How (and How Not) To Build A Movie Collection
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
- In our latest collecting-focused episode, we're talking about how (and just as important, how NOT) to build a movie collection!
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One question I often ask myself when collecting movies on physical media is this: "Would I be OK if i could never watch this movie again?" If the answer is "No, that would make me very sad", then I usually look into buying a physical copy. If the answer is "Yeah, I think I might be OK with that and not miss it that much", then I usually won't bother buying a physical copy. This is just a general rule of thumb though, of course.
I am in a similar place, been collecting since the mid 90s. My personal collection is over 3000. I am in the spot of starting to get rid of some things as I have bought in masses on a few occasions, realizing many of them will never interest me. Quantity isn't the goal anymore, quality and passion 100%. Starting my own channel sometime soon. I appreciate your content
As I have migrated to Blu-ray over past few years, I find it hard to let go of the dvds that are being replaced. (Who needs 3 copies of wedding crashes lol) Artwork, features, etc. make it an actual hard decision at times, but at the end of day, can’t keep it all! Great video
I had the same problem, bought a bunch of multi-disc cases and made custom combos out of titles I had on DVD & Blu, and stored the now empty cases. It's a great way to keep both (or 3) copies.
Was JUST goin thru our collection the other day to see which ones haven’t been copied to our NAS….found 2 regular + 1 collectors edition of Wedding Crashers in our library!! Makes me wonder if that movie reproduces in everyones collection 🤣🤣
Some of the artwork is lost with newer versions. The Lord of Rings Extended Editions namely.
There was a period when everyone was dumping their Laserdisc collections and I picked up some lots for a dollar or less per title. In some cases, there was plenty of scifi, horror and action I would have probably sought out anyway. . . in other cases romantic comedies and b&w classics I would have likely passed on. Even though I seek out individual films now, I admit I like the 'grab-bag' approach as I might discover some gems that become part of 'me'. Otherwise, it feels like a rut?
I have a scaled pricing approach. There are the movies I can't wait to own that I pay the $20+ price for. Then movies I love but can wait for $10 or less. Then movies I like and want in my collection but can wait for $5 or less. Finally, at the $3 or less price I will buy ANYTHING that I MIGHT one day be interested in or anything my family might one day be interested in, anything that looks interesting or anything that is considered a "classic" that any library should have. That $3 or less range really fills up the collection (most at $1 each) but hey, I used to spend $2-3 on rentals and this is better because I have them forever.
I have 1 collecting rule: If i see a film and cannot see mysef watching it again, I dont buy it. I might keep a digital copy but I will not buy a physical media copy.
I should’ve imprinted that rule in my brain years ago. Going through the collection currently and wondering I bought some titles.
I 100% agree with you
I have the same rule, I only buy movies I would watch again multiple times.
You can watch it and sell it..
You never know. First time I watched "Groundhog Day" I hated it and never wanted to watch it again. One sudden day I decided to re-watch it and ever since it's been a classic for me.
Hi Heath. I really enjoyed your thoughts on this topic. So important that a collection of any kind represents what you love. With my collection, I feel like I’ve built a library that brings me joy every day. I visit my library and curate, upgrade, donate, watch, study. I love it! Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Hi Heath, I have a person collection of Movies and TV Shows. Right now I only have DVD's have not gone to Blu Ray yet. I went to eBay and got 2 new in box Sony DVP-NS57P players from the early 2000. So I am good for now. I have been ( WEEDING ) out my collection for years. Please do a video on all the website that we can buy Movies and TV Shows. Thanks to you I now order from Deep Discount. Got some great deals over Black Friday. Thank You again for all the CZcams videos.
I agree with you immensely Heath. Not only do I also find the notion of "Buy massive lots of movies and you'll get a nice looking collection for your self" to be absolutely absurd, but there's another topic I find possibly even more ridiculous than that.
That topic begin, out of print releases. There are so many collectors and film reviewers out there that make it a badge of honor to collect out of print movies. Not movies that, you necessarily want to see, no no, just films that cost a lot of money. That of course causes a snowball effect, it's expensive, so people buy it, people are buying, so there's less of it, and becomes more expensive. Wouldn't it be nice if people bought things they actually used instead of just using them for bragging rights?
Oh and, that's a great shirt by the way.
