daveed at 2010-10-29 12:39:44:

Definitely interested to see how this plays out.

The purchase prices seem a bit high to me for an unproven, low-budget indie film with mostly unknown actors.

Annika W at 2010-10-29 12:43:51:

But it's a win-lose. A win for filmmakers wanting more control over their distribution, a lose for theater chains and those of us who still love to sit in a big theater filled with strangers and laugh and cry and flinch en masse. Distribution can be messy and frustrating behind the scenes, but, when it comes down to it, it's worth it if it keeps movies in theaters; unfortunately, ticket sales are down and small chains and independent theaters are hurting. (But I am wondering if theater chains aren't driving a nail in their own coffin by not being in touch with the economic climate; if they don't watch it, they are going to price themselves into extinction like the music industry did with CDs ten years ago.)

Natalie Hatch at 2010-10-29 13:27:05:

It seems similar to what JA Konrath is doing with his books and things seem to be going very well. http://jakonrath.blogspot.com

The Unknown Lyricist at 2010-10-29 16:24:38:

It's a win-win situation. Big theaters will never show a film like this, unless it's downloaded a couple of hundred thousand times. If it's get downloaded enough, Ed Burns makes enough to do it again (it does seem a little high).

And if it becomes a serious iTunes hit, then it will probably get released to the theaters.

People said the same thing about VCRs & VHS tapes that they would kill Hollywoood and it turned into another revenue stream.

This time the revenue is in the hands of the film makers,which is a nice change of pace.