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

[Bobby Henderson]

Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema

Studios are setting list prices on their BDs to be fairly close to the DVD, but retailers aren't discounting the BDs much, if at all. It's not very enticing when they have an ad showing a new release title on BD for $34.99 and the dvd is right beside it at $14.99.

Actually, new movie releases on DVD are not that cheap.

The vast majority of new release DVDs, even at stores like Wal-Mart, are typically priced at $18.99 to $22.99. It's still a rarity for a brand new movie release on DVD to appear at a price point below $15.

Hollywood studios will consider pricing a new movie on DVD pretty aggressively if that movie was a big hit in commercial theaters. But then that's no guarantee either. I've seen plenty of "summer movies" debut on DVD at prices near $20.

More often, a new release of a catalog title (often a double or triple dip release) will be priced below $15. It typically takes 3 months or more after initial release for new movies to get discounted to those price levels.

IMHO, it's a bit expensive for a new movie on Blu-ray to be priced at $29.99 to $34.99. I think the $24.99 level is quite a bit more reasonable. That's only about a $5 or $6 price premium above what new releases on DVD usually cost.

Hopefully, as the Blu-ray Disc format becomes much more popular, BD movie prices will migrate down within the $18 to $22 price range we've typically seen with DVD and that DVD itself will get discounted a couple bucks further (and then eventually just disappear from new release racks).

[TheRealBob]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

Hopefully, as the Blu-ray Disc format becomes much more popular, BD movie prices will migrate down within the $18 to $22 price range we've typically seen with DVD and that DVD itself will get discounted a couple bucks further (and then eventually just disappear from new release racks).

Or not discount DVD, as I don't see how that helps BD as much as saying, look, you can get it in high-def for almost the same price.

If I were the studios, I'd start gradually moving toward stripped-down, movie-only DVDs, probably also only offering the theatrical cut. If you want the big-time experience with all the bells and whistles, well, here's the BD.

[MrVorhees]

you guys wanna LOL ???

Look at MR FUD (yes MR FUD i will NEVER forget his stupid comments during the formatwar)

Posted by Lee Stewart:

HighDefRealist:

Just in case you decide to try to post an "I told you so" type post - don't bother. Penton Man was wrong:

As you can see from the article he still works for Universal. It is just that his current position is no longer viable.

- http://www.highdefforum.com/showthread.php?t=68882

WOW??? WHAT A SAD .......... serious this guy has no life at all, posting 24/7 in every forum.

But but but, Grafeo is not leaving for good , oh man
HANG ON HD DVD!!!

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by JasonR

http://www.highdefforum.com/showpost...9&postcount=3\

I like my reply.

You were very nice to that buffon. What a joke he is. Can't he even read? It is obvious that Ken G is looking for a position with a different company.

[Robert Siegel]

Originally Posted by TheRealBob

If I were the studios, I'd start gradually moving toward stripped-down, movie-only DVDs, probably also only offering the theatrical cut. If you want the big-time experience with all the bells and whistles, well, here's the BD.

Good point!!!!

[plee]

Originally Posted by BlueNeon

You were very nice to that buffon. What a joke he is. Can't he even read? It is obvious that Ken G is looking for a position with a different company.

It's the PR machine saying, he's job was eliminated so he's still with the company till he can find another job. I don't know what the heck Lee is trying to make out of it...

[Penton-Man]

Well, out of respect to Uni and their V.P., I did not elaborate as to the terms and timeline.
And I will not………….unless pressured to do so.

Suffice to say, that after reading my heads-up post on this matter about a week or so ago, I think everyone here who is in a managerial position has a good idea as to a rough timeline for an employee’s termination when it is not “for cause” meaning something like embezzlement, sexual harassment, etc.

I kinda thought that Lee being what …….56 or 57 years old by now? – would have understood the gist of my post. Apparently not.

But guys, understand that when some people retire and go “middle age crazy” their vices entail things like *dating girls in their early twenties*, *buying that Porsche*, etc.

Lee’s vice is to spend all day posting on the internet….whether it be during a format war to promote a losing cause………. or after a format war to offer links to information that he has little knowledge as to its real world significance, relevance or application.

[WickyWoo]

I think we should send him a nice bag of Depends for his upcoming old age

After all, we can Depend on penton

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

After all, we can Depend on penton

Oh, there are a lot of skeletons in dem closets.

Which reminds me, if a certain forum owner that tilted red during the format war, insults me publicly again (or this forum), he is next on the hit parade…………and I will pull no punches.

[neo_reloaded]

Again, can't we get past this? I don't see the need to play internet police when random *******s on other forums say something we don't like. I'd especially think that the insiders would behave professionally. Though I guess it's easier to not worry about that when not only is your name anonymous, but your position and the name of the company you work for as well.

