Anyone doing a "no disks" delivery yet?

[Clive McLaughlin]

Here's a question - Is there no way these days to create some sort of autoplay interface that would act like a menu would on a DVD.

I remember at uni, doing my media course we did something like this with the (now defunct) Macromedia Director.

It would feel nicer than just a folder with a few files in it...

[Noa Put]

If the client has a mediacentre like "XBMC" can't you just provide a image for each file you deliver so when they browse through the menu your films show up as images like this?:
http://wiki.xbmc.org/images/5/5b/XBMC_home.jpg

[Chris Harding]

Hi Noa

The bad word there is "IF" ..One can also say IF the bride has a DVD player, BD player, media player and a USB enabled TV ... distribution can really be any format you like as she can play them all!!

What one needs is a solution that any bride can watch her wedding regardless of what tech level or gear she has at home

What would you do if a bride says she has a cherished CRT TV that her Dad gave her with a VHS player ...and she hates computers and doesn't use a mobile phone ....THEN what ???

I know that's highly unlikely but various people have various levels of technology. My dear sister-in-law has no computer in the house so USB would be no use to her and her DVD player and older LCD TV...(luckily her sons are already married!)

Chris

[Noa Put]

What would you do if a bride says she has a cherished CRT TV that her Dad gave her with a VHS player ...and she hates computers and doesn't use a mobile phone ....THEN what ???

That would be simple, she had to find another videographer as I don't do vhs, or she could buy a dvdplayer or new tv. As far as I know there doesn't exist a deliverable digital file that has HD quality with included menus that plays 100% in every household. Currenly delivering dvd's and a usb stick which includes the HD files in a mp4 format has a 100% playback chance. Also I think the possibility of a young couple getting married only having a vhs player is practically non existent, if they can afford a videographer then I think getting a 30 euro dvdplayer shouldn't be an issue either.

Actually I don"t see why it is up to us to decide to not deliver dvd's anymore? Because it's easier, less work? As I see it it's our task to deliver a client something they can enjoy where-ever they go and by supplying digital HD files only there is a large possibility they can't play it when they visit family.

[Clive McLaughlin]

There's a lot of talk about grandparents and USB. Truthfully, in my country, I'd suggest that 70% of grandparents don't have DVD players either.

Are 70/80 year old more high-tech in the rest of the world?

In NI they don't generally watch films on dvd or TV series boxsets...

You're lucky if they can work a digital TV guide.

[Danny O'Neill]

Originally Posted by Clive McLaughlin

Here's a question - Is there no way these days to create some sort of autoplay interface that would act like a menu would on a DVD.

I remember at uni, doing my media course we did something like this with the (now defunct) Macromedia Director.

It would feel nicer than just a folder with a few files in it...

The problem you have is the device it plays on needs to then be able to play those menus. Macromedia may work on a PC with shockwave or flash installed but not on a TV.

This is why disks are still pretty much king. They are simple, you pop them in and they work with menus and everything as designed. Its all about standards and at the moment there is no digital delivery standard as such. even if I buy a movie from itunes with loads of bonus content its simply a series of individual movies you hit play on.

So far, touch wood, weve had zero problems with USB delivery. The drives are in FAT32 format so will play in any and every device or TV. The movies are MP4 with a high but still modest bitrate to ensure compatability. It costs us around £7 per stick vs 20p per disk but customers love it.

I think the problem with online only is that so many wont have the knowledge to get that film onto their TV, the biggest and best display in most peoples homes.

We will happily go with the latest and greatest, as long as its simple. If we could deliver though itunes so it can be easily played on an Apple TV then sign me up ;)

[Tariq Peter]

I have started offering it this year and it has really taken off. Like most clients they my call around and say how many DVD's do you offer, my first response is I don't give you old fashioned DVD's anymore and then explain how the trend is USB. It gives them flexibility to share it friends and family, they are not losing any quality and it's future proof.

[Noa Put]

It gives them flexibility to share it friends and family, they are not losing any quality and it's future proof.

Do they take a ipad or a laptop with them to all their friends and family so they all will have to watch on a 10 or 15 inch screen? I agree that supplying the digital HD files is always better then just dvd's but you are limiting playback options considerably once they go out their house and to their family/friends as I can't imagine that every household has a tv that supports usb mp4 files.

Otoh it might be better to deliver digital files only and have dvd's as an option so the client can choose whether they want dvd instead of us telling they don't need them.

