Amazon.com and Microsoft form alliance to push HD DVD

Stan Beer
Monday, 02 July 2007 10:59

IT Industry - Market

Amazon.com and Microsoft have teamed up in a push to encourage independent film makers to produce films in the HD DVD format. The new alliance, which aims to make HD DVD a more affordable format for smaller producers to produce and distribute films, marks another phase in the ongoing HD format wars.

The jointly sponsored 1,000 HD DVD Indies Project from Amazon and Microsoft will provide free authoring and setup services for up to 1,000 selected "indie" titles. According to project executives, the initiative is designed to lower the barriers to entry for filmmakers to produce and distribute movies in the HD DVD format using Amazon's CustomFlix service, a sort of just in time system that enables physical media to be produced in a variety of formats on order.

Amazon currently lists 415 Blu-ray titles and 366 HD DVD titles for sale at its online store. The HD DVD cause was recently dealt a blow when video rental chain Blockbuster announced it would only stock Blu-ray in 1250 of its 1700 US stores.

CustomFlix, a subsidiary of Amazon, has stated it will bring as many as 1,000 feature-length independent films in HD DVD format to Amazon customers using the CustomFlix DVD on Demand technology. According to the company, the model greatly improves the cost structure for independent filmmakers by eliminating the need for costly inventory.

“This collaboration with Microsoft is a great opportunity for independent filmmakers to reach Amazon customers with their films via the HD DVD format,” said Peter Faricy, vice president of music and movies at Amazon.com. “By working together with Microsoft and leveraging the proven CustomFlix DVD on Demand model, we can lower the barriers to entry for independent filmmakers and dramatically increase the selection we offer our customers.”

“From a technical standpoint, we found that the HD DVD format fits our business model perfectly,” said Dana LoPiccolo-Giles, co-founder and managing director of CustomFlix. “With retail shelf space at a premium, our model eliminates the risk of carrying inventory and immediately expands the number of great HD DVD titles available to consumers.”

“Programs like this one from Amazon lower barriers to entry for independent artists and provide audiences with increased access to high-quality, high-definition content,” said Christian Vesper, senior vice president of programming, acquisitions and scheduling for Sundance Channel.
 
Sundance Channel will be reviewing the high-definition features for potential broadcast on the network as well as making its own HD original eco-series, “Big Ideas for a Small Planet,” available for purchase through Amazon’s HD DVD program.

“Amazon’s participation in this project will be a major benefit to independent filmmakers wanting to break into the high-definition market segment,” said Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president for the Consumer Media Technology Group at Microsoft. “The use of Microsoft® technology and authoring expertise will ensure that all the HD DVD titles offered by Amazon have impeccable quality, thanks to the VC-1 codec and innovative interactive scenarios with HDi.”

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