On Demand Weekly

ODW rounds up stories affecting the VOD Industry.

Cable Providers Move to Counter Apple’s TV Venture

"If Disney and CBS believe this is the model to embrace, it’s worth pondering whether they’ll embrace that for all distributors,” said Melinda Witmer, Time Warner Cable’s chief programming officer.” (Wall Street Journal)

Why Apple can't kill cable

The blogs may position this as Apple vs. Cable but that's not how programmers probably see it. To them, it's Apple AND Cable. And Amazon. And Netflix....(THR)

TWC ratchets up ‘Get Tough’ initiative with new ads

Time Warner Cable is launching new advertising as part of its “Roll Over or Get Tough” campaign against increased fees by programmers....(CED Magazine)

Check it out film fans. With the Oscars® on the mind, Movies On Demand has made the best of this year's nominated short films available to see before Sunday's awards show (and throughout March).

You can choose Best Animated Short Films or Best Live Action Short Films. Or watch both. This is your chance to get a leg up on your Oscar® pool.

The Oscar® Nominated Short Films 2011 - Available On Demand

The Gruffalo (Shorts Intl)

• “Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary)”: European traveler’s experience of the Malagasy culture. (French, 11 mins, Director:  Bastien Dubois).
• “Let's Pollute” Satirical educational film looks at pollution’s longtime necessity to the American economy. (USA, six mins, Director:  Geefwee Boedoe).
• “The Gruffalo”  Innocent mouse vs. predators.(UK; Germany, 27 mins, Directors:  JakobSchuh and Max Lange).
• “The Lost Thing”  Boy discovers a strange creature on the beach and tries to find it a place for it to fit in. (Australia; UK, 15 mins.  Directors:  Andrew Ruhemann and Shaun Tan)

Na Wewe (Shorts Intl)

• “The Confession”  Nine year-old boy stages a prank so he has something to say at confession. (UK, 26 mins, Director:  Tanel Toom). 
• “Wish 143”  Dying teen has a final wish - to lose his virginity. (UK, 24 mins, Director:  Ian Barnes).
• “Na Wewe”  Civilians caught in 1994 civil war between ethnic Hutus and Tutsis in Burundi. (Belgium, 19 mins, Director:  Ivan Goldschmidt).
• “The Crush”  Eight year-old boy has a crush on his teacher. Real boyfriend arrives on the scene and is challenged to a duel. (Ireland, 15 mins, Director:  Michael Creagh).
• “God of Love”  Love triangle changes the good luck of a lounge-singer darts champion. (USA, 18 mins, Director:  Luke Matheny).

Where to find the Short Film packages content on your Cabler On Demand on-screen menus:

The televised Yule Log on cable is back again this year in SD, HD and 3D via free Video On Demand (VOD). Last winter, cable brought viewers the very first 3D version of the televised Yule Log. This year, the industry adds another element, enabling viewers to easily access the iconic video log online anytime, for free, from the national Movies On Demand website, rentmoviesondemand.com. Now viewers can literally carry the Yule Log into any room in the house, and warm it up with a crackling fire and carols. While the virtual hearth is burning, they can also browse through the hottest movies available instantly via cable’s Movies On Demand (MOD).

Viewers can call up the Yule Log on any computer or mobile device simply by clicking on: http://rentmoviesondemand.com/yulelog

For the second year, many systems are showing the Yule Log in 3D, in addition to High Definition (HD) and Standard Definition (SD). This holiday gift is available for free via Video On Demand (VOD) for digital cable subscribers on Comcast, Cox Communications, Cablevision, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Cablevision/Bresnan and RCN. The service is available now and airs until Jan. 2, 2012 as part of the cable operators’ “free on demand” services. (See list below of exact locations on system lineups, and content availability in 3D, SD or HD.)

Adding to the familiar Yule Log, program distributor iN DEMAND also provides Winter Green*, a snowy, pine forest setting and Snowman*, dressed in top hat, scarf and neckerchief withstanding a windy, snowy storm. These offerings will help viewers get into the holiday spirit, accompanied by traditional carols like Joy to the World, Hark the Herald Angels Sing and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. *Not in 3D.

While the original televised Yule Log has been airing on broadcast TV since 1966, iN DEMAND’s version for cable viewers was first produced in high definition starting in 2002 and lit up on Video On Demand starting in 2007. The 3D version, which started in 2010, is originally produced exclusively for cable by iN DEMAND using the latest 3D technology. To see the 3D version, viewers need a 3D TV with compatible 3D glasses and an HD set-top box connected according to their system’s specs. The HD offerings were filmed with HD cameras and are presented in 1080i picture and 5.1 sound. The 3D version was produced by Offhollywood Digital using Red 1 cameras and an Element Technica 3D rig.

WHERE TO FIND THIS FREE ON DEMAND HOLIDAY OFFERING ON SPECIFIC MSOs**: