MACMILLAN DVD, Blu-ray and Beyond: Navigating Formats and Platforms within Media Consumption

This book demonstrates, in contrast to statistics that show declining consumption of physical formats, that there has not been a mass shift towards purely digital media. Physical releases such as special editions, DVD box-sets and Blu-Rays are frequently promoted and sought out by consumers. And that past formats such as VHS, Laserdisc and HD-DVD make for sought-after collectible items. These trends are also found within particular genres and niche categories, such as documentary, education and independent film distribution. Through its case studies, this collection makes a distinctive and significant intervention in highlighting the ways in which the film industry has responded to rapidly changing markets. This volume, global in scope, will prove useful to those studying the distribution and exhibition of films, and the economics of the film industry around the world. Review "The volume makes a great addition to the important investigation that reveals how the medium that carries the film to the consumer plays as important a role as the aesthetic features of the film text." (Dina Iordanova FRSA, Professor of Global Cinema and Creative Cultures, University of St Andrews, Scotland) "As the digital distribution revolution rolls on, it is easy to overlook the importance of optical disc formats and the role they have played -- and continue to play -- in media distribution. This thought-provoking collection provides a timely exploration of the cultural and industrial legacies of the DVD, and the ongoing interplay between physical and digital media formats. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the past, present, and future of home entertainment." (Ramon Lobato, RMIT University, author of Shadow Economies of Cinema) From the Back Cover This book demonstrates, in contrast to statistics that show declining consumption of physical formats, that there has not been a mass shift towards purely digital media. Physical releases such as special editions, DVD box-sets and Blu-Rays are frequently promoted and sought out by consumers. And that past formats such as VHS, Laserdisc and HD-DVD make for sought-after collectible items. These trends are also found within particular genres and niche categories, such as documentary, education and independent film distribution. Through its case studies, this collection makes a distinctive and significant intervention in highlighting the ways in which the film industry has responded to rapidly changing markets. This volume, global in scope, will prove useful to those studying the distribution and exhibition of films, and the economics of the film industry around the world. About the Author Jonathan Wroot is a Lecturer at the University of Greenwich, UK. He teaches classes within film and media studies. His previous research concerns the distribution and marketing of Japanese cinema and he has published numerous journal articles on the topic in Arts and The Market, The East Asian Journal of Popular Culture, Frames, and Participations. Andy Willis is a Reader in Film Studies at the University of Salford, UK, and Senior Visiting Curator for Film at HOME, Manchester, UK. He is a co-author of The Cinema of Alex de la Iglesia (2007), and the editor of Film Stars: Hollywood and Beyond (2004). He is also the co-editor of Defining Cult Movies (2003), Spanish Popular Cinema (2004), East Asian Film Stars (2014), and Chinese Cinemas: International Perspectives (2016).