Peace Arch changes strategy
Company plans to release about 50 DVDs a year
By Danny King -- Video Business, 6/23/2008
JUNE 23 | HOME MEDIA EXPO: The way Berry Meyerowitz sees it, if you're going to spend money on a film, it's probably better to watch it first.
That view reflects Peace Arch Entertainment's new strategy to quadruple annual DVD releases to about 50 through acquisitions, while cutting back its production of straight-to-DVD titles to between three and six a year, from five to eight previously. Meyerowitz, who estimated that U.S. sales would double this year, declined to give a revenue forecast for the company.
Peace Arch Entertainment's home entertainment unit, which Meyerowitz runs, just released DVD acquisition On the Doll, a drama about the sex trade featuring Brittany Snow. Next up is Towards Darkness (Hacia La Oscuridad), a bilingual thriller starring Ugly Betty's America Ferrera due on July 22 (prebook June 24; DVD $19.99).
The publicly traded, Toronto-based company this month acquired the North American DVD distribution rights to four other titles, including the Willie Nelson-starring Fighting With Anger and Lord of the Street, featuring DMX and Kris Kristofferson.
“Production's a very challenging game to be in,” said Meyerowitz, who became president of Peace Arch Home Entertainment when it acquired his children's programming house Kaboom! Entertainment in 2006. “With distribution, you can at least watch the film before you decide it's worth it.”
But the parent company hasn't given up on production. Its highest profile title is likely TV series The Tudors, which it's co-producing with Viacom pay-cable-TV unit Showtime.
Peace Arch has DVD distribution rights for all areas except the U.S., where Paramount Home Entertainment distributes the series.
Meyerowitz is banking on U.S. distribution as the primary source for the parent company's growth.
“We will be one of the few independent studios that can do that in both the U.S. and Canada,” said Meyerowitz. “That's a huge proposition for producers.”
