As a filmmaker and cine-file I am ever
optimistic yet worried about what the future holds. On May of 2016
all of the Movie Stop stores nationwide started their going out of
business sales. By this they mean total liquidation including their
large DVD shelves, I bought two metal folding chairs and the employee
behind the counter said pretty soon we won't have a place to sit. "The remaining two chairs will be sold last", I joked but I was
half serious as I felt bad for these employees and the whole sight of
this place being sold piece by piece was disheartening. The storefront was cluttered with going out of business signs that could no doubt be seen from the far side of the parking lot.
If you have
never been at a Movie Stop, it was a large retail chain where you
could walk in and sell your used DVD's or trade them in for new ones. A variable movie lover's trading post, where you could cycle things
in and out of your prized DVD collection. It was a beacon of hope
long after movie rental stores full of thousands of titles to choose
from were replaced by RedBox vending machines that spit out a DVD like a
used wad of chewing gum. In fact, after reporting declining revenue
in 2014, RedBox unplugged and removed 500 of their rental kiosks (*TheVerge).
I realize times have changed, we are
an on-demand culture now. It is great that we can stream content
from anywhere on our 3 inch cellphone screens, but the dramatic drop
in DVD sales and rentals has taken these valuable options away from
us. U.S. sales of DVD and Blu-Ray disks fell 12 percent in 2015 to
6.1 Billion, after an 11 percent drop in 2014. (*DigitalEntertainment Group) So what is the worst that can happen? If
things continue this way the day may come when the only movies that
are released on physical media are the blockbuster studio films like
Transformers 9. Independent films will be relegated to just the
digital platforms and television, making it even harder for
filmmakers to earn a living. It is safe to say if there is no DVD
release, there will be no special features either. I enjoyed all of
these audio commentaries and behind the scenes documentaries I have
watched over the years. It has been sort of a film school for me and
I would surely miss this bonus content. And the thought of only
major studio films being on DVD really gives me pause.
Okay true believers, if you are also
concerned by any of these recent developments I have bought up and
you want to do something about it, the answer is simple. Buy more
physical media and if it is available on the store shelves, buy it
there. Now is the time to support independent film and remember that
our purchase power can make the difference between formats like
DVD's becoming extinct.
This would be a good time to mention that Cam-Girl, the first feature I wrote and directed is now available on DVD. The story revolves around a single mother who works as a webcam stripper who is pushed to her limit when held hostage by an unknown gunman. I am happy to say our DVD is loaded with special features including Filmmaker Commentary, a 30 Minute look behind the scenes, a deleted scene and more. Please continue to support physical media if you have been and remind your friends that there was a time when we never thought video rental stores would go away either.
This would be a good time to mention that Cam-Girl, the first feature I wrote and directed is now available on DVD. The story revolves around a single mother who works as a webcam stripper who is pushed to her limit when held hostage by an unknown gunman. I am happy to say our DVD is loaded with special features including Filmmaker Commentary, a 30 Minute look behind the scenes, a deleted scene and more. Please continue to support physical media if you have been and remind your friends that there was a time when we never thought video rental stores would go away either.
