Unscripted: My Thoughts on Collecting In 2024
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- Опубликовано: 1 фев 2024
- What will the rest of 2024 look like for collectors? We're coming off the biggest year in the history of physical media, but the only constant is change. In this "unscripted" video, I give my candid thoughts on the state of collecting and talk about how my own collecting habits have changed.
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I'm always chasing my own interests, doing my own deep dives, and I prefer that to following what the market is feeding us. Sometimes my current interests dovetail with popular tastes. Sometimes they don't. But I know that I'm following my taste, my interests, and my passions. And that's all that should really matter.
Couldn’t agree more with this sentiment. Especially in tough times, it can be so revivifying to lean into the little things that bring you joy.
I second that! And I find I can be obsessive with those deep dives - in a positive way. It can generate creative energy and lead me to information beyond the film or its production. Sometimes it's a director, actor or composer's other work. And THEIR interests can point me toward some piece cultural history I wasn't aware of before.
People need to realize that it's our collection and we should be allowed to have it any way we desire. I myself am running out of room and will never watch half of my movies . But if someone comes over to watch a movie, there's a chance I own it. One thing I would like to do is rip all of them onto a media server but with around 50,000-60,000 discs to go through has made me less likely to do it.
I really enjoy the Unscripted Video series you have going here.
One of the things I started doing last year that really helped manage my collecting habits is I kept an ongoing pile of stuff I knew I would likely never watch again. As of yesterday I have sold or traded everything that was in that pile, needless to say the feeling was amazing.
Congrats! That's huge.
I started doing that last year and need to continue. So much stuff I don’t need. I’m trying to be more selective with my purchases but then someone will release an obscure horror movie that interests me it’s a vicious cycle
Yes! I’m condensing my collection, donating films I’ll never watch again to our local library for their periodic sales, and watching films I’ve never seen to see if they make the cut. Keep up the good work, Heath!
Preach it brother. Great real talk. People forget they don’t live forever. You won’t live long enough for physical media and their players to disappear. After I realized this a few years ago I decided it was ok to buy both digital and physically. I have no shame buying $5 iTunes movies that I want to watch and love.
What's the point of having something if you don't like it and enjoy it? It doesn't make sense to have something if it doesn't make you happy, whether it's movies, TV shows, music, or video games. Life is simply too short. Nice X-Men shirt by the way. I'm a huge X-Men fan myself. Thanks, Heath! As always, I appreciate the hard work, passion, and honesty! Solid video once again! Keep it up! God bless and stay safe!
The only things I buy anymore are ones that I know that I will want to revisit regularly for the rest of my life.
I'm one of those DVD / Blu-ray collectors that's not anti- streaming. It depends what the movie is if I want it or not.
My biggest problem with my collection is that I hardly watch my favorite movies because i feel guilty for not watching something I've never seen before.
I struggle with that too, especially since I have so many movies I'm SUPPOSED to watch for Cereal At Midnight. I'm trying to give myself permission to watch whatever I want to as often as possible. I hope you can do that for yourself, too.
@@CerealAtMidnight Agreed.
Good points. I am experiencing similar feelings for sure. One thing that makes me reluctant to put stuff in sleeves though is the idea of 'Out of sight, out of mind'... If those movies are just sitting in a box somewhere, I'm probably going to forget about them and not take them out to watch anytime soon. It needs to be visibly on a shelf for me to notice it.
I did that and it kind of happened. So I put the covers in A5 acid-free sleeves, and put the discs in those little covers that Heath showed you. Then I put them into A5 ring binders and they sit on my shelf at eye-level, so they're much more visible to me. An A5 folder is about 1.5 inches taller than a DVD case, so that's reasonable for me. I can fit 18-20 moves in 1.5 inches of shelf space. It works well for me.
@@Old_Scot but you still wouldn't necessarily remember what movies are in there, unless you are constantly taking the binders out and flipping through them, right?
I feel like the sleeves method is just condensing the hoarding not changing the behaviour. It leads to the problem the OP describes where you just hoard it but forget it’s there. In many cases this is more about collecting and not about the media. Other collectibles are the same way.
Wouldn’t it be difficult to find a movie you’d wanna watch though ?
@@The2010golakers That's where my excel spreadsheet comes in! And labelling the spine of the ring binder.
