Advice from readers on sending out DVD’s
Hey Dave – Does anyone really send out DVD’s anymore? Do bookers even look at them? I think YouTube is the way to go. - C.L.
Does this question seem familiar? If you’ve been following FAQs And Answers, you might remember it from February 25th. It’s still posted if you want to scroll down and read.
Old School
This one came back to me last week when I was (pretend) shopping for a new computer. You know, I wasn’t gonna actually buy, but I wanted to see firsthand the new features I’m missing out on.
The electronics-wizard I was soaking for information was in the middle of his sales pitch for a popular brand miniature laptop when I asked a question that stopped him cold.
“Where do you load in the DVD?”
To describe his response – imagine you just walked onstage. You delivered your opening line (speakers or comedians – doesn’t matter) and the audience responds with a silent stare. THAT’s what this guy did to me! On stage you start to sweat. One-on-one in a computer store I just hoped this guy DIDN’T laugh.
Mr. Wizard showed me a flash drive and said it takes the place of a DVD. If that gets too full or you start collecting too many, all your videos can be stored in a cloud.
Old School Deux
The obvious joke right now is to say my head was in a cloud after this piece of information. According to him, DVD’s are old school – similar to how the door guys at The Improv describe my musical tastes.
No doubt there are talent bookers and event planners who are techno-savvy, but I also happen to know a few who make me seem like a computer genius. One even looks at his DVD player as an evil device that made his trusted VCR obsolete (old school). I’m serious – no joke.
So that brings me back to our original question. Does anyone send out DVD’s anymore? I stated my point of view last February, but as always readers had their opinions.
Thanks to everyone who responded. Here’s what they had to share…
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Can’t remember the last time I sent out a DVD or the last time one was requested. Not sure how I’m gonna unload all the promo DVD’s I ordered three years ago. – G.S.
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There are probably enough VHS tapes and DVD’s of comics floating around we could build a new rocky mountain range and the sad things is no one has seen probably 1% of them. For proof I look at some of the people who have opened for me over the years. I guarantee no one watched their tapes even if they did charge them $25 to do so. – C.W.
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“I agree with the green reasons for using YouTube, but here’s the response I left on Dave’s LinkedIn page:
I was recently asked to send a DVD… and had to find my old stash of them. There is an advantage of a DVD: it allows you to send longer sets to bookers instead of having so much of your material exposed online.
Also, certain TV recordings (such as performances on Comedy Central) aren’t allowed online. But you can have “private” copies of them on DVD for personal distribution. I have an old Comedy Central set that only exists onine in a massively edited version on their site. When I want a booker or potential client to see the longer, unedited version, the ONLY way is on a DVD. – R.M.
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As a booker. I prefer a link to something more current then what is probably on a DVD, but I have lots of clients who still want the info on a DVD so they can pass it around as some corporate networks don’t allow them to view some video links. Just my 2 cents. – J.M.
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I use to send out DVD’s and still do on occasion (i.e. complete media kit). Yet, for the most part, I have found that online content is the best. I host a few clips on my site and then I have a YouTube Channel for the rest. Although I would like to add that some people are old fashion and still like to see your complete set or sets in order to determine if you are a good fit for what they are doing.
Side Note: One reason I quit sending out DVD’s to comedy clubs is…. I have been in a number of comedy clubs and have seen stacks of promo kits just setting in unopened envelopes that had never been viewed. One booker told me that she does not watch them simply because she believes that most of them are crap. Good Luck!!! – V.E.D.
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One of the bookers at the World Series of Comedy told the group of comics gathered for the seminar that you shouldn’t bother sending him a DVD. He said that he packed them up in a box and sent them to the troops. He hoped that what you were sending him was funny and that he wasn’t sending more pain to those who serve us. – J.D.
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Watching a DVD or listening to a CD is too time-consuming for these club owners who operate their clubs at night usually three – four times a week. Give me a break please, there’s plenty of time to see at least ten acts during that period. But I have to defend them in a way…
My old manager once had a whole room filled with unopened DVDs.
I asked if I could open them to find out (just according to him) if these acts were as bad as he said. There were Magicians, Singers, Jugglers Comedians, Musicians etc… I started out with enthusiasm but after watching twenty two tapes I soon found myself throwing DVD’s in the garbage pile after watching for two minutes. Then I started throwing them out by the look that their covers they were in.
I find the best way is to get in by word of mouth. Sometimes someone who has the Club Owner’s ear. If that happens then… only then will you have a good chance of being seen. But!!! If you do this … your offering better be at the top of its class or it’s back to the dumpster. – F.P.
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Some still ask for them. Whether they watch them or not is a different story. – J.A.
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As someone who makes decisions on presenters all the time, we do watch them; a YouTube link would be preferred to a DVD. We want to watch the presenter doing what they do. There’s no need for a highly produced piece with no clarity of the size and type of groups you’ve presented to, examples of your style (rather than a voice over of what you say your style is), and the audience’s response to you.
The easier it is for someone to access something that clearly demonstrates what you do and how you do it, the better. – S.S.
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As a video producer, I can say that our production of DVD’s has dropped to nearly zero. Links to videos on websites are much preferred by most people. I like Vimeo.com for hosting over YouTube because you can turn off the jukebox feature that shows when they are done viewing (or you can have it offer another video or yours and not your competitor.
PS, I don’t have any connection with Vimeo. You need to be a pro member at $60 a year to get the control over how your videos play.- T.S.
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Most associations, bureaus, and corporations will accept and prefer videos on line. However, recently, three top level Washington DC area speakers bureau requested my information. All of them wanted a DVD with 10 minutes of uncut speaking. Only one of them said that a link to an on-line video would be fine. – C.G.
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I still do… but I’d rather bring the producer to my show. – J.D.
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Dave’s next comedy workshop at The Cleveland Improv starts Saturday – July 13, 2013
Dave Schwensen is the author of How To Be A Working Comic: An Insider’s Business Guide To A Career In Stand-Up Comedy, Comedy FAQs And Answers: How The Stand-Up Biz Really Works, and Comedy Workshop: Creating & Writing Comedy Material for Comedians & Humorous Speakers.
For information about these books, comedy workshops at The Cleveland Improv, and private coaching for comedians and speakers in person, by phone or via Skype visit www.TheComedyBook.com
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