Universal Hopes “Tower Heist” Will Pass The Premium-VOD Test

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | October 7, 2011 8:44 pm

In what the Los Angeles Times called “an audacious move” earlier this week, Universal Pictures announced earlier this week that it would allow the Eddie Murphy action comedy “Tower Heist” to be shown via premium-video-on-demand three weeks after its November 4th release date. Naturally, if Universal finds premium-VOD to be profitable without gutting their theatrical box office receipts, you can bet every other studio will follow their lead.

Of course, exhibitors aren’t big fans of premium-VOD or shortening the theatrical window from its current 90-day average in any form. Their big fear is that patrons will be accustomed to simply wait for a movie to be available at home rather than head to the theater not only lowering attendance but also permanently damaging concession sales.

The biggest downside of Universal’s plan, besides ticking off exhibitors, is the whopping USD $59.99 cost of screening “Tower Heist” in the comfort of your own home. During a time when news reports have the world headed toward another recession that kind of price might cripple sales. After all, USD $60 is roughly the price of six tickets on average at a movie theater.

However, it is tough economic times in the first place that is causing the movie industry to experiment with premium-VOD as they try to replace sagging DVD sales. But you probably already know that. In fact, you probably also know that theater owners will be just a angry about Universal’s current plans as they were this spring when the studio, along with three others, struck a deal with satellite television provider DirecTV to make a handful of titles available for premium-VOD 60 days after theatrical release for USD $29.99.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted In: Analysis, Distributors
Tagged: "Tower Heist", Brett Ratner, Comcast, DirecTV, Los Angeles Times, Premium-VOD, Release Windows, Universal Pictures

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A Deeper Look At Sony’s Battle With Exhibitors Over 3D Glasses

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | September 30, 2011 2:03 pm

Some industry professionals will look back at September 27, 2011 as the day motion picture studios took their first step on what may be a long road to end the practice of subsidizing 3D glasses for their movies. Others will remember it as the day the inevitable finally happened.

For those who still aren’t aware of the events of the past week, I’d like to be the first to officially welcome you to the planet earth and invite you to join us as we read between-the-lines of this latest industry scuffle. On Tuesday of this week The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Sony Pictures Entertainment had sent a letter to North American theatre owners stating as of May 1, 2012 they would no longer pay for 3D glasses. What makes this major industry news is that Twentieth Century Fox tried a similar move back in 2009 with the release of “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” but retreated when exhibitors revolted en masse. They now fear Sony might succeed this time around causing other studios to follow suit. Talking to the Reporter, Sony’s president of worldwide distribution. Rory Bruer said:

“This is an issue that has to be resolved between us and our exhibition partners. We are trying to give them a very lengthy lead time in regards to the change in policy.”

As one might expect, it didn’t take long for the National Association of Theatre Owners, the trade organization which represents exhibitors, to respond to Sony’s move. Their press release dated September 28, 2011 stated:

NATO believes Sony’s suggestion is insensitive to our patrons, particularly in the midst of continuing economic distress. Sony’s actions raise serious concerns for our members who believe that provision of 3D glasses to patrons is well established as part of the 3D experience… we are concerned that Sony’s attempt to change this business model would unilaterally upend long-standing industry practices… Sony would be well advised to revisit its decision.

There were some grumblings from theatre owners and the media that NATO’s statement had no bite, though making sweeping threats is not necessarily their responsibility. This is not true of the organization’s members, like Amy Miles, chief executive officer of Regal Entertainment, who said if Sony stuck with their announced plan to stop paying for 3D glasses, then her circuit might show 2D version’s of Sony’s films in the future.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted In: Digital 3D
Tagged: 3D Glasses, Amy Miles, Dan Fellman, Hollywood Reporter, IMAX, NATO, Real D, Regal Entertainment, Rory Bruer, Sony Pictures

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Four Broadway Musicals Find New Life In Cinemas

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | September 23, 2011 8:39 am

After first being announced at CineEurope in Amsterdam last June, more details are emerging about the Direct From Broadway, an alternative content series aiming to bring musicals from The Great White Way to movie theaters around the world.

