Weddings make up the vast majority of the work I do, especially over the summer months. I feel the product I offer is of quality, and well worth the rates I charge. There are many components of the wedding video process, from consultation, the day of the event, and post production.
Post is by far the most time consuming aspect of production. Log and capture footage, editing, encoding, DVD authoring, and almost finally, DVD art, and DVD sleeve design.
Which brings me, in my meandering roundabout fashion, to the subject of “recycling” DVD cases.
Many months ago a friend who worked for a giant video rental house asked me if I had any use for several hundred DVD jewel cases. I thought “Sure, why not?” A few days later he brings me several 30 gallon plastic garbage bags full of cases. I thought it was pretty awesome, they were just going to throw these things away! Here I am, a young entrepreneur who could use lots of exactly what they were sending to the landfill.
Unfortunately I realized when I got the cases home, they were smeared with logo branding imprinted in every single one…
Okay, so they wouldn’t work for a finished product. Over the next months I would use them for personal projects, backing up DVD’s for myself, and the occasional family member or friend. Paying clients did not get these cases. I felt the logo inside was tacky, and did not want myself or my clients to associate that word, and the feelings it evokes, with anything related to my business or product.
Now I am out of non-imprinted DVD cases. What to do? A box of cases is inexpensive, cost isn’t the issue here. The issue is that I still have stacks of unused blockbuster DVD cases in a box collecting dust. Should I just throw them away? This seems irresponsible to me, as plastic isn’t becoming any more plentiful, nor are the areas of land designated for the storage of unwanted plastic.
Possible solutions:
1. Print an insert with chapter and feature listings, like in a movie DVD. This will cover the offending brand logo.
Allison had a suggestion which I thought was brilliant, and will likely end up implementing regardless of the current issue…
2. Allison’s idea; include an invitation to the wedding as the insert inside the DVD case! This will cover the logo, as well as adding to the overall awesomeness of the package.
3. Don’t use the cases.
It gets me thinking. Does it really matter that there is a brand logo inside the DVD case? Are people really going think of my product as sub-par because I would be using “recycled” DVD cases? Is it even an issue? Will people even notice the logo, when presented with a DVD of their own wedding day?
It’s not like the cases are in terrible shape. None of them are torn, ripped, scarred or damaged in any way. They’re just not new, and they have a corporate logo stamped inside.
So here is the call to action; let me hear your voice. Whether you are a friend, fellow videographer, an independent business owner like myself, even a potential or past client! Share your views on this subject. I’m really interested to hear how others feel about this.
As for whether I will use these cases or not… for now I think they will continue to gather dust. I’ll head to the store tomorrow to pick up some fresh cases for the DVD’s that are currently burning in my drive.
