One Copy Thank You at DVinfo.net

Michelle Genrich · February 19th, 2009, 05:20 PM

I don't mind the "one copy is all we need" and the slip "we'll duplicate them on our own" but how do you react when someone asks you if you mind if they duplicate copies on their own? .....then realizing they're talking to the person who is making the original. It's happened here more than once or twice or ten times.

Matt Bishop · February 19th, 2009, 05:33 PM

At that point, I don't care if they want to do that. It's like photographers releasing the Hi Res files to clients once all is said and done. They've already bought the package and included DVD's so I've got the money that I wanted. I personally don't charge or make much on selling extra copies so it's not something that we worry about. Just remind them that the copy won't be printed and they won't have a nice case for it like the ones that they could order from you. Of course this raises the point that then someone else isn't seeing the work the way it was meant to be seen with a nice case and print as that is part of the whole package....but again, it's not a big enough deal that I personally worry about it. Doesn't happen that often.

Matt

Dave Blackhurst · February 19th, 2009, 05:53 PM

If you're doing a proper print on the DVD you deliver so it looks professional, the difference between that and a sharpie should be pretty obvious... can you do a "which would you prefer?"... So too with a nice professional case.

I'd just ask them how much time and effort it will cost them to make those copies and then see how many they want/need and make them a good deal on them... doesn't much matter to me to burn/print 1 or 20 once I've done the final master and the artwork... If they are really broke, I often have a couple test disks I could mark "demo/test" and don't want laying around anyway...

It's not a huge additional expense to make however many copies they might need, and if you make them think about the time and effort to make PROPER duplicates (not to mention how easy it is to make coasters - just having a burner doesn't guarantee compatibility with media and so on...), they'd have to be pretty cheap to say no (or you're overpricing your additional copies)...

Michelle Genrich · February 19th, 2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

they'd have to be pretty cheap to say no (or you're overpricing your additional copies)...

Not overpricing my copies....certainly not after giving away 800 DVDs in the promo arena. Just curious what you do when they approach you for one copy only. Merely wanted to hear your response. That's all......thank you

Kelsey Emuss · February 19th, 2009, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michelle Genrich

I don't mind the "one copy is all we need" and the slip "we'll duplicate them on our own" but how do you react when someone asks you if you mind if they duplicate copies on their own? .....then realizing they're talking to the person who is making the original. It's happened here more than once or twice or ten times.

My DVD's are encyrpted in away that they can't be copied.
You can burn the Menu page but the links will be dead.

I usually fill them in on that information PRIOR to them asking. I then tell them that additional copies cost "X" IF they are ordered the day we sign the contract. If they order more copes AFTER the fact (once they realize they can't copy them) they cost TWICE as much to order.

I have had people order as many as 6 DVD's from me.

Don Bloom · February 19th, 2009, 07:30 PM

I give them 3 edited copies. If they want more I hope they have fun. Frankly IMO the time to burn and print the DVD and then print out the case wrap isn't worth my time.

As for encrypting, Kelsey, send me one of your DVDs and tell me how many copies you want. ;-O

Kelsey Emuss · February 19th, 2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

I give them 3 edited copies. If they want more I hope they have fun. Frankly IMO the time to burn and print the DVD and then print out the case wrap isn't worth my time.

As for encrypting, Kelsey, send me one of your DVDs and tell me how many copies you want. ;-O

Don!! You are a tricky one!! lol!

Truthfully YOU know they are burnable and I know thy are burnable, but THEY aren't sure!

And in fact, it's not a simple process and to further that I think the majority of the population isn't savvy enough to figre it out.

PS: Keep your hands off my DVD's!

Tom Alexander · February 19th, 2009, 08:59 PM

I'm just starting but I can't see including less than 2 copies of the final product upon delivery. Beyond that, they can make all the copies they want. I'd never count on making money from them buying copies from me anyway, I'd include all of my profit in the original price. So if asked, I'd smile and say "of course you can make copies". You're not going to stop them anyway, and at least they had the courtesy to ask.

Michelle Genrich · February 19th, 2009, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelsey Emuss

Don!! You are a tricky one!! lol!

Truthfully YOU know they are burnable and I know thy are burnable, but THEY aren't sure!

And in fact, it's not a simple process and to further that I think the majority of the population isn't savvy enough to figre it out.

PS: Keep your hands off my DVD's!

Shirley...can't you guys play nice when someone like me is trying to ask a simple question?

Tom Alexander · February 19th, 2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michelle Genrich

Shirley...can't you guys play nice when someone like me is trying to ask a simple question?

We are being nice, and stop calling me Shirley......(sorry, I couldn't resist)

Seriously though, I hope I didn't sound mean and I don't think anyone else meant to be either.
I think people are trying to be honest here, there's just some different views regarding the idea of a client copying their finished DVD's. I personally don't have a problem with it, I'm not going to make any money off additional copies, they're not taking food out my children's mouths by doing it, and I want to keep the client happy. It goes back to the saying "jobs beget other jobs". I want the word of mouth to go around that I'm easy to work with and produce a good product. I ran a ceramic tile business for years solely on word of mouth, and I was rarely without work.

Ethan Cooper · February 19th, 2009, 09:43 PM

We have an option for brides to order more copies but I'm up front with anyone who asks about additional copies that we can't do anything to stop them from making their own. Like others have said already, the $200 extra I make a year in DVD sales just isn't worth my time to burn, print, cut and ship the things.

SiuChung Leung · February 19th, 2009, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ethan Cooper

We have an option for brides to order more copies but I'm up front with anyone who asks about additional copies that we can't do anything to stop them from making their own. Like others have said already, the $200 extra I make a year in DVD sales just isn't worth my time to burn, print, cut and ship the things.

