NEWS - Friday, June 7, 2002
VIP ComLink to Acquire Trilogy Studios
SALT LAKE CITY, VIP COMLINK reports that it has signed a letter of intent to acquire Trilogy Studios, Inc. of Sandy, Utah. The agreement will consist of a cash infusion into Trilogy Studios of an undisclosed amount, and a one for one stock exchange. As a result VIP ComLink will be the largest shareholder in Trilogy, owning 16% of the company. ComLink also announced that it has restructured its top management with the appointment of Breck Rice of Trilogy to ComLink's Board of Directors and the appointment of Ronald E. Hansen as ComLink's Chairman/President/CEO. Trilogy is a next generation software development firm specializing in entertainment software and graphic visualization technologies. Although its proprietary digital software technology is primarily geared for the entertainment industry, it also has application for government, education, and the medical sectors. Trilogy Studios has developed proprietary technology that will permit consumers to view movies at the rating that fits their comfort level. Trilogy Studios' technology also has the capability to overlay visual and auditory elements, such as special effects, 2D images, 3D models, and enhanced 3D audio. Each of these processes is accomplished without copying or altering the original DVD source. "Following years of research, we have developed a product that will revolutionize the way we watch movies in our homes," said David Clayton, Trilogy Studios founder and Trilogy's Chairman of the Board. "The time has arrived when we can watch movies our way." Trilogy's first product is "MovieMask(TM)", which has brought positive responses from representatives of the Motion Picture Association of America, the Artists and Directors Guild, Union representatives, and several major studio leaders. Several Directors have endorsed MovieMask(TM) as a breakthrough for their industry. Other high profile national spokespersons such as CNN's Larry and Shawn King, and Academy Award winning director Kieth Merrill are investors and now serve on Trilogy's Board of Advisors. They warmly acknowledge the benefits of the products for the home entertainment market and appear in a new promotional video about MovieMask(TM). "The financial benefits to the industry from incorporating this technology into the movie making process are tremendous," said Breck Rice, Trilogy's co-founder and CRO. "The company has prepared a research study on MovieMask(TM)'s potential value. Motion picture surveys indicate that 50 percent of movies released to theaters are rated "R", while a "G"-rated movie will make more than double the revenue at the box office. A film could make 2-3 times more revenues if it were released as a DVD with reduced rating options provided by MovieMask(TM). Preliminary findings indicate that if a single new blockbuster title was released on DVD with rating "masks" created by the movie's original producer, the movie's overall revenue would increase by $170 million. Home users can also create their own "masks" for any DVD that is rented or purchased. The original DVD is untouched. Rice said MovieMask(TM) can be used on 16 million iDVD players -- as well as PC or laptop computers -- and soon to be released on Xbox and PlayStation2 consoles. Trilogy is already negotiating with major manufacturers for its MovieMask(TM) software to be built into stand-alone DVD players. The creators of video entertainment are also applauding Trilogy Studios' non-destructive approach to the editing process, and its long-range technology roadmap. This state-of-the-art technology creates a non-destructive edit that allows producers, directors, and studios to maintain control over the artistic process. "The industry is looking very closely at the MovieMask(TM) product," said Kieth Merrill, Academy Award winning member of the Directors Guild. "For the first time we are seeing a viable solution to the rating reduction process that allows studios, directors, and producers to make available rating reduced versions of their movies. This is very exciting." Trilogy Studios has entered into a partnership with the Larry H. Miller Entrepreneurial Center in Salt Lake City, providing a home for the company on the Center's campus. The Entrepreneurial Center is interested in the development of the new masking technology as it applies to education through its exclusive training-provider partnership with the Digital Media Institute. The Institute will offer a wide variety of on-line graduate level industry certifications in the future career area of digital media development utilizing Trilogy's multi-media software tools and other technologies of ComLink affiliated firms soon to be announced. "We are very pleased to announce our intended acquisition of Trilogy Studios as part of our continuing effort to build real value for our shareholders," said Ronald E. Hansen, ComLink's President and CEO. "The acquisition of Trilogy will position ComLink as a true world-class leader in the development of technology for the entertainment software industry and the revenue potential for Trilogy is truly stunning."Source: http://www.xboxaddict.com/
