Cost of making a DVD...

[DrJ]

...sorry I don't know how to delete this post and think I found some info from one of the other instructional video threads.

[atiff]

actually i am wondering also how to figure out the cost of make professional looking dvds, any help guys ?

[wildsoul]

We've tried 2 things:

1. Form a strategic alliance with a videographer, where we paid for the upfront costs of the video cartridges (a few hundred dollars each.) He was to film and edit. After we sold them, he would receive 1/3 of our net income from the sales. Great deal for him because our DVD's are at least $250/ea, and we have an existing customer base. Sadly, he was horrible at both directing and editing. We ended up just trying to buy our raw footage back. Got most of them, but STILL missing one of our tapes, so we can't finish production. He's acting a little passive agressively now. *sigh*

==> In theory, this was a good idea, but we didn't get a good person to partner with.

2. After getting delays & runaround from the first guy, one of my biz partners learned iMovie on his Mac. He did a much better job than the professional!

3. Instead of sending our DVD's out for duplication, my partners bought a duplication machine. (We are going to be doing a lot more DVD's)

That's my story!

[bubbaboom]

wildsoul, now that is the first and most practical answer in the spirit of 4HWW I've heard on this subject. Thank you!! This is the kind of thing I wish could be added to Tim's book.

[cartoonfan1983]

I have used iMovie on my mac to make movies before and it is amazing how quickly you can make something that really looks good and has quality to it! I highly reccommend it as an easy to use approach to making DVD's that don't look like an amateur made them!

wildsoul, how much did this duplication machine put you back? I have heard they are very expensive.

[wildsoul]

Dunno what my colleagues paid for the machine. I seem to recall them saying close to $2k.

One of the things that's great about my strategic alliance partners is that they handled all the production costs. After crunching the numbers, including a proration for part of the equiptment, we split the net profits equally. So they get a bigger pay-out on sales, yet I don't have to lift a finger in the production process. I just receive my royalty check for every DVD they sell, as well as I can buy them at wholesale and retail them, too. It sure is nice having great partners!

[HollyGoLightly]

Check out http://www.primera.com

They have what you are looking for and they're reasonably priced.

[cartoonfan1983]

Check out http://www.primera.com

They have what you are looking for and they're reasonably priced.

thanks for the link. That looks cool!