The Incredible Shrinking Window

Will Shorter Windows Wash?
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This, like piracy, is something that I'll probably never agree with NATO's stance on. And for the same reasons.

I'd have to see some extremely illustrative numbers to convince me otherwise, but I really think the sales of DVDs and movie tickets don't have to cannibalize one another. Generally there are just different audiences and the experiences are sufficiently different that you wouldn't suffer much of a loss.

I even think you could go as far as to sell the dvd of the movie you _just watched_ as you're walking out of the theater. I'd certainly be more likely to buy a dvd right after I knew I liked a movie. Maybe you'd lose me as a repeat movie watcher, but I'm not convinced that there's a large enough percentage of come-backers to warrant worrying. And it's a problem more easily solved by simply rotating films out a little faster. Which isn't too terrible when you can always come to the theater to buy the dvd anyway. Maybe the studios should give exhibitors exclusive dvd rights during the theatrical run of the film. That would end up jumpstarting more business for the theaters bringing lots of people through there. AND it would allow distributors to really shrink their release window.