Select iTunes Movies Now Include Script Searching and Scene Sharing

[Wiley John Wright]

In an effort to differentiate movie downloads from DVDs, Sony is quietly testing new iTunes Extras features. iTunes Extras was first introduced back in 2009 as a way for movie studios to include bonus features, usually found on DVDs, with digital downloads. Sony hopes to entice movie views into buying digital versions of their movies by including a search feature in some of their new releases.

PaidContent reports, “A search button allows you to input a word, and any mention of it in the script will be retrieved along with a link to the exact moment in the movie in which the line was uttered. A “clip & share” function lets the viewer take select scenes and post them to social networks. There’s also a playlist with songs from the film, which are linked to places on iTunes where those songs can be purchased.”

The first films to take advantage of these new features will be, The Other Guys, Salt and Resident Evil: Afterlife. Unfortunately, Apple TV owners who buy and/or rent movies will not have access to the new iTunes Extras features right away. Sony seems to be testing the waters and most likely will add these new features slowly and only to their top tier releases.

For the most part, iTunes Extras doesn’t offer movie viewers much of what they can’t already get on DVD’s. It will be interesting to see if Sony and Apple can get people interested in searching and sharing movie clips with each other via social networks. Apple hasn’t had much luck with social networking recently, if Ping is any indication.

If movie studios want to add new features to digital downloads, integrating IMDb (Internet Movie Database) information might be more useful to most people. I know when I’m watching a movie and want to know more about it, I just head over to IMDb.

Source: AppleInsider

[whereswaldo]

This actually seems like a smart idea, hats off to Sony and Apple

[jeffhesser]

i'm a bit surprised they didn't call a press conference to announce that feature. haha

[jordbrett]

Seems almost pointless. It's pretty rare that I need to search a movie for a line. May be cool to upload clips but I'm not into the whole social networking thing as much as the next guy.

[delusion950]

I like this, but i never use itunes for movies except to wipe the phone down, the only time i open itunes in general.

[thetoothfairy]

Many people may like this! However I do not rent movies in itunes or buy them either.

[stickyd8]

I think it's a cool feature. There have been numerous times I've been looking for a quote or scene in a movie to share on Facebook or Twitter, and have had a hard time finding it. Is it a necessary feature? No, but it is something that some will love, while other will ignore.

[EskimoRuler]

This actually seems like a smart idea, hats off to Sony and Apple

i think it is too. i dont usually watch the extra features just bloopers, but i know many people that do and im sure they miss that function with digital downlaods