DVD Goes Philanthropic with 9/11 Telethon

by Larry Jaffee

(Dec. 2001) New York -- The DVD for the all-star telethon concert America: A Tribute to Heroes in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks serves as a fitting example of how well music and the format can work together.

The disc, released by Warner Bros. Records on Dec. 4, is a collaborative project orchestrated by the five major music companies (Bertelsmann Music Group, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group). Interscope Records is separately releasing the same day a two-CD set of the event.

The net proceeds from the DVD and CD will go directly to the United Way's September 11 Telethon Fund. The releases are intended to maintain the fundraising momentum of the Sept. 21, 2001 simulcast fundraiser that was organized by the four major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC) and carried on more than 35 U.S. broadcast and cable television networks, 8,000 radio stations and provided to television outlets in more than 210 countries.

Everyone involved in the concert, including 50 musicians and actors, donated their talents, their time and their services. For the DVD, New York-based Metropolis DVD donated its DVD design and authoring services.

Metropolis DVD president David Anthony said his company was enlisted for the telethon project by Warner Bros. Records, for whom it had produced other music DVDs for such artists as Linkin Park.

"We felt pretty honored that we could contribute something that we are good at," Anthony said.

Metropolis DVD collaborated with Warner Brothers Records in the conceptualization and execution of the project. Metropolis is handling all aspects of the DVD's authoring, menu and technical features design, and user interface production.

An additional feature of the DVD will be an online disaster-relief resource guide that users can access through their PCs while viewing the DVD. The web connectivity feature was developed in conjunction with InterActual.

Metropolis DVD received the video master two to three weeks after the Sept. 21 concert and immediately devoted six to seven employees for preparation of the material. By completion, 18 Metropolis DVD staff were involved in the disc, which required five sets of subtitles.

"We were under the gun, going around the clock to get it done as soon as humanly possible," Anthony said.

But putting it all in perspective, he commented, "Our contributions pale by comparison to all the people working at the [World Trade Center] site."