Warner Random Speculation

[movielocke]

here's how I envision burn on demand working for obscure titles. Depending on how it works. WB has Beta SP or 3/4" or 1" tape masters of all the films they released on VHS or aired on TV since Beta sp became the tape format of choice for broadcast/cable. Many of these have never been updated and thus never recieved a dvd release. In the case of films not released to dvd I can envision WB hiring a couple of assistant editors to digitize the tape masters of these films, then the burn on demand team would do their magic to the digital files to put it on the web and available for streaming and download. So the only costs associated with putting the truly obscure out there are the costs of paging a title out of the library and the time for an assistant editor to load it. The drawback is that it won't look any better than beta sp resolution most of the time and for obscure titles post 1954 they are likely to be pan and scan. WB isn't going to put up the money to make new masters of obscure films. However they may use the burn on demand option to gauge demand and the most popular ones will be given the treatment a title might get in order to show up on dvd.

it's interesting thinking of how this would workout. would WB simply allow you to download a Video_TS folder for the title in question or would you need to install some proprietary software that takes the stream from the wb site and allows you to either stream and view or will download the complete video and convert the proprietary streaming/encoding into a video TS file or an iso image.

[pro-bassoonist]

Yet another discussion about a digital download system that promises to take advantage of the huge Warner vaults but in practice will probably only be applied to popular titles.

I could not agree more with your observation. This being said, the infrastructure for the type of catalog service many here have in mind is simply not in place. And it won't be feasible for quite a bit of time.

Ciao,
Pro-B

[Kinsayder]

The vast French Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA.fr) archive uses DivX for their video-on-demand service. From their point of view it has two advantages over DVD. It's a more efficient compression system than DVD's MPEG-2 (so shorter download times for the same quality); and it can be DRM-protected. The file can only be played on the DivX player on the computer you used to download it or, if burnt to a data DVD-R or CD-R, played on "authorised" set-top machines (and you can only have a limited number of players authorised to work with each file). The DRM can be time-limited, which means you can also effectively "rent" a download for a lower price.

The quality of the downloads I've tried is comparable to standard DVD, and since most of the INA archive consists of video-taped TV shows, there would be little advantage in offering them at higher quality. The prices range from 1 Euro for a short news item to 4 Euros for a 1-hour TV show up to 6 Euros for a 2-hour TV play. The DRM side of it is a nuisance, but I doubt if INA would be opening up their archive of 100,000+ titles without it. It seems to me a very sensible way of distributing titles that would never otherwise find their way onto DVD.

[dx23]

Warner Brothers is going to launch an initiative to boost sales for catalog titles on Blu Ray:

Warner launches pricing promotion
Initiative includes catalog, Blu-ray titles
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 7/11/2008
JULY 11 | Warner Home Video is launching aggressive pricing initiatives for the fourth quarter, including its most comprehensive Blu-ray Disc promotion yet, say retailers.

Starting early September and rolling through first-quarter 2009, Warner will offer a Blu-ray point-of-sale rebate program with which retailers will essentially be able to order participating catalog titles for around $11.

Even with a retail mark-up on the featured titles—including The Fugitive, Enter the Dragon, Clockwork Orange, The Shining, The Aviator, Road Warrior and Swordfish—the price tag to consumers should be significantly less than the titles’ current average of $20 to $25 retail price at outlets such as Amazon.com and Best Buy.

In this program, retailers will buy the titles at their present pricing but obtain rebate money back upon the sale of each unit. That should ultimately amount to a relatively inexpensive $11 cost for retailers.

Additionally, Warner will offer rebates, although less extensive, for newer Blu-ray releases, including 300, The Departed, I Am Legend, Ocean’s 13 and We Are Marshall. This layer of the Blu-ray program also will run from early September to the first quarter, according to store sources.

The consumer price for these titles is likely to fall somewhere between $17 and $20. That would still represent a deal for shoppers, as titles such as 300 are now falling between $24 and $30 at outlets such as Amazon and Best Buy.

Warner did not comment by deadline.

Although retailers hope Warner’s Blu-ray strategy will pay off with boosted sales, some store sources worry that the format is becoming devalued too quickly.

“They are trying to get this software business going,” said one source. “But it’s really a double-edged sword. We’re happy to be able to offer it, but it can be a slippery slope. Consumers might get in the mindset that they want everything discounted. If that becomes the case, we will shorten the life of Blu-ray just like we did with DVD.”

