Would you buy a movie on DVD right after seeing it theatrically?

[The Fatman]

I'm having a craving to re-watch Star Trek XI... and I found that it's not up at any of my local theaters anymore, and it won't hit DVD for another 3-4 months. I have considered doing some searching through less-than-legal means to acquire a copy, but I really dislike doing so. This just got me to thinking about DVD releases. I know they don't release the movies day and date on DVD because the theater owners would go nuts....and understandably so. So, I had an idea:

What if, after your paid admission to the theater, you could purchase a bare-bones standard def (480p) version of the film on DVD for a premium, say $30(USD)? Would you partake in such a service? I can see it being a kiosk...Submit your ticket stub, swipe your card, get a freshly burned DVD of the movie to take home.

I can see piracy being one counterargument, that having a copy that good on the market that soon would get spread like wildfire. That's possibly true, I don't know... but call me a sucker who believes people as a whole are generally decent, and would rather have a legal copy than a pirated one.

I can also see retailers, especially big-box ones like Walmart or Best Buy not liking this, as they would lose a lot of DVD sales. I would counter this by saying people would still come for movies they didn't see theatrically, didn't feel like paying a premium for, movies they want in HD, or for Special Editions.

Mods, I wasn't sure where this belonged... here, misc, or sci/tech. Please feel free to move me if I guessed wrong.

 

[Mr. B]

$30 for a standard-def DVD... yeah right!

 

[The Fatman]

$30 for a standard-def DVD... yeah right!

Fair enough. How much WOULD you be willing to pay for the "privilege" of taking the DVD home with you day and date?

 

[Rii]

Nah, I'm not interested in seeing most films again right away, and the few I am I'd rather see again at the cinema, then pick up the DVD later at a reasonable price if it's still got its hooks in me.

 

[Joy]

You know, I'd actually be up for this.

I had always said I'd wait to get any of the Harry Potter movies on DVD until they were ALL out, and get whatever ultimate boxset will assumedly be made.

That said, I'm lovin' Half-Blood Prince SOOOO much, I plan to buy it when it comes out on DVD.

Just saw it again a third time today, and if a DVD was available at that theater (and I had the extra spending cash), I would definitely have bought it, then gotten the two-disc special edition or whatever when it came out in December.

I can think of a couple other movies I would have been willing to do that for, too.

Of course, I'm big on making wallpapers/avatars/etc. as well as fanvids, so that would be another reason I'd be interested in something like this.

And then I would STILL probably go see whatever movie at the theater again, because a 298-seat theater with digital projection and Dolby Digital surround sound TRUMPS watching a DVD on a 17" CRT monitor with crappy speakers and an uncomfortable chair.

So... yeah. I like this idea. A lot.

Joy

 

[Mr. B]

Fair enough. How much WOULD you be willing to pay for the "privilege" of taking the DVD home with you day and date?

It's extremely unlikely that I would be interested in seeing whatever I saw in the theater again, especially lately. Further I don't think I would be interested in buying a standard-def DVD of a new movie when there is/will be a Blu-ray option, or even a regular DVD with special features... and thirdly, I wouldn't be willing to pay a premium price to have it immediately either.

Outside of rabid fans, it's hard to imagine someone who just paid an exorbitant price for a ticket and popcorn would buy an overpriced, barebones DVD of what they just saw when they could just wait a few months for a better, cheaper product.

 

[The Fatman]

Fair enough. How much WOULD you be willing to pay for the "privilege" of taking the DVD home with you day and date?

It's extremely unlikely that I would be interested in seeing whatever I saw in the theater again, especially lately. Further I don't think I would be interested in buying a standard-def DVD of a new movie when there is/will be a Blu-ray option, or even a regular DVD with special features... and thirdly, I wouldn't be willing to pay a premium price to have it immediately either.

Outside of rabid fans, it's hard to imagine someone who just paid an exorbitant price for a ticket and popcorn would buy an overpriced, barebones DVD of what they just saw when they could just wait a few months for a better, cheaper product.

Interesting... Thank you for your thoughts!

Personally speaking, I can think of several movies I would have been very willing to do this with, that I ended up pirating to re-watch. I guess I'm just ridiculously impatient. This year alone, I've done it with Fanboys, Up!, Star Trek, and Away We Go... I just would much rather have a good, legal copy without having to wait until the holidays.

 

[Trubinator]

No way.

 

[judge alba]

nope. i think i'd wait until the proper release was out

 

[nx1701g]

I once recommended this in a course on copyrights as an alternative to illegal downloading and I'm very favorable to this idea. I would allow the option of releasing the film in the theatre for people who wanted to view it the traditional way, but I would also have the DVD released only to the theatres until the official release to keep them open.