I couldn't agree more. In 2023 I started to become overwhelmed with collecting physical media and made the decision to sell off a huge portion of my collection, only keeping absolute favorites. Since then I've gone almost 90% digital buying on iTunes. Cheaper, convenient, and free 4K upgrades. And I'm completely comfortable with the trade offs when it comes to quality and ownership compared to owning the disc. It's helped me remember the whole point of all this, which is the films itself. Great vid!
Except digital 4K isn't really 4K at all. You can't be 4K with a 35Mbps bitrate.
Digital 4K streams still look pretty frickin' good. I believe that most people can't tell the difference. Anyway, nobody is arguing that digital is equal to or superior to a disc. We all know the disc is the best version.
Last year I was buying new releases every month and closed to the end of the year i realized that i was buying faster that i was able to watch the movies and my wallet was getting hurt big time. So I decided to stop buying and now with any new release, or sale, i really stop and think about if I really love the movie so much that i want a hard copy, or simply wait until is on streaming (just like you said on the marvel movies). I will roll like this now and im sure that it will not only help me saving some money towards other hobbies but i think my hard copy collection will look much better to ME since i will only have what I really really love and re-watch.
My wife and I have been on a pretty serious buy ban to save up for starting a family, and during this past year, I didn’t realize just how much of a slave I became to my collection. I had this gotta buy it all mindset that put in my positions to make bad financial decisions and buy films I’ll never watch again… but wait! It’s got a pretty package that will collect dust, so I gotta have it right?! I still love physical media, but I have now become much more selective with what I purchase. No blind buys ever again. I’m not a collector anymore, but a curator.
As someone who has his collection of movies in the 100s, which is less than yours and others, I agree with your points, Heath. Hence why I limit my buys to only what I truly want, being my resolution this year. Being that my collection consists of mostly films that I truly want to go back to. Like Terminator 1 and 2, the Classic Star Trek movies, Back to the Future, The Matrix, etc. All to simply keep my library of movies balanced and organized. So that it doesn't add stress to neither me nor my family.
Buy what you actually like, not what everyone else says you should like. That saves a lot of shelf space right there.
We all go through this. I have a nice collection now that is under 1000. I probably have around 700 now after a huge purge. There’s nothing wrong with it
Haha. I'm one of the guys who commented about your buying more after talking about too much collecting/space issues. The thing about this is, it goes in waves. Making mistakes, going overboard, the good old FOMO response, the living and learning and the paring down and the re-buying -- it's all part of the fun and the internal growth. I've been paring down, as well as replacing things but overall feel my collection is more manageable and better curated now. The greatest pain is knowing I WILL have to give all this up, maybe sooner than later. For now, I can only do my best to enjoy.
I've gotten way better these past few years of only collecting stuff i really want instead of buying stuff for the sake of a big collection.
To me, it's way more interesting to see someone's collection that they cater to their likes than someone with a massive collection of stuff they don't really care about.
Maybe it's me, but i see these people who go out and just buy every new release or everything possible and say stuff like "I didn't really like it, but need it for the collection." And to me those are hoarders, not collectors.
I agree with the hoarders not collectors sentiment. I've always believed that you should be able to look at a person's collection and get a sense of who that person is. A curated collection can tell you a lot about someone. Then again, I guess so can a hoarder's collection--just not in the way they think.
It's pretty cyclical like most hobbies. Collecting anything involves curating, streamlining or being more open to some other options. I don't hate any form of collecting, if you are passionate be passionate. Just be mindful of how you project that passion on others. Not everyone thinks or feels the same.
Excellent Video! Loved it! Great topic once again. Once again, remember you’re doing the channel for your interest and finding those who enjoy the same. Don’t worry about the others who complain. They are gonna complain no matter what. Do what you wanna do and those truly interested will continue to hang out with ya
You got to do what makes you happy Heath. It doesn't matter what other people think. My collection is not nearly as big as yours but it definitely is all about owning what you love and care about and not just to have it on the shelf. Love the unscripted videos and your content. Have a good one.
Well said Heath! I really only collect scifi, horror and fantasy movies. In terms of sleeving, I do it for my DVD's unless something I really enjoy on my shelf. I do my sleeving just like you do.
I can totally relate to you, and thank you for sharing your thoughts because I’ve been feeling the same way
So many of us are! I made this video because tons of people are emailing me or leaving comments saying "I'm not enjoying collecting anymore." We've got to find a way to make it fun again.
