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Recently, we have witnessed the arrival of motion pictures with a strong appeal that rivals that of the leading box-office hits of the major Hollywood studios. Among these are Japanese movies and the impressive motion pictures of creators from other Asian countries, who have pooled their expertise and talent to create highly appealing films. The market is showing a keen interest not only with respect to the movies, but also with respect to a variety of other businesses.
This has created interest not only in the movie market, but in other markets as well. The Company's business, of course, encompasses every distribution window, from movie theater releases to terrestrial broadcasts. Seeking to maximize Group synergies, we are working with the content providers of the "Flat Web" structured SOFTBANK Group on joint promotion, enabling us to construct and pursue models for our film content business that other companies have not yet been successful at.
The Company obtained the exclusive rights for all windows in Japan to Chinese director Huo Jianqiﾕs latest movie ‘A Time to Love,’ which caused quite a sensation in the movie industry following its release in China. Jianqi also directed ‘Nuan,’ and ‘Postmen in the Mountains,’ his most famous work to date. His latest film - hailed as his best movie yet - suggests that this director has reached a new stage in his work.
In the future, the Company will continue to secure the rights to high-level films from Asian markets, works that fulfill the three requirements of being entertaining, having popular appeal, and exhibiting a high level of artistry. |
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We will also pursue joint development of film projects with young, talented creators.
We do not want to limit ourselves to merely being a distributor of movies. We take seriously our responsibility of being the bearer of film culture. From a “source” position, we will continue making exhaustive efforts to deliver high-quality entertainment to our customers. |
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Broadmedia Studios sells TV rights to over 250 terrestrial TV stations, BS (broadcast satellite) broadcasting stations, and CS (communications satellite) broadcasting stations in Japan. From the movies and TV series that have done well in the theaters, on video/DVD and on television both at home and abroad, we focus on procuring broadcasting rights for only the most high-quality titles. In this age of numerous television channels, Broadmedia Studios concentrates on well-budgeted, high-quality overseas motion pictures, thereby fulfilling our important role as a provider of content that meets the specific needs of the Japanese market.
The Bourne Identity © 2002 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. |
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The number of movie theaters in Japan totaled 2,825 as of December 31, 2004 (according to statistics provided by the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc.), and this figure is expected to continue rising. In this changing environment, the business risk for any one theater will decrease and the chances for expanding profits will increase. The Company purchases the rights to top-quality Japanese and foreign movies and distributes these to movie theaters nationwide. Moreover, through coordinated efforts within the SOFTBANK Group, we were able to commence Internet distribution of the Chinese movie ﾒNuanﾓ and launch its theater release simultaneously. This is one example of the new ways in which we are developing our business.
Nuan © Nuan Partners |
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The company acquired “all rights” to 28 works of Swedish movie director Ingmar Bergman and released them as a series on video. We not only provide and sell high-quality movies that have been released in theaters nationwide, but we also make available films that have not been theatrically released in Japan. One item that is drawing much attention is an animated version of the popular Mr. Bean series broadcast by ITV network in the U.K. We view the expanding DVD market as a chance for boosting profits and assuming a central role in our Rights Business.
Mr. Bean series © Tiger Aspect Productions Limited 2002 |
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