8mm Forum: Pre-recorded video won't catch on!

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Topic: Pre-recorded video won't catch on!

Martin Jones
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1269
From: Thetford , Norfolk,England
Registered: May 2008

posted January 13, 2009 12:58 PM

This arises from the previous thread.....
Many years ago, when a pre-recorded VHS or BETA tape was retailing at £40 + ($80 - $100) Rca introduced Selectavision (CED in the UK). Here it failed miserably soon after the catalogue reached about 250 titles (I've got most of them and several working machines ). I was a retailer at the time and used to rent the discs out with the machines, mainly to University Students in lodgings, Sales were very poor, despite the discs being only 25-33% of the VHS or BETA prices. And the reason.....?.
I was continually being asked.."Why would anyone want to see a film more than once?" Looking back.... is it peoples mentality that's changed, or do they simply have too much money to spend?

Martin

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Retired TV Service Engineer
Ongoing interest in Telecine....

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted January 13, 2009 02:05 PM

That used to be the mindset: you saw a movie once in the theater, maybe once again if you really liked it, after that just here and there on TV.

They say the multiple repeated viewings of the video era have actually changed the way movies are made: sometimes subtle little events are put on screen as a set up for subsequent action because they realize that home viewers will be looking for them the tenth (or so) time they play the recording. (...and posting the goof on the internet if they don't find them.) These are barely ever noticed during the first viewing and would be of little consequence if the movie wasn't watched over and over.

[ January 13, 2009, 04:13 PM: Message edited by: Steve Klare ]

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted January 13, 2009 09:33 PM

quote:
peoples mentality that's changed,

Yes Martin. people have changed now. Today, there are too many movies and too many TVs to choose. While people are getting busier. The time allocated for watching movies is now also limited.

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Winbert

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