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Concerning "Splitting" TV Series DVD sets (1 Viewer)

Mark Johnston

Auditioning
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Jul 5, 2004
Messages
8
Hey Rob,

If you think that all this is just about "a price increase of $2-4" then you haven't really read my posts, which is obvious since you have already stated your position and are just sticking to it regardless of the facts; but don't EVEN presume to tell me what my "time is worth", for that is MY business, and NOT yours. If I want to post and edit all day long, then I will. And if you are not interested in what I have to say then you don't have to read it. That's what makes America great... -it's a FREE COUNTRY!

And, if you really think that Peter is your "Friend", you are badly mistaken. As I have already stated, his only motivation for posting here is to make sure that this "LIS split set" (and other projects) makes lots of money for FOX. It's in his best interest here to do so, -it ensures his job security. His TRUE motive, is obviously, to justify the STUDIO's position, and "SELL" it to us, - the fans, who he knows buy A LOT of DVDs. My position and TRUE motivation as a fan, is to tell him that it ain't gonna be such an easy "sell", because we're a little smarter than the studio gives us credit for; and that plain and simple, the majority of us DO NOT want split-up TV Season Set DVDs, especially when the main reason for doing so is just to make the studios a little wealthier. Who knows, maybe it was all his idea to begin with... If so, do you really think he'd admit to ANYTHING I've stated as being true??? -Don't think so!

Finally, if you had even read the end of my first post which started this thread, then you would know where I get my information.

-Mark :)
 

MattGSmith

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 27, 2004
Messages
74


Aren't we being a little hypocritical? How can you say you know what Mr. Staddon's true motives are?

I don't understand why people can't just be happy their favorite show is being released. Be happy Fox is investing time/money into it. Be grateful they're still planning future releases. Lost in Space could very well go the way of MTM...
 

Rob Gardiner

Senior HTF Member
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Feb 15, 2002
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Mark,

LOST IN SPACE fans are in a far better position than MARY TYLER MOORE fans or MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE fans. If any part of season 2 of those two shows were announced in ANY form (whole season, half season, single discs in airdate order) my response would be "Thank you FOX for making my favorite TV shows available." I would gladly pay an extra $4 (or more) per season. And if your gripe isn't with the price, I'm not sure what you're complaining about. You want a season in 1 box instead of 2 separate boxes? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes

Peter Staddon has earned the trust and respect of the membership of this forum. You, on the other hand, signed up 9 days ago and have posted in only one thread. I welcome you to the forum and look forward to your valuable contributions. But so far all you have done is rant, based upon dubious "facts" from undisclosed sources, and insulted a respected, long-time member of the forum. If your position is "X" and Mr. Staddon's position is "not X", put me down in the "not X" camp. ESPECIALLY if it means having the opportunity to buy a show that might not be released otherwise! Would you rather have no more LOST IN SPACE discs at all??
 

Carlos Garcia

Screenwriter
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Mar 11, 2004
Messages
1,065
Mark...Kudos to you. Others here may be fooled, but I too see where this is all going. I am also boycotting the rest of the show's region 1 releases. I am now looking into buying a region free DVD player and going after a season 2 region 2 Lost In Space set. Here is a link to a British site that sells region 2 for $74.26 American dollars:

http://www.sendit.com/video/item/7000000090622


I have seen screen grabs of this set and it looks much more professional than the season 1 set. It seems the British do seem to care more about their customers than American companies do. Excellent new COMPLETE set at a price similar to season 1. Plus the set is already out...No waiting until November to have them. This is what the British get, while the American customers get snubbed.
 

Yee-Ming

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Curious that someone should ascribe sinister motives to Mr Staddon to "ensure his job security", when IIRC he's actually leaving his position in the near future? Didn't Ron Epstein confirm this in some other thread? Or am I mixing him up with an exec with another studio?
 