At deadline, Newbury Comics buyer Ian Leshin had not yet learned of Warner’s Blu-ray plan. But he seemed to embrace the studio’s strategy. The New England chain found success with Lionsgate’s Blu-ray repricings earlier this year. Lionsgate was the first studio to permanently reprice its Blu-ray titles, including Terminator 2 and Devil’s Rejects, down $10 to a new $19.99 SRP.

“Terminator 2 is our biggest-selling catalog title with the $19.99 SRP,” said Leshin. “It can become more of an impulse thing to buy.”

Warner’s Blu-ray rebate program comes on top of a straight repricing plan for a slew of standard-definition DVD titles that also goes into effect in September. As detailed in a July 2 newsletter to retailers, Warner will drop the price on varying titles to either a $19.96, $14.96 or $12.97 SRP. Some relatively new Warner theatrical DVDs are slated to fall to $19.96, including June 17 release Fool’s Gold and June 24’s 10,000 B.C. The discs originally streeted at a $28.98 SRP.

The $14.96 repricing will span such titles as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Blood Diamond, and the $12.97 price point will cover titles including Wedding Crashers and Ant Bully.

All studios often reprice titles as they age on shelves, but the retail community similarly has mixed feelings about such plans.

“My first thought is that I like repricings because it does provide our customers with a better value, where they can get the same title for less money and enjoy a better margin,” said Kirk Kirkpatrick, president of video at wholesaler WaxWorks VideoWorks. However, the studios “are repricing a little quickly on some, but they want to get the fourth quarter going.”

One retail executive was less enthusiastic about studio repricings in general, blaming them for unnecessarily encouraging customers to delay purchasing. The executive wishes pricing promotions were shorter in duration.

“Customers get in the habit of seeing the price go down and down, and they’ll get in the habit of waiting longer to buy,” the executive explained. “If you can do something that is very short-term, that will give customers a reason to buy.”

[domino harvey]

I was pretty disappointed to get the Candidate in the mail from Netflix and discover it was pan and scan. It went right back into the mailbox. Is there any international release of this film in its OAR?

[kaujot]

Isn't there a new version coming at some point?

[dx23]

Article on when WB's classic films coming to Blu-ray:

Blu About The Slow Release of Classic Titles On Blu-ray? Take Heart!
Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 03:10 PM ET

George Feltenstein of Warner Home Video talks about future releases and why it takes so long to bring Golden Age gems to Blu-ray
Article by David Krauss

It's a question serious movie fans have been asking for some time: "Where are all the classics on Blu-ray?" Almost three years have passed since the debut of high-def discs and we're fast approaching the first anniversary of the format war's abrupt end, and still such iconic titles as 'Gone With the Wind,' 'The Wizard of Oz,' 'Lawrence of Arabia,' 'Citizen Kane,' and 'Rear Window' have yet to see a Blu-ray release. "What's taking so long?" everyone seems to be asking. "Is Blu-ray only for recent blockbusters? Will we never be able to enjoy our favorite old movies on this glorious new media?" As time creeps along and more households embrace Blu-ray, the clamor for classics grows louder and more persistent, while the wait drags on…and on. I can speak from personal experience when I say film buffs are many things, but patient isn't one of them.

Well, if you're one of those antsy aficionados aggravated by the dearth of film classics available on Blu-ray disc, take heart. A prominent home video executive feels your pain, and he's doing all he can to rectify the situation without sacrificing quality or compromising a film's original elements.

Anybody who knows DVD classics knows George Feltenstein, senior vice president of marketing/theatrical catalog for Warner Home Video. A major Golden Age film fan himself, Feltenstein has been the driving force behind hundreds of classic releases from the days of VHS on through laserdiscs and into the digital era. His unrivaled passion and commitment to classic film has helped cement WHV's reputation as the genre's leading producer, and developed a loyal consumer following for the studio. And guess what? He's just nuts about Blu-ray.

