Should be similar to HBO - subscription based, or more than that, similar to Tales of Monkey Island (pay upfront, get release over time). In fact, this strategy should be incorporated into the price of the original game (if bought on disc), in that say you bought Fallout 3 when it first came out, then you would get the first year's worth of DLC for free.
In this regard, DLC should be used as an incentive to lure in late adopters, and a reward for those who keep their discs.
Basically, treat DLC as a TV show - make them have an interest to come back every so often.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Trigun anime review
Excellent Western marred only by a few of the standard anime WTF gripes. Good music, great characters and voicework. Would have been better to have lengthened the series by another 13 or so episodes if only to prolong characters' screen time.
Very satisfying overall (though I don't really care for the visual style).
Will modify soon.
Very satisfying overall (though I don't really care for the visual style).
Will modify soon.
The Prisoner (1967) review
Brilliant series. Patrick McGoohan kicks ass. Absurb, but awesome, ending. Sure there are some filler episodes, but they're not bad (they're the same type of bad that a bad Pixar film is). The standout episodes are just some of the tops that television has to offer. Way ahead of it's time.
Will revise soon.
Will revise soon.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Pixar's Up movie review
Up is a delightful story - beautiful, touching and powerful.
As much as I'd love to support Pixar, I'd be more inclined to recommend Up as a film that people watch privately in their homes, if only to make the film more of the intimate experience that it is. Believe me when I tell you how unfortunate it can be when some of the most heart-wrenching moments of the film are interrupted by the shuffling of feat of other little noise distractions that are exacerbated in the open-forum nature of the movie theater.
As intimate and touching as the film is, it almost seems like the film is trying to purposely manipulate you into sadness. Take for example the character of Russel the child. I will. not say how, but they keep tacking on things into his background that try to squeeze every last drop of emphasis out of your emotional grab bag (probably not the best way of putting it, but hopefully you get the idea).
Indeed, even the opening 10 minutes of the film are some of the best 10 minutes in film storytelling in years. Notice how I didn't say animation, as Pixar (and indeed the medium in general) has moved beyond the restrictions of "master animators" and stepped into the forum of "master storytellers" (though the starting point of the latter could be argued for some time, i.e. they've been master storytellers for roughly the past decade).
It's a solid tale that has plenty of mild humor, if not a constant comedy tone. Up's humor is more light-hearted in nature.
Probably the best way to describe the film is a mix between character study and coming-of-age, even if the characters aren't all children. Up is a very human tale, with a rather human presentation and it makes it all the better.
Not surprisingly, the film is excellently scored by composer Michael Giacchino, who only gets better with each project he takes on. He's often been called a modern John Williams, and listening to Up you can definitely hear that as the film sounds and feels like Star Wars.
Speaking of which, Up does a very good job with it's action scenes, becoming very reminiscent of Star Wars. The opening of the film even has a Citizen Kane vibe to it. Considering how those two films are held in such high regard, any combination can only be considered good.
As great as Up is, if you have to see it in theaters, do yourself a favor and wait a couple of weeks for the crowd to die down. Otherwise, just wait until the Blu-ray for that purely intimate experience.
For those curious, my order of favorites for Pixar films is Incredibles, Ratatouile, tie between Wall-E, Up, and probably Finding Nemo (need to rewatch), followed by the Toy Story films, then A Bug's Life (haven't seen Cars yet; shame, I know)
As much as I'd love to support Pixar, I'd be more inclined to recommend Up as a film that people watch privately in their homes, if only to make the film more of the intimate experience that it is. Believe me when I tell you how unfortunate it can be when some of the most heart-wrenching moments of the film are interrupted by the shuffling of feat of other little noise distractions that are exacerbated in the open-forum nature of the movie theater.
As intimate and touching as the film is, it almost seems like the film is trying to purposely manipulate you into sadness. Take for example the character of Russel the child. I will. not say how, but they keep tacking on things into his background that try to squeeze every last drop of emphasis out of your emotional grab bag (probably not the best way of putting it, but hopefully you get the idea).
Indeed, even the opening 10 minutes of the film are some of the best 10 minutes in film storytelling in years. Notice how I didn't say animation, as Pixar (and indeed the medium in general) has moved beyond the restrictions of "master animators" and stepped into the forum of "master storytellers" (though the starting point of the latter could be argued for some time, i.e. they've been master storytellers for roughly the past decade).
