As Predicted by CMG !

Day-and-Date home viewing of newly released movies, it'll cost $35,000 plus $500 per flix, but it's a definite move to the dark-side by a movie studio.  Prima Cinema (has teamed up with Universal Pictures) in offering first-run movies for home viewing.

Initially targeting super-rich movie stars and other celebrities,
Prima will install a digital set-top-box which allows movies to be delivered via the internet for a single viewing of $500 after an initial output for their 'black box' of $35,000.  Limited to 25 seats, so the service cannot be used as a commerical cinema -  Prima conducts a 'personal' inspection each home. Universal (owned by Comcast, the largest U.S. cable company) is the only studio offering its first-run content via Prima.  Upcoming movies to be made available include, the big-budget Oblivion, as well as recent titles - Les Miserables, Identity Thief, and Admission.

Predicted in this blog years ago, the Prima service will be the first to punch a hole in the armor of the long-standing exclusive 'theatrical release window' and NATO and all movie exhibitors, large and small, should be boycotting Universal pictures - it's that serious.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Seth MacFarland (this year's Oscar host) will be among the first subscribers.  Prima, which does not advertise, hopes to have 1000 subscribers by year end. "Prima is not Netflix", Jason Pang, Prima CEO informed me, "Prima is what private jets are to aviation".  Currently Prima is being rolled out in CA, NY, and Florida.

Exhibs - you have got to ensure that your cinema is putting on the best persentation possible as the Primas of the world will continue to press the envelope on first-run home viewing and the studios may come to a point where the money involved is too great to ignore.

Best
Jim Lavorato
comments welcomed