It Pays to Have Friends on Flickme's Social Movie Service

August 31, 2011

Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. have licensed films to Sequoia Capital-backed flickme, the latest entry into the growing field of movie viewing services with an integrated social element.

Flickme offers streaming movies, in order to supply the latest titles, and rental or purchase of older titles that have less restricted licenses. Members can then use their Facebook log-in to follow people with similar tastes in movies, exchange recommendations, earn badges, share discounts and just generally connect with friends.

In addition to social interaction, one of flickme’s benefits is that recommendations will be highly personalized and made by people with whom the user has a relationship, according to flickme CEO Mitch Galbraith (pictured). This idea is kind of like if that one really knowledgeable employee from the now-closed video store was a personal friend.

“We’ve built a shortcut to find movies you’ll love,” said Galbraith. “We’re assembling a library of thousands of top Hollywood titles and enabling highly personalized recommendations from close friends to ensure every movie you watch on flickme is a winner.”

About a third of flickme’s current catalog – 1,000 titles and growing – also come with a feature that encourages users to invite others to participate; after buying or renting an eligible movie, consumers can share a discount on that same title with up to ten friends via Facebook or Twitter. Regular pricing starts at $2.99, a dollar more for new releases.

“Social networks are already a tremendously important marketing tool, but flickme goes one step further to harness the power of social media for distribution by getting fans engaged in recommending titles after the initial studio marketing campaign,” said John Calkins, executive vice president, Global Digital and Commercial Innovation at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

“Fans sharing discounts with friends is a great way to get groups of people watching the same movie around the same time. This opens the door for social interactions that greatly enrich the digital movie watching experience,” said Thomas Gewecke, president of Warner Bros. Digital Distribution.

Flickme was founded in early 2011, serial entrepreneurs who Flickme was founded in 2011 by Galbraith and Mark Smallcombe, with funding from Sequoia Capital. It is headquartered in San Mateo, Calif. “This is Mitch and Mark’s third start-up where Sequoia Capital has been their partner,” said Michael Moritz, General Partner at Sequoia Capital. “We’re thrilled to be working with them again, especially on a project with such promise.”

'Contagion' Goes Viral with Pandemics

digitalmediawi

August 31, 2011

Taking viral marketing literally, Participant Media today unveiled its social action campaign about real-life pandemics. The educational initiative is tied to the Steven Soderbergh movie Contagion, a thriller which opens Sept. 9. Among the features are an interactive experience, an informative Facebook game, an animated video and more.

The project is the latest demonstration of Participant’s philosophy of raising awareness through popular entertainment. This new campaign is designed to provide a look into the world of pandemics and to share information about the precautions the average person can take to protect themselves and their loved ones.

“We want to provide answers to the kinds of questions audiences will have after seeing the film about what can be done to prepare for an actual global pandemic, and we want to celebrate the work of epidemiologists, the real-life virus hunters who risk their lives to save our lives,” said Liana Schwarz, Participant Media’s senior vice president Social Action & Advocacy.

An original video – created to be shared, um, virally – takes an offbeat look at the science behind viruses and pandemics. It is designed to drive visitors to Participant’s interactive knowledge center, where they will meet five present-day scientists who study the infectious agents that could lead to future pandemics. Other content explains five viral pandemics that changed the world, while quizzes and facts challenge prevalent myths about viruses. In addition, Participant in collaboration with Warner Bros. created a Facebook game that educates as it mimics the way a virus spreads from person to person.

Contagion, from Warner Bros. Pictures, Participant Media and Imagenation Abu Dhabi, was directed by Steven Soderbergh. Its cast includes Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet (pictured), Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Ehle and Sanaa Lathan.

Related Link:

http://www.takepart.com/Contagion
http://contagionmovie.warnerbros.com/

Promotional photo of Kate Winslet courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Row 44 Delivers Live MLB to Airline Passengers

digitalmediawi

August 31, 2011

Flying coast-to-coast takes about five hours non-stop, plenty of time to watch one of the more than 2,400 Major League Baseball games to be streamed live in-flight following a deal between Row 44 Inc. and MLB Advanced Media.

