P&S DVD and the Studios Laughing all the way to the Bank. (1 Viewer)

[Robert_eb]

I firmly believe the reason many studios want to release the full screen version, as opposed to the OAR version, is quite easily explainable. Dollars and cents. The studio executives are not morons. In fact, they are quite savvy in their attempts to make the largest possible profit (which is the reason why they make films in the first place). They have a clear agenda, PROFIT. At the present time, there are not many people who own a widescreen television, though sales are on the rise. But, as we all know, 16X9 televisions will be the norm in the not too distant future. Most network programming and sporting events will soon be in a 16X9 format (I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the sporting events). All those folks will soon buy the same films that they originally purchased in the full screen format, and they will repurchase those titles in the OAR to fill those 16X9 TV’s. Thus, increasing profits for titles that they have already sold. That's one of the reasons why I will never part with my laserdisc player. I really commend those that attempt to change the way these studios operate, especially with the recent Disney announcement that they are going full frame, but the studio executives have all anticipated this outcry from those that want their film presented in its original aspect ratio. Unfortunately, we are all in the minority on this issue. That’s just my insignificant opionion.

 

[Dick]

Bu we're a minority which represents MANY THOUSANDS of DVD sales on a given OAR title. That ain't hay.

 

[Ike]

And I think the majority of people don't care either way. They'll watch what's available, without hesitation. Most people on this board (including myself) won't buy a non-OAR title. There are very few Pan-And-Scan junkies that could say the same.

 

[george kaplan]

The studio executives are not morons...They have a clear agenda, PROFIT.

While I agree that they are greedy and motivated by profit and I do not necessarily agree that they aren't morons. I think a lot of them don't understand the issues involved and are making a big mistake by comparing those who buy a hell of a lot of dvds and won't buy any that are p&s with those who only buy one or two a year and probably don't like black bars but will still buy anyway. Their may be more of them, but we spend more money. It's like advertisers who look at different demographics because some have more disposable income. For some unknown reason, the studios seem to fail to realize that the OAR only crowd may be a smaller group, but it's a demographic group that represents a much larger slice of their market. Oh well, they'll learn that the hard way.

 

[Douglas Kalon]

What I can't understand is why don't these studios that release ONLY pan and scan versions include the widescreen version as well on the same disc. The Disney movies are probably short enough in length that they could use the Dual-Layer technology to include the Widescreen version as well as the pan and scan version.

MGM did this with their early James Bond films so why can't other studios?

Also when Widescreen TV becomes the standard,won't these same studios that are now releasing PAN and Scan versions be forced to then make and release Widescreen versions of these same films. So why not just do it right the first time?

Or are they just so greedy that years from now when Widescreen TV's are popular, people will be complaining that the DVD's they purchased years ago (Pan and Scan) don't fill up the entire screen, and then these same people will again purchase the same films in the correct aspect ratio just so that the entire screen is filled?

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

If it was clear cut that the vast majority of DVD-buyers wanted pan & scan and that folks like us were an insignificant minority, they would have already switched over and I would not blame them. They are currently trying to figure it out and come to the most profitable balance between the consumers who squawk about black bars and those who live by the "No OAR no sale" credo.

Regards,

 

[Brad Eisenhauer]

...then these same people will again purchase the same films in the correct aspect ratio...

I've been saying this for a while now, and I hope it's true. But beware the 16x9 P&S. 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 movies will still have "those black bars" on a 16x9 (1.78:1) TV screen.

 

[Chris M]

But beware the 16x9 P&S. 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 movies will still have "those black bars" on a 16x9 (1.78:1) TV screen.

Keep in mind that the average J6P WILL get a widescreen TV, but WILL NOT get it calibrated... and that means they won't fix any overscan... which means their new 16x9 TV will show 1.66:1, 1.77:1 and 1.85:1 as full screen. They'll definately stretch their 1.33:1 to fill the screen (ugh!), but they'll bitch about the 2.35:1 with the black bars.

Chris.

 

[streeter]

Finally someone who has the same opinion as I do. I posted a similar message a few weeks ago. I think the chances of widescreen TV sets becoming the norm is 50/50 - the studios will make a lot of money if widescreen sets come out on top.

It's so easy to put both versions of the same film on one disc - but on major releases, the studios simply won't do it and go with separate releases...

It's all about money - today and 5 years from now.

 

[Mark Hobbs]

At the present time, there are not many people who own a widescreen television

Widescreen TV owners are not the only ones that want OAR. Educating people will go a long way to winning this war. It won't necessarily take mass sales of widescreen tvs.

 

[Eric M Jones]

...Educating people will go a long way to winning this war...

Another forum member and I started Widescreen Advocate to help with the education. Go to our Why Widescreen? section. Download WW? materials, print, distribute. Education is the key!

-EJ

 

[Brad Eisenhauer]

Eric:

Really excellent site. The downloadable materials provide a terrific illustration of the difference between widescreen and P&S. I'm looking forward seeing the advanced materials and that window sticker.

Please, keep up the good work.

 

[Todd Hochard]

I think the chances of widescreen TV sets becoming the norm is 50/50

Do you really think that? I've never thought of it as if, only when.

 

[Patrick McCart]

It doesn't matter if a a non-OAR DVD is sold. They're missing out on sales to people who do care about OAR.

 

[Eric Walsh]

Like Dick said way above we may be the minority in numbers of people that will select OAR over P&S but we are the collectors that are going to buy hundreds of DVDs which the people that vote for P&S are not going to do. It will even out in the end and I think it will be to their advantage to either produce both P&S and OAR or eventually just OAR once people realize what the benefits of it are.

As a side note the release of both P&S and OAR on seperate discs annoys me because then places like blockbuster (where I purchase a lot of cheap DVDs) only get the P&S version. And someday I also fear the price for OAR will become higher than for P&S titles. Only time will tell.

-Eric

 

[Adam_S]

Has anyone considered that most people aren't interested in an 16:9 tv because the vast vast majority of tv shows and their collections of vhs will all have bars on the side?

that and the cheapest set you can find is 1700 for 30 some inches, you can do a lot bigger for that money on a 4:3 and many people balk at spending more than 300 on a tv and make do with 25 inches or less.

the Only huge benefit that most people will see is that dvds wont have black bars, but then all of regular tv will have side bars instead.

Maybe j6p is not as stupid as we think.

Adam

 

[Jon D]

One of my greatest fears is this scenario: P&S DVD's with the movie and a 2.0 surround track (because most J6P wouldn't know what a 5.1 system is) with no extras for $20, and the deluxe 5.1 OAR with tons of extras.....for $20 more. I can see that happening.

 

[Jeremiah]

Doesn't it cost more to do Pan&Scan for a DVD than just putting the OAR on the disc? It just seems like the studio has to just do more work.

 

[cafink]

Doesn't it cost more to do Pan&Scan for a DVD than just putting the OAR on the disc? It just seems like the studio has to just do more work.

Yes and no.

Yes, it costs more to produce a pan&scan transfer than it does a widescreen one. For widescreen, you can basically just transfer the movie as-is. For pan&scan, it takes time and money to have someone do the actual panning and scanning.

But, even if a DVD doesn't include a pan&scan version, you can be sure that a pan&scan transfer will be produced anyway. It'll still be used for VHS, TV, and such. So, as long as the studio has a pan&scan transfer sitting around anyway, it costs them no more to use it for a DVD than it does to use a widescreen transfer.

 

[Joshua Moran]

As long as a widescreen version is available I don't care what the studios do. If someone out there J6P more than likely wants to buy a butchered version let them. I only buy widescreen.

Correction, I only buy OAR, sorry about that.