Magic Play Entertainment starts self-distribution
By Cindy Spielvogel -- Video Business, 3/12/2008
MARCH 12 | Magic Play Entertainment, which has released titles through Razor Digital Entertainment since 2004, will begin self-distributing new product beginning in May.
Leading the effort is Mitch Perliss, senior business director of North American distribution, with Ron Lehman as director of sales. Both are formerly of Razor Digital.
Magic Play is a subsidiary of China’s Hunan broadcasting company.
Perliss acknowledged that distributing independent product has become “more challenging” in recent years. To overcome the problem, he plans to reach out through direct marketing to targeted groups and on the Internet. Some titles will have a proprietary Web site that alerts consumers to where they can buy the title, providing links to retailer sites.
One of the company’s first releases will be For My Country from Pat Boone, on the history of the National Guard. It will be promoted on radio, TV and in print and will be targeted at veterans’ organizations and politically conservative groups such as the NRA and NASCAR dads.
“The goal is to create awareness and reach the right demographic,” Perliss said.
The title will arrive on DVD May 20 (prebook April 15; $19.99) along with Pat Boone Presents Thank You Billy Graham ($16.99), a musical tribute featuring artists including Bono, Tim McGraw and Michael McDonald. The title will be marketed to the Christian community.
Magic Play was one of the first independents to enter the Blu-ray Disc market, having released in last year’s third quarter through Razor Digital some large-format films made for Imax theaters.
Magic Play will continue to release its large-format films on Blu-ray through Razor Digital along with the rest of its existing catalog, Perliss said, but will self-distribute other titles it acquires for Blu-ray and standard DVD.
