said Kevin Bermeister, president, Brilliant Digital Entertainment.
''This process can effectively be used to create interactive movies, corporate applications and even training
videos,'' Bermeister added. ''Many companies have excellent content that they want to utilize but don't have the
financial or creative resources. This tool set can be answer to their needs. This tool can save companies hundreds
of thousands of dollars,'' Bermeister stated.
Companies interested in licensing the tool set from Brilliant Digital Entertainment can call its corporate offices at
818/615-1500. The tool set will be available in the fourth quarter.
Brilliant Digital Entertainment is the production studio responsible for creations of Multipath Movies, a new
generation of digital entertainment to be distributed over the Internet, on CD-ROM, as television programming,
and for home video.
Multipath Movies utilize proprietary, technologically advanced software tools to produce three-dimensional,
digitally animated stories, each with multiple plot alternatives, or paths, that lead to a variety of distinct conclusions
that are influenced by the user.
Brilliant Digital Entertainment has formed strategic alliances with Packard Bell NEC and CompuServe to distribute
its Multipath Movies over the Internet's World Wide Web and has acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to
Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers for the Choose Your Own Adventure series of interactive
books.
The company has also signed content deals with DC Comics, Morgan Creek Productions, King Features and
Universal Studios. The company has headquarters in Los Angeles with offices in Bondi Junction, Double Bay
Australia and Middlesex, England.
Statements in the news release that relate to future plans, financial results or projections, events or performance are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results may differ materially due to a variety of
factors. Brilliant's ability to commercially release its proprietary tools is subject to a number of factors and risks
including the company's ability to complete production and documentation of the tool sets, to successfully
complete quality assurance testing and conclude distribution and marketing arrangements, and to have sufficient
programming and engineering capacity to complete all necessary tools. Information about certain of these factors is
contained in the company's most recently filed Form 10-KSB report and 10-QSB report and are available from
Brilliant Digital Entertainment's Investor Relations department and may be obtained by calling or writing.
Contact:
Brilliant Digital Entertainment
Cheri Grand, 212/462-4905, 212/462-4703 (fax)
cgrand@bde3d.com (e-mail)
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