Packaging

Michael Simons · February 25th, 2010, 01:45 PM

Ask for Charlene. She sells wholesale. The leather DVD Folio cases are $21 each. Tell her I sent you. ;-)

wholesale photo albums wholesale wedding albums wholesale flushmount albums - CD/DVD Cases

Travis Cossel · February 25th, 2010, 01:58 PM

We definitely go to the extra effort of designing artwork for the DVD case and DVD face. We think it's very important because it literally is the first thing your clients see when they pick up their DVD's. If you can get them excited with the DVD packaging, you're likely to have them enjoy the production more. The same can be said for the DVD menu, since that is the first thing couples see when they pop the DVD in the player.

We also make sure we're not just handing over some DVD cases when the couple picks them up. We have each case individually shrink-wrapped (gives them that sense of having a professional product) and we place the cases in a nice gift bag with tissue paper and the gift bag is foil-stamped with our logo. We also include a package of gourmet popcorn and some chocolates. Our couples end up loving their DVD's before they even get them into the DVD player.

At the very least, your DVD packaging should fit with your production. If you're producing budget productions for budget brides, then it makes complete sense to provide budget packaging. Anything more will not gain you much. But if you're providing a higher end production and your DVD packaging has a budget look to it, that will reflect poorly on your business branding and will likely hurt you in terms of the couple's first impression of their DVD's. And as we know, first impressions are everything. d;-)

Louis Maddalena · February 26th, 2010, 04:16 PM

Travis - who do you use to shrink wrap your dvds and the branding of the packaging (do they do things other than gift bags)

Louis

Travis Cossel · February 26th, 2010, 05:09 PM

We do all the design for the artwork ourselves, but we then farm out the production (which includes the shrink wrapping) to a local duplication company. As for the brand packaging, we're currently having our branding redesigned so we're looking at all sorts of new companies, and will likely see a dozen or so at WPPI. But in the past we were using several different companies.

For branded boxes we were going through Rice Studio Supply and for the gift bags we were using Enhanced Imaging (I think that was the name).

I'll try and remember to provide an update on companies after we return from WPPI and make a decision on our new supplier.

EDIT: by the way, the shrink wrapping is super cheap and more than worth the cost .. couples feel like their DVD's are brand new with the shrink wrap on them

Louis Maddalena · February 26th, 2010, 08:34 PM

yeah the shrink wrapping is mostly what i'm interested in. I do all my own artwork as well but i have a local printer do the printing, and do the printing on the discs myself. If there is a company that I can use to duplicate the discs and shrink wrap them thats what i'll do.

Travis Cossel · February 26th, 2010, 09:02 PM

I'm sure in your area it should be no problem to find a company that does both. If not, check with places like Kinkos for shrink wrapping. Good luck!

Louis Maddalena · February 26th, 2010, 10:57 PM

Thanks! look forward to upping my packaging game at my next wedding.

Michael Simons · February 27th, 2010, 08:35 AM

When a bride comes to my studio to pick up her video, the first thing she sees is her video on the TV screen. I then show her the DVD menu layout. She then falls in love with her video. I could hand her the wedding video wrapped in the Obituary section of the newspaper and she probably wouldn't care at that point.

Danny O'Neill · February 27th, 2010, 02:01 PM

How many disks are you producing if your having them professionally printed?

Here in the UK if you want DVD inserts or custom printed DVD's made and duplicated there is normally a minimum order of at least 100. For this reason its more cost effective to just print your own on really high quality DVD's (unless your giving the clients 100 copies that is).

For years weve used lightscribes, they may be black and white and the disks cost slightly more but the shiny image which doesnt rub off plus zero operating costs.

Its only recently weve started printing our own as we had to buy a printer for the blu-ray disks (no BD lightscribe media around) and that my brother gave us about 200 ink carts for our printer.

We now use plain black or white plastic dvd cases, we used to use fancy cases which cost a fortune and realised most of our costs were in the cases. The placcy ones with custom printed inserts made more of an impression than the fancy boxes ever did and cost a fraction to produce. The layout is a template where we insert custom images, change the names and text.