It's a solid tale that has plenty of mild humor, if not a constant comedy tone. Up's humor is more light-hearted in nature.
Probably the best way to describe the film is a mix between character study and coming-of-age, even if the characters aren't all children. Up is a very human tale, with a rather human presentation and it makes it all the better.
Not surprisingly, the film is excellently scored by composer Michael Giacchino, who only gets better with each project he takes on. He's often been called a modern John Williams, and listening to Up you can definitely hear that as the film sounds and feels like Star Wars.
Speaking of which, Up does a very good job with it's action scenes, becoming very reminiscent of Star Wars. The opening of the film even has a Citizen Kane vibe to it. Considering how those two films are held in such high regard, any combination can only be considered good.
As great as Up is, if you have to see it in theaters, do yourself a favor and wait a couple of weeks for the crowd to die down. Otherwise, just wait until the Blu-ray for that purely intimate experience.
For those curious, my order of favorites for Pixar films is Incredibles, Ratatouile, tie between Wall-E, Up, and probably Finding Nemo (need to rewatch), followed by the Toy Story films, then A Bug's Life (haven't seen Cars yet; shame, I know)
Drag Me To Hell movie review
Sam Raimi's latest film is a return to his comedy-horror routes. Take note the order and emphasis on which genres I put the film in (comedy first, horror second).
The film is a nonstop joyride of shock horror thrills. But, surprisingly to those uninitiated to Raimi's horror styles, it's all in good fun.
As far as the plot/story goes, all you need to know is that a girl wanting a promotion, and in an effort to show leadership, refuses a loan to a gypsy, angering the gypsy who then places a curse on the girl. What entails thereafter is some of the most enjoyable 90 minutes of movie-going you'll probably experience this year (or maybe have experienced in the past several years).
Drag Me to Hell is a rather tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek horror satire, where Raimi, a master of his craft, perfectly sets up the audience for the standard horror shock thrill, but tweaks it just enough to surprise the audience every time. To clarify, some of the tricks he uses is that he will set the audience up thinking that the scare is in one frame, but delaying it to the next. Or having something happen in the peripheral. Subtle tricks that keep the audience on the edge of their seat in anticipation of the next thrill. But the beauty of it is that it's never so much as scary as it is fun.
Special acknowledgment to composer Christopher Young who is in top-notch form for the film, yet again bringing his beautiful musings to another horror film.
Drag Me to Hell is one of the most enjoyable PG-13 films to come out in some time. It's nearly 100 minutes of pure, unadulterated, theme park ride-type thrills, and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Seriously, go see it now. It's the type of film you absolutely have to see in theaters with a group of people to properly enjoy it.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Entertainment unions alternative
With the current economy and the SAG conflict, several business strategies are proving to be less sound than initially thought. While some actors were able to command up-front fees of multiple millions of dollars, that is no longer the case since studios aren't tightening their budgets.
To help curtail the rising costs of actors, writers, directors and the like, I'd like to propose a new hiring strategy: salaries. This will do away with unions, as there won't be a need for the people to have voices (they'll already be able to talk with HR/representation) and possibly get much needed benefits.
It's something that's worked very well in the business world for years, so there's no reason why it shouldn't work in the entertainment industry. As an example, let's look at the video game industry (granted, it depends on where you work). Odds are, if you work at a publisher or publisher-owned developer, you have a salary and not a project-based income. With this, you have the comfort of steady work and benefits, while still being able to work on multiple projects.
Going back to actors, directors, writers and the like, if they are salaried, they can act as pool of talent, lending their abilities to multiple projects, be they TV shows or movies. While some of the more top-dollar players may be opposed to this, I'm sure there are a number of less-demanding, but still very talented people that wouldn't mind this.
Also, to put it one way, for those who really enjoy money, there should easily be a way to factor in residuals into the salary (e.g. bonuses). I'm guessing that Pixar probably has a strategy similar to what I'm thinking of, as most of the players should be salaried by Pixar, and since their films are highly profitable, they should be getting amply compensated. But then again, this is all speculation.
