Archived: Ask the Insiders: Judgment Day Edition

[jorg]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Dang, I can't spell at all today.
That's two posts already I've had to edit.

lmao now u know how i fell 24/7 lmao arnt u a litttel lonely penton wered paid geek go

[cjamescook]

Originally Posted by gearyt

Mystik's our "Blu" Poster child.

Ah, now there's an idea. A Blu-ray poster with Mystik.
Would she volunteer an appropriate punk picture, with attitude, perhaps in something blue? Would a suitably talented graphic artist in our midst be able to make a poster from it?

That would be fun. Who knows? It might actually be an interesting marketing foray. The PC vs. Mac ads at Apple certainly have been fun (see http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/ ).

[dakota81]

Originally Posted by bajor27

This in now way is meant to be rude, and I'm guessing that this question is just wasting my time, but are you possibly looking and feeling the 2 DVDs in the set?

No, it's the Blu-rays in Blade Runner that are completely different from any other Blu-ray disc I own, including previous Warner titles... almost as if, dare I ask, new BD manufacturing equipment?

[ACD]

I noticed that the "Stargate: The Ark of Truth" movie is coming out on DVD, March 11th. It was filmed in 35mm and framed for 16x9. Does any insider know if MGM plans on releasing this on Blu-ray?

MGM resurrects Sci Fi series with pics

Thanks!

[krinkle]

Originally Posted by ACD

I noticed that the "Stargate: The Ark of Truth" movie is coming out on DVD, March 11th. It was filmed in 35mm and framed for 16x9. Does any insider know if MGM plans on releasing this on Blu-ray?

MGM resurrects Sci Fi series with pics

Thanks!

On a similar note I am also wondering what happened to Stargate Atlantis for Blu-ray?

In a January 2006 press release SPHE named it as the "first TV series to come to Blu-ray" and "One of the first 20 titles announced".

----edit-----

So here is the press release form the official website:

Originally Posted by SPHE Jan 2006

BD Java Games,

Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down and

David Lean’s Oscar-winning The Bridge on the River Kwai,

both on 50 GB Dual Layer Discs,

Also Set for Release



– Stargate Atlantis First Television Series on Blu-ray in High Definition –


The studio announced it will also deliver four catalog titles per month beginning this Summer, accelerating to 10 titles per month by the fourth quarter 2006. Also being readied for Summer release is the complete television series of sci-fi favorite, “Stargate Atlantis,” in high-definition.

http://www.blu-raydisc.com/top/About...cle-14871.html

[WickyWoo]

Well, we all know how that worked out because of the switchback to fox for MGM distribution.

I would not be shocked to see Atlantis season 4 on Blu. I'm hoping that it just got bumped for one of those delayed movie titles for Ark of Truth, and that there will be a Blu double pack of both movies

[Monkeytool]

Hey all,

First time posting long time lurker. Big time blu supporter. Anyway, I had a question for any insider that can answer it. I saw a post on AVS and even though the guy was an HD DVD supporter, he made a really good point.

FrancescoP-
"As I said many times, HD is NOT the killer app of HD.

IMO the killer app will be the option to get contextual IMDB.COM informations via web during the movie (about actors, directors, cinematographer, writers, spoofs, trivia, stars gossip, and so on.).

For example, when I see a new actor/actress in a scene, I want to know (just pushing a button):

- who is he/she?
- what movies has he/she done in the past? Can I buy them?
- what movies is he/she doing now?
- the latest gossip about him/her
- ...and so on."

Anyway I love this idea, my wife always has me have the laptop nearby so when we are watching a moving we can look up info on various actors or directors, or other info on the movie. I generally don't care for extras, but this would be one extra that would change my buying outright. Is there any info available about any studios working on something like this. And if I were so inclined how could I pass this message on to a studio that might listen and possibly implement.

Thanks for being so helpful. Ill go back to my hiding spot now.

[darinp2]

This isn't a question, but a suggestion for Sony. First some background. A lot of us know that it would be great to get the awareness of Blu-ray movies up with PS3 owners. And there will be a lot of people opening PS3s on Christmas. I think including Spider-man 3 in the 40GB model was a great idea and I have another idea I think is pretty good. I think part of the goal should be to get gamers and editors for gaming sites talking about this stuff. So, how about giving an online game away for answering some multiple choice questions correctly? That would get gamers recommending that people go take the poll on their PS3 to open up the free download.

