Download or DVD? You tell us...

[snake]

Bill,

just an idea... why not make all your VHS and DVD back catalog available via the download site....?

I realise it might take a while to convert from VHS but I'm guessing you would get alot more sales from downloads that VHS tapes and even DVDs (I don't even have a video player anymore...)

As I say, just an idea...happy to hear your (and others') thoughts...

wouldn't you just love to see these kind of titles (to name just a few) in the download store..! I know I'd be buying A LOT!!

[BillShipton]

It would be interesting to hear what others think about putting previously released stuff on the DL Store. I would rather convert them to DVD personally (though of the ones pictured Slime Suspect and Sticky Buns are both available on DVD) as the quality is better but I am very interested in your views...

[andy250]

I would say do it. You'll get the sales. Might be a bit time consuming doing the converts, though it will be worth it in the long term. I have tg stuff with Andrea from 18months ago which is popular. So think how fast these would move.

regards

Andy

[skipantmudfan]

I say do it. Downloading would be a lot more convenient, and international ordering is a real pain in the ass these days, with a long chain of self-important Border & Customs types snooping into every bloody package in the name of an imaginary terror threat. (Seriously. I've seen people get their bananas confiscated on domestic flights -wtf?)

Another thing to consider, especially with the older material, is how it will eventually look to the consumer over a longer period of time. Trends and looks change, and what looks sexy at one time may not hold it over - (80's hair, neon hoop earrings, landing strips vs. Brazilian vs. who-fired-the-gardener, etc.)

Another thought: What are your master copies like? I was just thinking the other day about Messyfun's stuff, and how their recent re-release screenshots of some of their early 90's stuff looked a little washed-out.

Yeah, on reflection, definitely get some stuff out. The economy's not in the toilet yet, and you know what they say about making hay while the sun shines...

[BillShipton]

Quality won't be as shit-hot as recent stuff as Juicy Pears, Gooey Girlies and Messy Missies were all shot on analogue which does wank out the colour a bit (technical term). We will do some tests and see.

But don't stop talking about it...I still want your views.

PS Whilst I like the quality of DVD, I do like not having to pay duplication and postage costs!!

PPS If we did do this, we could put up a new download store for 'old' material. This could also include scans of mags etc...including unavailable ones!!

[LeRex]

I would say do it.

Of course as with most things there will be plus and minus reasons for doing it, but I believe that in this case the plus will out weigh the minus.

As Snake said, he doesn't even have a video, so a conversion to either DVD or download would be needed for furture generations of sploshers, and to keep this amazing material alive.

I know that Messyfun had (propably still do) a download section that had clips from there videos. Aquadisiac, also have a wet clips and messy clips section on their website and have dowloadable clips for ,'A Nightmare on Gunge Street, True Slime, The Muckanic, and various others.

There is of course the time converting, but I'm sure it would be worth it and pay in the end.

With the PC/Mac becoming mainstream and now classed as a piece of furniture instead of business tool, the future looks to be downloads, just look at the poor audio record/CD.

Also, while I'm on a rant, I can remember I previous post I did about the Splosh magazine in PDF format.
http://www.splosh.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=91&highlight=

So that would a great idea also.

[DungeonMasterOne]

I'll back up what everyone else has said - go with downloads.

As far as possible, do the original conversion off the masters at the highest resolution you can, even if you then reduce it again for the sale versions, as that'll give you decent quality digital masters to be able to step up the resolution of the sale versions at some point in the future.

10 years ago we all had 15" CRTs at SVGA resolution, within a few years, HDTV resolution will be standard, and somehting like 10meg (that actually is 10meg) will be the standard for home broadband.

Splosh mag as PDFs makes sense too - you still get to produce a magazine, just sans all the printing and distribution costs.

[Phantom]

Download's defintiely the way to go.

Just a thought ... could more money be generated by breaking up those old videos/DVDs into their individual scenes?

Whilst i bought loads of the vidoes available from Splosh in VHS format originally, I was always disappointed that only about 15% of the material appealed to my fetish tastes .... I'd always forward thru the mud and wetlook scenes (which no doubt appealed to others much more than the messy food scenes I loved so much).

