Amazon Offering 7 Day Rentals for Indie VOD

Some Indie studio favorites such as Criterion Collection, Docurama, Magnolia Pictures, Strand Releasing, and Virgil Films are among the studios offering films with 7 day rental periods instead of Amazon’s typical rental. The details:

While Walt Disney Studios, Warner Home Video and Lionsgate have begun extending the viewing window for video-on-demand rentals through Comcast this summer, a number of indie suppliers have gone even further with Amazon Video On Demand.Criterion Collection, Docurama, Magnolia Pictures, Strand Releasing, Virgil Films and Entertainment and Zeitgeist Films are among those offering VOD rentals on Amazon with a seven-day viewing period. Films available include new releases such as Criterion’s Grey Gardens, Virgil’s Super Size Me and Magnolia’s Man on Wire.

First Look, meanwhile, is offering rentals with a three-day viewing period on Amazon.

Major studios and even indie suppliers have traditionally stuck to a 24-hour viewing period on VOD rentals. For downloads and streams, that means consumers have 24 hours to watch the film once they click play before the content is no longer viewable.

That’s longer than a lot of DVD rental places, so consider that next time you’re in the mood to rent a flick. No driving required, unelss you’re out of popcorn of course. Thanks VidBiz.

Terminator Online Series Launches Today

In tandem with the new “Terminator Salvation” film hitting theaters and the video game hitting retail shelves, Warner has dialed into SkyNet for a six part series called “Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series” (trailer). Each episode will set you back $2.99 for High-Def and $1.99 for standard. You can get a pass for all six episodes for $14.99 HD and $9.99 SD as well. They’re available on iTunes, Amazon VOD, Xbox Live, and the Playstation Network. Here’s the Cyberdyne Systems brief:

Warner is touting the online Terminator series as the first full-length, studio-produced project created in the ‘Machinima’ style, in which the story unfolds in real-time computer animation generated from videogames. In the case of Terminator: Machinima, the plot utilizes the technology engine of theTerminator Salvation: The Video Game, which streets today.

The online series acts as a prequel to the new theatrical film, following Blair Williams’ involvement withJohn Connor’s resistance unit two and a half years before the movie starts. Terminator: Machinima is produced in association with Terminator Salvation director McG and also involves Halcyon Games.

No word on if it is any good or not, but it is interesting to see Warner giving it a go. Thanks to VidBiz.

Amazon Debuts “The Girlfriend Experience” Pre-Theatrical Release

If you missed the post about the film debuting on HDNet On Demand, Amazon is currently offering a $9.99 rental for “The Girlfriend Experience” before the film hits theaters on May 22nd. The Rated-R film about a high class escort is from director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s 11, Traffic) and is continuing Magnolia’s strategy of simultaneous (in this case, pre-emptive) VOD and theatrical releases. The blurb:

Sasha Grey stars as a high-priced… companion in Steven Soderbergh’s new film The Girlfriend Experience (Theatrical Rental). It won’t be in theaters until May 22, but you can rent it right now, only at Amazon Video On Demand.

Check it out for yourself The Girlfriend Experience (Theatrical Rental).

Image Drops “Caves” – Free Film Available Digitally

In celebration of Earth Day, Image Entertainment has made the “Journey Into Amazing Caves” documentary film free on iTunes, Amazon VOD, and Blockbuster On Demand. First, a little background on the film:

Meet Dr. Hazel Barton and Nancy Aulenbach. These women are compelled to push their limits in hostile environments. They are cavers who risk fatal danger for the thrill of discovery. Barton and Aulenbach are extreme athletes and extreme scientists – scientists who gather their data in treacherous places where few dare to follow. In Journey Into Amazing Caves they travel to caves in Arizona, Greenland and Mexico searching for discoveries that may lead to cures for human disease.

The word from Image:

Journey Into Amazing Caves “reminds us that the planet is more than a solid sphere, where all life is stuck onto an impregnable surface,” director Steve Judson said. “The planet is a magnificently three-dimensional system, and although we rarely glimpse this extra dimension, knowing it’s there changes our thinking and enriches our world view. Journey Into Amazing Caves gives us one of those rare glimpses.”

Mitch Mallon, VP of digital sales of Image division Egami Media, added, “This is a great opportunity for Image to share the environmental benefits that digital distribution has to offer.”

Free films can never be a bad thing. Credit to VidBiz.

Blu-ray Players with Amazon Video On Demand Hitting Stores

The first line of upgraded Blu-ray players from the houses of Panasonic and Samsung are coming packed with a new feature: wireless steaming capabilities for Amazon’s Video On Demand service. The new players will sport the functionality in June, no firmware updates required. Dig it:

Panasonic and Samsung are among manufacturers hoping their players now hitting stores will capture consumer attention with their stepped-up capabilities. Panasonic’s $299 DMP-BD60 and $399 DMP-BD80 will stream Amazon content this June, with no firmware updates required. The company also is selling the industry’s first dual VHS and Blu-ray player, the $399 DMP-BD70.  Plus, Samsung’s $299 BD-P1600 introduces wireless Web access for a set-top.

Despite the advance in tech, the manufacturers (and retailers) are still feeling the pain of the weak economy. Many of them don’t believe the advent of new features will be enough to stir up shopping activity. In fact, many analysts are calling for price drops on Blu-ray players to entice new HDTV owners to jump into the large capacity disc format.

For more info, check out the full article over at VidBiz.