Sean Parker And Binary Blogger Agree About Movies At Home
3 min read
Throughout the years I have written a few times about a change around Hollywood movies. I have predicted, albeit incorrectly thus far, that eventually we will be able to get mainstream movies at home the same time they are in the theater. The technology is there, the home theaters are satisfactory, and I believe the customers would jump all over it.
Today I saw that Sean Parker is pushing a new company that will attempt to bring new release blockbusters to your home at the same time as the theatrical release. The company called Screening Room will provide a $150 box that will allow streaming new movies at $50 a pop for 48 hours.
I am all for this idea and have written about Netflix leading the charge in this avenue. However, I am going to go after those in opposition and their arguments against this idea… which are ridiculous.
Gizmodo, where I linked the article, first state that $50 is more than $20. Thank you for the math lesson but you are not putting proper context around the comparison. In order to justify that $50 price point for being able to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens in your home on day one is a good deal you need to look at the whole picture.
Before I go into those detail I want to touch on the other argument, piracy. People will download movies for free, always. That’s not going to stop and increasing options in the home will not increase it and studies continue to show this.
Back to the price. $50 vs. $20. Let’s take a look at the core customer base that this option would greatly appeal to, working parents. Yes, working parents with small children that loves movies but can’t get out as often as they would like.
For those customers it costs far more than $50 to go to a movie.
- Tickets for two are $24 to $34 depending theater and IMAX options, etc…
- Concessions $20 without breaking a sweat.
- BABYSITTER approx. $20 to $40
- Travel, gas few bucks
- Dealing with movie goers
Heading out is over $100 on average, more if you throw in a dinner. Now there is something to say about date nights, however, there are more movies I would like to see but aren’t worth a full date night engagement. Now, personally, as a parent if I had the option to get a highly anticipated movie that I want to watch but not want to put the effort into the rest to get to theater, $50 looks like a deal to enjoy it at home. This movie-at-home service is perfect and the theaters should be scared to death of it.
I have not seen Deadpool, I want to and will, but I have to wait until it comes out on digital (I don’t buy Blu-Ray discs anymore). I would have paid the $50 to watch it at home, especially if I could watch it as many times as I want in 48 hours. (not sure if that’s’ the plan) Ten years ago I would not have cared about something like this because I went to movies in theaters all the time. But my life has changed along with millions of others that cannot get out as often as they like and don’t want to wait for the top movies to make it into rental or purchase areas.
Why wouldn’t people jump on this?
End of line.
Binary Blogger has spent 20 years in the Information Security space currently providing security solutions and evangelism to clients. From early web application programming, system administration, senior management to enterprise consulting I provide practical security analysis and solutions to help companies and individuals figure out HOW to be secure every day.
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