@@CerealAtMidnight Yes I’m on the same page..I hear you, and here for moral support as a fellow collector 🙌🏻
I have likely been over buying, I will not likely sleeve any of my purchases even though it would probably even be better for how I store and use my media. I think the ultimate solution for me is to purge titles from my collection through yard sale and donation and only keep the items I truly want.
Very true. I picked up a movie called the good son the other day, it’s a fine movie that I never particularly liked. I got it as I thought one day I might want to watch it. I took it home and didn’t feel like watching it now and I probably won’t later. I need to really look at what I’m bringing in. You are right it’s meant to be fun! I think it’s amazing to have discs of films and shows you love - but not FOMO.
I’m selling off most of my comic book collection to fund more Blu-rays and 4Ks. Space is opening up thankfully. Movies were my #1 hobby most of my life anyway so I don’t feel bad about sacrificing other hobbies.
I made a rule that I can't buy anything new until I run through all of my unwatched purchases and I've found that I'm enjoying the act of watching movies and less getting caught up stocking up on new releases. I also purged a fair few titles that I realized I just don't need to own and it's crazy how I just don't miss any of them
This was terrific, Heath. I feel the same way. I recently cleared out hundreds of discs that I had purchased out of some imagined obligation to Physical Media. Now I really only have my Old Hollywood DVDs (in tarifold sleeves!), which are my true loves. Thanks for being so generous with your thoughts.
Heath, thank you so much for recommending those clear sleeves. I purchased 100 of them and it saved me 2 whole rows of space. I chose the lesser titles to get the sleeves, but not titles with 2 discs, or steel books. Thanks again.
We all have to be healthy collectors!
Nowadays i got a small Collection of 800 Movies because i only need my All-Time Favorites on a Physical Media Disc 90% of them are Movies from the 80s and 90s i grew up with and that's okay.
Life is too short too collect everything on Physical Media 🤗
Great video. I am with you I’ve become much more selective in what I collect. You only have so much space for storage and so much time for viewing.
I've started selling off titles that I won't ever watch again. I liked them at the time but have no time to watch again. It's a waste of space and waste of money to me at this point. I'm really rethinking what I need to buy and bring into my collection this year.
That's great, and it puts them in the hands of someone who maybe WILL enjoy them and get some life out of them.
I have sleeved most of my collection except special movies and series and it was a game changer for my collection and future collection.
This is a comment on the short you did on the rising cost of collecting. For some reason I cannot post my comment there.
I've been saying this for years now. Most people don't want to spend 30 dollars plus on one movie. The majority of blu rays in my collection I got for well under twenty dollars over the course of fifteen or so years. And I'm an enthusiast. Your average person is going to get more and more priced out as physical media becomes more niche. And as more retailers stop carrying physical media, the more prices will skyrocket. To say nothing of the costs these boutique labels will incur just to license these titles.
Also I have to add that the more you talk about issues such as price, the more the elitist snobs in the physical media community start price shaming you and ridiculing you. Which is one of the reasons I am largely detached from them at this point. You're right Heath, it's like a cult. They're obsessed with 4K, they shame people who cannot afford all that they can, and they seem more interested in collecting discs than they are in watching what's on them.
"In 2,00 years bro?" lol had me dying.
When ppl freaked out bc that one random Discovery reality tv show no one ever heard of was removed from the Playstation store, a place almost no one buys videos from, and pointed that as a sign that your digital media is going away 😆
Also most of the titles that were involved had no dvd release anyway.
I've changed my collecting habits over the years! I agree that I used to buy alot of movies that I watched once & then never watched again! I'm now more careful what I buy! I have always bought to watch my collection! Thanks for your great channel!
Just getting back into the online classic film community and I cannot WAIT to catch up on your videos, Heath. I’m starting with this one because I have a feeling I’m going to relate hard to it. You’re absolutely right when you say we have more than we need and, sometimes, I feel so overwhelmed with the amount of films I own that I haven’t even cracked open yet.
Hey Vanessa! I've been through a lot of changes in the last year, and it all hit pretty hard a few months ago. Collectors are going broke and tapping out. The tribalism has reached near-dangerous levels with people talking about the end times, calling themselves "physical media preppers" and acting like anyone who watches something digitally is an enemy. This moment feels like an end.
