Paramount/DreamWorks fallout... a primal scream therapy thread for Blu-ray fans

[cawgijoe]

I just posted a thread asking for help.....please make a statement by buying Blu-Ray discs on the PS3 forum........hopefully that will help....at least it makes me feel better.

I'll be sending some snail-mail letters tomorrow.

[Bizi Jones]

rejoice ppl, I have bought a ps3 :P...long time reader/lurker and finally last week decided to put my money where my mouth is...huge hd fan, but up to now its mostly been hd rips...but found a ps3 for 350us and decided to get it...and then the next day Paramount...lol

so in conclusion u may have lost Paramount, but u gained me ...

oh ya, as for the topic, one more ps3'er buying bds

[sj001]

Found this little snippet on www.slashfilm.com...

Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg Upset Over Paramount/HD-DVD Deal

Paramount made a very bad decision earlier this week when it was announced an exclusive partnership with HD-DVD. HD-DVD is clearly the losing format at this point in the next gen format war. Most of the other studios have decided to support Blu-Ray. Nikki Finke is reporting that the HD-DVD camp is paying over $150 million for the “promotional consideration” exclusivity.

A fallout is starting to occur, not from consumers, but from the creative side. After the Paramount announcement, long-time Spielberg spokesman Marvin Levy told High Def Digest:

”It was important to Steven that if any of his films were to be released [first] on high-definition, that it would be a classic. Steven is big supporter of Blu-ray, and chose ‘Close Encounters’ to be the first of his films on either format.”

And now Michael Bay has issued an angry statement on his official website forums:

“I want people to see my movies in the best formats possible. For them to deny people who have Blu-ray sucks! They were progressive by having two formats. No Transformers 2 for me!”

No Transformers 2? Isn’t that a bit harsh? I mean, I agree that consumers should have the choice, but I’m not sure if I would quit a successful franchise over it. The fan outcry came down and Michael Bay removed his previous statement and put up the following:

Last night at dinner I was having dinner with three blu-ray owners, they were pissed about no Transformers Blu-ray and I drank the kool aid hook line and sinker. So at 1:30 in the morning I posted - nothing good ever comes out of early am posts mind you - I over reacted. I heard where Paramount is coming from and the future of HD and players that will be close to the $200 mark which is the magic number. I like what I heard.

As a director, I’m all about people seeing films in the best quality possible, and I saw and heard firsthand people upset about a corporate decision.

So today I saw 300 on HD, it rocks!

So I think I might be back on to do Transformers 2!

Michael Bay

My bottom line opinion: Paramount should find a way to pull out of this deal. Consumers should have the right to choose. A big money deal like this sends the wrong kind of message to the many millions of people who have chosen to support the studio over the years.
...it would indeed be hilarious if they found a way to do this...

[jorg]

like the bda has said the format war is a chess game not checkers its not u hit me ill hit you its ill let you punch a couple times then im going to get my big brother the next day to knock you out. lmao

[supersix4]

I actually like our upcoming movies better than what we'd get from paramount pirates 3 , die hard (all of them), spidey set, rein over me... Ill take those over anything paramount can bring out

[jorg]

well we could just put a note in every ps3 box saying buy a blu-ray and get it singed b CHUCK NORIS lmao

[blackhawktraffic]

Originally Posted by Bizi Jones

rejoice ppl, I have bought a ps3 :P...long time reader/lurker and finally last week decided to put my money where my mouth is...huge hd fan, but up to now its mostly been hd rips...but found a ps3 for 350us and decided to get it...and then the next day Paramount...lol

so in conclusion u may have lost Paramount, but u gained me ...

oh ya, as for the topic, one more ps3'er buying bds

Awesome i just got a PS3 not too long ago, been trying to buy BD's every week if I can...Don't forget the 5 free movie rebate...they came fast in the mail for me .

[Blu_Ray_UK2007]

A PS3 owner card that provides 75% on selected titles ftw.

[IamNhobdy]

Originally Posted by jorg

like the bda has said the format war is a chess game not checkers its not u hit me ill hit you its ill let you punch a couple times then im going to get my big brother the next day to knock you out. lmao

More like I'll let you hit me a couple times, maybe knock me around a little bit & then I'm gonna deck you once & drop your @$$ to the floor. Brad Pitt in Snatch style.

Sony and the BDA are intelligent. They have probably been planning contingencies for just these kind of low blows. So far, I have been pleased with the amount of class they have shown in responding to these unfortunate events. Remember, Sony would like to think they learned their lesson with the BetaMax blunder. and so would I to be honest.

[lvqirain97]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

you have to put it into perspective. 150M might not sound like a lot, but if I am not mistaking less then 3M HDOMs have sold all together. This is for a year and a half of HD disks on the market for both formats, what do you think Paramount’s profits from HD sales were? Even if one assumes much greater growth (and with this news it most likely won't happen) there would be no way their profit would be that high.

you mean if we paid 300M early to warner and universal to make them give up HD DVD, then the war end?

