CV / Bio / Resume
Jerry Pierce, Technologist
**** **** ***** ****; Redwood City, CA 94061
*****@***********.*** 650/368-6246 land 650/208-5369 mobile
SKYPE: jerryapierce AIM: japierce
Key Accomplishments / Objectives
Successful standardization and launch of DVD
Digital Cinema standardization and launch
To create new businesses based on disruptive entertainment technologies
Universal Studios 1995-2007
Universal Studios: one of the six major studios in Hollywood producing and distributing feature motion pictures and television shows.
Senior Vice President, Technology, Universal Pictures 2001-2007
Lead a small technical team to support all Universal Picture Business units in technology decisions and negotiations.
Accomplishments:
Digital Cinema - D-Cinema represented a reduction in distribution costs of $5M per movie and an improvement in the distribution/marketing of movies.
Lead Universal Pictures in all aspects for the launch of Digital Cinema
Planned the strategy from conception to deployment
Identified both technical and business models for the deployment of Digital Cinema
Worked studios, exhibitors, suppliers, integrators to put the pieces together.
EST (Electronic Sell Through) EST has the potential of being the next DVD.
Chief technical strategist for EST deployments for Universal Pictures
Technical lead for NBC s Apple iTunes deployment
Universal s lead technologist for discussions and model building for Microsoft and many other EST deployment opportunities
Chief architect for DRM design and business modeling for usage rules
Trusted by both sides of the negotiating table.
High Definition Packaged Media - The format war for Next Generation DVD
Technical lead for Universal in making the choice to support HD-DVD
Lead on Universal s release to D-VHS (HDMI/HDCP copy protection deployment)
Other topics:
Lead strategist for copy protection approach for Universal Pictures
Led the industry effort for audio watermark for playback control on stolen content
Designed Universal s approach for DVD protection in light of DeCSS.
Created new business models based on activities in the pirate underground.
Vice President, Universal Studios (Joint Project with Panasonic) 1995-2001
Lead and created the joint Universal/Panasonic Hollywood team for DVD.
Accomplishments:
DVD - DVD exploded into a $4B business for Universal Pictures - 65% of revenue for each movie
Universal s lead for small team responsible for the successful launch of DVD
Worked in creation of the standard with Panasonic, Toshiba, and Warner Bros.
Worked with all studios to obtain contributions and support of the evolving standard.
Successfully created a stand-alone DVD authoring house to support all studios and build trust in the capabilities of the format.
Played a key role in many of the studios early participation in the format.
Worked closely with Panasonic and Toshiba in getting the specification to include Hollywood s needs.
DVCC (Digital Video Compression Center) on the Universal Studio s lot.
Created DVCC from scratch into a Post Production house.
DVCC is/was the world leader in authoring for DVD - both video quality and advanced authoring.
DVCC grew to 50 people.
MPAA Motion Picture Association of America - Technology Committee
Was an active member of the MPAA Technical group.
Attended weekly meetings to help steer the direction of the studios and standardization efforts.
Vice President, Eidesign Technologies 1992-1994
A start-up under Nippon Steel (Japan) to build compression systems. Formed a joint project with Pacific Video Resources (PVR) to service the new VideoCD and DSL based video delivery industries.
SRI International (Stanford Research Institute) 1979-1992
Performed contract research for a variety of commercial and government sponsors. Led the Electronics Technology Laboratory (30 people) for contract research. Responsible for project conception, promotion, budgeting, and administration. Included scheduling inventions.
Topic areas included: Optical Disc development, Optical memory, color ink jet, and color laser printer projects.
Was part of the integration team that brought Sarnoff Laboratories and SRI together after the GE donation.
Pratt and Whitney Aircraft 1977-1979
Worked on High Energy Laser systems for the Star Wars program.
Prior Positions, Awards and Distinctions
Chairman of SMPTE Mastering Committee, Co-Chair of the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) Technical Committee, Member of both the DCI technical and Management committees, Associate Member of ASC (American Society of Cinematographers), Member of the Digital Cinema Advisory Group, Chairman of the Board for ETC (Entertainment Technology Center at University of Southern California), Chairman and founder of ISDCF (Intersociety Digital Cinema Forum), SMPTE Fellow, Vice President of Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA) an industry organization for the Post Production Community.
Education
MSEE degree from Stanford University and a BSEE from UC Berkeley. Issued 15 patents on optical cards, hybrid optical/magnetic memories, and scanner systems.
References
Available on request.
Jerry Pierce currently is a consultant working in Digital Cinema. He was previously Senior Vice President, Technology, Universal Pictures. He joined Universal in 1995 and established the New Technology Department for Universal Pictures in 2000. He was responsible for the technical launch of DVD for Universal and was responsible for Digital Cinema activities for Universal. He was chairman of the SMPTE Digital Cinema Mastering group, a member of the Studio's Digital Cinema Consortium, was an associate member of the American Society of Cinematographers, is Vice President of the Hollywood Post Alliance, and was on the Board of USC's Entertainment Technology Center. He established the joint project with Universal and Panasonic for DVD disc authoring and High Definition Telecine Transfers. He was part of SRI International (Stanford Research Institute) for over 13 years. Jerry holds a MSEE degree from Stanford University and an BSEE from UC Berkeley.