Distributor Contacts/Help with improving iTunes Content

[ManOfTheForest]

I used to know all the Hollywood news like this - don’t know when I feel out of the loop bug I only found out recently DreamWorks was no longer really a thing.

I thought it was said here that Paramount now owns the whole library but does DreamWorks Animation now belong to Universal?

[lgans316]

Final reply from Universal on Fast Five:

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us. This is an iTunes issue. Apple Support handles iTunes-related issues. Please contact them for further assistance regarding this:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201592


Thank you.

Universal Digital Copy Support
Support Case Info:
Product: Universal Digital Copy
Issue: Technical Issues
Status: Resolved
Template: DC00023

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by ManOfTheForest

I thought it was said here that Paramount now owns the whole library but does DreamWorks Animation now belong to Universal?

Yes.

Paramount owns DreamWorks live-action catalog.
Universal owns DreamWorks Animation.

[ManOfTheForest]

Originally Posted by TVENOMG

Can anyone work their magic and fire off some emails to have elysium upgraded to 4K on the Ireland/UK Store. Its the same studio listed as the USA and it's 4K that side of the pond. I assumed it was a sony title as per my Bluray but I have had no reply to the emails I have sent so far except auto replys.

It is on my list but I’ve not been able to find contact details for the distributor.

[ManOfTheForest]

Originally Posted by lgans316

Final reply from Universal on Fast Five:

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us. This is an iTunes issue. Apple Support handles iTunes-related issues. Please contact them for further assistance regarding this:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201592


Thank you.

Universal Digital Copy Support
Support Case Info:
Product: Universal Digital Copy
Issue: Technical Issues
Status: Resolved
Template: DC00023

Just respond that it is a distribution issue and that unless Apple secretly bought Universal in the last days then it is not Apple problem to solve.

Let Universal know you are not giving up.

[XanderAE]

For anyone interested in the movie, I have today messaged Second Sight regarding Dawn of the Dead (1978). They acquired VOD rights as well as the physical disc rights, according to their tweet here:

https://twitter.com/secondsightfilm/...534720?lang=en

I have asked if they plan to use those VOD rights to release the movie in iTunes. Let's hope so.

Edit: if anyone wants to do the same, the email address is info@secondsightfilms.co.uk. Here is my message, if you want to copy/paste:

Hi team,

With the impending release of Dawn of the Dead on Blu-ray and 4K UHD disc, I wanted to enquire as to whether Second Sight also plan to release the movie in iTunes.

I can see that Second Sight originally reported that you had purchased VOD rights to the movie as well, so this would mean iTunes as well as other distributors correct?

Many thanks in advance for any insight you can offer as to the availability of this film in iTunes.

[ManOfTheForest]

Originally Posted by XanderAE

For anyone interested in the movie, I have today messaged Second Sight regarding Dawn of the Dead (1978). They acquired VOD rights as well as the physical disc rights, according to their tweet here:

https://twitter.com/secondsightfilm/...534720?lang=en

I have asked if they plan to use those VOD rights to release the movie in iTunes. Let's hope so.

The only Romero movie I have seen is the one set in the shopping mall. That is Day of the Dead, isn’t it?

Never got into them or other movies like them because of the blood - the colour and brightness just looked too fake. If that makes any sense.

However I will honour my commitment to help with any movie that doesn’t involve Fast & the Furious or Jason Statham

[XanderAE]

Originally Posted by ManOfTheForest

The only Romero movie I have seen is the one set in the shopping mall. That is Day of the Dead, isn’t it?

Never got into them or other movies like them because of the blood - the colour and brightness just looked too fake. If that makes any sense.

However I will honour my commitment to help with any movie that doesn’t involved a Fast & the Furious and Jason Statham

That's Dawn

Haha thanks!

[XanderAE]

Friendly reply received from Chris Holden @ Second Sight regarding Dawn of the Dead:

“Thanks for getting in touch,

We will be releasing soon and will notify across our social channels when we have a date.”

Exciting news!

[ManOfTheForest]

Originally Posted by XanderAE

Friendly reply received from Chris Holden @ Second Sight regarding Dawn of the Dead:

“Thanks for getting in touch,

We will be releasing soon and will notify across our social channels when we have a date.”

Exciting news!

I was just sitting down to send the email (bit of a hectic day)

[Juniormint]

Still sending various messages off regarding

Rambo (2008) UK 4K/DV & Atmos support
Transformers UK Atmos support
Gladiator UK 4K/DV support
Hereditary UK 4K/DV & Atmos support
Midsommar UK 4K/DV & Atmos support

Not had much luck so far

Universal told me to contact iTunes regarding Gladiator , whats the best way to go about this?