@@CerealAtMidnight Considering how packed 2022 and 2023 were in terms of physical media releases, I’m not at all surprised to hear that many collectors have given up and have experienced financial hardships trying to keep up with everything. For me - and now, for you - digital media is not the enemy. I’ve always liked having a digital media library because it allows me to collect at a less expensive price point AND it doesn’t take up any physical space.
I got my first VHS tape at the age of 9(Day of the Dead) and the addiction began. I’m now 46 and had to do some major soul searching last year. I’m now on an incredibly strict diet of what I buy. Before buying I make myself really think through and evaluate the purchase. It isn’t easy but I’m managing.
As I watch/ I isten to your video, I am trying to unpack my "stuff" from my latest move. This includes my media collection , my tech stuff , and my hobby collection. It is more than I need. Dealing with it on both ends becomes a lot of no fun/stress. It really makes the decision to get more so much easier. Use what we buy, don't just keep gathering for some day.
I feel like this, every movie or tv show I own, is something I’ve seen or will see for thousands of times. I can go months or years without buying something. Last year, I didn’t buy a whole lot of movies or tv shows, because I didn’t want to feel like I absolutely needed that specific movie or tv show, I bought movies or tv shows that I liked and can watch thousands of times.
I have hardly any room for new physical media. I have 900 blurays in a cd storage case, and have stored the bluray cases with sleeves in my attic.
I definetly feel you on a collection feeling complete, or having too much to actually get to. I current weigh the desire to support and enjoy new releases from sites like Kino vs. my having not even watched any of my purchases from their last sale.
I'm really liking the vibes of these videos. You are clearly passionate about the subject but I feel that you are really speaking your truth now. There's so much negativity around collecting and you are now saying it. It's so true that digital and streaming is fine. If something is removed and you are so desperate to watch it it's really not hard to find just about anything now
Thanks! I've been buying my movies on physical media since 1991 and collecting was always a side effect of my deep movie love. Over the last few years, though, I've watched movie collecting turn into something else. It's become uglier, angrier, and there's so much unhappiness in our fandom. We've got to find a way to make it fun again, and I don't think we can make it fun when we're collecting more than we can watch or when the love of plastic overtakes the love of movies. We definitely can't make it fun when we're attacking others for not being "True Fans." Part of reaching middle age is no longer caring what people think of you, so I'm keeping it real like never before and I like it. :)
Thanks for the encouragement!
@@CerealAtMidnight you said it better than I ever could. Can't wait for your 2024 content
You said it well!
What do you do with the cases when you sleeve your discs? That's my biggest barrier to sleeving -- I don't just want to throw the cases away.
I've sold some, given some away, and thrown some away.
It’s interesting watching how much your opinions and views have changed over the last few years.
I know, right? I think (hope) it's age and wisdom--realizing that I can't have everything and that I also don't really want everything. Also, my tastes have changed a lot over the years.
Good discussion Heath. I agree 100%. I can see physical media hitting maybe a plateau. Like you said, this can be a good thing. Give us a breather for a bit. I started to change my habits when I had less time to watch movies and wanted more time to spend with my family. My two boys are growing older and I don’t want to miss out on those few years on hoarding a collection. My youngest son LOVES movies but he watches DVD. He can care less about 4K. As I always say when we are on our death beds, what will be our legacy? What we have in our movie collection or how we spent life in other meaningful ways?
Your death bed comment made me chuckle because I truly believe most of us will lay on our death bed and think about our families and good times, but there are a few of us who will leave this world saying "I had a huge collection. Bigger than most. I was a true fan." That's both tragic and also pretty funny/
Have you ever done a room /collection tour ?I wanna see all the stuff! I collect movies,records,and old toys as well
On your recommendation I had recently took the time to redeem all the digital copies in my collection besides WB all the studios still respected those old codes even though a lot of them were way expired. Even Ultra Violet codes still worked and were either available on Vudu or Apple TV. I still haven’t bought an exclusive digital copy of something but I think I’m going to start with Lost in Space because the physical copy is out of print and is going for $150 second hand, while the digital copy is only in like the $30 range.
Also as far as digital I recently stayed at a hotel and it was nice just to chrome cast movies to the hotel TV.
If you check sites like Cheapcharts.com, they tell you what's on sale each week. Right now there are some great movies on sale for $5, so the risk is small. MoviesAnywhere.com also has a sale page that's worth a look at least once a week. I'm definitely glad to hear that you were able to redeem all those codes!
