Spotlight on EMA Multimedia: Creating Joe Kane Productions' 'DVE: PRO' Packaging, Web Optimization and ROM Disc

Spotlight on EMA Multimedia: Creating Joe Kane Productions' 'DVE: PRO' Packaging, Web Optimization and ROM Disc

LAS VEGAS, NAB Show 2005, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- EMA Multimedia, a Los Angeles-based creative firm that provides end-to-end content development for Hi-Def/Blu-Ray, broadband/interactive and professional broadcast television & film production & marketing services, was again retained by Joe Kane Productions, creators of the critically-acclaimed "Video Essentials" ... this time to create HD/DVD menuing & packaging as well as original value-added content for the new DIGITAL VIDEO ESSENTIALS: PROFESSIONAL EDITION.

DVE: PRO is a six-disc DVD/HD-DVD set (consumer & pro PAL & NTSC along with HD + WMV system calibration test signals) that provides diagnostic tools necessary to the professional audio/video technician. For engineering, manufacturing, testing or calibrating, the discs include the test signals required for accurate audio/video reproduction at the highest level of quality.

However, thanks to EMA Multimedia's web technology crew and CEO/founder Michael Pace, education and support for DVE: PRO goes even beyond the six discs in the collection -- via web-enabled interactivity software Pace and EMA created and produced.

The special custom software built by EMA Multimedia (it's included on disc four in the new DVE: PRO package) allows the user to register their copy of DVE: PRO online to gain instant access to articles, updated test materials, priority admission to JKP events and more. To enroll, the user simply loads the disc into a computer and follows the registration instructions.

EMA developed the new DVE: PRO's ROM application as standalone, requiring no plug-ins or other software installed in order to use the disc; the computer only needs to have an active internet connection to access the extra features found on the disc. It's Mac-compatible with OS X (10.1) or higher and PC-compatible with Windows 98 or higher.

EMA designed access to the special members' area of the disc to stay restricted (via username and password protection). In order to register, the required fields must be filled in, including a valid one-time use serial number. To prevent unauthorized use, EMA Multimedia developed an auto-cross-checking system where serial numbers cannot be duplicated. Once the enrollment form's done, one confirmation email is sent with instructions regarding how to further update the access information. Next, after the registration process is complete, immediate login is permissible utilizing the newly-created username and password, so the user can enjoy the ROM with no additional steps required.

EMA Multimedia's Michael Pace explains, "The content developed by EMA, found within the DVE: PRO ROM, needs to be updated frequently, because the end-user, today's professional video technician working with high-end home theaters, must always stay absolutely current." Pace adds, "Joe Kane Productions, EMA Multimedia's client, is constantly working on the development of new test patterns and writing new educational articles, which means users are going to be pleased with their DVE: PRO product since it continues to offer updates with all the latest information."

EMA Multimedia & DVE: PRO: The ROM Project

Joe Kane Productions ("JKP") had very specific criteria for EMA Multimedia to consider when initial discussions began regarding retaining EMA to create the new DVE: PRO ROM features. For example, the ROM needed to allow JKP to organize and display, upon user request, hundreds -- and likely thousands -- of documents regarding technical specifications, instructions and information relating to the product and also about video calibration techniques for many different devices made by several manufacturers. JKP wanted to be able to update these documents frequently, too, as well as add and remove them at will.

JKP knew that EMA Multimedia has a long history of foresight and innovation. After researching all the solutions presently available in boxed, off-the-shelf products, EMA Multimedia's IT Director Bill Salak decided the only way to accomplish a cost-effective and full-featured product without compromising usability was to custom-build the application in-house. Michael Pace states, "What came out of this collaboration between JKP's team, their partners & affiliates and EMA Multimedia was a unique set of tools that will not only perform up to the expectation of Mr. Kane but will also meet the needs of his demanding, tech-savvy audience."

EMA Multimedia's efforts for JKP and the new DVE: PRO include custom functions & features like:

* No software or plugins to install

* Account registration via a one-time-use serial number contained in the disc set packaging.

* After the account's created using the serial number, immediate access to content is granted upon successful registration.

* Disc direct-connects to application server to get the most recent information relevant to the user request.