The in-flight broadband entertainment platform provider Row 44 will add the live streaming video and audio Major League Baseball broadcasts to the other services it delivers to passengers’ own smart phones, laptops, tablets and other Wi-Fi enabled devices. Row 44’s flying Wi-Fi hotspot is available on Southwest Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle.

Howard Lefkowitz, Row 44’s chief commercial officer, said the partnership makes MLB the first sports league to offer in-flight live streaming video of its games. “This partnership is the first in a series that underscore Row 44’s commitment to creating a unique broadband entertainment experience for our airline partners and their customers,” he added.

“The integration of live baseball games into Row 44’s in-flight broadband entertainment experience ensures our traveling fans won’t have to miss a pitch,” said Bob Bowman, CEO of Major League Baseball Advanced Media. “Our partnership with Row 44 is reflective of a continued commitment to finding innovative ways to serve the millions of baseball fans seeking to connect with their favorite teams on their own personal devices, no matter where they happen to be.”

MLB Advanced Media is the interactive media and internet company of Major League Baseball. It manages the official league site, www.MLB.com, and each of the 30 individual Club sites

Related Links:

http://www.row44.com

http://www.MLB.com

Photo by flickr user Keith Allison, used under Creative Commons license

'Green Lantern' Will Have an UltraViolet Hue

digitalmediawi

August 31, 2011

UltraViolet, the technology that enables consumers to buy a movie once and play it anywhere, is about to become a reality. Warner Home Entertainment Group confirmed Green Lantern will be the first movie released on DVD and Blu-ray to include the long-awaited UltraViolet when it hits retail on Oct. 14.

It’s not startling news, since Time Warner’s chairman and chief executive Jeffrey Bewkes had said in August that Green Lantern and Horrible Bosses would be the first two UltraViolet DVD releases.

“We believe that this could fundamentally change how people manage and watch their movie collections and it could significantly improve the value proposition of digital ownership,” Bewkes said at the time. “Remember, with UltraViolet, what will happen is, if you go and buy a physical DVD, you will have it in the cloud as you walk out of the store.”

But this will be the first time UltraViolet has been sent out into the real world, where it will be judged by the movie-buying public. The release will mark a second chance for Green Lantern as well, since the Martin Campbell-directed superhero film starring Ryan Reynolds didn’t meet the studio’s expectations at the box office.

All of the Green Lantern DVD and Blu-ray discs packages include UltraViolet, including a combo package containing the 3D edition, the regular Blu-ray edition and a regular DVD copy. The UltraViolet copy is of the 2D theatrical version of the film, without any of the special features, and includes streaming and up to three downloads that will be accessible for a three-year period. Each DVD and Blu-ray package comes with a redemption code that does not expire until October 14, 2013.

The discs come with some standard-type extras, and the Blu-ray packs offer Sony’s PlayStation 3 users an access code to unlock the “Sinestro Corp. Batman Skin” for the game Batman: Arkham City, giving players the ability to fight crime “with the help of the yellow power of fear, giving Batman a unique yellow costume in the story campaign and in the challenge maps,” according to the release notes. PS3 consoles are often used to play Blu-ray discs, making that bonus a logical fit.

Related Links:

http://greenlanternmovie.warnerbros.com

Photo of Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern courtesy of Warner Bros.

Hacktivists Embarrass for Animal Rights

digitalmediawi

August 31, 2011

A discontinued Android game app has been modified with malware, so that anyone who finds and downloads an early version of Dog Wars inadvertently enables their phone to send out messages intended to promote animal rights, without their knowing.

The discovery was first reported by security firm Symantec, which makes it clear that the modified app is not available on legitimate channels like the Android Market or Amazon’s Appstore for Android. Dog Wars was removed from those following a public outcry over it being a game based on dog fighting, and is now traded elsewhere.

Hidden within the app is a Trojan that accesses the phone’s contact list and sends every one of them a text message that reads, “I take pleasure in hurting small animals, just thought you should know that.” In the U.S., the Trojan also sends a text intended to register the phone to receive the text alert service operated by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Semantec’s Irfan Asrar wrote in a post on the company’s blog.

Semantec has christened the Trojan “Android.Dogowar” and said there was no reason to think the malware had anything to do with PETA. Asrar wrote it was more likely the work of unrelated hacktivists, hackers motivated by a specific cause other than by greed, malice or mischief.

