"Blu-ray's Dirty Little Secret" (International distribution rights)

[bootman]

Is this true???

http://www.audioholics.com/news/edit...-little-secret

We should ask the insiders now to clarify this!

[Spankey]

Huh? Is what true? That was a rambling piece of nonsense sprinkled with well known HD-DVD propaganda...Was there something new I should know about?

[IamNhobdy]

So...studios that own rights here go one way, and in other countries, where the distribution rights are shared or completely different go another.

It makes perfect sense to me.

This is not news....it's just Hollywoods international relationships. This has been done and done to death.

Just another person skewing the facts, either on purpose or out of sheer ignorance.

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by bootman

Is this true???

http://www.audioholics.com/news/edit...-little-secret

We should ask the insiders now to clarify this!

That's nothing new. Everyone knows that distribution right for movies differ in many regions of the world. Just like certain US, HD DVD only titles are available on Blu-ray in Europe for example, the same thing can be said of US, Blu-ray only titles as well, which can come out on HD DVD in Europe or other parts of the world.

[Matt X]

Originally Posted by bootman

Is this true???

http://www.audioholics.com/news/edit...-little-secret

We should ask the insiders now to clarify this!

Spanky's right, the articles' kinda rambling, hard to decipher - but one thing that seems clear is the title availability OVERSEAS. certain "HDDVD-only" titles are available on BR OVERSEAS also.

[scragham]

that site is apparently run by drooling mo-rons.

they're the people who managed to embarrass themselves by posting this when the blockbuster news came out.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by bootman

Is this true???

http://www.audioholics.com/news/edit...-little-secret

We should ask the insiders now to clarify this!

This is really a naive article.

Studio split rights with other studios and film makers all the time. There were rumors that "The Fifth Element" would be coming out on HD-DVD and there is nothing to stop that from happening in territories where Sony Pictures does not have distribution rights. The same thing works in reverse. Universal may well have a title in the US that they don't have control of in Europe.

[bootman]

Ok, but isn't this a SONY title?
I'm very confused.

http://xploitedcinema.com/catalog/un...e-p-11690.html

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by bootman

Ok, but isn't this a SONY title?
I'm very confused.

http://xploitedcinema.com/catalog/un...e-p-11690.html

It is a Sony title, but lets say for example that Studio Canal has the distribution rights to it in France, then they have the right to release it on whichever format they support. Which up until recently was exclusively HD DVD. So, in essence that's how it would work with other titles as well that are Blu-ray exclusive in the US.

[bootman]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

This is really a naive article.

Studio split rights with other studios and film makers all the time. There were rumors that "The Fifth Element" would be coming out on HD-DVD and there is nothing to stop that from happening in territories where Sony Pictures does not have distribution rights. The same thing works in reverse. Universal may well have a title in the US that they don't have control of in Europe.

Ok thanks. that explains the previous post of mine.
But with the other format being region free, what would stop them from buying these.
(I know stuff like price premiums, language, etc)
Is it the same the other way around?

[IamNhobdy]

And Bruce Almighty is a Universal title....but overseas it's available on BD because....like we have been saying....distribution rights vary throughout the global movie market.

[lch]

you can also get hd exclusive titles on blu-ray from amazon uk, and most of them are regionfree.

[scragham]

Originally Posted by bootman

Ok, but isn't this a SONY title?
I'm very confused.

http://xploitedcinema.com/catalog/un...e-p-11690.html

movie home video distribution rights can get a little convoluted.

for underworld: evo, this is the distributor list (source):

* Screen Gems (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
* Buena Vista International (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
* Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
* Entertainment Film Distributors (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
* Entertainment in Video (2006) (UK) (DVD)
* Hollywood Classic Entertainment (2006) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
* Kye Films (2006) (Philippines) (theatrical)
* Pioneer Films (2006) (Philippines) (theatrical)
* SND (2006) (France) (all media)
* Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
* Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
* Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
* Sony Pictures Releasing (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
* Sony Pictures Releasing (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
* Sony Pictures Releasing (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
* Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)

as you can see, sony does NOT distribute it in finland, the philippines, the czech republic, UK, france, etc. the companies that own the rights in those countries can choose to release it on whatever format they so choose.

likewise, cinderella man (source):

* Universal Pictures (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
* Miramax Films (2005) (non-USA) (theatrical)
* Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
* Buena Vista International Italia (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
* Buena Vista International (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
* Buena Vista International (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
* Buena Vista International (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
* Buena Vista International (2005) (France) (theatrical)
* Buena Vista International (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
* Buena Vista International (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
* Buena Vista International (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
* Falcon (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
* Universal Studios

note who distributes it in most of europe as well as japan.

[Mr. Joshua]

Isn't it funny how everytime I read a pro HD DVD aritcle they all read the same literally. I've read the same programing BJ-Java crap like in 4 or 5 different article. I was gonna copy and past here but the page won't let you copy. Hmmm interesting I can't copy some text off the internet. Lets just see what happens as more Blu-Ray movies roll out this fall. All we need is the Alien Quadrilogy and Star Wars and Batman Begins and HD DVD will die a quick death...

[radagast]

Originally Posted by lch

you can also get hd exclusive titles on blu-ray from amazon uk, and most of them are regionfree.

That's really the point, isn't it? It cuts both ways.

[bootman]

I never had to think of things like movie studios and distribution agreements before all this.
While educational and I'm starting to get it, imagine what this looks like to J6P?

[koreyman]

[Blu-ray's Dirty Little Secret

http://www.audioholics.com/news/edit...-little-secret

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

[MrBogey]

Originally Posted by bootman

I never had to think of things like movie studios and distribution agreements before all this.
While educational and I'm starting to get it, imagine what this looks like to J6P?

Too bad Joe don't import.