Tesco & Amber Entertainment Enter DVD Deal

LONDON: Amber Entertainment is teaming up with retailer Tesco to create exclusive DVD movies based on the works of authors such as Jackie Collins.

The first film from the new partnership is Paris Connections, which is currently in pre-production. The movie is being produced by Amber Entertainment with bestselling author Jackie Collins and will premiere on DVD in Tesco stories in May. Three more films from the Connections series are planned.

Amber is also negotiating for the works of many other authors for Tesco releases, including Philip Pullman, Judy Blume, Dick and Felix Francis, Karin Slaughter, Jacqueline Wilson and Anne Perry. The films will be initially available exclusively as DVDs through Tesco stores, online, and through Tesco Direct.

"We created Amber Entertainment to celebrate and expand the impact of authors and their stories across the ever-growing new media landscape,” said Ileen Maisel, founding Amber Entertainment partner. “This partnership with Rob Salter and the fantastic team at Tesco is exactly the sort of new paradigm for delivering content to audiences that is the future of the entertainment industry."

Jackie Collins said, "I love the concept of creating quality DVDs I know my readers will enjoy. It’s an innovative idea to partner with Tesco, and gives the consumer something exclusive."

Rob Salter, Tesco Entertainment’s director, added; "This ground-breaking relationship with Amber Entertainment is a significant development for Tesco and the first of its kind for the industry. It demonstrates our commitment to offering the very best in entertainment. Through this partnership we will be able to offer our customers an exclusive window to own first-run films from a range of well-known authors."

"Home entertainment is a big opportunity for Tesco both instore and online," Salter continued. "We are working hard to develop ourselves as a multichannel retailer, giving customers the option to buy instore, online or though our catalogue. Partnerships such as this enable us to offer customers even more than a standard entertainment retailer."