I wanted to watch Dawn of the Dead for a long time but it was always expensive to buy, so I just settled on watching it on CZcams. I’d like to own it one day because I enjoyed it but I’ll be patient and not spend a lot to get it
@@Tomhyde098 ah yes, Dawn of the dead. Currently buying a Region A blu-ray is so expensive that you could import a Region B blu-ray player, and a Region B blu-ray disc of the film, and there's a good chance that would still be cheaper than getting the Region A disc. It's honestly absurd. There is however one blu-ray copy up on Ebay for it $22.53 and $7.34 from and is region free. However, that one is most definitely a bootleg. I know that because it uses a variation of artwork on the German release of Day of the Dead, oops.
it's like we're frustrated by dreams that come and go and movies are the dreams we held on to.
I can relate, because I own a collection of 1500 CDs, and every single one of them was a carefully considered choice. I've never acquired a "batch" of CDs. I've gone into a shop and bought 5 or 6 CDs all in the same day, but that's after spending over an hour there, and it only ever happened a couple times. Every CD in my collection has a story, and I can tell you everything about buying it, and where I was the first time I listened to it. I love all of them, and wouldn't get rid of any of them. They represent "me," just like you said.
I go to goodwill for used Blu rays but I also buy movies that sometimes bring good memories. I bought a 4 movie collection of all the shrek movies and even though it may not be a masterpiece I watched them again because it reminds me of being a small child when they came out and laughing with my parents 😊
I have been collecting 3 decades as you. I but constantly sold throughout the years. Because of upgrading, movies that didn't make the shelf due to no rewatch ability or I didn't like. An still out of room for the last few years. I have tried to redesign and try to make it work. But still always trying to figure it out 30 years later. It's always a work in progress . Great video
👏🏻👏🏻 Yes, Always changing.
I will never sell my movies cause then it'll be hard to get them back
@@christianalexander579 Sell the ones you'll never watch again.
@@jeffreykaufmann2867 what about buying only movies you'll rewatch or that you like
@@artofvale_1122 That's what I do.
Like you said Heath, your collection should reflect you. With my collection, I can close my eyes and randomly go to any movie and it will be my favorite.
I consolidated my Lord of the Rings collection over the weekend. I buy TV seasons at goodwill whenever I can just for the cases. I have over a hundred of the clear cases that hold six discs. I used them to combine all the different versions and formats of LOTR into one case per movie. What took up two shelves now is only half of one.
That's a brilliant idea. I ought to do that, too!
When Dollar tree started selling movies, I was buying so much crap. It was only $1 so why not? I eventually sold off prob 90% of those. Much more selective buying movies from anywhere, especially $ 🌳
I usually stream movies to see if it's worth owning on BluRay.
I often think of my collections (books & films) the same way: you can't take them with you. Okay so then what happens when you do actually die? Who gets your collection? I swear to God, I think about this almost every single day. Do I leave my collections to a loved one in my will? Do I not put them in my will and let my family just clean everything out once I'm gone? First world problems, I know, but it's something that's got me thinking.
Bree and I talk about this a lot. She knows who to call if something happens to me, and they know what is worth selling and what is worth donating. To that point, I'm the emergency contact if that person dies unexpectedly, too. I guess the good news is that we have a plan, but it's still going to be a tremendous amount of work for someone, including ME when I reach an age where it's time to find a new home for it. I joke that it could be sold at auction as "The Cereal At Midnight Collection," but the reality is a lot of it will probably go to libraries or whatever has taken the place of libraries when I die in 2255. ;)
Vanessa, you're not alone. It’s a matter that has taken up a lot of head space over the years because if anyone comes into my place after I've left this planet and just starts throwing my collection out, I will haunt them indefinitely. Thus far, the best I have come up with is leaving the collection to my nephews and niece with the proviso they are allowed to take any titles they want for their own collection and they can sell off the remainder and keep what they make. Whether they'll make much is in question as is whether I want to donate some select titles to some type of library for others to enjoy. There are no easy answers that I can see...
When I pass on my corpse will be placed on top of everything I own. Then it shall be set alight so I do take it with me.
Love this comment. Like the Egyptians. Your taking your films with you to the after life 😱😱🥳🤩🍿☝🏻👍🏼
Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year Heath and Bree! Thanks for the content
Heath, once gain nailed it with this video. I like that you are self aware of the fact that us human beings have an OCD wiring to collect and I love that you have the wisdom to realize we can't take it with us and not to blindly add clutter to our lives the way many other movie collecting channels advocate.
