HD VMD format scores Icon movies Apocalypto, others, in Australia
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 6/6/2007
JUNE 6 | Apocalypto, The Descent and The Queen, among other high-profile films, will be distributed by Icon Film Distribution on the fledgling high-definition format HD VMD in the territories of Australia and New Zealand.
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NME expects the first of these titles to be released by the third quarter. The company has not specified pricing or which retailers in Australia and New Zealand will carry the product.
It is also anticipated that NME will begin rolling out its first HD VMD players, including its cheapest Media Player Duo model, in the third quarter. The Media Player will be priced at U.S. $150 to U.S. $199 and will playback high-definition video and audio with red-laser technology.
In the U.S., players will be available at PCRush.com. Planned European hardware retailers include Tesco.
“Icon is a distinguished player in international film, with strong current releases and a library of well-known titles that have made an impact on audiences worldwide,” NME CEO Mahesh Jayanarayan said. “We look forward to expanding the global HD VMD content catalog with high quality titles.”
Current high-definition format leaders Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD use blue-laser technology and have been available in the U.S. since last year.
Apocalypto, The Descent and The Queen have already been released in the U.S. on Blu-ray through Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Lionsgate and Miramax Home Entertainment/Buena Vista, respectively—all studios that hold domestic distribution rights to these films. Additionally available at U.S. retailers are Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s The Hitcher as a combo DVD and HD DVD title and Paramount Home Entertainment’s We Were Soldiers on HD DVD and Blu-ray.
Black Sheep, Butterfly Effect, Gosford Park and Miss Potter have not yet been slated for high-def release in the U.S.
Although NME will be launching product with less studio and manufacturing support than the blue-laser formats, the company is hopeful it can attract additional partners to HD VMD.
The company is offering content suppliers free HD VMD authoring tools for a six-month period if they agree to release titles on the format.
Additionally, NME hopes the relatively low pricing of its hardware, compared to Blu-ray and HD DVD rivals, will ultimately win over company supporters and consumers.
“The HD VMD solution will allow us to distribute our movies to a fan base that is craving an affordable high-def experience in the home,” said Greg Hughes, general manager of home entertainment at Icon. “We’ve seen tremendous momentum for the HD VMD format and plan to release dozens of titles in the Australian and New Zealand markets where HD VMD is available to the consumer.”
At this point, NME has attracted only one U.S. supplier of HD VMD titles, Anthem Pictures.
Outside of the U.S., NME has signed foreign-based film suppliers to distribute HD VMD titles in China, France, Germany, India, Poland and Scandinavia among other markets.
