""DVD Festival"" Returns By Popular Demand For January 2001 VSDA Convention In Las Vegas

Highlights Include DVD Awards Cocktail Party And DVD SuperSession

4-Dec-00

The VSDA Convention will again host the highly popular ""DVD Festival"" at its upcoming show, January 7-9, 2001, at the Sands Expo Center/Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Highlights of next yearís festival include a DVD Awards cocktail party on Sunday, January 7, from 6:30-8:30pm. A dynamic DVD SuperSession takes place Monday, January 8, from 10-11:30am. The announcement was made by Bo Andersen, President of the Video Software Dealers Association and Bruce Apar, Director of Content and Business Development at Advanstar Communications, Inc. VSDA and Advanstar are partners in Home Entertainment Events, which is chaired by Andersen. ""DVD continues to provide a tremendous boost to video retailer revenues, as well as other aspects of the industry,"" commented VSDAís Bo Andersen. ""We are pleased to host the industryís 2nd Annual DVD Festival, and to again honor the exciting DVD titles available to consumers in increasing volume and variety."" Advanstarís Bruce Apar noted that Home Entertainment Eventsí DVD Festival is the leading event for the DVD trade that brings together buyers and sellers under one roof. ""In addition to DVD-Video movies, we also will focus attention on the newer uses for DVD, namely DVD-Audio for music and DVD-ROM for videogames."" The 2nd Annual DVD Festival Awards will recognize DVD labels and producers for excellence in content and production techniques unique to the digital disc format. The 2001 DVD Festival Award categories include: 1. Best DVD Commentary - Best audio commentary track or tracks prepared specifically for the DVD release. This can include commentary from the director, actor or other active participants in the production of the motion picture, non-theatrical release or music-with-video presentation. The audio commentary presentation can feature historian or film critic analysis if it has been specifically developed for the DVD release. 2. Best Use Of Menu Features - Best overall menu features for a DVD release. This includes graphic, audio and bonus features, as well as ease-of-access layout or presentation. 3. Best Supplementary Material Presentation - Best overall use and presentation of supplementary materials on a DVD. This can include video presentations such as trailers, out-takes, behind the scenes featurettes and other related video presentations, including games or trivia quizzes. This can also include embedded script information, star and director biographies and filmographies, still photo galleries, storyboards and other non-motion-video materials. 4. Best Use Of Audio/Language Tracks - Best overall use of audio for supplemental language presentations. In addition to the audio language presentation itself, other factors to be considered would be the inclusion of subtitles, their visibility and placement as well as ease of menu access. 5. Best Overall Use Of DVD-ROM Features - Best overall use of DVD-ROM features within the context of the DVD release being considered, which can include both theatrical and non-theatrical presentations whose primary use is for play on set-top players. Features to be considered include access to supporting Web sites, cross-platform accessibility (Windows and Macintosh) and content of the ROM-specific materials. 6. Best Video Transfer - Best overall video transfer. This includes anamorphic, widescreen and pan-and-scan (full-screen. 4:3 aspect ratio) formats, with the focus on clarity of image, color quality and absence of artifacts, pixelization and noise. 7. Best Audio Presentation - Best overall audio presentation, with special focus on the best 5.1-channel surround sound mix. Other considerations include clarity of sound, separation and use of isolated music tracks. 8. Best Music DVD - Non-Theatrical (New Category) - Best overall music DVD - non-theatrical - includes music video compilations, stage performances, operas, classical music, orchestral performances and pastoral video collections (i.e. oceanscapes, landscapes, etc.) set to music. Equal consideration will be given to both the video and audio aspects of the DVD release. 9. Best Music DVD - Theatrical - Best overall music presentation for a theatrical release. 10. Best Of Show - Non-Theatrical - Best overall presentation for a non-theatrical release. 11. Best Of Show - Theatrical - Best overall presentation for a theatrical release. 12 Best Of Show Adult (New Category) - Best overall presentation for an adult release. 13. Best Children's DVD - Best overall presentation for a childrenís release. Titles released on DVDs in the U.S. market from January 1, 2000 to November 30, 2000 will be eligible. There is a per-title entry fee of $150, and each DVD label can submit no more than one title per award category. The DVD Awards will be determined by a ""DVD Festival"" blue-ribbon jury of recognized experts in the entertainment media, including Daily Variety, Dallas Morning News, The Digital Bits, DVD Review, DVD File, Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter, The Movie Guys, The New Movie Show, Video Business Magazine and Video Store Magazine.DVD Festival 2001 sponsors include Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Columbia Tristar Home Video, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Video, and Warner Home Video/HBO Home Video. Taking place concurrent with (but not affiliated with) the popular Consumer Electronics Show, the VSDA Convention's Home Entertainment Expo & DVD Festival 2001 features an all new Expo Floor with over 200 exhibitors, a full day of ""need-to-know"" business seminars on January 6, one day before the Convention opens - for a total of four full days of education, new DVD products galore, program suppliers, buyers from a broad range of storefront and online retailers, filmmakers of the future, digital delivery decision makers, parties and other networking events, as well as plenty of other profitable opportunities. This is the only convention that brings the big business of home entertainment under one roof, at the spacious Venetian Hotel/Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.homeentertainmentevents.com.

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