UV Early Release:

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

The movie industry began to experiment with releasing EST versions of their films shortly after the theatrical releases and while they were still playing in theaters several years ago. It started with the dawn of the Ultraviolet system in 2011 with Universal offering their movie "Tower Heist" via EST while it was still in theaters.

With the distribution medium electronic, there is no technical reason this can not be common.

Fox has made UV early release standard practice as of Q2`13.

LINK:
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/fox...releases-30362

Movie theaters traditionally were able to keep studios from doing this while distribution was via packaged media. They seem to have lost this battle with the advent of Ultraviolet.

A quick look at the current field has these movies available via EST while they are still in theaters and well before a packaged media version is available.

1. "About Time" (theatrical release date = 11/8/2013)
2. "The Motel Life" (theatrical release date = 11/8/2013)
3. "All Wifed Out" (theatrical release date = 11/15/2013)

These just constitute a sample from the current field, but this trend has been occurring for over a year. It is a rather large shift in the entertainment industry and seems to be gaining acceptance with studios.

The trend seems to be smaller budget titles like the three in the above list, are more likely to have an EST release the same day as the theatrical. Larger budget titles tend to have EST releases a few months after, but well before the packaged media ever makes it to a store shelf.

With all the advantages to UV as it stands already (future proofing, maintaining pristine playback quality, whole home DVR'esk features, mobility features, TV remote control access to whole library) this is yet another compelling reason for a family to make their entertainment collection UV.

I was wondering if anyone else was finding this early release incentive a value add. I am very happy to leave packaged media purchases in my past and this is yet one more reason why I am sold on EST exclusive.

[tkdkid717]

Re: UV Early Release:

I'm not sure what you mean. "About Time" is available for pre order. I don't see anything here about being able to watch it.

[madmod20061]

Re: UV Early Release:

The early Tower Heist release was cancelled when too many theater owners complained.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ente...d-release.html

I don't think it was a valid strategy for Universal anyway. $59.99 to rent a movie? What were they thinking

Most movies I've seen that are available while still in theaters tend to be independent movies that don't have a large theater run in the first place. Movies like Lovelace and Sal.

Of the movies you mentioned 1 is not available as an early release (About Time) and the other 2 are only available to rent soon for most likely a super high price (for a rental).

Is it really EST if they are not selling the movie? The S stands for sell

Vudu does have a "still in theaters" category but only independent movies are available and most are rental only for $7 or $8 bucks. There are a few purchase options in there though.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: UV Early Release:

those three are being released via Vudu the same day of their theatrical release. They are just a small sampling of current titles in a trend which has been growing in acceptance for over a year.

I agree this is due to them being slated for a small number of screens and the producers are trying to make up the difference of theater owners not buying the film with getting some sales via digital outlets like Vudu. Some are EST and some are rental, but same goal in mind.

There was a movie I really wanted to go to see awhile back. "Hatchet III". Danielle Harris is a personal favorite of mine. It only had a very limited number of theaters it was shown in though and none near me. Still, I was able to watch it on Vudu.

Here is the Fox link again.

LINK:
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/fox...releases-30362

it explains well the new strategy.

[madmod20061]

Re: UV Early Release:

those three are being released via Vudu the same day of their theatrical release. They are just a small sampling of current titles in a trend which has been growing in acceptance for over a year.

I agree this is due to them being slated for a small number of screens and the producers are trying to make up the difference of theater owners not buying the film with getting some sales via digital outlets like Vudu. Some are EST and some are rental, but same goal in mind.

There was a movie I really wanted to go to see awhile back. "Hatchet III". Danielle Harris is a personal favorite of mine. It only had a very limited number of theaters it was shown in though and none near me. Still, I was able to watch it on Vudu.

Here is the Fox link again.

LINK:
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/fox...releases-30362

it explains well the new strategy.

You seem to be talking about 2 different things.

1. Early digital release before the blu ray gets released which has been going on for a while now. It seems to be the strategy most major companies (Fox, Warner, etc....) are going with. A couple weeks early. Nice, but nothing too spectacular. I think Fox's $15 early release HD price tag is the bigger story there. That's what the article you point to is talking about.

