Meet the Graphic Design Dream Team

Behind the scenes at Video Labs sits our Graphic Design Dream Team, a pair of whizzes whose combined skill set forms the crossroads of our production flow. With the creativity of designers, technical resources of a print shop, and our reknowned customer service, Robert Long II along with Randall Thomas are at the heart of a growing graphic design department where your projects come together. With the recent addition of a state-of-the-art iMac, several high-end digital color printers and other upgrades, our graphics department offers full-service solutions --from creative concept to printing to media packaging.

Robert Long II joined Video Labs four years ago. A native of Davenport, IA, Robert has brought over thirty years of experience in professional illustration and design into our mix. Also a skilled cartoonist, we've enjoyed Rob's drawings on the pages of this newsletter. His creative evolution includes work as an actor, filmmaker and rock musician, all of which have added to his skill set as a professional graphic designer.

Department supervisor Randall Thomas began working in our broadcast services group 14 years ago, but he found his true calling in the graphic design department as our jack-of-all-trades. Randy is a true problem solver who has mastered many complex graphic design software programs while also managing our IT issues. We count on Randy's creative solutions when problematic design issues crop up.

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Video Labs is a media services & distribution facility. With ever-expanding capabilities & capacity, we offer:

Creative services and post production
Replication & duplication - CD, DVD & Blu-ray
Print & media packaging, distribution & fulfillment
HD & SD broadcast tape duplication services including captioning, subtitling & SpoTrac encoding

In response to customer demand, Video Labs has recently expanded data loading & USB duplication services. Portability, capacity and ease of use offered on Flash drives continue to expand as media costs have become more reliable. Video Labs has supported data loading for clients with software applications, medical research and promotional media.

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And now, a word or two about hot weather. . .
Kids & Summer Jobs

"Are your kids asking for some extra cash? Check out my ideas for young folks to make some extra money for that summer vacation, new iPod, Wii game, movies or savings."
- Valerie Yoscak, Senior Account Representative & World's Best Aunt

Babysitting - Learn how to get certified.
Yard work - Cut grass and gardening. Create a flyer and share with neighbors and friends.
Assistant with your local landscape company.
Yard Sale - Help by cleaning out the closets, basement, attic and garage.
Lemonade Stand - Great idea for those hot summer days.
Car Wash - Are the kids bored yet? Have some fun with friends washing your neighbor's BMW.
Bake Sale - Who can resist homemade cookies & brownies?
Walk dogs/Pet Care- Neighbors on vacation may need help with dog/cat sitting.
Data Entry - Every office needs help with computer input.
Re-apply at previous summer employment.
Seek volunteer work and get "paid" with Student Service Learning Hours for school.

Before your kids seek employment, check out federal and state laws for minimum age requirements. This blog has tips, laws and additional ideas.
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=eutcbvdab.0.0.cnb4necab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.usa.gov%2Froller%2Fgovgab%2Fentry%2Fsummer_jobs_for_kids&id=preview

Be safe and enjoy your summer!
Video Labs
15237 Display Court
Rockville, MD 20850
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=eutcbvdab.0.0.cnb4necab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.videolabs.net%2F&id=preview

Volcano provides opp for us to help client

We sympathize with our friends in Europe who have been affected by the eruption of the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, in Iceland. (pronunciation guide from NPR blog: http://tinyurl.com/y6p23hp)

(Background story from Washington Post: http://tinyurl.com/26bbn92)

We also are pleased that we were able to help out a new client to whom we were referred.

With air traffic stymied, a London-based international publishing entity found themselves not being assured that they'd be able to get packaged CD units shipped from Europe to their high-powered conference taking place in DC.

Quick-turn was essential, as well as our standard attention to detail.

Account manager David Ryan dryan@videolabs.net shepherded this order on Video Labs' side.

So the London team uploaded the content and artwork files to us, and we proceeded to make the final units.

All good . . . 1,000 deliverables . . . ready ahead of schedule.

We appreciated the opportunity to be of service!

