LAS VEGAS, NAB2004, April 19, 2004 - HP and Warner Bros. Studios today announced a broad, strategic partnership that will change how media and entertainment content is created, managed, distributed and consumed.
The partnership is centered on the companies' common vision for the future of digital entertainment - a future in which technology enhances the quality of entertainment content throughout the creation, post-production, digital restoration and distribution processes As with photography and music, the companies are pursuing the digitization of film and television to provide a far more personalized experience for consumers, offering them a variety of choices while appropriately protecting copyrighted content.
The companies will collaborate to digitally restore many of the world's treasured and classic motion pictures and television shows and create new technology solutions for motion picture and television post-production and distribution.
"The impact of music, film and television moving toward all-digital platforms is profound," said Shane Robison, chief strategy and technology officer, HP. "Warner Bros. Studios is at the cutting edge of embracing the digital transformation. By partnering, HP and Warner Bros. Studios will leverage technology and expertise to create compelling, personalized experiences for consumers that will set the bar at a whole new level."
"We are delighted to partner with HP on all these projects. They have a true appreciation for the value of intellectual property and understand that protecting it and creating new ways to deliver content legitimately to consumers are vital to the digital future," said Kevin Tsujihara, executive vice president, Corporate Business Development and Strategy, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. "HP's unparalleled experience and resources make them the perfect partner to bring our industry into the future while restoring and preserving some of the best loved films from our past."
Digital restoration
The companies intend to develop and deploy new techniques to restore the image quality of Warner Bros. Studios' classic motion picture and television library, which is the largest in the world.
By combining Warner Bros. Studios' proprietary software - which was successfully used to restore the classic films "Singin' in the Rain," "Robin Hood" and "Meet Me in St. Louis" - with HP's image, color and data management technologies, the companies plan to preserve and present the original creative vision of classic films in stunning digital-age quality.
By leveraging HP's industry-leading servers, software and storage technologies, Warner Bros. Studios intends to increase the number and the quality of films that are restored and released per year. In addition, HP and Warner Bros. Studios have agreed to jointly promote the restoration solution and the newly restored and released films.
Digital post-production
HP and Warner Bros. Studios plan to leverage their combined technology expertise to address the technical and business challenges posed by today's digital post-production. The companies intend to collaborate to develop a pilot project to create a more flexible, adaptable digital post-production studio.
Central to this effort is the preservation of image resolution and quality. Working at more than four times today's customary digital intermediate and digital cinema resolution, the companies plan to define and develop the tools necessary to manage and manipulate the hundreds of terabytes of data that will be needed to make sure that what goes into the vault after production meets or exceeds the historical quality of 35mm film.
Digital transition
HP and Warner Bros. Studios also have agreed to work together to promote technologies that will aid the industry's transition to full, secure digital delivery of entertainment content. The companies are combining efforts to find solutions that provide an appropriate balance between consumer experience and content creator rights to encourage a smooth transition into the digital age.
About Warner Bros. Studios
Warner Bros. Studios, a fully integrated, broad-based entertainment company, is the global leader in the creation, production, distribution, licensing and marketing of all forms of entertainment and their related businesses. Warner Bros. Studios, a Time Warner Company, stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry, from feature films to television, home video/DVD, animation, comic books, interactive entertainment.
Over HP
HP is wereldwijd leverancier van technologische oplossingen voor consumenten, bedrijven en instellingen. Het HP aanbod omvat producten en diensten voor een totale IT infrastructuur, personal computing en imaging en printing oplossingen. HP behaalde wereldwijd over de laatste 4 kwartalen een omzet van $ 74,7 miljard. Meer informatie over HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is te vinden op http://www.hp.nl