New Media Company Poised to Revolutionize Movie Distribution

LOS ANGELES, March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Air Studios, a new motion picture production, acquisition and distribution company, has created a cutting-edge, cross-platform, multi-retailer distribution system that will monetize films across all known and emerging outlets. Big Air has aligned with the world's leading technology, retail, networking and content delivery companies to establish its capability to distribute mainstream and independent movies to more than 150 million consumers on all devices, anytime, anywhere. Big Air is taking an innovative approach to the movie distribution business with a primary focus on the emerging, digitally-savvy media consumer. The company is founded by a team of established industry veterans, including Michael Arrieta (CEO, Former EVP of Digital at Sony Pictures), Marc Sternberg (President, Mirrors, October Sky, The Girl Next Door), Bill Patterson (COO, Founder of Crosscreek Entertainment), Joe Arancio (EVP Distribution, Former SVP Technology and Digital Distribution at Sony Pictures), Michael Stradford (EVP Development and Acquisitions, Former VP Digital Programming at Sony Pictures) and Andrew Cosby (Chief Creative Officer, Co-Founder of Boom Studios).

Big Air's Distribution System

The Big Air distribution system will allow consumers to buy and watch Big Air films from virtually any retailer or outlet in all formats, including Theaters, DVD, Electronic Sell-Through, Video on Demand, Pay-Per-View, Subscription Services, Television and Ad Supported Online Streaming. Big Air will use the Cisco Eos® social entertainment software platform to build interactive online and mobile experiences for films produced and distributed by Big Air. Cisco Eos is a hosted "software as a service" platform that enables media and entertainment companies to more efficiently create, manage and grow high-value social entertainment experiences built around their branded content.

The company has established an initial network of partners to deliver its films to a growing audience of over 150M consumers. Big Air's initial launch partners include traditional and emerging outlets that span online, offline, television, game systems and mobile devices. Together with these leading venues Big Air will enable consumers to buy and watch both independent and mainstream films from any device, anytime, anywhere.

"The age of the empowered consumer has begun," Arrieta said. "Millions of new entertainment devices are making their way into people's lives and are rapidly shaping the way they buy and watch movies. We intend to fully empower these consumers and provide them with the ability to activate these devices and decide the time, place and screen that best suits their media lifestyle."

First Global Distribution Network for Independent Film

In addition to producing and distributing mainstream entertainment, Big Air offers a unique distribution service for independent filmmakers that have been otherwise unable to attract the interest of the major distribution companies. Big Air's Independent Distribution System ("IDS") provides a complete solution for such filmmakers, offering them access to hundreds of millions of potential consumers with a range of marketing, web and creative services that will connect the films with their unique audience targets.

"Every year thousands of movies are produced, each with its own passion and creative vision behind it," said Arrieta. "Access to distribution is the key to success for these films, but too often they fail to reach their intended audiences. As the landscape continued to change, we saw a growing need and opportunity to provide a solution for filmmakers that would connect their creative works with audiences both large and small."

About Big Air

Big Air Studios is a motion picture production, acquisition and distribution company focused on providing genre-targeted, high-quality entertainment to consumers anywhere, anytime. The company is delivering mainstream and independent films to the rapidly growing, digitally-savvy media consumer via all platforms, devices and business models. Founded in 2010, the company's management includes film industry veterans with expertise in production, distribution, marketing and new media. Big Air has formed partnerships with the world's leading entertainment, technology, retail and digital content providers to distribute filmed entertainment to over 150 million consumers worldwide.

SOURCE Big Air Studios