There are no clues that would alert a user not to download the infected app. Once installed, the display icon looks almost identical to the legitimate app, except that it says PETA rather than BETA (pictured). The Trojan code is injected as a package called “Dogbiet,” and it triggers a service called “Rabies” that sends out the texts.

Fans to Make Next Beach Boys Music Video

digitalmediawi

August 30, 2011

Fans are being invited to make the music video for an album that was recorded before many of them were born and that has never been released. Everyone knows the songs, even so; hits like Good Vibrations and Heroes and Villains by the Beach Boys have been part of every summer’s soundtrack for over 40 years.

The strange saga of that album, originally to be called Smile, will come to a finale on Nov. 1, when Capitol Records releases a double album set that makes an official version of it finally available. The Smile Sessions will go on sale in several configurations, including a 40-track, two-CD set, a vinyl two-LP edition and an expanded box set with five CDs plus the vinyl double album, two 7-inch singles and a digital copy.

Rather than take a traditional route for such an untraditional album, the Beach Boys and Capitol/EMI have teamed up with Tongal to devise a concept and create the first-ever official music videos for these two classics, using the power of crowdsourcing. In addition to bragging rights, Tongal will be awarding a total of $10,000 and additional prizes, including a custom Hobie longboard signed by the Beach Boys. The project goes live today and is open to fans from all over the world.

“Who better to make the music videos than our fans? Our fans mean everything to us and have supported us for a long time,” said Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys in a statement. “We think this is a special opportunity for us to be able to put the creation of these music videos in the fans’ hands for songs that are so important to us and hopefully to them, as well.”

Related Links:

http://www.tongal.com/smile

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/08/beach-boys-smile-brian-wilson-lost-album.html

Groupon Expands G-Team Philanthropic Service

digitalmediawi

August 30, 2011

Daily deals company Groupon, which has local backing from Chevy Chase-based New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Ted Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Capitals and Wizards, said it has launched its G-Team philanthropic service in 11 new markets, including Baltimore.

The service, which now operates in 50 markets, including D.C., helps local causes carry out specific projects. In Baltimore, for instance, if 50 people donate $10, then the Greater Homewood Community Corporation can repaint the Barclay School’s main office. Groupon launched the service last summer.

This article was also published in Potomac Tech Wire.

Related Links:

http://www.groupon.com/g-team

Will iTunes Match Stream from the Cloud?

digitalmediawi

August 30, 2011

It’s amazing how quickly Apple rumors can spread. Witness the current discussion regarding Apple’s upcoming iTunes Match service and whether or not it streams from the cloud, which started blazing through the blogosphere early this morning.

Apple has released the beta version of iTunes Match to developers, that much is definitely true. Also confirmed is that is costs $24.99 for a 12-month subscription, with early adopter developers getting a bonus of three months free. The service will scan all of the music in a user’s iTunes library, then find those songs in iCloud so the user doesn’t have to personally upload them in order to access them. It will do this even if the song in a personal library was ripped from a CD or acquired from elsewhere, and the version Apple thus makes available plays back at 256 Kbps regardless of the matched song’s quality.

Things got cloudier (iCloudier?) after Insanely Great Mac posted a video that looked as though iTunes Match was streaming music live from iCloud to the user’s device (see video, below). Apple definitively told AllThingsD that the video is unintentionally deceiving, because what it’s actually showing is how quickly the device is downloading and simultaneously playing a song. Whatever users want to hear, in other words, has to be downloaded to the relevant device first, even if it initially was purchased from Apple’s iTunes store.

In the email inviting developers to join the iTunes Match beta (pictured), Apple reinforced the beta nature of the service: “Apple will periodically reset your iCloud library during the beta and it is critical that you backup your music regularly. Some features and optimizations of iTunes Match will not be available during the beta.”

