Microsoft gets down and dirty on the down low

We were fortunate enough to set up an interview with the founder of top pornography studio Digital Playground. The studio interested us in particular because they are at the forefront of the wave of new High Definition content, having shot all their 2004 features in HD. Microsoft, Intel, Nvidia and other such hardware types are constantly telling us that HD is the future, but we are yet to see much content other than porn in the format.

Not that we've seen the porn, you understand. We've just seen it, y'know, around. Somewhere.

Joone, the studio's head, told us that he decided to start shooting in HD because he wanted the investment he makes in his films to last. "In 5 years time," he told us, "no-one is going to want something in standard definition."

Windows Media HD is currently the format of choice for any HD distribution, since there are no other formats readily available. Interestingly, however, Joone told us that Digital Playground prefers to cut the HD footage together with Apple PowerMacs before switching to the PC to encode in Windows Media. "Our creative guys prefer Apple," he added.

Digital Playground plans to expand in 2005 with bigger productions and higher quality productions values. HD video will help with this vision because of the higher quality resolution, colour and contrast. Whilst the technology can help achieve an artistic vision, it's clearly always the girls that make a picture. According to Joone, "Stars are like girlfriends. You never know when you're going to meet one."

We know that many technology pioneers get support from the companies making the hardware and software, and we were curious as to whether Joone had received any assistance from Microsoft in his porn productions. "They help us out where they can," he said, "but they like to keep it on the down-low."

You can check out Joone, his HD video and his talented young actresses at digitalplayground.com. The usual warnings apply.