I only roll around in 4K
#truefan
Thanks Heath...I really enjoy your opinions on collecting movies! I agree with you about streaming & buying digital! I have never lost any digital movie that I purchased so far! Anyway thanks again for your great channel!
I've never lost a digital purchase either! Not yet, at least. Thanks, Wayne!
I hear ya Heath. I finally set a limit. No more $19.99 kino Blu-rays with bad transfers. I stream them now. No more blind buys. I stream first and if I want to watch again I’ll buy if it’s within my price range. I am running out of space and will sleeve Blu-ray’s. Once I upgrade to 4K the blu ray goes to Savers
I’ve started sleeving generic discs thanks to you. It’s a huge improvement!
Slap me some skin! Haha
Last year, I started getting even more picky with what I purchase. However, every time the Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, or Halloween franchises come out with new releases, I purchase them. I legitimately collect them: VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K.
I also recently purchased a couple of import discs for what’s not available in The States.
Great Video 🍻
LOL at "Big Honkin Movie Boy!"
"Bustin' makes me feel good" 👍
Your videos on dvd sleeving were the most useful to me. Although it was somewhat expensive to get them in Canada (and finally got some bd), it freed considerable space and avoided me the trouble of having to choose if I would sell some discs. Actually, I keep them on the shelf between other discs. I agree with you: not everything needs to be displayed.
I only tend to buy what, for me personally, I'd call "essential" must haves. I really don't need to grab absolutely everything on DVD/Blu-Ray that I enjoy watching, when having a download/digital version satisfies my needs. Otherwise, I'd have to build an extension to my house, and bank balance, to accommodate everything. I'm not even going to mention films I have that haven't yet had, and probably never will, a home media release in any format!📼Oooops!
I couldn't believe some of the reactions to your last video! Some of the comments sounded like teenagers who had found their favourite uncle supported a rival football team 😄😄 We all walk the same line. Space is finite, decisions are made - then we find something we can't resist. Or in your case, 300 somethings!
I'm going to be having a wee purge. When I discovered I was going to be a grandparent, I started buying up classic Disney movies from charity shops. Then Dreamworks movies. Then any kids movie I liked the look of. I now have two boxes of kids movies.
The thing is, I don't believe my grandson will watch films in the same way my son did, and there are far more films here than my son ever had. So I'll re-donate a lot of them back to a charity shop and regain some space.
I wish I could say I didn't believe the reaction from that previous video either, but running this channel for 7 years has showed me how extreme some of our fellow collectors are. People have said some really stupid things to me over the years.
But these people represent such a tiny fraction of the overall physical media fanbase, and I'm here to let them know that they don't speak for me and they don't speak for most of us. They're the extremists, not the majority. They've substituted a love of consumerism for a love of movies. How many channels and even "reviewers" do we know who can't talk about movies at all? They can show you a collection, but they can't talk about the movies.
Congrats on your grandson! I hope you have many happy movie moments together.
@@CerealAtMidnight Lol! We watched so many Pixar films last year that Letterboxd told me John Lasseter was my favourite director 😄😄. I've actually enjoyed revisiting them, but truth be told, my son and I enjoyed them more than the wee man! He's only three and he prefers playing with toys than watching a screen - which I think is a good thing.
Nice conversation Heath : I’ve been doing what you and Jeff (at films at home )have spoken of for some time. I’ve been curating / streamlining my collection. Much as you say, trimming things into what I really am passionate for . And I still have a nice , and still large collection. It reflects me and my tastes . I think I did this before anyway ….. I transitioned from vhs to dvd , and now blu ray and 4K . I’ve both sold my films via a local music and video store , and have also given copies to friends , to pass along the passion for film and tv shows to those family and friends .
I still have more than many , but feel great about my collection . The sales of my stuff at the local store (they do consignment) helps me to sell , make a little money and build up money for my film and music hobbies . While at the same time weeding out some of the extraneous things I don’t want or need . I’ve been buying newer / best version of music this way too - for literally years (decades?)
We are living in a blessed time where as you say the home video companies are giving us what we want . I’m very happy about collecting , and you are reiterating my own thoughts !!
And I stream the stuff that I really like from streaming - I don’t necessarily follow trends - only what I have passion for .
Great topic !