In any case, thanks to SAG's predicament, perhaps it's time to rethink unions in the entertainment industry.
To help curtail the rising costs of actors, writers, directors and the like, I'd like to propose a new hiring strategy: salaries. This will do away with unions, as there won't be a need for the people to have voices (they'll already be able to talk with HR/representation) and possibly get much needed benefits.
It's something that's worked very well in the business world for years, so there's no reason why it shouldn't work in the entertainment industry. As an example, let's look at the video game industry (granted, it depends on where you work). Odds are, if you work at a publisher or publisher-owned developer, you have a salary and not a project-based income. With this, you have the comfort of steady work and benefits, while still being able to work on multiple projects.
Going back to actors, directors, writers and the like, if they are salaried, they can act as pool of talent, lending their abilities to multiple projects, be they TV shows or movies. While some of the more top-dollar players may be opposed to this, I'm sure there are a number of less-demanding, but still very talented people that wouldn't mind this.
Also, to put it one way, for those who really enjoy money, there should easily be a way to factor in residuals into the salary (e.g. bonuses). I'm guessing that Pixar probably has a strategy similar to what I'm thinking of, as most of the players should be salaried by Pixar, and since their films are highly profitable, they should be getting amply compensated. But then again, this is all speculation.
In any case, thanks to SAG's predicament, perhaps it's time to rethink unions in the entertainment industry.
Soundtrack pricing strategy
In an effort to add extra value to consumers, and to help sell more soundtracks, with the rise of digital distribution consumers should have the option to a special "deal" wherein when they buy a product, such as a DVD or video game, they can purchase a digital version of the soundtrack for only $5. This way, it's cheap enough for people to pick up on a whim, even for those who aren't normally into soundtracks. It also adds value to the initial purchase for those who feel they are entitled to everything contained within the purchase.
A good soundtrack will enhance the initial experience while still being able to stand on its own, and a strategy like this will hopefully increase sales and support. Not to mention, with digital distribution, production costs are very minor, limited mostly to the bandwidth of the purchasing website.
A good soundtrack will enhance the initial experience while still being able to stand on its own, and a strategy like this will hopefully increase sales and support. Not to mention, with digital distribution, production costs are very minor, limited mostly to the bandwidth of the purchasing website.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Movie theater pricing strategy 2
A second option that movie theaters should consider is the "All Day Pass" where a theater goer will pay $20 for all the movies they can watch in a day. Sure, it may screw up seating and attendance, but it would provide a good value for consumers and make it more legitimate to hop between movies.
One method to counteract the seating would be for the consumer to pick out their movies in advance, and then just issue out individual tickets for those movies.
Another benefit about the viewer being at the theater all day is that it can turn into a fun adventure like a trip to a park. For example, if a person is at a place all day, odds are they'll get hungry and want to eat something without leaving. Therefor, introduce some higher-end meals in the theaters (or have a special deal with McDonalds, Burger King, Arby's, Starbucks, etc.) to have mini-versions in theaters.
With the right minds, this strategy can be done in a logical way that is beneficial for both the consumer and the venue.
One method to counteract the seating would be for the consumer to pick out their movies in advance, and then just issue out individual tickets for those movies.
Another benefit about the viewer being at the theater all day is that it can turn into a fun adventure like a trip to a park. For example, if a person is at a place all day, odds are they'll get hungry and want to eat something without leaving. Therefor, introduce some higher-end meals in the theaters (or have a special deal with McDonalds, Burger King, Arby's, Starbucks, etc.) to have mini-versions in theaters.
With the right minds, this strategy can be done in a logical way that is beneficial for both the consumer and the venue.
Movie theater pricing strategy 1
Like almost any consumable product, movie theaters should change their pricing policy to something more akin to an early adopters with gradual decline strategy. With this idea, a person who really wants to see a movie will play a premium price (e.g. $10, nothing too expensive), then, after two weeks (would say longer, but films don't last as long in theaters), the price drops to $5. It would be this way for every film. While this is a pipe dream, below are some of the benefits and disadvantages of this strategy:
Advantage 1: More money for the theaters. With lower prices, comes more people. With more people, comes more money/spending, meaning more seats will be full over a longer period of time, and more concessions will be bought.