2. Still in theater releases. This one major movie studios will NOT take part in, at least not any time soon. Universal tried it with Tower Heist and was told by theater owners they would not play Universal movies anymore if they released it early, even at the $60 rental tag so Universal backed down. No major studio will do same day release. I'm not sure where you are seeing About Time getting a home release while still in theaters. It's just up for pre-sale on Vudu with no release date listed. Its a Universal title, so at most it will get an early digital release a few weeks before the physical media. Believe me, I would love it if major studios joined the independent studios in concurrent digital/theater releases, but the movie theater owners are preventing that from happening. Independent studios are not in the same position as the major studios so they can release their movies however they feel. It's not like AMC, etc... were going to give movies like Hatchet III or Sal a large number of screens anyway.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: UV Early Release:

yes, I was lumping major studios with ubiquitous screen coverage holding digital EST releases for several months, but still giving them a head start over packaged media

...and....

minor studios using EST and/or Electronic Rental (aka iVoD) to augment their minimal screen releases by releasing to electronic distro the same day as theatrical release

...into the same post.

Both I felt were rightly classified as UV "early release". Both are value adds for those families who have elected the electronic medium for their owned entertainment libraries.

it is a complicated thing to fully explain. However, I do see it as a value add to the UV brand and has seemed to be picking up in the past several months.

Why wait for a packaged copy of a title when you can have all the advantaged of electronic (future proofing, maintaining pristine playback quality, whole home DVR'esk features, mobility features, TV remote control access to whole library) and also get the title four weeks before available in packaged media?

anyway, for me the choice is pretty plain. Stick to EST purchases is the way to go. The benefits just keep stacking up.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: UV Early Release:

...and you are right. "About Time" is just up for pre-order. My mistake on that one. I mis-read, thinking it too was a EST release same day as in theaters, but it is not one of those.

[madmod20061]

Re: UV Early Release:

One more point I missed earlier is that the concurrent theatrical/home media releases are not UV. Unfortunately since they are all independent releases they are not UV. I'm not sure if it's too expensive for them to join or if they just don't have the resources but unless they get a distribution deal through a major studio like Juno or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon they will not be UV and you'll be locked into watching it on Vudu or where ever you bought it from. A look at the top 10 independent films of all time show they mostly got picked up by bigger companies like Lionsgate or Fox Searchlight. Hatchet III, Sal and Lovelace are distributed by smaller companies and most likely will not be UV any time soon. So, instead of UV early release, it would be just Early Release

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: UV Early Release:

Well, you speak in absolutes and as we both know the industry is not that simple.

Take "Woman in Black" by CBS Films. If I remember correctly, this was one of the titles which carried the Blue Check-Mark on top of the cover art, indicating digital exclusive.

In this case, it was a domestic distro from a British production company. It carried a UV logo. CBS Films can hardly be called a major studio.

There are too many exceptions to list, but generally you are correct and I would agree with the general statement that studios who are not DECE members which release via EST and/or iVoD day of theater release are not going to be a value add to the UV brand.

A small nuance in my mind, but you are correct.

[madmod20061]

Re: UV Early Release:

Sony has home distribution rights for CBS films in the USA. So it's basically what I said. Unless they get distribution through a major company (like Sony) they aren't going to be UV. Hatchet III is MPI which is not UV. Lovelace is Radius which is not UV. Sal is Tribeca which is not UV. I learned the hard way that you can't just look at the company name and assume UV or not UV. I usually just do a wikipedia search and see who holds distributions rights. Of those 3 films I mentioned Lovelace looks like the only real UV contender the way things stand right now. Radius is owned by the Weinstein Company which I believe has some UV titles. Just none under the Radius brand as far as I know.

And yes, I know things can change. I'm just speaking for the current industry. MPI, Radius, Tribeca, Magnolia, etc... are not UV.
CBS Films is UV because it's distributed through Sony.

[LuzRinggold]

Re: UV Early Release:

This whole idea that being able to watch a movie about two weeks earlier adds value is silly. How can value be added to something you don't actually own? I mean, if there is value added then how much can you sell it for? You can't, because it's not physical media.

...Obviously I was joking around...at least a little. Maybe it's because I feel there is more to life, but I don't have a problem waiting 2 weeks to a month for a movie.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: UV Early Release:

getting my titles two to four weeks early just makes me cool.

that is the value add. For a vain person like me, it is important to stay cool.

while everyone else is waiting for their discs, I am watching and re-watching.

...cool:

...me:

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: UV Early Release:

...on December 8th, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" will be available on Vudu.

This is a major movie industry shift, by any measure.

A decade ago, I could not go see a movie and then two weeks later, buy the DVD.


EDIT: Looks like just the bonus feature are available on 12/3.

[Guest]

Re: UV Early Release:

...on December 8th, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" will be available on Vudu.

This is a major movie industry shift, by any measure.

A decade ago, I could not go see a movie and then two weeks later, buy the DVD.


EDIT: Looks like just the bonus feature are available on 12/3.

Bonus features will be available on 12/3.

The movie itself does not yet have a date for digital release.