Analysis and opinion on the hottest issues in the home entertainment industry, including studios, retail and high-definition DVD
OPINION: Recession speeds trends By Alex Evans - 04/03/2009 Alex Evans is a VP in global strategy consulting firm L.E.K.’s Media & Entertainment practice. APRIL 3 | The current recession is reshaping consumer spending. In recent years, the personal savings rate reached an all time low of 0%. It is now expected to rebound back to its historical average of approximately 7% or higher as access to consumer credit tightens and consumers are no longer able to rely on capital gains for household wealth formation. More
OPINION: Video: Still recession-proof? By Michael Arrington - 02/23/2009 FEB. 23 | Consumers worldwide have weathered tough economic times over the past year and, as cash and available credit have tightened, they have altered their spending patterns accordingly. Michael Arrington of Screen Digest’s U.S. research arm, Adams Media Research, examines whether video can still be considered a recession-proof business.More
OPINION: Cost of market domination By Marija Jaroslavskaja - 01/19/2009 JAN. 19 | Consumers are spending more and more on buying and renting movies online. But, says Screen Digest research analyst Marija Jaroslavskaja, the sector is dominated by hardware companies prepared to sell content at a loss to add value to and promote their core businesses, making it all but impossible for stand-alone movie stores to survive.More
OPINION: End of the line By Ed Grant - 01/05/2009 Ed Grant reviews DVDs for VB. JAN. 5 | I’m still taking the subway to rent DVDs and (gasp) VHS from Mondo Kim’s, a bricks-and-mortar establishment that’s going out of business this month.
More
OPINION: 3D—a new dimension for home entertainment? By Marie Bloomfield, Screen Digest analyst - 12/15/2008 Marie Bloomfield is an analyst with Screen Digest DEC. 15 | The early success of digital 3D in cinemas has encouraged Hollywood to ramp up 3D production, but a lack of standards for bringing 3D to the home means studios are missing out on potential revenue in the video and TV release windows.
More
OPINION: Learning from the past By Samantha Clark - 07/11/2008 Samantha Clark is managing editor of VB (smclark@reedbusiness.com). JULY 11 | Warner’s Blu-ray promotion is reminiscent of DVD’s early days
More
OPINION: DEG a force for green By Larry Wilk - 06/23/2008 Larry Wilk is chair of DEG Metrics Task Force and DEG Packaging Task Force and Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment VP of operations, worldwide. JUNE 23 | It’s only within the last year that the Digital Entertainment Group revised its mission statement to embrace environmentally friendly practices of the manufacture and distribution of home entertainment products.
More
OPINION: Piracy shows indie potential By Morris Ruskin - 04/21/2008 Morris Ruskin is CEO of Shoreline Entertainment and producer of The Fifth Patient APRIL 21 | I never expected the day when I would have a conversation with a director who was actually excited that his movie was being pirated.
More
Film festival Treasure Treasure Raiders star Alexander Nevsky was honored with the Rising Star Award at the Delray Beach Film Festival on May 20 in Miami. Maverick’s DVD streets on June 2.
24 DVD release event The cast of 24 celebrated the DVD release of season seven at the Wadsworth Theater in Los Angeles on May 12. Fox’s DVD will street May 19.
Time for Pilates Pilates for Beginners host Kristen McGee led a fitness segment in New York to celebrate Acacia’s DVD release. The fitness title is now available.
