download-to-own Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Brokeback for Download and DVD
Filed under: Distribution », Home Entertainment », Movie Marketing »
In Monday's Wall Street Journal, Sarah
McBride reports
that Tuesday's release of Brokeback
Mountain on DVD will not only herald its viewing by a gaggle of fans who got to hear all about it during award
season, but a slew of folks who are into the whole "I got a copy online - legally" thing, too. While this
will apparently be a pricey proposition for those who choose to go with the broadband-downloaded version -- the
expectation is that "newer" films on Movielink will be between $20-$30, according to the article -- the big
story here is really that the studios are getting with the program, and realizing that downloaded versions, whether
legal or not, are the way things are going, and a preferred method for a lot of people. Will this bring a little bit more positive light towards Movielink and the studios? Maybe a little, but probably not that much if the pricing is going to be out of whack. A lot of people who like having a digital version would still know how to get around most of the security features of whatever they have purchased above the board, and the extra step might be worth a 50% bounty on having that digital version. Let's just realize that for the big biz folks, it's all about baby steps.
Waterborne to debut at Google Video Store
Filed under: Drama », Deals », Sundance », Tech Stuff », Distribution », Newsstand »
Waterborne, Ben
Rekhi's directorial debut about "the fictional aftermath of a bio-terrorist attack on the water supply of
LA," was very popular at last year's SXSW Film Festival, where it was the runner-up for the Narrative Feature
audience award. Though the film's producers were offered $125,000 in exchange for distribution rights, they turned the
unnamed suitor down in order to become the first feature made available under the Google Video Store's "new
'download-to-own,' distribution model."The film, which made its online debut yesterday, will be available to view free in a streaming format for a week; in addition, it's available for download at the price of $4.99. According to Google, what sets their approach apart from those of other downloadable video sources, is that once a customer pays for a download, their use of the file is completely unrestricted - it can be moved to an iPod, or burned to DVD forty-seven times. Whatever the customer wants to do is fine, because they own the file. In addition, Google is reportedly splitting profits with the creators of content in an unusually friendly way: 30% for Google, 70% for the creators. This, if nothing else, should earn them looks from filmmakers who are searching for cheap ways to reach new audiences.
What do you think - are the guys at Google stretching themselves a little bit too thin with this new venture, or is it yet another great new step for an equally great company? Also, is the profit structure really as good as it sounds? Input would be appreciated, particularly from frequent users of Google Video (personally, the reliance on Flash is such a pain for me that I rarely use it).
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