Service deals becoming a hit at Sundance

6:29 PM PST 1/26/2010 by Gregg Goldstein, AP

Pacts see producers pay distribs upfront fee, b.o. percentage

PARK CITY -- A bidding war broke out at Sundance last weekend over the sci-fi entry "Splice," which stars Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley. But it wasn't the typical contest in which distributors vie to see who is willing to pay the most for rights to the hot movie of the moment.