Sony Pictures referred me to "Sony Pictures At Home" so awaiting a reply from them.

Entertainment Films don't seem to answer their Facebook messages and its the only contact I have for them regarding Midsommar & Hereditary, anyone else got any other ideas?

[XanderAE]

According to Second Sight, the digital release of Dawn of the Dead will be in the New Year, same time as the standard re-release of the physical discs.

[vonDubenshire]

Thanks for this thread. I am going to use it for Google Play, because I found out through a search how the distributors are actually the ones who upload and change out the content most of the time.

I need some updates for things that are 4K in other services but for some reason aren't in Google anymore, or never were. And vice versa for others!

[vonDubenshire]

Originally Posted by XanderAE

Another email to Universal sent. Within I have [again] detailed the extensive number of movies in the UK iTunes store which:

a.) do not have the unrated/extended version that the US has
b.) have not upgraded to 4K, when the US has
c.) have upgraded, but is missing Dolby Atmos

Universal are the worst offender in this regard, in my opinion. We are talking over fifty films at my last count! I don't think I've had any luck with previous communications, so I am not optimistic.

I have also asked about adding Dolby Atmos to iTunes for those movies which have been identified as having it in MA (Despicable Me's, Fast and Furious etc.)

Keep it up, it is annoying but you have no idea how much people like us matter to get changes made for everyone!

[MonkeyShines]

I posted this in the 4K thread but here is more appropriate.

I’m jumping ship to discs as the iTunes Store for Ireland just has too much missing content and too much Work involved in making it equal to other stores but I had an idea that might help you getting improvements. No one cares about a small market like Ireland but it would work for the UK.

Originally Posted by XanderAE

More times than I can count . My honest opinion is that there just isn't a big enough voice from people who favour the best digital quality they can get, certainly in the UK and Ireland.

Hopefully that will change.

Before I go can I just make a suggestion?

I just had a thought the “big voice” and emailing the distributors isn’t it. You should certainly continue to do it but not enough members are committed to it to cause enough grief that way. Plus emails are not public.

I think to you all need to find a way to publicly embarrass the the distributors AND Apple. I despise social media but that is one way - another is to get the entertainment media involved - for example Empire magazine in the UK is a big deal. And the various website devoted to Apple products. If they criticised the studios and iTunes it might attract Apple management to the problem on the iTunes UK. None of outlets would give a toss about my 60 movies missing for the Irish Store but they might enjoy making public the shoddy distribution into the UK.

[OneQuestionMan]

Is anyone getting any responses from Warner Bros. Or Sony in last few weeks?

I have a feeling they are filtering the emails to block complaints.

[OneQuestionMan]

There are a bunch of colourised movies on the UK store (early John Wayne, SHE, Things to Come). It is a distributor I have never heard of before (Cinedigm).

I have emailed to ask about whether they would issue the original black & white. No response yet but if they have the colourised version does that mean they have rights to the original - or could the only have the license for colorised?

The movies are not in the Irish Store and it possible this company only has British rights. I’m not interested in requesting colourised for here

[mkane74]

James Bond Sean Connery collection now available in the Irish iTunes Store for €34.99

[XanderAE]

I have contacted Disney regarding the handful of movies that have yet to upgrade to 4K in the UK - just in case it is some clerical mistake that has gone un-noticed. If anyone is interested in doing this also, just to hammer it home to them this issue, please feel free. The email address is wdshe.consumerrelations@disney.co.uk and here is my message:

Hi team,

I'm wondering if you might be able to help, or at least put me in touch with the right department for my query.

This week, a large number of Disney movies upgraded to 4K, Dolby Vision with Dolby Atmos sound in the UK iTunes store. This was fantastic news.

However, a handful of films which are available in 4K in the US store have not upgraded in the UK store, which makes me wonder if there is a clerical issue Disney's end which means these films haven't yet upgraded. The films in question are:

Aladdin (1992)
Aladdin (2019)
Cars 2
Finding Dory
Incredibles 2
Onward
The Lion King (1994)
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Moana
Frozen
Ant-Man
Avengers Assemble
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Iron Man 3
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

I have already spoken to iTunes, who have advised they are simply the storefront and do not control the content and that I should contact Disney directly to get these movies upgraded correctly. This is why I have emailed.

I hope you are able to help make these films available in 4K in the UK iTunes store, to match the US store.

[Aston_Martin_DB5]

Emailed them as well. Lets hope this gets sorted.