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Mubi's Big Move is Sony PlayStation 3

by Anne Thompson | May 18, 2010 9:53 AM
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Thompson on Hollywood
Mubi CEO Efe Cakarel has made a major move: partnering with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) to put the global online cinema site Mubi (nee The Auteurs) on Sony PlayStations in Europe, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand. Cakarel made the announcement at a Majestic press conference, along with Andrew House (CEO of SCEE), Hengameh Panahi (CEO of Celluloid Dreams) and director Agnès Varda. Mubi will be available on PS3s in the U.K., Ireland, France, and Germany this fall, but will not broaden to 18 more countries until spring. House says he is taking a wait and see attitude about when to launch in the U.S. and Japan. Talks are ongoing.

Consumers can download Mubi films for free with ads, pay on a PPV basis, or subscribe for unlimited access to the Mubi library. In Europe the pay-as-you-go model is 3 Euros; in the U.K., 3 pounds.

"You are opening up the world," Varda said to Cakarel on the way into the conference. The veteran French filmmaker is putting her entire oeuvre on Mubi--but admits that she (like many other fans of the site) resists the recent name change to a more global-friendly brand. Panahi insisted that Mubi will remain committed to its niche of high-quality films, and that the Auteurs label will continue to exist on the site.

For Sony, it's about broadening the identity of the PlayStation beyond kids playing videogames in their bedrooms to a more living-room-centric media system. PS3 is also a hi-def Blu-ray player and Netflix streamer. And VOD is already available on PS3s around the world, says House. Mubi becomes part of a portfolio of offerings for 35 million PlayStation users. "It's about high-quality all-round entertainment," said House. "We're showing films in the correct format on a big screen. It's a never-ending film festival in your living room. It's every best movie available on your TV, instantly."

For two-year-old Mubi, this deal opens up its 1000 curated high-quality classic, indie and foreign titles and ardent cinephile film community (300,000 and growing by two new members per minute, says Cakarel) to a wider range of consumers. Cakarel expects exponential growth into the millions within the year as people identify Mubi as a place where they can check out movie art, info and trailers, their friends' opinions, and sample film--knowing that they will be good.

Panahi knows well the vagaries of the independent sector, and sees this as a possible solution. The old model is about pushing product on audiences and telling them when, how and where to see films. Now that you can access digital files online, it's pool behavior: it's not about content but about context. "You can never legislate or litigate behavior," she said. "It's about instantaneous access rather than ownership."

Cakarel reminded that most of the films screened in Cannes will only be available to watch in five to ten key cities. "An entire new generation of people are not getting exposure to these films," he said. "It's our mission to create a new audience for wonderful movies." Mubi will also encourage filmmakers to post their own playlists.

Sony and Mubi are planning an organic, viral marketing campaign via social networks like FaceBook. A mobile strategy will follow down the line.

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More: Festivals, Genres, Independents, Digital Future, Cannes

1 Comment

  • Software x64 | August 9, 2011 4:03 AMReply

    With proper site survey began, is really a very good online movie theater. http://softx64.com/

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