You're now a DVD Producer for a day! (1 Viewer)

[StevenFC]

Congratulations! You've been given the chance to run the big DVD production for a day without interference from the studio. What's the one thing that you'd change or do that would make that DVD unique or a must have?

 

[Drew Mertz]

I would remove the MPAA rating stamp.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I'd get it through with no legal hassles... How can you tell I'm in law school?

 

[Patrick McCart]

On a more serious note...

I'd coordinate an "ultimate edition" of Napoleon with the help of Universal, Zoetrope, the BFI, Kevin Brownlow, and Robert Harris.

First, I'd clear up the rights tangles between the European rights holders and Zoetrope. Then, have a brand new fine-grain interpositive made from the restoration negative of the 5 1/2 hour version of the film. That interpositive will then be scanned with a Spirit datacine at 2K resolution. The film would recieve a Metropolis-style digital restoration and also tinting and toning faithful to the original version. The 2K restoration would be down-converted to both NTSC and progressive HDTV. I'd make sure that the 20-22fps speed is maintained for the film. The 3-panel tryptich at the end would be enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Perhaps, for those who want to set up 3 monitors and 3 DVD players, include 2 extra "mini-DVD's"

As for the sound, I'd get the rights to both the Carl Davis score and the Carmine Coppola score. Both would be remixed to 5.0 from the original stems. The Coppola score would be re-edited to fit the longer version.

For extras... I'd get the rights to Kevin Brownlow's documentary on Abel Gance, "The Charm of Dynamite." Also, a commentary with Kevin Brownlow, Bambi Ballard, and Robert Harris would be recorded. I'm not sure if they still exist, but any of the trims, outtakes, and behind-the-scenes footage would end up on the DVD set, too.

The film would be spread over 3 discs since the 5 1/2 hour version had two intervals. Since that's less than 2 hours per DVD, the bitrate will be the highest possible. The extras will be on their own 4th disc.

The 4-disc set will include a newly reprinted edition of Kevin Brownlow's book on the film. All-in-all, this would be the ultimate DVD for possibly the greatest film made.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

Lets see.... I made a list of things to do to make DVD better.

1.Actor commentaries will be dropped. Director and film historians only.

2.Additional languages will be dropped to save space. Original language only.

3.DTS will be full-bitrate

4.Pan & Scan also dropped from production (Look at all the money I'm saving!)

5.All DVD's to be in Amaray style keepcases. The spider-hub and snapper case must be eliminated. Oversized sleeves & boxes also eliminated.

6.The FBI warning is now skipable

7.No forced trailers

8.Subtitles that actually use the spoken words (A big problem on some DVDs)

9.The "filmography" special feature. It is informative and takes up very little disk space.

10.Static, spoiler-free menus

11.Spoiler-free chapter selection submenu.

12.Finally make the 96/24 DTS movie

13.Speaking of DTS, make DD optional for once.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

To quote George Harrison in the B Sharps episode of the Simpsons, "It's been done." What about the numerous parallel releases of DTS titles?

 

[Britton]

1) TV boxed sets will be in thinpak cases only.
2) Individual releases for movies from a series will be mandatory and they will be released the same day as the boxed set. If you only want Back to the Future, The Godfather, or Raiders of the Lost Ark, you won't have to buy the sequels too.

 

[TheBat]

I would release a special edition of conan the destroyer uncut. the original "R" rated version of the film that was never released in theatres.

JACOB

 

[Kenny Goldin]

Like Garrett said in #10 in his list...
I REALLY hate animated menus, especially those that take a lot of time to navigate with unecessary fluff to "wow." Some music and slight animation is OK...but DVDs like SW EP II and the original X-Men DVD come to mind as movies having ridiculously overdrawn animated menus. The simpler the better IMHO.

Also, if I could create a dream DVD as has been hinted at above with the Manos CC (I would buy it!!! ) and the Conan DVD, I would make a 3 disc SPR DVD with full bitrate DTS and several commentaries w/ Spielberg, Hanks, whomever and an isolated score, a second disc chock full of historical documentaries and interviews with those who were actually there and a third disc with a lenghty and in depth making-of (the new ALIEN discs come to mind as an example) and the usual--trailers, storyboards, maybe a costuming and accesorizing feature. $24.99 MSRP.

 

[Dane Marvin]

I would work for Warner and sell the rights to every good film in our library to Criterion for peanuts. All in a day's work.

 

[Harminder]

I feel like a kid in a candy store!

1)Full-Bitrate DTS tracks are now mandatory!

2)No more forced trailers or warnings. Everything can be skipable.

3)Menus will be in 5.1 audio.

4)If the DVD insert is only going to contain the coverart and chapter titles, forget it! It'll be cut. A nice lengthy booklet is a go !

5)Fire anyone who mentions the words, "snap case".

6)Get the distribution rights to Quick Change and finally get it released on DVD!

7)Fire anyone who mentions the words, "snap case"!!!

Excellent thread!

 

[David_Blackwell]

I would get the legal issues surrounding the new Blade Runner SE settled, so the 3 disc SE could finally get released.

I would make sure the snap cases of Warners would not be used for future releases.

Be Seeing You,
David Blackwell

 

[Patrick McCart]

Only for Criterion to release them even slower as Warner is doing.

We don't want to see Warner doing any of those horrible 2-disc special editions.

 

[Ernest Rister]

I would offer anyone who has ever bought a Disney direct-to-video cheapquel a full refund, and order all remaining inventories of such titles physically destroyed, and then demand that the datacine masters of said cheapquels were burned that night in a celebratory bonfire on Buena Vista Avenue.

 

[john mcfadden]

I would discontinue any full frame dvd's . Why put out two versions of the same film when we've got the Widescreen versions selling much better !!!

And if i had a choice of what studio to run it would be Fox so i could finally put "Dutch" on dvd and after that hold an open chat on HTF and release anything and everything anyone asks me to

 

[Bill Williams]

What I would do is march straight into the Warner film vaults and pull out all of the film cans containing Richard Donner's lost footage from Superman II, along with all of the outtakes and trims, and I would get them all cleaned up and digitally remastered.

Then I would oversee production of a new SE of Superman II containing the original theatrical cut, the Salkind international cut, and a new cut restoring all of Donner's footage back into the film (based on the Tom Mankiewicz script). I would also secure new interviews with Donner, Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, and the entire cast on the making of the sequel and its troubled production.

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

I would make the executives at all the studios -- particularly Disney and Universal -- be mandated to watch forced trailers before they can go to the bathroom. Then I'd strip 'em off the DVD format for good.

 

[Chad A Wright]

Original theatrical poster as the cover art. EVERY FRIGGIN' TIME!

 

[George See]

Pan & Scan bye bye.

Reissue Real Men in OAR.

The world needs a Radiohead Concert DVD!

Institute a policy of a full refund of the origional purchase price anytime you have to double dip. Example would be anyone who bought the old non OAR Resevoir Dogs gets to trade it in for credit towards the new and improved one.

Speaking of Double Dipping that Goodfellas SE will actually come out.

No More snappers.

Eliminate region coding (Pirates are gonna pirate the movie no matter what anyway so why bother)

Why does the sopranos box set cost 3 times as much as a season of friends? I don't really care i'm gonna make the prices fair.

That whole thing with the Music Rights and TV Shows not coming out...i'll get rid of that problem.

I guess that's enough work for one day.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

They still have space-hogging Dolby (audio) tracks on them.