I've been collecting for 20 years or so. Enjoyed the video and discussion. I would say the biggest thing is to not let your collection become overwhelming and be able to let things go. I've decided to upgrade as much as I can to Blu-Ray and it's been a real pain trying to get rid of Blu-Rays. It's easier to sell the things that are worth something but the ones that are common have been really hard to get rid of. I've been trying to be much more selective with what a purchase, but it's a process. Hoping I continue to make the collection more manageable.
I have over 4k titles between dvd and blue ray. Winning many ebay auctions for $2. The collector Z software and a j&j machine have both been helpful. Classic animation is my passion. Love the channel, I need to binge watch and catch up.
I bought a big lot of DVDs on eBay once. Not because I wanted to build a collection but because I thought it'd be fun to go through. Um, yeah... that was a mistake. I already have a collection of movies so it just meant more clutter.
So good. Great video!
Great video. Appreciate your perspective.
Great video. Curating and pruning is a big key if you have a massive collection. You have to be careful what sits on the shelf verses what represents you and your interests .I been collecting since the 80s. And you're right. Prune when you realize it's a compulsive disorder and retain what you love and want to share with other people. I have done the blind buying for the past couple of years because it's like going to library. You discover books that catch your interests and you end up purchasing books to own. Same with films, there are films that have never taken flight here in the United states or were shelved by the director. Thanks to the internet age, we are discovering international and shelved films that end up becoming a hidden gem for us collectors.
Totally agree mate .I saw that how to build a movie collection video and thought that’s nuts.I’m in the same boat been collecting for about three decades now.Space is getting a problem ,I’m due for a clean out out get rid of the stuff I don’t need.As for blind buying,I love it do it all the time.I love discovering new movies.
Great message.
I think if you are just starting out, there is nothing wrong with bulk buying to get into the collecting hobby. However, once you reach a certain point you should focus on collecting the types of movies that make you happy and fit your budget. For me, that means collecting mostly boutique horror movies.
Thanks for your guidance, telling us how.
Suddenly inspired to clean out my collection! TBH though I already clean it out pretty regularly. I use the Marie Kondo approach and think about whether it brings me joy or not. But I do pick up movies that I'm not that crazy about, that family & friends like to see so that there's something available when they want to borrow.
Great points!
A completely agree with you. 📚a collection is who you are. My neighbor collects films too - small world. 🍿🍫🥤I take my time deciding what i want to add😏🤔. I actually ran out 😵💫😱of space 🏁…so that’s expected too🤷🏻♂️. I have such a huge wish list. Waiting on sales and like you said too. More is coming 🤣I saw something at Home Depot - I’m waiting on building my own wall shelf. Timing is everything/so are discounts Kinda like floating shelf 🧰🪜🪛🔨🔩⏰🤑😵💫😱 had to add something-i would like to see your collection too 🥳🤩🤣 that would be fun.
Another great video. I am someone who buys and buys because the shelves are bare. I think I do that because I like and re-watch fewer new movies as I get older. If my collection items met that criteria, I'd have fewer than thirty discs.
Great discussion, man. Like a lot of people I went big in the beginning and lost site of my collection's purpose. Now I'm separating my collection into "Library" and "For Sale" but offloading so many movies feels like it's going to be huge hassle. I want them to be a part of another collection and not in the landfill. I also wish there were better collection management apps out there and a better marketplace too.
I lost my old dvd collection which wasn’t huge but now I only collect 4k. Getting up to about the 300 mark. Definitely picking up the staples like I never used to before. But I’ve got more variety in genre and decade. It feels more like a collection than when I just bought movies to have stuff to watch. I will still do a little of that but I think videos like this are cool
Excellent advice!
Little late to the comment section but looking forward to the eBay store! My wife and I are very much in a similar situation. We recently got rid of all but about our favorite ~200 movies in an attempt to ‘start over’ scary at first but a nice breath of fresh air to make room for new stuff to discover.
Over the years, my family and I have accumulated a decent-sized DVD/Blu-ray collection. We're moving to an apartment, and I used this to get rid of some discs I didn't feel the need to keep on my shelf. For some of them, like a few DreamWorks titles Universal released on Blu following the latter's acquisition of the former, I felt the digital version was enough. Others were films I've been meaning to rewatch and, upon doing so, didn't have trouble parting with.
I noticed I had a tendency to buy films I didn't need. A couple recent Paramount catalog Blu-ray Discs, I purchased to support their then-newly renewed interest in library titles, but in hindsight, they weren't essential.
You know Heath that KonMarie method is imagine how you want the space look like think what will you use it than look at the things you have and keep only the ones you enjoy and put them in the place that will help you to make space work in a way you wanted. She says that getting rid of things is not the end goal only the begging to help you achive the thing you wanted in the first place. She isn't against massive collections if it's what you realy want. Anyway there are many ways to build a collection some work for some people some don't but you'll have the most fun if you just enjoy the process of building it and not obssesing over the end goal
I agree with your “bulk buy” frustration.
I generally buy the movies I like, but I do blind buy often as well. I’ve found some gems but then also have some duds haha.
But the mass bulk buy, eh, idk about that.
I’ve also done my best to declutter and just hang onto the things or hobbies I love. I use to float around to a lot of random hobbies, but here in the past few years I really just try to stick to a very small amount of hobbies, partially to preserve money and put it into the things that have always been my passion for hobbies and over all these years, movies have always been something I have loved since I was a child 😊
Sending Christmas greetings from London England 🇬🇧 👍🏼 keep doing what you're doing in 22 🎅⭐ 😷
Merry Christmas, Andrew!
I saw where streaming cost and censorship was going years ago and started to by big lots and ripping, and then putting lower stuff into binders.
The best tip I ever received was to buy a Synology NAS
I used to work at a Local Comic Shop... and the most asked ? was What should I collect that'll make me the most money... I used to say, "Buy what you like, cause these things ain't making you a millionaire any time soon!"... they'd say... No really what should I buy?
I started collecting properly just recently and I fully agree with you about collecting films randomly. I will never have films that don't reflect my interests even if I see them for 1.00. I want at least 98% of my collection to have films I'd happily watch, and my favourite genres, horror, Sci fi, crime. I wouldn't really count some bad ones like for example, from dusk till dawn 2+3 or lost boys 2+3 since that's unavoidable if you like collecting boxsets/anthologies.
I have a watched & decided to keep library 👌✨
A watch stack
A watch shelf
& Leftover under the bed storage
It's all about curation 🤙⚡
I actually made a List with S-Class and below movies, that only take personal joy on a rewatch into account.
Only Movies in the S-Class are acquired in 4K, also taking into account which ones are available for streaming in 4k.
And the S-Class isn't a big list either.
But Money wise, this is the way to go for me.
Thanks for the thoughtful conversation, Heath. I miss collecting-it was so doable back in the day when I was in Ohio than where I am and at now.
I'm preparing to do a massive sell off myself. You come to a point where you realize you can't keep everything. I'm at the age now or something could happen and I don't want to burden my family with with having a video with my nonsense after I'm gone
I'm in the same position. I'm 65 and my kids have no love for my videos. They as much said they would throw them out when I pass. I told them to sell them, lots of people buy these videos, but, no cigar, they're not going for it. They told me to sell them, but I can't. I love them too much.
I buy movies on the basis of what i like and how many times i will watch the movie. You tube have a few great movie channels with a lot of old obscure movies and great Italian movies from 50s and 60 many never get to see the light of day on tv
Nice going CZcams, 10 months later and I finally get this video suggested. Wasn't even in my sub feed.
Cool top Heath!
As someone who immediately recognized what video you were referring to, I wholeheartedly agree with you.
Quality not quantity.👍♥️📀
100% agree! I have been a filmmaker for 15+ years and even my own movies that were pressed on DVD and Blu Ray were kind like "stuff" once the distributors gave me like 50 copies of each - what do you do with 50 copies of 1 movie even if it is your movie? lol... I am the same with collecting...I collect things I love and things I wanted to see when I was a kid or things that I am into - or if it has beautiful art because I love pop art...I am into big fancy box sets and releases that are limited editions etc...I will blind buy but only if it is something I want to see or a subject I am into etc...I dont buy things to just sit on my shelves and never watch them.....
Space the Ultimate colletioon dilemma your channel has grown so much in last year or two well done
From VHS to DVD to Blu-ray, my priority has always been to buy what interests me. And my modest collection ranges from T.V. shows (new and old) and big Hollywood blockbuster movies to foreign language films... all the way down to obscure, independent films (some good and some not so good). And they all are a reflection of me. Rom-Coms really aren't my thing... so I don't have many of them and the ones I do have tend to emphasize the "com" side.
And my collection has been accumulated slowly over a long period of time. For me, that's how I prefer to do it.
And I often blind-buy... but ONLY titles that I've always wanted to see (but never got to) or titles that I've heard good things about and am curious about. Anything that doesn't fit into one of those categories I leave on the shelf... because I really don't need titles in my collection that I will likely never watch. At that point, they're just taking up space.
