Posted by christine on May 13, 2010 in
Movies Hollywood has recently been telling America about the financial trouble the movie industry is facing. In response, Americans have asked Hollywood to start producing movies that are good enough to watch and worth the ten dollars theaters charge! Over the past four years ticket sales for new movies have steadily decreased. Why is this happening? Are movie theaters going away? Will movie studios go out of business and further limit consumer choice? This article will attempt to answer these questions by examining the challenges and opportunities faced by both the entertainment industry and consumers.
Why are ticket sales declining?
Home theater systems
Besides the limited quality of movies being produced, many Americans have set up ?home theater? systems in their homes. The decrease in prices of big screen TVs and theater quality surround sound systems has produced a generation of movie viewers who have the resources to create a theater environment in their own homes. When you add the convenience of not having to tolerate someone else?s crying child and being able to pause the movie when you need to get a snack or drink there?s really no question why movie theater attendance is down.
DVD pricing and release windows
For years, the movie business has operated on a series of complex release windows:
First, movies play in theaters, then, six months later, the video window opens, followed by the opening of the pay TV and then free television window. (Slate, Downloading for Dollars)
Since the price point for a DVD is lower than taking a family of four to the theater, many consumers simply wait for the movie to be released on DVD. DVD players have decreased in price so much they?re almost ubiquitous in American households and are a crucial part of any home theater system.
Hollywood is being pressured financially at the theaters by these situations. A good opening weekend is a huge part of the viability of a film. Studios spend an average of $30 million per film promoting the theatrical release. The question many industry analysts are asking is why the studios don?t shift the release windows, or eliminate them all together.
Simultaneous Releases?
Some of Hollywood?s biggest players are testing this theory right now, sort of. The film Bubble, directed by Steven Soderbergh and backed financially by tech entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is the first of six films planned to test Hollywood?s window system. Released January 27th, Bubble could be seen in theaters or pay-per-view on cable and from satellite providers through HDNet television. Four days later, Bubble was released on DVD with additional content available on the DVD version.
Bubble is a tightly controlled experiment. The film itself is short (72 minutes), starred only amateur actors and was mostly panned by critics. Theatrical distribution was limited to Landmark Theaters which Cuban owns and a few independents?other theaters boycotted it. Pay-per-view was also distributed through a Cuban owned venture HDNet which has distribution through many major cable companies and satellite providers DISH Network and DirecTV.
A few days after the film?s release, Soderbergh and Cuban declared victory in their experiment. While theater earnings were only $70,644 on 32 screens, DVD sales quadrupled expectations. A profit sharing model gave 1% of DVD sales to theaters that showed Bubble. The film itself cost about $1.7 million to make and had profit projections after only a week of release.
Are movie theaters going away?
Why do Hollywood profits matter to American consumers?
If you like economics, the declining movie ticket sales conundrum may be of interest to you. Most Americans however don?t really care. Hollywood presents an image of big budgets, expensive cars, mansions and movie star lifestyles while most of America is buried under credit card debt and struggling to put gas in their Hondas or pay their heating bills. But, Hollywood profits should matter, because if a film, TV program, or documentary doesn?t have a large audience, it gets cancelled and nobody gets to see it.
In America, we love our entertainment. Despite the quality of a program, television shows that don?t have big enough audiences for network TV inevitably get cancelled. In my mind, Arrested Development is one of the funniest programs out there right now. It has had critical success and a core of viewers, but it won?t be coming back next season. Fox will burn the remaining episodes in poor and sometimes random time slots. Even long running, ?successful? programs like The West Wing and Star Trek: Enterprise ultimately get the axe. If Hollywood resorted to different distribution and income models, they could still make a profit and American consumers could still get the programming we crave.
Will consumers pay for TV programming?
Hollywood has made an assumption that consumers won?t pay for programming and have to rely on advertisers for revenue. But, over 70% of Americans already subscribe to cable or satellite TV to get clear programming. The question isn?t whether Americans are willing to pay, it is how much will they pay.
Andy Bowers from Slate offers this theory ?