I'd be much more inclined to download 10 shorter-but-cheaper messy food fight clips than one more expensive compilation where only two or three scenes appeal.

I know the obvious drawback to this suggestion ... someone wold have to sit and break the films up into their separate scenes! I for one probably wouldn't buy juicy pears all over again (was it juicy pears?) just to get the food fight with Emma and Jo (it's splatterday) ... but I would LOVE to download that particular scene again in isolation.

Just imagine that ... if you could cherry pick your way through Splosh's back catalogue, buying all your favourite scenes!

Phantom

[BillShipton]

If we did it, we would definitely break the videos up into individual scenes. For a start, downloading an hour plus video would be irritating. I don't think it would make more money though cos, as Phantom says, people will only download the bits they like rather than a whole thing (so say each sketch was four quid, they wouldn't download five scenes from it), but then there is no duplication, postage etc costs. We could start with things that aren't on DVD and are unlikely to make it onto that format (Flanderella etc).

Talking of Juicy Pears, we actually have an extension to that food fight which nobody has seen! Emma & Jo carried on after the officially filming had stopped, and we have it as a nice little 'extra' either for DVD or download.

Of course, breaking up Juicy Pairs would mean you'd miss the 'hilarious antics' of Randy the Rodent!!

[leonmoomin]

As everyone has different tastes, you should find you sell more, as people would be put off buying a whole DVD if they only like one scene!

The main plus being that you catch a whole new younger audience as well!

DVDs are not dead, but, downloads are easier and more instant, no one seems to want to wait these days!

If you're worried about the quality of the media, just reflect that in the price!

[slapstickfan]

Personally I'm after the new stuff as I have most of the other vids anyway but I can see that some of the new fans may want to get them as downloads. Its just I got 3 of the new downloads already so there may be many people like me who will buy the new vids but have all the older stuff on vhs and this will affect sales figures just in case you are expecting the same sales to happen with the older stuff as it probably won't.

[BillShipton]

Certainly DVD sales have dropped off with the arrival of the new stuff, but they were dropping to some extent anyway. It's swings and roundabouts, what you lose on one, you gain on another so there is no sudden dramatic increase in sales (in case you thought I am about to become a Dragon in Dragon's Den or something).

We will certainly be concentrating on all new stuff to start with and should have a new download up this weekend.

Bill

[Phantom]

Those old films must have paid for themselves several times over by now. Any new sales of the scenes would be a nice bonus.

You mentioned 4 quid as a suggested price for download, Bill. Is that the going rate? Seems steep for one small scene. I thought they'd be more like one pound fifty.

[BillShipton]

The new material costs between about £2.50 and £4.50 depending on length (one is 21 mins long). This has been seen by most people as good value for brand new material.

For older stuff I have no idea what we would charge at this stage. It was only mooted as an idea three days ago! But I imagine it would be cheaper than new material.

[snake]

If we did it, we would definitely break the videos up into individual scenes. For a start, downloading an hour plus video would be irritating. I don't think it would make more money though cos, as Phantom says, people will only download the bits they like rather than a whole thing (so say each sketch was four quid, they wouldn't download five scenes from it), but then there is no duplication, postage etc costs. We could start with things that aren't on DVD and are unlikely to make it onto that format (Flanderella etc).

Talking of Juicy Pears, we actually have an extension to that food fight which nobody has seen! Emma & Jo carried on after the officially filming had stopped, and we have it as a nice little 'extra' either for DVD or download.

Of course, breaking up Juicy Pairs would mean you'd miss the 'hilarious antics' of Randy the Rodent!!

looks like ALL IN FAVOUR!!!

I'd certainly buy a load of these downloads... I have a few Splosh videos left on VHS but sadly a lot of the titles I had perished in my slighltly damp basement where I had them stored for a while....

I'd love to have a chance to rebuild my collection but wouldn't go back to VHS - tapes are too bulky and they persish in damp basements!

... ahem - did you say an unreleased Emma scene!!!! Yes, well, if you could make that the first scene to be converted to download that would be just lovely thanks Bill!!

looking forward to seeing the new old content!

ps Love the idea of scanned magazine images too - I have a few of them but would love to see more - especially some of the rarer stuff...