Related Links:

AllThingsD – http://tinyurl.com/3uz5jog

ArsTechnica – http://tinyurl.com/3ogkerb

Insanely Great Mac – http://tinyurl.com/3uo4z5v

LyricFind Embraces BlackBerry PlayBook

digitalmediawi

August 30, 2011

LyricFind is feeling the love for the BlackBerry PlayBook, even if Sprint has decided not to carry the 4G version of Research in Motion’s flagship tablet. The leading provider of legal lyrics services has expanded its popular lyrics app with a version specially designed to take advantage of the PlayBook’s screen and capabilities.

As with its existing Apple iOS and Android apps, LyricFind gives PlayBook users access to the lyrics of more than 1.5 million songs, representing over 40,000 artists and 200,000 albums, which the company reports is the largest legal collection available. Songs are searchable by artist, title, the lyrics themselves and other criteria, and a bookmark option makes content readable offline.

Users can also access artist images and bios, discographies, album art and popularity charts. The PlayBook version presents this information in a split-screen interface, with the selected content on the right (as pictured) and navigation with recommendations on the right.

“We are excited to be the first to bring a high quality, legal lyrics application to the PlayBook”, said Darryl Ballantyne, LyricFind’s CEO. “The PlayBook is a top-notch device with an excellent media experience, and enjoying lyrics alongside your music is a key component to a complete music experience.”

LyricFind has licenses in place withall major publishers (EMI, Warner-Chappell, Universal/BMG, and Sony/ATV), as well as thousands of independent publishers. LyricFind’s database also powers services such as Microsoft’s Bing, Lyrics.com, Slacker, Shazam, LyricsMode, Universal Music Group and others.

As for that Sprint situation, RIM is not discouraged. Sprint bases its 4G services on WiMax, and “RIM has decided to prioritize and focus its 4G development resources on LTE,” the company said in a statement.

Related Links:

http://www.lyricfind.com

CNET – http://tinyurl.com/3zsb287

DreamWorks Ani Agrees to Stream 'KungFu Panda' in China

digitalmediawi

August 30, 2011

DreamWorks Animation SKG has signed an agreement with Youku.com Inc. that will make both Kung Fu Panda movies available through an online platform in China. This is first time DreamWorks Animation has authorized streaming distribution for its films in that country.

The Internet television company will make both movies available for on-demand viewing on Youku Premium, then will move them to Youku’s Hollywood Movie Channel after the paid viewing window closes.

Kung Fu Panda has enjoyed considerable success in China already, with the first title becoming the number one animated film of 2008 and the second breaking the record for the fastest film in history to surpass RMB 100 million (about 15.7 million) at the box office – in just two days.

Kung Fu Panda 2 recently reached $637.6 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman – Jennifer Yuh Nelson, for whom this was her directorial debut. The movie is also among the top five box-office hits of all time in China, at $91.5 million.

“Youku is an innovative company with extraordinary reach in China and we are thrilled that the Kung Fu Panda features will now be offered through their platform, which presents high-quality content to consumers online,” said Kelley Avery, head of Worldwide Franchise Strategy and Distribution for DreamWorks Animation. “It is particularly satisfying that Chinese audiences have responded so enthusiastically to the cultural references within our franchise and we look forward to making both Kung Fu Panda movies available to more and more consumers in China through Youku.”

Warner Bros. became the first Hollywood studio to reach an agreement with Youku two months ago, authorizing 450 of it movies for the streaming service. Among them are the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings franchises.

To compete against the piracy that remains rampant in China, Youku prices its content at less than $1.50, making it less expensive to watch the legitimate service than it is to purchase a bootlegged DVD. According to the Motley Fool, all but $1.2 million of Youku’s revenue this past quarter came from display advertising rather than sales of premium video, making it important for Youku to offer top quality movies in order to grow.

“We’re excited to add both of DreamWorks Animation’s KungFu Panda movies to our online channels,” said Victor Koo, chairman and CEO of Youku. “As technology matures and Chinese internet users increasingly turn to the web for entertainment, Youku has been able to expand on the traditional movie release roadmap through agreements for studio films such as Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2. Both titles have a proven track record of success with Chinese audiences, and we look forward to expanding our alignment with Hollywood studios in the future to offer even more compelling content.”

Related Links:

http://www.youku.com

http://www.kungfupanda.com

Motley Fool – http://tinyurl.com/3p33p8g

Los Angeles Times – http://tinyurl.com/3lrfalz