Grassroots OAR/Widescreen Education Effort (1 Viewer)

[Joshua Clinard]

I am really tired of reading all the complaints about the growing popularity of pan and scan. I think it is time that we take some action, and actually do something to make sure that DVD's will always be available in their OAR. I have e-mailed the webmasters of popular DVD and widescreen web sites, including the HTF, asking them to start a campaign, but no one has responded. I don't know why they haven't taken action, but since something NEEDS to be done, I want to organize something myself. I WILL do my part. I have created a Link Removed which will be an information resource for those wishing to participate in a grassroots effort to educate people about the benefits of OAR/widescreen. I WILL need the help of the HTF community! Hopefully the DVD sites will at least provide a link to the site.
I think the best way to combat P&S is to educate people. Some of you have stated that education will not solve our problem, and to an extent, I agree. However, I do believe it will HELP, and in a BIG way! I have managed to convince many of my friends to switch to widescreen simply by pointing them to web sites explaining the benefits. A lot of people WILL be convinced when they are clearly shown how much they are really missing. Most people truly don't know. I realize that not everyone who is educated will be convinced to switch to widesreen, but MANY certainly will.
Below is a list of things that you can do to help with this effort.

• I need someone to create a good looking, simple, yet informative brochure that could be given to people showing side-by-side screen shots from popular widescreen films. It should include a short explanation of aspect ratios, and URL's to DVD web sites such as thedigitalbits.com DVDfile.com and widescreen.org. These will be made available on the site, so that people can download them and print them out, or take them to a Copy Shop, and hand them out in stores, give them to friends, relatives, or co-workers.
• I need someone to create a nice looking flyer, similar to the brochure I described, which can be tacked to bulletin boards at retailers, libraries, schools, and other public places.
• I need a list of the mailing addresses of all the major retailers, including Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Best Buy, Target, Kmart and Blockbuster Video, so that we can organize a letter writing effort.

If you wish to help with this education effort, keep reading.
I have already started working on the web site, but more will be added soon. If you have designed a flyer, brochure, or any other print or online media that you think I should include on the site, please send me an e-mail. If you send it in any format other than PDF, I will convert it. If you wish to upload any files to the site yourself, please do so. If you want to add information to the web site, such as a link to your file, please do so. If you have any other ideas for the site, post them here.
Web Site:
Link Removed
[edit]
The above url is the previous site. The new site will be
http://www.widescreenadvocate.com
Thank you.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Let's put our money where our mouth is. Not that helping with this site is going to cost anyone money. Maybe some time, but not very likely will it cost anyone money.

Come on people!!

 

[Neil Joseph]

I too have a lot of this info on my site as I have been busy battling p&s and lack of widescreen support.

 

[Butch C]

People here like to argue about WS vs P&S but never lift a finger...I came up with a flyer/HTF buying block idea a week ago in a hugely visited thread and no one responded...they would rather argue about European Television Aspect Ratio's...dude this is the internet...no one really cares...there just bored at home

I have a financing idea too...if anyone wants it, reply

 

[Doug Pyle]

I for one would lift a finger. Can't help out with creating flyers or web content (I'm not a techie) but I'd be happy to post flyers and distribute whatever is created. What would be most helpful is educational items available for printing out. I have written letters and email, and I believe others at HTF have done so as well. I agree an education effort is worth something.

 

[Ryan Wright]

http://www.ryanwright.com/ht/oar.shtml
Online Flash tutorial. Created by me. Praised by many. Link to it, copy it, post it on your own site. In other words, use it as you see fit. Just don't modify it without my permission.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Ryan, your tutorial was the first link on the site.

 

[Eric M Jones]

Joshua,

Sent you an email this morning. I'm ready to help with lots of assets.

Please e-me soon,

EJ

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Sent you an e-mail, Eric.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Our little site is coming along. Eric is helping me. It's a work in progress, but we think we'll have a nice site pretty soon. If anyone else has something to offer, let me know.

 

[DarrenA]

Want to read something really scary? Here's an Anti-Widescreen page that someone posted. This is not a joke as I have emailed this guy to determine if he was for real or simply playing a joke. His response and tone indicated that he is completely misguided and in dire need of an education. It's folks like this that spread false information and misnomers that will make the struggle for widescreen and letterbox acceptance an uphill battle.

 

[AaronMK]

Can you post a link to that work in progress?

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I have been working on the sales tracking script, and it looks like it could be finished by the time the site is officially opened. I have removed the link, as I don't want to spoil the suprise, but a hint of what is to come can be found at www.widescreenadvocate.com

 

[Marque D]

Can we get this type of effort behind the whole 16:9 Pan and Scan crap HBO is pulling on their HDTV channel. Could you add the HBO-HD Petition to your site. It was very encouraging to see that Blockbuster actually listened after some 18,000 signatures.

 

[Ed St. Clair]

A very fine effort!

Too bad almost everyone that views it will already be OAR fan's.

However it gives everyone just a little more firepower in the fight for what is right.

I was interested in your saying The Abyss, T2, & something else [sorry about that!] were released in true full frame. What format? VHS?

Thanks!

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I will make sure that your petition gets on the page as soon as the site is uploaded.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Eric has been working hard on this, and the beta version looks very nice. This is where I come in. I will be adding some content tomorrow to the site, as well as the above petition, and then it will be officially opened as soon as we are satisfied with it. It shouldn't be long though.

I just hope the site does some good.

 

[David Lambert]

I have something new for you, Joshua. It's an animated GIF that demonstrates the faults of using Open Matte MAR. The classic A Fish Called Wanda shot is the subject.
I'm new to animated GIFs, so I'm not sure if I couldn've made it smaller somehow. It's 1.4 MB in size!
You've been warned. Here's a link to it. If anyone wants to use it for any OAR effort whatsoever, please just put it on your own server and maybe give me some sort of credit.
OPEN MATTE DEMO
Let me know what you think!

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Hey, that's pretty cool. I can't really tell how good the quality is, becasue the monitor I'm using right now sucks. I'll be able to get on a PC with a better one tomorrow. I can't promise you that I'll be able to use this on my site, but I'll see if I can find a use for it. Thanks again, David. I'll send you a privete message, I have something else to ask you.

 

[David Lambert]

Joshua, I don't make contact info available through HTF, so you won't be able to ask me something privately unless I contact you first. Do you want me to do that?

If perhaps this answers the question, I state this: this demo was a first effort and may in fact be pretty low-quality (thought it looks alright to me, but what do I know?). If someone want to take the basic idea and recreate it with their own screen shots and words, that won't bother me a bit. It's all for the cause, man.