Jonathan Kaye

Second Unit
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Oct 19, 2000
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Jonathan Kaye

That's a very sweeping generalisation based on one release! The vast majority of titles that originate from US come out much later here in Britain than in the US (both TV and film). Lost in Space is very much a rare exception to that rule. Also, bear in mind that there has been a much greater history over here (going back to the VHS days) of buying TV shows on home video; for example, Friends is available over here on DVD and has been for some years (and was before that on VHS), but the content doesn't compare favourably to what is being released now in Region 1.
 

Scott Hamilton

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 4, 2003
Messages
170
I am sorry Peter but I work in the grocery store business and if we said this



We would be out of business... this crosses the line... You put a product that was not remastered and looked like crap and since consumers said NO we will not buy this junk... You try to hold us Hostage... Scare Us... Forget It... your company and yourself has shown your true colors... Buy my crap or else...

Thanks Peter I know what compaines DVD's I will NOT be buying...

Rob tell the truth are you happy with season 1? If you are fan of Lost In Space there is NO way you can be happy with the first release? You will pay for crap and not question it?
 

Cees Alons

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Cees Alons
Studios sell DVD's, consumers buy DVD's. The goal of the studios remains: making profit. There's nothing wrong or backhanded to that. Not in my country, and last time I checked not in the USoA.

Consumers want the best sets of DVD's, with loads of extras, shining images and great sound tracks all around, in beautiful handy cases for as little money as possible. There's nothing wrong about that either.

Where those parties can find each other, they're 'friends'. They have a mutual interest: making the deal. Where they still have different interests, they're not 'enemies': perhaps mild adversaries, also called business partners. But both try to make it work and the end-result is often referred to as win/win.

If someone came to Peter Staddon of Twentieth Century Fox, saying: "Watch out, Peter, those Home Theater Forumers aren't your friends like they pretend to be! They make you believe they like you, they seemingly hail you when you announce another goodie for them, but in reality they try to f*ck you and get as much as they can lay their hands on for as little money as they can get away with." - if someone would say that to him, I hope he shrugs it off. Because basically it ain't the truth.

And if that person would add: "Look for yourself: you've always been polite and courteous over there, and just read some of the comments of those HT F*%ers, especially by a guy calling himself Mark Johnston (what did you do to him?).", then I sincerely hope he will say: 'To hell with that, for I also read so many smart, friendly posts, I'll let myself guide by that and proceed as I did. I really feel a bit at home there.
On to business - as usual".

Yeah, I would like that.


Cees
 

Joe Karlosi

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So what? Mark, what do I care if Fox makes more on the deal when it may amount to a $2-$4 increase for me? They can make billions if it costs me three dollars more, for all I care. As long as I get my shows and it's not costing me a mint, I'm thrilled. :)
 

Bleddyn Williams

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I can't help but feel that threads like these, where people spend so much time agonizing and dissecting something that isn't likely to cost them more than a couple of bucks down the road, can only weaken our voice.

Any studio types who read this will say, "Look at these guys - they'll spend half their lives taking anything apart under the microscope and you'll never please such an anal bunch, so what's the point?"

HTF has a voice that is built on discussion rather than rants. I don't think this thread adds to that voice.
 

Joe Karlosi

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:D I've got to admit, Mark, that mock conversation was funny and I don't doubt that's how it plays out with the clueless kids in the biz. But no, I'm not with you. I'd rather pay a few bucks and get my shows any day over having nothing.
 

Joe Karlosi

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Exactly - which was my immediate reaction to Mark's opening post. I hope Fox understands he's only a mere drop in the ocean when we're talking about the LIS releases.
 

Carlos Garcia

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Mar 11, 2004
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Or else they might not release season 3, when it has already been announced to be released in region 2? Isn't it nice being held hostage by the US region 1 FOX? :)
 

Joe Karlosi

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Feels pretty good. I'm looking forward to the R1 Split Seasons with glee! :)

Well, now that you're satisfied in buying the European Complete Seasons, I guess you don't need to worry about this thread anymore. :)
 

Malcolm R

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I have yet to see you present any facts (i.e. statements supported by evidence) in this thread.

