From days as a musician in Bozeman and Big Sky, to years studying earth science at Montana State University, Dan Smith, '87 ES, '90 M, caught a revolutionary wave. In the late '80s Smith minored in media and theatre arts and met people who were immersed in a new technology, non-linear editing, or making videos on the computer. In 1990 Smith bought one of the first digitizing systems that came on the market, and Earthtalk Studios was born in Bozeman. He focused on documentaries, animation and sophisticated industrial videos, with 100 percent of the work computer-generated. Today, Earthtalk Studios is a full-service multimedia development company employing more than 10 people and specializing in Web site design, CD-ROM and DVD development, and video production. In naming his company Earthtalk, he drew from his passion for earth science and talk from his focus on communications and education. "I have an incredible fascination with earth science," he said. "It just gets a hold of you, especially living in a place like Montana." Smith said that it has always been his goal to communicate about geography. "I know the fantastic things that scientists know," he said. "So much information is just piled away collecting dust in libraries and ruminating in scientists' brains." He took that desire to communicate and developed his most ambitious project yet, a Web site to promote science education through the exploration of Yellowstone National Park, the Yellowstone Geographic Web site (yellowstonegeographic.com). The site provides an extensive in-depth tour of Yellowstone including wilderness, wildlife, history and culture. Also included is a virtual Yellowstone, an interactive map of the park that allows the viewer to focus on interesting sights and sounds of the area. Smith and his staff used multimedia tools such as Quicktime and Flash 5.0 to create the interactive experience that allows viewers to listen to the sounds of wildlife, view video clips of scientific lectures and more. The site has been developed and redeveloped over the last five years. The site was completely revised this June. This latest version will be promoted nationally this fall and winter. "My work is like being a conductor, orchestrating some fantastic talent," he said. Smith has developed something of a niche market around Yellowstone. He's just finished the Yellowstone Park Foundation Web site and has other Yellowstone work in the offing. Smith has developed a solid relationship with MSU over the years in the media and theatre arts and earth science departments and the School of Art. "We go to MSU to find interns, and we go right to the art department," he said. "They send us great people. We use about three interns a year." Many of those interns stay and become permanent employees. Earthtalk currently employs MSU grads, Dana McNeil, '97 MTA, Angie Mangels, '97 MTA, Joel Simmerman, '99 Art, Ryan Tillett, '98 Art, and Mike Evanson, '02 Art. Some are employed even before they leave MSU. Matt White, a junior in business finance, is currently a programmer at Earthtalk.