Since my last post covered the music world, I think it only fitting to turn my skewed perspective onto the movie industry. The differences between them are pretty big. They of course, are not as heavy handed as their maniacal audio brethren, but they also are not watching their cash cow crash and burn like the music industry. Rest in peace CD. No, the movie industry and its MPAA are dare I say it, a little wiser. Do they have pirates? Absolutely! Do they have competition? For sure! When TV and cable programming is good these days, it’s very good! And games? They’re always fighting movies for the consumer’s attention and there are only so many hours in the day.

So why are they in such a better position than music? Well, I believe the movie experience still has some appeal! Big screen plasma’s not withstanding. Sure, home theater is growing without doubt, but it’s still mostly in the “we need to take out an equity loan,” expense range when competing with the local multiplex. So, why aren’t they big a-holes like the RIAA?

Okay, no more suspense, the biggest reason I see is they have some breathing room and can take the long view. The quality of their product hasn’t declined like the pabulum that the music industry thinks it can still foster on the public. Movie blockbusters are still being made and the box office is still adding up to pretty huge numbers! Okay, they have to thank Stan Lee and a few other content legends A LOT more than they used to, but I digress. Also, the good ‘old DVD – unlike the CD – still gets the job done and works for a lot of consumers, me included. That’s why I think the recent Blu-ray victory will end up a minor media footnote (like many Sony formats.) But more importantly, the ability to take the long view without the stress of fleeing a sinking ship is creating interesting possibilities.

One recent theater addition holding a great deal of promise is the latest evolution of 3D technology. And trust me, this is not your grandpa’s red, blue, green 3D. This a whole different animal and after personally seeing Beowulf with the new technology, it’s nothing short of amazing! Yes, it’s that good. What it bodes for the future of movies is a masterstroke in two ways! Not only will it add value to “must sees” in the theaters with a much more immersive experience, it will also create a major obstacle to in theater cam piracy as the tech is rolled out into broader distribution to the tune of 12 to 20 major releases done in 3D every year by 2010. Aside from the reduction in early release piracy, this could keep the box office and the theater experience viable for quite some time.

Let’s also not forget the filmmakers that continue to make the compelling big screen “must sees” that are always so highly anticipated! I doubt theaters will expel its last gasp and die until were so advanced we get to the point where we can project movies into our brain. The most important point however, is the breathing room this gives the industry. I allows them to keep their reliable revenue streams, while it develops ways to meet consumers needs in the future. And obviously a big part of that future will entail innovative and new content delivery methods in the new media landscape.

Ultimately, even though I doubt they believe it themselves, movies will be seen in the future as the pioneers of the no physical media paradigm shift in rich media entertainment and will as a result, be that much further ahead of the entertainment competition. We as humans have only so many hours in the day to devote to entertainment in an ever-expanding world of content and as the MP3 has demonstrated, our desire for a familiar form will continue and content providers that can deliver the most flexible and compelling entertainment experience as the digital lifestyle evolves, will still be standing when the next technology crossroad is reached.