has joined forces with Bermuda-based computer company Five Rings Ltd..

Three key managers from Big Hand Productions Inc. were on their way to Bermuda to demonstrate the power of CD-Interactive technology to top people in advertising agency DDB Needham.

Big Hand was due to update the agency on the applications of the new technology, but before flying in from New York, vice president of sales, Mr.

Craig Rispin, realised that he was short a computer.

After taking advice, he telephoned Mr. Rick Morbey at Five Rings, introduced himself and explained that he needed to rent a computer. When he arrived in Bermuda and went to the Five Rings office, he admits to being surprised.

"I came into his office and looked around and later told the others that he had more equipment than we did, '' said Mr. Crispin.

It wasn't as though the two companies had never heard of each other. In the line of work they are in, there are not too many competitors and it's not difficult keeping track of the other players.

The American company was described last January by the Dallas Business Journal as an upstart company, as they reported that giant Time Warner Inc. had just contracted Big Hand to design a games channel for its interactive television test market in Orlando, Florida.

Time Warner was planning to offer video-on-demand services, games channels and home shopping to residents in Orlando this summer in one of the largest interactive tests ever.

Big Hand, with a staff of 24, had primarily been designing training and marketing programmes using CD-I technology. The four-year-old company has already been busy working for other big corporate names that include Mercedes Benz, Phillips and GTE.

In Bermuda, Mr. Morbey has led the field of communications technology. Five Rings was formed in 1987 to develop and publish software programmes for the CD-I, desktop computer and information superhighway interactive multimedia markets, globally.

The company also provides multi-media consultation, design and production services. It was formed directly as a result of the invention by Phillips, Sony and Matsushita of CD-I, and has has a continued relationship with Phillips laboratories in the US and Europe.

Five Rings is planning the introduction possibly later this year of a radiological patient information CD-I disc for the US medical market. It could, for example, show and describe to a patient exactly what was involved in the surgery or other medical procedure the patient was about to experience.

Mr. Morbey said: "Because it is all digital data, the two companies can collaborate in any sort of product, no matter where we are. We have begun discussions toward that collaboration, hoping to be able to complete a joint venture.'' Big Hand president, Jay Wolff, said, "We can draw from his library. Maybe we have some marketing experience and industry knowledge that may be useful to Rick.'' Mr. Rick Morbey.