Digital Dimension's 'Blade Trinity' Visual Effects Highlight Collaborative Power of Microsoft Technologies

Digital Dimension's 'Blade Trinity' Visual Effects Highlight Collaborative Power of Microsoft Technologies

Award-Winning Visual Effects Studio Realizes Significant Improvement in Operational Efficiencies With Microsoft Windows Server System and Windows SharePoint Services

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) today announced that Digital Dimension, a four-time Emmy Award-winning studio specializing in high-end visual effects, 3-D animation and motion graphics, used Microsoft(R) technologies to create and manage 167 visual effects for the newly released box-office hit "Blade Trinity." All the effects for flame, ash and skeletal degradation of the vampires were executed by Digital Dimension's skilled computer generated imagery (CGI) artists, who saved countless hours and resources by using Windows(R) SharePoint(R) Services and Windows Server System(TM) to simultaneously and efficiently collaborate on multiple motion picture projects. The studio's pipeline and business process management relies on the Microsoft .NET Framework.

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"The Microsoft environment can support every single angle of our business, so it's easy to create, manage, distribute and share information between applications -- and that is priceless," said Ben Girard, president and founder of Digital Dimension.

Digital Dimension, whose highly acclaimed visual effects have appeared in numerous movies, including "The Last Samurai" and "Scooby Doo 2" and the upcoming "Super Bowl XXXIX (2005)" opening sequence, has a reputation for leaving audiences amazed. Since the company's inception, Digital Dimension's workload has tripled every year, creating a serious challenge for the company. With more scenes to create, review, revise, finalize and return to the production company, Digital Dimension managers needed a collaborative workflow environment to manage the enormous volume of information. The company turned to Microsoft technologies to create a homogenous and powerful collaborative solution.

Using Microsoft Windows Server System and Windows SharePoint Services, Digital Dimension created a powerful workflow system that allows artists and managers to share information, collaborate on projects and manage workflow with greater efficiency.

"With the constant increase of work, there was just too much information in play, thus potentially affecting overall efficiency," Girard said. "We quickly realized that not everyone needs to be flooded with every little piece of information, such as what versions of each of the elements have been approved, or when 3-D elements are ready for compositing, etc. The information needs to be targeted and flowing rapidly between parties involved in the visual effects process. With Microsoft Windows SharePoint and Windows Server System, we were able to better manage and orchestrate all the appropriate information."

Microsoft technologies offer production studios a convenient way to manage vast amounts of information. For the "Blade" series, vampire ashings have been the signature visual effect, and director David Goyer tasked Digital Dimension with creating the most detailed, visually impressive ashings seen to date. With 167 shots due in a short time frame, and some scenes involving as many as five vampires ashing at once, Digital Dimension relied on Windows Server System and Windows SharePoint Services to help manage the complexity. The company reaped the following benefits during the production of the "Blade Trinity" shots:

-- High volumes of information were managed more efficiently. Microsoft
Windows SharePoint enabled Digital Dimension to create an integrated
information "dashboard" for sharing notes, collaborating on projects
and managing workflow with greater efficiency.
-- Mobile interactivity was enabled. Early in the deployment of
SharePoint, Digital Dimension realized that many of its project
managers were highly mobile. To accommodate their mobility, the company
outfitted each project manager with a Tablet PC with wireless network
connectivity. Using the Tablet PC, it became even easier for project
managers to interact with key information -- anywhere, anytime.
-- Production costs were reduced. Digital Dimension built its entire
production environment on Microsoft Windows Server System integrated
software and .NET-based solutions, creating a coherent IT framework
that is easy to use, integrate and support.
-- Customer satisfaction was improved. Deploying Microsoft Windows
SharePoint Services created a cost-effective collaborative workflow
environment, enabling Digital Dimension to yield impressive
efficiencies and better respond to its clients.



"The fact that the Microsoft operating system and most of its server products are now in every facet of our company allows us to automate and collaborate with all the assets and information we're creating," Girard said. "The servers are talking to the desktop systems and vice versa, and all the services in between those points allow us to create a much more unified production environment -- and the value of that integration cannot be understated."

"We're thrilled to support one of Hollywood's hottest visual effects and animation studios with technology that improves its ability to create, manage and securely deliver its digital assets," said Kimberly Till, vice president of the Worldwide Media & Entertainment Group at Microsoft. "Microsoft is dedicated to delivering integrated software solutions that help media and entertainment companies save time and money while enhancing the consumer's content experience."

About Digital Dimension

Located blocks away from Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California, Digital Dimension specializes in 3D animation, motion graphics, and visual effects for the film, television, and interactive industries. The company, founded in 1997, has earned a Visual Effects Society and four Emmy Awards, as well as wide acclaim for providing innovative animated computer imagery. For more information, please visit our website: www.digitaldimension.com.

About Microsoft Worldwide Media & Entertainment Group

Microsoft's Worldwide Media & Entertainment Group is a vertical organization within Microsoft that develops tailored enterprise solutions to meet the media and entertainment industry's unique business and IT needs. The group partners with tier-one solution and service providers to deliver integrated enterprise solutions built on innovative software that help media and entertainment companies increase their efficiency and effectiveness and enhance the consumer experience. Established in July 2003, the group assumed a global role in 2004. More information can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/mediaandentertainment .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

NOTE: Microsoft, Windows, SharePoint and Windows Server System are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Microsoft Corp.

CONTACT: press only, Dagmar Glier, +1-425-452-5439, or
dglier@webershandwick.com, or Bruce Jacobs, +1-425-452-5421, or
bjacobs@webershandwick.com, both of Weber Shandwick, for Microsoft

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

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

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