Industry Trust and British Video Association unveil category leading innovation with The Guide to Screen Entertainment

Created as a direct response to insight from recent BVA research[1] which identified a clear correlation between lack of familiarity with technology and uptake in new and emerging entertainment formats; The Guide intends to lead the way in bridging the format familiarity gap, empowering consumers to embrace new ways of watching and emboldening them with the right knowledge to avoid the pitfalls of piracy, with the ultimate goal of engaging them in the category for longer.

The Guide is a flagship tool in an ongoing consumer education campaign and will target a broad section of consumers, including the 38%1 of those that are unfamiliar with Blu-ray, the 50%1 that are lacking familiarity in relation to downloading content to own, as well as the 59%1 of consumers that are unsure of Digital HD.  The Guide also provides helpful content for the 40%[2] of people that aren’t confident about what is and isn’t legal when it comes to accessing content online.  The Guide will provide these consumers and more with the key to unlock the growing choice of legal content on offer.

Liz Bales, CEO BVA said: “As a nation we’ve never been more in love with film and TV, with the average consumer carving out four hours from their busy lives to watch their favourite films and TV shows. That’s only possible due to the increasingly flexible and convenient raft of ways to watch, which can only be a good thing for our audiences.  However, alongside this ever growing choice of ways to watch, there is some confusion. That’s why it’s important that as an industry we continue to collaborate on initiatives such as the guide to help steer people towards legal choices and ensure they are getting the most from their viewing experience.

Recent BVA insight identified that video category shoppers are lacking essential information when it comes to understanding the different ways they can watch filmed content across physical and digital formats.  Not only is lack of familiarity a barrier when it comes to uptake of new formats, it is also an infringement risk. As wider audiences venture online to source content 40%2 aren’t confident about what is and isn’t legal.

These findings highlighted a clear opportunity for the industry to produce consumer facing tools to help bridge knowledge gaps.  We know that if we can increase familiarity of existing and emerging technologies and help people feel more comfortable with new ways of watching, then we can engage them in the category for longer and increase their propensity to spend with legal sources of content.”

The no-nonsense guide aims to help solve this knowledge gap by explaining the choice of formats and platforms available – from the difference between DVD’s and Blu-ray discs to what digital TV services are available and how to maximise the viewing experience for all occasions – and is accompanied by direct links to retailers and services.

It features a jargon buster of the most common terms used in relation to watching film and TV at home, with clear explanations for everything from casting to Digital HD. It also provides a section on getting the best experience, with handy tips and tricks for connectivity, kit and advice for avoiding the pitfalls of illegal sites.

The launch of The Guide builds on a shared objective of the BVA, Industry Trust and DEG Europe to educate and inform consumers about how and where to access film and TV content conveniently, safely, and legally. It has been designed as an asset that the industry can use and signpost to throughout its education campaigns and one that can grow and evolve as the industry continues to innovate with new technologies.

Hosted on FindAnyFilm.com, the online search engine for booking, buying and watching great films and TV shows, the guide can be accessed by visiting www.FindAnyFilm.com/The Guide