Download-to-own Films Coming Soon

riflemann writes "CNN is reporting that Universal Pictures will soon launch a service whereby films can be downloaded legally to own, i.e. non time-limited digital downloads. Currently most legally downloaded movies are time limited. Buyers will also receive a DVD version in the post. Is the movie industry finally listening? And how will they define 'own?'"

Comments

Own

[Eightyford]

How will they define own?

Ownership agreement:

You will not make backup copies of your files.
You will not have your files on more than one computer.
You may not share the files under any circumstance.
You may not playback the movie to more than 5 people.

Re:Restricted Access

[robertjw]

You've never seen an Independent movie? I bet you just didn't know it. Some of the best movies ever made are indies. There's a list of the top 50 at imdb which includes titles like

• The Terminator
• Apocalypse Now
• The Usual Suspects
• Psycho
• Pulp Fiction

It's kind of sad (from the aspect that Hollywood makes lots of crap), but many oscar winners and oscar nominees start out as indie films. There are many more that never make the mainstream distribution channels and are only shown in 'art houses'. Just keep in mind, indie doesn't mean good either. Many of the best written movies are indies, but many of the worst movies I've seen are also independent.

Re:wait, what?

[Ruff_ilb]

That's because the MPAA is fine with it, I'm sure; by "own," they mean watch only in their special DRMed format on valid Windows XP/Vista PC's only - no copying allowed.

Re:40$ for Kong?

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

Don't buy their stuff.. any of their stuff!

I disagree. You can buy their stuff and still put even more economic hurt on them than a simple boycott.

My strategy - buy used DVDs, buy them from rental stores for ~$5 a disc. Then lend them out to as many people as you can. I usually work at companies with mostly well-educated, well-paid employees. I lend my $5 used DVDs out to anyone who asks, after seeing another guy do it, I even keep an inventory of recent titles on my desk for easy borrowing.

These people are the studio's target audience - the single people have plenty of disposable income and the parents have kids which dispose of their income for them. When I lend out my $5 copy of Star Wars ep3 to 20 people over 3 months, that's at least 10 less people who would otherwise have paid money to rent or buy (I presume the other 10 just borrow it because its free, so no real loss of business opportunity there.)

For each $5, I am stealing (to use the MPAA/RIAA's favorite terminology) around $100 worth of business away from the studios and their associates (they've got 'revenue-sharing' deals with Blockbuster and Hollywood Video) and not only is it 100% legal, I also get to own the DVD of the movie too.

You might not think that just one guy can make a difference - that might be true, but if you check Blockbuster Video's financial status, you will see they are soo deep in the red that they will probably be bankrupt within 3 years, maybe sooner. I claim complete responsibility for that!