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An open invitation to Warner to discuss your catalog titles (1 Viewer)

ahollis

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Robert Crawford said:
I think part of that is the limited TT retail options. If, for example Amazon was their main retail outlet, I bet you with their higher profile than SAE, more units would be sold and in a shorter period of time.
Your properly right, but the masses waiting for their favorite classic film on Blu-ray just aren't there anymore. Also remember that Twilight also sells titles through TCM. With their hookup with Movies Unlimited they have a following.
 

FoxyMulder

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bgart13 said:
It would be nice to be able to order bds of any title whenever one wanted to from WAC. They are "made on demand," after all. ;)
Does that apply if you live in Europe or are these made on demand titles USA only. ?
 

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ahollis said:
Also remember that Twilight also sells titles through TCM. With their hookup with Movies Unlimited they have a following.
A little curious if the Twilight Time titles have been showing up in their mail catalogs recently.
 

ahollis

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JoHud said:
A little curious if the Twilight Time titles have been showing up in their mail catalogs recently.
No they haven't but Movies Unlimited is TCM's fulfillment house.
 

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Robert Crawford said:
I think part of that is the limited TT retail options. If, for example Amazon was their main retail outlet, I bet you with their higher profile than SAE, more units would be sold and in a shorter period of time.
...at $4.99 to $6.99 where the consumer benefits, and the supplier is left bleeding red ink?

The core market for many of these deeper catalogue titles isn't elastic...simply running more discs and selling them cheaper via red tag price busting tactics does not defacto equate to higher overall consumer demand. Otherwise, this would be no-brainer for the studios, and all of them would be shovelling out their HD masters to disc as fast as they could find plants to stamp them.

The irony is that the TT/SAE model is actually working Robert...and at the correct scale for not only niche sales success but more importantly sustainability. Of TT's roughly 80-odd region free releases* to date, they have had 17 sellouts (most of them within a year to year and a half of release), another 6 titles are now close to the 500 remaining threshold, and 2 of their recent releases are already down by half. True, a couple of their early DVD-only releases are destined to hit the 3 year mark with stock still available, but that can be attributed more to sophomore learning curve.

In this thread we shouldn't be discussing (yet again) what TT has been doing (and doing very well) in terms of showcasing catalogue titles, right-sizing production and distribution, and holding the line on break-even and profit while steadily increasing their output, but rather, what studios like WB could learn from this success to deliver their own catalogues in a more micro-targeted, efficient, and profitable manner.

I mean, it aint 2004 anymore. The WAC should have 80 Blu-rays by now, not 8.

* I believe only The Disappearance is Region A locked.
 

Mike Frezon

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I hope you guys are happy.

All this talk about Twilight Time's limited edition runs forced me to go and finally order (after having it in my cart at least a half-dozen times) a copy of Philadelphia.

WAY too expensive. But I've really had a hankerin' to see it again. And I was hoping it would be announced as out-of-stock and that my itch would go away. But that hasn't happened.
 

FoxyMulder

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Mike Frezon said:
I hope you guys are happy.

All this talk about Twilight Time's limited edition runs forced me to go and finally order (after having it in my cart at least a half-dozen times) a copy of Philadelphia.

WAY too expensive. But I've really had a hankerin' to see it again. And I was hoping it would be announced as out-of-stock and that my itch would go away. But that hasn't happened.
You could have saved yourself a fortune and ordered the Spanish edition, they are identical in image and sound quality.
 

Robert Crawford

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ROclockCK said:
...at $4.99 to $6.99 where the consumer benefits, and the supplier is left bleeding red ink?

The core market for many of these deeper catalogue titles isn't elastic...simply running more discs and selling them cheaper via red tag price busting tactics does not defacto equate to higher overall consumer demand. Otherwise, this would be no-brainer for the studios, and all of them would be shovelling out their HD masters to disc as fast as they could find plants to stamp them.

The irony is that the TT/SAE model is actually working Robert...and at the correct scale for not only niche sales success but more importantly sustainability. Of TT's roughly 80-odd region free releases* to date, they have had 17 sellouts (most of them within a year to year and a half of release), another 6 titles are now close to the 500 remaining threshold, and 2 of their recent releases are already down by half. True, a couple of their early DVD-only releases are destined to hit the 3 year mark with stock still available, but that can be attributed more to sophomore learning curve.

In this thread we shouldn't be discussing (yet again) what TT has been doing (and doing very well) in terms of showcasing catalogue titles, right-sizing production and distribution, and holding the line on break-even and profit while steadily increasing their output, but rather, what studios like WB could learn from this success to deliver their own catalogues in a more micro-targeted, efficient, and profitable manner.

I mean, it aint 2004 anymore. The WAC should have 80 Blu-rays by now, not 8.

* I believe only The Disappearance is Region A locked.
Let's back up! I never suggested it wasn't working as I've bought my share of TT titles. Matter of fact, I bought 33 discs from them and expect to buy another 10 or so in the next couple of months.
 

ROclockCK

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Agreed! Why are we even talking about TT in this thread? ;)

My original point, like Brandon's, was that there is a lot more limited 'testing-the-waters' Blu-ray product out there than any of the studios are routinely fessing-up to. TT has simply been more honest about its niche status from the get-go.

