[modfilms-general] SANCTUARY NEWSLETTER > JANUARY 6 > 2006

[michela at thequality.com]

HAPPY NEW YEAR
Our most excellent community editor is still offline spinning tunes in
Serbia so here goes my better-late-than never effort...

WIRED
Chuffed with the feedback we've been getting from Wired readers. It wasn't
a huge piece but there has been positive feedback via the site everyday
since it hit the stands. Quite a few letters from teachers wanting to get
hold of the assets for their classes and people signing up for re-mixing
access.  
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.01/play_pr.html

DONATIONS
We've received a couple of donations this week via the site MAKE A DONATION
feature. Spread the word. Every bit helps.
http://modfilms.com/sanctuary

BIG MEDIA PREDICTION
Thanks to Stu for this soundbite from an industry commentator's blog.
Sounds about right!

"Someone, and I do not know who, will make a big pile of Big Media video
assets freely available on the web - and not via Google Video. This will be
a major studio, or television company, which will realize that once you
free content, content will come back to you in mashed up and remixed glory
that has - holy smokes! - real business models like advertising and retail
attached. The deal will be simple: anyone can download, rip, and mix this
video, but if you plan to make money from it - even selling ads next to it
- you have to cut a deal with the mother ship. The company that does this
will be heralded as either visionary, lunatic, or both."
http://battellemedia.com/archives/002149.php

DISNEY AND ITUNES
The Mouse House has expanded its offerings on iTunes dramatically in what
Variety predicts will be a familiar refrain this year. The offerings mainly
consist of TV content but two feature films from the 1930s, Three Little
Pigs and The Tortoise and The Hare are also being released.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117935433?categoryid=1009&cs=1

ALTERNATIVE ENDING DVDS
Are we scrounging around for scraps or producing interactivity? You decide.
Universal Studios Home Entertainment recently surveyed consumers and found
alternate endings are their favorite bonus features. The tip of the iceberg
when you consider what the RIG is capable of downloading.
http://thequality.com/massive/weblog/archives/002355.html#002355

XBOX LIVE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Wall Street Journal article looks at the strategy behind XBox Live and
outlines the challenge in convincing anyone other than hardcore games to
gather to play online. The article suggests that Microsoft may have got it
wrong with their huge investment and missed the point when it comes to why
many play games - to escape from social interaction, not to seek it. 
http://thequality.com/massive/weblog/archives/002353.html#002353

In related news, moderations issues aplenty as Xbox Live user gets accused
of child molestation.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?sssdmh=dm4.162527&story=7689

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"It's a search engine that's not afraid of filth!" - launch of BBC
Bodysearch for Teens


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