Kevin is right, Avatar, the most expensive movie in the world will be released and be delivered in a cheap plastic DVD case.

John De Rienzo · February 27th, 2010, 05:04 PM

We have been shrink wrapping our showreel demo's for over a year now. Full face printed onto shinka watershield discs with a great glossy look and designed cases. Showed this at our seminar at the Ricoh Arena in October last year!

Works a treat. First impressions do count.

Cheers.

John De Rienzo

Michael Simons · March 3rd, 2010, 03:03 PM

[QUOTE=Michael Liebergot;977004]We have been using clear plastic DVD cases and creating custom DVD cover artwork for the last 4-5 years.

We have recently added DVD Tins with a clear window (DVD Tins) as a different packaging option.

We use this option with our lowest priced packages. This way no cover artwork is required. All we design is the DVD disk artwork, which are printed on hub printable Watershield DVDs.

I just ordered the "tins" and I am very happy with them.

Kelly Langerak · March 3rd, 2010, 06:05 PM

These are all great for people who charge a bundle for there packages.

I charge $25 for extra an extra DVD wether it be SD or Blu-Ray.

I use black Memorex DVD Cases ( I will switch to white soon)

I use Memorex DVD-R

For DVD Labels I use SureThing Photo Labels. (These look wonderful for low budget peeps)

For DVD Cover Art I use the Surething DVD Case Insert which are a Matte, which I hate but they look pretty good when you have a good printer. I don't have to cut anything.

I gonna go with the tins and Surething photo labels for Blu-Ray and White DVD cases from here on out.

Thanks for posting this. There is some great looking stuff out there.

If anyone wants to sell me a template for a DVD Insert PM me.

February 25th, 2010, 01:58 PM	#62
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	We definitely go to the extra effort of designing artwork for the DVD case and DVD face. We think it's very important because it literally is the first thing your clients see when they pick up their DVD's. If you can get them excited with the DVD packaging, you're likely to have them enjoy the production more. The same can be said for the DVD menu, since that is the first thing couples see when they pop the DVD in the player. We also make sure we're not just handing over some DVD cases when the couple picks them up. We have each case individually shrink-wrapped (gives them that sense of having a professional product) and we place the cases in a nice gift bag with tissue paper and the gift bag is foil-stamped with our logo. We also include a package of gourmet popcorn and some chocolates. Our couples end up loving their DVD's before they even get them into the DVD player. At the very least, your DVD packaging should fit with your production. If you're producing budget productions for budget brides, then it makes complete sense to provide budget packaging. Anything more will not gain you much. But if you're providing a higher end production and your DVD packaging has a budget look to it, that will reflect poorly on your business branding and will likely hurt you in terms of the couple's first impression of their DVD's. And as we know, first impressions are everything. d;-) __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

February 26th, 2010, 04:16 PM	#63
Louis Maddalena Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: NYC Area. Posts: 550	Travis - who do you use to shrink wrap your dvds and the branding of the packaging (do they do things other than gift bags) Louis __________________ Red Epic available for rent, starting at $500 per day, Scarlets, and Lenses available too. rentals.maddalenamedia.com

February 26th, 2010, 05:09 PM	#64
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	We do all the design for the artwork ourselves, but we then farm out the production (which includes the shrink wrapping) to a local duplication company. As for the brand packaging, we're currently having our branding redesigned so we're looking at all sorts of new companies, and will likely see a dozen or so at WPPI. But in the past we were using several different companies. For branded boxes we were going through Rice Studio Supply and for the gift bags we were using Enhanced Imaging (I think that was the name). I'll try and remember to provide an update on companies after we return from WPPI and make a decision on our new supplier. EDIT: by the way, the shrink wrapping is super cheap and more than worth the cost .. couples feel like their DVD's are brand new with the shrink wrap on them __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

February 26th, 2010, 08:34 PM	#65
Louis Maddalena Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: NYC Area. Posts: 550	yeah the shrink wrapping is mostly what i'm interested in. I do all my own artwork as well but i have a local printer do the printing, and do the printing on the discs myself. If there is a company that I can use to duplicate the discs and shrink wrap them thats what i'll do. __________________ Red Epic available for rent, starting at $500 per day, Scarlets, and Lenses available too. rentals.maddalenamedia.com