And my collection wouldn't mean nearly as much to me if I was buying just to accumulate titles... whether they interest me or not.
But that's just me. :)
I had to revisit this topic at Moon Base Midnight. I did some more thinning on my collection this weekend. Kept my 4Ks and all my boutique labels. Mostly got rid of the commons. Mostly because I don’t watch them as much as I like to. Your point exactly, all this stuff will just be stuff because we will all go to a hole in the ground in the end.
I love to hear this, Devon! Curation is SO IMPORTANT and I'm glad to see you taking those steps to a happier, more manageable collection. It's not only healthy, I believe it's necessary. Right on!
With new movies coming out on streaming & theater every week it's nearly hard to rewatch movies & also collecting physical media is endless! Good Luck, Buddy 🍻
Over the last two years, I've really started cracking down on saving shelf space by finding as many franchise "combo packs" as I can. For example, I found all 4 American Pies in one blu-ray case as opposed to having 4 individual cases on the shelf. Even if it means re-buying movies, I can always trade in the previous versions for a little bit of cash
Physical Media4Life 😉✌ I am a Collector for years but now my Collection become small and that's fine for me i Don't need a big movie Collection anymore nowadays i buy only movies i really love and care no more blind buys. Most New movies i watch on Streaming
Been collecting since VHS, ooohh heydays of Blockbuster lol. When DVD cam I moved to that format and copied my VHS collection onto DVD, the ones that weren't on DVD at the time. Now my main deal is replacing all my DVDs with Blu-Rays and some of the ones I burned with at least with an official DVD if they come out with them. As far as 4K I am not worried about replacing my all my Blu-Rays with 4K. Right now, starting with last year, any of the latest releases I have been building a little 4K collection. As for the Blu-Rays I am keeping it to a few must haves as far as upgrading to 4K to help keep my collection decently down as it grows. Another thing that helps is I don't keep more than one copy and replace it not keeping the older media. Only one I have kept two copies of is Star Wars since I burned my THX boxed set to DVD since they are only release the Special Editions every re-release. I still hold out hope Lucas Film will release the theatrical cuts someday on DVD at least.
One more item that helps my collection from running out of room is making my own boxed sets. For example, one set I have updated from DVD through 4K is my Batman Anthology set. I kept the OG box and put the Blu-Rays in it and now I just got the 4ks replacing those Blu-Rays for my set. I can vouch for the bit of addiction for sure collecting anything for that matter. I don't have to have them all and usually just get what I like which helps as well. Like my Star Wars collection I have 8 of the movies since I didn't mind The Force Awakens and Rogue One and passed on The Last Jedi, Solo, and The Rise of Skywalker. Same can be said for my Terminator collection having the anthology set and passing on Gynesis and Dark Fate. The best thing right now is I finally found some decent sized shelving and have enough room for more of my collection to expand.
Couldn't agree more. I'm in this same headspace now but I have to admit it's taken me my whole life to finally get there.... But also that time has also seen what was a small collection grow organically into something massive so I guess that and the finite space issue have collided .... And unfortunately... As you have discovered. ..something has to give. Has taken me some .... Reflection and work....to get to the point where I am ok with letting some things go. But... I'm feeling better for it and can't wait until I've revamped and reorganised my office, shelving etc and offloaded the stuff I no longer feel any connection to. The OCD demon is definitely still there and will continue to be a challenge.... But I'm going to do my best to continue to fight it.
Having started to get rid of some things that I thought I never would part with, I can say that it's been really liberating. Seeing it arrive in the hands of others who will watch, read, and appreciate things that were just collecting dust for me has been great, and it's helping support the channel too. Shifting those gears in my brain have helped me break out of the hoarder area that I was headed into and back into an active collection that I can be proud of. Good luck!
@@CerealAtMidnight thanks Heath ... I'm definitely looking forward to sorting it all out and breaking that hioarder / OCD mindset I was also stuvk in. It already feels better just knowing that I've started and it's in progress and I'm really motivated to push on through now after knowing deep down for some years that I'd reached critical mass but simply avoiding facing it. Here's to a curated collection of meaningful and enjoyable things one is passionate about rather than just "stuff" sitting there for the sake of it!
I have like a handful of DVDs/Blu Rays and I'm really trying to be very picky with what I buy. Paying for clutter is the last thing I want. Recently, I remebered that as a kid I watched The Old Man and the Sea with Spencer Tracy and I got such hit of nostalgia for it. So that's what I'm om the hunt for right now.
