Company to connect with independent filmmakers via multiple forums

Avid Technology, Inc. today announced plans for a series of technology forums, training sessions, workshops, film screenings, and Avid-sponsored educational events at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. One of the premiere venues in the world to showcase the best and latest work of independent filmmakers, the Sundance Film Festival is scheduled to take place January 20-30 in Park City, Utah.

"We are delighted to have Avid on board at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival," said Ian Calderon, director of Digital Initiatives for the Sundance Institute. "For the past 11 years, Avid has consistently demonstrated its commitment to Sundance and to the independent community by delivering technology relevant for major features and independent productions. Avid's passion and commitment to the craft of filmmaking and to the Sundance Film Festival speaks for itself."

In the Sundance Digital Center, Avid will showcase the filmmaking features of its Avid Xpress Pro HD and Avid Xpress Pro digital nonlinear editing systems. Avid will also offer hands-on training for those systems, including a once-a-day Creative Editing workshop led by Norm Hollyn of the USC School of Cinema/ Television . In addition, Avid will sponsor a number of events, including the X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival and the USC Annual Sundance networking event. Other Avid-related activity at Sundance will include a panel discussion on postproduction topics moderated by Billy Baldwin, owner of New York postproduction facility PostWorks, and featuring Avid principal product designer Michael Phillips; and screenings of highly anticipated, Avid-edited films such as Lonesome Jim, Forty Shades of Blue, Hustle & Flow, Grizzly Man, Thumbsucker, Twist of Fate, ENRON: The Smartest Guys in the Room, 212, Romantico, and Why We Fight.

"Sundance presents a great opportunity for us to reach out to the independent film community in a variety of ways - from providing training on Avid systems to demonstrating our latest products at the Sundance Digital Center," said Phillips. "We're eager to showcase a range of our most recent technology innovations, including upcoming features planned for our Avid Xpress Pro HD system that we're designing specifically for independent filmmakers. We're also proud that many of this year's most anticipated film submissions were edited on Avid systems. These films cover a lot of ground, technically and stylistically, and the fact that they were created with systems from Avid validates our longstanding commitment to deliver high-performing, affordable tools to the indie film community."

In addition to the Avid Xpress Pro systems that Avid will demonstrate at the Digital Media Center, HP will also showcase Avid Media Composer Adrenaline HD and Avid Xpress Pro HD systems in its booth. The Avid systems in the HP booth will be running on HP xw4200 workstations.

About Avid Technology, Inc.Avid Technology, Inc. is the world leader in digital nonlinear media creation, management, and distribution solutions, enabling film, video, audio, animation, games, and broadcast professionals to work more efficiently, productively, and creatively.

For more information about the company's Oscar(R), Grammy(R), and Emmy(R) award-winning products and services, please visit: www.avid.com.

fonte:digitalproducer.com