Play and Softimage Announce Strategic Relationship at NAB

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, APRIL 15TH, 1996 - SOFTIMAGE, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Microsoft, and PLAY INCORPORATED today announced at the National
Association of Broadcasters convention a strategic relationship to deliver
a real-time, Windows NT-based, broadcast quality video production
solution. The first products from these efforts are being previewed at the
convention and are expected to ship by the end of 1996.

The two companies have worked together to merge professional video
production software from Softimage, code-named Digital Studio, and Play's
high-performance Trinity hardware and software products into a complete
digital media authoring solution.

"The combination of Trinity and Digital Studio moves Windows NT-based PCs
to the cutting edge of broadcast video production," said Daniel Langlois,
a senior director at Microsoft and founder of Softimage. Paul Montgomery,
President of Play, agreed: "What previously required a room full of
dedicated, high-end graphics workstations and custom video gear can now be
accomplished for the first time on a personal computer."

Digital Studio is a revolutionary nonlinear editing environment that
integrates complete toolsets for video and audio production and post
production professionals. These tools include nonlinear video editing,
compositing, audio production, paint, titling, special effects and project
management software tools. It merges tasks which previously required many
separate software applications into a single authoring system with one
unified graphical user interface. Digital Studio is fully resolution
independent, allowing it to be used in a wide range of projects, from
broadcast video production to feature film creation. It brings advanced
capabilities such as image stabilization, motion tracking, and 3D paint
for the first time to a wide range of digital content producers.

Play's Trinity, with prices starting at less than US$10k, offers real-time
digital video and audio production system for Windows-based PCs. Trinity
consists of both a modular hardware architecture and a real-time software
system. Trinity's hardware performs unique real- time digital video
effects, such as warping video onto 3D shapes, with virtual light sources,
shadows, and reflections. It also provides a chroma keyer, video switcher,
graphics engine, audio mixer, audio effects, and an uncompressed video
disk storage system. Trinity software includes Panamation, a paint,
animation, and compositing system, as well as a character generator,
timeline-based linear editor, and a custom video effects creation
package.

Play and Softimage also announced a collaboration in the area of synthetic
set tools, which allow live actors to be placed into and interact with
virtual environments in real-time. These efforts merge Softimage's
real-time 3D technology with Trinity's real-time video processing
abilities to create computer-generated sets for video production. These
products are expected to ship by the end of 1996.

Founded in 1986, Softimage develops software for media-rich applications
including video, film, interactive games and CD-ROM applications. Products
include Softimage 3D (high-end animation), Softimage Eddie(tm)
(compositing) and Softimage Toonz (2D cel animation). The company was
acquired in 1994 by Microsoft Corp.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of
products and services for business and personal use, each designed with
the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take
advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Play Incorporated is a privately held corporation, founded in 1994 by video
industry pioneers including many of the people behind the Emmy
award-winning Video Toaster and ex-Grass Valley Group engineers with the
goal of bringing broadcast television production power to personal
computers. Play's first product, the Snappy Video Snapshot, is currently
the nation's best-selling video add-on for Windows-based PCs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT ANDREW MACKLES AT SOFTIMAGE, AT 503.225.0725
OR SUSANNA MAJERNIK AT PLAY, 916.306.7529.
 
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