Archived: Insiders Thread

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Josh

I know this is a couple days late, but here is my review:

http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/revi...ail.php?id=112

Nice to see you doing reviews over there Josh.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Mulder

I've searched for an answer to this question as well but I can't seem to find one. Anyone know?

I thought this was answered earlier, but anyway...

SM1 and SM2 do not have added value with the exception of the branching features on SM2/2.1.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Azumi

Hi. A question to all BD insiders:

I'd like to know if the cumulative number of disc weekly sales is improving -- seasonality notwithstanding.

Nielsen gives weekly ratios but not the actual numbers, and so we don't know to what extent the PS3 repricing, the 5-disc promo offer and the new releases are converting new customers to Blu-ray.

Without giving specifics that might put you in trouble, could you tell us how many BD are sold weekly at this moment?

Paidgeek, Sony released in March an extensive report with actual numbers. How about publishing a new one?

I'll see what I can find out that is approved for posting.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Frode

*puts in 20 kroner in the tip jar*

Question for paidgeek. In Japan, Bandai Visual is releasing Steamboy on 8/24 on blu-ray. Their other BD titles have English subtitles but this one doesn't. I see on the Sony UK site it's listed as 1/7-08 (I realize that's very tentative). Similarly BV are releasing Metropolis on 11/23, again without English subtitles. Is the reason these two BV titles don't have subtitles because Sony has the international distribution rights, and they don't want to intrude on the market, so to speak? I realize you may not be able to answer that, but I figured I'd try anyway. It's a break in the release pattern for them and Sony/Columbia Tristar is the only common factor that I can see.

Is Metropolis being considered for release by Sony on BD any time soon?

Sorry, but I don't know the answers offhand...

I also do not see Metropolis on the schedule yet.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Jack Torrance

* puts an out of state, post dated check for a million $ in the tip jar *

Paidgeek:

SNATCH has been playing a lot on the HD Net movie channel. I'm sure this a fave title of a lot of forum members here, and a big catalogue title I'm sure for Sony.

Any chance this will be on BD soon?

It is being worked on for release next year.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by 4K display

paidgeek,

I was wondering if you would consider posting exclusively on this website?

Since I get benefit from scanning AVS forum and using polls occasionally, I think it is only fair that I post there. I have been asked to post in other forums as well, but as you can see, I have trouble keeping up with just two.

[paidgeek]

A few of you have asked for a heads-up when I see something special coming along.

I had a chance to review some of the video master for "The Company" which we have scheduled for release in October. It is shot in 24p digital and is probably the best example of digital cinematography I have seen. Be sure to get a look. The picture detail is staggering.

[dialog_gvf]

^^^ That hasn't been announced publically yet, has it?

[JBlacklow]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

^^^ That hasn't been announced publically yet, has it?

Highdefdigest had a story on it before the miniseries started (last week, IIRC).

[Zinn]

Paidgeek can you tell us anything about "Léon: The Professional"?

And please take good care of it.

[WickyWoo]

Paidgeek, I figured you were using the Superbit/Harris approved master on Lawrence. The picture is near and dear to a lot of people's hearts and we're always concerned about its well being I'm sure you'll do a good job with it

WHile we're on the David Lean subject, how about some River Kwai action? I really really wish Sony had Zhivago as well, or at least that Warner waits to release it until such time as they won't try to pack it into 30GB

[ra1024]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

I had a chance to review some of the video master for "The Company" which we have scheduled for release in October. It is shot in 24p digital and is probably the best example of digital cinematography I have seen. Be sure to get a look. The picture detail is staggering.

That's great to hear, I'll move this up on my list. Since I'm sure you've seen Crank, are you saying the detail is even better than what we've seen there or are you referring to overall colors and other aspects of the cinematography? If this is a step above Crank, I would buy it for showing off even if I didn't care for the content

[Jack Torrance]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

It is being worked on for release next year.

Awesome!

Thanks for the news Paidgeek!

