Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - (Page 8) NEWS Macy’s ‘Deal’ at Blockbuster www.homemediamagazine.com Actors Seek Strike Vote By Erik Gruenwedel he union representing movie and television actors said it would seek authorization from its members to go on strike after marathon negotiations with studios and TV producers within the past few weeks failed to reach agreement on a new contract. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have not reached an agreement on the labor contract that expired June 30, despite intervention by an outside mediator. The AMPTP offered a deal that included $250 million in pay hikes and jurisdiction of new media — similar to what it gave writers and directors. Actors are seeking greater compensation from Internet distribution in addition to revamping the 20year-old DVD residual agreement, which the studios have steadfastly refused to address. SAG said the studios continue to insist on terms it T Oct. 28 Peace Arch Entertainment brought William H. Macy to Dallas to meet with executives and staff at Blockbuster Inc. Macy signed autographs, took photos and discussed the rental industry and the upcoming DVD release The Deal. (L-R): Macy, Keith Leopard of Blockbuster and Aleisha Bartel of Peace Arch. BRIEFS I FOX TOUTS GREEN WITH ‘HORTON’ RELEASE To commemorate the upcoming DVD release of Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears A Who!, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has partnered with RecycleBank, an organization that promotes recycling through rewards. Members of RecycleBank who purchase the title from the Web site Buy.com will receive $3.00 off the title, courtesy of 20th Century Fox. The family smash, which earned more than $150 million at the U.S. box office, hits stores Dec. 9. It comes as a single-disc DVD ($29.98), two-disc special edition DVD with digital copy ($34.98), two-DVD plush gift set with digital copy ($39.98) and on Blu-ray Disc ($39.99). years, from 2003 to 2007. DivX grew about 1,000% during this period. cannot “responsibly accept” on behalf of its members. With authorization by its board, the union said it would launch an aggressive education campaign among members in support of a strike authorization referendum. Authorization for a work stoppage requires 75% approval from registered SAG members. “We will further inform our members about the core, critical issues unique to actors that remain in dispute,” the union said in a statement. Buffeted by a severe economic downturn, budget cuts and layoffs at many studios, the AMPTP characterized the actors’ desire to go on strike as representative of being “completely out of touch with reality.” “We will also continue to place the burden squarely on SAG to explain why it deserves better deals than the other entertainment guilds received earlier this year,” said the AMPTP in a statement. “A SAG strike in this financial meltdown would be like pouring gasoline on a fire.” Litigation Profitable to TiVo WEINSTEIN By Erik Gruenwedel ivil trial damages awarded in the amount of $105 million helped digital video recording pioneer TiVo post third-quarter (ended Oct. 31) net income of $100 million, compared to a loss of $8.3 million during the prior-year period. Without the copyright infringement damages from Dish Network Corp. (formerly EchoStar Communications), TiVo would have reported a net loss of $900,000 on net revenue of $64.4 million, compared to revenue of $75.5 million last year. Alviso, Calif.-based TiVo said it expects to receive additional compensation following a court hearing for alleged copyright infringement by Dish Network since the initial period of infringement, which ended I GEEK SQUAD TO FUND NEW TV SHOW Best Buy tech support group Geek Squad has announced it will fund the new “Make” television series. The series is produced by Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) National Productions and is based on Make magazine, which provides readers with do-it-yourself technology projects and solutions. The weekly program will feature how-to projects, profiles of some of DIY project “makers,” videos submitted by viewers and more. Episodes of “Make” are in production, with the series set to premiere in the United States on Public Television stations and online at www.makezine.tv in January 2009. I UMG, MEEBO TEAM FOR MUSIC VIDEOS Universal Music Group and instant message Web site Meebo have entered into an agreement to provide Meebo users with ad-supported videos from Universal artists. Meebo will kick off the agreement by featuring artists such as Kanye West and The Killers at meebo.com, where users will be able to view videos from the artists. Meebo previously has featured more than 150 music artists. Additionally, Meebo Rooms will allow users to visit Universal artists’ official Web properties. “Whether it’s rock from The Killers or hip-hop from Kanye West, Meebo users are extremely passionate about their music and enjoy sharing that premium content en masse with their friends,” said Martin Green, COO of Meebo. – Michael Lee Sept. 8, 2006. “We remain confident that we will prevail in showing that