Sony’s Music Concerts in Digital Cinema Theaters

Sony Electronics is launching the first in a series of digital cinema music concerts, as part of the ongoing alternative content initiative by its Digital Cinema Solutions and Services group. The first event premieres in select U.S. theaters October 22 and features Third Eye Blind, recorded live on August 20.

The “Club Dates” series from Sony is being booked and managed in collaboration with Media Push Entertainment LLC.

Attendees to this “one night only” event will see the multi-platinum band perform its biggest hits as well as songs from their newest release “Ursa Major,” in an exclusive “club” setting.

Of late, Sony joined forces with movie theaters to create a series of multi-player gaming events. The idea is to highlight the potential of “alternative content” as an additional revenue source for exhibitors during non-peak times. (Read: Sony Brings Gaming To Digital Cinema Theaters)

“We usually play much larger venues, so this is a special experience in front of an intimate audience,” said Stephan Jenkins, lead singer of Third Eye Blind.

Released in August 2009, “Ursa Major” debuted at #3 on Billboard’s Top 200 and was the #1 Independent Album and #1 Digital Album, says Sony.

The program will also be available later this year as a video-on-demand selection, for a 30-day period, exclusively on Sony’s BRAVIA Internet Video platform for networked Blu-ray Disc players (N460) and BRAVIA televisions (XBR9, XBR10, Z5100 and W5100 series).

Shot in high definition with 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound, according to Sony, the “Club Dates” series presents exhibitors and music fans with a high-quality HD, cinematic, surround sound experience in a “club environment.”

Select theaters will show the concert using Sony’s 4K digital cinema projectors.

The event will be promoted through different outlets, including social networking sites that Third Eye Blind fans use to find out about new releases, concert performances, and other band information.

Adam Lambert Performs ‘Time for Miracles’

Adam Lambert, the “American Idol” star, performs “Time for Miracles,” the theme song from Columbia Pictures’ 2012, the new action film from Roland Emmerich. Viewers could catch a tease of the song at AOL Moviefone, where a music teaser with footage from the film and Lambert recording the song premiered Monday. 

Lambert said, “‘Time for Miracles’ is a great song and perfectly fits the themes of the movie. I was thrilled to record this song for 2012 and I’m glad I had the chance to help create a unique sound for this movie.”

2012 will be released in theaters on November 13, 2009.

The song was produced by Rob Cavallo and written by Natasha Shneider and Alain Johannes Moschulski. The song was mixed by Chris Lord-Alge and will be included on the 2012 soundtrack distributed by RCA Records, due in stores November 10.                                        

2012 is an epic adventure about a global cataclysm that brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors. The film is directed by Roland Emmerich and written by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser. Producers are Harald Kloser, Mark Gordon, and Larry Franco.

Adam Lambert rose to fame during the eighth season of “American Idol,” in which he was the runner-up.

FLO TV Unveils Digital Handheld Television

FLO TV Incorporated, a provider of FLO TV live mobile TV service and a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm, has introduced FLO TV Personal Television.

The idea is to let consumers watch their favorite news, live sports, children’s programming, and entertainment on a dedicated device for mobile TV viewing. The FLO TV Personal Television will be available for purchase this holiday season at leading retailers in the U.S.

The device, says the company, receives live and time-shifted content over the FLO TV dedicated multicast network with no buffering, downloading, or waiting to view content. With the swipe of a finger, consumers can channel surf through the FLO TV service’s extensive programming lineup.

FLO TV Personal Television subscription service starts at $8.99 per month and the device will be offered at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $249.99.

The device has a 3.5-inch diagonal screen and measures 4.4 inches by 3 inches by .5 inches and weighs about 5 ounces. Its battery supports over 5 hours of active FLO TV viewing or 300 hours standby.

The product utilizes a capacitive touch-screen for navigation. It also includes features to enhance the TV experience, including a built-in stand allowing the device to be positioned upright on flat surface, built-in stereo speakers making it easy to watch TV with others, and the ability for users to set reminders for their favorite programming.

FLO TV quotes market research firm TeleAnalytics to reveal that the broadcast mobile TV market is expected to reach $2.8 billion and will serve 50 million users in North America by 2013.

