Atari


Memo to Jack Tramiel					cc:  ST, AL, LT
From Dave Schwartz
23 January 1996
re:  Cost and schedule to complete first GameFilm

Dear Jack;

Our first GameFilm is almost done.  To be very specific, that 
means the picture editing is complete.  The remaining work can 
be divided into two categories: Inter-Active Productions Tasks 
and Atari Tasks.  In both categories, I am closely involved with 
all aspects of the work, not because I particularly want my 
thumb in every pie, but because this is a new and unique 
format, invented by yours truly.

Inter-Active Productions Tasks
The tasks described below are all part of the specifications and 
itemization that were included as part of the contract with 
Inter-Active.  The only waffling room they might have is in the 
area of voiceovers and subtitles.

Music composition and performance
The stereo music for the GameFilm must be composed and 
performed onto digital audio tape. 

Sound Effects
The canned sound effects must be selected, synchronized with 
the picture and recorded to digital audio tape.

Dialogue track
The dialogue tracks must be "cleaned" of audio contamination 
and off-camera "wild" lines must be inserted in the correct time 
positions.  Levels will also have to be adjusted.

Voiceover narration
The narration must be scripted, performed and recorded.

Foley
The live sound effects of footsteps, body slams during fights, 
grunts and groans must be spotted, performed and recorded.

Audio mixdown and layback
Once all of the above audio elements are completed, they must 
be mixed down to a stereo soundtrack, except for the narration 
which will be recorded in mono, separately.  Then the finished 
stereo tracks must be "laid back" (recorded) onto the master 
videotape in synch with the picture.

Digital optical effects
In one scene, our hero is killed by a laser beam coming out of a 
rotating mirror ball.  This effect must be created in a graphics 
workstation and added to the original image.

All of the above will be accomplished within Inter-Active's 
original budget, including use of the contingency account listed 
in the budget.  To the best of my knowledge, the only additional 
items that Inter-Active will invoice for are expenses directly 
incurred by me (less than $100 in delivery and telephone 
charges) and additional work items incurred by me acting on 
behalf of Atari.  The additional work items will certainly be less 
than $4,000.  These items are: 

Re-synchronization of audio for 6 out of 23 days
In an attempt to reduce post-production costs, we started 
recording audio at 24 frames per second (fps), which is the 
timebase of the CD ROM GameFilm during playback.   
Unfortunately, none of the post-production facilities in LA that 
can handle editing at 24 fps had time available for us.  So, we 
were forced to switch back to 30 fps for the balance of the 
filming.  Then the audio that was recorded at 24 fps had to be 
re-synchronized with the picture during telecine, which was 
done conventionally at 30 fps.  The cost of this will be about 
$2,500.

Removal of all references to "Armstrong"
My first outline of the script, and the "Caves of Fear" demo 
GameFilm used the name Jack Armstrong for the hero, after the 
radio show character from the early 1940's.  Our corporate 
counsel claimed to have checked this name for copyright 
infringement so I proceeded on his statement to that effect.  
After Craig Harding left, without giving me written confirmation 
of clearance, I asked that outside counsel be used to check the 
name.  They found that General Mills owns the name and that 
we can not use it.  As a result, all references had to be edited 
out of the film.  The cost of this will be about $1,500.  You don't 
have to remind me not to use Craig again.

I strongly suggest that we allow Inter-Active to finish their tasks 
under the terms of their contract without any changes this late 
in the day.  They have done their job well and the accounting is 
entirely open-book.  Antagonizing them will not serve our 
purpose of getting this project done expediently.

Atari Tasks
The tasks described below include all the technical items.  
Marketing issues are another story.

Convert the master videotape to digital hard disk files
The picture is specified for delivery on videotape.  The first step 
in converting to CD ROM is transferring the data to hard disk.

Remove the 3:2 pulldown frames
The videotape stores the data as 30 frames of picture (60 fields) 
per second.  We require only the actual film frames, of which 
there are 24 per second.  The additional data must be detected 
and removed.

Adjust the audio track
After removal of the 3:2 pulldown frames, the audio may be 
slightly out of synch in many places.  This must be detected and 
fixed to maintain lip-sync.

Crop the digital frames

Convert from CCIR 601 video to GameFilm resolution

Cinepak compress the picture data

Compress the audio data

Rejoin compressed audio and video

Import the narration files

Create the subtitle text file

Set the values for each film segment and loop

Premaster a CD

Complete the Jag GameFilm Engine

Test the Jag GameFilm Engine with the new CD

Complete the PC GameFilm engine

Test the PC GameFilm Engine with the new CD

Fix bugs in Jag GF Engine

Fix bugs in PC GF Engine

Write tech support procedure

Train tech support staff

Best Regards,


Dave

