Studios Test Super Premium VOD During Theatrical Runs

Hollywood studios are experimenting with a new business model in South Korea that offers movies through video on demand while they are still screening in theaters. “Django Unchained” was made available to rent online or via cable weeks after premiering in Korean theaters. A similar approach was taken with animated features “Wreck-it Ralph” and “Brave.” If the “super premium VOD” tests prove successful, they could impact how the studios view exhibition. Continue reading Studios Test Super Premium VOD During Theatrical Runs

BitTorrent Bundle Provides New Options for Content Creators

BitTorrent announced the BitTorrent Bundle earlier this week, a new format that provides access to free content in addition to a gateway to other material. It offers content creators a new means of distributing and monetizing their work outside the confines of traditional methods. BitTorrent continues its efforts to transform the file-sharing software into a legitimate platform for movies and music. Continue reading BitTorrent Bundle Provides New Options for Content Creators

Adobe Intros Subscription-Only Model with Creative Cloud

Adobe’s flagship Creative Suite has evolved into Adobe Creative Cloud, with new features and a switch to a subscription-only model. Instead of individual Adobe apps being available for a flat rate, users will pay a monthly subscription to access all the products. Last year, the company introduced its Creative Cloud subscription service, through which users could access one product each month for $29.99 or all the products within Creative Suite 6 for $49.99. More than 500,000 premium members signed up in the first nine months, on top of 2 million free members. Continue reading Adobe Intros Subscription-Only Model with Creative Cloud

Industry Leaders Discuss Possible Change to VOD Window

In an effort to regain revenue lost from shrinking DVD sales, Universal Pictures chairman Adam Fogelson suggested that studios should consider partnering with theaters to test out the idea of premium video on demand. Fogelson made his remarks during a panel discussion at the Cinema-Con convention in Las Vegas this week. Typically, movies are made available on-demand at home about three months following theatrical distribution. Premium VOD would shrink that window. Continue reading Industry Leaders Discuss Possible Change to VOD Window

Epix Everywhere: The Future of Premium Cable Networks?

  • Premium cable network Epix has had its library of Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate movies available for streaming for nearly two years.
  • Since its launch in 2009, Epix has added original programming to its library of 3,000 film titles and has expanded its number of distribution partners.
  • “The channel is now available through Dish Network, Verizon FiOS, Cox, Charter, Mediacom, Suddenlink and the National Cable and Telecommunications Cooperative,” reports GigaOM. “Together, those distributors have more than 30 million subscribers, of which Epix has managed to sign up 9 million to its network.”
  • But now that TV Everywhere has become the trend with other networks, Epix is looking to differentiate itself in additional ways.
  • Epix is building apps for new devices (the network is already available on more than 100 devices), producing more of its own exclusive content, adding video that complements its library of movies, and leveraging partnerships that provide original video content.
  • Clearly, premium cable (and perhaps all television) needs to look beyond traditional practices to survive. Is Epix becoming the model of what a premium cable channel needs to be in the era of TV Everywhere?