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Streaming deal sees cinema giant bucking tradition and taking on Netflix
Thursday July 09th 2015Two giant North American cinema chains have decided to disrupt tradition by allowing Paramount Studios to offer a couple of trial titles to home viewers a few weeks after they appear in theatres, according to industry website Deadline.
US chain AMC and Canadian company Cineplex have agreed to let the studio make horror sequel Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension and zom-com Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse available via video-on-demand (VOD) just 17 days after the films are shown on fewer than 300 cinema screens. The Hollywood Reporter says this could potentially shorten the period between cinema exhibition and home viewing from four months to six weeks.
Exhibitors normally insist on a lengthy window between cinema and home viewing. The perceived wisdom is that people are less likely to go to the cinema if a film is available to watch at home. It’s thought that the rise of VOD services like Netflix has increased viewer expectations about faster availability of home-entertainment titles, an idea that’s caused consternation among exhibitors.
Netflix’s content acquisition boss Ted Sarandos had previously angered exhibitors by criticising their “antiquated” distribution model. He is a proponent of “day-and-date” releases for independent titles, a system by which films are released on streaming services on the same day as they appear in theatres. Netflix, which recently expanded into film production, will release their homegrown titles using this model. AMC are currently among the chains refusing to screen Beasts of No Nation, a potential Oscar contender directed by Cary Fukunaga, starring Idris Elba, that will be distributed day-and-date by Netflix.
“Exhibition for the first time was open-minded about evolving our business instead of sticking their heads in the sand and ignoring what is happening around us,” Paramount vice chair Rob Moore told the Hollywood Reporter. “This is all about changing the definition of theatrical windows. Instead of starting the countdown from when a movie opens, we are starting from when it ends.”
Paramount are planning to approach other cinema chains to see if they are willing to take the two films on similar terms. In return, exhibitors will get a cut of the rental revenue for 90 days after the films’ theatrical release.
AMC CEO Gerry Lopez made it clear that this prototype distribution model may not be suitable for bigger titles, but acknowledged that exhibitors needed to catch up with their customers.
“Consumers know theatrical movies from their ‘gotta see it now’ exclusive releases in theaters, but every movie is different, and a one-size-fits-all business model has never made sense,” he said.
Paramount has said it will see how these two titles fare before working up similar deals for other titles. They currently have no plans to make their next film – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation – available under similar terms.
Front Page, Headline, Industry News
Streaming deal sees cinema giant bucking tradition and taking on Netflix
Thursday July 09th 2015Two giant North American cinema chains have decided to disrupt tradition by allowing Paramount Studios to offer a couple of trial titles to home viewers a few weeks after they appear in theatres, according to industry website Deadline.
US chain AMC and Canadian company Cineplex have agreed to let the studio make horror sequel Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension and zom-com Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse available via video-on-demand (VOD) just 17 days after the films are shown on fewer than 300 cinema screens. The Hollywood Reporter says this could potentially shorten the period between cinema exhibition and home viewing from four months to six weeks.
Exhibitors normally insist on a lengthy window between cinema and home viewing. The perceived wisdom is that people are less likely to go to the cinema if a film is available to watch at home. It’s thought that the rise of VOD services like Netflix has increased viewer expectations about faster availability of home-entertainment titles, an idea that’s caused consternation among exhibitors.
Netflix’s content acquisition boss Ted Sarandos had previously angered exhibitors by criticising their “antiquated” distribution model. He is a proponent of “day-and-date” releases for independent titles, a system by which films are released on streaming services on the same day as they appear in theatres. Netflix, which recently expanded into film production, will release their homegrown titles using this model. AMC are currently among the chains refusing to screen Beasts of No Nation, a potential Oscar contender directed by Cary Fukunaga, starring Idris Elba, that will be distributed day-and-date by Netflix.
“Exhibition for the first time was open-minded about evolving our business instead of sticking their heads in the sand and ignoring what is happening around us,” Paramount vice chair Rob Moore told the Hollywood Reporter. “This is all about changing the definition of theatrical windows. Instead of starting the countdown from when a movie opens, we are starting from when it ends.”
Paramount are planning to approach other cinema chains to see if they are willing to take the two films on similar terms. In return, exhibitors will get a cut of the rental revenue for 90 days after the films’ theatrical release.
AMC CEO Gerry Lopez made it clear that this prototype distribution model may not be suitable for bigger titles, but acknowledged that exhibitors needed to catch up with their customers.
“Consumers know theatrical movies from their ‘gotta see it now’ exclusive releases in theaters, but every movie is different, and a one-size-fits-all business model has never made sense,” he said.
Paramount has said it will see how these two titles fare before working up similar deals for other titles. They currently have no plans to make their next film – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation – available under similar terms.
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Front Page, Headline, Industry News
Streaming deal sees cinema giant bucking tradition and taking on Netflix
Thursday July 09th 2015Two giant North American cinema chains have decided to disrupt tradition by allowing Paramount Studios to offer a couple of trial titles to home viewers a few weeks after they appear in theatres, according to industry website Deadline.
US chain AMC and Canadian company Cineplex have agreed to let the studio make horror sequel Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension and zom-com Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse available via video-on-demand (VOD) just 17 days after the films are shown on fewer than 300 cinema screens. The Hollywood Reporter says this could potentially shorten the period between cinema exhibition and home viewing from four months to six weeks.
Exhibitors normally insist on a lengthy window between cinema and home viewing. The perceived wisdom is that people are less likely to go to the cinema if a film is available to watch at home. It’s thought that the rise of VOD services like Netflix has increased viewer expectations about faster availability of home-entertainment titles, an idea that’s caused consternation among exhibitors.
Netflix’s content acquisition boss Ted Sarandos had previously angered exhibitors by criticising their “antiquated” distribution model. He is a proponent of “day-and-date” releases for independent titles, a system by which films are released on streaming services on the same day as they appear in theatres. Netflix, which recently expanded into film production, will release their homegrown titles using this model. AMC are currently among the chains refusing to screen Beasts of No Nation, a potential Oscar contender directed by Cary Fukunaga, starring Idris Elba, that will be distributed day-and-date by Netflix.
“Exhibition for the first time was open-minded about evolving our business instead of sticking their heads in the sand and ignoring what is happening around us,” Paramount vice chair Rob Moore told the Hollywood Reporter. “This is all about changing the definition of theatrical windows. Instead of starting the countdown from when a movie opens, we are starting from when it ends.”
Paramount are planning to approach other cinema chains to see if they are willing to take the two films on similar terms. In return, exhibitors will get a cut of the rental revenue for 90 days after the films’ theatrical release.
AMC CEO Gerry Lopez made it clear that this prototype distribution model may not be suitable for bigger titles, but acknowledged that exhibitors needed to catch up with their customers.
“Consumers know theatrical movies from their ‘gotta see it now’ exclusive releases in theaters, but every movie is different, and a one-size-fits-all business model has never made sense,” he said.
Paramount has said it will see how these two titles fare before working up similar deals for other titles. They currently have no plans to make their next film – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation – available under similar terms.
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