Blu-ray, DVD packaged in same box
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business,02/20/2009
FEB. 20 | In an effort to improve the consumer appeal and utility of the Blu-ray Disc format, an increasing number of studios are packaging a standard DVD copy of the movie with new high-definition releases, particularly on family titles.
MGM and Fox are among studios packaging DVDs in Blu-ray boxes.
Coming up are 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s Marley & Me, MGM Home Entertainment’s The Princess Bride and Lionsgate’s Limited Edition T2 Complete Collector’s Set, with a Blu-ray version and two standard discs holding the Extreme Edition DVD and Ultimate Edition DVD of Terminator 2.
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment pioneered the practice last fall and has committed to releasing about seven Blu-ray/DVD combination packs this year, beginning with Pinocchio in March and running through Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in October.
Fox’s March 31 three-disc Blu-ray release of Marley & Me covers all the viewing taste bases, with a standard DVD, Blu-ray and digital copy included in one package, said Mary Daily, the studio’s executive VP of marketing for North America.
“Standard DVD or Blu-ray represents amazing value and amazing quality, but how do we make it more flexible to adapt to the changing lifestyle?” asked Daily. “We’re constantly looking at consumers’ habits.”
Without giving details about other titles, Daily said, “I will say strategically this is going to be our direction for certain movies.”
MGM’s first DVD/Blu-ray combo is the March 17 release of The Princess Bride. Speaking to VB upon the title’s announcement earlier this month, MGM’s executives echoed Daily’s hope to increase the utility of its high-def releases.
“The Princess Bride is a perennial top-selling title in MGM’s catalog and a true family favorite that continues to captivate audiences of all ages,” said Chris Franchino, associate director of marketing at MGM. “The inclusion of a standard DVD copy with the Blu-ray Disc allows fans to experience the magic of the film in high-definition without sacrificing playability on existing standard DVD players in and outside the home.”
Lionsgate’s May 19 Limited Edition T2 Complete Collector’s Set spans six discs, featuring the Blu-ray version as well as two standard discs holding the Extreme Edition DVD and Ultimate Edition DVD of Terminator 2. A digital copy also will be on a disc packed inside.
Separate from the trend of including a DVD copy of the movie with Blu-ray, many studios have packed a DVD containing only a digital copy of the film with Blu-ray releases.
Also streeting May 19 from Lionsgate is a straight Blu-ray release of Terminator 2 that does not include a standard DVD version of the film.
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| Submitted by: | Paul Suarez 2/22/2009 4:14:42 PM PT |
| Location: | Los Angeles, CA |
| Occupation: | Actor |
Mikey: Combo discs have higher failure rates in terms of physical production than non-combos. HD DVD Combo discs (and DualDiscs) often would not play on various players. Combos' higher price point is another example of penalizing the consumer exclusively interested in the HD-exclusive version. The only acceptable way to embrace BD Combos would be to also manufacture a standalone BD in addition to the Combo. The studio is then creating two SKUs and penalizing the customer who is not interested in paying for a BD side they will not play. It makes more sense to simply continue what is done now: release separate, dedicated BDs and DVDs.
Nathaniel: "Classic" Disney animated titles with high adult and child appeal that have been on "moratorium" are one of the few instances where I could see this BD/DVD bundle approach making sense. However, I'm concerned about both price and precedent.
| Submitted by: | Nathaniel Essex 2/22/2009 12:59:38 PM PT |
| Location: | Earth |
| Occupation: | Entertainment |
It defeats the purpose of Blu-Ray and high definition if you're going to cram 10 movies onto a disc. I understand the value you're suggesting, but, quite frankly you could do the same with DVDs. A dual layer DVD, which pretty much all mass market DVDs are, holds some 9-gigs plus of content. As with doing what you suggest with Blu-Ray, with reduced quality, you could put 4 90-minute or so movies onto a disc, or 8 44-minute shows. Though I believe Blu-Rays need to come down in price for competitive purposes. I don't believe one bit that we're being taken to the cleaners.
And to the article, I believe that packaging them together (also with the digital copy)is a brilliant move for any studio, but especially Disney. When I saw them doing that with Sleeping Beauty I felt that could only help, especially since the pricing on the Disney titles was not elevated. Buy the movie, have the BR for the main room, and the kid could have a copy for their bedroom, or the car.
| Submitted by: | mikey 2/22/2009 10:16:32 AM PT |
BD manuafctuers should try to use the technology for making combo discs from HD DVD. Combo discs containing both DVD & HD versions were prevalent in the failed format, which is another reason why it was the better format, but obviously that didin't make it the winning foramt, Sony's huge payouts accomplished that.
| Submitted by: | BobEdwards 2/20/2009 6:48:02 PM PT |
| Location: | Texas |
| Occupation: | online |
'Pay no attention to the..........
.....Studio behind the curtain.
Do the math: (1) Standard Dvd, (4.5)gb.
(1) Blu-Ray disc, (45)gb...
How many titles can fit on (1) Blu-Ray disc?
Disney could put (10) movies on (1) disc.
(1) TV Boxset could fit on (1) Blu-Ray disc.
All (4) 'Lethal Weapon' titles could go on (1) disc.
...Question: Why hasn't this happen?
...Answer: Unadulterated greed.
Once Blu-Ray 'burners' reach home computers en mass,
software will appear to pump (10) titles onto (1) disc. That's why we're getting (1) movie on (1) Blu-Ray disc. If the Studios don't pull $14-17 off old titles quickly with Blu-Ray, no one's going to be interested in (3) years.
Again, send an email to Disney, 'Why not sell (10) titles on (1) disc?...the silence will speak volumes.
| Submitted by: | Jim Cook (jfcook@cookreal.com) 2/20/2009 4:24:15 PM PT |
| Location: | Waynesboro, Va. |
| Occupation: | Real Estate Asset Manager |
I really see the point in packaging a DVD and a Blu-Ray disc in the same package but if I bought the combo pack and I wanted not to have to buy all new hardware to play a Blu-Ray disc, I would just offer it to a friend and have that friend when they bought a movie combo just give me the regular DVD and they could keep the Blu-Ray disc and the net result to the market would that only half of the buyers would buy a combo set or even better, offer the disc you didn't want on Ebay. The studios would be the business loosers in my view. The big question mark, what will the price be for the combo sets ? Another thing, you could buy a DVD empty box, color copy the exterior title sheet, insert it in the DVD empty box with the disc you didn't want and sell it as I mentioned earlier. It makes no sense that the studios would do that unless the old time sales technique of once the product is in the customers hand they are more likely to use it might work. My bet is that that will go the way of Circuit city'd DIVIX disc. Regards !!!!!
| Submitted by: | Paul Suarez (paulsuarez@aol.com) 2/20/2009 4:09:30 PM PT |
| Location: | Los Angeles, CA |
| Occupation: | Actor |
This is a potentially problematic trend for BD consumers who are not/less interested in DVD. The studios would be ill-advised to put supplemental content exclusively on the BD bundled with the DVD and release a standalone BD that either has less supplemental content or is movie-only. This would penalize BD consumers not interested in the DVD.
Especially for catalog titles as perennial as THE PRINCESS BRIDE, I think it's safe to say that the lion's (ahem) share of consumers--whether families or individuals--who are interested in owning this film on DVD already have purchased one of its many iterations on that format.
I understand that this is motivated at least in part by a desire to bolster flagging DVD sales numbers. However, home vid execs would be foolish to think that consumers would prefer a pricey BD/DVD bundle of a catalog title for its purported increased playback options instead of buying a reasonably-priced BD and, quite separately, a very inexpensive pre-owned copy of the DVD.
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