A financier that invested billions of dollars in producing films with Warner Bros. Pictures asserts in a lawsuit that simultaneous streaming with cinema premieres diminishes economic return, especially from piracy spawned by streaming. Australian media company Village Roadshow (VRS) sued Warners for premiering its calendar 2021 film slate (17 theatricals) on corporate … [Read more...] about Financier Disses Pairing VOD With Cinema
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‘Godzilla’ Artificial Reality Promo Hooks Fans
A promotion in which film fans integrate videos of themselves in “Godzilla vs Kong” movie backdrops drew millions of interactions, when planted on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. It’s a case study of the cutting edge of movie promotions using digital media. The concept: fans could express their allegiance by posing with their favorite monster, emulating its powers, and … [Read more...] about ‘Godzilla’ Artificial Reality Promo Hooks Fans
Netflix Touts Its Films in Super Bowl Blitz
Video streamers and Hollywood personalities took center stage in pricey Super Bowl commercials and eight movie-focused spots were in the mix yesterday. In an endorsement of the film genre that many pundits overlook, Netflix bought a long 60-second spot simply touting its movie slate dubbed “Movie Preview and the Adam Project” (“Project Adam” is an original supernatural … [Read more...] about Netflix Touts Its Films in Super Bowl Blitz
Amazon Morphs Into Hollywood Juggernaut
Amazon is firing up investments and generating sizeable business in media and entertainment, indicating the diversified retailing behemoth is becoming an unlikely top-tier, Hollywood-style content company. In just-released 2021 earnings, Amazon reported its subscription revenue (excluding its AWS cloud tech service) soared to a staggering $31.8 billion, up 26% year over … [Read more...] about Amazon Morphs Into Hollywood Juggernaut
‘People’s’ Rescue of AMC Fizzles
After an unbelievable run-up, the stock price of cinema circuit AMC Entertainment is in free fall, as the flood of small investors calling themselves apes evaporates. From a high surpassing $55 a share last year, AMC closed at $14.52 a share today. With the air out of the balloon, professional investors expect AMC’s stock price to settle under $10/share because of its heavy … [Read more...] about ‘People’s’ Rescue of AMC Fizzles
Marketing Turmoil Engulfs Netflix, S-VOD
Marketing of subscription video-on-demand for Netflix and HBO Max was rocked in the past week. The high-flying stock price of Netflix cracked, and also subscription prices were raised and lowered, in an apparent contradiction. Netflix raised its subscription price Jan. 14, and then days later competitor HBO Max instituted a limited-time price cut. Netflix increased its … [Read more...] about Marketing Turmoil Engulfs Netflix, S-VOD
Awards Season Compressed, Thinned
The covid pandemic is upsetting the awards-season calendar, as televised awards shows postpone, cancel or become bland virtual events — creating ripple effects. A fallout is that awards-marketing spending looks to be subdued by the uncertainty, and prestige films are deprived of routine publicity bursts in the lead-up to the Oscars. Amid the chaos, the door is also … [Read more...] about Awards Season Compressed, Thinned
Film Promotions Pile Into TikTok
Short-videos web site TikTok is becoming a primo Hollywood movie promotion partner with Sony Pictures’ blockbuster “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and Universal Pictures’ “Sing 2” the latest examples. TikTok has evolved from a “must try” to “must have” for film marketers, given its hefty with 1 billion active monthly users, says a Deadline.com article by Dade Hayes. TikTok is the … [Read more...] about Film Promotions Pile Into TikTok
Studios Squeeze Cinemas on Blockbusters
A little-understood aspect of cinema booking contracts is that a larger percentage of boxoffice revenue is allocated to the Hollywood major studios as a blockbuster film climbs into the stratosphere. The result is that the financial benefits of outsized hits disproportionately go into the pockets of major-studio distributors, and less so to theaters. Hey all you “meme” small … [Read more...] about Studios Squeeze Cinemas on Blockbusters
Disney Hoists Interactive Movie Poster
A technology unit of Walt Disney Co. is field trialing what it calls an “interactive” film poster where viewers’ responses are evaluated to help choose what poster is presented. The major consultancy Accenture assists Disney in the interactive movie poster (IMP) project. The initiative started quietly with 2017 release “Dumbo.” Field trial means the initiative engages … [Read more...] about Disney Hoists Interactive Movie Poster