Brides without BluRay

Dave Blackhurst · April 29th, 2011, 02:55 PM

Do what Disney now does on most of their titles - DVD/BR/Digital copy all in one package, for a little premium over just the DVD or just the BR...

Now you've delivered in a format that is almost universal (DVD), BR, for those that have it available, AND a digital copy on a disk that an be downloaded to their computer or whatever device with a screen they have available...

The only "flaw" I see in this is that you might have to render out several different resolutions of digital copy, and choose formats very carefully for compatibility, but it certainly would follow a marketing pattern that works for one of the biggest "media" providers on the planet.

BTW, 8G thumb drive, $12 at Frys... 16G, $20... depending on how you render, those would hold a LOT of "content".

Pete Cofrancesco · April 29th, 2011, 03:20 PM

I agree DVD encasement holding both DVD and a BR is the best solution. I think what ppl are missing about a physical disc is they can mail them to a relative or take it over to their house and watch it.

James Strange · April 29th, 2011, 05:24 PM

For (the few) couples that order a digital copy from me, is use these.

Metal USB Tin Engraved Presentation Flash Drive - Presentation Flash Drive / Cases

Definitely better on the eye than a standard usb

Craig Terott · April 29th, 2011, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Haro

Haven't had a single request for blue ray yet.

180 degree opposite opinion:

1. Lots of demand for Bluray.
2. The majority of people that meet with us have a Bluray player.
3. Bluray is promoted on website and demonstrated during consultations.
4. It is offered in our middle and higher tier packages and the result has been more sales of upper tier packages.

You won't sell what you don't promote.

Michael Wisniewski · April 29th, 2011, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis Cossel

It's just not comparable to a beautiful album ... We currently use custom-made image-wrapped cases and they look amazing, but the technology is definitely going toward digital delivery and streaming. Not really sure how we're going to handle delivery in those mediums yet.

I long ago left the wedding industry, but I understand Travis' point especially from the bride's point of view.

Has anyone started promoting/selling digital delivery to savvy couples yet? I imagine a USB thumb drive in a nice elegant case would be good way to make it more presentable. Or for the very high end customers a full iPad package with a nice case? Just wondering since it seems to be heading in that direction. For a less expensive solution, what about a nice digital photo frame that also plays video, delivered of course, in an elegant case. Seems like an interesting opportunity to sell to brides.

Tim Bakland · April 29th, 2011, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig Terott

180 degree opposite opinion:

1. Lots of demand for Bluray.
2. The majority of people that meet with us have a Bluray player.
3. Bluray is promoted on website and demonstrated during consultations.
4. It is offered in our middle and higher tier packages and the result has been more sales of upper tier packages.

You won't sell what you don't promote.

I agree, Craig. When I first went to HD, I was figuring the blu-ray thing might not really take off and I'd just kind of bide my time and wait for thumb-drive or similar delivery.

And I am delivering on Blu-ray to 80% of my wedding clients (in addition to DVD of course).

Philip Howells · May 1st, 2011, 12:57 AM

We too deliver Blu-ray on all weddings in addition to four DVDs.

Our local Blockbuster tells me that they now carry almost as many Blu-ray copies of new releases as they do DVDs. That's probably as good a guide as any of the penetration of BD.

If the BBC or ITV bring out a Blu-ray of the recent Royal Wedding that will add impetus too.

Chris Harding · May 1st, 2011, 01:20 AM

Hi Philip

Nice to see you back here!!

Hmmm maybe supplying a BD disk with the DVD's might just spur the couple into buying a player...trouble is here BD players are still more expensive by a long shot than DVD players.

Just for interest do you use the same software to create your BD menu as well as the DVD ??

Chris

Simon Wood · May 1st, 2011, 02:03 AM

I have heard good reviews about these Sumvision Cyclone Micro Media Players - they are for sale on amazon and ebay for about 20 quid.

You can attach an external harddrive or a thumbdrive or a number of different memory cards and away you go. Seemingly they play HD 1080p in a number of formats.

Anyone here used them?

Philip Howells · May 1st, 2011, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Hi Philip

Nice to see you back here!!

Hmmm maybe supplying a BD disk with the DVD's might just spur the couple into buying a player...trouble is here BD players are still more expensive by a long shot than DVD players.

Just for interest do you use the same software to create your BD menu as well as the DVD ??

Chris

Chris, thanks for your comments - as long as I'm not told again by the self-publicists here that because I choose not to show my work I'm not entitled to comment, I'll remain to play my small part.

Because I'm not a Premiere user but I do require a sophisticated authoring system I've switched from DVD-Lab (which has serious flaws quite apart from the owners still not accepting that BD is a system worth supporting) I've moved to TMPGEnc's Authoring Works 4.

For anyone considering the same move may I add that it's as individual as DVD-Lab and familiarity with one is little or no help in moving to the other. However, once the move is made, the experience is excellent BUT and it's a big BUT there is a remaining problem.