The West Wing has about 8 million viewers per week. It costs about $6 million per episode. In other words, if every person who now watches the show paid $1 a week, TWW would more than pay for itself.
Obviously not all 8 million viewers could or would pay for the show. But let’s say a quarter of them would. That’s 2 million people paying $3 per episode (or maybe $4, throwing in a buck for Steve Jobs and the cable companies). The episodes could be viewed on a PPV channel, downloaded to a DVR, or slurped onto video iPods.
Now, imagine if all TV programming could be distributed in this fashion! Programs like Arrested Development wouldn?t have to rely on a top 20 ranking to stay on the air. Programming would become a function of consumer demand?American TV watchers would actually have more choice!
Will advances in technology decrease consumer choice?
Technology creates choice
Technology is the enabler in this scenario. If there were no device for us to record or playback programs, we would still be at the mercy of TV broadcasters for our entertainment. The Digital TV migration of 2009 will make it possible for every household to enable some sort of pay-per-view option, even if they don?t subscribe to cable or satellite TV. Mobile viewing choices will also be increasing with products like Apple?s video iPod and DISH Network?s PocketDISH.
So how do technology advances effect movies?
I was noticing the other day after a Shaggy Dog commercial that most new movies that are advertised heavily are re-makes, sequels or spin-offs of comic books, video games or TV shows. Think about the movies released lately ? Starsky & Hutch, The Dukes of Hazzard, King Kong and Star Wars: Episode III. I thought it was because Hollywood had finally run out of new ideas, but Edward Jay Epstein explains they do it on purpose!
Simultaneous release on multiple platforms will reduce the $30 million advertising cost studios use to blitz consumers into going out to a new movie on opening weekend. In turn, Hollywood will be able to afford to ?green light? more movies that can still turn a profit even with smaller audiences. If theaters are given a share of DVD sales, the burden of possibly having less movie goers in their seats is alleviated.
Bubble is only the first of six films to be released simultaneously by Soderbergh and Cuban. Soderbergh made a prescient statement in a recent interview, ?Name any big-title movie that’s come out in the last four years. It has been available in all formats on the day of release. It’s called piracy.? Indeed, controlling piracy is a huge motivation behind the industry wide move to digitize TV. Movie piracy can take several forms including filming the movie in the theater with a high quality camcorder, or copying the master disc from a post-production facility.
Conclusions
Bubble was just a test. I think the next few films to be released by Soderbergh and Cuban will feature A-list actors and really send a message to Hollywood they must change their business model, or they could be out of business.
Technology is a great enabler of change and consumer choice. For Hollywood studios it is the ultimate profit maker and vehicle for ?just in time? product delivery. Simultaneous delivery of new movies through various outlets like theaters, DVDs and cable and satellite TV pay-per-view allows more choice for consumers and more choice for Hollywood to produce innovative, high quality films. These advantages will also trickle down to TV programming as well.
Hollywood can lead the way in driving digital video content for TV and movies while remaining in control if they will embrace technological advances instead of fighting them. The music industry has already shown suing 12 year olds for downloading pirated songs is no solution for anybody.
References:
http://www.slate.com/id/2131124/
http://www.slate.com/id/2135544/
http://www.slate.com/id/2134933/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060131/ap_en_mo/box_office_bubble
http://the-op.com/saveourbluths/
http://www.slate.com/id/2134803/
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/31379/
http://www.politechbot.com/docs/cbdtpa/hollings.cbdtpa.release.032102.html
http://www.tv.com/seinfeld/the-little-kicks/episode/2378/summary.html
http://www.theforce.net/episode3/story/Seven_Admit_Copying_Star_Wars_DVD_96736.asp
http://www.slate.com/id/2134453/
Posted by christine on May 9, 2010 in
Movies Internet TV is a boom for a movie lovers arguably one of the hottest new technologies in communications. More people are turing to web to watch a movie. That pretty sounds cool, right? Well its ture now you can enjoy all your television shows on internet. it is interesting to think about how the Internet facilitates a distributed and collaborative environment for media production.
