It's time for ACTION - OAR CAMPAIGN! (1 Viewer)

[Joshua Clinard]

I know this topic has been discussed before, but I think it's time to bring it up again. I am talking about the OAR/widescreen campaign/advertisement that was discussed several months ago. We debated the details of such a campagn for a while, but we never came to an agreement, so nothing was ever done. That was our biggest downfall. It was our only downfall. Not that we didn't have the ability, the time, or the money or any other obstacle that may have gotten in our way. The one thing that I think we do agree on is that something should be done.
Now it's time to put our money/time where our mouths are and actually do something! Instead of starting another endless thread debating the details of such a campaign, I would like to put together a small task force to spearhead the campaign. I think the maximum should be eight people. We may or may not need that many people. The menbers of the task force will not be the only people involved in the campaign, I assure you. Everyone will be able to help in some way, if they wish. If you think that such a campaign will not work, or is useless, please do not bother to voice your opinion in this thread. This is not up for discussion. This is going to happen! You may however make suggestions. I do need the support from the people who are willing to participate. Those of you who are not willing to support the campaign may ignore it.
One of the most common complaints of such a campign is that it will not be effective, and will not convince people to switch to widescreen. I believe otherwise. I, as well as many others have managed to convince people to switch. We just need to reach more people than the small number of people that we can reach via the web/word of mouth. I think you all understand what I am getting at.
Here is what the group will be involved in.
The task force will decide what type of advertisment should be created. We will decide what the ad will look like, what it's message should be, and who it's target audience will be. We will also decide what mediums it will be placed in. We will also discuss ways to raise appropriate funds.
If you wish to join this task force, please send an e-mail to [email protected], or simply reply to this thread, and be sure to mention any ideas that you have in regards to our campaign. Also, if you have any talents or resources that might be useful, be sure to mention it. I will review the applications next week, and I will set up a chat session with those that wish to be involved within two weeks time.
I DO have a plan for getting this done. It will be done democratically of course, so rest assured that if you decide to join the task force, your imput will be taken seriously.
Thank you,
Joshua Clinard

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Here's the problem

Like most geeks, HT fanboys talk big but they never want to do anything

I've proposed and offered to organize several campaigns, no one wants to put their money where their mouth is

 

[jason_may]

Well not only am I a Fanboy, but I am a filmmaker too. So aspect ratios really do mean a lot to me. Count me in for whatever. I really think raising money and putting an ad in Variety would be the best exposure.

Dear Studios:

You all suck.

Release all DVDs in ORIGINAL Aspect Ratio.

Thanks,

LOYAL DVD CONSUMERS WHO BOYCOT P&S AND SUPPORT OAR


I also think the studios should know that DVDs are extremely popular for everybody. If there is no P&S version readily available, common folk will still buy DVDs. This may upset them at first, but one way to prevent this is to educate the public of what widescreen really is.

I have experience in graphic design. Photoshop!
Also have plenty of experience with film and video ala AVID

 

[Carl Johnson]

That would be a reasonable statement if pan n scan was the rule rather than the exception on DVD but that's hardly the case. Considering my 100+ title DVD collection there's been no more than a couple of times that a movie that I actually wanted wasn't available in OAR.

 

[Nick Graham]

What Jeff said.....

 

[James Reader]

The campaign won't work. :frowning: Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but it won't. Here's why:
1) Studios are obviously selling more than enough Full-Frame releases. If not, they would stop. Simple as that. (Besides, the bulk of titles are still OAR or available in OAR or P&S).
2) The general public don't give a damn. What's more important is they don't want to give a damn. How hard is it to understand the concept of widescreen, letterboxing and black bars? It's a simple variation of the square peg/round hole problem toddlers manage to solve in a matter of minutes. Anyone could watch a brief 2-3 minute promotion for widescreen and understand the concept.
But the bulk of people still don't. This is either because they simply don't care or more worrying don't want to know and close their minds immediately the subject is mentioned.
Those who do 'switch' to OAR do so almost instantly (how many times have I heard the words "I never knew what I was missing!"), not through repetition of the facts. This is because their minds are more open and they just 'Get It'. The bulk of people do not for the reasons mentioned above.
Be happy that on the whole OAR is winning. And thanks to the upcoming widescreen boom and the fact that many trendsetting shows and media (E.R., Angel, music videos etc.) are choosing to present themselves in Widescreen for artistic reasons OAR will win in the end.

 

[Chad A Wright]

I would have to agree. An ad in Variety would be costly, and wasted. The studios are making so much money of these things that a thousand ads in Variety wouldn't help. I think your money would be better spent trying to come up with a way to educate the public. This may be futile as well, but it has a better shot than changing the studios. If you convince enough people, you remove the full frame profits, and that is how you change the studios. It may or may not work, but that would be the best way to spend your time.

On a side note, I have worked in advertising for a while, and I specialize in small campaigns that don't cost much and use different ways to get the word out. If you want some help in that respect, let me know.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

. If you convince enough people, you remove the full frame profits,

Watching the charts, I should point out that after the first 2 weeks, guess which version hangs on every time? That's right, WIDE

 

[Joshua Clinard]

I refuse to listen to the naysayers. They have no place in this discussion. To those of you that think that time would be better spent educating the public, what do you think this campaign is all about? I haven't decided who the target audience is, that is for the task force to decide, but I know which way I'm going to vote, and that is that the target audience should be "consumers". Why do you think I started Widescreen Advocate in the first place.
So, I take it I have three people willing to be on the task force.
1. Jeff Kleist.
2. Jason May.
3. Chad Wright.
Just need a few more, and we're ready.

 

[Joshua Clinard]

Anyone else want to join the Task Force?

 

[Tom Blizzard]

Josh...... what can I do to help???
I started my "campaign" back in the early 90s. I taught Geometry at the local High school and when we got to the section of the book on "ratio and proportion" I would bring in two monitors and two VCRs. On one I would show the pan-n-scan version of a film and on the other, I would show the OAR (2.35:1) of the same film. Of course I would introduce the math of 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 that went along with the presentation. The kids would "hands down" pick the OAR as the one to watch.
Now then, what have you got in mind and how can I help ???
Regards, Tom Blizzard

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I think you've got it Tom, we need to invade the mathbooks of an entire generation
"Jimmy wants to watch Star Wars, with an aspect ratio of 2.20:1. If Jimmy want to have the maximum amount of picture information on his TV, what kind of TV should Jimmy watch it on?"