Advantage 2: Better value for the consumer. If a person really wants to see a film and be able to talk about it with their friends, they have the option to see it at a higher price. However, if they're patient and don't care as much, they wait a few weeks for the price to go down. They may even see multiple movies since it's so cheap. On the other hand, if a person did go see the movie right away and would like to see it again, they now have the option to see it a second time for a much more reasonable price/value.
Disadvantage 1: Less money for the studios. I'll be honest, I have no idea about the details for pricing strategies between studios and theaters (I'm guessing it's all the studio for the first week or two, then a split for a few weeks, and eventually all the theater). This would hurt the sales for the studio, as they wouldn't make as much money. But at the same time, a lower price would increase people's incentives to go, so the money may possibly even out.
Bottom line: Movie theaters should not be a way to milk the most of the few (aka 90-10, where 90% of business comes from 10% of the market). Movie theaters should be all about mass consumerism, where getting more people is the goal, not necessarily getting the most money out of the few people that do come. If you look at trends, where ticket prices become higher and attendance becomes lower, you would think that studios and theaters would see a connection, but they don't. I pretty much guarantee you that were a theater to drop it's prices while still providing a nice environment (stadium seating, good sound, nice neighborhood), it would be one of the most popular places.
Advantage 1: More money for the theaters. With lower prices, comes more people. With more people, comes more money/spending, meaning more seats will be full over a longer period of time, and more concessions will be bought.
Advantage 2: Better value for the consumer. If a person really wants to see a film and be able to talk about it with their friends, they have the option to see it at a higher price. However, if they're patient and don't care as much, they wait a few weeks for the price to go down. They may even see multiple movies since it's so cheap. On the other hand, if a person did go see the movie right away and would like to see it again, they now have the option to see it a second time for a much more reasonable price/value.
Disadvantage 1: Less money for the studios. I'll be honest, I have no idea about the details for pricing strategies between studios and theaters (I'm guessing it's all the studio for the first week or two, then a split for a few weeks, and eventually all the theater). This would hurt the sales for the studio, as they wouldn't make as much money. But at the same time, a lower price would increase people's incentives to go, so the money may possibly even out.
Bottom line: Movie theaters should not be a way to milk the most of the few (aka 90-10, where 90% of business comes from 10% of the market). Movie theaters should be all about mass consumerism, where getting more people is the goal, not necessarily getting the most money out of the few people that do come. If you look at trends, where ticket prices become higher and attendance becomes lower, you would think that studios and theaters would see a connection, but they don't. I pretty much guarantee you that were a theater to drop it's prices while still providing a nice environment (stadium seating, good sound, nice neighborhood), it would be one of the most popular places.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Battlestar Galactica R.I.P.
Last night, Friday, March 20, 2009, aired one of the most satisfying ends to a spectacular television series - the 2003/2004 revival of Battlestar Galactica.
For the past 5+ years the cast and crew of BSG have been providing a solidly entertaining character drama with thought-provoking moments of existentialism, politics, race and religion. That, combined with the rather transcendent music of composer Bear McReary elevated BSG beyond the scope of television. Oddly enough, though, these kinds of themes can often be found in modern anime, and, to me at least, the BSG revival often times felt like a Western, live-action take on anime (complete with filler episodes and gaping plot holes). Regardless, this incarnation of BSG was, for the most part, incredibly well-written and acted, often times leaving the viewer in a state of either 'what the hell just happened?' or 'what the hell is going to happen next?!' The show will be sorely missed.
Kudos to you, the cast and crew of BSG for providing something that pushes the medium.
For the past 5+ years the cast and crew of BSG have been providing a solidly entertaining character drama with thought-provoking moments of existentialism, politics, race and religion. That, combined with the rather transcendent music of composer Bear McReary elevated BSG beyond the scope of television. Oddly enough, though, these kinds of themes can often be found in modern anime, and, to me at least, the BSG revival often times felt like a Western, live-action take on anime (complete with filler episodes and gaping plot holes). Regardless, this incarnation of BSG was, for the most part, incredibly well-written and acted, often times leaving the viewer in a state of either 'what the hell just happened?' or 'what the hell is going to happen next?!' The show will be sorely missed.
Kudos to you, the cast and crew of BSG for providing something that pushes the medium.
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