* Dynamic menu is configured by JKP staff using a custom-built, web-based administrative panel. This allows JKP (EMA Multimedia client) to create new main- and sub-menu links on the disc at any time, linking new documents, creating new categories of documents or adding features at will.

* Print -- Any document can be printed from the application for a hard copy reference or easy read away from the computer.

* Search -- Finding documents by keyword is easy with fully-integrated search functionality.

* FAQs -- Frequently asked questions and answers are crafted, edited, updated and deleted by JKP staff, using the web-based administrative panel, as it's crucial that the DVE: PRO user is assured of always having the most up-to-the-minute test signal recent information available.

* Contact "triage" priority help -- Upon registration of the DVE: PRO disc, a duplicate user account is created in JKP's online helpdesk. When a contact request is submitted from inside of the DVE: PRO ROM application, the message is priority-tagged denoting that it's a DVE: PRO user which therefore moves it to the queue's highest priority level for immediate assistance.

* Downloads -- Users can download the most recent freebies from JKP, from right inside the application. Downloads are typically test patterns which are organized by category and displayed using an icon or thumbnail, depending on download content.

* Upgrades -- A pay-to-upgrade feature inside the application creates a secure connection to an online e-commerce engine to process payments for upgrade. Once a user upgrades they have access to additional download content from JKP.

* Online Profile -- allows the user to retrieve forgotten passwords or update account info and preferences at any time. This secure webpage at the JKP website is 100% integrated with the ROM application database, so any changes made there instantly take effect on the user's DVE: PRO account.

Several other additions to the secure, web-based administrative panel features mentioned above are available, too, such as promotional options, where JKP can also easily send informational emails to DVE: PRO account-holders who've opted-in to receive messages. As EMA Multimedia's Michael Pace said, "EMA created scalable, integrated disc-to-web interactivity for JKP that's truly seamless and possesses many unique, distinctive, remarkably useful -- and never-before-seen -- features."

TECH TALK * CASE STUDY: Michael Pace & Bill Salak of EMA Multimedia Discuss JKP's DVE: PRO Project

Client: JKP (Joe Kane Productions)

EMA does the Video Essentials site (videoessentials.com) and the Digital Video Essentials 6-disc set packaging, editing consultation, menuing, marketing & interactive/multimedia assistance, ROM-application design, programming & production.

EMA's role:

To consult with client to identify project goals & create the ROM application, including server-side functionality; to realize the client's vision through the application of both existing & custom technology solutions in a manner that was the most cost-effective & user-friendly.

The media/medium & resources/programs used:

Client-side application was created using Macromedia Flash MX 2004 Professional -- specifically, EMA took advantage of Actionscript 2.0 features. Server-side application was created using the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL + PHP) environment with an ADOdb abstraction layer for portability and scalability.

The rationale:

Flash provided EMA with the ability to build it cross-platform, self- contained and executable, with no software or plugins to install. The cross-platform common-file format let EMA develop and author one set of common elements, which were parsed by the executable. This reduced the amount of testing and platform-specific development for this project immensely and made this custom-development opportunity a reality.

Without Flash or something like it we would have been using available solutions and the client would be taxed with heavy licensing fees on a per-disc basis. We support the open-source initiative, so the choice to use a LAMP environment was never in question. We built our server-side application using our proprietary RAD standards.

These standards place the emphasis in development, on building re-usable, portable modules, and allow us to perform development with 2 separate specialized teams of programmers (client-side and server-side) who need not have knowledge of the methods and functionality native to the other team's programming environment. Documentation of common variables, query-and-response methods get defined before code is written; this provided the foundation both teams used to build their pieces separately, with the end result being a tightly integrated whole.

Award-winning full-service interactive design and production studio Entertainment Marketing and Advertising (EMA) Multimedia Inc., produces campaigns and designs content and products for the world's most innovative companies.

EMA Multimedia (www.EMAMultimedia.com) is located at 1800 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 430, Century City, CA 90067; the telephone number is 310-277-7379.

Press contact: Diane Tishkoff -- 310-277-7379

Source: EMA Multimedia

CONTACT: Diane Tishkoff of EMA Multimedia, +1-310-277-7379

Web site: http://www.videoessentials.com/

Web site: http://www.emamultimedia.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Interviews gladly arranged; photographs are available.

------- Profile: Ent