CINEMA BUZZ WEEKLY REPORT - 16 February 2013

Special Report: The Cinema's Competition Is Relentless And Needs A Response

One of this blog's mantras is to educate and inform movie exhibitors of their competition - which has become every home's 'living room'.  This competition is relentless and being pushed (and funded) by the largest internet companies, assisted by, content streamers, A/V equipment manufacturers, and internet service providers with the Hollywood studios in tow. 

We don't want this to be the future of Cinema

To believe otherwise and not address this issue, or worse - ignore it, is foolish and could result in the demise of a cinema's very existence. For several years now, Cinema Mucho Gusto has been addressing and recommending defenses cinemas can adopt to fight against this attack. Digital cinema conversions, if planned and implemented correctly, do offer exhibitors the opportunity to truly enhance their on-screen movie presentation, as well as, afford them the ability to exhibit a wide variety of non-movie content specific to their demographics. To strengthen my position and logic on this issue following are several of the latest moves by the game players:

Microsoft Appoints Head To Run New 'Xbox Entertainment Studios'

Last week Microsoft announced the appointment of long-time media executive and #2 at CBS Inc., Nancy Tellem, to head up Microsoft's new Los Angeles based studio.  Tellem stated, "We want to partner with the entertainment industry to bring it into a new era. It's an era where interactive entertainment becomes the greatest form of all entertainment."  Microsoft says it will partner with content creators, networks, and others to pioneer the future of entertainment, in addition to creating its own content. "We believe that we are at the start of the next wave of truly interactive entertainment. Viewers want to do more than just watch movies or TV shows and sports, they want to interact with them and Xbox makes that possible", says Tellem .

Interactive entertainment is not something a local cinema can offer customers but it can offer the ultimate movie viewing experience and that is the goal it must shoot for.

Netflix And DreamWorks Team UP

Billed as the first time a major Hollywood studio has chosen content streaming over paid television, DreamWorks announced it had sealed a deal to supply its films and television specials through Netflix, replacing it current pact with TimeWarner's HBO.

Netflix will begin streaming DreamWorks films this year, including: 'The Croods', a prehistoric comedy; 'Turbo', about a garden snail; and "Peabody & Sherman", an adaptation of the Rocky and Bullwinkle characters.  DreamWorks believes that capitalizing on the consumer shift to streaming content on their connected "living room" TVs  or on their PCs, tablets, and even smartphones offers more revenue opportunity than premium cable or satellite outlets.  Sony is also in negotiation with Netflix as a content distribution partner.

Best
Jim Lavorato