Redbox pushing your favorites

Redbox, yes you all know the name and seen the Red box in your local retail establishments. What they do is rent the consumer a desired or intriguing video or game; but have you ever noticed any trends or consistencies with redbox content?

Check out how many films in the Redbox catalog have a produced by Summit Entertainment on them. Yes that’s right, in 2009 Summit and Redbox signed a two-year agreement allowing Redbox to distribute Summit new releases, films on catalog, and Straight to DVD's. This contract was made to help increase awareness of Summit films and monopolize on a growing kiosk market. So that’s why there are so many “B” movies in the Redbox catalog; that’s because they probably came from Summit Entertainment. That does not mean Redbox can only rent Summit movies, it just means the majority will be theirs. But now its 2013 and Summit a company that was holding on by a thread and their Twilight Franchise, had sold their company and stock in 2012 for $412.5 million to Lions Gate. Lions Gate stated they are trying to increase their library with popular franchises like, Twilight, and Summit's trying to sell them self off to a bidder while they are still desirable from the success of Twilight. Lions Gate says they will try to duplicate the distribution the value of the Summit hit franchise.

So all that this means is check the Redbox and you will notice what film company you are supporting, with your many trips to the gas station or grocery store.

But wait, your wondering "yeah I see a lot of hits and know faces in movies from Summit and Lions Gate in the big Red box; but what about the other “B” movies?" According to Eric Litynski, the Director of Purchasing/ Content acquisition for Redbox, the company tries to get a wide range of films to appeal to every demographic possible. The films are selected and for the family orientation and popularity at the moment, but the Indy films you may notice in their catalog are for the niche market that there may not be I high volume of quality films; like suspense and horror. So if there are independent filmmakers out there that want to get their product in the big red box, they need to do one of two things. Either cast big Hollywood names specific for the genre or make a really good film that there are a shortage of, like suspense and horror. After your film is complete you must get your film affiliated with a distributor somehow and they will pitch it to the Redbox execs, but your best bet is the distributor that Redbox primarily uses called Video Products Distributor or VPD.

So Redbox helps everybody? From struggling major motion picture companies to up and coming independent filmmakers. But who really reaps the benefits, is the customer who can go around the corner and get a decent flick for a buck.