14 DAY TRIAL // HD DVD carries a lot of weight with Microsoft, and the Redmond company announced a new project designed to support independent filmmakers. Together with Amazon.com, Microsoft will sponsor no less than HD DVD 1,000 indie titles with free authoring and setup services. Amazon.com's CustomFlix will be the delivery channel for the selected items which will make it in the 1,000 HD DVD Indies Project.
"This collaboration with Microsoft is a great opportunity for independent filmmakers to reach Amazon customers with their films via the HD DVD format," said Peter Faricy, vice president of music and movies at Amazon.com. "By working together with Microsoft and leveraging the proven CustomFlix DVD on Demand model, we can lower the barriers to entry for independent filmmakers and dramatically increase the selection we offer our customers."
The CustomFlix DVD on Demand technology has broken down the barriers between production and shipment. Films will only be burned to media upon ordering. The business model is created to drastically reduce the production costs. Additionally, both Microsoft and Amazon.com's CustomFlix have indicated strong support for the HD DVD format. High-quality and high-definition content is connected for the two sponsors with HD DVD.
Independent filmmakers should make their way to the 1,000 HD DVD Indies Project website and submit their entry. Microsoft and Amazon will deal with the $499 HD DVD setup and authoring costs, and in the eventuality that the content will be accepted, the author will have 30 days to deliver a HD tape with the materials.
"Amazon's participation in this project will be a major benefit to independent filmmakers wanting to break into the high-definition market segment," said Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president for the Consumer Media Technology Group at Microsoft. "The use of Microsoft technology and authoring expertise will ensure that all the HD DVD titles offered by Amazon have impeccable quality, thanks to the VC-1 codec and innovative interactive scenarios with HDi."