Blu-ray Disc - It's Not Just For Hollywood

Here at Video Labs, the warm weather has blossomed into a deluge of Blu-ray projects. What accounts for the upswing? While it's difficult to pinpoint any one category, there are some trends on the rise in the DC market. Our customers have brought us a variety of interesting and challenging projects - everything from data archiving to full length features.

Film Festivals
Film festival season is upon us and, for some local filmmakers, Blu-ray Disc offers some great advantages for gaining entry into the most prestigious festivals. Jeff Colburn of Patriot Film Studios told us that, "With the advancement of High Definition cameras, technology is now affordable for the independent filmmaker to shoot at 1080p or greater. With our film, we utilized the RED camera and shot at 4K. Some film festivals allow you to submit Blu-ray, but most still only allow DVD screeners. Hopefully, more festivals will accept Blu-ray submissions in the near future as it's almost a disservice to show your film (even) at 720p. So much is lost." We worked with Jeff on mastering Devil's Racecourse in both DVD and Blu-ray. He also commented, "Once selected, many festivals support HDCam for actual screenings as well."

Marketing and Promotion
Marketing groups for our local broadcasters have recently added Blu-ray Discs to their outreach efforts, especially when targeting TV critics for their premiere shows. We're also seeing requests for use at trade shows, museum kiosks and conferences where widescreen monitors are now the norm. But, even with a small duplication order, Video Labs stocks a variety of packaging and printing options including Blu-ray branded cases and our high quality color thermal printing. To expedite orders, we have increased our capacity for this format.

Professional Demos and Proposals
If you're working on your next career milestone, we're prepared to help. How better to showcase your skill set if you're working in HD? Consider that decision makers may be viewing your work on a 46" LCD screen. Recently, we created a Blu-ray master that was included with a bid proposal - the advanced Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound really highlighted this contractor's talent in audio engineering and sound design.

Archiving and Records Management
Blu-ray is also a terrific storage medium. Unlike portable hard drives which may become damaged or broken, BD works like any data disc, allowing for a secure burn to archive assets and files. Those in the document management field might find them to be a cost-effective, secure storage format. Video Labs stocks 25GB discs and provides image scanning and archiving services for affordable rates.

Stay tuned for more about the unique features of the Blu-ray as it evolves. Just this week, the Blu-ray Disc Association announced the release of the BD-XL, a rewritable disc with capacity of 100GB and a new hybrid format called the IH-BD.

Some leading indicators . . .
What accounts for the uptick? While we can't point to any one reason, here are some converging trends.

> Consumer demand and awareness is on the rise - the unrivaled viewing experience of HD has brought more viewers to the exciting format. The Digital Entertainment Group announced this week that 1st Quarter sales of Blu-ray Discs increased by 74% compared to the same period in 2009.

> Revenue from Blu-ray has been consistently on the rise this year. Consumers have started to explore some the advanced features of BD-Live and Internet Connectivity.
> Cost-efficient authoring solutions like Adobe Encore CS4 have made it easier to handle the production workflow, reducing the cost of mastering. At the same time, the cost of raw materials has been reduced. Video Labs' authoring specialists have found Encore to be an efficient tool for most projects to date. Using it we can easily provide pop-up and motions menus.
> Retail prices for Blu-ray players have fallen - it's not uncommon to find a quality player at a price point of $150.00 - 200.00. This also increases viewership.

To Learn More about Our Multimedia & Broadcast Services:
www.videolabs.net
(800)800-8240
(301)217-0000
sales@videolabs.net

And now, a word or two about Spring . . .

"Use this handy spring guide to get started in your garden. Believe it or not, the key is to avoid getting too impatient and doing certain jobs too soon."
- Valerie Yoscak, Senior Account Representative & Gardening Enthusiast

- Winter Clean Up - Rake your lawn to get rid of dead growth, leaves, twigs and winter debris. This lets the light and air to the soil levels, encouraging new growth.
- Re-seed bare or damaged patches in the lawn.
- Transplant any existing shrubs you want to move before they begin to leaf out.
- Weed beds early - Weeds are easier to pull while their roots are still shallow in early spring.
- Cut back any remaining dead perennial foliage from last season (trimmings can go into compost).
- Cut back ornamental grasses to about 10 inches from the ground.
- Don't plant annuals too early. Save your money and wait until mid May.
- Plan out your garden before heading to your favorite GardenCenter. It will save you money when purchasing your perennials and annuals.
- Stand inside your home and look out the window before planting your perennials and annuals. By doing this so you can enjoy the colors from the inside of your home too.
- Turn on your Ipod station with your favorite selections, plant, mulch and have fun!

Wrappers and Codec's Revealed

Feel like you don't know an .mpg2 from a MP4? Confused? You're not alone.



What the heck is a Codec?
Not long ago, terms such as codec meant little outside of an edit suite
but with a rapidly changing industry, even those trying to download the latest Hollywood blockbuster might need a basic understanding of relevant video terms. Basically, 'codec' is geek speak for "Compressor/Decompressor," which relates to technology that makes video and audio files small enough to travel over the internet or fit into specified parameters. MPEG-2, for example, is the standard codec used for authoring DVDs. The latest, greatest codec on the horizon is known as H.264 (or MPEG-4, Part 10). Developed by Apple, this codec has some amazing advances in compression technology and scalability, making it a fast riser in the industry. It's a 'behind the scenes' file that's incorporated into many new, high-quality video products for use in Blu-ray, iPod, Playstation3 and X-Box 360 players.



About Compression
For compression, we use a wide variety of software at Video Labs
like Apple's Compressor, Adobe Suite, Sorenson, and QuickTime Pro. In the compression process, these tools apply complex algorithmic equations to determine which pixels to keep and which to throw out while still maintaining picture quality. Making the right choices in software settings (frame & bit rate, field settings, etc.) ultimately affects how the video will look once it is decompressed in your player.



What's up with Wrappers and Containers?
Wrappers, also called containers, are the structure that holds everything together in one neat file like, well, a container or wrapper. Commonly, they are referred to by the extension - .avi, .flv, .wmv to name a few. Within the container, you'll find video, audio, color space files & other metadata, all of which function together.



So, it gets a little confusing sometimes . . . that's ok, right?
Here's what makes these terms confusing -- in some instances, containers and codec's have the same or similar names and you can only tell by context what is being referred to. QuickTime, for example, can be referred to as a media file, but it's actually an entire system for digital media - .mov is the container format that holds it all together. To make it more complex, QuickTime can also be used within other container formats including mp4 for iPod.



We hope this has helped to sort things out a little and if not, call on the expertise at Video Labs - we're just an email, tweet or phone call away.

Our Membership Rewards Program is Taking Off!
Take Advantage of 20% off through March 20, 2010


To Learn More about Our Multimedia & Broadcast Services:

(800)800-8240
(301)217-0000
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103157469839&s=3&e=001Xbja-vW_fZXPSC5wubTsFd9LxXY2mCwtRqJOO3BMfFO-fIpMmydJKCj8cXcGlrN_DMqr8Ztdh5dsLv9CeydqVNBdGt96U27Menfhtfc3gjQSA-HaWAPrDg==
smailto:sales@videolabs.net
15237 Display Court
Rockville, MD 20850

Video Labs Introduces Membership Program

The more you spend, the more you earn.

A five minute call to Video Labs will save you money on future
services. We'll deposit 1% in your account which can be
used for free editing, authoring or graphic design services.

Join by March 20, 2010 and Save 20%

"True membership should have value and rewards. Video Labs has always recognized favorable relationships and now offers its clients another opportunity to enhance its collective connection. Our exclusive membership program is designed to provide clients with unique and valuable services that can be used to better serve their businesses." ~ Mike Weiss, CEO, Video Labs

Bronze Program
> * Free graphic design, editing or authoring services equal to 1% of
purchases during your membership period
> (25) duplicated DVDs with color print
> One Blu-ray or DVD master with static menu from your provided
content

Silver Program
> * Free graphic design, editing or authoring services equal to 1%
of purchases during your membership period
> Creation of up to 30 second video marketing demo (from provided content)
> (50) duplicated DVDs with color print
> Inclusion of your article in an upcoming Video Labs newsletter
(writing support provided)

