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Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
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Author:  pcernie [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 12:34 am ]
Post subject:  Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
Quote:
AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY ON PROTECTING THE MOVIE-GOING EXPERIENCE

We are the artists and business professionals who help make the movie business great. We produce and direct movies. We work on the business deals that help get movies made. At the end of the day, we are also simply big movie fans.

Lately, there’s been a lot of talk by leaders at some major studios and cable companies about early-to-the-home “premium video-on-demand.” In this proposed distribution model, new movies can be shown in homes while these same films are still in their theatrical run.

In this scenario, those who own televisions with an HDMI input would be able to order a film through their cable system or an Internet provider as a digital rental. Terms and timing have yet to be made concrete, but there has been talk of windows of 60 days after theatrical release at a price of $30.

Currently, the average theatrical release window is over four months (132 days). The theatrical release window model has worked for years for everyone in the movie business. Current theatrical windows protect the exclusivity of new films showing in state-of-the-art theaters bolstered by the latest in digital projection, digital sound, and stadium seating.

As a crucial part of a business that last year grossed close to $32 billion in worldwide theatrical ticket sales, we in the creative community feel that now is the time for studios and cable companies to acknowledge that a release pattern for premium video-on-demand that invades the current theatrical window could irrevocably harm the financial model of our film industry.

Major studios are struggling to replace the revenue lost by the declining value of DVD transactions. Low-cost rentals and subscriptions are undermining higher priced DVD sales and rentals. But the problem of declining revenue in home video will not be solved by importing into the theatrical window a distribution model that cannibalizes theatrical ticket sales.

Make no mistake: History has shown that price points cannot be maintained in the home video window. What sells for $30-a-viewing today could be blown out for $9.99 within a few years. If wiser heads do not prevail, the cannibalization of theatrical revenue in favor of a faulty, premature home video window could lead to the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. Some theaters will close. The competition for those screens that remain will become that much more intense, foreclosing all but the most commercial movies from theatrical release. Specialty films whose success depends on platform releases that slowly build in awareness would be severely threatened under this new model. Careers that are built on the risks that can be taken with lower budget films may never have the chance to blossom under this cut-throat new model.

Further, releasing a pristine, digital copy of new movies early to the home will only increase the piracy problem—not solve it.

As leaders in the creative community, we ask for a seat at the table. We want to hear the studios’ plans for how this new distribution model will affect the future of the industry that we love.

And until that happens, we ask that our studio partners do not rashly undermine the current – and successful – system of releasing films in a sequential distribution window that encourages movie lovers to see films in the optimum, and most profitable, exhibition arena: the movie theaters of America.

We encourage our colleagues in the creative community to join with us by calling or emailing NATO at 202-962-0054 or nato@natodc.com.

Sincerely,

Michael Bay
Kathryn Bigelow
James Cameron
Guillermo del Toro
Roland Emmerich
Antoine Fuqua
Todd Garner
Lawrence Gordon
Stephen Gyllenhaal
Gale Anne Hurd
Peter Jackson
Karyn Kusama
Jon Landau
Shawn Levy
Michael Mann
Bill Mechanic
Jamie Patricof
Todd Phillips
Brett Ratner
Robert Rodriguez
Adam Shankman
Gore Verbinski
Robert Zemeckis


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/2 ... 584?page=2

£18+ to rent a film!? I wouldn't care if it had just been released two seconds ago at that price, never mind two months :lol:

I do think they're probably right on the cinema experience though - it's obvious some people will go to any old sh1t regardless, so the studios would need to keep that in mind ;) . Seriously, after decades of talking about brands and 'awareness', some companies are going into detrimental reverse :oops:
Author:  rustybucket [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 1:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
I might have more sympathy if not for:

