Published:
23-May-08
Sony Pictures Releasing has dedicated a new business unit to the emerging alternative content market in the North America, following a similar commitment by Sony Pictures in Japan. The new unit, The Hot Ticket, will focus on distributing non-movie event programming such as theatre shows, concerts and sports events to digital cinemas with a minimum of 2K projector resolution installed. The company will also look at expanding its remit to cover live event transmissions via satellite as well as 3D output. Launch of the Hot Ticket will begin with distribution of two theatre events namely Cirque du Soleil's, Delirium in August, followed by Broadway's Rent in September. The distribution of content will be handled like theatrical movie products, but the releases will be targeted for off peak times so as not to clash with screen capacity for blockbusters.
Our take...
The move shows that Studios do not want to be excluded from new types of content offerings to cinemas and indeed they already have both the infrastructure and the history and knowledge of working with exhibition partners, to actively participate this area. Once Studios do get more involved, this will only serve to multiply the number of events, and therefore boost potential revenues from those cinemas which already have the digital technology installed. The development follows the success of the release of the Disney live concert 3D movie, Hannah Montana, which generated around $65m from just 683 theatres, showing that there is an appetite for live events/recordings in a cinema environment, particularly those that are linked with a premium or one off limited experience or premium brand such as Opera or theatre events. For Sony, the strategy as the first Studio to make a definitive commitment to this area, comes in contrast with other Studios which have invested heavily in digital 3D movies, but other Studios may follow suit, and indeed the two are not mutually exclusive.
