The gap between UK & The World for theatrical releases such as Code Geass Discussion

I always took sword the stranger as an exception due to it getting prior release mybe I was wrong. But I know they have said new films will always get a standard why a film they didn’t put in cinemas would be the exception it makes no sense especially as it’s got **** reviews why would most people buy this. I don’t get this decision at all. I don’t get why they scrapped from cinemas after they promised as we got the average Geass recap

I'll happily enlighten folks on the process here!

Re release format - If we do a title theatrically in multiple chains we tend to do all three types of homevideo at once is the rule (Standards + LE). The logic is basically as the theatrical audience converts to a somewhat wider buying audience for homevideo somewhat depending on the run (A Silent Voice is way bigger as an audience now than say The Night is Short for example - although I love both). The point being it becomes something not just anime fans are looking for usually, or more anime fans than most.

If it hasn't had main theatrical we tend to follow the LE BD/DVD, DVD standard on Day 1 then 6 months later a standard BD version. This sounds rough but statistically based on our sales to date the core Anime Ltd audience without theatrical awareness is way more likely to go for a Collector's even if a standard is available so that's why it happens. We totally don't want to deprive people who want the standard too and based on usual sales patterns it make sense to introduce a standard around the six month point from original release.

So in short - if it does well or there is a wider market out there all three makes sense, if it isn't then the standard LE + STD DVD then +6 months BD works commercially. Totally aware this model can leave a few people stuck among the gears if you're not keen on the title - which is why we aim for our early bird to be as convincing a price as possible :)!

That's why in this kind of scenario our EB deal often matches that of the standard edition BD's SRP so at most you're paying £4-5 than you would if you bought the Blu-Ray standard on launch from Amazon if you buy it immediately via the EB deal (keep eyes peeled in next two weeks for that).

Cinema release for Geass Film 1 - Code Geass has a completely new theatrical sequel afterwards that I am super stoked for too so it made sense to switch it into the theatrical slot we had to jog people's memory and test how engaged people still were with the universe (the answer was interestingly quite a bit by the by). Not a confirmation we have it, but a really big want for us.

Film 2 & 3 didn't make sense as Madman wasn't doing them too so advancing subtitling cost & switching subtitling studio seemed a bit rough. Given the fast rate of piracy after Japanese homevideo too it seemed likely the majority who would help a release like this would also not come out which is why the focus on the first for theatrical for now.

So given we had other films this year to focus on for us including Maquia and Mirai as well as the summer holiday period where we'd be up against a lot of blockbusters - we opted to stay clear of theatrical on them for now :).

I dont because they promised and also where are the Geass films II and III?
I doubt we will R3. But who cares SLA gets them all cos Scotland is the best. I am being forced as the only way to legally see this not good reviewed is a CE and people dont get problem? I dont get how this is defended.

Regarding R3 - Why on earth would you be doubting you get R3...?

Why did we pull Eureka Seven Hi-Evolution Film 1 from cinemas: It became very clear from Scotland Loves Anime the real strength of the film is the introduction showing the Summer of Love - an experience that is 30 mins long and the rest of the film by it's very nature is driven by play forwards and backwards that lend to a greater control of the experience than a linear cinema play through (aka it is good to have a remote to hand).

Would you really want us to release a film theatrically to satisfy the few, but leave the majority of hardcore fans that would go dissatisfied when they could have enjoyed the experience on Blu-Ray or DVD with more control over how they view the film ? All that would happen is we make a loss theatrically and also detract from people who would get an even better experience buying the home video version of the film down the line? In that scenario why not an LE? At current cinema prices, an Early Bird does not cost much more nowadays and you get a lot more as a fan of Eureka Seven out of it.

Re SLA getting them: It's perfectly natural to look for festival screenings whether we do main theatrical or not and performance there does help us work out what the approach should be at times. I take it as a strange complement when you comment on SLA / Scotland like that too as there was a day not so long ago where the public perception was that for London and anime.

At SLA, we've worked hard over the last nine years to be a go-to venue for watching anime in the UK. It's an amazing city and I'd strongly recommend a trip if just to see the city as well as catch a few of the hottest anime films (this year's line-up is one I am very happy with I have to say).

Re Scotland being great for anime: It's true that over the last nine years we've worked really hard to develop SLA - but we also work hard beyond that. Every year we spread that love around across the UK for festival runs at other UK events to ensure as many people get the best content possible post or pre SLA too in every part of Ireland and the UK.

In Ireland, you can catch some cool films and sometimes guests across the country at The Japanese Film Festival (Dublin being my preferred haunt). Hop over down to England and we work closely with Leeds Film Festival right after SLA. Meanwhile, if you're in Wales we work closely to help Kotatsu Film Festival programme their line-up around SLA time too so there's often a chance to see the niche films there! Northern Ireland is probably the one we underserve right now but try to ensure The Japan Foundation Touring Programme annually covers there with at least one anime film.

I can't physically cater to every town or district in a festival context - but I can say I provide the each country the chance to enjoy anime that may not go mainstream.

Also Andrew jokes about his CE. Why he has he made one I dont get why is there a CE?

I can see why my joke could be seen as a sign I do not like my release but by the by I'm actually really pleased with it. I'm just very aware of fan opinion when leaving SLA screenings over the narrative structure of the film (which I totally understand and is what helped inform a focus on non-linear possibilities for the film like that can only really be enjoyed on homevideo).

So why did I make one? Because I love Eureka Seven and it'd be a crime with the assets I had to not make one. It's a beautiful edition that we're able to sell on Early Bird for about the same SRP as a standard Blu-Ray but you get so much more out of it :).

Hope this clarifies :),

Andrew
 
Hahahaha SLA was not cheap I live miles away and 2017s line up was crap imo. And this year if it was good they dont give you enough time to plan oh yeah im gonna go spent hundreds of pounds on films I dont know if I want to see.

Its cheaper for me to buy Liz's Dec BD than pray to the gods AL gets it.

As a film festival director - this is 99% of my day to day life before and after we launch our line up xD.

Our line up will never be perfect for everyone, we just do the best we can to deliver a good line-up annually to people :). Sometime's it is a leap of faith if you're travelling further afield but a festival is meant to be more than just a solo film you want to see, it's meant to be a chance to broaden your horizons and see things you'd never normally see on the big screen too (at least for me that's how I see festivals).

The other benefit of a film festival over many music festivals is the venues are usually dead centre with some beautiful cities. I wholly encourage taking some time to either meet up with forum-goers, make new friends or just explore the city solo. There's so much to do in the cities whatever your interests are and that's the benefit of a trip like that.

Re line-up for 2018, we'll be announcing our line-up on the 29th of August (should be for both cities unless something goes wrong) but that's because we chase the best possible films to the last minute. That leaves 42 days to the festival when travel is still affordable and hotels are still available so if you do really want to go. Depending on where you live, it's not bargain basement prices but it's no more than going on a cheap weekend to Paris inc tickets for the festival (for the authentic comparison, our local lingo is about as understandable as Parisian French if you join us in Glasgow too :D :D :D).

If it's cheaper for you to buy Liz's BD in December and you'll get the same enjoyment as a film festival solo for you though, that's totally fine too! Film festivals aren't for everyone - but they are really worth trying :).

Best,

AP
 
Just to actually try drag this back on topic, the Hi Evolution set looks bloody lovely, absolutely love how clean it looks. It is a shame the movie itself isn't all that good (or so I hear, haven't seen it myself), my worry is due to the first bombing we wouldn't get the rest of the movies which makes me very reluctant to buy. It also came out of nowhere for me too, I had no idea it was coming out so soon.

I like this kind of surprise and reaction :D! We'll definitely do the others and need to think on how to do film 2 & 3 theatrically (really depends on what they're like in the end - will be checking them out as soon as I can though!) We'll not break format though and stop doing LE's or such, really was happy with what material we got on the first one which bodes well for the other two...

Best,

AP
 
You do ending of the third Geass film is different you cant show the the new film without the "New canon" thats why im worried

Sure am aware, but we can still release it on homevideo before R3. It doesn't necessitate a theatrical release to ensure people know. I would also hope given R3 has a wider appeal than a compilation film that they do a good job at the start of priming people going in of the difference :).

Best,

AP
 
I highly doubt funimation will have dubbed the 3 films and released them before R3. I also doubt you'll release the films without a dub.

I don't think we're getting to legally watch the films before R3 lands
 
I highly doubt funimation will have dubbed the 3 films and released them before R3. I also doubt you'll release the films without a dub.

I don't think we're getting to legally watch the films before R3 lands

Doubt away :). Doesn't change my plans one way or another though!

AP
 
Given the fast rate of piracy after Japanese homevideo too it seemed likely the majority who would help a release like this would also not come out which is why the focus on the first for theatrical for now.
this year's line-up is one I am very happy with I have to say

I am purposefully holding out until the SLA Edinburgh line-up is announced before I touch the "fansub" for film 2. If it makes the line-up, I'll watch it at SLA, if not I'll watch it on august 29th.

Our line up will never be perfect for everyone

But it is perfect for me, and that's all that really matters. ;)
 
*actually stands and applauds*
This is pathetic.
Its in every fandom and culture im in. Its human nature to want stuff. Its just a bit up yourself. Sorry for taking a interest in something or when I spend money which seems foreign to anime fans WANTING TO WANT WATCH WHAT I BUY not look at it. And the internet has changed entertainment as we know Our Ant Man 6 week delay didnt go down well so sorry we want Japan to learn that anime is becoming more global yes thanks to CR and others but because of that they need to start improving international distribution of films, you can see it changing like DB is a month after Japan, Your Name was close, Mirai is close too.
 
The attitude that is perpetuated amongst anime fans that they have to see the newest thing the microsecond it comes out is irksome at best and down right obnoxious at worst. Patience is a virtue, and if you wait long enough to see this film that isn't supposed to be much good anyway, you will be rewarded with a price you deem suitable.

This is somewhat off topic but I wanted to throw my two cents in here for total agreement with Lemon. Do I want my anime/films/games day and date with Japan or at least other English speaking countries? Heck yeah I do. Am and should I be okay waiting? Yes.

I see the complaint a lot when there is a big gap between parts being released in a series (Erased, Hyouka, Re:Zero) and it never stops frustrating me because we still have it better today than we ever did previously. Plus most of the time these things are streaming and also because of streaming we have a million other things we could be watching so we shouldn't be complaining half as much...

Obviously the topic here is the Geass movies and I certainly want to see the rest eventually after we were given one, but I don't really care when. I'm more than happy to wait out their eventual release and I wouldn't be totally against AL adding on weeks and months for every time someone complains about them right now. It's frustrating and hard to be patient, I get that, I'm like that too, but I do feel like we really should be a lot more patient and less negative in general about anime releases.
 
I'm only worried that R3 is going to come, and people will be spoiling it all over the internet before we've gotten a chance to legally see the canon that leads up to it.
 
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