The Troupe has helped many companies enhance their marketing and training tools with dynamic, interactive programs that deliver in-depth content in ways that are compelling, user-friendly, and informative.

We have watched the popularity of interactive CDs soar as more and more of our clients demand them! If you think that you'd like to embark upon a CD-ROM project but are concerned about how to go about planning and compiling all the necessary elements, we would like to help you make your vision a reality. A project of this magnitude does entail many aspects, such as video footage, music, voiceover, graphics, and programming to name a few. The Troupe is here help you take your project from the early stages of pre-production planning to the final "pre-mastering" stage, including all the stages in-between.

In addition to creative and technical expertise, The Troupe also offers the convenience of "one-stop-shopping" by having all the equipment you need for virtually all components of your job right here in one facility. Not only does that help increase the quality of your project, but it makes the whole production process more efficient too!

For a closer look at how one interactive project was produced, read on:

Our client's objective was to create an interactive presentation to send to their customers and vendors.

The production began with our client, an idea, some coffee, and a flurry of notes. Sitting around the table for a couple of hours resulted in some preliminary sketches, technological parameters to work within, and a big checklist of "Things to Do." Included in the list of tasks at hand were things like this:

PROJECT COORDINATION AND PREP
• discuss ideas and expectations
• quote to client
• approval of estimated budget
• create script
• approve script
• diagram the flowchart
• gather exec bios
• scan exec photos

DESIGN
• acquire original artwork
• design interface
• recreate diagrams
• animate diagrams
• design "attract" loop
• animate logo

VIDEO 
• set up studio-blue screen
• shoot head-blue screen
• Convert footage-QT movies
• book voice over talent

AUDIO
• select music for loop
• create audio loop
• record narration

PROGRAMMING
• file compression of V.O.
• import audio, video and graphics into program
• begin programming
• BETA version to client
• debugging and client changes
• final programming

PACKAGING AND DUPLICATION

When creating a CD-Interactive, one of the earliest and most critical stages of the process is to establish a "look and feel," or style that will prevail throughout the presentation. We begin by considering the context; who is the audience, what is our client's business about, and what visual atmosphere do we want to create? Answering these questions first helps us build an appealing and appropriate interface for the presentation.

Step 1:

Overview: Define the project

Step 2: Flowcharts and Assignments

Flowchart PDF

Flowchart Assignments PDF

Step 3: Interface Ideas

Step 4: Refine Interface Ideas

Step 5: Approval of "Look and Feel" Interface

Step 6: Button Rollovers

View Rollover Example

Step 7: Content Art

Step 8: Complete and Test CD

Step 9: Packaging

Step 10: Web Page Introduction