"I don't think you'll find anyone on the planet complaining more about the lack of classic releases on Blu-ray than me," Feltenstein said in a recent phone interview from his Burbank office. As a consumer himself, he personally thinks it's "horrible, ridiculous, and frustrating" that more pre-1970 titles are not available on the format, and believes "thousands upon thousands of people" haven't made the Blu-ray leap because few of the titles on store shelves interest them. (Feltenstein also feels the film industry hindered the public's adoption of the technology because it failed to clearly and accurately communicate the format's vast superiority over standard DVD during its early stages.) As an industry executive, however, he understands all too well the studios' quandary over whether to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars on a per title basis to remaster classic films – and that's what it costs if you need to start from "scratch" – when demographic research shows "typical" buyers could care less about the classic genre. And, Feltenstein adds, "The fact that we are in a recession-slash-depression and the world's economy is going to hell in a hand-basket doesn't help things."

All that said, Feltenstein, who dubs himself WHV's "in-house Blu-ray cheerleader," believes WHV has recently made some "bold and aggressive" moves regarding classics, and hopes other studios will follow suit. He cites next month's releases of the biblical epic 'Quo Vadis,' and two Best Picture winners, 'Gigi' and 'An American in Paris,' as a "litmus test" for classics, even though they are "very, very risky titles to put out in this marketplace, which mostly caters to new theatrical releases." (20th Century Fox will also hop on the classic BD bandwagon next month with 'The Robe' and 'South Pacific.')

That trio, however, is just a warm-up for what Feltenstein calls a "murderer's row" of classic releases later this year that will include such AFI 100 masterpieces as 'Gone With the Wind,' 'The Wizard of Oz,' and 'North By Northwest.' Hitchcock's thriller underwent a $1 million restoration, while 'GWTW' and 'Oz' – both of which were remastered in 2K Ultra Resolution three or four years ago for splashy DVD releases – have been completely overhauled once again to make sure they meet all of Blu-ray's exacting standards. "What was perfection two to three years ago is not now," Feltenstein says. "We thought 'Gone With the Wind' would be good to go on Blu-ray with what was done previously, plus $200,000 for dirt cleaning. But to look perfect, we had to start all over from scratch at enormous cost. I took it to management and there was no hesitation. Having a film like 'Gone With the Wind' on Blu-ray will set a new standard and pave the way for more classic releases."

According to Feltenstein, WHV has been mastering its classic films in 1080p since 2002, long before Blu-ray's official dawn, but he's quick to point out that even those relatively new transfers still must undergo expensive, time-consuming dirt and scratch removal to make them suitable for Blu-ray. Regular 1080p remastering is fine for standard definition, he says, but HD quality requires additional work. "Blu-ray demands perfection and our consumers demand that these films achieve the best possible image quality. I assure you they will, but there will always be people out there who will nitpick and find something wrong with them."

Perfection, he explains, doesn't mean compromising a film's original elements, such as grain structure, and Feltenstein is adamant that WHV does not condone such tampering, nor does it allow The Motion Picture Imaging Group, the company that produces its transfers, to artificially enhance images or apply digital noise reduction to achieve a more modern, sleek look. Black-and-white films of the 1930s and 1940s tend to exhibit more grain than movies made in the '50s and '60s, and sometimes that grain looks amplified when projected on a high-def display. When doing transfers, Feltenstein says, "we keep the grain, but get rid of every piece of non-photographic originated dirt we can."

Oftentimes, 1080p remastering shines a beacon on basic rudimentary production techniques used in classic films. Mattes, backdrops, and rear projection work are more noticeable, and special effects can lose their mystique. When upgrading 'Top Hat' (1935), Feltenstein was shocked to see how dirty the floor was on which Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers danced. That dirty floor will be clearly visible when the Astaire-Rogers films make their Blu-ray debut in 2010, as will the wires that support the Scarecrow in certain scenes of 'The Wizard of Oz.' Age-related specks, scratches, and grit, however, will be erased.

Sound issues have also drawn ire from many consumers hungry for high-def audio on Golden Age films. Some have complained about the lack of a Dolby TrueHD track on 'Casablanca' and the upcoming 'An American in Paris.' Feltenstein insists he will always try to fashion an HD audio track, but only if it can be created naturally through the film's original multiple channel recordings. Both 'Casablanca' and 'An American in Paris' were recorded in mono, so monaural tracks were used on their respective Blu-ray discs to preserve each film's authenticity.

