Jim Taylor is Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Advanced Technology Group at Sonic Solutions, the leading developer of DVD and CD creation software. In addition to writing the first two editions of DVD Demystified, Jim is the author of
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About DVD, a book version of his acclaimed Internet DVD FAQ. Called a "minor tech legend" by E! Online, Jim is recognized worldwide as an expert on DVD and associated technology. Jim has actively participated in DVD Forum working groups since 1998 and serves as Chairman of the DVD Association. Jim was named one of the 21 most influential DVD executives by DVD Report, received the 2000 DVD Pro Discus Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry, was an inaugural inductee into the Digital Media Hall of Fame, and was named one of the pioneers of DVD by One to One magazine. Jim has worked with interactive media for over 25 years, developing educational software, laserdiscs, CD-ROMs, Web sites, and DVDs, and has taught workshops and courses on multimedia, computer-based education, computer applications, and DVD. Formerly VP of Information Technology at Videodiscovery, an educational multimedia publishing company, Jim then championed the format as Microsoft's DVD Evangelist before joining Daikin U.S. as Chief Technology Officer. Jim Taylor lives on an island near Seattle, Washington.
Mark R. Johnson is the Vice President of Technology at Technicolor Creative Services (TCS), a Thomson company, and is a member of Technicolor's HD Optical Launch Team. Mark actively participates in both the DVD Forum and Blu-ray Disc Association as a contributing member. As an award-winning DVD author, Mark helped set Technicolor's standards and practices with blockbuster titles such as Disney's "Snow White" and "Beauty and the Beast." Prior to that, he was the "go to" guy at Daikin U.S. where he was the Product Manager for the Scenarist DVD authoring system. Formerly the Chief Technology Officer of DVant Digital, Mark was then known for his breakthroughs in advanced applications of the DVD specification. Mark lives in Pasadena, CA.
Charles G. Crawford (aka Chuck) has been involved with DVD technology since 1998 when he wrote the Operations and Reference Manuals for Panasonic's award winning DVD Authoring System. He thought the technology was so cutting edge that he convinced his partner to incorporate DVD title development into their line of products and services. Chuck comes from the world of broadcasting and production. He has been awarded three national EMMY awards for technical and directorial expertise and numerous other broadcast and DVD industry awards for his production skills. He is the Co-Founder of Television Production Services, Inc. (TPS), and Heritage Series, LLC, both production companies specializing in traditional and interactive video production and title development. Chuck lives in Washington, DC.
