Revamping the Movie Distribution Chain

ianscot writes "Steve Soderberg's latest film will be released in a manner that directly challenges the traditional Hollywood distribution chain. Soderberg's been influenced by Mark Cuban, the dot-com billionaire who owns the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, and Todd Wagner, another dot-commer whose ideas about the movie business are radical departures. Wagner's financing this one. The movie, Bubble, is the first of six that Soderberg will film in HD video; all will be released simultaneously in theaters, as HDNet movies, and on DVDs." From the article: "As independents, Soderbergh and Wagner are willing to talk openly about subjects that are being hotly debated behind closed doors elsewhere in Hollywood. When Disney chief Robert Iger recently brought up the concept of shortening the window between theatrical release and DVD, he was fiercely criticised by the National Association of Theatre Owners."

Fast turnaround

[AKAImBatman]

When Disney chief Robert Iger recently brought up the concept of shortening the window between theatrical release and DVD, he was fiercely criticised by the National Association of Theatre Owners.

The cycle is WAY shorter than it used to be. I remember back in the Bad Old Days(TM) when you would have to wait until a year after the movie left the theaters to see in on VHS. And that was only if the movie studio felt that the movie would do well resold on tape.

Now we barely have to wait 3-4 months after its initial release before it appears in stores on DVD! It's so quick anymore, that sometimes it feels like it's on DVD as soon as it's out of the theater. I realize that for some people that may seem slow, but for those of us who remember, that's one hell of a fast turnaround! :-)

Soderbergh's Experiment

[Sundroid]

Steven Soderbergh's "3-pronged attack" is being watched closely by Hollywood. This Theater-Cable-DVD simultaneous release of a new movie to the public is actually one of the counter measures against privacy movie people have thought about but never really dared to try. So, give Mr. Soderbergh a chance, and maybe years down the line they might even use words like "pioneer" to describe him.

"Bubble", shot for $1.6 million, may be a cheapo in Hollywood standard, but Soderbergh was serious enough to use the same high-definition camera George Lucas used for two "Star Wars" movies, as described in a New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/22/movies/22bubb.h tml [nytimes.com]).

Re:Please, get rid of the DVD release zones as wel

[bakawally]

Make no mistake. This is not about customer's movie watching lives. Its about profits.

Re:Good!

[aussie_a]

But for most people, movies do need to be seen relatively soon as they come out.

Or what? They die?

Slashdot is filled with guys that can't socialize (and hence, get dates). To some degree, that is affected by an inability to realize that if someone asks you about the latest movie; they're trying to start a conversation -- not looking to get preached to about the evil movie industry.

Oooh, you're sure to get modded up. Criticizing slashdot and/or people who com here (bonus points for mentioning their inability to date). However it's quite likely that the person attempting to start a conversation won't like the same movies you do. I know I have quite different tastes to those I talk to regularly, despite this my ability to have a conversation isn't hampered.

Re:Why Theatre Owners Hate this Idea

[Kattana]

Welcome to Japan. Anime mostly, but movies/tv/media as well are commonly released strait to video and have been for decades. OVA(origional video appearence) releases are, as is the case here, usualy bad, but when they are good they put full length tv series anime to shame. All the story of a full 26ep season packed into 3-4 episodes, movie length, and without having to change the artistic vision at all to be tv safe or fit the marketing angle the station is using, they can get into every niche in the market, which probably contributes to the enourmous media market there. The industry here could do this, but none of the media companies want to change.

Re:Good, but ironic

[Itchy Rich]

Have you ever considered that the problem might not be with Hollywood or movie theatres but with your fellow citizens' basic inability to act in what would be considered a civilised manner?

Last time I went to the cinema a couple behind us were whispering to each other in Polish for most of the film.

The time before that, three girls down at the front were chatting at normal volume, then popped open a bottle of champaigne.

Going to the cinema is a great experience, but it's by no means necessary to enjoy most films. Most people have 'home cinema' setups these days anyway. Perhaps it's time to stop the protectionism and let cinemas innovate or die out.