I know it is probably too late to do this for just after Christmas, but as an example, I think it would be pretty effective if Sony offered Pain (a $10 download normally) for free the week after Christmas if people can answer 5 multiple choice questions correctly. And of course the questions would be things like whether the PS3 can play high definition Blu-ray movies, the Blu-ray remote, 1080p video, high end audio, etc. If Sony did that I would expect sites like IGN to put up a little blurb telling people how to get that online game for free. And just to keep IGN from doing something like saying the answers are A, D, B, C, B, maybe the order of the questions or answers could be mixed up (or 5 questions could be chosen out of 20 randomly) so the gaming sites and forums would list the correct answers, instead of the letters for the correct answers. If not Pain, then maybe some other online game could be given away, like Snakeball when it comes out. To be the most effective I think it really should be a game that PS3 owners would care about enough for gaming sites and forums to mention the deal.

Oh, and I would recommend that if people miss any, they can keep playing until they get all the answers right, and still get the game for free. Either way, having the reward be a download would be better than a reward which needs to be mailed to people, IMO.

--Darin

[Braktastic]

Would Penton-Man or any of the other Blu-ray Insiders like to comment on this recent Sound Advice article where they claim to have confirmed that Warner Bros. will appear at the HD DVD Promotion Group Press Conference at the 2008 CES?

http://www.soundadviceblog.com/?p=705

Specifically, I am wondering whether or not anything should be read into this? The HD DVD fanboys are having a field day with this, as you might imagine.

[SpaceDog]

Originally Posted by Paul Arnette

Would Penton-Man or any of the other Blu-ray Insiders like to comment on this recent Sound Advice article where they claim to have confirmed that Warner Bros. will appear at the HD DVD Promotion Group Press Conference at the 2008 CES?

http://www.soundadviceblog.com/?p=705

Specifically, I am wondering whether or not anything should be read into this? The HD DVD fanboys are having a field day with this, as you might imagine.

Seems pretty off-putting to me. I look to Warner, Best Buy, Circuit City to champion HD media in general by dropping HD-DVD. I don't hate HD-DVD, I hate the format war. I really just want to move on to a SUCCESSFUL HD format. It's pretty clear by now that Blu Ray is that format.

[johnno1986]

To any of the insiders,

What the hell is going on? Why is Warner at the HD DVD Promo Groups CES event? Are they going to continue supporting HD DVD? Or, shudder, go HD DVD exclusive? Will they appear at Blu-ray's CES event? Can anyone shed some light? I'm dying here. Someone help.

[ottscay]

Originally Posted by johnno1986

What the hell is going on? Why is Warner at the HD DVD Promo Groups CES event? Are they going to continue supporting HD DVD? Or, shudder, go HD DVD exclusive? Will they appear at Blu-ray's CES event? Can anyone shed some light? I'm dying here. Someone help.

Not an insider, but these kinds of questions have been answered before:

1) These events are scheduled well in advance, so it doesn't reflect current thinking per se.

2) In the corporate world, everything is "business as usual" up until the moment you change it. We saw this with both the Paramount shift and the PS3 price cuts. It's important not to eat into current sales, so unless the announcement is going to be AT CES, why would they change their plans? (If they do announce it at CES, they'll simply have a last minute change of scheduling.)

3) Insiders have indicated that Warner is also going to be watching January sales (the "5th quarter") and an announcement at CES (first week of January) wouldn't really give them much time for that, would it?

Finally, we as consumers are doing our job, sales are staying ahead for BD even during strong day and date releases on HD DVD while HD DVD runs a bogo. The effect of the discounted BD players ($299) and the new PS3 price point is resulting in strong sales, and this can only work to our advantage the next 45 days.

We're in a good position, so rather than worry about it, go enjoy some movies. Warner movies, if at all possible...

[SpaceDog]

Originally Posted by ottscay

3) Insiders have indicated that Warner is also going to be watching January sales (the "5th quarter") and an announcement at CES (first week of January) wouldn't really give them much time for that, would it?

I know that this has been said, but this is such BS in the sense that if the numbers aren't clear by now, how much is January going to clear them up?

I'd rather be done with this silly war sooner than later. CES seems a perfect time.

[johnno1986]

Originally Posted by ottscay

Not an insider, but these kinds of questions have been answered before:

1) These events are scheduled well in advance, so it doesn't reflect current thinking per se.