EchoStar’s workaround [for the digital transition next February] does not avoid infringement,” said Tom Rogers, president and CEO of TiVo, in a statement. During the quarter, TiVo initiated content streaming service to Netflix’s broadband subscribers, in addition to rolling out branded DVR service with cable operator Comcast and satellite operator DirecTV. The service ended the quarter with a gross of 44,000 new subscribers, compared to 69,000 the previous year. Churn, the percentage of subscribers not renewing their membership, was 1.4%, compared to 1.5% last year. Cumulative TiVo subscribers as of Oct. 31 totaled 3.5 million. CUTS STAFF By Erik Gruenwedel SUPPLIER Faced with an economic slump and underperforming release slate, The Weinstein Co. reportedly released 24 employees, representing 11% of its workforce. Staffs were cut across the board at offices in Los Angeles, New York, London and Hong Kong. The studio’s most recent theatrical film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, has generated little more than $29 million at the box office since its Nov. 2 release. It cost more than $60 million to make and promote, according to the trades. The independent studio’s woes have had repercussions for its DVD distributor Genius Products, which has experienced revenue freefall, trimmed staff and had its stock price reduced to pennies. DIRECT-TO-DVD, FEATURE FILM RELEASE TRENDS 2005-08*: BY YEAR OF PRODUCTION Pre-1980 2005 2006 2007 2008 51 60 41 1980s 67 103 34 1990s 122 87 53 2000 22 15 11 2001 23 18 11 2002 43 22 20 2003 68 39 24 2004 141 61 40 2005 241 157 50 2006 258 276 180 2007 242 312 2008 299 Total 1,036 1,080 1,075 Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! * Results posted through Nov. 21, 2008, and for similar periods in 2005, 2006 and 2007 I DIVX NAMED ONE OF FASTEST GROWING TECH COS. DivX Inc., makers of digital products such as the DivX video compression codec, has been ranked No. 184 on Deloitte’s 2008 Technology Fast 500, which rates the fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, and life sciences companies in North America. Deloitte provides such services as auditing, tax services, consulting and financial advising. Rankings are based on percentage of fiscal-year revenue growth over five While the release pace for theatrical catalog DVDs has been under pressure for some time now, the same can’t be said for directto-DVD feature films. Through Nov. 21 the unit count stands at 1,075 titles, down just five from the same period last year. These totals are similar to the 1,036 titles released through the first three weeks of November 2006, and the count of 1,168 posted during the same timeframe in 2005. The big advantage is that DTV can produce new films each year (theatrical catalog is limited to what was produced I RELEASE ACTIVITY FOR DVD prior to 1997). Based on the record total released so far this year, there’s no sign filmmakers are going to skip movie theaters and go direct to consumers anytime soon. — Ralph Tribbey Titles in Release Through Week Ended Nov. 21, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total Net DVD Titles Announced and/or In Release Through March 31, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93,278+473 93,705+401 I RELEASE ACTIVITY FOR BLU-RAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . As of Week Ended Nov. 21 Released 952 Scheduled 117 Home Media Magazine November 30–December 6, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.Buy.com http://www.makezine.tv http://www.meebo.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 Contents News Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 (Page Cover1) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 (Page Cover2) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Contents (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - News (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - News (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - News (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - News (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - News (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - News (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Reviews (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Reviews (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Reviews (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Reviews (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Reviews (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Reviews (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 26) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 27) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 28) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 29) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 30) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 31) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 32) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover3) Home Media Magazine - November 30 - December 6, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover4)
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