New York based Broadway Worldwide, whose production of the Broadway musical “Memphis” found success when it screened in U.S. and Canadian cinemas this past spring, is teaming up with Supervision Media out of the United Kingdom to bring at least four hit musicals to theaters. Along with “Memphis”, the series will feature “Jekyll& Hyde: The Musical” starring David Hasselhoff, “Putting It Together” with Carol Burnett performing Stephen Sondheim tunes and “Smokey Joe’s Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller”.

From what I can tell from the press release, Broadway Worldwide is the production company behind each of the HD titles and SuperVision Media will be acting as the distributor. SuperVision Media is no stranger to theatrical alternative content. They recently screened Wimbledon in 3D and is in the process of rolling out Michael Flatley’s “Lord of the Dance 3D”.

NCM Fathom distributed “Memphis” in North America back in April and now SuperVision Media will bring the musical to cinemas throughout the rest of the world, starting with the U.K. and Ireland on November 24th. The title will move on to South Africa, Hong Kong and other European countries before the year is out, and then travel to Latin America, Australia and New Zealand in March of 2012.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted In: Alternative Content
Tagged: "Memphis: The Musical", Broadway Worldwide, Direct From Broadway, SuperVision Media

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IHS Screen Digest: Russia Becomes A Billion Dollar Cinema Market

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | June 23, 2011 3:38 pm

Anyone who has attended an industry trade show this year or has taken even a cursory look at international box office grosses has undoubtedly noticed the increase in revenue being generated in two countries; China and Russia. It’s no secret that the cinema market in both of these territories is on the rise as each goes through their own multiplex boom. While researching a piece on international box office for the July issue of Boxoffice Magazine I was told by Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution for Warner Bros., “Russia has been the single biggest growth story in the last decade, and China will be the biggest growth market looking ahead.”

I wouldn’t be surprised if Russia continued to be a growth story for some time to come. That’s precisely the subject of a recent IHS Screen Digest report authored by David Hancock. Some of the highlights from the report include:

Record box office in Russia surpassing the USD $1 billion in 2010
The market has 2,430 screens of which 297 were added in 2010 – the strongest growth in the last five years
Over 30% of all the screens in Russia are in Moscow and St. Petersburg
Of the 941 digital screens in Russia, 95% are capable of showing 3D

Of course, the IHS Screen Digest report contains enough facts and figures to prove the point ten times over, certainly more than can be recounted here. Suffice to say, Russia is now a market that is so important that Paramount held the world premiere of “Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon” in Moscow on June 23rd.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted In: Box Office, Countries
Tagged: Box Office, David Hancock, IHS Screen Digest, Russia

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Paramount’s Unique “Super 8″ Twitter Promotion

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | June 12, 2011 5:48 pm

Late last Thursday my Twitter list of entertainment journalists lit up with posts about “Super 8“. It was the evening of the all-media screening Los Angeles and as soon as the credits rolled journalists and critics began praising the film on Twitter. That kind of buzz can’t be bought, or at least that’s what I thought at the time.

Realizing the positive word-of-mouth the film was receiving on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, Paramount, the studio releasing the film on June 10th, has decided to stoke the fire. They have partnered with Twitter to offer users of the service advanced tickets to a sneak preview screening on June 9th. Paramount is also holding separate, private screenings for Twitter users with large numbers of followers, and even one for Twitter employees. Attendees of all screenings will be encouraged to post messages about the film on Twitter.

To facilitate the offering, Paramount has sponsored the hashtag #Super8Secret as a Promoted Trend on Twitter. Users who click on the trending topic are provided with a link to purchase advanced tickets to the “Super 8″ sneak previews taking place at 325 theaters throughout the United States. Paramount is also offering free popcorn as part of the promotion.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted In: Marketing & Promotions
Tagged: "Super 8", Paramount Pictures, Twitter

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Alamo Drafthouse Anti-Texting PSA Goes Viral

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | June 10, 2011 12:33 pm

The Alamo Drafthouse has gained quite a reputation over the past couple of years as one of the countries best movie theaters. Entertainment Weekly hailed it as the best movie theatre in America and Wired.com went a step further by calling it the “Coolest Movie Theater in the World”. Besides being known for an eclectic mix of programming which is served up alongside beer and barbecue, founder Tim League has also built the Alamo Drafthouse’s reputation through Fantastic Fest, an annual film festival specializing in horror, action, fantasy and science fiction titles.

