Liveplanet Chooses Avid and Microsoft as Technology Partners For Project Greenlight

LOS ANGELES, CA. -- LivePlanet and Miramax named Avid Technology,Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID) and Microsoft Corporation as the technologypartners for Project Greenlight - the filmmaking contest, feature film,and behind-the-scenes documentary TV series chronicling the challengesof first-time filmmakers living a dream by making their own film. BothAvid and Microsoft will offer technology capabilities and expertise tothe project.

"With its state-of-the-art postproduction systems, Avid played amajor behind-the-scenes role in the first Project Greenlight, and weare pleased they are joining us again for the second year in a row,"said Chris Moore, co-founder of LivePlanet and executive producer ofProject Greenlight. "This year, we are fortunate to welcome anotherindustry leader to the team, in the form of Microsoft's Windows Media 9Series, which will enable us to not only show top quality video on oursite, but also let the producing team review dailies from the film indigital format over the Web." "Project Greenlight gives aspiringfilmmakers unprecedented opportunities to fulfill theirchance-of-a-lifetime dreams," said Jonathan Usher, director of theWindows Digital Media Digital Division at Microsoft. "This is aterrific way to apply the cost-effectiveness and the high audio andvideo quality of Windows Media 9 Series online, on the set and intheaters."

As with last year's contest, LivePlanet and Miramax will use itsall-Avid postproduction suite to create the HBO documentary series, andthe final contest winner will use an Avid Film Composer system forediting the feature film, scheduled for release by Miramax in 2003.This year, Avid will also hold a storytelling/filmmaking workshop forthe director and screenwriter finalists, and will award specialIndependent Filmmaker prize packages, featuring its hot-selling AvidXpress DV video editing software.

"We look forward to another successful year working with Avid onProject Greenlight," said Matt Damon, co-founder of LivePlanet andexecutive producer of Project Greenlight. "Avid is key in all areas ofProject Greenlight - we create the TV series with Avid, we edit thefilm with Avid, and we even compress video for the website withAvid."

"Avid shares LivePlanet's vision to provide a springboard forthousands of independent filmmakers who are the award-winningscriptwriters, directors, producers and editors of tomorrow," saidSteve Gray, vice president of marketing for Avid. "For Avid, ProjectGreenlight is a unique opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to theseindependent filmmakers while also working alongside a talentedLivePlanet team as they pioneer new forms of entertainment."

Windows Media 9 Series technology is used in a number of ways forProject Greenlight. During production, the film crew will reviewdailies with a solution from Sample Digital Inc., powered by WindowsMedia 9 Series. Project Greenlight will also use the high quality ofWindows Media Audio and Video 9 Series technology to encode the filmfor digital screenings in select commercial theaters. For onlineviewers, LivePlanet will use Windows Media 9 Series to make ProjectGreenlight finalists' submissions available via stream and downloadfrom the highly trafficked Web site, www.projectgreenlight.com.

Windows Media 9 Series technology offers a quick, easy andinexpensive solution that enables film directors, producers and studioexecutives to review and collaborate on time-sensitive "dailies" -footage of the latest day's shooting - via the Internet. For theatricaldistribution, Windows Media 9 Series allows filmmakers and distributorsto reduce expenditures while providing high quality audio and videoexperiences for moviegoers.

More information about Project Greenlight, including contestoverview and Official Rules, can be found atwww.projectgreenlight.com.

About Project Greenlight

Project Greenlight, presented by Blockbuster Inc., gives aspiringfilmmakers access to independent filmmaking through an onlinecommunity, a film, and a television documentary series. ProjectGreenlight holds a contest where an amateur writer and an amateurdirector get to make an original film together. Miramax Films financesproduction of the film with a minimum $1 million production budget, andreleases it in theaters. An HBO documentary series shows the entirefilmmaking process, from the selection of the script, throughproduction and editing, to the film's theatrical run. In addition tothe contest, the Project Greenlight community provides a forum forscreenwriters and filmmakers to work on their ideas and gain knowledgein a peer-to-peer environment. Blockbuster Inc. is the exclusivepresenting sponsor of Project Greenlight.

About Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology, Inc. delivers the solutions that Make, Manage andMove Media. As a recognized digital standard for professionals who Makethe world's media -- from video, audio and film to animation, specialeffects and streaming media -- Avid's products are used to make moretelevision and news shows, commercials, music videos and CDs,corporate/industrial productions and major motion pictures combinedthan any other nonlinear editing manufacturer in the world. Building onits award-winning heritage, which includes several Emmy awards as wellas an Oscar statuette representing the 1998 Scientific and TechnicalAward for the concept, design and engineering of the Avid Film Composersystem for motion picture editing, Avid is extending its reach byredefining how digital media is shared, stored and distributed.

To Manage today's increasingly rich collection of dynamic media,Avid provides powerful servers, networks and media tools to helpcustomers search files, share media and collaborate on new productions,both locally and globally. Avid's solutions also empower users toeasily Move media, whether on air, over cable or satellite or throughthe Internet. Like no other media company today, Avid's end-to-endsolutions span the continuum of media creation, management anddistribution. The company's corporate headquarters are located inTewksbury, MA. More information about Avid is available atwww.avid.com.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leaderin software, services and Internet technologies for personal andbusiness computing. The company offers a wide range of products andservices designed to empower people through great software -- any time,any place and on any device. If you are interested in viewingadditional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Webpage at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft's corporateinformation pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correctat time of publication, but may since have changed. For additionalassistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's RapidResponse Team or other appropriate contacts listed athttp://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.asp. Team> foradditional assistance.

About LivePlanet

LivePlanet creates entertainment experiences that break down thebarriers between traditional media, new media, and the physical world.LivePlanet calls this new kind of entertainment experience "integratedmedia." Ben Affleck, Sean Bailey, Matt Damon, and Chris Moore foundedLivePlanet in June 2000. 2002 Avid Technology, Inc. All rightsreserved. Product specifications and availability are subject to changewithout notice. Avid, Film Composer, Avid Xpress, and Make, Manage andMove Media are either registered trademarks or trademarks of AvidTechnology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All othertrademarks contained herein are the property of their respectiveowners.