[Azumi]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

I'll see what I can find out that is approved for posting.

Thank you Paidgeek, I'm looking forward to it.

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Paidgeek, I figured you were using the Superbit/Harris approved master on Lawrence. The picture is near and dear to a lot of people's hearts and we're always concerned about its well being I'm sure you'll do a good job with it

WHile we're on the David Lean subject, how about some River Kwai action? I really really wish Sony had Zhivago as well, or at least that Warner waits to release it until such time as they won't try to pack it into 30GB

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Zinn

Paidgeek can you tell us anything about "Léon: The Professional"?

And please take good care of it.

It is not on the schedule at this moment.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Paidgeek, I figured you were using the Superbit/Harris approved master on Lawrence. The picture is near and dear to a lot of people's hearts and we're always concerned about its well being I'm sure you'll do a good job with it

WHile we're on the David Lean subject, how about some River Kwai action? I really really wish Sony had Zhivago as well, or at least that Warner waits to release it until such time as they won't try to pack it into 30GB

BORK is also being planned for release next year.

[WickyWoo]

Sounds like HD David Lean lovefest, Thanks PG

I never noticed that the acronym was "bork" before

[Delta_FX]

Paidgeek,

Have the 'Bad Boys' movies been put on the release schedule?

Thanks for your contribution to this forum!

[Ben]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Well DaViD from what I’ve been told privately, they also may have had some “storage capacity” problems in their video coverage of the recent EMA, so I’m not surprised.

From www.thedigitalbits.com today:

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

Now our friends over at Home Theater Forum videotaped the panel and have posted the videos online... except during that key moment of the panel, Ron was changing tapes on his camera, and so he missed Graffeo's response (it would have occurred at the start of video #6 had it been recorded). Luckily, several audience members made audio recordings, so I was able to confirm that he'd said what I remembered he'd said. That's even more important today, in light of a story that's been posted by Scott Hettrick over at Hollywood in Hi-Def.com.

Kornblau further claims (according to the article) that Universal's position in the format war is driven by a long-term and consumer-focused strategy that is supported by Universal parent NBC and corporate owner GE. And that's interesting, because Universal's Ken Graffeo gave a different impression about GE's support of Universal's position in the format war at our HD-DVD panel discussion at EMA. Here's the relevant exchange. It starts with a statement by an audience member, one of our group who attended EMA, which soon becomes a question...

Audience member: My question is, from the studio perspective, are you feeling the pressure of being the only HD-DVD sole studio?

Graffeo: Don't forget about Weinstein.

Another audience member: Major studio.

Audience member: Major studio. Can you talk to that?

[unintelligible comment from a panelist or audience member]

Graffeo: I feel it every day. [audience laughter] And I will also say that we're owned by GE, so we do hear about it a lot. [more audience laughter]

Graffeo then goes on to comment in further detail about the format war, and the European market, etc. You can listen to an MP3 clip of this specific exchange here, and we've posted a 27MB zip file containing a much longer recording of the panel discussion here, in addition to the videos available on HTF (between the videos and these MP3s, you should have a near complete record of the panel discussion).

Now, when I heard this answer, I was pretty surprised. Graffeo seems to be implying that GE has concerns about Universal's stance in this format war. If you watch the videos of the panel, you'll know that I asked a number of direct questions of the panelists related to the format war (I'm the guy in beige in the audience), and I was prepared to continue doing so. But when Graffeo answered this question, in the way he did, I actually felt bad for the guy. It was clear to me, and to others who were on hand to witness the exchange (and I've confirmed today that many others who were there shared the same impression), that Ken (and Universal as a whole) is under a LOT of pressure related to his studio's exclusive support of HD-DVD. Variety has even reported on this in recent weeks. So at that point, I throttled back in my questioning. But his comments would seem to be contradictory to those of Kornblau from Scott Hettrick's piece.

Thanks, Penton-Man, and thanks, Bill Hunt!