But if you ever get a chance to visit the Alamo Drafthouse, you may not want to reach for your mobile phone whether it’s to make a phone call or text a friend.

Earlier this week the Alamo Drafthouse gained even more notoriety after a creative anti-texting public service announcement turned into a YouTube viral video. According to a post on the theatre’s website, a patron had to be expelled from the Drafthouse recently after she wouldn’t stop texting in the middle of a movie. Even though the Alamo Drafthouse has a strict zero tolerance policy when it comes to talking or cell phone use during movies, the moviegoer continued to text after being given two warnings to give her thumbs a break. So, Drafthouse employees tossed her to the curb without a refund.

Apparently, the audience member was none too pleased at this turn of events and called the Drafthouse to leave a profanity laden voicemail. The audio from the voicemail turned out to be the perfect soundtrack for League’s PSA, which can be viewed above or on YouTube. (Warning: The patron’s choice of language makes this video a textbook definition of NSFW – Not Safe For Work).

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted In: Trailers
Tagged: Alamo Drafthouse, Texting, YouTube

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Katzenberg Discouraged Over Decline Of 3D

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | June 9, 2011 1:28 pm

Jeffrey Katzenberg

There has been no greater champion of 3D than Dreamworks Animation head Jeffrey Katzenberg. Except maybe filmmaker James Cameron, there have been few, if any, industry cheerleaders as vocal about 3D than Katzenberg. As far back as 2007, Katzenberg could be heard at trade shows and in the press hailing digital 3D as “the single most revolutionary change since color pictures”.

To paraphrase an old cliché, Katzenberg should be careful what he wishes for, he just might get it. Four years after he began touting the new motion picture format digital 3D films have flooded the market in search of incremental box office from ticket surcharges. Though as a string of movies featuring poor 3D conversions hit theaters during a global economic downturn, a majority of moviegoers are choosing the 2D version of recent releases such as Dreamworks’ “Kung Fu Panda 2″.

Now Katzenberg is lamenting the “decline of 3D”, calling it “heartbreaking” in an interview published earlier today by The Hollywood Reporter. Katzenberg stated:

“I think 3D is right smack in the middle of its terrible twos. We have disappointed our audience multiple times now, and because of that I think there is genuine distrust — whereas a year and a half ago, there was genuine excitement, enthusiasm and reward for the first group of 3D films that actually delivered a quality experience. Now that’s been seriously undermined. It’s not in any fashion, shape or form the demise of 3D, but until there are 3D experiences that exceed people’s expectations, it’s going to stay challenged. It’s really heartbreaking to see what has been the single greatest opportunity that has happened to the film business in over a decade being harmed. The audience has spoken, and they have spoken really loudly.”

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted In: Digital 3D
Tagged: Hollywood Reporter, Jeffrey Katzenberg

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Warner Bros. Brings Looney Tunes Back To Cinemas

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | June 8, 2011 11:58 am

Just this past weekend I was shocked when my daughters, six and four-year-olds, asked who Bugs Bunny was. I’m not sure why I was so surprised, since they watch very little television and most of the movies they’ve seen feature characters from Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks Animation titles. This is probably why my attempt to trigger their memory with a “What’s up Doc?!” in my best Mel Blanc voice was such a failure.

Thanks to YouTube it only took a few minutes to introduce my daughters to not only Bugs Bunny, but Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Wile E. Coyote, Tweety Bird and all the major Looney Tunes characters I remember so fondly from my own youth. Yet, as if responding to my personal predicament, Warner Bros. themselves will be lending me a hand in my daughters animation education.

Earlier today, the studio announced that three new animated Looney Tunes shorts will be shown in theaters in front of Warner Bros. releases. Not only will these new shorts be shown in 3D, but they will feature the voice of Mel Blanc based on recordings he made in the 1950s.