A handful of operators already offer service with largely home-grown systems, but many eyes are glued to the screen.In few coming years internet television is definitely going to be a big part of our future television consumption and its definitely going to make a big difference in our our life as no one knows wht is going to happen.
Internet Television is able to ride on existing lowest common denominator infrastructure including broadband, ADSL, wi-fi, cable, satellite doesn’t require new infrastructure to work or provide value to users.
Internet television allows you access to many new products and also broader range of programming that we have been accustomed to retail video world and dramatically more control, as to when and where and how users can access that video/tv programming.
Interenet television aloows you to enjoy 100?s of online channels from different countries and of different languages. There is no need for any TV tunner card. High speed internet connection will give you good audio and vedio. With internet televion you can adjust your screen according to your choice its is adjustable in regualr size or in full mode.
Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Free Internet TV . For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail.com
Posted by christine on May 5, 2010 in
Movies What free internet TV? Now get ready to watch free internet TV. Yes dear friends we are talking about watching your daily Television shows on internet for free without any cable or television tuner card, now enjoy your television serials on internet. Basically it’s video online, which is not new, but what is new is that the major networks are now getting fully involved.
Internet television allows watcher to watch directly into TV without having to experience the annoyances of a Web site (like slow-loading pages and pop-up ads). No additional equipment required like TV tuner card. Watch TV Online where you can enjoy 1000?s of television on your PC, It can watch free Internet TV and listen free online radio stations on your PC.
Free internet TV allows you to enjoy online TV channels from 100 countries. It support multiple formats like window media and real video, free live updates and its very easy in use All you have to do is find your love station from our list, click on the station’s name, and then enjoy it.
Free internet TV Player support both Windows Media and Real Video. You can play most of stream formats in one program. It?s allowing you to set the screen window to any size in regular mode or full-screen mode.
Free internet TV is easy in uses that why it has become most popular in a very short period of time. Now in every household you can find an internet television. Today only get your internet TV connected.
Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Free internet TV . For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail.com
Posted by christine on May 1, 2010 in
Movies Many of us prefer to watch movie at home than in the cinema theaters. This have leads to an increase in sale of rental movie and DVD in the market. With rental movie you can watch movie at any time that is convenient for you. With the high price of theaters ticket and concession, viewing movies on DVD as a family movie in night luxury of your house is day by day becoming more popular. DVD movies are still king though, with the entire craze these days, they will continue to be one of the leading entertainment media markets in the world for years to come.
Rental movies are a very convenient variant for home movie watching. With online rental movie you can watch all your favorite movie, these sites are specialize in providing you a quality movie.
For online renting movie just have to get a yearly subscription and enjoy all your favorite movie with your family in your weekends and vacations. Once you have become an registered member then get your favorite movie not only the latest movies are available but also the classic and blockbuster movie you can rent easily and can get it in a very short time, you don?t have to wait for long period. As you want to see the next movie send a mail for demanding your next movie and it will be done if next few days.
Rental movies are become day by day famous as no one wants to spend their money on watching the movie which has not done well at movie charts. With rental movie you can see first movie at home and if you like the movie you can go and watch at Cinema Theater.
Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Rent Movie . For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail.com
Posted by christine on Apr 27, 2010 in
Movies Are you have become bore of watching the same programs and same movies everyday, now change your world with internet movie rental. Internet movie rentals have made impossible things possible for all the movie buffs. We all know today?s world is of internet world and can get everything on web.
You might be always not in a mode of going to movie rental store to rent new movie and it?s not possible for everyone to watch movie at theater. Internet movie rental has really changed our world of all movie buffs, those who used to spend their lots of money in watching movies at theaters.
Now one can enjoy their movie sitting at home with internet movie rentals. There is on issue of going out and searching for your favorite, classic or any new blockbuster movie. You can get it online without wasting nay time and much money.
For internet movie rental you just have take a membership and start ordering your favorite movie and with in few working hours you will receive your movie. Internet movie rental allows you to enjoy all the movie not only the latest hit but also the classic which you cant find it easily in rental stores.
You get all the facility including their service because of all this things internet movie rental are becoming day-by-day more popular among all the movie lovers as no one want to spend their money on watching a movie at theaters which has not done good enough at chart. Enjoy your favorite movies with internet movie rentals.
Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Rental movie.For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail.com
Posted by christine on Apr 19, 2010 in
Movies Get ready to watch free internet TV. What free internet TV? Yes dear friends we are talking about watching your daily Television shows on internet for free without any cable or television tuner card, now enjoy your television serials on internet. Basically it’s video online, which is not new, but what is new is that the major networks are now getting fully involved.
Watch TV Online where you can enjoy 1000?s of television on your PC, It can watch free Internet TV and listen free online radio stations on your PC.
Internet television allows watcher to watch directly into TV without having to experience the annoyances of a Web site (like slow-loading pages and pop-up ads). No additional equipment required like TV tuner card.
Free internet TV Player support both Windows Media and Real Video. You can play most of stream formats in one program. It?s allowing you to set the screen window to any size in regular mode or full-screen mode.
Free internet TV allows you to enjoy online TV channels from 100 countries. It support multiple formats like window media and real video, free live updates and its very easy in use All you have to do is find your love station from our list, click on the station’s name, and then enjoy it.
Free internet TV is easy in uses that why it has become most popular in a very short period of time. Now in every household you can find an internet television. Today only get your internet TV connected.
Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Free internet TV . For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail.com
Posted by christine on Apr 10, 2010 in
Movies Bore of watching the same programs and same movies everyday; we always not in a mode of going theater now change your world with internet movie rental. Internet movie rentals have made impossible things possible for all the movie buffs. We all know today?s world is of internet world and can get everything on web.
Visiting movie rental store to rent a new movie can be boring for you and it?s not possible for everyone to watch movie at theater. Internet movie rental has really changed our world of all movie buffs, those who used to spend their lots of money in watching movies at theaters
Now one can enjoy their movie sitting at home with internet movie rentals. There is on issue of going out and searching for your favorite, classic or any new blockbuster movie. You can get it online without wasting any time and more money.
For internet movie rental you just have take a membership and start ordering your favorite movie and with in few working hours you will receive your movie. Internet movie rental allows you to enjoy the movie not only the latest hit but also the classic which you can?t find it easily in rental stores, as the latest movies are not made available so early in the market.
You get all the facility including their service because of all this things internet movie rental are becoming day-by-day more popular among all the movie lovers as no one want to spend their money on watching a movie at theaters which has not done good enough at chart. Enjoy your favorite movies with internet movie rentals.
Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Rental movie.For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail.com
Posted by christine on Apr 2, 2010 in
Movies If you are like any number of video game enthusiasts, you might have already purchased the Sony PSP to play your video games on the go. The PSP has proven to be extremely popular in the teenage crowd as well as younger adults. There are many reasons behind this, and one big one besides the gaming aspect of the PSP. The popularity of the PSP has risen because of its abilities to play videos.
With over four hundred movies currently available on UMD, Sony?s mini CDs they introduced with the PSP, you?ll want to get that popcorn started and settle in for movie night. So, how do you play movies on the PSP? If you will be using an UMD, follow these simple instructions:
? Get your PSP and UMD handy
? For UMD playing, open your PSP by sliding the latch
? Insert the UMD with label facing the back of the system
? Slide UMD down the tracks until it clicks into place
? Close PSP and enjoy!
If you will be transferring movies or videos from your computer, follow these instructions:
? Get your PSP, Memory Stick Duo, USB A to mini B cable ready
? Find your movie or video on your computer and format to MP4 file type, if it?s not already an MP4
? Locate the movie(s) on your computer, open the directory
? Attach your PSP to your computer using an empty USB port and the cable
? Insert Memory Stick Duo into PSP by opening the slot on the left side of the PSP, put in the memory stick completely then close the slot door
? Turn on power on the PSP
? In the Cross Media bar, select the Setting menu then select USB Connection
? Transfer the movie(s) to the MP_ROOT100MNV01 directory on the memory stick either by dragging and dropping the movie from your hard drive or by copying/pasting the movie
? Find that popcorn and enjoy your movie!
