"Club Penton" - Ask questions to Hollywood insider "Penton-Man"

[SkullPhyre]

I wrote a letter to WB. I doubt it will do much good but HANDWRITTEN letters by large amounts of people might help. I explained to them the concerns I have, poor encodes,excessive DNR, dolby digital, etc. I also pointed out and thanked them for the good job on some titles, Dirty Harry,Natural Born Killers etc. And I let them know that I would like them to clean up thier act because I will no longer be purchasing sub par title's. Instead of complaining on these forums I invite you to do the same.

Warner Bros Home Entertainment.
4000 Warner Blvd.
Burbank, CA. 91522

Nice polite letters will help. Rude complaining letters will probably go in the trash.

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by mark antony

"Unfortunately, we've confirmed that the Blu-ray is a BD-25 with just Dolby Digital 5.1 audio rather than TrueHD, which is a real shame. If ever a film deserved BD-50/TrueHD treatment on Blu-ray, it's this one. I suppose, however, in light of how badly the film tanked, it shouldn't be unexpected"

Jesus Harold Christ on a f***ing rubber crutch.

A movie tanking is no excuse. Perfect Stranger was a flop ($23.7 million BO). It was released by Sony on a BD50 with lossless audio. And it wasn't even an eye-candy action film.

[WickyWoo]

Watch and wait for the Japanese release around the end of the year. It's just now hitting Japanese theaters, and that might have proper audio

[blu2]

Originally Posted by Grubert

Jesus Harold Christ on a f***ing rubber crutch.

A movie tanking is no excuse. Perfect Stranger was a flop ($23.7 million BO). It was released by Sony on a BD50 with lossless audio. And it wasn't even an eye-candy action film.

Presumeably the current/old WB "policy" must revolve around pricing and cost savings?

How much might WB save on production costs by going with a lossy track (are TrueHD licencing costs significantly higher)? Or is this geared at some slim savings on disc costs by squeezing onto BD25 vs using a BD50?

If their policy has changed, what was the criteria for their old policy?

[kefrank]

i am absolutely shocked that any studio would release a day and date title longer than 85 minutes on a BD-25.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

(head shaking)

A BD25 and two DVD? Talk about a phone-it-in effort.

Gary

What can I say..you are right. totally unacceptable of Warner. I see Dialog, Deci, and Grubert among the many that are telling it like it is. Can't really "speak" for the intentions or opinions of others that are always "on the same boat and rowing upstream". Sorry for not asking Penton a question, but the need to vent is great. Hope everyone has a great day.

[GabrielB]

To Wickywoo or Penton or Max or anyone

Warner has now seriously turned into an extremely problematic studios.

In light of the recent announcements by Warner:

- LA Confidential with 90 minutes worth of supplements + TrueHD on a BD-25
- 135 minutes Speed Racer without TrueHD + all the extras on a BD-25
- Blow Dolby Digital only
+ the regular excessive DNR, low bitrate encodes, movies on BD-25s and irregularity in audio codecs.


My question is, now that they have come that far, do you see any change for the better in the near future?
You have said a few times that those issues had been communicated to them but nothing of the recent announcements seems to suggest it is changing.

Is it a fight we are loosing?
Do you have faith something can still be done?
Will they ever be on par with the best studios out there?

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

You’ll ultimately figure it out eventually on your own.
Actions speak louder than words.

Can you guys tell us a bit more what is going on?


Gabriel

[Kris Deering]

I agree with Penton. The strongest way to make your voice heard is to mail them and REFUSE to buy their BDs. Some people say a lot about how disappointed they are in Title A or B but still pick them up. Refusing to buy titles is the best way to make a point.

Then again there is always YouTube!!

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by SkullPhyre

I wrote a letter to WB. I doubt it will do much good but HANDWRITTEN letters by large amounts of people might help. I explained to them the concerns I have, poor encodes,excessive DNR, dolby digital, etc. I also pointed out and thanked them for the good job on some titles, Dirty Harry,Natural Born Killers etc. And I let them know that I would like them to clean up thier act because I will no longer be purchasing sub par title's. Instead of complaining on these forums I invite you to do the same.

While I haven't seen the title, so the DNR use could have been done via the "white glove" treatment, I still had to laugh since it's been said in an article that "Dirty Harry" had DNR applied to it.

Originally Posted by Kris Deering

I agree with Penton. The strongest way to make your voice heard is to mail them and REFUSE to buy their BDs. Some people say a lot about how disappointed they are in Title A or B but still pick them up. Refusing to buy titles is the best way to make a point.

I rarely go to the theater (I didn't go last year at all, nor did I the year before if I remember correctly), and I don't rent, so I'll probably end up with "Speed Racer" on Blu-ray. In fact, I'm not sure boycotting a "flop" at the theater on Blu-ray is a great way to send a message about the quality of WB's titles since WB would probably assume it's simply because of the movie being a flop. Besides, I think we are past the point where a orchestrated forum boycott would really affect the sales that much.

HOWEVER, with this news regarding a new (D&D) release lacking lossless audio being released in SEPTEMBER, I too am more than a little TICKED and may indeed be writing them a letter expressing my disappointment in the tech specs for "Speed Racer", the lack of "lossless" audio on MULTIPLE releases, and so on, and letting them know that my money can be better spent elsewhere.

I probably will be going to see "The Dark Knight" in a week or two (I got my $6.00 ready to go), but I can only hope that Nolan will be supervising the Blu-ray release.

~Alan

[dobyblue]

If you search online for WB's HD department you'll get NAMES you can address those letters to.

Or just write to the President and Vice-President of High Def Media, at the same address. Copy your letter, send it to both of them.

