ZOO Digital Group
Encyclopedia
ZOO Digital Group Plc
is a provider of creative media services and software for the film industry
. The business works with major film studios to deliver creative media for printed materials and audio-visual content. Its market-leading proprietary software
offers media companies considerable cost savings and reduces time to market.
ZOO employs over 100 staff in its office locations in the UK
and US
. The Company is headquartered in Sheffield
, UK, where it operates its software product development facility. ZOO’s commercial centre and production facility are based in Los Angeles, California
, from which it operates teams engaged in providing creative and production services for clients primarily in the entertainment industry. The Los Angeles location places ZOO close to the major Hollywood studios, a number of which are significant customers.
and set-top boxes. Its work in the field of media transformation began in 2003 as a result of an exploratory project to identify more efficient processes for assembling interactive video
content on DVD
and other platforms.
The company pioneered the development of rich interactive media
for inclusion on DVD-Video discs, opening up a range of new applications of this format in the areas of casual gaming
, entertainment, marketing
and education
. Through the use of its proprietary software, ZOO has been either directly or indirectly responsible for a wide range of consumer products created on behalf of international media companies including Universal Pictures
, EMI
, Mattel
, Hasbro
and Warner Bros.
Over a number of years, ZOO engaged with toy
companies, DVD game publishers and Hollywood Studios to produce award-winning DVD games for all ages. ZOO’s approach combined the creative and technical elements when producing a game in order to ensure the highest quality, best value and most compelling experience.
ZOO’s innovative DVD software provided inroads into major video publishers including a number of Hollywood studios with which ZOO began working in 2005 on a number of new initiatives. ZOO’s strength lies in analysing current practices, methods and workflows for media transformation and identifying alternative approaches where software automation
and centralization of processes can bring significant benefits. This has been brought to bear on a number of activities that take place during the complex process of creating media products for international release.
In 2006 ZOO created software to automate the regionalization of video title content into multiple languages. This software is now being used by organizations within Hollywood to reduce the costs and time-to-market of international marketing campaigns where it provides ZOO with a recurring revenue stream
.
In 2007 the company’s media transformation suite was broadened to support the preparation of the digital data incorporated on DVD-Video discs to ensure compliance with exacting technical specifications and demanding customer requirements. This software is now used by leading Hollywood studios to create video
titles for worldwide release, reducing the time taken by as much as 90%, and generating recurring revenue
s for ZOO. Studios benefit from reduced costs, shorter time to market, greater reliability and ease of production. In some cases administrators employed by the studios are now performing production functions that hitherto were outsourced to skilled and experienced technical experts.
In August 2007 ZOO acquired the business assets of Scope Seven Inc, a DVD services specialist based in El Segundo, California
. This enabled ZOO to broaden its offering to include creative and production services aligned with its proprietary software, providing an attractive mix of software and service. The group has since been fully integrated and now operates as the implementation services arm of ZOO Digital. Scope Seven served the entertainment sector from the inception of the DVD format, with clients including Warner Home Video
, 20th Century Fox
, NBC Universal
, HBO and the BBC
, amongst many others.
ZOO’s media transformation capabilities were extended still further in 2008 with the development of software system
s to support the automated adaptation of print media into different languages, formats and sizes. This capability is applicable to any company engaged in international marketing campaigns and enables the time and cost associated with production of adapted elements to be reduced by up to 50%. These systems are now in use by and on behalf of major Hollywood studios to create product packaging, poster
s, point of purchase and other print artwork
across multiple languages, and provide recurring revenue to ZOO.
In 2009 ZOO’s product suite was extended further with its first on-demand solution – the Translation Management System (TMS). This system is used to manage and co-ordinate international marketing campaigns, including the translation
of text into over 60 languages, and is fully integrated with ZOO’s desktop software tools. The TMS is licensed on a “Software as a service
” basis, generating recurring revenues.
Over several years of working closely with leading film studios ZOO has benefited from the experience of dealing first hand with the complex product development and marketing programmes that are typical in the entertainment industry. These insights have allowed the company to identify opportunities for new software systems that automate and centralise workflow
s and processes, enabling ZOO to create attractive propositions for its customer
s that are priced to provide time and cost savings while generating recurring revenues for ZOO.
Media Adaptation – post-processing of graphical designs created in industry-standard applications (including Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and AfterEffects) to automatically substitute and reformat using alternative text and other graphical elements.
Templated Authoring – automated authoring of video-based content for industry standard formats based on template definitions to ensure strict adherence to studio guidelines and conventions.
Interactive Authoring – automated production of multiple design elements and programming necessary to support the delivery of interactive content on a variety of platforms including DVD and Blu-ray Disc.
Translation Management – workflow system to support the identification of translation requirements and the management of the translation and approval processes.
Through its Los Angeles
based facility and also in conjunction with international business partner
s, ZOO provides a range of complementary services that includes:
DVD compression and authoring – the preparation of digital assets and the combining of multiple elements to meet the technical specifications of the DVD format for standard definition video. Automation is used to support templated production so that video titles that comply with studio designs and requirements can be created easily and efficiently.