February 26th, 2010, 09:02 PM	#66
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	I'm sure in your area it should be no problem to find a company that does both. If not, check with places like Kinkos for shrink wrapping. Good luck! __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

February 25th, 2010, 01:45 PM	#61
Michael Simons Major Player Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Red Bank, NJ Posts: 553	Ask for Charlene. She sells wholesale. The leather DVD Folio cases are $21 each. Tell her I sent you. ;-) wholesale photo albums wholesale wedding albums wholesale flushmount albums - CD/DVD Cases

February 26th, 2010, 10:57 PM	#67
Louis Maddalena Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: NYC Area. Posts: 550	Thanks! look forward to upping my packaging game at my next wedding. __________________ Red Epic available for rent, starting at $500 per day, Scarlets, and Lenses available too. rentals.maddalenamedia.com

February 27th, 2010, 08:35 AM	#68
Michael Simons Major Player Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Red Bank, NJ Posts: 553	When a bride comes to my studio to pick up her video, the first thing she sees is her video on the TV screen. I then show her the DVD menu layout. She then falls in love with her video. I could hand her the wedding video wrapped in the Obituary section of the newspaper and she probably wouldn't care at that point.

February 27th, 2010, 02:01 PM	#69
Danny O'Neill Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Northampton, UK Posts: 915	How many disks are you producing if your having them professionally printed? Here in the UK if you want DVD inserts or custom printed DVD's made and duplicated there is normally a minimum order of at least 100. For this reason its more cost effective to just print your own on really high quality DVD's (unless your giving the clients 100 copies that is). For years weve used lightscribes, they may be black and white and the disks cost slightly more but the shiny image which doesnt rub off plus zero operating costs. Its only recently weve started printing our own as we had to buy a printer for the blu-ray disks (no BD lightscribe media around) and that my brother gave us about 200 ink carts for our printer. We now use plain black or white plastic dvd cases, we used to use fancy cases which cost a fortune and realised most of our costs were in the cases. The placcy ones with custom printed inserts made more of an impression than the fancy boxes ever did and cost a fraction to produce. The layout is a template where we insert custom images, change the names and text. Kevin is right, Avatar, the most expensive movie in the world will be released and be delivered in a cheap plastic DVD case. __________________ mintyslippers.com

February 27th, 2010, 05:04 PM	#70
John De Rienzo Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: London Posts: 313	We have been shrink wrapping our showreel demo's for over a year now. Full face printed onto shinka watershield discs with a great glossy look and designed cases. Showed this at our seminar at the Ricoh Arena in October last year! Works a treat. First impressions do count. Cheers. John De Rienzo __________________ De Rienzo Films www.derienzo-films.co.uk

March 3rd, 2010, 03:03 PM	#71
Michael Simons Major Player Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Red Bank, NJ Posts: 553	[QUOTE=Michael Liebergot;977004]We have been using clear plastic DVD cases and creating custom DVD cover artwork for the last 4-5 years. We have recently added DVD Tins with a clear window (DVD Tins) as a different packaging option. We use this option with our lowest priced packages. This way no cover artwork is required. All we design is the DVD disk artwork, which are printed on hub printable Watershield DVDs. I just ordered the "tins" and I am very happy with them.

March 3rd, 2010, 06:05 PM	#72
Kelly Langerak Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bay Area Posts: 522	These are all great for people who charge a bundle for there packages. I charge $25 for extra an extra DVD wether it be SD or Blu-Ray. I use black Memorex DVD Cases ( I will switch to white soon) I use Memorex DVD-R For DVD Labels I use SureThing Photo Labels. (These look wonderful for low budget peeps) For DVD Cover Art I use the Surething DVD Case Insert which are a Matte, which I hate but they look pretty good when you have a good printer. I don't have to cut anything. I gonna go with the tins and Surething photo labels for Blu-Ray and White DVD cases from here on out. Thanks for posting this. There is some great looking stuff out there. If anyone wants to sell me a template for a DVD Insert PM me.