Monday, December 06, 2004
BESTof2004: EVENT REVIEW: Home Entertainment Summit DVD Lucky 7 Conference, Jun7-8
by Don Rose
(Los Angeles, CA: June 7-8, 2004) The Wyndham Bel Age Hotel was the setting as Video Store Magazine hosted its annual conference revolving around the DVD industry. For a 7 year old, DVD sure is growing up fast, as it has arguably grown to become the predominant media platform today. Music, TV, film, experimental artists -- all these players and more have embraced it, and made mega money from it. Yet, ironically, as its growth and success continues (household player penetration is at or near 70 percent -- fitting the 7 theme nicely), the conference was already looking to the future, to the DVD's eventual evolution (Blu-Ray and HD-DVD being the two most talked about successors).
In a world where some tradeshows have struggled, or even gone away (COMDEX and The Western Show are recent casualties), the Home Entertainment Summit seems to be thriving; perhaps it is its focus and goals that set it apart. “This conference is really an extension of our magazine’s mission to be the voice of home entertainment, and functions like a giant think tank,” says Thomas K. Arnold, associate publisher and group editor of Video Store Magazine and the event’s executive producer.
Lucky 7 began with a Pre-Conference Seminar discussing the Direct-Response Industry, which is a large market for DVD, particularly compilations and boxed sets of TV shows (the fine Johnny Carson box being one of this reviewer's favorites -- and, given the success of other compilations like Dean Martin's TV show and roasts, look for more "unearthings" of "lost" or "forgotten" TV gems to appear for your late-night infomercial pleasure). Points discussed: how to harness direct response as a strategy to work side-by-side with retail to optimize overall sales.
Studio and hardware executives, producers, directors, and media then mingled at the cocktail reception, after which all enjoyed the Third Annual DVD Home Entertainment Summit Dinner, which has become one of the most anticipated DVD events of the year. Speakers included Sanford Friedman, head of operations, DreamWorks Home Entertainment, and Video Store Magazine publisher Don Rosenberg.
The next day brought a panel on Next-Generation DVD, with representatives from the Blu-Ray and HD-DVD camps selling the audience with presentations and demonstrations of their technologies. In the BLU-RAY corner: Benjamin Feingold, president, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, and Mike Fidler, senior VP, Blu-Ray Disc Group/Sony Corporation of America. Their case was strong: their next-gen optical disc technology is backed by 11 major consumer electronics firms, and two computer manufacturers. Then came HD-DVD: Warren Lieberfarb, former prez of Warner Home Video and now a top industry consultant, spoke as a rep of Toshiba, which (with NEC) has developed HD-DVD as a competing next-gen opt-disc technology. My prediction, based on current facts and trends: Blu-Ray will likely win out, given the sheer number/strength of their backers. Still, a third alternative may yet emerge that combines the best aspects of both camps. One thing's for sure: the industry will need to pick a "winner" in the next gen race before consumers will hop on board en masse -- one of the key lessons of the past 7 years of DVD history.
Stellar stat man Ralph Tribbey then gave a most interesting take on DVD "by the numbers", looking back at the biz to analyze how things have grown and why. If his entertaining and enlightening talk is any indication, his weekly "DVD Release Report" must be a must read. Results of Video Store Magazine's Innovations contest were also announced, where critics singled out the 7 best special features on DVDs. Awards were given to the 7 producers behind the winning features. I believe games may become one of the hottest of the special features, since combining the growth and size of the game industry with that of DVD seems to be a perfect synergistic marriage (for example, think of how Disney and others cross-market animation films) -- but it may take the next-gen higher-density DVD formats to achieve this vision.
Overall, Lucky 7 was a most interesting, entertaining and enlightening conference, highly recommended for 2005. My prediction for a likely conference name: "Great at Eight!". Based on how DVD is doing so far, great may just be an understatement.
(Los Angeles, CA: June 7-8, 2004) The Wyndham Bel Age Hotel was the setting as Video Store Magazine hosted its annual conference revolving around the DVD industry. For a 7 year old, DVD sure is growing up fast, as it has arguably grown to become the predominant media platform today. Music, TV, film, experimental artists -- all these players and more have embraced it, and made mega money from it. Yet, ironically, as its growth and success continues (household player penetration is at or near 70 percent -- fitting the 7 theme nicely), the conference was already looking to the future, to the DVD's eventual evolution (Blu-Ray and HD-DVD being the two most talked about successors).
In a world where some tradeshows have struggled, or even gone away (COMDEX and The Western Show are recent casualties), the Home Entertainment Summit seems to be thriving; perhaps it is its focus and goals that set it apart. “This conference is really an extension of our magazine’s mission to be the voice of home entertainment, and functions like a giant think tank,” says Thomas K. Arnold, associate publisher and group editor of Video Store Magazine and the event’s executive producer.
Lucky 7 began with a Pre-Conference Seminar discussing the Direct-Response Industry, which is a large market for DVD, particularly compilations and boxed sets of TV shows (the fine Johnny Carson box being one of this reviewer's favorites -- and, given the success of other compilations like Dean Martin's TV show and roasts, look for more "unearthings" of "lost" or "forgotten" TV gems to appear for your late-night infomercial pleasure). Points discussed: how to harness direct response as a strategy to work side-by-side with retail to optimize overall sales.
Studio and hardware executives, producers, directors, and media then mingled at the cocktail reception, after which all enjoyed the Third Annual DVD Home Entertainment Summit Dinner, which has become one of the most anticipated DVD events of the year. Speakers included Sanford Friedman, head of operations, DreamWorks Home Entertainment, and Video Store Magazine publisher Don Rosenberg.
The next day brought a panel on Next-Generation DVD, with representatives from the Blu-Ray and HD-DVD camps selling the audience with presentations and demonstrations of their technologies. In the BLU-RAY corner: Benjamin Feingold, president, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, and Mike Fidler, senior VP, Blu-Ray Disc Group/Sony Corporation of America. Their case was strong: their next-gen optical disc technology is backed by 11 major consumer electronics firms, and two computer manufacturers. Then came HD-DVD: Warren Lieberfarb, former prez of Warner Home Video and now a top industry consultant, spoke as a rep of Toshiba, which (with NEC) has developed HD-DVD as a competing next-gen opt-disc technology. My prediction, based on current facts and trends: Blu-Ray will likely win out, given the sheer number/strength of their backers. Still, a third alternative may yet emerge that combines the best aspects of both camps. One thing's for sure: the industry will need to pick a "winner" in the next gen race before consumers will hop on board en masse -- one of the key lessons of the past 7 years of DVD history.
Stellar stat man Ralph Tribbey then gave a most interesting take on DVD "by the numbers", looking back at the biz to analyze how things have grown and why. If his entertaining and enlightening talk is any indication, his weekly "DVD Release Report" must be a must read. Results of Video Store Magazine's Innovations contest were also announced, where critics singled out the 7 best special features on DVDs. Awards were given to the 7 producers behind the winning features. I believe games may become one of the hottest of the special features, since combining the growth and size of the game industry with that of DVD seems to be a perfect synergistic marriage (for example, think of how Disney and others cross-market animation films) -- but it may take the next-gen higher-density DVD formats to achieve this vision.
Overall, Lucky 7 was a most interesting, entertaining and enlightening conference, highly recommended for 2005. My prediction for a likely conference name: "Great at Eight!". Based on how DVD is doing so far, great may just be an understatement.