Blu-ray compression and authoring – similar to the above but based upon the Blu-ray Disc format for high definition video.
DVD menu regionalization – the creation of multiple language variants of original designs used within the development of DVD titles. ZOO’s automation software enables the regionalization process to be highly automated.
Blu-ray menu regionalization – similar to the above but based upon the Blu-ray Disc format, which is significantly more complex.
Pre-media production – preparation of materials for print or internet
use through transformation of existing designs. This embraces both regionalization for multiple languages and local conventions (for example, in relation to logos and legal notices), and also adaptation of one document profile to another (for example, from US letter to A4 layout).
Design services – a range of services relating to the design of digital media
, most usually interactive entertainment content for DVD, Blu-ray Disc and set-top boxes. ZOO’s automation software simplifies the creation of the design elements and programming necessary to deliver interactive content.
Consulting – analysis of client workflows and processes to evaluate opportunities to improve efficiencies through the use of automation and other software-assisted approaches.
Post-production – a range of services to repurpose content and create new derivative versions, such as Electronic Press Kits
, using automation where appropriate.
PLC
-Business:* Public limited company, a type of limited company whose shares may be sold to the public* Program length commercial, or infomercial* Product life cycle, the succession of stages a product goes through...
is a provider of creative media services and software for the film industry
Film industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
. The business works with major film studios to deliver creative media for printed materials and audio-visual content. Its market-leading proprietary software
Proprietary software
Proprietary software is computer software licensed under exclusive legal right of the copyright holder. The licensee is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification, further distribution, or reverse engineering.Complementary...
offers media companies considerable cost savings and reduces time to market.
ZOO employs over 100 staff in its office locations in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Company is headquartered in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, UK, where it operates its software product development facility. ZOO’s commercial centre and production facility are based in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, from which it operates teams engaged in providing creative and production services for clients primarily in the entertainment industry. The Los Angeles location places ZOO close to the major Hollywood studios, a number of which are significant customers.
History
ZOO Digital Group was founded by in 2001 through a merger of two UK businesses – Kazoo3D plc and ZOO Media Corporation Ltd. – with an initial focus on the development of entertainment software across a variety of platforms including the internetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and set-top boxes. Its work in the field of media transformation began in 2003 as a result of an exploratory project to identify more efficient processes for assembling interactive video
Interactive video
The term interactive video usually refers to a technique used to blend interaction and linear film or video.-Interactive video on broadband:Since 2005, interactive video has increased online as the result a number of factors including:...
content on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and other platforms.
The company pioneered the development of rich interactive media
Interactive media
Interactive media normally refers to products and services on digital computer-based systems which respond to the user’s actions by presenting content such as text, graphics, animation, video, audio, etc.-Terminology:...
for inclusion on DVD-Video discs, opening up a range of new applications of this format in the areas of casual gaming
Casual game
A casual game is a video game targeted at or used by a mass audience of casual gamers. Casual games can have any type of gameplay, and fit in any genre. They are typically distinguished by their simple rules and lack of commitment required in contrast to more complex hardcore games...
, entertainment, marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
and education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
. Through the use of its proprietary software, ZOO has been either directly or indirectly responsible for a wide range of consumer products created on behalf of international media companies including Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
, EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
, Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
and Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
Over a number of years, ZOO engaged with toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
companies, DVD game publishers and Hollywood Studios to produce award-winning DVD games for all ages. ZOO’s approach combined the creative and technical elements when producing a game in order to ensure the highest quality, best value and most compelling experience.
ZOO’s innovative DVD software provided inroads into major video publishers including a number of Hollywood studios with which ZOO began working in 2005 on a number of new initiatives. ZOO’s strength lies in analysing current practices, methods and workflows for media transformation and identifying alternative approaches where software automation
Automation
Automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the production of goods and services. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization...
and centralization of processes can bring significant benefits. This has been brought to bear on a number of activities that take place during the complex process of creating media products for international release.
In 2006 ZOO created software to automate the regionalization of video title content into multiple languages. This software is now being used by organizations within Hollywood to reduce the costs and time-to-market of international marketing campaigns where it provides ZOO with a recurring revenue stream
Revenue stream
A revenue stream is a form of revenue. Revenue streams refer specifically to the individual methods by which money comes into a company. Revenue streams may be characterized...
.
In 2007 the company’s media transformation suite was broadened to support the preparation of the digital data incorporated on DVD-Video discs to ensure compliance with exacting technical specifications and demanding customer requirements. This software is now used by leading Hollywood studios to create video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
titles for worldwide release, reducing the time taken by as much as 90%, and generating recurring revenue
Revenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
s for ZOO. Studios benefit from reduced costs, shorter time to market, greater reliability and ease of production. In some cases administrators employed by the studios are now performing production functions that hitherto were outsourced to skilled and experienced technical experts.
In August 2007 ZOO acquired the business assets of Scope Seven Inc, a DVD services specialist based in El Segundo, California
El Segundo, California
El Segundo is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located on the Santa Monica Bay, it was incorporated on January 18, 1917, and is one of the Beach Cities of Los Angeles County and part of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments...