I'm picky on my movies. If I bought it, it would be an important film to me.
I had more movies, but I have sold them to book off.
I mostly pick up just the titles I really love. Particularly if it's a niche release and I don't think it's going to come around again
That guy buying discs in bulk reminds me of Half Price Books selling books-by-the-yard, so one can fill up shelves and give the appearance of being well-read.
I only keep the sleeves and I frame in one large frame.
I tried my movie collection a few years back. Just never hot going, so now I have hundreds of movies digitally!!
I mainly try to find whole season's and boxsets at the thrift .
Die Hard 2 TV cut Mr. Falcon also hilarious
I just raid various hock shops(pawn shops) & grab movies based on actors & genres I like & I'll read descriptions on the back of the box. Mostly I upgrade my DVDs to blu-rays & pass them onto other family members. I think I'm close to 2000 blu-rays along.
I love it when i take chance on a movie that i never have seen or heard of before and by the end of the movie thought wow that was great such as African Queen and Father goose among many
Gotta prune the collection. Been trying to do that with mine. Would rather have something I value more in those slots on the shelf.
80% of mine curated. The other 20% is stuff people that come and visit enjoy. I am sitting comfortably @ 1600, even after a house fire where I lost some rare OOP and over 1000 movies and tv shows.
I have bought lots kept what I wanted and sold others at flea markets etc. But I do flea markets to try and buy sports card collections (this is my full time job buying and selling Sportscards )since I’m going to be there anyway might as well have stuff to sell but. I haven’t done that in a while. But I don’t keep something just to have full shelves. They are full enough on what I want to keep in my collection. Between 3-4 thousand titles. But I agree don’t buy just to have full shelves.
True I have been spending too much on new 4ks that are just OK movies.The hard to find the movies I've really wanted to get for a long time I can only seem to find on Amazon so recently I broke down and ordered a whole bunch of bluray s that I've wanted for a long time but have hesitant to use Amazon because of how bad they screw their workers.
I collect what I want to see. I have many movies that I have only watched a few times, but I am still glad I have them. If I can rent something on Amazon for a few dollars or buy it for a few dollars more than renting it, I will just go ahead and buy it as I never rent any streaming movies or shows.
I don't know if this would be fore everyone but for tv shows that have over 10 dvd discs in the complete series, like MASH, Cheers, Married with Children ( among others ) I would gladly buy the Blu Ray version even if it is NOT updated to HD just to save some space on all those DVD box sets.
Quite often I buy things for my collection though I end up picking up stuff on the side to help fund my ocd… 🎉😅
Yippee ki yay Mr. Falcon
I agree with you heath, Don't just buy for sake of having a collection
My target is down to a single 4 side display
It is true,I would rather someone talk about their Spielberg collection than interview him.Its crazy but there you are! Great video as always.
I'm up to 3000+ collection over 20 years I'm now having to hold back now for a shelving redesign .
Have a massive Nintendo Switch collection (and GameCube, Wii, Wii U, DS, 3DS), but was never into movies. After seeing the Mario Movie though I thought I'd buy some key essentials like Jurrassic Park, Matrix, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, etc. Ended up going on a $5,000 binge these past 3 weeks, got a Panasonic UB-820, and about 300 4k blu-rays and 100 blu-rays that didn't have a 4k release. A double wide and single wide shelf already nearly full. But I got everything I wanted. From here on out, I'll buy sparingly, only new stuff I really want, and only after a price drop of 50%
As a hardcore DVD collector, I have from near the beginning of my nearly twenty years of DVD collecting established an intelligent system of keeping my collection in as compact a space as possible.
My system is as follows:
1): Ditch the plastic cases (but not the covers), store the discs in those big DVD folders (the ones that can hold at least 200 discs) and store those folders vertically just to keep the discs in as safe a condition as possible. This will keep storage space within acceptable tolerances.
2): For the covers, keep your best and favourite covers in those display folders. As for the rest, if you want to keep them but don't have space, simply make "collector card" versions by photocopying the covers but shrinking them down to 50% (so they'll be about 9cm tall). Split the shrunk version into three panels, ditch the spine panel and paste both sides on an identical-sized piece of cardboard so you'll wind up with a cool little version of the DVD cover you can keep in a compact place.
