Scott Hettrick on Michael Bay's Blu-ray support

[kaliraver]

It would appear that the glass of Kool-Aid that Paramount and DreamWorks execs hurriedly coaxed Michael Bay to drink a couple months ago to retract his angry words about "Transformers" not being released on Blu-ray Disc has lost its taste for the filmmaker. (see Aug. 21 Hettrick blog: "Pissed Michael Bay")

USAToday.com quotes the quote-meister as reverting back to his original contention that Blu-ray Disc is superior, this within a few days of the release of "Transformers" only on HD DVD (and DVD).

His quote about the format war in general and his preference for Blu-ray specifically:

"It's short-sighted and it has delayed consumers' moving to HD (home video)," he says. "As a director, my critical eye is that Blu-ray is where my money is. Consumers are smart, and they are going to wait it out."

Readers here at HollywoodinHiDef.com have weighed in with their disappointment that the HD DVD version of "Transformers" does not have Dolby TrueHD or uncompressed PCM audio due to the limitations of the 30 GB HD DVD format. Those superior audio choices have become practically standard on Blu-ray with its far greater capacity of 50 GB.

Bay was also unhappy about the "Transformers" DVD being so rushed that he could not be as involved with it as he would have liked, saying it's not as good as it could have been.

Granted, Bay is a control freak, as has proven to be perfectly warranted and as even he himself seems almost proud to admit in all his production diary featurettes on his movies.

But it strikes me as very puzzling and not just a little strategically dangerous and consumer-unfriendly for studios like Paramount and DreamWorks to appear to be going out of their way to displease their biggest filmmakers in Bay and Steven Spielberg (and, most likely, George Lucas with his Indiana Jones movies and Young Indy TV series) by refusing to release any of the movies from these moviemaking giants on what at least two of them have made publicly clear is their preferred high-def format, Blu-ray Disc.

http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/blog_detail.php?id=135

I find this article funny how Paramount/Dreamworks can piss off not only Blu-Ray supporters and their invaluable Director's in Steven Spielberg & Michael Bay. With the pressure from those two guys & the numbers Blu-Ray is winning by I hope Paramount & DW wake up and join the blu team and end this retarded war along with Warner in 08.

[mystiksuicide]

It's not at all puzzling it's called a Payola or a Bribe from HD DVD.

[Gio]

Originally Posted by mystiksuicide

It's not at all puzzling it's called a Payola or a Bribe from HD DVD.

honestly can you blame paramount for taking the bribe, if you think about it lets say paramount was neutral and released in both formats right now, and lets say BLU sold 300k to 350k copies that totals around 1 million dollars in blu sales, they really dont care since they still have 149 million left over, shrek 3 is their only other big title and that will probabally only sell about half of what transformers did, now throw in some other crappy titles over the next year (if hd-dvd survives that long) at worst case scenario they'll still be 100 million dollars ahead, now can you really blame them

[The Guardian]

Is all the negative press worth $150 Mil though?

[aphex]

Originally Posted by The Guardian

Is all the negative press worth $150 Mil though?

probably.

[WriteSimply]

Negative press is one thing.

Paramount and Viacom's execs have effectively damaged their standing in Hollywood over their treatment of Spielberg. People will remember and it'll hurt them more in the future.


fuad

[DealsR4theDevil]

Originally Posted by The Guardian

Is all the negative press worth $150 Mil though?

Normally prolly not. But most people dont care about Blu-ray/HD DVD and are prolly unaware of what Paramount did. For the $150 million they pissed off us, Blu-ray supporters, and, although it is sometimes easy to forget when I am on this site, there are not too many of us. Well at least theres more of us than HD DVD supporters.

[Musashi]

Fact remains, taking the bribe delayed the settling the needless format war and keeps mass adoption more and more difficult. Long term, theyd've done better financially to reject the bribe.

[Pilam69]

Originally Posted by The Guardian

Is all the negative press worth $150 Mil though?

a few hundred thousand (if that) out of millions of movie buyers. I would have taken the money too if I were Paramount. Not like we won't buy it in 13 months anyway.

[soniqstylz]

Originally Posted by The Guardian

Is all the negative press worth $150 Mil though?

Random note: I was in LA for the weekend with my fiance, and we drove around Hollywood (so she could see Mann's Theatre, Hollywood sign, etc.). Heading back to the hotel, we happened past a studio, by the looks of the 10 ft. walls surrounding it.

Finally got near an entrance, and noticed it was Paramount. So I told them they were number one *cough*, and yelled out "***k you, Paramount."

My fiance then replied "what the hell was that about."

"Erm, nothing."

"Is this another of your geek things? *sigh* You are sad."

[Go Blu]

Originally Posted by soniqstylz

Finally got near an entrance, and noticed it was Paramount. So I told them they were number one *cough*, and yelled out "***k you, Paramount."

Hehe thanks!

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by soniqstylz

"Is this another of your geek things? *sigh* You are sad."

Tell her the whole Paramount debacle. If she really understands you, she'd ask you to drive by the lot again and make an F statement to Paramount herself.


fuad

[ADPNIGHTMARE]

Originally Posted by Gio

honestly can you blame paramount for taking the bribe, if you think about it lets say paramount was neutral and released in both formats right now, and lets say BLU sold 300k to 350k copies that totals around 1 million dollars in blu sales, they really dont care since they still have 149 million left over, shrek 3 is their only other big title and that will probabally only sell about half of what transformers did, now throw in some other crappy titles over the next year (if hd-dvd survives that long) at worst case scenario they'll still be 100 million dollars ahead, now can you really blame them

i agree. but since I am not buying any dvds they wont get ANY of my money and there are enough movies available that I can only rent blu-rays now thnks to the selection at my local blockbuster. so no renting paramount dvds either

[DrinkMore]

Who cares anymore. MB is a joke now after his flip flop. Need anyone say anymore?

[powersfoss]

Originally Posted by DrinkMore

Who cares anymore. MB is a joke now after his flip flop. Need anyone say anymore?

I didn't see it as Michael Bay flip flopping. I saw it as MB showing his true colors (blu) and then getting slapped by PM/DW and still wanting to direct TF2. He's since made additional pro-blu statements again showing his true colors even at the risk of further pissing off PM/DW. The director of the fastest selling HD DVD touting the superiority of blu-ray. If you ask me, he's pretty ballsy. Now he wants to host a blu-ray/hd dvd debate on michaelbay.com. LOL Go MB! Keep spreading the word about the best HD format!

[cajun1975]

Paramount and Dreamworks need to wake TFU and get with the program. The General consumer will not adopt this new format as long as the B.S war drags on and on ad nasuim, PERIOD!

[jw]

smells like they are already planning a double dip.
Transformers Unrated Extreme Uncut Transformed directors Cut!!!!
Look for it transforming to a store near you!!!

I think these crooks at these studios should offer a mail in rebate for us who buy the first edition and then have to double dip to get the 2nd edition.

[BillCable]

I'm curious about how much money Michael Bay lost as a result of those 160,000 copies of Transformers on Blu-ray not selling (assuming the regular 2-1 ratio).

[aphex]

Originally Posted by BillCable

I'm curious about how much money Michael Bay lost as a result of those 160,000 copies of Transformers on Blu-ray not selling (assuming the regular 2-1 ratio).

negligible

there were like 8 million dvds sold.