DVD Guide pt 4: Nice package...

I thought to myself "I should do a new guide thingy. I'll do it next week" not realizing I had a lot of shows that next week.

What say we finish this puppy off with a little talk about how to wrap yo' shit? I don't mean double bagging it either (unless you like your junk secure with shrink wrap).

The double entendre aside, I am referring on how to present your DVD creations.Some options are, but not limited to:

1. The classic and easily recognizable Amray Case: I can say from experience that traveling with a lot of this style case can be a giant space eater and pain in the butt.

2. The slightly less bulky Slim Line case: A lot like the above but half the size. It saves you some space but you sacrifice the visibility of the spine on a shelf.

3. The compact and cheaper DVD Sleeve: This one is likely to save you a LOT of room in your luggage and tends to be cheaper to produce because you can have some slick packaging and make your own discs.

Most DVD duplicators offer all of these options. You can even self-produce the whole shebang from start to finish.

Now comes the eternal question: Goobers or Raisinetes... no wait.. I mean Duplicated vs. Replicated. What is the difference you ask? All "professionally" produced discs have that shiny silver underbelly. Those are replicated. The ones with the purple-ish store-bought look are duplicated. So which one is right for you?

There was a time that people would judge your DVD on if it was burned at home or not. In today's world, because of the availability of self-production, that seems to have fallen by the wayside. 10 years ago I would NEVER have released a non-replicated DVD. Nowadays for shorter runs and private stuff sold on your website or at lectures you can get the aforementioned DVD sleeves made up elsewhere, burn your own discs and, if you have the right machine, print the tops of them at home too.

Having a slick looking package (giggity) will help you attract attention but ultimately it's the content inside that will determine it's success. With any luck I have helped you a slight bit with my advice. Anything I can do to make the magic marketplace suck a bit less.

It's what I do...