  1. most new films being total s***
  2. most new films being s*** versions of older, better films or s***er sequels to s*** films
  3. most cinemas being manky, unsanitary, s***ty places to be
  4. cinemas selling the noisiest, stickiest, s***tiest food known to man
  5. every film I've ever watched being ruined by c. & d.
  6. most films I've ever watched being repeatedly interrupted by knobheads who can't manage to be on time
  7. cinema staff never actually doing anything about noisy twunts
  8. most theatres not actually having been set up properly.
  9. the seats having been recycled from the Bastille torture chambers
  10. Jar-Jar Binks
  11. their fascist marketing convincing idiot women to drag their partners to RomComs
  12. consistent shameless rip-offs of non-narrative sources such as computer games
  13. CG being preferred to filming things properly
  14. wobbly camera-work; it's not artistic - it's just s***
  15. love- and sex-scenes in films that really don't need them
  16. vast sums being paid to "talent" that just isn't
  17. the Babylon 5 debacle
  18. studios repeatedly chopping films so that they make little or no sense until you see the extended version
  19. a litany of new technologies released merely to cover up the monumental shortcomings of the industry's output
  20. the wonderful old Odeons being sold off and knocked down to make way for vast, Vegas-style, gawdy monstrosities


    oh and....

  21. casting Keanu Reeves in anything, let alone as Neo
Author:  big_D [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
I agree Rusty,

I've actually walked out of 3 films in the last year, because they were so sh*t! I never dd that before.
Author:  belchingmatt [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 6:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
Last time I went to the cinema it was too loud, felt like it must have been exceeding safe levels and really took away any possible enjoyment.
Author:  Paul1965 [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
rustybucket wrote:
I might have more sympathy if not for:

  1. most new films being total s***
  2. most new films being s*** versions of older, better films or s***er sequels to s*** films
  3. most cinemas being manky, unsanitary, s***ty places to be
  4. cinemas selling the noisiest, stickiest, s***tiest food known to man
  5. every film I've ever watched being ruined by c. & d.
  6. most films I've ever watched being repeatedly interrupted by knobheads who can't manage to be on time
  7. cinema staff never actually doing anything about noisy twunts
  8. most theatres not actually having been set up properly.
  9. the seats having been recycled from the Bastille torture chambers
  10. Jar-Jar Binks
  11. their fascist marketing convincing idiot women to drag their partners to RomComs
  12. consistent shameless rip-offs of non-narrative sources such as computer games
  13. CG being preferred to filming things properly
  14. wobbly camera-work; it's not artistic - it's just s***
  15. love- and sex-scenes in films that really don't need them
  16. vast sums being paid to "talent" that just isn't
  17. the Babylon 5 debacle
  18. studios repeatedly chopping films so that they make little or no sense until you see the extended version
  19. a litany of new technologies released merely to cover up the monumental shortcomings of the industry's output
  20. the wonderful old Odeons being sold off and knocked down to make way for vast, Vegas-style, gawdy monstrosities


    oh and....

  21. casting Keanu Reeves in anything, let alone as Neo




v. the incredibly high ticket prices - 3D or not - to see a movie in London. I think I paid £27 for the two of us to see Cloverfield :D and even then it was ruined by people gabbling on. I won't go to our local cinema in Bromley due to many of the reasons rusty has set out above.
Author:  paulzolo [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 11:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
rustybucket wrote:
I might have more sympathy if not for:

  1. most new films being total s***
  2. most new films being s*** versions of older, better films or s***er sequels to s*** films
  3. most cinemas being manky, unsanitary, s***ty places to be
  4. cinemas selling the noisiest, stickiest, s***tiest food known to man
  5. every film I've ever watched being ruined by c. & d.
  6. most films I've ever watched being repeatedly interrupted by knobheads who can't manage to be on time
  7. cinema staff never actually doing anything about noisy twunts
  8. most theatres not actually having been set up properly.
  9. the seats having been recycled from the Bastille torture chambers
  10. Jar-Jar Binks
  11. their fascist marketing convincing idiot women to drag their partners to RomComs
  12. consistent shameless rip-offs of non-narrative sources such as computer games
  13. CG being preferred to filming things properly
  14. wobbly camera-work; it's not artistic - it's just s***
  15. love- and sex-scenes in films that really don't need them
  16. vast sums being paid to "talent" that just isn't
  17. the Babylon 5 debacle
  18. studios repeatedly chopping films so that they make little or no sense until you see the extended version
  19. a litany of new technologies released merely to cover up the monumental shortcomings of the industry's output
  20. the wonderful old Odeons being sold off and knocked down to make way for vast, Vegas-style, gawdy monstrosities


    oh and....