Platinum Program
> * Free graphic design, editing or authoring services equal to 1%
of purchases during your membership period
> Creation of up to a two minute video marketing demo (from provided
content)
> (75) duplicated DVDs with color print
> Inclusion of your article in an upcoming Video Labs newsletter (writing
support provided)

Contact Video Labs today for Membership Rates

(800)800-8240
(301)217-0000
http://www.videolabs.net/

sales@videolabs.net

* Spending $10,000 during the membership period, for example, will entitle you to $100 worth of graphic design, editing or CD/DVD authoring services. Services can be claimed during the 12th month of membership.

Membership is not transferrable without approval from Video Labs.

Membership is for one year period and is renewable. Terms, benefits and fees are subject to change with each membership renewal.

Val's Snow Special; Price Falls With The Snow

Rockville's 12" of snow fall in this latest version of blizzard hell brings you some relief in the form of a 24% (2% per inch) discount on Video Labs creative services (http://tinyurl.com/yejzv6w)(postproduction, authoring, graphic design) through the end of February 2010.



Contact Valerie Yoscak for your discount.



301-217-0000 ext. 115

valerie@videolabs.net

http://www.videolabs.net/

Use All Forms Of Media To Communicate

Let Your Message Evolve. . .

Communicating Your Message
At Video Labs, we love it when a customer stops by to regale us with nostalgic tales of the good old VHS days. The typical comment is, "Can you believe we used to work with VHS?"

We know, we know. Things were so simple back then. These days the media landscape is a vast frontier with many options for communicating your message - online delivery, webinar, social media, high definition videotape, and, of course, optical discs like Blu-ray, DVD and CD. Planning a marketing strategy in this changing economy can be a challenge. So, how should you spend your valuable marketing dollars to convey your message and effectively hit the target audience? Which screen is the best for your message?

Good News - There are Many Eggs for All the Baskets
The American appetite for consuming media has never been greater - Nielsen reports that the average user logged 140 hours of TV, 27 hours of Internet and 3 hours of mobile screen time per month; 57% of consumers reported watching TV while simultaneously online at least once a month. Industry experts have a name for it - "The Three Screens" - TV, computer and mobile device. Based on that, smart marketing includes a comprehensive approach - one version for each screen. Thus, your strategy to convey an important message would be served best by using
multiple media formats, increasing your chances of reaching the audience.

Industry Update - Discs Get You Noticed!
Not so fast! Slow down ! Don't pull the plug on discs yet! While some might say that online delivery of corporate presentations offers the most cost-effective approach, consider some of these recent industry studies.

> For video, DVD is still an industry standard for quality, accessibility and ease of use. While it's been thrilling to see the increase in quality of web-related video, viewing can still be compromised by slow to intermittent connection speeds. In addition, it's difficult to determine if the viewer has proper software to view your video for optimal quality and functionality.

> Standards of quality for online hosting sites have increased as these sites have started to generate revenue from ad sales. Still, most sites restrict video into a browser window where it may sit side-by-side with plenty of other 'stuff' - all of which distract and detract from your message. For educational and training materials, you'll want to keep your viewer's attention as long as possible.

> Industry research indicates that cross-platform users will opt for the'best screen available' when given a choice, making their selection based on quality of screen experience, convenience and availability. Sales of HD TVs are still strong despite the slow consumer market for electronics.

> High quality packaging for disc media offers you an additional opportunity to enhance your message, providing a tangible look and feel. Social media messaging and emails can be easily lost and overlooked in the onslaught of messages that are received but a hard copy disc, nicely presented, may stay on someone's desk with your message front and center.

Communication Connection
The staff at Video Labs advises clients to consider all factors when communicating messages. Before settling on a particular type of media, consider the audience and what action is being asked of them. Video Labs will work with you to ensure the most effective forms of media are being used to communicate your message.

http://www.videolabs.net/
(800)800-8240
(301)217-0000
sales@videolabs.net
15237 Display Court
Rockville, MD 20850