Been buying a lot recently but still only at around 250 titles. I have most of my favourites and the rest is enough to guarantee I can find something to enjoy on a rewatch no matter my mood. My collection will always be quality over quantity. I also skip some films that are good but I’ve seen them a million times already. Everything I buy I try to watch before I put on the shelf, and anything I put on the shelf I like to know that I’ll want to pick it up again
I just buy 1 max 3 movies a month, but wenn I have them, it's like my birthday every time. I always say les is more. My collection is also small compared to most collectors.
I want to be a Billboard for Narratives!
I also do not want to be a Billboard for Consumerism.
Hey Heath I was just wondering what should I do if I have too many movies and other types of physical media and what do you recommend for me to do about it
I agree with you!
No one is the boss of me. Forget the naysayers. Forget FOMO. I save then I buy, I buy and then I save. Right now, I am considering Tarifold sleeves for all but handful of my best favorite DVDs. Right now, I have many sealed Blu-Ray and 4K still to watch. That has significantly slowed my roll on buying movies. It only makes sense. Right now, my best value is second hand minty classical music CDs. 🔥. I use Red Box for mainstream new releases where I want a disc. In February, I am going to go to the movie theater! - Heather
I do like having a mix of digital and physical media. Good finds to be had at a certain store’s bargain bin.
I must note that the image of rolling around on the discs brought to mind moments from INDECENT PROPOSAL and THE WOLF OF WALL STREET.
"I will give you ONE MILLION DOLLARS to sleep with your collection."
@@CerealAtMidnight 🤣
I agree with you about sleeving single discs. The box is generic and not worth keeping.
I really started this past year to donate some of my CDs I never listen to anymore and some I never listened to even once to Savers. Same with some of my non fiction books.
Yea I Think It’s Time For Me To Start Getting Rid Of Some Movies In My Collection! I Just Passed 2,000 Movies And I Still Enjoy Collecting! I Have A Whole YT Channel Dedicated To Collecting!
I like collecting physical media because it’s not the same to owning digital access codes that you just purchased online somewhere. But I was born in the nineties so I like having cases. Lol
I might have to do the sleeve things some day, but I haven’t yet. I don’t begrudge the people buying digital, but my mind doesn’t even work that way. Truthfully, I’ve cut way back partly as I’m collecting more toys and largely because collecting means going places and paying cash and that’s getting super hard to do.
Not so much FOMO as Fear of OOP.
FOOOP
@@CerealAtMidnight. FOOOP IS REAL! We just shouldn’t let it control us.
I got the tarifold sleeves with some binders, really helps save space, and I got tired of cheap cases brakeing and damaging my disks, I personally prefer the look of the sleeves over the cases.
you do you, Heath! Love that you love Film Noir. I'm envious of that noir collection you got. Will you pick up Scarlet Street on 4K?
"You do you" is a perfect motto! Kino sent me Scarlet Street and I can't wait to watch it.
Boutique labels have been dropping some nice stuff but dang that stuff can be expensive especially importing them
It's not hypocritical to change your mind or to be responsive to your own reality. That's maturity. Never changing your mind is arrogant pathology. I hope you find that this hybrid approach DOES bring you joy and IS what you want... at least for now. :D Incidentally, 99% of mine are in sleeves in binders. So... take my philosophy as you will. :p
I only recently got back into physical media after being a streamer since Netflix first put out their disc-based app for the PS3. I mostly blind buy right now to catch up on classics that I know of and have been recommended to me - so it's more of an 'informed blind buy' I've got a collection of about 75 movies now and I'm probably not going to go much bigger than that - I have zero qualms about selling off things that I likely won't watch again to make room for new stuff. I've been in a lot of hobbies and have experienced the 'cult mindset' personally so I'm pretty self-aware when it comes to watching out for that. I'm kind of in a hybrid mindset about collecting - yes, the disc is the ticket to ride, but it's also cool to have the physical object on a shelf to look at - especially these nice boutique releases that come with books that let you learn more about the movies. That said, I still only buy what interests me and what I think I'll like - not just because of FOMO.