Also, it occurs to me that since you're trying to obscure your identity that you must have joined and be posting under an assumed name, in direct violation of forum rules. Otherwise, it would seem to me very easy for any home video execs who read this board to ask HR to scan their employee files for a "Mark Johnston."
 

Casey Trowbridg

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Apr 22, 2003
Messages
9,209

But, this wouldn't matter to me since I'm not likely to buy 50 or 100,000 copies.

I'd hope that this slight increase in price per individual unit when taken to those numbers would result in more of a profit...since that's the reason they're trying this way in the first place, to try to make something profitable that wasn't profitable the old way, when it was released as a complete season.

I find it amusing that some people would be willing to pay more for a region free player, more for overseas shipping, more for the actual set, and deal with a speed up of the show, all of which would cost a lot more than buying the split season. Basically, the only reason I can see for doing this would be to have it all in 1 box, since you're spending a lot more money than you would just by buying the split set, so its obviously not about the money.

If having them in one box is important, buy the split sets and make your own packaging.
 

Sam Favate

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I fail to see how this conspiracy to milk more money from the consumers will benefit the studios. Lets look at this: If a studio sells a show's full season set for $50, included in that price are the physical costs -- the cost of the package, the discs, the shipping, the marketing, and so on. If the studio then opts to sell season 2 in two halves, each for $26, they can't be making more money. In fact, they are probably losing money, since the same physical costs will be greater for two sets rather than one.

I think this isn't as big a deal as it sounds. I believe season sets will still be the most prevalent form of TV on DVD.
 

Kevin Royal

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 30, 1999
Messages
133
I think the original poster needs to consider taking an introductory Business or Economics course in order to accurately comprehend the nature of the Corporate World, and the reality of Economic principles.

For Example :



The above quote is just one of many examples which show a lack of comprehension of basic Corporate ideals, hell, even basic common sense.

Nobody is holding a gun to your head to purchase anything on DVD, so don't expect any Corporate giant to adhere to a fringe and radical elitist niche.
 

Kevin Royal

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 30, 1999
Messages
133


The concept is simple...

Option A - selling 1 set at say, $80,

Option B - selling 2 sets at a marginal increase, say, $45 each...

The 5-15% differential should be enough to cover the additional variable cost in shipping, packaging, etc. It's presumed that anyone who would buy any Season Set at $80 would buy both at $45 each, equaling a similar profit margin, in percentage and actual dollars. The bonus for the studio is additional purchases from people who would "sample" or "impulse buy" at the lower price point.

The beauty of it, of course, is that you want studios to make money, this will encourage further season releases, and more risky titles to come out in the future.

In the Lost in Space case, the studio has likely done a comprehensive study of the elasticity of the product and deemed that by making the price point exactly 1/2 of a combined product, and absorbing the additional variable costs, they will make that money back from the new customers discussed above.
 

James Reader

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Mar 10, 2002
Messages
1,465
Oh OK. Let's see how you feel about buying R2 Fox Family Guy sets, which were released barebones in the UK, in three seasons instead of two volumes. And then FOX UK released a complete 9 disc set, with the extras from the US sets on two discs (and no, you cannot buy these discs as a package, the only way to get them is to rebuy the whole set with the 7 discs you already own). Or how about buying the R2 Fox Buffy Season 4 Buffy set that is missing a commentary which was specially recorded for the R1 set with Seth Green and Joss Wheldon (oh and incidently, the R2 sets cost approx. twice as much as the US sets). Or what about the R2 Fox Ally McBeal sets which were released split into two halves. Or how about buying any of the umpteen Fox R2 movie DVDs missing supplements from their R1 counterparts. Talk about greed, and your talking about the UK. We're not called "Treasure Island" by most multi-national companies for nothing you know.

It's pointless to compare the R2 Lost In Space releases. There are countless reasons for the price and package differences. I think the only people likely to want to buy Lost in Space in the UK are people who are more than avaragely attracted to the series, where as in the US, Fox, not unreasonably, want to and budgeted for more casual impulse buys.

Oh and over here it has a recommended retail price of £50, which is approx $93. How much will you pay for a split season? Oh about $80.
 

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