Joseph DeMartino
Moderator
Not directly related to B5:TLT, but does provide some useful background. Besides, TLT is the only D2DVD project we're currently discussing, so I think this is still the right forum. 
This article from Video Business concentrates on theatrical D2DVD films, but gives an idea of the kind of revenues the studios are seeing from this market segment and the kind of cross-promotion with catalog titles they are doing. All of the majors now have D2DVD divisions and Warner Bros. appears to be the first to explicitly be testing the TV waters. Could be interesting. If the market is big enough (and you throw in overseas sales, plus possible later sales to broadcast and cable) this could be just the thing that makes it profitable enough to go back and do concluding TV movies or even short episode runs for shows left hanging by cancellation.
You'll find the full article here.
"Direct-to-video" generally meant "couldn't make it in theaters" in the old VHS days, and was a place to dump films originally produced for theatrical release that either bombed or were never released. Disney, which has always been a law unto itself, did manage to do some cheaply produced sequels to theatrical films that sold very well on video, but they and some low-end horror producers (the modern airs of AIP and Roger Corman) were the only ones producing original content always intended for video release. (Among mainstream producers. Porn went direct-to-video at the first opportunity, since the home was a better market for its product than public theaters ever were once home video was invented.)
Now some of that stigma seems to be fading (dollar signs will do that) and the studios see D2DVD as a viable and attractive market. Which means actors and directors and writers will as well, since it is one more place they can get work.
Regards,
Joe
This article from Video Business concentrates on theatrical D2DVD films, but gives an idea of the kind of revenues the studios are seeing from this market segment and the kind of cross-promotion with catalog titles they are doing. All of the majors now have D2DVD divisions and Warner Bros. appears to be the first to explicitly be testing the TV waters. Could be interesting. If the market is big enough (and you throw in overseas sales, plus possible later sales to broadcast and cable) this could be just the thing that makes it profitable enough to go back and do concluding TV movies or even short episode runs for shows left hanging by cancellation.
You'll find the full article here.
"Direct-to-video" generally meant "couldn't make it in theaters" in the old VHS days, and was a place to dump films originally produced for theatrical release that either bombed or were never released. Disney, which has always been a law unto itself, did manage to do some cheaply produced sequels to theatrical films that sold very well on video, but they and some low-end horror producers (the modern airs of AIP and Roger Corman) were the only ones producing original content always intended for video release. (Among mainstream producers. Porn went direct-to-video at the first opportunity, since the home was a better market for its product than public theaters ever were once home video was invented.)
Now some of that stigma seems to be fading (dollar signs will do that) and the studios see D2DVD as a viable and attractive market. Which means actors and directors and writers will as well, since it is one more place they can get work.
Regards,
Joe