[Chris Harding]

I have yet to find any bride who has an issue with quality, resolution and any technical considerations. All she really wants to do is see how pretty she looked and how pretty her bridesmaids looked ..whether it's on a 100" TV or on her iPad as long as she can show it off she is happy. We get way too tied up with technical issues wanting to provide stuff that is cross compatible with various systems and all the bride wants is something that works. She really couldn't care less how you achieve it.

I still think these are brilliant for brides ....

Wedding Video Book - YouTube

Chris

[Tim Bakland]

Originally Posted by Daniel Latimer

Mediazilla (https://mediazilla.com) is coming out with a web based solution. Will be interesting to see how that plays out and if brides enjoy it enough to replace DVDs.

I heard about this recently, too, endorsed by Meg Simone. Would love to hear what people think.

[Kyle Root]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

I have yet to find any bride who has an issue with quality, resolution and any technical considerations. All she really wants to do is see how pretty she looked and how pretty her bridesmaids looked ..whether it's on a 100" TV or on her iPad as long as she can show it off she is happy. We get way too tied up with technical issues wanting to provide stuff that is cross compatible with various systems and all the bride wants is something that works. She really couldn't care less how you achieve it.

This is the crux of the matter. This has certainly been true in my experiences.

As hard as I try to deliver a quality product, there have been instances where audio or video have not been up to the standards I would have liked. But in cases where I've had to use that in a final video, no one has ever complained about it. These aren't scripted events and you get what you can get.

As far as delivery is concerned, I started using Vimeo Plus a few weeks ago, and am going to move toward a delivery format on that network. We'll see how well that goes over. lol

[Chris Harding]

Hi Kyle

I think we all try our very best to give the client the best but there is also the "too much" syndrome too. One local videographer mentioned to me that he spend 2 FULL days editing and perfecting a 2 minute segment of video for the bride so it's also important to waste hours, days or even weeks getting it "perfect" because the bride's perfect and out perfect are many miles apart. It's still a business and we have to make a profit so we have to be able to say to ourselves "That's good enough" otherwise we just don't make a profit!

Online supply is of course an attractive concept BUT what about the bride's point of view? Giving her a piece of paper or email with a link on it to me screams to me "Is this all I get for the $2000 I paid the video guy" Brides like value for money and online delivery has very little perceived value if no physical product is supplied. Arrive on her doorstep with a huge gift box with DVD's inside and she is over the moon. I guess there must be ways to get over this and I have seen guys here who provide (apart from the online delivery) a DVD set along with popcorn and movie tickets ...that all might seem corny but the raises the value of your product to great heights.

Chris

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

I still think these are brilliant for brides ...

That looks cool, any idea of price and who offers it? I only wonder how the sound is like. Another thing to consider is warranty, over here you get 2 year standard but if that "book" would malfunction the couples would come back to you and you have to take it further up with the manufacturer. A 7 euro usb stick would be easy to replace but I imagine this book is not cheap so it could be a lot of hassle getting it replaced if it is not reliable.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Noa

They are not cheap sadly but they have the advantage of open the cover and watch the video... around GBP 99.00 each ...then again you have to look at the perceived value by brides compared to a USB drive ..lift your package price by say $150 and you are covered cost wise and the bride has a physical project she can take off the book shelf along with her wedding album and sit down and show it off much the same as she would show off your photo album.

Of course you can do much the same with an android tablet or even cheaper, a photoframe. Tablets are around the same price but have the hassle of no "book format" that one would have to get done by a printer plus they do require a boot up and the bride would have to use the touch screen to find her wedding etc etc (unless you can program a tablet to start and instantly play a video.

Photo Frames in a book style sleeve work better but for some reason I cannot find any that don't need you to plug in an adapter to power it. A portable photoframe would be cheap and brilliant!!

There are plenty of suppliers ..just search for LCD brochures ..they are used extensively in the commercial field so the client opens the brochure and your promo video plays immediately. They must be reliable if big companies use them?

I researched manufacturers and they are cheap as chips US$15.00 each from China ...the big issue of course is their minimum order quantity is 500 units and they come blank too.

It's not really an issue on the price as long as you cover your costs within your package price ...I would be quite happy to ramp my package prices up $150 per wedding if that would increase sales and get me the bride who books me cos she loves the concept!!

Chris

[Noa Put]

I never heared of that before, looks interesting but the screen size is tiny and it's not they will have with them at all times. You would have to increase your prices as I don't think they would pay extra for it.