Compression, Stat!

Proof that time can dimensionally shrink comes from the film industry. Variety today reports that Starz!, HBO and Cinemax are seeing films nine and ten months after initial theatrical release -- as opposed to the more recently traditional twelve (See article). While this is not due from any contractual wrangling, pay television generally receives releases a set time after home entertainment release, it can certainly help these networks rope in more viewers with material that feels more contemporary. And that could be a fiscal boon to Starz! which has been finding its studio contracts a little more expensive than it bargained for.

For the studios, this simply points out the trend of the shifting of the bulk of film revenue from theatrical to home entertainment: films slip out of theaters quickly and are slammed into the home entertainment chain to harvest those DVD dollars.