Jazz Odyssey

In a very tentative step towards more widespread digital distribution of films, 6 of the major film studios announced that they will begin selling titles digitally through Movielink. Additionally, Sony and Lionsgate will make titles available through the CinemaNow service.

Hollywood has had a bit of time to watch the music industry struggle with the digital distribution frontier and this represents a serious step forward in embracing digital formats, but these announcements reveal that Hollywood isn’t yet ready to take the full digital plunge.

For starters, the movies can be downloaded to your computer….you may watch them on your computer, but you cannot burn a DVD that is playable in a standard DVD player. While the PC has become more fully integrated into television setups and home entertainment centers, it still isn’t a primary viewing device for films. So, the experience of dropping a DVD into a player and pressing play isn’t being replicated (does this sound like a familiar complaint?) Additionally, Movielink is not Macintosh compatible (a situation I’ve gotten more sensitive to as I’ve recently “switched“).

The announcement indicates that some movies will be available the same day that the DVDs become available, while others will be held back for 30-45 days. While I understand the politics and/or strategic marketing reasons that can drive this decision, if Hollywood truly wants to address one aspect of the piracy problem by offering a legitmate and legal alternative, going day and date with the physical release of the DVD is essential.

All-in-all, while there are clear drawbacks (and holdbacks) in this announcement, it’s a start. And ultimately, like the music business, the majority of the sell-through video market is currently driven by physical formats. Or, as Sony’s Ben Feingold said, “The important thing is to embrace the future, respect the economics of DVD but move forward into digital delivery”.