I don't say this to single any one out - there are a few insiders, and dozens of non-insiders, who seem to enjoy nothing more than gloating about how wrong the "red ants" were, and dragging this hostility out. I just think we'd all be happier if we tried to get things back to friendly discussions, and let other forums work out their own shit.

[WickyWoo]

Again, can't we get past this? I don't see the need to play internet police when random *******s on other forums say something we don't like. I'd especially think that the insiders would behave professionally. Though I guess it's easier to not worry about that when not only is your name anonymous, but your position and the name of the company you work for as well.

Well then there Neo, I suggest you fire up the search function and get an education about how these shills particiapated in not only misinformation campaigns, but outright slime, slander, attempts to entrap blu insiders into NDA violations, and all the other shennanigans the other side pulled during the war

And then come back and tell us all about how a little hostility isn't appropriate. If this were WW2 these guys would be on trial at Nuremberg right about now.

And if you knew anything about how this, or many other industry worked, you would know that any insider offering information on a public forum like this who is NOT under an alias is there at their company's behest to spread propoganda and nothing more, because no one had the freedom of speech and public association that these guys do

However that by no means means they are anonymous to their employers or other people who can and do hold them accountable for what is said and done here. And at least one person on this website knows who each and every one of our insiders are in real life, and I can assure you that they all pass the highest standards and positioning.

[GreenScar]

Besides those jerks are always going to act like jerks. It's nice to see them take one on the chin when they deserve it. They need to be held accountable when they lie.

[Marcusarilius]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Well then there Neo, I suggest you fire up the search function and get an education about how these shills particiapated in not only misinformation campaigns, but outright slime, slander, attempts to entrap blu insiders into NDA violations, and all the other shennanigans the other side pulled during the war.

Here, Here! Words cannot express the outrage from our side having to hear the lies they fed an unsuspecting public for two years. JSPs put their hard earned money down and wasted it based on this corporate FUD and mis-information i.e. LIES!

Good Bye Ken Graffeo and all like you. You have no honor, integrity or place amoung the Human race. Enjoy the millions you made from the now bankrupt HD DVD innocents whom you didn't give a shit about. Good Luck? No. Go to Hell.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

Again, can't we get past this?......

Neo, I hear ya but, sometimes you just have to set the record straight or else you run the risk that these people will misinform or prejudice new members to this forum or other forums which has happened time and again when there has been no *rebuttal* for the record.

I’ve said my peace on this matter and won’t belabor it.

Seeing how some people have behaved after the format war ended, my personal feeling is that many of the most fervent HD DVD supporters have not *let it go* and will continue for a long time undermining anything they can in regards to Blu-ray’s success… whether it be to unjustly discredit the insiders, the movies, the players, etc.

[Penton-Man]

Note to mhafner.
I haven’t forgotten you.
The article I alluded to earlier is in the SMPTE Journal, last fall sometime - October or November, I think.

Are you a member ?

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

And then come back and tell us all about how a little hostility isn't appropriate. If this were WW2 these guys would be on trial at Nuremberg right about now.

This is exactly what I find ridiculous. This isn't WW2 - it's a home video format. And we're not in the trenches - we're on the internet.

http://www.xkcd.com/386/

[Elvis Is Alive]

Penton,

I vaguely recall an blu-ray insider talking very briefly regarding the planned phase out of dvd in the future. What criteria has to be met before we see a blu-ray only release? Is it a certain number of installed players, a certain average number of discs sold per title, a certain ratio of blu-ray discs sold vs dvd for a given title or something else?

[johnnyd1]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

This is exactly what I find ridiculous. This isn't WW2 - it's a home video format. And we're not in the trenches - we're on the internet.

http://www.xkcd.com/386/

If what we say here bothers you so much, why not go somewhere else ?

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by johnnyd1

If what we say here bothers you so much, why not go somewhere else ?

For the most part, this is a good forum with good people. I'm just trying to offer some advice and help this nonsense get worked out / forgotten.

Believe me, I've been witness to forum wars like this for over a decade now, and nothing good ever comes of it. The topic and the combatants change, but no argument is ever "won" and nothing is ever "set straight." It's just a waste of everyone's time and effort.

[Mr. Cinema]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

Actually, new movie releases on DVD are not that cheap.

The vast majority of new release DVDs, even at stores like Wal-Mart, are typically priced at $18.99 to $22.99. It's still a rarity for a brand new movie release on DVD to appear at a price point below $15.

say what? I'm referring to their $14.99 price during their debut release week. Almost all the major dvd releases that debut are around $15. Don't you ever look at a Best Buy or Circuit City ad?

And since the debut of a title gives the studio the best chance of moving alot of copies, it would be nice if they would do the same for their BD counterpart. I hope when The Dark Knight releases, that we see a debut price of around $18-$20, instead of $29.99. Amazon has done that with I Am Legend. I want a b&m to do the same.