I'll second that! When a couple ask us about copying their wedding video, I'll say go for it! I may lost that $15 of business but more DVD they copy, that's mean more people will see our work.

Lukas Siewior · February 19th, 2009, 11:18 PM

I've got similar approach. The couple gets 3 copies anyway. Sometimes they want more if they'll be shipping it to their relatives, so they want nice, printed set. But then they ask me if they can make more copies to give away to friends, etc. I always agree. But I also inform them that I'll be keeping dvd images on hard drive for another month or so, in case they want more printed copies from me. I had a couple once who asked for aprox. 10 sets of DVD's :-) I spent whole weekend burning dvd's as if those were newest Hollywood releases :-)

Philip Gioja · February 20th, 2009, 06:49 AM

I was giving this some thought last year, because it does cause some brand recognition issues if they are copying the video without any of the labeling. So I made a short little stinger to go at the end of the video with my website and logo. It's professional-looking (I think), doesn't detract from the video, and that way if someone wants/needs to track me down they should still be able to do that. I've always been very flexible if they want to make their own copies - they've already paid for the production to be done, so there's no copyright issues like there would be with photography.

Edward Troxel · February 20th, 2009, 08:19 AM

For a wedding, I wouldn't care. I'm charging a rate for taping/editing.

Now if you're doing an event and income is based on DVD Sales, that's a totally different story. In that case, they'd be stealing your only income.

February 19th, 2009, 05:20 PM	#1
Michelle Genrich Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: S.B. Calif Posts: 31	One Copy Thank You I don't mind the "one copy is all we need" and the slip "we'll duplicate them on our own" but how do you react when someone asks you if you mind if they duplicate copies on their own? .....then realizing they're talking to the person who is making the original. It's happened here more than once or twice or ten times.

February 19th, 2009, 05:33 PM	#2
Matt Bishop Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: East Moline, IL Posts: 231	At that point, I don't care if they want to do that. It's like photographers releasing the Hi Res files to clients once all is said and done. They've already bought the package and included DVD's so I've got the money that I wanted. I personally don't charge or make much on selling extra copies so it's not something that we worry about. Just remind them that the copy won't be printed and they won't have a nice case for it like the ones that they could order from you. Of course this raises the point that then someone else isn't seeing the work the way it was meant to be seen with a nice case and print as that is part of the whole package....but again, it's not a big enough deal that I personally worry about it. Doesn't happen that often. Matt __________________ www.mediainnovations-online.com www.mediainnovationsblog.com

February 19th, 2009, 07:30 PM	#6
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	I give them 3 edited copies. If they want more I hope they have fun. Frankly IMO the time to burn and print the DVD and then print out the case wrap isn't worth my time. As for encrypting, Kelsey, send me one of your DVDs and tell me how many copies you want. ;-O __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

February 19th, 2009, 09:43 PM	#11
Ethan Cooper Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 1,400 Images: 5	We have an option for brides to order more copies but I'm up front with anyone who asks about additional copies that we can't do anything to stop them from making their own. Like others have said already, the $200 extra I make a year in DVD sales just isn't worth my time to burn, print, cut and ship the things. __________________ ∅ -Ethan Cooper

February 20th, 2009, 08:19 AM	#15
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	For a wedding, I wouldn't care. I'm charging a rate for taping/editing. Now if you're doing an event and income is based on DVD Sales, that's a totally different story. In that case, they'd be stealing your only income. __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

February 19th, 2009, 05:53 PM	#3
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	If you're doing a proper print on the DVD you deliver so it looks professional, the difference between that and a sharpie should be pretty obvious... can you do a "which would you prefer?"... So too with a nice professional case. I'd just ask them how much time and effort it will cost them to make those copies and then see how many they want/need and make them a good deal on them... doesn't much matter to me to burn/print 1 or 20 once I've done the final master and the artwork... If they are really broke, I often have a couple test disks I could mark "demo/test" and don't want laying around anyway... It's not a huge additional expense to make however many copies they might need, and if you make them think about the time and effort to make PROPER duplicates (not to mention how easy it is to make coasters - just having a burner doesn't guarantee compatibility with media and so on...), they'd have to be pretty cheap to say no (or you're overpricing your additional copies)...

February 19th, 2009, 08:59 PM	#8
Tom Alexander Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ontario, Ca. Posts: 121	I'm just starting but I can't see including less than 2 copies of the final product upon delivery. Beyond that, they can make all the copies they want. I'd never count on making money from them buying copies from me anyway, I'd include all of my profit in the original price. So if asked, I'd smile and say "of course you can make copies". You're not going to stop them anyway, and at least they had the courtesy to ask.

February 19th, 2009, 11:18 PM	#13
Lukas Siewior Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Lyndhurst, NJ, USA Posts: 408	I've got similar approach. The couple gets 3 copies anyway. Sometimes they want more if they'll be shipping it to their relatives, so they want nice, printed set. But then they ask me if they can make more copies to give away to friends, etc. I always agree. But I also inform them that I'll be keeping dvd images on hard drive for another month or so, in case they want more printed copies from me. I had a couple once who asked for aprox. 10 sets of DVD's :-) I spent whole weekend burning dvd's as if those were newest Hollywood releases :-)

February 20th, 2009, 06:49 AM	#14
Philip Gioja Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Piper City, IL Posts: 350	I was giving this some thought last year, because it does cause some brand recognition issues if they are copying the video without any of the labeling. So I made a short little stinger to go at the end of the video with my website and logo. It's professional-looking (I think), doesn't detract from the video, and that way if someone wants/needs to track me down they should still be able to do that. I've always been very flexible if they want to make their own copies - they've already paid for the production to be done, so there's no copyright issues like there would be with photography.