3): Invest in a DVD recorder and use that to "compress" your collection by making your own double feature DVDs. I do this to the films I don't want to keep the original discs of but want to keep the films themselves. Figure out a way to bypass the copy protection system of the mainstream DVDs (it's not hard) and burn a disc with two films on it. I reserve this for the crappiest films in my collection so I have about a thousand films in only five hundred slots in my collection.
I currently have 2000 DVDs and my entire collection will fit snugly in the boot of a car (or a decent sized suitcase) so I don't need to worry about running out of space.
I collect movies for 30+ years now.
The last few years my collection has grown considerably because of second hand buying, yard sales, etc (mostly DvD's).
You can't find a lot of movies on blu-ray yet at second hand stores in The Netherlands.
So...you could say my blu-ray movie collection reflects my movie preferences the most.
I mean...you could think: "Why do you have that movie on blu-ray and that other one not?!"
Anyways...an instant movie collection is possible these days, but indeed it's not very personal :)
And yeah...I'll die too, but I love the movie stuff I've collected through the years!
Over the past couple of years, I have purged my collection of a few dozen movies, and moved some of my other movies out of their cases and into wallets and sleeves. I kept the slip covers to those movies however. Now my shelves are much more manageable. I got into the habit of doing blind buys because they were cheap and less than the price of a rental in many cases but ended up with a fair bit of crap that was not a reflection of my interests and just amounted to a bunch of clutter. Even now, I see CZcamsrs who regularly go shopping for new release movies all the time and come home with a few (or many) blind buys, and I can just tell that they don't watch 75% of them in a timely manner. That's a lot of money to drop for potentially nothing.
I don't know, the only two things i care about are:
-Can i afford It?
-Will i ever feel like watching this again?
What's your opinion of buying the whole movie collection in one package, or do you like the option to have them separately? I'm running out of room with my collection. Should I minimize to maximize?
I'm an advocate for doing whatever works for us, so if you're running out of room (like me!) then I totally see the appeal of multiple movies in one package.
I have a huge collection but the collection is me. It’s my pass time and passion. Just watching the new bond movie.
I've been at it scince 97
I rarely buy New releases. I've got roughly 100 4k's at this point and I think I've bought 4 total on release week. Alita Battle Angle, Joker, Dune, and Ghostbusters afterlife and that's it. The rest of my collection I've bought either off Gruv during their 3 for $30 sale or from one of my local pawn shops. I'm lucky enough to live near a couple pawn shops that always seem to have a good selection of 4k's and Blu-rays. they sell 4k's for $8 or less and Blu-rays for $4 or less depending on how new the title is and how many I buy at a time as they are willing to give discounts when you buy multiple movies at once.
I've gotten to the point where I am replacing single movies and getting DVD, Blu-rays and box sets that have multiple movies in one case/box set. Replacing DVDs with blu-rays because the cases are slightly thinner. I say that I'm going to get more choosy but then I find a nostalgic movie and end up buying it.
I always tell myself that hoarding is not collecting. If you want to build a serious collection then you have to shed stuff now and then in order to maintain a level of quality of your collection. There is a limit to the amount of space that you can reserve for a collection anyway: I myself don't live in a huge home. Being selective and being critical of what you collect is key to our hobby.
I had a small collection of Blu rays for a few years but now I'm starting to buy 4K disks and it's growing quickly. I only buy movies I like, I don't see a point in buying a disk that I'll only watch once.
I've been curating and downsizing my movie collection since 2011 lol 😅 of course I still buy movies here and there, but I had way too much for a single man, but still less than Cereal At Midnight.
The passion did not fade away, but, surprisingly the interest, a bit. Feels like the best movies are behind me. Maybe there's just so many movies/stories that a man can absorb and enjoy before becoming jaded and bored. There's less and less movies that I enjoy throught out and touch me the way some older movies do with the desire to rewatch them. Most movies I buy are older movies.
For the newer movies I don't really break my head anymore or digging much as I used to do, I watch most of them on Netflix and they become mostly and very consumable and it's like I'm caring less, but when I enjoy a movie, I enjoy a movie, I did watch UPGRADE on Netflix and bought the Bluray anyway and it's one of my rare 2018+ movies.
Right now I'm still in the process of a little purge of my collection doing some rewatch and I'm working a wishlist. I try to have no mercy, but can be heartbreak to cut off with some movies !! There's just so many movies we can rewatch plus the new ones that are coming way too fast, too often and too many of them. We will all miss great movies that could became a favorite, but there's so many things to do and appreciate in life others than movies. And I say it as a movie buff that used to track and watch director, producer, writer's filmographies.