I totally agree with you Heath. Last summer I finally and very thankfully got into Plex and I started my own server. It has been phenomenal. I have been ripping and re-encoding my collection 24/7 since last August and it’s been a game changer watching and more importantly rediscovering movies and tv shows that I have in my own collection that I forgot about and haven’t watched in 15-20 years and by me doing this it’s forced me to go through and purge titles from my collection that I probably won’t watch again so I ripped about 100 movies to my server and then sold the discs. I’m also out of space and after I rip a title I then package them all carefully away in storage. The best part is that I can watch anything I’ve ripped on any tv in the house and use my phone when away from home so I’m maximizing use of my collection.
Streaming, reviewing, and physical procurement of those worthy of additional viewings would make sense to a degree.
Collecting can be enjoyable, bordering obsessive. You probably enjoy looking at and admiring the art in your collection, not to leave out the memorabilia and special features.
From a viewing only perspective, one perhaps could consider the limitations of time & enjoyment. How many films/movies can you watch in a year, subtract those streamed and watched in a cinema/theatre, the balance being your favourite one year physical collection rotation, then two years, and so on, removing the surplus (you be the judge)...
What do you do with the slipcovers and the cases?
I'll probably sell some slipcovers, but I haven't decided yet. I've sold some cases, given some away, and even thrown some away.
I rid of some of my dvd’s to the ones I don’t watch anymore to make room for the ones that I really want
There's only so many unscripted videos you can make before you start really repeating the same things year after year after year.
But these are my favorite videos. I went through the SAME process midway through last year. It's been such a relief knowing I can let go of things I wont watch again, and there's no reason to spend 4x on a movie to watch and sit, when I can rent it one time for $5. Its fine. Im going to enjoy it and if I get that upset over compression, then I can buy it.
Fair point about repetition, but every video is someone's first and a lot of people are hearing this for the first time. Also, RUclips buries MOST of my videos, so if I want people to see something, I have to keep hitting the same points. Congrats on taking charge of your collection!
I do both streaming and physical. I watch what I consider disposable content on streaming (stuff I won’t watch again) and the stuff I watch repeatedly I buy on blu-ray, used for $2-$3. Our internet sucks and I’m too cheap to pay $5 to watch my favorites again & again while the video is also buffering. I also find the constantly rising price of streaming to be annoying.
I noticed how some prices on films have began to crawl up a bit online and the deals seem a little sparser. Of course, it's early in the year and after the holiday. However, I also anticipated this when Best Buy dropped out and we saw some of the larger retailers weed back.
This is a concern but it won't keep me from buying, I just won't purchase as much and will be less exploratory. For myself, I am going to concentrate on films from the silent era to the late 60s and foreign films. It appears, currently, these are films that are less likely found on streaming.
But the price hikes are part of the nature of things. My largest concerns are making sure I have backup players on hand in case we do see things dry up down the road and the real possibility this becomes a collector's market like comics and cards and we see prices inflate due to the investors and speculators.
One can hope not but one can't rule out human nature.
I don't worry about players, but I think the contractions in the market are definitely going to keep prices going up. But then again, everything goes up, even sodas and candy bars. I guess movies shouldn't be any different.
Yeah, if price hikes are a natural process. But anyone who directly saw what happened to cards and comics know how artificially inflated prices become.
I really like this unscripted series.
This is what I always tell people who wanna start collecting or change their ways. Only buy what you really love and know you'll rewatch.
I just buy what I can afford usually waiting for sales
Did tou hear what Heath said? Digital? Streaming? Sacrilege! Heretic!👹 LOL!🤣 I've been collecting movies since the VHS era in 1984 when my mom gave me my first VCR a Midland and haven't looked back. But now I live in a studio and I'm running out of room. I know someone who ran out of room in his space so he put it all in storage and began collecting more!🤔 I hope I never get that far. But I prefer physical over digital/streaming always. Anyway good topic and cool video Heath!👉🙂👈
I have reached the point where I have most of the 1970,80s film and tv on disc that I ever wanted on disc. From now on Streaming services are fine for trying out new material . I will still occasion collect from a boutique label such as Warner Archive. All ways good to have an ending point for collecting.
i'm taking a break from collecting 4k discs this year. I have a couple I want to buy but with the end of best buy selling in store, and how bad it is to browse amazon. I'm like done for a bit. Ive got most of what I wanted. All the big franchises. 166 4ks in a couple of years, with the average price around $14 bucks! I'm almost at the point where I need a new bookshelf too.
