Sunday Synopsis – Abyss gets a Home and Customers Want More Netflix

The ABYSS movie website and Festival Limbo

Although it’s still a work in progress at this juncture, I managed to get a website up for my short film, “ABYSS.” It (www.abyssthemovie.com) contains the synopsis, a list of cast and crew as well as other information related to the movie. Updates to the website will be posted there as they come in and as time permits. I’ve spent the last few weeks submitting the movie to festivals and am now playing the waiting game as I look to find out where and when (and if) “ABYSS” will be premiering as well as when and where it will have additional screenings.

In an attempt to save time, space and maintain whatever good juju may be in the workings for me and/or the movie, I won’t be mentioning any of the specific festivals until I hear from them with regards to the project’s status. I will say, however, that upwards of $309 in submission fees alone was spent on trying to secure a premiere for this movie – and it still needs a poster, exhibition prints and related materials – most of which I am currently working on getting done now, as the submissions efforts have slowed to a halt for the time being.

New Monday Movie Meme Participants…

I’d like to send a special shout out to Michael Hennessy at A Few Minutes with the Hennessys for joining in on our Monday Movie Madness. He has been participating in the Monday Movie Meme (MMM) for a few weeks now and I especially like how he remains active by not only posting his selections on his own blog while linking back to the MMM post for the week but also introducing the meme to his readers and followers in social media. Michael also blogs about books in the Mystery, Sci-Fi and Suspense/Thriller genres, for all of you book worms. Check him out, say hello and welcome him to our regularly scheduled walks down memory lane on the big screen.

Netflix Has DVDs?

A few days ago, a woman who currently subscribes to the Netflix streaming service asked me if they offered DVDs for rental when she noticed a red envelope that I was holding with their logo on it. That seemed a little odd, given that the streaming service wasn’t in play until the last few years or so and the actual physical DVD discs are what made it possible for Netflix to grow their business in the video rental market.

It’s no secret that Netflix has been trying to push customers in the direction of their online streaming service and move them away from the DVDs altogether – but the conversation that I had with the woman who was asking me questions about their DVD offerings seem to indicate that they are leaving money on the table by leaving their customers in the dark (whether this is being done intentionally or unintentionally by the company's marketing/advertising and promotions offerings obviously varies from customer to customer).

When I told her that she could rent DVDs from Netflix and to do so, she would have to add a DVD package to her streaming package, which would increase her monthly subscription fees, she still seemed interested in trying out their DVD service.

One of her only concerns were something that we can all relate to and understand as consumers – is it expensive? My concern, however, is the fact that there are people who really have no idea that DVD rentals are available from Netflix. On top of that, I am concerned about the fact that people like the woman I spoke with – people who are already paying a subscription fee for one service – have to add a separate package if they want DVDs.

I understand the company’s decision to split their streaming and the DVD services into to separate packages, to cater to the needs and interests of customers who only want one or the other – but what about those who want both? Why leave them out hanging to dry; confused, uninformed and/or having to piece together a rental package that fits their viewing interests by working various parts of the whole movie rental puzzle around until they find something that fits?

I am aware that this works in the grand scheme of things since we have a variety of VOD services that could rival most standard cable TV packages – but I’m talking about the services being offered by one company, under one roof. What is the deal with Netflix? Wouldn’t it be helpful if they offered a third service that combined DVDs and streaming, even if that service was limited to, say, one standard package such as 1-2 discs per month plus unlimited streaming?

What are YOU all up to these days?