Posted by christine on Mar 29, 2010 in
Movies Be it a wedding, anniversary, or a party, the beautiful and exciting moments are always short lived-it’s all over within a span of days, and all that is left are memories. Wouldn?t it be wonderful if we could capture those magical moments and keep going back to them from time to time? This exactly what a Videographer will do for you – capture in his camera those enchanting times so that you can relive them over and over again.
If you are searching for a Videographer Kent, you should have a look at http://www.acvideo.co.uk. ACVideo has been playing an important role in videography and film production kent of various kinds. We have been helping people make their special days memorable for a lifetime and enjoy those special moments of life over and over. As you plan the most memorable day of your life, remember that the VideographerKent is just a phone call or email away.
Whether your requirement is for a major film production kent, we will always apply the same amount of professionalism; working up to a high standard, befitting our reputation in the industry. Our aim is to help you, our corporate client, to communicate more effectively, more impressively.
We produce much more than just a corporate DVD, graphic sales presentation, training video or a few high quality web pages for your company. We organize for you the information essential as part of the marketing tools and business intelligence you will need to make your next production as outstanding as possible.
The staff at AC Video specializes in high quality, results that exceed our clients’ expectations. The result is a corporate video production process that is just as rewarding as the results.
Along with our shooting facilities, we also provide a wide range of post-production services which include non-linear computer editing, tape duplication, mpeg encoding, DVD authoring, film transfer facilities, graphics and artwork – providing a complete ’script to screen’ service that is handy and unique for the client. Computer editing using Canopus HD software, standards conversion, DVD duplication, and film transfer facilities provide a complete “script to screen” services like:
? Production Shooting
? Post-production Services
? Standards Conversion
? Film to DVD Transfer
Working together, we help you discover powerful and innovative ways to communicate to your audience, making them feel your presence so that they remember to give you a call whenever they feel like capturing their precious moments for eternity. We hold our clients in high esteem, therefore provide sales lead-driven online business development strategies.
Videography can do more than just capture the day; the video camera will keep intact the story of the special day or event that you will treasure for years to come. AC Video?s can also produce videos for corporate clients, home and business inventories, music videos for bands or a simple photomontage, all in one grand and stylish production. The possibilities are endless. After professional video editing, the resulting narrative can be transferred to videotape or DVD to ensure that the events of the day are not lost in time. For more information about corporate video production, videographer, videographer kent,film production kent, logon to: http://www.acvideo.co.uk
Posted by christine on Mar 25, 2010 in
Movies Whether you want to capture your child’s birthday party, a wedding or the sites from your summer travels, making a home video is one of the most popular ways of preserving the memories.
Nearly 54 percent of Americans own a camcorder, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. As digital video cameras have become increasingly popular and much more affordable – average prices have decreased about a third in the last several years – many people are taking the magic of home videos one step further by doing their own editing and adding special effects and music.
Here are some tips to help bring out the Hollywood director in you the next time you turn on your camcorder.
* Be prepared. Learn as much as you can about your camera before shooting footage. Familiarize yourself with its zooming capabilities and other features. Also, don’t forget to charge the battery and have a spare one handy.
* Practice makes perfect. Take some practice footage with your camera using different features. This is the best way to learn the ins and outs of your camera.
* Focus on the stars. Most of us go to the movie theater to see our favorite actors in action, right? Remember: It’s the people, not the places, who will keep you coming back to watch home videos 10 years from now.
* Cut and polish. Once you’ve captured the footage, the real fun begins. With the help of easy-to-use video-editing software, you can make home movies that the whole family will enjoy.
Ever wonder how to add music, create transitions from one scene to another and remove dead footage? Adobe Premiere Elements is a favorite among amateur videographers for editing their videos, adding music, splicing in still images, creating slide shows, and even adding bits of old home movies to a new video.
The software is an all-in-one home-video studio. With a little practice, you can add fun effects as well as Hollywood-style
titles and credits, and burn your own DVDs or save your home movie to a Web format and post it online for your friends and family to download.