  21. casting Keanu Reeves in anything, let alone as Neo


Can I add:
  1. Sh*t remakes of TV programmes which should have been left where (and when) they are
  2. Short show windows for interesting films in favour of conveyor belt “block buster” dross
  3. Too much Marvel/DC originated stuff being used in place of original Sci-Fi/Fantasy

The problems I have with cinemas these days is the blanket covering of every screen with both 3D and 2D variants of the same film. This doubling up pushes other films to obscure times, the TV room style screens or, in some cases, both.

If the film I am likely to want to see is being shown in a room with 20 seats and a small screen, then for my £18, I might as well pay for a digital rental and watch it at home. It would cost the same for two people regardless. I remember the “art screen” I saw Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow in at the cinema in Lakeside. I might as well have been shoved into a cupboard with a Sinclair TV80. Some cinemas seem not to understand the words “scale” and “spectacle”.
Author:  ProfessorF [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 7:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
I quite enjoy going to the cinema. Especially without a bunch of cheerless sods like you lot there. :P
I haven't been bothered by the general public in the cinema.
Perhaps you need to reassess your chosen times of visiting? Or perhaps the films you're going to see?

The most irritated I've been in a cinema was Attack Of The Clones in Leicester Square.
There was a German family behind us, one of whom was loudly translating the entire film into German for the benefit of his sprogs.
Did I get up and walk out? No, I didn't. I don't I'd be likely to leave unless the auditorium was on fire.

I'm curious - do any of you who profess not to enjoy the cinema ever visit the theatre or perhaps a ballet? Or anything else held in public?
Author:  timark_uk [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 7:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
I love going to the pictures. Being currently unemployed I really can't afford to go very often at all. (8+(

Mark
Author:  Amnesia10 [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
belchingmatt wrote:
Last time I went to the cinema it was too loud, felt like it must have been exceeding safe levels and really took away any possible enjoyment.

Yes that happened to me. It ruined the film for me.
Author:  Amnesia10 [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
timark_uk wrote:
I love going to the pictures. Being currently unemployed I really can't afford to go very often at all. (8+(

Mark

Two words cinema pass. When I lived close to the cinema and they had sensible prices for early shows I went four times a week. When it is only £3 you can do it occasionally. Though for £10 a month do it all the time.
Author:  belchingmatt [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
ProfessorF wrote:
I'm curious - do any of you who profess not to enjoy the cinema ever visit the theatre or perhaps a ballet? Or anything else held in public?


You mean those places where people generally know how to conduct themselves in public? No, not in some time, I would hate to think things have changed.

If I wanted to be part of a noisy crowd I'd go to see a comedy show. I don't go to comedy shows.[/TG]
Author:  ProfessorF [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
The last theatre show I attended, the performer had to stop and ask someone to be quiet. In fact, the manager had to come and deal with it, the whole thing broke the show up to quite a degree. It was Derren Brown, in case you're wondering.
I've never seen that happen in the cinema.
Author:  pcernie [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
I'm willing to put up with the tards only if the movie is almost guaranteed to be good, so I'm rarely at the cinema these days :(
Author:  rustybucket [ Wed Apr 27, 2011 11:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
ProfessorF wrote:
I'm curious - do any of you who profess not to enjoy the cinema ever visit the theatre or perhaps a ballet? Or anything else held in public?

I love public performance, both as audience and performer.

However, IMO the point of going to the cinema is to get a combination of the things you can't get at home - things like superior reproduction, luxurious environment, size and spectacle and respectful shared experience. When those things are present (for instance when I attended a late night screening of the Two Towers), the experience is wondrous. However if those things aren't there then, AFA I'm concerned, it isn't really a cinema and just isn't worth the effort.
Author:  big_D [ Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bay, Cameron, del Toro, Jackson oppose premium VOD
With roller blinds, big screen FullHD TV, Blu-Ray and a semi-decent home cinema sound system, the image and sound quality at home is generally better than in the cinema...

That said, we try and go to the cinema once a month or so, depending on whether there is anything interesting to watch... We picked out a few duds lately, which is a shame as that is a lot of money down the drain, but generally we go for a socual activity, both of us out of the house, doing something together, the film itself is often secondary, as long as it is watchable - The other guys, some Sandra Bullock dross and another forgettable film had us get up in the first half our (at most) and leave the cinema and go and do something else instead.
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