BETWEEN THE LINES

May 29, 2007 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Let me go on the record as saying I am all for better manners in America.
But I think Regal cinemas' new plan to get moviegoers to rat out their misbehaved neighbors may go a little too far--and have a different effect than what the chain intends.
Theater owners several years ago became concerned that some consumers have stopped going to the movies--possibly for good--due to shorter DVD windows, better home theater systems and less than wonderful experiences at the multiplex, including rudeness by their fellow patrons. The theaters fought back with stadium seating, reserved seats, fancier concessions--even on-site bars and restaurants--and lots more reminders to turn off your cell phone and Sssshhhh during the movie.
Now, in addition to auditorium checks by managers an...Read More

May 22, 2007 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

A couple of months back, I said in a (pre-blog) column, that Blu-ray was winning the PR war with HD DVD.

Then last week,  Toshiba and its public relations agency Brodeur received a Silver SABRE Award in technology for “the successful launch of HD DVD in the United States.”

The SABRE award was presented by The Holmes Group, which publishes trade reports on the public relations industry, for “superior achievement in branding and reputation. Silver SABREs recognize the best programs in specific industries,” reports VB sister publication TWICE.

I will agree that Toshiba has mounted a successful hardware launch campaign, but in the overall PR competition, I'll still go with Blu....Read More

May 18, 2007 | Link This | Email this | Comments (1)

In case you missed it, the MPAA's film ratings board will now consider smoking along with sex, violence and adult language when issuing ratings.  Apparently, illegal teen smoking has traditionally been a factor in ratings assignment, but any old smoking will now be considered grounds for a more mature rating. The factors Classification and Ratings Administration (CARA) arbiters will take into consideration: Is the smoking pervasive? Does the film glamorize smoking? And, is there an historic or other mitigating context?
If a film's rating is affected by scenes of smoking, the rating explanation will include reasons such as "glamorized smoking" or "pervasive smoking."
Any additional informa...Read More

Industries: Studios/Suppliers

May 4, 2007 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Sony's super-security plan apparently worked.

John Horn reports in the L.A. Times today that the studio appears to have blocked the release of any illegal copies before the film landed in theaters, although one preem-goer was nabbed in Paris and another in Madrid for illicitly recording in the theaters.

This weekend, of course--with Spidey swinging across 11,000 U.S. screens--all bets are off, even as the security sweeps on.

Sony has asked theaters in Canada to patrol their Spider-Man 3 auditoriums with night-vision goggles and the studio is also splitting up film cans sent to theaters in piracy havens such as China, Russia, Poland and Hungary, according to the Times. (It was news to me that as much as 40%...Read More

Industries: High-Def, Software

April 30, 2007 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

If you haven’t been to a pre-release screening of a potential  Hollywood blockbuster lately, please consider this Spider-Man 3 example as a demonstration of how the studios have upped the ante in their quest to control piracy in the Internet age.

I arrived at the theater last Thursday night with my eight year-old son, Scott, to be greeted by polite calls of “No cell phones; no PDAs; no electronic devices of any kind.” Luckily, Scott had left his DS in the car, because I think a Sony security guard would have had to wrestle him to get it away and I would have been banned from the Sony realm forever. As for the rest of us, our "devices" went into ticketed brown paper bags, stapled shut in front of us, as our satchels were thoroughly examined. We were then wanded down, which my son and every other kid under 12 got a hug...Read More