HTF SURVEY: What else would you like to see done with DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

I have a question for the membership, and I
promise that there is a reason behind this
question.

Think one of the most feature-packed DVD titles
there is.
Now, think about this....
If that title were being considered for yet
another DVD release, what sort of new innovative
ideas would you like to be seen on this new release?
Don't talk about picture or audio. We already
know that enthusiasts want the best of both those
worlds.
What I am looking for is some fresh new ideas
as far as what can be done with supplemental
materials. Perhaps a new way of presenting those
materials or perhaps an inventive idea that has
not been done on DVD so far.

Now really think about your answer. There is
a specific reason I am asking you this question.
In fact, your responses are being carefully monitored
by industry people and perhaps, your ideas can be
incorporated into a future DVD project.

 

[James Reader]

I've got a bit of a thing for image galleries and storyboards - I could page through them for hours - but the biggest problem is most content producers don't seem to organize them properly so you end up paging through from the start constantly.

I love the Disney 2 disc sets - lots of image content and easy to jump to where you left off.

I wonder if when watching the movie each chapter could be set up to automatically jump to a storyboard gallery or design galleries of sets and clothes used in that chapter's sequences using a 'white rabbit' type of system? Also as mono audio takes up little of the bit-budget how about voice overs explaining what's on the screen? Disney has started to experiment with this on the excellent Snow White set.

(While I'm on this topic - not new or innovative I know but every DVD should come with a gallery of poster designs used to promote the film.)

 

[Yumbo]

P&S on the fly?

have we seen it before?

back to basics?

fix the problems before starting something else?

cart before the horse scenario.

don't mean to be a pooper.

 

[Carl Johnson]

One feature that I like but don't see much of is when trailers for films besides the feature are included on a disc. I think this would be best done similar to how Monster's Inc starts but rather than the disc just defaulting to the trailers on startup there should be a menu option for either straight to the movie or previews before the feature.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

One thing I don't like seeing is difficult menus, hard to read, (hard to tell what's selected), or you have to sit through a 30-40 second 'flash intro' before the actual menu comes up. Also, when the disc spins up they should go right to the menu. And, I have had some DVD's that, when I first put them in and play them, they default to sub-titles on, I hate that.

 

[Adam_WM]

Things I'd like to see:

I'd be a big fan of longer technical featurettes...

- For animated features, longer featurettes about voiceovers. For example, on the Tarzan CE, there is a brief voiceover featurette, but there is no real substance for us.

- How about more substantial featurettes about foley artists or ADR? The brief foley artist featurette on Monster's Inc. and the ADR on Traffic: Criterion were both great, but not long enough.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

One idea that strikes me off the top of my head would be visible commentaries where the participants are onscreen with the movie playing in the background behind them.

 

[Neil Joseph]

This may be the time to consider putting pan&scan-on-the-fly code on every widescreen disk so that players can extrapolate a pan&scan version from the widescreen title because frankly, the general public's support of pan&scan is mindboggling in R1.

 

[Chris Rosene]

The absolute #1 feature I want is:
Just release the DVD once!!!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Gents,

Let me again remind you that I am looking
for new and inventive ideas (and there are a
few good ones posted already).

This is not a bitch session about studios not
doing things right the first time. The industry
is looking for ways to present supplemental
material in a way that it has not been done before.

Let's get back on track, please.

 

[chris_m_white]

I'm not sure if this is possible, but I'd like to see a type of branching where we can select which deleted scenes we want to see, and then add them back in the movie. For example, on Disc 1 of Gladiator we could have the option of watching the movie in this mode (call it "delete scenes mode" for lack of better description). Before the movie starts we are taken to a menu where we can select which deleted scenes we want to add back in to the movie. I think this would provide a fascinating look at how the editing process can change the rhythm of a movie. And it also gives the user some control. Maybe half the deleted scenes work for me, while the other half are boring. I can add the ones I like back into the movie. I don't know if this type of technology even exists, but if you have to go shopping in Diagon Alley on Disc 2 of Harry Potter just to get the deleted scenes, then there must be a memory component imbedded in the disc.