2) In the corporate world, everything is "business as usual" up until the moment you change it. We saw this with both the Paramount shift and the PS3 price cuts. It's important not to eat into current sales, so unless the announcement is going to be AT CES, why would they change their plans? (If they do announce it at CES, they'll simply have a last minute change of scheduling.)

3) Insiders have indicated that Warner is also going to be watching January sales (the "5th quarter") and an announcement at CES (first week of January) wouldn't really give them much time for that, would it?

Finally, we as consumers are doing our job, sales are staying ahead for BD even during strong day and date releases on HD DVD while HD DVD runs a bogo. The effect of the discounted BD players ($299) and the new PS3 price point is resulting in strong sales, and this can only work to our advantage the next 45 days.

We're in a good position, so rather than worry about it, go enjoy some movies. Warner movies, if at all possible...

Thanks for the response. Another question now. Do you, or anyone else, know if Warner or the other studios, i.e. Universal, Paramount/Dreamworks, will be basing their decisions on which format to support in the future on USA sales alone or on worldwide sales?

[ottscay]

Originally Posted by SpaceDog

I'd rather be done with this silly war sooner than later. CES seems a perfect time.

We all want it to be over sooner rather than later (except perhaps for some HD DVD fanboys and M$), but there have been lots of claims on both sides about who is positioned more strongly with holiday sales (e.g., are the fire-saled A2s gonna suddenly kick-start sales in Q1, or will the cheaper BD players and lower cost PS3 model do better?). I'm sure WB doesn't want to make the call on way just to see sales spike the next week or two in the other direction.

Now, you and I know which direction sales are likely to move, but an overly-catious corporate excec who sees these decisions not as "how do I get the best movie watching experience" but rather "how do I increase profits and save our flagging DVD division" probably is looking for more clear-cut indicators thatshe/he isn't making the wrong choice.

The first half of January is the only realistic time when those fire-sales players could make a difference (which I don't think they will), after that if WB really wants a single unified HDM market, the choice should be clear.

[ottscay]

Originally Posted by johnno1986

Do you, or anyone else, know if Warner or the other studios, i.e. Universal, Paramount/Dreamworks, will be basing their decisions on which format to support in the future on USA sales alone or on worldwide sales?

That would require a real insider to answer

[OokieSpookie]

Originally Posted by SpaceDog

I know that this has been said, but this is such BS in the sense that if the numbers aren't clear by now, how much is January going to clear them up?

I'd rather be done with this silly war sooner than later. CES seems a perfect time.

To be technical, it is because there are players on both sides that will not be opened until christmas and they would want to see if the numbers are affected any differently because it is what people on either side will yell.
(Personally at the risk of being called an hd-shill by pea brained assclowns , I will say that if they appear at the hd presentation than this BS will drag on at least another six months and more likely through out 2008 because it would be just dumb for an hd exec to stand on a podium talking support for hd and then dump them not even a month or even two months later)

[SuprSlow]

I know I'm not an insider, so delete my post if necessary

But...it's been answered previously. It will be business as usual for Warner and everybody else until the second before they announce exclusivity. They'll continue to announce release dates for new titles (as they have been), and they'll continue to schedule appearances at shows/events.

If you look back, Paramount was pushing Blades of Glory on Blu-ray right up until the day they switched.

Nothing should be read into Warner appearing at CES, IMO.

[WriteSimply]

To paidgeek - which you may pass on to the SCE insider later...

darin speak of rewarding PS3 owners. I was thinking of another reward, but one that can be implemented now even. The reward is for every 10 work units at F@H, you get a US$1 credit on your PSN account, or whatever the equivalent in the PS3's respective native country. This will encourage more users to fold to get credits!


fuad

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Paul Arnette

Would Penton-Man or any of the other Blu-ray Insiders like to comment on this recent Sound Advice article where they claim to have confirmed that Warner Bros. will appear at the HD DVD Promotion Group Press Conference at the 2008 CES?

http://www.soundadviceblog.com/?p=705

From one week ago on the old Insider’s Thread….. I shall bold the pertinent part–

Originally posted by Penton-Man.........
And as far as timing for announcements goes, I also previously stated that I would not comment on such as that is the prerogative of WB and WB alone. In fact, I don’t think it would be wise to anticipate any exact date for this to occur, let it play itself out. Some people in some organizations also think the 5th quarter numbers (Jan.) are an important consideration as that's when people buy discs for their new Blu-ray players that they received as gifts for Christmas. There are many variables at work here.

Paul, don’t get your hopes up for any particular predetermined date as an announcement for a change in stance regarding format publishing.