Overture Films Strikes Distribution Deals

Starz Media-owned studio expands pay-per-view, VOD reach

By B&C Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/2/2008 3:36:00 PM

Starz Media-owned film studio Overture Films has sealed distribution deals with DirecTV, Dish Network, In Demand Networks and TVN, the company announced Thursday. The deals allow Overture to reach nearly all U.S. households with pay-per-view and video-on-demand access.

In addition to Overture’s theatrical productions, including 2008’s The Visitor, the deal covers titles from Starz Media’s home entertainment outfit, Anchor Bay.

“When we first conceived of Overture Films with Liberty Media and Starz, we always planned to differentiate ourselves from other new film companies by ensuring that we had a full distribution system in place, including pay-per-view and video-on-demand,” said Overture Films and Anchor Bay CEO Chris McGurk, in a statement. “This quartet of new deals, coupled with our in-house theatrical distribution, our DVD partnership with Anchor Bay Entertainment and the crucial premium movie output deal we have with Starz and Encore means we have fulfilled that promise.”

The deals also add to Overture and Anchor Bay’s new-media distribution outlets, including Amazon Video on Demand, iTunes, Netflix and Microsoft XBOX.