Digital Media Dynamics emphasizes interactive media

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Most of Greg McKinney's friends didn't really understand what he did at Digital Media Dynamics, the business he started in 1997, until they received an invitation to his Christmas party last year. |ret||ret||tab|

McKinney, a multimedia jack-of-all-trades, put his invitation on an interactive CD-ROM, which contained an MPEG video, links to his Web site, links to e-mail and sound clips. The invitation, while light-hearted, did illustrate the wide variety of services he provides through his company. |ret||ret||tab|

Prior to founding Digital Media Dynamics, McKinney worked for more than 13 years for Lawrence Imaging, a national print-supply company. |ret||ret||tab|

Initially, McKinney ran Dig-ital Media Dynamics from a home office. Back then, the company's primary source of business came from renting audio and video projectors, projection screens, wireless microphones, LCD projectors and sound systems and equipment.|ret||ret||tab|

Then McKinney began branching out and developing multimedia, interactive CD-ROMs. His work was well-received, and he began picking up more clients. Eventually, he moved operations to an office building located on East Walnut Street in downtown Springfield. |ret||ret||tab|

In 1999, McKinney met Brian Shipman, a former award-winning photojournalist for KY3 TV in Springfield. Shipman, who owns On Air Media, was looking for someone who could help him with a project that involved developing a multimedia, interactive CD-ROM. Mc-Kinney, in turn, had been looking for someone who could help with the video work for the CD ROMs he was developing. |ret||ret||tab|

The two hit it off and collaborated on a project, and the project went so well that they decided to keep things going. Later that year, Shipman moved On Air Media into the offices of Digital Media Dynamics. Al-though the two companies shared office space, they re-mained separate entities and still do to this day.|ret||ret||tab|

In May 2001, McKinney and Shipman relocated their respective companies to 412 S. Campbell Ave. The location, which spans more than 4,500 square feet, once housed Ozark Sound Studios, a professional digital recording studio. |ret||ret||tab|

McKinney and Shipman now use these facilities as a video studio, a multimedia authoring studio, an audio production fa-cility and a place to record CDs for audio productions and local bands. |ret||ret||tab|

Most of the projects McKin-ney works on, however, involve developing multimedia projects such as interactive CD-ROMs and enhanced audio CDs that feature music and interactive media.|ret||ret||tab|

"I hate that word multimedia' because it is so vague," said McKinney. "The bottom line is simple, though. Our goal here is to help our clients make more money. We can provide them with interactive CD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs that showcases their products or services. |ret||ret||tab|

"We can shoot video footage and put it on a DVD-ROM. We can take existing video footage that's stored on a VHS tape or some other format and put it on a DVD-ROM. We can create audio CDs. We can set up a client's Web site. We do 3D animation you name it."|ret||ret||tab|

Because McKinney and Ship-man work with such a wide variety of media, the two said they're always fielding calls from local business owners who need information. |ret||ret||tab|

In an effort to provide an-swers to many of those questions, Digital Media Dynamics and On Air Media hosted an educational seminar Feb. 14 in their building at 412 S. Camp-bell Ave. |ret||ret||tab|

The seminar, which was conducted by Electronic Video Sys-tems and Apple Computer Inc., gave area business owners an opportunity to see firsthand how they could use interactive multimedia products, such as DVD-ROM and video applications, to increase their business. |ret||ret||tab|

Currently, McKinney and Shipman said they are working on a TV pilot which will feature roots musicians who play everything from bluegrass to rock and roll. They're also working on a joint venture with another local business owner to develop a system to broadcast video at the gas pump that will display business advertising. |ret||ret||tab|

In addition to their work, McKinney and Shipman have contributed their time and talents to several civic organizations, including the James River Basin Partnership, which is working to save area rivers, and the Friends of the Zoo in Springfield. [[In-content Ad]]