Ann’s Marketing Memes

Congratulations to Lynne Cherry, Diane and Karen Lampiasi and David Bunting on winning awards at the 2011 My Hero Project. The mission of MY HERO is to use media and technology to celebrate the best of humanity and to empower people of all ages to realize their own potential to effect positive change in the world.

The not-for-profit project is supported by visitors of all ages who share stories, art, and short films on our award-winning multimedia journal and digital library.

Studios and filmmakers are committed to 3D although there is definite push back from the theaters. Higher ticket prices help the theaters, but they are faced with the studios making them pay for the 3D glasses. An expense the studios have absorbed so far. Cameron feels that 3D is going to improve but the time is right to convert. Disney saw a big theater attendance for the re-release of The Lion King in 3D, with Beauty and the Beast coming out next. Titanic will take a year to convert.

Apple Inc. is preparing to put movies in the cloud, entering a market in which it may be both competitor and ally to a similar offering backed by most Hollywood studios.

Representatives of the iPhone and iPad maker have been meeting with studios to finalize deals that would allow consumers to buy movies through iTunes and access them on any Apple device, according to knowledgeable people who requested anonymity because the discussions are private. The service is expected to launch in late 2011 or early 2012.

The talks come as the first movies from the multi-studio venture known as Ultraviolet are launching this week: Warner Bros.’ “Horrible Bosses” and “Green Lantern.”

People who buy DVDs or Blu-ray discs for those and other upcoming titles, including Sony Pictures’ “The Smurfs” and Universal Pictures’ “Cowboys and Aliens,” will have access to digital cloud copies they can instantly watch on their Internet-connected TVs, smartphones and tablet computers. Ultraviolet purchases via the Web, without discs, are expected to come in 2012.

Every major studio except Disney is working on Ultraviolet with a large group of retailers and electronics companies that notably does not include Apple.
The studios are eager to boost purchases of movies, which have flat-lined in the face of competition from less expensive video on demand and Netflix and Redbox rentals. Sales of DVDs and digital downloads are still crucial to the studios’ bottom line, as they are much more profitable than rentals.
However, despite the increasing popularity of digital distribution, online movie purchases are on track to bring in only $231 million this year, about the same as in 2010, according to IHS Screen Digest.

Storing digital films in the cloud, instead of making buyers manage the digital copy themselves on a computer or other device, could help spur online purchases by making it easier for people to access the movies on any device.

Congrats to Ruizfamily14. You are the winner of the $100 for participating in our survey. Please contact our office to receive your gift certificate.

At the 3D Entertainment Summit at the Hollywood and Highland Center last week, titans of the industry including James Cameron and Robert Iger weighed in regard the future of 3D. Cameron, who is spending 18 million to convert Titanic to 3D says that “As soon as the TV industry gets 3D right, it will quickly become a pervasive success across all mediums and every movie wil be made in 3D.”

Robet Iger, President and CEO of Walt Disney Company says “3D is really compelling” and sees a huge future in the sports area for 3D. For more info check out Scott Hettrick’s 3D Hollywood

So say those producing the films, but Sony has sent a letter to theater owners saying it will stop footing the bill for 3D glasses in May 2012. These cost the studios $5 to $10 million per major release. But who’s going to foot the bill? Movie goers already pay a premium for 3D. Will they also pay for the glasses at the theater? Studios began paying for the glasses to provide an incentive for theaters to convert, but now want someone else to pay. What’s your opinion?

Have you seen the new KIDS FIRST! Film Festival Facebook page? This week, from October 6 - October 17. Like our page and be entered to win Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightening Thief (Blu-Ray and DVD), The Scrambled States of America or Juno Baby: Indie’s Great Teddy Bear Hunt. Find out about new releases, local events, ticket give aways and best of all, our Film Critics Search! Friend our page today to be eligible to win.

You have to enter a 3 minute film review in order to be eligible to win the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics’ Search, but what if you are new to production and video? Well, these 2 sites have some great tips for production, so check out both http://www.flipvideospotlight.com/ and www.blip.tv/learning. The Flip site gives you great examples of how to use the new Flip camera for video clips, including how to make mini movies and what software (that’s even free) you can get for better editing. The Blip.Tv site is really in depth, so be prepared to spend time, but they are the upcoming internet TV site, having just raised another $10.1 million from Canaan and Bain.

Also, follow the discussion guides for the search films and use your vocabulary! Just click on individual films and download the guides. http://www.kidsfirst.org/become-a-juror/FilmCriticsCampaign.html and http://www.kidsfirst.org/become-a-juror/FilmVocabulary.pdf 

You can upload your video clip at http://www.wonderworldtv.com/kidsfirst/ and upload early. The finalists are chosen by popular vote so give your friends and family time to make you a winner.

As always, Ann Brandman, Executive Director of the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Outreach College presented a fun-filled summer of films for kids this summer. Over 1,000 kids and adults attended the Sunday series of screenings, that included Barbie in a Mermaid Tale, Plastic Perils of the Pacfiic, Duck on a Bike, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy: Wubbzy Goes for the Green and Do Unto Otters. El Salon Mexico and Alex and the Ghosts made their Hawaiian debut, as did Alba and Grandfather’s Journey.

This was the fourth summer that Brandman has presented the free film series at the University. The program is supported by KIDS FIRST! and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

The Parent Services Center in Tyler, Texas is helping over 600 kids have a great summer and experience the fun of KIDS FIRST! films. Every week, the kids in the summer camp centers focus on one of the Weston Woods titles in the film festival, like In A Small Pond. On Monday, the kids discuss the film and its objectives. On Tuesday, the participate in the “before viewing activities” that are included in all the Weston Woods titles. Wednesday is movie day and Thursday is a “after viewing activity” day. In A Small Pond, the kids learn about frogs, tadpoles, geese and other creatures that live in the pond. The kids are having a wonderful summer and learning about environmental issues, art, film and fun. After the week of Scooby, Dooby Moo, the kids hosted a talent contest for the camp!

Thanks to Executive Director Shelly Judd and the Parent Service Center for designing such a creative program for the youth in the Tyler area. They will finish the summer with a special Film Festival day in August.

Last week was a blast for four of the KIDS FIRST! partners, the Avalon Theater in Washington DC, the Phoenix Film Society, the Lone Star Film Society at the Movie Tavern in Ft. Worth and the Denver Film Society. Each hosted an advance screening of the new Dreamworks film, How to Train Your Dragon.

Along with a capacity theater, the Phoenix Film Society hosted a book drive for a local school as part of “Read Across America” and took in 7 big bags full of books for kids. They also invited 60 kids and their parents from the school receiving the books to the screening.  

The Lone Star Film Society hosted the screening in 3D at the new Movie Tavern in Ft. Worth. The Lone Star Film Society programs with KIDS FIRST! at all the major art museums in Ft. Worth including the Modern Museum of Art and the Amon Carter.

Film societies that go the extra mile and reach out to kids give them an opportunity to see film in on the big screen. These societies are engaging kids in media and film in a very positive way, fulfilling one of the very important mission statements of KIDS FIRST!, which is to make quality  media more available to kids.

To be sure you are on the ticket list for advance screening, sign up for the KIDS FIRST! newsletter and be the first to know where the screenings are in your area!