Per the press release, the shorts hitting theaters are as follows:

“Daffy’s Rhapsody”: In the first of the new shorts, a persistent Elmer Fudd chases Daffy Duck (Blanc) on stage during a musical performance. The short features Blanc performing the song “Daffy Duck’s Rhapsody.” “Daffy’s Rhapsody” is scheduled to debut in theaters on November 18, 2011, in conjunction with Warner Bros. Pictures’ release of “Happy Feet 2.”

“I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat”: A classic game of cat and bird transpires in Granny’s apartment as Tweety Bird goes to great lengths to avoid the clutches of his arch-nemesis Sylvester the Cat. The short also features the hit song of the same name, which was performed by Blanc, and sold over three million copies worldwide.

Untitled Coyote & Road Runner: Wile E. Coyote’s epic quest to capture the Road Runner continues in this all-new short. Will the Coyote finally get his paws on his elusive prize?>

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted In: Miscellaneous
Tagged: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Looney Tunes, Mel Blanc, Warner Bros

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Holiday Weekend Gives Box Office Coverage A Record Breaking “Hangover”

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | May 31, 2011 10:59 pm

Did anyone hear that loud “whooshing” sound this past weekend? If so, don’t be alarmed. It was just the collective sigh of relief coming from dozens of studio executives upon seeing the weekend’s enormous box office receipts.

The summer movie season started off with a bang here in the United States thanks to the highest grossing Memorial Day weekend of all time. More than USD $277 million was earned by the top 50 motion pictures playing around the country. Sequels led the day with “The Hangover Part II” pocketing USD $85 million, “Kung Fu Panda 2″ chopping away an additional USD $47.6 million and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” walking off with an additional USD $39.8 million.

While I was glad to see the industry rebound from receipts and attendance that were down upwards of 17% and 18% respectively over 2010 figures, I couldn’t help but feel a little skeptical upon seeing the news. Maybe I’ve just grown ambivalent to reading about bar setting box office results that are filled with qualifiers. For instance, the following sentence is from a Box Office Mojo story from this past weekend:

Playing on approximately 6,700 screens at 3,615 locations,”The Hangover Part II” delivered the top-grossing weekend ever ($85.9 million Friday-to-Sunday) for a live-action comedy, and it ranked second to “The Matrix Reloaded” among R-rated movies.

I’m not sure when the industry became so jaded that a praiseworthy USD $85.9 million dollar opening weekend needed to be puffed up further with adjectives like “top-grossing”. Especially when such adjectives have to be qualified with yet another hyphenated descriptor, “live-action comedy”.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted In: Box Office
Tagged: "Kung Fu Panda 2", "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides", "The Hangover Part II", Box Office, Box Office Mojo

2 Comments

Did Sony Leak The Red-Band Trailer For ‘Dragon Tattoo’?

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | May 30, 2011 7:59 pm

Over the weekend the Internet lit up with news about a pirated version of the red-band trailer for the English language remake of “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”. It wasn’t long before speculation arose that Sony Pictures, the distributor releasing the film, had actually planted the trailer on YouTube as part of a viral marketing campaign.

Adapted from the first novel in Steig Larsson’s best selling trilogy, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” is being directed by David Fincher and is due to hit theatres worldwide before the end of the year. A Swedish adaptation of the novel was a worldwide hit when it was released in 2009.

The online appearance of the red-band trailer had movie bloggers frothing at the mouth for a number of reasons, including the popularity of the source material and Fincher’s stature as a modern day American auteur. But what really got their juices flowing was a growing conspiracy theory that Sony had purposefully leaked a trailer.

The Hollywood Reporter and Mashable were some of the many media outlets to point out a few inconsistencies:

While the trailer starts out looking as if it was captured secretly with a camcorder inside a dark movie theatre, after the first few seconds the off-center, shaky image becomes more steady and clear.
The quality of the audio is much better than traditional camcorder versions of pirated movies and the video can be viewed in HD.
The red-band trailer for “Dragon Tattoo” was only released in theatres internationally, however the online footage begins with the MPAA’s red-band advisory notice. This poses the question as to why international markets would show a an advisory from a U.S. ratings board.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Posted In: Trailers
Tagged: "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", Camcorder, David Fincher, Hollywood Reporter, MPAA, Sony Pictures, YouTube

2 Comments