Chapter 321: Home Media II

Home video, as a medium, encompasses pre-recorded videos owned or rented by consumers for viewing in their homes on their own schedule— to put it laconically, video at home.

Thanks to home video, viewers no longer have to visit the cinema during a film's theatrical run or stay by the television during a broadcast controlled by the network.

Home video distribution basically involves securing the rights to distribute work in a particular home video format, converting that work into that format, and getting the resulting product into viewers' homes.

This process is carried out by home video distributors. These distributors can be standalone companies that license works created by others, or they may be a distribution arm for the studio that makes those works.

For instance, The Walt Disney Company distributes home videos of films created by its animation studios through Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Aside from Disney, other major film studios like Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Universal Studios, and Warner Bros. would also have their home video distribution arms.

Namely Paramount Home Video, RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video, MCA/Universal Home Video, Warner Home Video

Even Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) established its home video division and aptly named MGM Home Video.

Of course, home video didn't exactly start with just these major studio-owned distributors.

It just so happens that Magnetic Video was the first home video distributor for theatrical motion pictures that consumers could purchase, not just rent, on Betamax or VHS.

However, this did become studio-owned at some point with Fox purchasing the whole thing in 1979. Establishing itself as CBS/Fox Video in the end.

A couple of independent home video distributors do exist here and there... but they weren't exactly as prominent as the others, were they?

Like theatrical distribution, home video distribution is dominated by the majors. They wouldn't have been called the majors if this wasn't the case.

Suffice to say, the Creeds were hoping to break away from this status quo. With a distribution company of their own.

Not just on the home video front but the theatrical side of things as well.

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As covered, distribution companies suck. They suck in many ways.

However, they wouldn't be so sucky when you're the one who owns them.

Of course, buying any of the majors like Columbia is still out of the picture, so the Creeds had to make do with another way.

A way that calls back to the industry from whence they came from.

Ordinarily, distribution is the process of making a product or service available for the consumer or business user who needs it.

This can be done directly by the producer or service provider or using indirect channels with intermediaries.

It is a very standard factor in the field of business. One makes a product and the distributor makes sure that it reaches unto the consumer via the product maker itself or an intermediary.

Creed Entertainment had long been able to establish its own distribution routes, partners, and whatnot.

They wouldn't have been able to disseminate their comic books, toys, costumes, and video game consoles if they have yet to have them.

With that kind of roster, it was only a matter of time for them to tackle the distribution of films as well.

However, the way in which they tackled this new expansion was incredibly odd.

Although the Creeds didn't have to form a film distribution company from scratch, the industry that they based it on wasn't exactly ideal.

Of course, re-using something that formerly distributes adult film tapes may be less than stellar... but it should be enough to do the trick.

It exists as something of a video distribution business anyways, all they had to do was transform it.

While the rest of Hollywood was doing its best to stay away from the porn industry, Old Sullivan sought to capitalize from it.

All he had to do was just to kit out his many connections from porn distribution groups and made them shift their gears for a less shady and more mainstream film.

The effect was quite good. Great even.

While many production companies are still trying to cultivate their domestic distribution step-by-step and trying their best to not encroach on Hollywood majors... the Creeds already had their own and more!

Despite its shady and semi-legal-illegal roots, their distribution channels have secure access to the videotape industry in many states and even outside the country.

Japan's sex mecca, Soviet Union's sexist state, Europe's noble underbelly, China's blooming babes, Korea's artificial beauty hub, Latin-American sensualities, and so much more.

Old Sullivan's San Fernando Valley contacts have long been cemented and the porn industries of other countries would not stop themselves from being disturbed.

The porn industry is detestable, hidden, and one could even consider being perfectly complete.

After all, it is a worldwide and undisclosed web that ties together many men and women of culture.

Language barriers, stereotypes, and whatnot does not matter in a dance of the flesh.

Establishing a film distribution company from something like that isn't something to be underestimated.

Then again, it was very, very unorthodox.

An incredibly crazy idea, to say the least.

After all, who in their right mind will make use of the porn industry for this kind of thing?

It was an even bolder move than deciding to produce 3 films in one go as a Hollywood debut.

Perhaps only people like the Creeds are bold and crazy enough to attempt such as thing.

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Of course, as bold and crazy as they may seem, the Creeds had their own reservations about these things as well.

"We've really come full circle, haven't we?" Old Sullivan can't help but sigh. "I've tried my best for us to get away from the stigma of the old industry yet here we are... back to where I've started."

The old Creed did what he did... to not have these sorts of conversations with his grandson... but here they were.

"Yeah... well, it's all fine... in a way." Alexander didn't mind. He was more forward-thinking but he had reservations as well. "I'm quite sold on the videotape side of things but I'm not too sure on the cinema-lobbying side of things."

The porn industry and videotapes are a given but their sway on theaters and cinema was non-existent. Their experience in advertisements, trailers, and whatnot was close to nothing as well.

"Would poaching talents from existing theatrical distribution companies be enough to fill our lapses?" If porn industry talents weren't enough, then this might work. "Would their severance fees be too high? Also, would their transferring salary be too much?"

"If we did that, would we be stepping on the toes of majors?" Of course, this was the bigger crux when it came to this move.

His old bones must be overthinking things. His grandson clearly didn't put it to heart and Old Sullivan could only sigh. "You just leave it to me to worry about those parts, Alex."

"Besides, with Back to the Future and its incoming sequels under our belt, we aren't exactly nobodies." Old Sullivan was confident that theater companies wouldn't disregard that. "We also have very strong backers with Top Gun, so the lobbying process would be much easier than you think."

"True." Alexander couldn't deny that Top Gun wasn't misunderstood as a military conscription film for nothing.

Can the tightness between the major studios and the major theaters even push back against the tightness of the government and the military?

Top Gun alone will be enough to push Creed Pictures into having theatrical distribution capabilities.

Just Back to the Future I will be enough to push Creed Home Video into the home video distribution scene as well.

With this combo, it was clear that the Creeds have pushed themselves even more forward and more ambitious than what they have been.

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This was a cause for concern for many... especially for the Hollywood powerhouses that have been keeping track.

This was also an interesting development for others as well. After all, the quick nationwide availability of Back to the Future videotapes was causing quite a buzz.

With these videotapes along with the on-track availability of the video game consoles, Creed was really taking over home video entertainment or home media.

Even a video store clerk in a place called Video Archives was intrigued.

"Creed, huh." The clerk muttered as he stared at the BttF tapes on display.

To think that after fuelling his feet fetishes, this company moved on to other things. "They actually made such a splash at Hollywood."

"Hey, Quentin, what are you muttering about?" The store owner chastised. This movie expert he hired sure was dazing out a lot.

"It's nothing."

Although he said nothing, it was actually something.

After all, if something shady like Creed could make it, why can't he?

Hollywood had better watch out because Quentin Tarantino was going to follow in Creed's 'foot'-steps as well.

Then again, who was he kidding? Being an employee in a video store was still a long way from there.