Archived: Ask the Insiders: Judgment Day Edition

[johnno1986]

I know that this is a stupid question but could someone list the "BIG 7" studios for me ? Thanks.

[gandley]

probaly part of the plan with MS chinese contacts!!

THE GLORIOUS Peoples' Republic of China is preparing to follow in the EU's footsteps by trying to thwart the carefully-laid plans of Microsoft's softly-spoken CEO, Steve Ballmer.

As part of Microsoft's plans to expand into the Peoples' Republic, M. Ballmer had been eyeing some $12.88 million worth of shares in Chinese electronics firm Sichuan Changhong Electric.

But, the deal has been scotched by the China Security Regulatory Commission which blocked the move without saying why.

This is not good news for Ballmer, who was hoping the deal would give Microsoft a foothold in the Chinese hardware market and a platform for getting involved in the integration of digital media in China.

Sichuan Changhong makes a lot of the tellies in China and wants to produce an integrated digital media platform.

According to Forbes, it appears that electronics firm might have dragged its heels somewhat in submitting details of the proposed deal to regulators in Beijing.

This may have been interpreted as a slight by the bureaucrats, causing them to reject the deal.

If so, perhaps the deal might be saved by Ballmer popping over for a quiet word. µ

[HK-48]

Originally Posted by johnno1986

I know that this is a stupid question but could someone list the "BIG 7" studios for me ? Thanks.

Isn't it the Big 6? Universal, Paramount, Warner Brothers, Columbia, Disney, and Fox?

[johnno1986]

Originally Posted by HK-48

Isn't it the Big 6? Universal, Paramount, Warner Brothers, Columbia, Disney, and Fox?

Thanks HK-48. I thought I saw the "Big 7" written somewhere and it threw me off.

[gandley]

Originally Posted by HK-48

Isn't it the Big 6? Universal, Paramount, Warner Brothers, Columbia, Disney, and Fox?

Sony pictures? which include MGM etc

[JasonR]

Mgm

[johnno1986]

Originally Posted by gandley

Sony pictures?

HK-48 mentioned 'Columbia Studios' just change that to 'Sony Pictures' and it's still 6.

[bassbone57]

Originally Posted by johnno1986

HK-48 mentioned 'Columbia Studios' just change that to 'Sony Pictures' and it's still 6.

As stated above, MGM is seven. We are also missing Lionsgate, which makes eight.

-K

[HK-48]

Isn't MGM merged into Columbia now though?

[JasonR]

Buena Vista and Disney are one in the same. They are still considered seperate studios. Paramount and Universal might as well be...

[richard lichtenfelt]

^I think you are confusing Paramount/Dreamworks with a non-existent Paramount/Universal. Paramount is owned by Viacom, Universal is owned by GE.
This has gotten way off topic.
Clean up time.

[JasonR]

Not confused, just saying...

They practically make out with eachother.

They did birth Dreamworks.

[richard lichtenfelt]

Not picking on you, but actually Dreamworks is Spielberg, Geffen, and Katzenberg's baby. Spielberg will probably be leaving Paramount late next year when his contract with them expires, and chances are he'll take Dreamworks with him.
http://businessweek.com/print/bwdail...719_311987.htm
Most assume Spielberg and Dreamworks will be headed back to Universal.

[JasonR]

Hopefully they are BLU by then....

I love Dreamworks movies, I need some Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, and American Beauty on HD

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by JasonR

Hopefully they are BLU by then....

I love Dreamworks movies, I need some Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, and American Beauty on HD

I need Collateral

[What'sHD]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

It's definitely not advantageous to HD DVD, no one I have spoken to thinks any of the big seven are stupid enough to enter this kind of exclusive deal for an unproven technology. So the fact that MS have basically said that it is over for HD DVD and stated that they now feel downloads are the way forwards doesn't help them, no.

It was sort of on the cards though. You forget that when people like Michael Bay speak up, Hollywood listens. So I imagine the studios have been half expecting a move like this from MS for a while now and have been ready for it. We have been advising our clients in Hollywood on this matter extensively over the last six or seven months, we know they were ready.

Bless you. That last bit is great to know. Thanks

[JasonR]

Does Speilberg take the same stance as Bay? ie Close Encounters

[What'sHD]

Originally Posted by Steverhcp02

Or how arrogant is of MSFT to demand such things with the state of HD DVD. Is it me or shouldn't they be a bit less demanding having the second place format out of two.

I trust max, love him and his info, but surely, MSFT cant be this stupid can they?

I mean, theyre basically asking these companies to tie themselves not only into a format with inferior sales, but into a medium that isnt even REALITY yet let alone prosperous or functional.......im sorry for doubting this, but it seems so asinine it cannot be true.

To Max or any insider, is the sum of money (for HDM + digital download exclusivity) massive enough to warrant serious consideration by WB, given that the deal would cripple HDM? Is the duration of the digital excl. asked for by MS known?

thanks

P.S. If the situation is the worst possible scenario, I sincerely hope the BDA has an equally tempting offer for HDM excl. and Apple an equivalent one for digital d/ls licensing.

[Neo65]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Which is where MS asked for exclusive rights for Live to be included in any deal that they would be involved in. I think that was when WB clicked that Michael Bay was right.

It's difficult not to jump into the insider's insights on this, but as anyone familiar with the process and limitations of downloaded video knows, on an x360 is where the best they've been able to present their best foot, typically 720P much lower bitrate videos.

The problem is that that kind of video when placed next to HDM (even next to HD DVD, except for some strange Universal botched transfers), well lets just say the difference is obvious to anyone with decent eyesight.

So, the fact is very simple, packaged media in HD must die for paid download video to take off in the short term. The real problem facing the paid download hd-lite content is actually not HDM but FREE DOWNLOAD HD-lite CONTENTin mkv files containing x264 encoded elementary stream video. As they are finding out very quickly, the best VC1 encoder in unattended mode cannot beat the free x264 encoders running in unattended mode. At equivalent bitrates, the VC1 movies will not look better than the free x264 movies.

For MSFT to spend all this time with their plans on packaged HDM is foolish, if they are aiming for DVD bitrates for HD-downloads, that's placing them too close to the FREE x264 mkvs, they'd never survive against that kind of competition, they MUST have much higher bitrates and quality in ways that the free mkvs don't play in because of t***ent BW limitations.

BW isn't free, the people distributing the content has to pay for this bandwidth as MSFT is finding out even with their limited video download service today via xbox-live. They're stuck between the free MKVs and having to pay more to send out higher bandwidth higher quality video (and the limited HDD space of most X360s).

And in this stage of the game, that's more short term red ink to chase after an uncertain long term strategy with unknown future potential.

[undrafted]

MGM isn't owned outright by Sony. I think it's 20% owned by Sony.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mgm

MGM doesn't release as much as the "big 6" (about half as much I think). For DVD distribution, Sony & Fox help MGM out. So for DVD distribution it's a "big 6", but for theater distribution, it's fair to say MGM is #7 (if you want to count the Bond movies as major studio releases).