Press Release!

CONTACTS:

Bob Skidmore, President, Media Concepts, Inc.

(727) 321-2122 Ext. 210

Steve McAuliffe, V. P., Sales & Marketing, JMC Communities

(727) 823-0022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

"DVD SELLS THE VIEW WITHOUT THE BUILDING"

ST. PETERSBURG, FL:

MEDIA CONCEPTS, INC., and JMC COMMUNITIES, in a joint undertaking, have added a new dimension to preselling luxury high-rise condominiums by showing breathtaking scenic views from each residence prior to construction. 

This was accomplished by what industry sources say appears to be the first major application of DVD-VIDEO for non-theatrical purposes.   Panoramic video from each of the 51 residences presents the specific view that owners will experience in their new home at FLORENCIA, a Mediterranean-style building under construction on the site of the former landmark Soreno Hotel. The residences range in price from $400,000 to $1.8 million and overlook St. Petersburg's waterfront and downtown cityscape.  With amenities that include a two-story lobby, twenty-four hour concierge and communication links that include Cat 5 and R-6 wiring, Roadrunner and satellite dish connections for the digital future, the view becomes a decisive feature in the selection process. For the first time, the prospective buyer can literally test drive all the choices without an existing structure. 

J. Michael Cheezem, CEO, JMC Communities said, "We pride ourselves in being leaders in cutting edge technology. It was a natural for us to find a solution."  Media Concepts, Inc., a well-established video production company, was contacted to provide the answer. 

Bob Skidmore, President, Media Concepts, Inc., said, "We saw this as a challenge. Digital video has made a lot of things possible. My answer was to shoot short sequences of both the Eastern and Western views from each apartment. Since we are a full digital facility we could maintain the quality during shooting and post-production and then transfer the final edited product to a DVD-VIDEO disk."  The DVD-VIDEO disk has only been marketed in the past few months and therefore its use has been limited to selected motion picture and other entertainment titles. DVD permits various segments to be selected from on-screen menus for instantaneous viewing.  A new generation 42" diagonal television display called Plasma screen, with a 16:9 aspect ratio as opposed to the standard 4:3 ratio, is used to display the DVD for realistic panoramic viewing.  The 16:9 aspect ratio conforms more to what the eye perceives thus creating a much more realistic picture. The difference is like comparing a magazine's page to a triple page center fold. 

Skidmore went on to say, "We made every effort to maintain accuracy. A 200' crane was brought to the construction site and a cameraman in a bucket was positioned to what would be each of the 51 residences.  Careful attention to every detail was taken to maintaining the same camera position to the horizon and was supervised from a ground monitor screen by director, Gary Sullivan, editor, Tod Bower and JMC's Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Steve McAuliffe."  In the post-production phase, a graphic showing each floor plan and a pointer indicating the position and angle of view were inserted. 

FLORENCIA'S sales office is located adjacent to the construction site.  The video presentation is displayed on the JVC Plasma screen which is less than 6" thick and attached to the wall. A custom wall frame was fabricated to include the DVD player and blend in the entire system with the room's decor. This installation is a true example of how a large screen display can fit into very tight surroundings and still maintain the room's beauty and functionality. 

The use of DVD-VIDEO for this application not only has the benefit of being displayed in a sales office environment, but may also be viewed on many laptop computers having DVD players. This now allows for a more personal one-on-one experience. 

"The customer reaction has been extremely positive", says Patty Leavell, Vice President of Sales at FLORENCIA. "The sales staff has found it an invaluable sales tool to help close the sale. Since the inception of the DVD display, some lower floor buyers have returned to see the views which in one case resulted in a nine floor upgrade." Comments have been everything from, "I can't believe you can show me my view", to, "JMC truly is a leader. They always do things first class!" 

In person or phone interviews can be arranged. Stock footage on Betacam SP of the crane shots and the Plasma Screen in use are available upon request. 

How did we do it?