When discussing the criteria for selecting suitable titles for Blu-ray release, especially this early in the format's lifespan, Feltenstein notes there are still "hundreds upon hundreds of wonderful classic films in the Warner library that still haven't even seen a standard DVD release." At this time, he says, limited audience titles will not immediately come out on Blu-ray, such as a collection of Esther Williams movies WHV is readying for later in 2009, because projected sales would not effectively cover costs, which can quickly spiral into the stratosphere. Dirt and scratch removal on existing 1080p masters is expensive enough, but some films require new intermediate elements from the original negative, while others demand a full photochemical restoration before a new master can be created. Authoring, compression, menu creation, and design also inflate the price tag. "Even replicating the physical Blu-ray disc is expensive," Feltenstein says. "So it's not just the cost of making the master that determines whether we go forward." As a result, the studio is currently prepping its most iconic titles for Blu-ray and holding off on more specialized material.

Does that mean some titles, especially those antiques with heavy grain and scratchy audio, will never see a Blu-ray release? "Just because it can't be perfect doesn't mean it shouldn't be on Blu-ray at some point," Feltenstein says. "Some titles will take longer than others, but a film's vintage will not keep it from Blu-ray. Because we've been mastering in 1080p since 2002, we have gorgeous high-definition masters on more than 250 black-and-white 4x3 movies. They're just not the kind of movies that will lure people into Blu-ray. Remember, it was about five years into the DVD era before it became financially viable to go deeper into the classic library; we are about to begin year number four of Blu-ray in a few months, and I believe our plans for Blu-ray library marketing are in line with what we did – and continue to do – for DVD. But right now, we have to try and find the right classic film that will really show off the technology."

And Warner has plenty of those on tap. In addition to the Astaire-Rogers canon in 2010, Feltenstein said the 1954 'A Star Is Born' with Judy Garland, currently being remastered in 6K resolution, will also see a 2010 release, and 'Citizen Kane' will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a Blu-ray bow in 2011. Other titles in the pipeline include the 1959 'Ben-Hur,' which was already remastered in 1080p, but is being redone because, Feltenstein says, many viewers were displeased with the standard DVD transfer. 'Singin' in the Rain,' previously mastered in 1080i in 2001 is unsuitable for Blu-ray in its present form, so it's gone back to square one for a "profusely expensive" 1080p makeover. 'The Music Man,' 'Doctor Zhivago,' and 'Meet Me in St. Louis' also will see high-def releases in the next two to three years. And in honor of its 40th anniversary, 'Woodstock' will arrive on Blu-ray later this year in limited numbered editions with two hours of recently discovered performances. The classic concert film was originally shot in 16mm, so beware, there will be noticeable grain.

Though Hollywood usually thrives during tough times, Feltenstein said the home video industry has not been immune to the economic downturn, as layoffs and store closings make production more time consuming and marketing more challenging. "It's a very difficult environment to further this agenda," he said. "But if you put out a great release, people will buy it, and buying ensures that more releases in the same vein will follow. If people want to see more classic releases, they need to support the ones that are available or will soon be available. It's that simple."

Feltenstein can't speak for other studios, but emphasizes WHV's strong commitment to classics on Blu-ray, both from a financial and ideological perspective. "The horizon is bright," he says. "We will continue to be aggressive, and I believe people will be very happy with what we have in store."

In other words, good things come to those who wait.

[Highway 61]

Like music to my ears. Bless you George Feltenstein!

[Person]

A few hours ago, I was musing over the lack of classic Blu Ray releases from Warner over the past two years and making pro and con arguments to myself, so it was great hear clarification on what is being planned for 2009 from Feltenstein.

[kaujot]

According to the HTF chat, no current plans for Barry Lyndon or Lolita. I assume they would have mentioned something if they had licensed the titles to someone else.

[ianungstad]

Bummer they didn't go into any details on the Criterion question. At least we know that there are some films coming and the deal is a result of requests by the directors of said films...which rules out Zabriskie Point, doesn't it. Badlands and SubUrbia still makes sense. I don't know whate else would be coming...they would all probably have to be contemporary films.

[justeleblanc]

I'm quite happy Zabriskie isn't coming to Criterion since that would mean double dipping. Though before we make assumptions, can whomever originally made the Zabriskie commentary track claim repeat what exactly it was that they heard?

I think Badlands, Suburbia, The Fountain, and even the Before Sunrise/Sunset films make sense.

[jaredsap]

At least we know that there are some films coming and the deal is a result of requests by the directors of said films...which rules out Zabriskie Point, doesn't it.

Nope. According to the guy who found the 4 DEVILS print, Antonioni gasped "Criterion" on his deathbed, then dropped his snowglobe.

