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LEGO Joins Forces With Steven Spielberg
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 The LEGO Company has formed an alliance with filmmaker Steven Spielberg to launch LEGO Studios, a new product that allows kids to create real movies. LEGO Studios will make its debut at E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, in Los Angeles May 11-13. All of Steven Spielberg�s proceeds from sales of the LEGO Studios Steven Spielberg MovieMaker Set will be donated to the non-profit Starbright Foundation and Shoah Foundation. Scheduled to be on U.S. store shelves in November 2000, and worldwide in April 2001, LEGO Studios enables children ages 8-16 to bring the imaginative adventures in their LEGO worlds to life. The set includes a PC movie camera, editing software and an assortment of LEGO props and unique elements. Also included is a book of tips, tricks and challenges for making real movies. Youngsters first build their �story� and capture the action on the PC movie camera. They then use the kid-friendly editing software with professional functionality to edit their footage, and add music and sound effects. Then, �it�s show time� -- kids can play back their movies and even e-mail their masterpieces to relatives and friends. The Steven Spielberg MovieMaker Set, the deluxe LEGO Studios item, will retail for $179.99 U.S ($249.99 CN). There will be seven additional sets in the LEGO Studios line, which will contain unique LEGO pieces to create various action and back-lot scenes. The add-on sets, including a bank, car stunt area and a rotating city, will available in the U.S. in January 2001 and globally in April 2001. The editing software is produced jointly by LEGO Media and Pinnacle Systems, a market leader in professional editing software. "It is a treat to join with LEGO to bring this movie-making capability to kids. LEGO STUDIOS is a great first step for kids who may be interested in movie-making someday. It will let kids show others their inventiveness at playful storytelling," said Steven Spielberg. LEGO Company CEO Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen commented, �We are delighted to join with Steven Spielberg in introducing such an exciting and inspirational new product. Creating movies out of their play experiences sparks children�s imagination and encourages them to bring their storytelling to a new, higher level.� Steven Spielberg is the Chairman of the Starbright Foundation, which combines the efforts of pediatric health care, technology and entertainment to empower seriously ill children. The Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation was established by Spielberg to videotape and preserve the testimonies of Holocaust survivors and witnesses so future generations can learn from the past. [Posted 5/09/2000]
  
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