Photo courtesy: FLO TV

Sony Brings Gaming To Digital Cinema Theaters

Sony is joining forces with movie theaters to create a series of multi-player gaming events. The idea is to highlight the potential of “alternative content” as an additional revenue source for exhibitors during non-peak times.

To support the release of the PlayStation3 title UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves, Sony Computer Entertainment of America and Sony Digital Cinema Solutions and Services are producing four exclusive “sneak peek” events.

Attendees will have the chance to play UNCHARTED 2 on the big screen, powered by Sony Electronics 4K digital cinema technology, which provides image resolution four times greater than high-definition consumer televisions, the company claims.

The “sneak peek” events will take place on October 5 and 6, 6-11 p.m., at the following theaters:

• Landmark Embarcadero, San Francisco, Calif.
• Muvico Theaters, Rosemont, Ill.
• Muvico Theaters, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
• Lincoln Square Cinemas, Bellevue, Wash. 

“Sony 4K digital cinema technology delivers an enhanced viewing experience unlike anything seen in theaters before,” said Mike Fidler, senior vice president of Sony Electronics’ Digital Cinema Solutions and Services Group. 

“But it also offers exhibitors additional programming options from alternative content such as gaming events, simulcasts, pre-recorded concerts, and sporting events, to maximize a movie theater’s profitability and fill auditoriums during non-peak times.”

As the move to digital cinema continues, Sony says exhibitors across the United States are increasing their menu of services and amenities to elevate the theater-going experience, turning theaters into “digital entertainment destinations.”

Netflix to Stream ‘The Wizard of Oz’

Netflix, a leading online movie rental service, says it’ll invite America to a free and commercially uninterrupted online screening of the newly restored 1939 classic, “The Wizard of Oz,” on Saturday, October 3, 2009.

The film, celebrating its 70th anniversary this year and reissued earlier this month by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, can be instantly streamed for free for 24 hours, from 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, October 3 to 9:00 a.m. Eastern the following day, by visiting www.netflix.com/wizardofoz.

Recently, Netflix signed an agreement with Disney-ABC Television Group to stream ABC’s popular TV series from Netflix. The agreement will add top broadcast properties to its library of over 12,000 movies and TV episodes. (Read: Netflix to Stream Disney-ABC TV Content)

In April, Netflix had announced that it has delivered the two billionth movie since the company’s subscription service was launched in late 1999. (Read: Netflix Delivered 2 Billion Movies)

It says while anyone in America can instantly watch “The Wizard of Oz” online on a computer on October 3, Netflix members on an unlimited plan will be able to instantly watch “The Wizard of Oz” in hi-definition on their TVs via a range of Netflix ready devices. 

The devices include Netflix ready Blu-ray disc players and new Internet TVs from LG Electronics; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung; the Roku digital video player; Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game console; and TiVo digital video recorders.

Fame Comes with LG Mobile Phones

LG Mobile Phones partnered with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and Lakeshore Entertainment to create a multi-faceted marketing campaign to promote the film, FAME, which premiered in Los Angeles. The film follows the lives of several aspiring dancers, actors, singers, and artists as they reach for their dreams. Watch the video.

As presenting sponsor of the Los Angeles premiere and pre-premiere concert, LG Mobile Phones created “LGFameUs” experience for the cast members and attendees. The premiere experience complemented an online micro-site the company created to promote the film. 

For the premiere, LG created a video “set” — complete with a New York City Street scene — so FAME fans could step into the spotlight to perform their rendition of the iconic theme song for the chance to win prizes.

FAME cast members Naturi Naughton and Collins Pennie and premiere-attendees Ashley Tisdale and Mario Lopez stopped by the LGFameUs set to show off their moves and hit the right notes. 

Through its partnership with MGM, LG launched www.lgfameus.com, a movie-themed micro site which includes an online talent promotion. The online talent contest allows aspiring artists to submit videos of their performance of the FAME theme song for a chance to win a grand prize of $50,000. 

The contest runs through October 5th and the winner will be announced on October 12th. Visitors to the site are encouraged to vote for their favorite videos giving them a chance to win a mobile phone daily or home entertainment theatre upon conclusion of the promotion.

For each vote, LG will make a donation to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation through its on-going partnership with the organization. The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of education in America’s public schools.

It’s a reinvention of the original Oscar-winning film, FAME.