It's beyond ridiculous now. We seriously need to start a movement to abandon ALL WB titles until the smarten the hell up.

[coolmilo]

I just cancelled my pre-order for Speed Racer and for all other Warner/Newline titles that I had on pre-order. I will catch Speed Racer (again) on HBO-HD or some other download service. Unfortunatley with packaged media, there ain't no firmware that can fix a bad release. We depend on the studios to build their packaged media products as best as they can or don't even bother.

Even if 75% of the people do not have the right equipment to listen to lossless audio is no excuse for Warner not including it.

Does it cost a lot more to produce titles on Blu-ray with lossless audio, not DNR'd to death, and at a decent bitrate?

Warner needs to rethink their plans and stop making Blu-ray's with minimal specs, it's shameful at this point.

[DaViD Boulet]

Well WB clearly haven't been listening, Bill Hunt has confirmed that Speed Racer is a BD-25 with standard dolby 5.1 (not tru-hd). You can't tell me that one's been in the production pipe for month's & months as it's only recently been in cinema's.

Ludicrous. If this is true, Warner needs a major slap.

I was planning on buying this Blu-ray disc sight-unseen, even with the mediocre movie reviews.

Won't buy it without lossless audio.

Warner, that's a LOST SALE. One of many.

[Nick Graham]

I shot an e-mail to Bill Hunt about this (knowing he was also a big Speed Racer fan), and his answers for what he is hearing is the reasoning for the LA Confidential, Blow, and Speed Racer releases being the way they are is something I somewhat suspected, and made my anger level at Warner drop significantly. He said he would probably comment on it on The Bits tomorrow.

[lgans316]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Watch and wait for the Japanese release around the end of the year. It's just now hitting Japanese theaters, and that might have proper audio

The two titles where Warner went a different route with the overseas release are

1) Happy Feet which got LPCM 16-bit (All Regions)
2) Flags of our Fathers which again got LPCM 16-bit (All Regions except Japan)

But they killed the Japanese BD of Departed by featuring DD audio instead of LPCM 'coz by doing that they were able to squeeze the movie into a BD-25.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by lgans316

The two titles where Warner went a different route with the overseas release are

1) Happy Feet which got LPCM 16-bit (All Regions)
2) Flags of our Fathers which again got LPCM 16-bit (All Regions except Japan)

But they killed the Japanese BD of Departed by featuring DD audio instead of LPCM 'coz by doing that they were able to squeeze the movie into a BD-25.

Yes, but what about the video encodes?

Flags is a case where the BD clearly was sharper than the HD DVD version with higher bit rate AVC vs VC-1. What does the overseas use? I'd rather have better video quality.

[WickyWoo]

I'd say that there's a lot better chance simly because

Maha Go Go Go is iconic in Japan
The Rain fangirls will start a lynch mob if they can't hear every nuance of their beloved's voice

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Kris Deering

I agree with Penton. The strongest way to make your voice heard is to mail them and REFUSE to buy their BDs. Some people say a lot about how disappointed they are in Title A or B but still pick them up. Refusing to buy titles is the best way to make a point.

Then again there is always YouTube!!

Absolutely.

But I would think a theatrical bomb, like Speed Racer, would be trying to maximize its attractiveness in the BD market. It seems pointless with such a film to discourage positive buzz.

Warner might as well consider only releasing it on DVD, and save money.

Gary

[OokieSpookie]

Is Warner having problems getting bd 50s or something or are they just really that stupid?

[darkblueme]

I have been eagerly - EAGERLY - awaiting the release of Speed Racer on Blu-Ray ever since the movie hit theaters. I saw it in IMAX and instantly knew it would be an easy pick for my #1 reference Blu-Ray movie.

I am livid at Warner Bros. This is beyond excuse and way beyond reason. I will not buy ANY future Warner Bros Blu-Ray titles (including Batman: The Dark Knight) until they get their act together and make an official statement about when they'll be on par with the rest of the Blu-Ray studios.

G*% Dam&^! I am pissed!!

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

If you search online for WB's HD department you'll get NAMES you can address those letters to.

Or just write to the President and Vice-President of High Def Media, at the same address. Copy your letter, send it to both of them.

It's beyond ridiculous now. We seriously need to start a movement to abandon ALL WB titles until the smarten the hell up.

I don't want to derail Penton's thread, but if people are really interested in writing to some decision-makers at Warner, at least knowing their names definitely helps.

With that in mind, here you go:

Dan Silverberg - VP High Definition media, Warner Home Video (deals extensively with Blu-ray)
Dorinda Marticorena - Senior VP of Worldwide High-Definition media, Warner Home Video (most directly responsible senior executive for Blu-ray at Warner -- Nickerson's old job for those keeping score )
Jeffrey Baker (Exec. VP and GM, Theatrical Catalog) , Jeff Brown (Exec. VP and GM, Non-Theatrical Franchise) and Mike Saksa (Exec. VP and GM, New Release) - (heads of WHVs main three business units, not really Blu-ray specific positions)
Mark Horak - President of Warner Home Video North America - (new title and position, but still involved in new media development I believe, and next level up from the EVPs)
Ron Sanders - President of Warner Home Video (next level up from Mr. Horak)
Kevin Tsujihara - President of Warner Brothers Home Entertainment Group (top of the entire home entertainment division -- probably higher than you really want to go with letters about a Blu-ray specific issue)



As was mentioned previously, the main corporate address for Warner Home Entertainment is:
4000 Warner Blvd
Burbank, CA 91522

The main switchboard # is: 818-954-6000
Corp Communications # is: 818-954-7304