WB is the "Lucy" here who has some "'splainin' to do".
 

Robert Crawford

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ROclockCK said:
Agreed! Why are we even talking about TT in this thread? ;)

My original point, like Brandon's, was that there is a lot more limited 'testing-the-waters' Blu-ray product out there than any of the studios are routinely fessing-up to. TT has simply been more honest about its niche status from the get-go.

WB is the "Lucy" here who has some "'splainin' to do".
Because people want to! These type of discussions don't stay with only one studio being discussed as it's inevitable that comparisons will be made as different business models are discussed here.
 

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ROclockCK said:
In this thread we shouldn't be discussing (yet again) what TT has been doing (and doing very well) in terms of showcasing catalogue titles, right-sizing production and distribution, and holding the line on break-even and profit while steadily increasing their output, but rather, what studios like WB could learn from this success to deliver their own catalogues in a more micro-targeted, efficient, and profitable manner.

I mean, it aint 2004 anymore. The WAC should have 80 Blu-rays by now, not 8.

* I believe only The Disappearance is Region A locked.
That's easy. Have the same 3000 limit as TT does (or less if the title doesn't warrant a 3000 unit pressing) and post it on their website. That's why the TT model is successful, simply because of that magic "3000" limit. Everyone comes a running, especially when stock gets low. It certainly isn't because they're charging more by controlling the distribution chain and certainly not because they have better titles and/or better extras.
 

Jari K

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"Everyone comes a running, especially when stock gets low."Not everyone, but there are always people that virtually buy everything that's about to go OOP. That fact alone sells those remaining 500-600 copies that are left ("Hurry!"). It's just business.And many people in the U.S. don't like to import, even when some title from TT is released elsewhere. TT's business model probably wouldn't go down that well in Europe.
 

bruceames

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Jari K said:
"Everyone comes a running, especially when stock gets low."Not everyone, but there are always people that virtually buy everything that's about to go OOP. That fact alone sells those remaining 500-600 copies that are left ("Hurry!"). It's just business.And many people in the U.S. don't like to import, even when some title from TT is released elsewhere. TT's business model probably wouldn't go down that well in Europe.
Which is good for TT. I love to import myself, sometimes just to have an excuse to push the "2" button to power up my Oppo. :)

"there are always people that virtually buy everything that's about to go OOP"

I confess that I have bought a couple of their titles that I otherwise wouldn't have for that very reason. Proof enough for myself that their system works!
 

ROclockCK

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Jari K said:
And many people in the U.S. don't like to import, even when some title from TT is released elsewhere. TT's business model probably wouldn't go down that well in Europe.
Well, I happen to live in a bilingual country, so it's not about the language thing. I mean, I have many treasured films from Quebec on DVD and Blu-ray for which I automatically reverse the insert to display French title and text. Just seems 'right' for that particular work...of that language origin.

Like many collectors, I just have this thing about my home media being native. If its an English speaking movie, specifically of Hollywood origin, then I most certainly prefer the U.S. edition. This has nothing to do with price or even comparable disc quality and features...I will always favour the source country release in its native language...simply because the entire package is most authentic to that source.

...given a choice of course. ;)
 

ahollis

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ROclockCK said:
Agreed! Why are we even talking about TT in this thread? ;)My original point, like Brandon's, was that there is a lot more limited 'testing-the-waters' Blu-ray product out there than any of the studios are routinely fessing-up to. TT has simply been more honest about its niche status from the get-go.WB is the "Lucy" here who has some "'splainin' to do".
Sorry it was my fault. I was responding to someone that still thought there are many thousands of people waiting for their favorite film in Blu ray. I used TT as an example that there are not as many as people expect. I did not mean to get this back on their business plan.
 

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bruceames said:
That's why the TT model is successful . . . . It certainly isn't because they're charging more by controlling the distribution chain and certainly not because they have better titles and/or better extras.
No, but they do have consistently better transfers! :) You shouldn't under-estimate that. It breeds intense brand loyalty.
 

Jari K

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ROclockCK said:
Like many collectors, I just have this thing about my home media being native. If its an English speaking movie, specifically of Hollywood origin, then I most certainly prefer the U.S. edition. This has nothing to do with price or even comparable disc quality and features...I will always favour the source country release in its native language...simply because the entire package is most authentic to that source.
Yes, well this basically was my point. People in e.g. Europe have always ordered DVDs and BDs from various countries. They've a TV-set and DVD/Blu-ray player that supports both PAL/NTSC and 50Hz/60Hz (unlike in the U.S. where they're limited to NTSC and 60Hz).

So yes, I believe there's a fundamental difference. People in the U.S. want to support "local product" (if they can, obviously not that simple anymore), when e.g. people in Europe probably order some films from the U.S., buy some from the local retail store and order some from the other European countries.
 

bruceames

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I wouldn't want to buy a movie with the title name translated into a non-English language, but the vast majority of my imports are from the UK, so I consider that a "native" country. Especially since the vast majority of the movies made here were shown theatrically over there as well.
 

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