OT- DVD's are cheap

[alphajerk]

i just bought 6 DVD's at best buy for $80. the austin power trilogy, the two MIB's, and blade [came with a promotion from the austin powers trilogy... probably a shitty ass movie but it was technically free, it was a choice between rush hour, which i have seen and sucked and blade] thats @ $13 each! and damn have i bought a LOT of DVD's... i own a good number of movies. way more than i ever bought VHS. i really started buying DVD's though because i am the worst at returning movies to rental places so i could practically buy them with late charges anyway. but a lot of the DVD's i have bought were $14.99... thats less than a lot of CD's out on the market. no wonder the music business is failing.

[Dogfur]

[quote]Originally posted by alphajerk: [b] a lot of the DVD's i have bought were $14.99... thats less than a lot of CD's out on the market. no wonder the music business is failing.[/b][/quote]This, my friend, is a perfect example of how the music business is and will continue to consume itself! The "movie" business recognized the new format of DVD and embraced it for current sales, despite concerns of piracy.

[spokenward]

DVD's (and tape before them) are "used" movies. They are another bite of the apple. The modern motion picture business is based upon multiple streams of revenue - theatrical, pay per view, home video, cable and broadcast. DVD's do represent good value to movie consumers, but they are also one of the most profitable channels of distribution. Music and movies are both recorded media, but one is a living and breathing brand new product launch and the other is an opportunistic marketing of an established commodity. I don't buy the comparison. I think that apples-to-apples DVD's are like the music industry "Great Price" catalog product.

[midispaceho]

They have come WAY down in price. Players too. I bought one of those Walmart 48 $ players and it is actually pretty cool.

[coyote]

And this is exactly the problem with the record industry. They too have multiple streams of revenue available if they'd only see it as such. It depends a great deal on artistic vision, which is sorely lacking these days (and in fact has been for a looong time): a) band makes studio record. it can have some filler, but should be generally strong. b) band tours in support of record. band plays some of its prior hits while introducing new material. band plays *different* arrangements of its material; otherwise one could as easily sit home and play the CD. c) because the material has been played differently live, fan base wants to hear/see the performance repeatedly - therefore it is videotaped and sold on DVD. d) material gets recycled in "greatest hits" packages. The problems? a) the labels demand four studio CDs in two years. it is nearly impossible to make them uniformly great, so fans tire of hearing filler and look for something else. b) the fans, and the artists themselves, are afraid to take chances so they simply and stupidly duplicate live what's on the studio CD. Unless there's an extravaganza ala Britney or J.Lo, why bother going to the show? c) the live performance market was/is left to bootleggers. there's gold in them thar live recordings.... d) prices are ridiculously high for music. A music CD really ought not be higher than @ $12.00 US and a DVD no higherr than $15.00. So you have four revenue streams from a single work: studio recording, live performance, video(s) of live performance, and greatest hits. But to make it work, you have to raise the overall quality level - and this means reducing the quantity of studio recordings. If the US auto industry operated like the recording industry, back in the 80s when sales were dying the companies would have said "let's flood the market with three times the number of models, that'll guarantee us some sales". Instead they looked and said "you know what? our customers are actually intelligent enough to choose quality. let's rethink our entire process, and give them something worth buying." The record industry won't turn around til they drop all their erroneous beliefs and do intelligent analysis of their market. OK, diatribe over :) [quote]Originally posted by spokenward: [b]DVD's (and tape before them) are "used" movies. They are another bite of the apple. The modern motion picture business is based upon multiple streams of revenue - theatrical, pay per view, home video, cable and broadcast. DVD's do represent good value to movie consumers, but they are also one of the most profitable channels of distribution. Music and movies are both recorded media, but one is a living and breathing brand new product launch and the other is an opportunistic marketing of an established commodity. I don't buy the comparison. I think that apples-to-apples DVD's are like the music industry "Great Price" catalog product.[/b][/quote]

[randy clay]

Wow, that's great Coyote. When are you going to start your own label? Or maybe you already have, I didn't check. I really see the logic in your reasoning. It makes a lot of sense to me. It's too bad the record labels couln't use this kind of information and make it work. Thanks for sharing... I'm not being sarcastic here, I really like what you said. I'd love to be an artist on your label.

[alphajerk]

[quote]Originally posted by spokenward: [b]DVD's (and tape before them) are "used" movies..[/b][/quote]not really... i havent seen any of the movies i bought on DVD. i rarely go to the theater to see a movie. i would much rather sit on my comfortable couch with a beer and other pleasures and watch a movie on my home theater. the wife an i actaully did go see white oleander at the movie theater a little while back, but it was the first time we went to the movie theater in many years.

[aliengroover]

Coyote makes valid points, but...what label wants a CD every 6 months?! Anyway, here's the thing with DVDs being a "used" product...no matter how you look at it, you still make out financially with it. First off, like Alpha said, there are a crap load of people who buy DVDs off of recommendations from people who've seen it. Also, going to the movies and paying $5.50 (I only go to matinees and twilights), or even paying the full eight bucks, and then buying the DVD (which I've done) still gives you more bang for your buck than a CD. A good DVD will provide you with HOURS of entertainment. A good CD nowadays will MAYBE give you a half hour of good material along with 40 minutes of filler/clean the house-type music. Spending $20 on a DVD is more of a given than spending $15 on a CD. Blade was really cool, as was Blade II. I've seen the first one about, shoot, 15 times? Had the tape first, then got the DVD after I got a player (there's now one in almost every room). Peace

[Jotown]

Great points all. One of the reasons that DVD's are relatively inexpensive is that the Major Media groups want to establish it as the de-facto standard for video. These same MM groups manufacture the hardware. That is ultimately what they are trying to sell you. Once VCRs are obsolete and DVD players are in every home the prices for DVD"s will rise. Also, DVD's will soon have copy-protection on every DVD now that DVD burners are becoming cheaper. Music fans hate anti-piracy measures. but they will have no choice with DVD's The movie companies have learned much from the music biz, but never forget that the major music biz and major movie biz are the same beast.

[alphajerk]

well we all remember the $99 VHS movie price fiasco.... they dropped them to $15 [now $10] and they flew off the shelves like hotcakes. even rental shops had to make concessions on price sort of.... now they rent over a 5 day period instead of 1 night like it used to be. as for movies being protected from piracy?!? have you not seen DIVX movies online? you can find just about every flick, IN THEATER and on rental. DVD's however offer directors commentary, behind the scenes, outtakes, and on and on. the DVD austin power trilogy is a dual sided disc with the full screen on one side and the widescreen on another [another mistake i started making when buying DVD's... i had been buying the full screen version since i have a "normal" tv instead of buying the widescreen version when both werent on the same disc and now when i buy a plasma screen next year im going to be fucked on the ratio of the full screen versions]

[meccajay]

This doesn't have much to do with the topic, but if you REALLY want to save a dollar.. Try "Pawn Shopping" for DVD's! I do buy DVD's every month. Usually I buy online(DVD Empire) or from Best Buys/Wal-Mart's etc. Lately Ive taken a peek at the Cash America and Pawn Marts that I frequent(looking for vintage drum machines) and Ive found some gems...Un-opened! For $8 a piece or 3 for $20! The selection has been shocking and getting an un-opened "used" DVD for that price well...