[jubaiweaponx]

again hddvd buying another 18 months of life support its a test to see if we will buy their crap,guess what i`m not caving let them have transformers and shrek the 3rd and while they are at it they can eat my ass one blu-ray at a time because i`ll still support my format and being the big transformers fan I am o well paramount`s mistake .let them have hddvd watch them fail as i laugh and more fox/mgm titles appear from every hole in the woodwork ,we beat hddvd every week ,week in ,week out ,I hope paramount likes the taste of feet and crap because they took their foot out of universals butt and put it in their mouth...hope you like the smell and taste of it cause you got 18 months to think it over ...and we will remember ..trust me

[darinp2]

Originally Posted by lvqirain97

I was confused with that. I can not believe that the reason for paramount to move to HD DVD is only the $150M. If that, the format war already was finished, because sony could offer money to universal and warner to make them surpport BD only.
So I wonder what the true reason is for paramount to make such decision. It is really hard to understand.

For one thing, just like people, not all studios are influenced by the same amounts. Also, $150M might not sound like a lot, but Paramount only paid $1530M for Dreamworks (or part of it). So, this is about 10% of that for at least temporarily abandoning a format that we may consider big, but is still largely in its infancy. And they can always release on Blu-ray later if things don't go HD DVD's direction. From a purely business standpoint I can understand it if things like extra measures against piracy (the BD ROM-Mark for instance) didn't matter enough to them.

Even if they lost 500,000 in disc sales for Transformers and Shrek 3 and they got a marginal gain of $10 from each disc, that would only be $5 million. For 2 of their biggest hits ever and day-and-date. And it would probably take a while for them to lose that many disc sales on those 2 given that neutral owners can still buy them and those buying a player largely for Transformers will still be able to do that and get it.

If it was $10 profit per disc they would have to sell 15 million discs to get to $150 million. Good chance they weren't going to do that in the next year and a half even if they had stayed neutral.

This whole thing does make me wonder if the other studios are going to start thinking about what they are worth in this war.

--Darin

[CAB]

Originally Posted by lvqirain97

you mean if we paid 300M early to warner and universal to make them give up HD DVD, then the war end?

The war might end but it would put a big dent in the profitability of those in the BDA who gave out the cash. MS giving money to a studio is a lot different than studios giving money to a studio. MS is trying to sabotage the consumer by reducing competition. Paramount found out that they could be more profitable if they took a pay-off. Studios that have a solid portfolio of titles to offer are profitable doing HD-DVD and Blu-ray. Paramount seems to have run out of material. I'm betting after 18 months they'll pop back in the BD market.

Oh, were you suggesting we take up a collection?

"Donations! Donations!"

-CB

[Blu-Style]

Some movies (to create) are way more expensiv than this damn deal

[darinp2]

Originally Posted by CAB

MS giving money to a studio is a lot different than studios giving money to a studio.

I think it is Toshiba who likely has been doling out the cash.

--Darin

[Bizi Jones]

Originally Posted by blackhawktraffic

Awesome i just got a PS3 not too long ago, been trying to buy BD's every week if I can...Don't forget the 5 free movie rebate...they came fast in the mail for me .

ya ya...sent out for that yesterday luckily the Canadian place is like 10 min away from me lol...

[Blu As Hell]

Originally Posted by Zyclone

what do us region B guys and gals do though is the japanese import region free?

Yes it is!!!!! I've had mine since May!!!!!

[PrinceLH]

First off, I am, and will, continue to be a Blu Ray only supporter. For how I feel about what has happened, I just need to get it off of my chest, so here goes:

We had the victory in our hands. It was ours for the taking. In May of this year, we had a 66 - 33 lead on HD DVD. We were starting to close the gap on standalone players. The future looked Blu. So what does the BDA do? They take the summer off! Instead of closing the price gap on the HD DVD Toshiba, we let them keep selling their inferior format for $150.00 cheaper than our cheapest model. We had the spectre of a new BD+ copy protection on the horizon, so FOX decided to hibernate, until they could protect their titles. Disney did the same at about half the rate. They decided to wait. They waited and Microsoft bought one of our format neutral partners off. We could have crushed HD DVD, if the BDA had pushed for more back catalogue releases. We waited. Now, the victory that seemed assured in the next few months has been swipped from under our noses. You would think that the BDA would know that MS would pull some underhanded move to try and keep Blu Ray from becoming the victor. They've proven it in other digital mediums, like Internet Browsers and Search Engines. Blu Ray had their foot on their throat and let them live. Now, they must fight to the death and pray that another studio does not go HD DVD exclusive. Is the BDA going to allow this victory to be snatched away or are they ready to fight to the death? I support them fighting to the death and plan on not support in any way, MS, Toshiba, Universal and now Paramount. We have to stand firm with our choice in BD and not jump on the dual format bandwagon. The BDA must show us, as their customers, to fight hard beside us. Lower hardware prices and an extensive release of their back catalogues is a must. Now, BDA, show us the money! Let's start kicking some HD DVD ass!!!

[CAB]

Originally Posted by darinp2

I think it is Toshiba who likely has been doling out the cash.

--Darin

I'd bet much of the money came in the form of VC-1 licensing rebates or massive reduction in future licensing. Handing over cash for nothing is considered anti-competitive and would raise some eyebrows at Justice.

-CB

[Mr. Joshua]

Pull out the big guns and put Batman Begins on Blu-ray in AVC with lossless audio, and put the Star Wars Septilogy on Blu-ray, then we will see where HD DVD stands....