Bubble

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puzzlehead
Posts: 175
Joined: 02 Oct 2004 23:53

Post by puzzlehead » 27 Jan 2006 10:31

Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and former owner of broadcast.com, mega-gazillionaire, has released the Steven Soderbergh movie 'Bubble' mostly to digital theaters and on subscription cable on the same day (Jan 27th?). Four days later he is releasing it on DVD. Is this a smart move on his part? Will this distribution method last and break the current way that Hollywood releases and markets movies? Or is this just a futile attempt to be innovative?

steampunk
Posts: 132
Joined: 16 Sep 2004 00:55

Post by steampunk » 27 Jan 2006 11:55

I don't think media (movies, tv, radio, music) is going to be even remotely the same in 10 to 20 years.

Two things: distribution (as you said) and production.

The first season of the new Battlestar Galactica? I watched it all via BitTorrent since it came out on SkyOne first. Firefly? I watched that via DVD. I have a 42-inch plasma connected to a D-Link media center, which is connected to my PC (server) via Fast Ethernet. As long as I am using codecs the D-Link likes, I can watch whatever video or listen to whatever song I like -- in my living room, not where my computer is. And if I do want to watch it "live", I typically use my DVR and wait so I can FF through the commercials.

And look at the production value of something like the Star Wars: Revelation fan-produced flick (I said production -- not acting). Or the first five minute sketch of Skycaptain, which led to the movie. Hell, consider Clerks and El Mariachi. When anyone with talent can pick up a prosumer handicam, the latest Adobe software, and a Macintosh and be the next big thing, Hollywood has a problem.

And don't even get me started with music; if you have talent, ambition, and a credit card, there's really nothing holding you back. Anyone can get uploaded to iTunes or have their own website.

Someone on here mentioned Alexander. I happened to enjoy the movie, although I didn't think it was special by any means. It did horribly here in the US. Somehow, the rest of the world was duped into spending money to half-way save it. I say 'half-way' because the <a href='http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alexander.htm' target='_blank'>revenue from the box-office hasn't yet met up with the cost of production and marketing</a>. It may have made money with DVD sales, but who knows? (boxofficemojo.com doesn't list the distribution costs, but those are probably another 20-40 big ones). Anyway, on to my point: the blockbusters rarely make money (Kong anyone? No? How about Waterworld or Ishtar or [insert big flop here]). In fact, some have bankrupted large studios.

No, this guy's getting in on the front end of the wave. Why should I spend $24+ to watch a movie (not counting getting raped on concessions) where some kid is kicking the back of my seat and the floor is sticky, when I can have it piped into my house for $5 on-demand or $10-15 for the DVD? When the phone & cable companies finally merge, the end is nigh...

PS - I personally believe the SkyOne before SciFi distro for BSG was to test the waters. The download numbers were huge. And what was one of the first shows offered on iTunes? BSG.

puzzlehead
Posts: 175
Joined: 02 Oct 2004 23:53

Post by puzzlehead » 28 Jan 2006 06:53

Steampunk, the world moves much too fast for me. It must be due to my age. When media companies started releasing dvds of televisions series a few months after a season ended, that's when I figured that the current distribution model employed by hollywood was about to go topsy-turvey. I remember when vcrs were becoming big and Star Wars had just ended its run in the theaters. They said that it would not be available in either VHS or BETA for approximately 5-8 years. These days it isn't unheard of to see that happen within the span of months.

Your example of going to the movies was spot on and a philosophy I have adopted. Why should I spend $20+ dollars to go to the movies when I know that a few months after its run, or in the case of movies like Ray while it is still in some theaters, I could buy a dvd and watch in the comfort of my home?

My only dread is that small arthouse theaters will definitely be wiped off the face of the earth. Like the Biographe downtown.

steampunk
Posts: 132
Joined: 16 Sep 2004 00:55

Post by steampunk » 28 Jan 2006 08:15

Double post. Nothing to see here. Move along.
Last edited by steampunk on 28 Jan 2006 08:18, edited 1 time in total.

steampunk
Posts: 132
Joined: 16 Sep 2004 00:55

Post by steampunk » 28 Jan 2006 08:17

puzzlehead wrote:Steampunk, the world moves much too fast for me.  It must be due to my age.
I think we're the same age or very close (33 in Feb) -- but it can't move fast enough for me. I want my flying car, dammit!

PS -- for Christmas, we replaced the grandparents' top-loading VCR with a DVD/VCR combo. I think that thing was early '80s vintage.
puzzlehead wrote:Your example of going to the movies was spot on and a philosophy I have adopted. Why should I spend $20+ dollars to go to the movies when I know that a few months after its run, or in the case of movies like Ray while it is still in some theaters, I could buy a dvd and watch in the comfort of my home?
We go to the "stadium seating" one in Fairfax Corner, typically. We have a "film budget" -- one film each, per quarter, at the theater. I typically choose the ones with huge panoramas, like LotRs, where it is awe inspiring to see. Other than that, you're right, I choose my home every time.
puzzlehead wrote:My only dread is that small arthouse theaters will definitely be wiped off the face of the earth.  Like the Biographe downtown.
There, I have to disagree with you. They've already hit rock bottom. They're competing with the multicinimegaplex1000s, DVDs, and cable; yet they're afloat. I think most of those will survive this, too. If you want to go to an arthouse place, you'll still do it. I particularly like the places that have more of the booth-type seating where you can get a full meal while you're watching.

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