LEGALLY Watching New Movies May Get Cheaper
Recently, we reported on the “Netflix For Ballers,” known as the Prima Cinema. The Prima Cinema offers new movies for streaming in users’ homes, the same day as they drop in theaters. It is highly unlikely that your homeboy down the street will have one, not only because of its hefty $35,000 price tag:
The Prima Cinema is really for those with deep pockets, because to actually watch the film, one has to pay an extra $500 for each one; $600 for 3D features. Should you have a rich friend who can afford this, don’t expect to just be able to just get their password and use their Prima Cinema. Owners must register their fingerprints, then swipe a device for every rental. Furthermore, it is a requirement for Prima Cinema users to own a “professionally-installed home theater” in order to use it.
However, it looks like there is a new kid on the block, looking to move in on Prima Cinema’s territory with a cheaper product. This new venture is called the Screening Room, and looks to offer same-day new movie releases for considerably less. One of Screening Room’s founders is Sean Parker, who previously shook up the music game with Napster and the world with his involvement with Facebook. Backers also include world-renowned directors Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, J.J. Abrams, Brian Grazer, and Ron Howard, who have invested their ow money and claim ownership stakes.
Screening Separates itself from Prima Cinema by offering its anti-piracy transmitter for $150 compared to 35 racks. Movies, which can be viewed in a 48 hour window, can be purchased for $50, compared to Prima Cinema’s $500-$600. In an effort to break bread with movie theaters that will be affected, Screening Room will pay chains a percentage of its revenue (which will be about $20 per film) and Screening Room custies will be blessed with two tickets to see the films in theaters.
$150 for the box isn’t bad, but $50 for a movie you can only see for two days is still for those who are more well-off than the common man. It’ll still be hard to compete with an underground market that offers cheap DVDs or jailbroken Amazon Fire Sticks with every movie imaginable for around $100 a pop.
Either way, Prima Cinema can breathe easy,for now, because Screening Room still has no launch date set, as of yet.