The big drawback in TAW4 is that to author the same programme in BD and DVD requires a completely separate process.

Of course, the authoring possibilities for BD are more sophisticated, but people constantly remind me that Premiere has overcome that difficulty. If I was better disposed towards Adobe I might take more interest - my guess is that the "common" authoring in Premiere means that one's BD menus are no more sophisticated than the equivalent DVD menu. That would not be good enough for me so for now I'm sticking with the slight inconvenience of TAW4.

Tim Bakland · May 1st, 2011, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Just for interest do you use the same software to create your BD menu as well as the DVD ??

Chris

Adobe Encore is a great solution for the dual-burn DVD/Blu-Ray. Still haven't found the HD-->SD conversion suitable within Encore, so I make the DVD mpeg separately.

Philip Howells · May 1st, 2011, 10:14 PM

Tim's message prompts me to add that I've referred to Premiere as the dual-authoring software, whereas I think I should have written Encore.

However, his mention of the conversion also reminds me to add that depending on your editing program, once you've prepared the "core" MPEG-2 DVD or BD file, TAW4 is remarkably fast compared to DVD-Lab which for me needed a lot of time spent with TMPGEnc Express.

A couple of days ago I authored and burned to DVD a 10 minute fashion event programme for Debenhams, a UK clothing chain store, in just a few minutes because TAW4 uses my native 8mb/s MPEG-2 produced by Avid without any re-encoding. I'm not familiar enough with other NLEs to know if similar economies are available generally but for me TAW4's need to encode only the menus etc is a huge advantage.

No doubt it is the BD-DVD file conversion within Encore/Premiere which is the clever bit in producing authoring in either flavour from the same "core" file and equally it's the lack of this cleverness within TAW4 which is its disadvantage.

Chris Davis · May 1st, 2011, 11:00 PM

Another delivery method I've used for a few business clients is to provide a widescreen SD version on DVD with an HD version in WMV format as extra content on the disk. The DVD includes an autoplay.inf file, so when the DVD is inserted in a Windows PC, it plays the HD version. When inserted in a DVD player, it of course plays the DVD version.

I guess if I were delivering wedding video, I'd probably deliver a two-disk package with a DVD version and a Blu-ray version. Even if they don't have a Blu-ray player today, the odds are good that someday they'll have some sort of device that will play that Blu-ray disk.

John Wiley · May 1st, 2011, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Bray

I just wish there was a better way to make a thumb drive look fancy.

A couple pays the photographer around $2000 and in return, they get a great looking deluxe leather bound photo album.

A couple pays the videographer around $2000 and in return, they get a 2 inch plastic thumb drive.

Now I realize, I'm being a little sarcastic because in return, they actually get a wonderful movie of their big day, but I just can't imagine trying to glam up a thumb drive. Believe me, I'm with ya. I wish I could skip the entire Blu-ray thing as well but unfortunately, I just can't come up with a good way to make a fancy package for a thumb drive compared to optical media or the photographers deluxe leather album for that matter.

Haha! So True.

Maybe we need a solution like the cases for the older "pro" DV tapes or these days some high-end SDHC cards that are exactly the same size/dimensions as regular media but have an impractically large case.

I do agree about skipping Blu-ray though - as long as I can work out what will come after it!

Michael Bray · May 2nd, 2011, 12:37 AM

It's anyone's guess as to what the next technology to follow blu-ray will be and when it will come along. Many seem to think it will be some sort of streaming but I wouldn't bank on it anytime soon. Netflix streaming for example, isn't even DVD quality. Then there are the cable companies who are testing metered usage or placing caps on bandwidth. Finally, brides in general will want something more substantial than a thumb drive or WD player to playback their special day. As long as Hollywood keeps releasing their movies on optical media (DVD / blu-ray), it's my opinion that this is what brides are going to expect. I've given up trying to find creative solutions on how to deliver media other than on optical. A few years ago, I decided to follow the movie studios lead, and offer DVD/Blu-ray combo packs. Fast forward to today...I include the combo packs with every package. Like a few others have mentioned on this thread, I use it as a selling point and it works quite well when presented in the right manner. Brides wont ask for it if they dont know about it or you dont advertise it. Very few of my competitors offer Blu-ray and I can't begin to tell you how many brides opted to go with me because it's included with every one of my packages. Many of these brides don't even have the Blu-ray player yet but believe that their wedding will be future proofed with BD. Just my 2 cents.

April 29th, 2011, 02:55 PM	#16
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Brides without BluRay Do what Disney now does on most of their titles - DVD/BR/Digital copy all in one package, for a little premium over just the DVD or just the BR... Now you've delivered in a format that is almost universal (DVD), BR, for those that have it available, AND a digital copy on a disk that an be downloaded to their computer or whatever device with a screen they have available... The only "flaw" I see in this is that you might have to render out several different resolutions of digital copy, and choose formats very carefully for compatibility, but it certainly would follow a marketing pattern that works for one of the biggest "media" providers on the planet. BTW, 8G thumb drive, $12 at Frys... 16G, $20... depending on how you render, those would hold a LOT of "content".

