Purists could create an argument about where production ends and post-production begins when making disk-based media - CDs and DVDs. Those who favor the video production analogy, might say that post-production of disk-based media begins when all the media elements are assembled and the actual programming begins. Those who began their careers in disk-based media don't about post-production. They consider everything after the acquisition stage to be production and when that's done, the job is done.

We sit on the border. We come from video, but know there is a lot that can be done after a CD or DVD is completely programmed and mastered..

So, we're going to kind of invent a post-production stage for disk-based media and put in that stage everything that the client and disk producer should plan on doing - AFTER the disk is mastered.

Ancillary Media: The production of a CD-ROM or DVD entails the creation of many forms of media - graphics, diagrams, animation, photos, etc. Often, clients do not realize that these media can be used for ancillary media. A digital still photograph in a CD, for instance, can be used as the cover for a brochure (and vice versa). An animation can be employed on the client's web. In fact, by employing such software as Macromedia Shockwave, many CDs and DVDs can easily be converted to website use, employing much, if not all of the original features and interactivity.

Archiving: CDs and DVDs are one of the most permanent forms of data storage. When they are eventually obsolete, it will be the lack of playback systems rather than the degradation of the disks that render CDs and DVDs useless. For this reason, clients should plan to archive all of their CDs and DVDs - even the test runs, prototypes and rejected client check copies. It would also be wise to archive a working playback system as well. Months, years, decades later, the data stored on these disks will be as fresh and colorful as the day they were designed, and the cost of retrieving these valuable assets will be a fraction of their original development cost.

Packaging: Never forget that most people still judge a book by its cover - and a disk by its sleeve. Many options exist for packaging disk based media. At the humblest end, a plain white, Tyvex sleeve, says, "Here's the disk." For a bit more money, a simple, soft, plastic "clamshell" case, produced in clear or color, says, "Here's the disk. It's worth something." Still, a few cents more will buy you a hard plastic "jewel case" into which printed material may be inserted. Here is where the costs start to rise as you choose between front cover, back cover, amount of colors, copywriting, art design, etc. You may even want to consider, fold-out labels with "liner notes" of information. Costly, but now you are saying, "This is a really important disk and we're making a lot of effort to make sure you view it."

Finally, the elaborations of packaging a disk are endless. Cushioned folders with special effect embossing, accompanying books, press kits, etc. are all print-based methods of enhancing the disk based media. In some cases, the disk is the enhancement, as evidenced by the recent proliferation of "how to" books with CD supplements glued into the back cover.

This concludes the tutorial on disk based media. We hope this has been instructive and useful and we hope to hear from you soon if you have suggestions or the need for further information.