Europe Now Open for Digital Cinema
June 26, 2007
Expo hails groundbreaking deal | www.variety.com
The world will eventually move to digital cinema exhibition. It is a matter of when not if and how long it will take. At issue from the start of the transition has been who is going to pay. The exhibitors do not want to spend a lot of money just to save the distributors/studios their print costs. As such, the virtual print fee concept was created whereby, in general terms, for each digital theater showing a movie digitally, the studios would contribute $750 to the digital cinema financing effort. The $750 is approximately ½ the cost of a film print. This deal is for Fox and Universal only, but the others may follow suit. If the region’s cinemas agree to work with this virtual print fee concept, then the roll out of digital cinema on that continent will grow quickly.
The Indie and the Holy Grail of Digital Cinema
June 19, 2007
Giving the time of day to targeted audiences | www.latimes.com
Alternative content is a great concept for idle capacity in the nation’s movie theaters and is enabled due to the transition to digital cinema. It will be a while before this concept is proven or disproven. The reasons are simple: there has not been much alternative content and the theaters, used to having product marketed for them by the major studios and independent distributors, may not be in a position to market the product in a way that can be financially rewarding to all concerned. Different kinds of programming have been produced for this market from kids programming as discussed in this article to the Metropolitan Opera. There are a number of projects on the horizon that may click with consumers, including the broadcast of sporting events to the theaters. National Amusements has been doing this for a while with Red Sox games. Chances are this content, at least at the outset, will come from the independent producers, not from the studios.
Is this a blockbuster decision, or not?
June 18, 2007
Blockbuster: Blu-Ray All The Way | www.forbes.com
Blockbuster has announced that it will offer all new high definition DVDs in the Blu Ray format on an exclusive basis. Whether or not this is a blockbuster decision by Blockbuster as it relates to the Sony led format remains to be seen. And this will not necessarily spell the doom of the Toshiba led HD DVD system. Time will tell as the market decides. The reason that this may not be a fait accompli is due to the fact that it is still very early in this format war. This may be a battle won, but it is not a turning point in the war. Also, there are other major competitors to Blockbuster in terms of DVDs. What if, for example, Wal Mart, Target and Best Buy, the three market share leaders in the important sell through market, decide to carry both formats or if any one or all three offered only the HD DVD? What if Net Flix made a similar decision? Hollywood Video?
U2 may be one of the lesser names getting involved in 3D
June 5, 2007
U2 may be one of the lesser names getting involved in 3D | www.hollywoodreporter.com
By most standards, U2 is a leader in all aspects of the entertainment business, but when major players such as James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Robert Zemeckis, Disney, DreamWorks and others are involved in 3D stereoscopic movies, U2 is just another name on the list. U2 was at Cannes to publicize the release of their U2-3D movie which if all goes well will be released this fall. I have been following 3D very closely and will be moderating a panel entitled The Arrival of 3D - Digital 3D Platform for Feature Films and Television on June 12 at Digital Hollywood. http://www.digitalhollywood.com/LASpring07Agenda.html. 3D is one of the hottest topics in Hollywood today with all of the major players and many others attempting to gain a foothold in the medium. The company list for my panel is formidable, with Dolby, DreamWorks, Kodak, Real D, Sony and Texas Instruments represented. Some 3D product will succeed and some will not. U2 has strong possibilities.
Dell + Wal Mart = A Bad Channel Strategy
May 31, 2007
Dell to sell computers through Wal-Mart | www.ft.com
1. Dell needs to move into the indirect channel to remain competitive with HP and IBM. 2. Wal Mart is not the right partner. 3. Entry level desktops are not the way to gain market share and profitability.
3D Projection - Feature Film Exhibitors Silver Bullet?
May 29, 2007
U2 performs 'Streets' on Croisette | www.hollywoodreporter.com
1. Exhibitors Need to Find New Ways to Differentiate in the Marketplace 2. The Movie Going Publics expectations of exhibitors is increasing 3. CGI and Live Action content is enhanced by 3D Projection Technology
February 8, 2007
Internet to revolutionize TV in 5 years: Gates | news.yahoo.com
We’ve been hearing about ITV for ten years, and online TVs since WebTV popped up. Many of us have tried at one time or another to get (and pay for) a movie via the internet, only to be sadly disappointed in either the time it took, the quirkiness of the PC, the poor sound quality and the intermittent picture quality. Like the old expression “I’ll believe it when I see it,” well we’ll see it when we believe (in) it. That’s not to say that all the above cited service won’t be available, or that one or two of them may actually become successful to some degree, but IPTV is not going to quickly or easily replace FOA, Cable, Satellite and DVD (no mater how you get one.)
Hardware Margins Overlook the Real Profit Opportunity of iPhone
January 29, 2007
Apple to rake in 50% margin on iPhone | www.telecoms.com
1. Apple and AT&T will earn more after the sale than on it
2. The cost of making the phone is not the cost of goods to providers
More Choices = More Costs for Consumers
January 29, 2007
Will 'unlocked' cellphones free consumers? | www.usatoday.com
1. Without carrier subsidies, consumers will pay more for phones
2. Too many choices will confuse consumers
3. Quality of service experience may suffer
4. Carriers will find ways to recoup the lost revenue
December 19, 2006
The Unlikely Game Player | www.businessweek.com
It seems almost everyone has misread the reasons behind the acquisition, and what Voodoo is really all about.
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