Masque Sound announced the formation of Masque Entertainment, which will provide a comprehensive DVD production service for a live concert and corporate client base. Award-winning director Gerard Schmidt has been named executive producer/managing director. Schmidt's credentials include projects for the Rolling Stones, Beastie Boys, Elvis Costello, and Def Leppard.

Envisioned as a single-source, turnkey solution for producing music, movie, television, documentary, corporate events, and special feature DVDs, Masque Entertainment will draw on its parent company's 67-year history in theatrical, broadcast, corporate, and concert sound reinforcement to guarantee the highest level of professionalism at every stage of DVD production, post-production, graphic design, authoring, and duplication.

A veteran film/video and DVD maker, Schmidt founded Plein Champ Films of Paris after receiving his doctorate at the University of Paris in 1980 and successfully marketed his catalog to television stations around the world. “The Masque Sound team is extremely well versed in technology, and they have a true feel for the market,” Schmidt says. “The fact that [principals] Geoff and Jim Shearing represent the third generation with a hands-on involvement with this 67-year-old family-owned company convinced me that they have the commitment as well as the resources to make sure this DVD production division thrives.”

Masque Entertainment will be headquartered at Masque Sound's new corporate facility at 21 East Union Avenue, East Rutherford, NJ. www.masquesound.com.