This was, if I recall correctly, briefly considered as well as an option by MGM; however, they were going to employ a technology with the DVDs that essentially made them self destruct after a set period of time - I think it was three days after being exposed to air.

 

[Broccoli]

This reminded me of a story.

When I saw Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? several years ago, I saw it in a second run theater. After watching the movie, we went to a local Best Buy and what do I see available for purchase? Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?. I didn't buy it, but I found it amusing, as I didn't know it was already released on DVD.

 

[miraclefan]

nope. i think i'd wait until the proper release was out

My thoughts exactly, I can wait no problem.

 

[Amaris]

I'm having a craving to re-watch Star Trek XI... and I found that it's not up at any of my local theaters anymore, and it won't hit DVD for another 3-4 months. I have considered doing some searching through less-than-legal means to acquire a copy, but I really dislike doing so. This just got me to thinking about DVD releases. I know they don't release the movies day and date on DVD because the theater owners would go nuts....and understandably so. So, I had an idea:

What if, after your paid admission to the theater, you could purchase a bare-bones standard def (480p) version of the film on DVD for a premium, say $30(USD)? Would you partake in such a service? I can see it being a kiosk...Submit your ticket stub, swipe your card, get a freshly burned DVD of the movie to take home.

I can see piracy being one counterargument, that having a copy that good on the market that soon would get spread like wildfire. That's possibly true, I don't know... but call me a sucker who believes people as a whole are generally decent, and would rather have a legal copy than a pirated one.

I can also see retailers, especially big-box ones like Walmart or Best Buy not liking this, as they would lose a lot of DVD sales. I would counter this by saying people would still come for movies they didn't see theatrically, didn't feel like paying a premium for, movies they want in HD, or for Special Editions.

Mods, I wasn't sure where this belonged... here, misc, or sci/tech. Please feel free to move me if I guessed wrong.

Yes. I loved Star Trek XI so much I would have agreed, but I wouldn't have watched it at home until after it left theaters.
Then in September/October when it came out on Blu-ray, I'd buy it again.

J.

 

[Admiral_Young]

For me it would depend on what movie I saw and if I was desperate enough to see it again. I was lucky to see Star Trek three times and wanted to see it a fourth but it had been taken out of the theaters before I had a chance so yes I would seriously consider your proposal.

 

[Mike Farley]

Maybe if this "early bird" DVD came with a coupon for say $10 off the later regular feature laden DVD/Blu-ray version.

 

[The Fatman]

Maybe if this "early bird" DVD came with a coupon for say $10 off the later regular feature laden DVD/Blu-ray version.

You know what, that's a damn good idea...

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

I don't even buy the theatrical cuts anymore. I wait 6 months extra for the unrated, extended, Director's Cut that should have been in the theatres in the first place, but weren't because the cinemas want to get an extra show in, and don't give a shit about details like character development and plot, when all they need is the gullible plebs to go 'Ooh' and 'Aah' at some SFX eye-candy.

 

[God Magnus]

I like your general idea. The two changes I would make are:

1. Cost: After being reamed at the theater for rates as high as $14-18 for a ticket in NYC theaters, asking for another $30 is a bit much. Price it between $5-10 and I think it's reasonable.
2. Incentive: It can't just be the movie. You have to provide extra content whether in the form of a coupon, discount etc. of some sort towards a future purchase. Maybe even a coupon for food/drinks at the theater - but there has to be an "extra" of some sort.

I can see this working outside rabid fans. Let's say you just took your kids to see "G-Force" and they're screaming their heads off about it. Now you can buy a cheap copy to keep them amused for hours on end.

The flip side is, this could dramatically affect the sales of the later releases. And if people are trading around a GOOD copy of the film, that could decrease ticket sales at the theater. I don't have stats to back this up, I'm just tossing out possibilities.

Either way, if something like this did come to be, I know I'd be one of the first people purchasing. If Trek had done this, I would've bought a copy on day one.

 

[barnaclelapse]

Ten or even fifteen dollars, and I could definitely get behind something like this. Obviously, if I were running it I'd make sure people could only get the DVD after they've seen the movie, but I'm sure someone else brought that up already.

 

[Warp Coil]

I don't think I would pay a price premium to get a bare-bones DVD of a film when I know that a sweet 2-disc special edition will come out a few months down the road for the same price, or possibly even less. I want commentary, behind-the-scenes docs, deleted scenes, etc.