Thank you
You're definitely not alone. For may of us, our passions and joys lie in the discovery and appreciation of movie history instead of movie present. I think it inevitably happens to all of us as we get older and are no longer the target audience of the filmmakers, but I also think that the current streaming marketplace has made everything much more disposable and lackluster than the movies of the past. It's the very reason I spend so much of my time and energy celebrating the 30s through the 70s. I'm just not very interested in anything made after 1993 (with some exceptions).
I only get stuff that I know I’m going to watch forever, but I need help. I love too many films and I can’t stop buying 😂
I also discover good stuff that I don’t know yet through some occasional pirated downloads. 😇
I completely agree. I've been a DVD and Blu Ray collector for about 9 years (when I became a film fan, plus I've had DVD and even VHS collections in the past), I'd probably get sniggered at by most serious collectors since I don't really double dip (half of my collection is DVD), I don't go for the big sets, I'm a fan of old school films so a lot of it is catalogue titles. My collection sits at under 350 (half DVD and half Blu Ray and for films in said collection you’re looking at well over 500).
I don't buy films for the sake of it, I can be very selective, its films I've got an interest in viewing or ones I've seen before and enjoyed (hell I will hunt on Ebay and MusicMagpie if there's a movie I want that's OOP). Not to sound like I'm promoting my channel, my collection is very much a reflection of me and my taste (I have very few crap films in it) and I actually watch pretty much everything in it.
I think many people will agree with me, value lies with the beholder. Physical media is one of my biggest joys in life and I honestly can't imagine my life without it. I just love having a collection that reflects my taste and it would be a sad day if physical media were to disappear (which is a subject that has really made me feel down the past few days), also I do sometimes worry about the future and if I will ever run out of movies to collect.
It is an encouraging conversation, and certainly good advice for many collectors, but there is no one “right” way to collect. There are some who want to archive physical media for preservation purposes and I think it’s also perfectly okay to buy and collect any and everything you want provided you’re not creating fire hazards or financial problems. Bottom line, if it make YOU happy it’s generally not a bad thing.
I started collecting VHS in the early 1990s when I worked in a video store and could purchase titles at cost. As DVD came onto the market, I slowly started reducing my VHS collection by buying the DVD of the title. As BluRays were introduced, I also started reducing some of the DVDs by purchasing that title on BluRay. But as my collection started to creep past 2000 titles, I stopped buying a title I had on DVD unless the BluRay version had more special features. As I have replaced titles, I have given them away as I only need one title (unless each version has different special features and I have only come across a couple of those). But, sadly, I still have a number of VHS because there hasn't been a DVD or BluRay title. Kino Lorber has released a couple in the past year that have finally allowed me to get rid of a VHS title, but we still have a number to go.
Unfortunately, getting rid of the VHS copies is proving challenging because nobody really buys this platform any longer. So they pile up in the storage closet because I refuse to just throw a title in the trash...
Thanks for adding to the conversation! Serious question: After 30 years or more, aren't a lot of VHS tapes starting to degrade? Video tape is not an archival medium, and they lose their magnetic signal over time. I still have some cassette tapes that I play from time to time, but the fragility of them makes it really challenging. They're prone to mold, too.
Nice video! Who says "hey I'm a moron show me how to buy movies on ebay" It seems like it should be obvious the one key thing needed to build a movie collection lots and lots of money. If you don't care what the movies are and you want to have them just as art? Then ya you can go to yard sales, pawn shops ebay etc. and just buy lots and lots of dvds for dirt cheap. Heck even lots of blurays are dirt cheap now. If you want to have newer or more limited edition sets then it just takes the mindset that it is only money. I loved Hastings when it was still around and they would always do the Buy 1 Get Free and they included the clearance rentals you would get to fairly new releases for like $7 or something it was crazy. I would always browse the recent stuff and the horror section. You could spend forever though browsing display after display of either just used copies or clearance rentals. I built a lot of my collection that way. Honestly there are probably lots of those dvds though I have never watched even 10 years later. After they closed and Hollywood Video closed they were never as good of deals as Hastings or had as big of a selection I would check local pawn shops but then they seemed to either just all of the same old dvds or would charge near retail for used copies. Now I feel like I never buy used copies anymore. I can't think of any good locations near me anymore that sell a lot of used media. Also I don't even really look through used dvds anymore so a place needs a lot of used Blu-Rays and they need to be like around $3-5 other wise you might as well buy new.