. This enabled ZOO to broaden its offering to include creative and production services aligned with its proprietary software, providing an attractive mix of software and service. The group has since been fully integrated and now operates as the implementation services arm of ZOO Digital. Scope Seven served the entertainment sector from the inception of the DVD format, with clients including Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
, 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
, NBC Universal
NBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
, HBO and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, amongst many others.
ZOO’s media transformation capabilities were extended still further in 2008 with the development of software system
Software system
A software system is a system based on software forming part of a computer system . The term "software system" is often used as a synonym of computer program or software; is related to the application of systems theory approaches in software engineering context and are used to study large and...
s to support the automated adaptation of print media into different languages, formats and sizes. This capability is applicable to any company engaged in international marketing campaigns and enables the time and cost associated with production of adapted elements to be reduced by up to 50%. These systems are now in use by and on behalf of major Hollywood studios to create product packaging, poster
Poster
A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be...
s, point of purchase and other print artwork
Work of art
A work of art, artwork, art piece, or art object is an aesthetic item or artistic creation.The term "a work of art" can apply to:*an example of fine art, such as a painting or sculpture*a fine work of architecture or landscape design...
across multiple languages, and provide recurring revenue to ZOO.
In 2009 ZOO’s product suite was extended further with its first on-demand solution – the Translation Management System (TMS). This system is used to manage and co-ordinate international marketing campaigns, including the translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
of text into over 60 languages, and is fully integrated with ZOO’s desktop software tools. The TMS is licensed on a “Software as a service
Software as a Service
Software as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...
” basis, generating recurring revenues.
Over several years of working closely with leading film studios ZOO has benefited from the experience of dealing first hand with the complex product development and marketing programmes that are typical in the entertainment industry. These insights have allowed the company to identify opportunities for new software systems that automate and centralise workflow
Workflow
A workflow consists of a sequence of connected steps. It is a depiction of a sequence of operations, declared as work of a person, a group of persons, an organization of staff, or one or more simple or complex mechanisms. Workflow may be seen as any abstraction of real work...
s and processes, enabling ZOO to create attractive propositions for its customer
Customer
A customer is usually used to refer to a current or potential buyer or user of the products of an individual or organization, called the supplier, seller, or vendor. This is typically through purchasing or renting goods or services...
s that are priced to provide time and cost savings while generating recurring revenues for ZOO.
Products and services overview
ZOO’s proprietary media transformation software suite is a modular system that delivers significant efficiencies in a number of areas including:Media Adaptation – post-processing of graphical designs created in industry-standard applications (including Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and AfterEffects) to automatically substitute and reformat using alternative text and other graphical elements.
Templated Authoring – automated authoring of video-based content for industry standard formats based on template definitions to ensure strict adherence to studio guidelines and conventions.
Interactive Authoring – automated production of multiple design elements and programming necessary to support the delivery of interactive content on a variety of platforms including DVD and Blu-ray Disc.
Translation Management – workflow system to support the identification of translation requirements and the management of the translation and approval processes.
Through its Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
based facility and also in conjunction with international business partner
Business partner
Business partner is a term used to denote a commercial entity with which another commercial entity has some form of alliance. This relationship may be a highly contractual, exclusive bond in which both entities commit not to ally with third parties...
s, ZOO provides a range of complementary services that includes:
DVD compression and authoring – the preparation of digital assets and the combining of multiple elements to meet the technical specifications of the DVD format for standard definition video. Automation is used to support templated production so that video titles that comply with studio designs and requirements can be created easily and efficiently.
Blu-ray compression and authoring – similar to the above but based upon the Blu-ray Disc format for high definition video.
DVD menu regionalization – the creation of multiple language variants of original designs used within the development of DVD titles. ZOO’s automation software enables the regionalization process to be highly automated.
Blu-ray menu regionalization – similar to the above but based upon the Blu-ray Disc format, which is significantly more complex.
Pre-media production – preparation of materials for print or internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
use through transformation of existing designs. This embraces both regionalization for multiple languages and local conventions (for example, in relation to logos and legal notices), and also adaptation of one document profile to another (for example, from US letter to A4 layout).
Design services – a range of services relating to the design of digital media
Digital media
Digital media is a form of electronic media where data is stored in digital form. It can refer to the technical aspect of storage and transmission Digital media is a form of electronic media where data is stored in digital (as opposed to analog) form. It can refer to the technical aspect of...
, most usually interactive entertainment content for DVD, Blu-ray Disc and set-top boxes. ZOO’s automation software simplifies the creation of the design elements and programming necessary to deliver interactive content.
Consulting – analysis of client workflows and processes to evaluate opportunities to improve efficiencies through the use of automation and other software-assisted approaches.
Post-production – a range of services to repurpose content and create new derivative versions, such as Electronic Press Kits
Electronic Press Kit
An electronic press kit is a press kit equivalent in electronic form. An EPK usually takes the form of a website or e-mail, though they are also known to exist in CD and DVD form....
, using automation where appropriate.