So maybe i'll restart collecting next year, but I'll probably not spend so much black friday this year and probably stop at 200
I think part of the contraction is because of 4kUHD. They are so darn expensive and a lot of people are getting priced out of the hobby of collecting because of them, or they are collected fewer releases.
I for sure have downsized and working on keeping what means alot to me or what i love. Like for example not too long ago i sold off Accepted 2006 film, revenge of the nerds, fast times at ridgemont high...i used to like these alot now i mean they were good for the time but now just not a fan of them anymore.
My wakeup call was after subscribing to Vinegar Syndrome for a year and a half. While some of the stuff I really dug, there was just too much that sat on my shelf with the intention of watching, bit never got motivation to watch. Not to mention you bleed so much $$$ during sales and on partner labels. I now am very picky about what I buy.
My favorite thing about this current era is the rise of some small labels putting out tons of amazing stuff consistently like Deaf Crocodile and Kani. I think sort of the next "wave" with physical media is gonna be more lesser known foreign stuff making its way to the US
Heath, I hear you. I agree with most of what you said. In fact, I think you are mostly correct about these things and your viewpoints are spot on. I do have a few disagreeing points though. First of all, you say collecting Blu-ray/4K titles isn't about "preserving" the films and it's just collecting. On the one hand, a fair argument - on the other hand, a ton of these films wouldn't even be getting restored/preserved without a market for them - with collectors like us supporting and buying these releases, these boutique labels can afford to restore and preserve more films. If there wasn't a healthy market still this would just implode entirely - these restoration efforts would not even exist in this capacity.
Streaming services have shown no interest whatsoever in preserving these films - whether it be cult classics or little-seen genre films or foreign titles. You can't rely on digital or streaming for these movies. Even if you could (which at this point in time you can't), streaming still hasn't resolved the PQ/AQ issues that highlight how physical media remains superior - higher bit-rate encoding, lossless audio, exclusive restorations - none of these things are digital ground. This is the bread-and-butter of the boutique Blu-ray labels and certainly showing supporting for companies that preserve films in this manner helps with film preservation - regardless of if you have a giant "to-watch" stack you still need to get to. I have to disagree on the preservation viewpoint.
Hi Neil, I appreciate you coming here to address the issue.
Goodness knows we don't need any angry debates, tribalism, or rules on fandom here, but I read what you wrote and I do want to offer my reply to clarify my perspective in a way that I hope is reasonable and fair.
I believe preservation is when a studio, distributor, or individual actually saves something and shares it with others. In video games, people who download the programming code and back it up so the game can be recreated and played are preserving video games. In music, people who save miles of tape or analog material to digital sources are preserving them. For movies, scanning the elements and saving them to a digital master is the actual preservation. What we do is BUY what has already preserved.
Now please remember that I (despite your previous comments on social media) truly love physical media and have been buying and collecting movies for 33 years. I love it so much that I let it overtake my life, to the detriment of my own happiness, and that of my family. But these days I don't see why we--as fans--should care how anyone chooses to watch their entertainment. That's their choice, and everyone knows that only a tangible hard copy stands the true test of time. Streaming and digital purchases are two very different systems; one allows cheap discovery, the other allows a much broader access. Will those movies live forever in our digital libraries? Only time will tell. Probably not, and I'm okay with that because I know my discs won't last forever either. But we also have to acknowledge that movies are easily "stolen" and we have endless access to piracy sites, so it's not like anything is in danger of disappearing. over the last few years, somehow that line got blurred and now we have people who think that by buying a movie and putting it on their shelf, they've preserved it for history. In reality, they've only preserved it for their own future entertainment. Society at large has preserved the art. Technology has preserved the art.
At any rate, we're all free to do what makes us happy. That's what I'm doing and that's what you're doing. The only problem for me is when people start proselytizing "the right way" and start to think others are ignorant and need to be converted. There's no wrong way to eat a Reese's and there's no wrong way to be a fan of something--unless being a fan of something means telling other people they don't belong and they need to leave.
I believe it's better for everyone involved to support physical media releases--especially boutique labels--with eyes open and out of a sense of real appreciation, rather than a sense of "saving movie history." Believe it or not, I've heard from several boutiques who have seen my videos about the topic and thanked me for saying it. We should support things we love because we enjoy it, not because it's our responsibility to save it. The end result of that is too little time, space, and money, which leads to resentment and frustration. Those are my thoughts on the matter, and I know you might disagree. I wish you the best.