Summary

DemoGraFX, Inc. announced the appointment of former Microsoft Director of Advanced Systems Architecture Thomas L. McMahon as Chief Architectural Officer to commercialize its Visually Perfect digital video compression technology. McMahon reunites with DemoGraFX founder Gary Demos, with whom he collaborated on pioneering digital imaging and HDTV projects dating back to the 1970s.

Source document circa 2001 preserved as-is

Thursday, May 24, 2001

Editor's note. There is no question that a very powerful team of people is now forming within DemoGrapFX. With the difficult issues dangerously dividing people over perceived disappointments in today's FCC sanctioned HDTV standard one could be persuaded to believe that at DemoGraFX a new and challenging beginning is now underway. The company will have a long and hard road to achieve mastery over the entire broadcast/cable/DBS/movie distribution field, but there are things which cannot be overlooked politically, not the least being that this work is being done in Hollywood by Oscar winning Hollywood people. If the Hollywood production community comes behind their work, I would not sell them short for a second.

Dale Cripps

Microsoft Video Exec Joins "Visually Perfect" Compression Firm

Tom McMahon Now Chief Architect for L.A.-based DemoGraFX, Inc.

SANTA MONICA, CA (May 24, 2001)--Bob Rast, President & CEO, announced today that Thomas L. McMahon has been appointed Chief Architectural Officer (CAO) of DemoGraFX, Inc., a provider of "Visually Perfect" digital video compression. McMahon's role as Chief Architect will be to bridge technology and markets, i.e., interpreting market requirements for technologists, and DemoGraFX technology for its customers. McMahon joins DemoGraFX from Microsoft, where he played a similar role.

"Tom McMahon brings a wealth of experience in video and computers," said Rast, himself a pioneer in high-definition television and digital cinema. "We recently announced $10 million in funding from Baker Capital Corp. As we build DemoGraFX, moving to commercialize our very promising technology, Tom is a perfect fit. Interestingly, Tom has a history with Gary Demos, our founder and current CTO. Tom and Gary have collaborated over many years on a number of projects involving 2D and 3D computer graphics and imaging."


DemoGraFX is a provider of "Visually Perfect" video compression yielding superior picture quality at competitive bit rates for the movie, television, cable, computer and Internet markets. DemoGraFX has achieved a true breakthrough in cinematic quality, and the system also scales very well to applications such as streaming over cable and DSL modems. The technology was developed by a team led by Demos.

McMahon comes to DemoGraFX from Microsoft Corporation, where he was Director of Advanced Systems Architecture. He coordinated digital television technology strategy across Microsoft's divisions. On Microsoft's behalf he has been active in the television industry. McMahon has been Microsoft's representative to the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE), the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), and the Society of Imaging Technology & Sound. He also is a SMPTE delegate to the Motion Picture Expert's Group (MPEG) and a member of the Montreux Council.

"Tom McMahon is a rare executive, equally at home in both the computer and digital television worlds," said Demos. "I am delighted that we are joining forces once again." McMahon first worked with Demos in the 1970's, where they collaborated on a number of pioneering developments, including the world's first 1000-line high resolution digital color frame buffer, the Digital Film Printer, 3D computer animation, and digital audio systems.

In the early 1980's, McMahon co-founded Symbolics' Graphics Division, rising to the position of VP and General Manager. McMahon was the driving force behind Symbolics' pioneering successes in digital television workstations, including HDTV. While at Symbolics, McMahon again collaborated with Demos, then at Whitney-Demos Productions, on a hardware/software systems architecture targeted at animation and imaging.

In the 1990's, McMahon was a consultant for clients including Sony Pictures, Adobe Systems, and Mercury Computer Systems. He joined Microsoft in early 1997.
About DemoGraFX

DemoGraFX, Inc. is a provider of "Visually Perfect" compression algorithms yielding superior picture quality at competitive bit rates for the movie, television, cable, computer and Internet markets. DemoGraFX has received research and development funding from the Department of Defense, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the state of California. DemoGraFX was founded by Caltech-educated Gary Demos, a pioneer in the convergence of film and digital technologies for visual effects in motion pictures and television commercials. Demos has been honored as a co-recipient of three Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical awards for his work. He is also an Associate Member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).