I'd also like to see publicity galleries, publicity stills, and production notes done with a little more excitement. Sometimes it's monotonous to physically scroll through 66 production stills. I think it would be good if DVD's came with an option of having the DVD player move through the stills with the score, or commentary in the background. Each still could remain on screen for five seconds, or some set time limit. The option to page through them manually would still remain, but I would much rather watch materials like publicity materials without having to manually scroll myself, and I think having part of the score in the background would make it a pleasant experience. Maybe include alternate music cues.

 

[David Lambert]

Before I, or anyone else, posts any innovative ideas here that will be used by the studios monitoring this thread, may I ask if the person posting that concept will be compensated for the idea? After all, there is a LOT of money to be made by the studios from marketing an innovative new DVD special feature. Sorry for the cold water; it's just a thought.

 

[Bernhard]

If I had to give one suggestion to the studios on what they could improve upon their DVD releases, I would say stop using user prohibitions!
What's the point of preventing the user of switching audio channels on-the-fly?! (with one noted exception being discs that sport seamless branching) Or forced trailers? Or FBI warnings that one must see every time for 10 seconds?

 

[Qui-Gon John]

I second being able to add deleted scenes back into the movie. Provided the deleted scenes are of the same quality so it won't stick out. Some deleted scenes are on discs not all smooted out, etc.

Not sure if you could pick and choose, that may be difficult, but you certainly could have the options of view THEATRICAL RELEASE or DELETED SCENES RESTORED.

 

[Bjorn Olav Nyberg]

Chris_m_white,

While I am not an expert, I would think it is possible, just from looking at the recent Schoolhouse rock disc from Disney, which has one of the most impressive menues I've ever seen. In short it consists of menues functioning as a jukebox in which you set up the order of songs to be played yourself, and I would think you could do more or less the same with your idea (although I know you want to select a subset of deleted scenes to go into the movie, not just the order of the scenes themselves)

As for going through publicity galleries etc, I know I have done exactly this with the 1974 Gone in 60 seconds galleries, it did not have sound but I pressed play and paused it, then used the fast forward while in pause mode, and the galleries played through. It was awkward to set up though, but at least it is possible. Never was able to do it on another disc though... I also would like to compliment Disney again for how they set up still galleries, with indexes so you don't have to go through the entire gallery each time.

 

[Brett Miles]

Before I, or anyone else, posts any innovative ideas here that will be used by the studios monitoring this thread, may I ask if the person posting that concept will be compensated for the idea? After all, there is a LOT of money to be made by the studios from marketing an innovative new DVD special feature. Sorry for the cold water; it's just a thought.

David, you're not the only one thinking along those lines. My initial reaction was, "Isn't that someone else's job?" It seems to me that the studios only want our help/input part of the time any more. I know I'm making it sound like we're mortal enemies, when obviously we're not. I just don't like the idea of (potentially) being used under the guise that it's (potentially) for my own good, in a time when I'm being shown more and more that my market just doesn't matter as much as it used to. Maybe I'm just too much of a pessimist.

 

[Joe Schwartz]

I'd like to see more in-depth studies of visual effects, especially digital effects. For instance, I enjoyed seeing how the "bus jump" scene in Speed was digitally modified, but I would have liked even more detail. Show me how all the tricks are done!
I also loved the feature in Se7en where the colorist shows how he tweaks the color of a scene. That stuff fascinates me.

 

[Grady Hollums]

I would not mind seeing the people that are responsible for the DVD and not just the movie. Having DVD credits are great, but I would love to know what their experiences and ideas about the DVD side of the movie and the movie itself.

I loved the tour of Pixar Studios, so why not tours of all the other places that the movie and DVD were created.

How about a list of editing mistakes and then being able to view them, sure it would be humbling for the editors, but sometimes they are great to watch.

OK enough for now, I will be thinking more about it. thanks!

 

[Jason Seaver]

One thing that might be fun is a "cut your own trailer" feature, although you'd probably need a Nuon/PC/Xbox/PS2-type player to implement it.

For that matter, Xbox or PS2 content seems like a logical extension in and of itself.

I, personally, like weird-but-related archival materials. Fox, I believe, owns the whole library of MovieTone newsreels. Well, when they release a classic movie on DVD, why not include the newsreels from when the movie was released (as well as any cartoon shorts or serial segments they have or can get rights to)? Give the movie some context. With, of course, an option to play them all together.

 

[Jeremy Stockwell]

Isolated Soundtrack

(Like on Apollo 13, IIRC, the entire score will play on the main menu).

JKS