Electronic Catalogs, Books and Brochures
Publishers have been printing books, magazines and catalogs for many years. Chances are the need for the 4-color process is not going to go away in the near future. The wave of new media options has made a significant contribution to what is available as marketing collateral. The cost to print a 300 page full color reference manual can be from $100,000 - $200,000 depending upon quantity and where it is printed. That same reference manual can cost under $10,000 to publish on a CD ROM. Publishers should all be considering this new media as an alternative to and an addition to publishing books, manuals, catalogs and brochures.
The CD ROM offers so much more to the end user. You can add interactivity, video clips, audio and animation. The impact that this will add to your brochure is in the emotion it instills into the presentation and into the buyers decision.
Now the printing process takes place on the desktop. The user prints only the information they want hard copies of. The quality and speed of desktop laser and color printers has improved dramatically over the past several years, while the costs have come down to a fraction of what they cost even two year ago.
Photo CD
The Kodak Photo CD format is an excellent way to scan and archive your photographic images. With the Photo CD player, you can also display the images on any television. Photo CD has become the format of choice for computer users who do not have access to a scanner. It's also a great way to distribute images to a mass of users and is the lowest cost alternative to CD ROM distribution of images. Ask us about the advantages and capabilities.
Stock Photography Catalogs and Images
Stock photography is always in demand and CD ROM is the best way to present and distribute your images to potential buyers. Today's technology allows us to provide a catalog of "thumbnail" images that can be viewed on a computer monitor, while technical information and keywords which can be searched and sorted. Once an image is located, the requester may simply open it, or if a fee or licensing is required, be prompted to contact the photographer to obtain a password to access the high resolution scans that can be included on the same disc.
Artists Portfolios
The Paintings of Wyland is a good example of how an artist would use a CD ROM to distribute and market images. On this particular CD, it was important to Wyland to include scans of the paintings so the media could use the images for gallery publications. However, it was even more important that the general public could view the images on a computer monitor, but not be able to access the images for reproduction. We accomplished this by using encryption to lock the images until Wyland provided the proper password. Passwords could only be obtained only by calling or writing to the artist.
PREPARATION
Producing an interactive CD-ROM involves many of the same procedures and guidelines as a video production or publication, such as careful consideration of your audience and message. However, a CD-ROM project is unique because it is a combination of several technologies video, audio and computer programming which require additional considerations. Before contacting your department representative, analyze:
Your audience
· Are they computer savvy?
· What kind of computer do they have access to?
· Windows, Macintosh or both
· "Horsepower" or processor speed
· Internet connectivity
Your Role
You are a full-fledged member of the production team and an integral part of the total project. We rely on you to provide the content as well as your subject matter expertise. You provide the draft script and with your guidance, we will help refine and adapt it for this medium.
Our Role
We offer content development, text editing, graphic design, video and audio production, computer programming (Windows and Macintosh) and CD-ROM mastering. We can help you find talent (narrators and actors) and sources for CD-ROM duplication.
BE SURE
Producing a multimedia CD-ROM is very much a collaborative effort. To produce a multimedia CD-ROM, you'll be quite involved. We'll meet several times at the start of the project to brainstorm the design and scope of your project. Proper prior planning always prevents poor programming and costly, unnecessary revamping. Producing a CD-ROM does require all of us to have "our ducks in a row" as we waddle through the design and production processes together
Have you ever considered putting your ideas on CD-ROM?
It's a medium that allows you to do more than just show text. You can use video, audio, animation, interactive forms and quizzes to accomplish your goals--all on a CD-ROM. CD-ROMs are a great way to present information in a convenient, interactive way.
The conventional CD-ROM is a convenient way to distribute up to 640MB of digital information on Macintosh, DOS and Windows computers.
A CD can be written to run on only one type of computer or as a cross-platform solution for a variety of computers and operating systems. Once written, a CD's data cannot be accidentally erased or replaced.
CD-ROMs can also be used as storage.
A CD-ROM can be written as an archive or backup of important graphics, text, or other files; this is the simplest and most straightforward use of a CD.
At the other extreme are CD-ROMs which contain full blown multimedia presentations and educational materials.
These CDs often install additional utilities onto a computer in order to run the program. The production process for a multimedia CD is more complex than the archival variety.
Masterdisc Promotion (C) Copyright 2002.