Press Release - 200 Hidden Gems - February, 2009

iDEA’s “Hidden Gems” Reaches 200 Title Milestone

Program Identifies Potentially Profitable Independent Product

ENCINO, CALIFORNIA (February 4, 2009) … The Independent Dealers of Entertainment Association (iDEA) division of the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) today announced that it has recommended 200 independent, or “B” product, DVD titles as part of its monthly Hidden Gems program over the past 30 months. The Hidden Gems program assists video retailers in identifying potentially profitable new release independent product.

“We started this program two and a half years ago and in response to the need for objective advice on independent video product,” noted Jim Loperfido, owner of Emerald City Video in Auburn, NY, and Chairman of iDEA when the Hidden Gems program launched. “The program was rapidly and enthusiastically embraced by both the independent video retailer and supplier communities and has become one of iDEA’s most popular programs.”

Added Allan Millican, current iDEA Chairman and owner of Marquee Video in Chattanooga, TN, “The program not only helps iDEA-member video retailers, but also any video retailer. Hidden Gems is a benefit iDEA provides to the entire home entertainment industry.”

Hidden Gems highlights DVD releases that are commercially viable but haven’t gotten much attention. An anonymous five-judge panel rates submissions, looking for videos in mainline genres that will appeal to video stores across the nation, box art that will cause consumers to take a chance on the movie, and movie content and presentation that delivers value to the consumer. The program commenced with October 2007 street-date product. The 200 titles recommended through the March 2009 street dates came from 26 suppliers.

The 26 participating suppliers are: Allumination FilmWorks; Anchor Bay Entertainment; Arts Alliance America; City Lights Media Group; Echo Bridge Home Entertainment; Entertainment Studios; First Look Studios; Fox Home Entertainment; Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; Genius Products LLC; Image Entertainment; Liberation Entertainment; Lightyear Video; Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; Magnolia Home Entertainment; Monterey Media Inc.; MTI Home Video; New Line Home Video; Oscilloscope Laboratories; Peace Arch Home Entertainment; Screen Media Films; ThinkFilm; Vivendi Home Entertainment; Wolfe Video; Xenon Pictures; and Zeitgeist Films.

Suppliers appreciate the visibility Hidden Gems provides to their products that might otherwise be overlooked. “The Hidden Gems program gives deserving titles increased visibility with key buyers and key decision makers,” declared Raymond Zinar, Vice President of Rental Distribution at Starz/Anchor Bay Entertainment.

According to Bob Tollini, who manages Hidden Gems for iDEA, one of the keys to the success of the program is the judges. “The judges collectively have more than 110 years of retail experience,” he stated. “They are experts and their anonymity allows them to give the right advice to video buyers.”

All the titles selected to date are at http://www.ideahiddengems.blogspot.com/

The Independent Dealers of Entertainment Association (iDEA) was developed in 2004 and is an autonomous division within the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) solely dedicated to the independent video retailers (IVRs). Guided by a Board of Trustees who are also IVRs, the iDEA’s vision is to place independent retailers in control of their own destiny. The iDEA’s mission is to empower the independent sector of the home video industry to grow their businesses through networking, communication, education, and business tools

For more information, please contact:

Sean Bersell
Vice President, Public Affairs
818-728-8663 or sbersell at entmerch dot org