Meet the World’s Tallest Dude

London welcomed a unique visitor as the world’s newly crowned tallest man, Turkish Sultan Kösen (26) who stands a staggering 8 ft 1 in (246.5 cm), toured the city in celebration of the launch of Guinness World Records 2010 edition (published 17th of September).

Kösen also has the world’s ‘largest hands’ and ‘largest feet’ measuring 27.5 cm and 36.5 cm, respectively, making him a triple record holder. Kösen is also the first person in more than a decade to officially measure over 8 ft in height.

He takes the record title from China’s Bao Xi Shun (7 ft 8.95 in), after Ukrainian Leonid Stadnyk’s (8 ft 5.5 in) claim to the title was discredited in 2008 when he refused to be independently measured.

This week’s visit to the UK capital marks Kösen’s first-ever trip outside of his native Turkey, where he lives with his parents, three brothers, and sister, who are all normal sized. Because of his extreme height he was never able to finish school but works occasionally as a farmer to support his family.

He describes the advantages of being tall as seeing from great distance, being able to help out his mum out with domestic jobs such as changing light bulbs and hanging curtains. Disadvantages, he lists as not being able to find clothes or shoes that fit or finding it extremely hard to fit into a regular size car.

Sultan enjoys such things as listening to music, playing computer games, and watching movies. When asked what his hopes are after being officially given the title he said: “To travel and see the world and have a car that accommodates my size! My biggest dream though, is to get married and have children – I’m looking for love.”
 
Guinness World Records released this information Wednesday, Sept. 16.

Yellow Submarine to Resurface

The Walt Disney Studios has made a deal with Apple Corps Ltd. to develop a new 3D performance capture adaptation of the 1968 animated film “Yellow Submarine” to be written and directed by Robert Zemeckis. It was announced by Dick Cook, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios.

The film will be created by ImageMovers Digital, Disney’s performance capture animation studio operated in conjunction with Zemeckis and his partners, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey, who will serve as producers on the project.

For the new voyage to Pepperland, Zemeckis will incorporate the 16 Beatles songs and recordings from the original motion picture licensed from Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC and EMI-Capitol Records, respectively.

The songs include “All Together Now,” “All You Need Is Love,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “With A Little Help From My Friends.”

The original motion picture (released in the U.S. on November 13, 1968) based on the music of The Beatles was directed by George Dunning and featured the art direction and design of Heinz Edelmann.

The movie is set in Pepperland, an undersea paradise inhabited by music lovers who live in peace and harmony and are protected by Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. That is… until they are threatened by the music hating Blue Meanies. It’s up to John, Paul, George, and Ringo to set off on a magical adventure in their yellow submarine and bring music and harmony back to Pepperland.

Headweb Offers Warner Bros. Movies

Headweb has entered into collaboration with Warner Bros. The latter’s movie library will now be available to users through the online movie service Headweb.

The films are available on the website and the users can watch Headweb’s movies using on-demand streaming in a standard web browser or via software that can be downloaded from http://www.headweb.com.

Headweb users can watch trailers and free previews of the 1,500 movies currently featured in the film library.
 
Headweb says new movies become available on the service, at the same time of the release of the movie on DVD and Blu-ray.

Headweb is a movie service that offers its users on-demand streaming and downloading of movies legally.

Playboy TV Searching for Models

Playboy TV is conducting a contestant search for its reality series, Playboy Shootout. The new series, hosted by The Celebrity Apprentice 2 contender and 2001 Playmate of the Year Brande Roderick, is looking for 10 beautiful models and 10 photographers to compete for the chance to shoot at Playboy’s Studio West.

The nine-episode series will pit model/photographer pairs against one another with the winning duo featured in an upcoming issue of the magazine. Filming is set to begin in fall 2009, with the series premiering in spring 2010, says Playboy TV.

Both competing photographers and models will receive guidance from Playboy senior contributing photographers Arny Freytag and Stephen Wayda.

How to apply: Interested models and photographers can visit www.playboy.com/shootout for more information and to submit their non-nude photos and resume.

Submissions can also be sent directly to shootout@playboy.com. E-mail submissions must include applicant’s name, e-mail address, and phone number.

Applicants must be 18 or older to apply. Subject lines should read PLAYBOY MODEL or PLAYBOY PHOTOGRAPHER. All submissions must be received by Monday, September 14, 2009.