Sony embraces alternative content
Sony Pictures has established a new division, The Hot Ticket, specialised in bringing alternative content – concerts, performing arts and other live events – to the screen, in HD.
It is the first of the US majors to officially embrace the alternative content arena.
“As Sony Music has a great roster of music acts it does provides us with great synergy opportunities,” Naomie Sharp, Sony Pictures Australia’s national publicity executive, told Encore.
At this stage, it is unclear if Sony will develop Australian projects with their local artists – a list that includes Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Damien Leith, Jessica Mauboy and Rogue Traders, among many others.
The distributor will release Celine: Through the Eyes of the World, which documents the singer’s 2008-2009 Taking Chances Tour exclusively at Event, Village, Greater Union and Birch Carroll & Coyle Cinemas, for a one-week season from February 18-24.
The release of Celine: Through the Eyes of the World follows the successful Michael Jackson’s This Is It, which made U$259m worldwide and became the most successful music concert film ever released theatrically. The distributor does not expect to repeat those box office numbers, but hopes that Dion’s sales of more than 200m records will translate into cinema tickets.
“This Is It was a unique release given Michael’s passing and as alternative content is new territory for us, it’s too early to say what we expect Celine to perform at the box office but we do know she has a big fan base here,” said Sharp.
