How the World of Cinema Changed After Invention of DVDs

How the World of Cinema Changed After Invention of DVDs

November 9, 2015 Off By Jane
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Since the introduction of Compact Discs (CD), video discs have evolved phenomenally with time. The 1990s welcomed a new format of video and movies —DVD. Upon its arrival, the DVD became furiously popular, and the sales of this digital format became a worldwide sensation starting from Japan, to the United States, to Europe and to Australia. Before DVD there was the VHS format, which — upon the arrival of DVD — began to be phased out completely. Not only movies, but even video games were sold in the DVD format. Originally called as the ‘Digital Video Disc’, it also came to be known as ‘Digital Versatile Disc’ due to its varied applications.

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In the progress of cinema from analogue to digital, the evolution of DVD played an important part. Movies came to be released in the DVD format a while after they were released in theatres. These DVDs contained not only the actual movie, but along with it some interactive material that ardent movie-goers would love to experience. The inclusion of deleted scenes, interviews with the cast and crew members, making of the movie, behind the scenes etc., are all just a few of the things, a fan would enjoy. These features that come with the DVD are the attraction that the audience is looking for. Filmmakers have used this aspect to their advantage by including various enjoyment sources for fans.

Why are these special features included in DVD?

It is just a way of telling people that the stories that are shown in movies aren’t over in those two hours spent in the movie theatre. Additional content adds a certain charm and appeal to movies that the spectators can’t miss. The advertisement of DVDs armed with these special features creates a stir in the minds of people, urging them to make an effort of purchasing these DVDs. What you once saw only on TV interviews with actors, where you waited for the mention of your favourite movie, can now be stacked in your shelf of DVDs that you can pick up any time and watch to your heart’s content?

For directors and producers, this is a great platform to get more fame and money even after having released the movie in theatres. Attracting a large amount of people who are passionate about the movies they watch, using the medium of DVDs has changed the scope of cinema radically. Even though these people might have watched the movie two or three times in the theatre, they wouldn’t skip buying the DVD and watching it in the comfort of their homes; also checking the special features added to the small disc they’re holding in their hand. All of this was only possible with the evolution of digital cinema. Before this, viewers couldn’t enjoy watching their favourite actors talk animatedly about their experience exclusively in that movie; neither could they watch the fun behind the scenes or the bloopers that happened during filming.

For the viewers, it has been a good platform to watch the actors, directors and the crew engaging in these normal things as opposed to the larger than life characters that they portray. Fans often enjoy getting to know the actors personally. They can’t be standing outside the doors of their favourite actors and watch them live their daily life, now, can they? DVDs gave viewers an insight on how the movie is made, what all goes down in the creation, action and post production. Aside from said interactive features, DVDs also include the process of creating special effects. People have always wondered as to how the editors and artists create the digital effects that give the movies their grandeur. Special effects have left the spectators in awe, and there is nothing better than actually getting to see how they’re done.

What are these features that make a DVD look so attractive apart from the points mentioned?

Those would be the shots of editors working during post production, interviewing them on how things are done and how these effects are created and shown on the screen…it is all relatively appealing to the enthusiastic fans. For example, wouldn’t you like to see how the animators of Frozen or the Pixar movies created the characters from scratch and added those special effects? Or take movies like Harry Potter, Star Wars, The Avengers etc. for example, those took VFX and editing to a whole new level, and fans are eager to know how the process of it all goes down. It’s a very appealing factor in movies; and DVDs including these features is a cherry on top of the cake.

Not only have movies been inculcated into DVD format, Television has followed in the footsteps too. There are TV shows that have released all of the seasons in DVD formats that fans can buy. There are also a few shows that after they stopped airing —were exclusively released on DVD. These DVDs also include special interviews with the cast, making, and behind the scenes. Don’t you want to know what naturally funny incidents took place on the set of F.R.I.E.N.D.S? The popularity of such TV shows is what pushes the makers to create DVD formats for the audience so they can take a look at the filming and the interesting facets. Along with that, artists release their albums along with some special features in DVD too. Music videos are distributed through DVDs, which come in different editions that include unique content depending on the type of edition. Collectors purchase these high-end editions to watch all of these additional features; and also to display the attractive looking cases on their shelf.

Fantasy and sci-fi movie DVDs come not only with special content, but also have game formats released alongside. They might come in the collector’s edition with the movies, or they might be sold separately. There are various games available online that the fans can take a look at to enjoy the world of these particular movies. But along with that the games are released for the X-box, Playstation 2 etc. also in DVD formats. This is another selling factor for the movies, and the evolution of those in the digital world has been quite astounding.

Long gone are the days when movies were sold in the cassette tape system that required a separate player for the same. Now DVDs can be played in your DVD player, as well as your computer. The BluRay format has also become one of the most sought after versions of DVD, since it provides an outstanding quality of movies. Everybody likes to watch the intricate details and to closely get to admire the things that they might have missed when first watching the movie. DVD has changed the course of movies astonishingly, and it is no hassle for people to convert 8mm to DVD these days with the help of a professional.

This digital format has evolved quite well after its inception, and the digital world has only proven to be a good environment for DVD to progress further. In conclusion, all there is to say is that the digital world kick-started with an agenda to change the way we look at movies, and the DVD format has not only lived up to its expectations, but also crossed the boundaries that years ago nobody thought it would. Today, we have movies sitting in the shelves of our living rooms, with those added features that make them so alluring and fascinating, as it takes us out of the physical world and leads into the opulence of movies.