Home Media Magazine - October 21-27, 2007 - (Page 14)

BUYING GUIDE GOING GREEN Edited by Kyra Kudick www.homemediamagazine.com City Lights Gives a Hoot AND By Billy Gil s far as Sal Scamardo, president of City Lights Home Entertainment, knows, his company’s joint label with Green Owl Productions, dubbed City Lights/Green Owl, is the only “all green” visual entertainment label out there. City Lights, an independent film and television distributor and production house, has found a perfect partner with Green Owl, a music and film label that produces and markets environmentally friendly product. Their first joint effort is a DVD release of Everything’s Cool: A Toxic Comedy About Global Warming, coming Dec. 11 (prebook Nov. 13) at $24.98. “Given what happened with Live Earth and Al Gore getting the Nobel Peace Prize, people, I think, are coming around in a much bigger way to the seriousness of the issue of global warming,” Scamardo said of the timing of the green label announcement. He said teaming with Green Owl allows access to the company’s marketing capacities, which includes targeting activist groups through mailing lists and events. City Company will release the first DVD in a joint venture with Green Owl nity, which largely believes that human activity contributes to climate change. The film also focuses on Rick Piltz, founder of government accountability project Climate Science Watch and former associate director of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, who resigned in March 2005 in protest of changes made to his scientific report and went to the press. “Here’s a guy who’s pretty much under the radar but has witnessed the doctoring of documents on global warming to the point that he quit his job and went to The New York Times,” Scamardo said. Scamardo said the label is working on other projects, such as another documentary film and a possible TV series, saying the field is fertile with such avenues as Discovery Channel’s upcoming 24-hour green lifestyle channel, Planet Green, and Sundance Channel, which will screen Everything’s Cool in January. But for now, the company is focused on its toxic comedy. “It’s kind of like An Inconvenient Truth, but more enjoyable to watch… as much as I love Al,” Scamardo said. GOES GREEN tised link to a carbon calculator, where visitors can determine how much they are contributing to pollution (greenowlrecords.com/calc). Through Warner, the company also is reaching out to digital film providers such as Netflix to make it available digitally in as many places as possible. “Obviously it makes sense for a movie that talks about the environment to be available through digital [streaming and downloading] because it’s the least polluting method,” Scamardo said. In the film, directors Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand interview experts as well as common folk who offer humorous insight into the so-called debate about global warming. The aim, Scamardo said, is to show the disconnect between politicians and the scientific commu- A Lights/Green Owl also has partnered with AOL True Stories, a community engagement site in which people can discuss documentary films. The label also will screen the film in New York and Los Angeles. The DVD release, along with all other future DVD releases, will be distributed by Warner Music Group’s WEA Corp. and will bear a Green Owl stamp that states it comes in 100% postconsumer recycled material. Scamardo said as progress is made, the company will be vigilant in becoming more green through such efforts as eliminating paper announcements in favor of on e-mail. The DVD’s special features will include deleted scenes, DVD-ROM links, a photo gallery and commentary. Additionally, “activist extras” include congressional summary reports that illustrate the levels of manipulation on climate change, as well as an adver- Coming Up Green I ARTS ALLIANCE Coming Nov. 13 is Future of Food, a “Morgan Spurlock Presents” documentary about food and U.S. grocery store shelves (DVD $24.98). $12.95). I GENIUS PRODUCTS Available now are several limited-edition gift sets from the Wellspring catalog. All slipcases for these titles are made of 100% post-consumer materials: Werner Herzog: Director’s Special 2 Pack, which includes The White Diamond and Wheel of Time (DVD $29.95); Pedro Almodovar: Director’s Special 2 Pack, including What Have I Done to Deserve This? and Dark Habits (DVD $29.95); Catherine Deneuve: Special Gift Set, which has Pola X, Dangerous Liaisons, Place Vendôme, and Kings and Queen (DVD $59.92); and Jean Luc Godard: Director’s Special Gift Set, which includes Les Carabiniers, Breathless, Le Petit Sodalt and Notre Musique (DVD $59.92). I BBC VIDEO Available now are Attenborough in Paradise and Other Personal Voyages, a collection of seven David Attenborough specials (DVD $29.98); BBC Atlas of the Natural World: Africa and Europe (DVD $59.98); The Blue Planet: Seas of Life (fiveDVD set $59.98); Galápagos (Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD $28.99). I BFS ENTERTAINMENT The Bodhi Lifestyle division will release a slate of health and wellness titles for the fourth quarter packaged entirely in recyclable and biodegradable materials. Due Nov. 20 (prebook Oct. 23) are An Introduction to Feng Shui, Stress Aromatherapy, The De-Stress Plan, A Guide to Meditation Techniques and Detox to a Healthier You. Out Nov. 27 (prebook Oct. 30) are Bounce Into Shape — 3-in-1 Gymball Workout, Roll Off the Pounds — Aerobic Gymball Workout, Workout Ball, Pilates Gymball Workout, Pilates Band Workout, Pilates for Back & Posture and Pilates Bootcamp. Coming Dec. 4 (prebook Nov. 6) are Yoga Gymball Workout, Yoga Workout, Yoga — Power Within and Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss. Available Dec. 11 (prebook Nov. 13) are Nip & Tuck Workout — The Natural Way, The Face: Health, Beauty & Toning, An Introduction to Acupressure and Essential Massage & Aromatherapy. All DVDs are $19.98 each. I CINEQUEST Arriving Nov. 6 is Out of Balance, a documentary about the causes of global warming (DVD $24.99). I KULTUR INTERNATIONAL Due Oct. 30 is Concert for Planet Earth, featuring performances by Plácido Domingo, Wynton Marsalis, Sarah Chang, Denyce Graves and the Orchestra of the Municipal Theatre of Rio de Janeiro (DVD $24.99). I CITY LIGHTS PICTURES/GREEN OWL Out Dec. 11 (prebook Nov. 13) is Everything’s Cool: A Toxic Comedy About Global Warming (DVD $24.98). I DVD INTERNATIONAL Available now is Ultimate Pandas, rare footage of four panda cubs in China’s Wolong Nature Reserve (DVD I ZEITGEIST FILMS Out Nov. 20 is Manufactured Landscapes, a documentary on the work of artist Edward Burtynsky, who creates art from civilization’s debris (DVD $29.99). 14 Home Media Magazine October 21–27, 2007 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://greenowlrecords.com/calc http://greenowlrecords.com/calc http://www.sssint.com http://www.sssint.com

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Contents News TV DVD Going Green Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced

Home Media Magazine - October 21-27, 2007

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