[ellipsis7]

The Warner USA region 1 ZP should be pretty good, if they use the same excellent materials used for the Warner France R2 ZP (which fell down only on a non-anamorphic transfer)....

[starmanof51]

There are some lovely rituals to these HTF chats with WB. I sort of perversely hope Magnificent Ambersons never gets released just so we see how many years of chats we can go with them implying it's being worked on and getting close without anyone calling BS on them. Or how many years they can declare they're "conisidering" The Devils or looking into it, or some other euphemism. Oh and please never release the Dark Shadows movies, 'cause I always look forward to those guys crashing the chat. Seriously, I'd miss them if they were gone just because they'd finally gotten what they want.

The chat has become the product! Maybe they can collect the transcripts over the years and make them available to purchase through Warner Archives.

[movielocke]

interesting on leaving in the wires on the scarecrow in wizard of oz. a laudable archival choice, but perhaps not the right artistic choice. In all likelyhood vintage stocks' grain structure would have obscured the wires (Not sure, its' one of the few major classics I've not seen on film), the modern fine grained stocks these films are restored to reveal the wires in the original negative image, but its not necessarily reflective of what would have been seen by anyone looking at even a first gen print from the negative. iirc 2001 had a similar issue and they smartly removed the piano wire that became visible with today's technology.

[justeleblanc]

Not sure where else to post this but this comes from Richard Linklater's production company:

"At the moment, there are no plans for a Before Sunrise or Before Sunset special edition DVD."

[David M.]

Perfection, he explains, doesn't mean compromising a film's original elements, such as grain structure, and Feltenstein is adamant that WHV does not condone such tampering, nor does it allow The Motion Picture Imaging Group, the company that produces its transfers, to artificially enhance images or apply digital noise reduction to achieve a more modern, sleek look. Black-and-white films of the 1930s and 1940s tend to exhibit more grain than movies made in the '50s and '60s, and sometimes that grain looks amplified when projected on a high-def display. When doing transfers, Feltenstein says, "we keep the grain, but get rid of every piece of non-photographic originated dirt we can."

It's interesting that "Casablanca" was compromised by film grain reduction, then. The opening scene in particular has obvious temporal grain reduction smearing.

[Fiery Angel]

Warner press release:

WARNER HOME VIDEO ANNOUNCES NEW MORATORIUMS FOR 2009

Burbank, Calif., August 6, 2009 -- Warner Home Video has announced a moratorium initiative that will see North American sales on three best-selling titles frozen for the last four months of the year. The moratorium begins September 4 and includes Video-on-Demand, Electronic Sell Through and all digital delivery. The titles will then be re-introduced at various dates throughout 2010 in new editions celebrating a confluence of events: anniversaries, stunning remasterings, and spectacular new Blu-ray debuts.

The titles include:
CADDYSHACK (anticipating the first Blu-ray release for its 30th anniversary)
THE EXORCIST (anticipating the first Blu-ray release and Special Edition DVD)
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (anticipating the first Blu-ray release for its 45th anniversary)

Stated Jeff Baker, WHV’s Executive VP and General Manager, Theatrical Catalog: “As the saying goes, ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder.’ We know film fans will be eagerly awaiting the return in 2010 of these iconic films. And we’re going to make it worth the wait, with beautiful remastered prints, recovered previously lost footage, and exciting new bonus content all with the latest Blu-ray technology.”

[domino harvey]

Warners is taking cues from fucking Walt Disney? Jesus Christ, how the mighty have fallen. And keep falling

[souvenir]

Warners is taking cues from fucking Walt Disney? Jesus Christ, how the mighty have fallen. And keep falling

But the WB have been doing this for awhile with The Wizard of Oz and North by Northwest. It might not be all that smart or understandable, but it's nothing new.

[Matt]

There are 108 copies of the most recent Caddyshack DVD available for sale on Amazon Marketplace and 169 copies of the previous edition (starting at 62¢). I don't think anyone's even going to notice this moratorium.

[domino harvey]

And Dr. Zhivago's already a loaded two-discer. Thank God Warners didn't divert three staffers from the Julie Christie interview editing bay to working on an actual release of the Moon is Blue!

[Perkins Cobb]

Dr. Zhivago has apparently been out of print long enough to no longer be available from Netflix. As noted above, no one seems to have stormed the gates of Burbank.

[domino harvey]

Funny, it was just on sale for like $9 on Amazon a week ago