Pulp, a U.K. comedy set in the world of comic-book publishing, has been released on Xbox 360 for Xbox Live subscribers. This is the first time a film has been released using a games console rather than through theaters or on DVDs.
The film, a comedy about a struggling comic book publisher recruited by the police to bust a crime syndicate, seems ideally suited to the Xbox 360 Live demographic, and Microsoft says it will deliver more films this way in the future.
According to the film’s creator, Adam Hamdy, the avenues to allow British independent films to get to audiences have narrowed. “At the top end of the indie film business the UK is still pretty healthy, he said, but it’s the middle tier and the lower budget tier that’s struggling.”
Speaking further, Hamdy admits that as an up and coming film maker it is getting harder to get movies seen, and blames the large costs around the marketing of the films.
“Theatrical distribution, nowadays, costs on average about £2 million per movie for marketing, prints and advertising,” he said.” For a film like Pulp, that doesn’t have bankable stars with a track record, it’s a challenge for any distributor to take that gamble.”
Xbox Live product manager Pav Bhardwaj said it was important for platforms to support British talent. “It’s a great fit,” he said. “The film is really well aligned with our audience.
