Paramount, MTV open DVD studio

Original branded programming will go directly to disc

By Jennifer Netherby -- Video Business, 10/17/2005

OCT. 17 | Paramount Home Entertainment has joined with sister companies MTV Networks Music and Logo Enterprise Group for a new DVD studio that will bring original branded programming from the cablers directly to DVD, the two companies announced Monday.

The DVD studio will develop, produce and promote films from a variety of genres merging MTV’s programming experience and audience connection with Paramount’s experience in creating original content, the companies said. The studio will create new programming and movies with current on and off-camera talent from MTV shows as well as up-and-coming talent that MTV has access to.

The studio will be equally financed by Paramount and MTV and films must be greenlit by both. MTV will focus on the marketing of the films, while Paramount will handle distribution.

From MTV comes Save the Last Dance sequel Stepping Up, which finishes filming in Toronto this month, and sports comedy Rumble. In the VH1 line, ’80s homage Totally Awesome is in development with Chappelle Show co-creator Neal Brennan slated to direct. From CMT, there’s a movie in development with Toby Keith, Burt Reynolds and Kelly Preston.

The studio will be equally financed by Paramount and MTV, and films must be greenlit by both. MTV will focus on the marketing of the films, while Paramount will handle distribution.

“This team is really shaking up the old model by creating and marketing content that has the full, multi-faceted support of the entire MTV Networks arsenal and leveraging that across all of our brands and platforms,” said Rich Eigendorff, COO of MTV Networks Music Group and Logo Enterprises.

MTV will market the DVD releases through strategic partnerships that reach the MTV audience on TV, on the Internet and through wireless networks.

Jeff Yapp, executive VP of MTV Networks and Logo will head the new studio with Ellen Pittleman, Paramount Home Entertainment senior VP worldwide acquisitions and DVD premieres.

The MTV announcement follows news last week from Paramount that it has created a separate DVD premiere movie division devoted to developing and releasing six to eight original movies on DVD each year.

In addition to working with MTV and Logo, Paramount also is developing projects with Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and on its own.

The studio just shot One of These Days, a concert documentary directed by Jonathan Demme about Neil Young and the making of his album Prairie Wind. Days will serve as the studio’s follow up to the popular Bob Dylan: No Direction Home release last month and last year’s documentary Metallica: Some Kind of Monster.

Although getting top talent signed on for DVD premiere projects is still an uphill battle, the overall market for the video releases has changed at retail due to the sell-through nature of DVD versus the rental nature of VHS, Pittleman said.

“As these economics have changed, it has changed what’s going to work in the marketplace too,” she said. “Where people might have been duped more often than surprised in the ’80s on something they took a chance on, we’re trying to deliver something they’ll enjoy in the long term.”

“Paramount Home Entertainment has had good success at identifying and producing original content designed for the home entertainment marketplace,” said Thomas Lesinski, president of Paramount Pictures, Worldwide Home Entertainment. “The experience of our team combined with MTV Networks’ unique relationship with its audience gives us a great opportunity to produce original DVD content that is directly targeted at the MTV, CMT, VH1 and Logo audiences.”

E-mail Jennifer Netherby

« Back | Print