April 29th, 2011, 03:20 PM	#17
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 3,005	Re: Brides without BluRay I agree DVD encasement holding both DVD and a BR is the best solution. I think what ppl are missing about a physical disc is they can mail them to a relative or take it over to their house and watch it.

April 29th, 2011, 05:24 PM	#18
James Strange Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK Posts: 309	Re: Brides without BluRay For (the few) couples that order a digital copy from me, is use these. Metal USB Tin Engraved Presentation Flash Drive - Presentation Flash Drive / Cases Definitely better on the eye than a standard usb

May 1st, 2011, 12:57 AM	#22
Philip Howells Trustee Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 1,212	Re: Brides without BluRay We too deliver Blu-ray on all weddings in addition to four DVDs. Our local Blockbuster tells me that they now carry almost as many Blu-ray copies of new releases as they do DVDs. That's probably as good a guide as any of the penetration of BD. If the BBC or ITV bring out a Blu-ray of the recent Royal Wedding that will add impetus too.

May 1st, 2011, 01:20 AM	#23
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Brides without BluRay Hi Philip Nice to see you back here!! Hmmm maybe supplying a BD disk with the DVD's might just spur the couple into buying a player...trouble is here BD players are still more expensive by a long shot than DVD players. Just for interest do you use the same software to create your BD menu as well as the DVD ?? Chris

May 1st, 2011, 02:03 AM	#24
Simon Wood Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Entebbe Uganda Posts: 768	Re: Brides without BluRay I have heard good reviews about these Sumvision Cyclone Micro Media Players - they are for sale on amazon and ebay for about 20 quid. You can attach an external harddrive or a thumbdrive or a number of different memory cards and away you go. Seemingly they play HD 1080p in a number of formats. Anyone here used them? __________________ http://vimeo.com/channels/guerrillafilms

May 1st, 2011, 10:14 PM	#27
Philip Howells Trustee Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 1,212	Re: Brides without BluRay Tim's message prompts me to add that I've referred to Premiere as the dual-authoring software, whereas I think I should have written Encore. However, his mention of the conversion also reminds me to add that depending on your editing program, once you've prepared the "core" MPEG-2 DVD or BD file, TAW4 is remarkably fast compared to DVD-Lab which for me needed a lot of time spent with TMPGEnc Express. A couple of days ago I authored and burned to DVD a 10 minute fashion event programme for Debenhams, a UK clothing chain store, in just a few minutes because TAW4 uses my native 8mb/s MPEG-2 produced by Avid without any re-encoding. I'm not familiar enough with other NLEs to know if similar economies are available generally but for me TAW4's need to encode only the menus etc is a huge advantage. No doubt it is the BD-DVD file conversion within Encore/Premiere which is the clever bit in producing authoring in either flavour from the same "core" file and equally it's the lack of this cleverness within TAW4 which is its disadvantage.

May 1st, 2011, 11:00 PM	#28
Chris Davis Trustee Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Willmar, MN Posts: 1,400	Re: Brides without BluRay Another delivery method I've used for a few business clients is to provide a widescreen SD version on DVD with an HD version in WMV format as extra content on the disk. The DVD includes an autoplay.inf file, so when the DVD is inserted in a Windows PC, it plays the HD version. When inserted in a DVD player, it of course plays the DVD version. I guess if I were delivering wedding video, I'd probably deliver a two-disk package with a DVD version and a Blu-ray version. Even if they don't have a Blu-ray player today, the odds are good that someday they'll have some sort of device that will play that Blu-ray disk.

May 2nd, 2011, 12:37 AM	#30
Michael Bray Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Byron Center, MI Posts: 128	Re: Brides without BluRay It's anyone's guess as to what the next technology to follow blu-ray will be and when it will come along. Many seem to think it will be some sort of streaming but I wouldn't bank on it anytime soon. Netflix streaming for example, isn't even DVD quality. Then there are the cable companies who are testing metered usage or placing caps on bandwidth. Finally, brides in general will want something more substantial than a thumb drive or WD player to playback their special day. As long as Hollywood keeps releasing their movies on optical media (DVD / blu-ray), it's my opinion that this is what brides are going to expect. I've given up trying to find creative solutions on how to deliver media other than on optical. A few years ago, I decided to follow the movie studios lead, and offer DVD/Blu-ray combo packs. Fast forward to today...I include the combo packs with every package. Like a few others have mentioned on this thread, I use it as a selling point and it works quite well when presented in the right manner. Brides wont ask for it if they dont know about it or you dont advertise it. Very few of my competitors offer Blu-ray and I can't begin to tell you how many brides opted to go with me because it's included with every one of my packages. Many of these brides don't even have the Blu-ray player yet but believe that their wedding will be future proofed with BD. Just my 2 cents.