DVD Newsletter #1
Sender: postmaster@reinder.rustema.nl
Reply-To: ReindeR Rustema
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2002 17:14:05 +0100
From: ReindeR Rustema
To: Multiple recipients of heimat-dvd - Sent by
Subject: heimat-dvd: Heimat on DVD Newsletter #1, the survey results
Hello everyone who answered to the 'Heimat on DVD' survey at
http://reinder.rustema.nl/heimat/videoncd.html
I promised you to send an update twice a year regarding the
developments around the DVD release of either Die Heimat or Die
Zweite Heimat. So far, I don't have any news...
I send this e-mail out nevertheless to return you the results of the
survey. I intend to give this to Edgar Reitz Filmproduction to show
what we would like to see on the DVD release.
A second important reason for this e-mail is to send a probe to all
the 307 subscribers to this list. If you change your e-mail address,
please let me know. If I don't have a working e-mail address from you
I can't send you any news regarding the DVD release... If you no
longer want to be subscribed, reply or use the instructions in the
signature.
I have made a webpage with all the raw data so you can check if your
information is registered correctly. If you see something is wrong or
missing, just send an e-mail to correct it. Your personal information
is not on the web. Only the date on which you have send me an e-mail,
your city and country. Together with the other information it should
be enough to identify yourself in the list.
I have made the survey data available in tab-seperated text, for the
statistics and spreadsheet fanatics who want to perform analysis on
it. If you find interesting patterns, let me know. Preferably in HTML
to upload to the website.
See http://reinder.rustema.nl/heimat/dvd.html
What does the survey tell us?
I have collected 307 responses since 1997.
There are 264 interested in die Heimat, there are 281 interested in
die Zweite Heimat.
There are 43 not interested in die Heimat, there 26 not interested in
die Zweite Heimat.
10 were only prepared to pay less than $40 for die Heimat.
26 were only prepared to pay less than $40 for die Zweite Heimat.
Most people (162) were prepared to pay between $40 and $100 for die
Heimat but 74 wanted to up to $200 for die Heimat.
74 were prepared to pay between $40 and $100 for die Zweite Heimat
Most people (124) were prepared to pay between $100 and $200 for die
Zweite Heimat but 51 wanted to up to $300 for die Zweite Heimat.
Those who are checking me are now missing a few. Those who have
indicated no price: 17 in the case of Die Heimat and 18 in the case
of Die Zweite Heimat.
Depending on the country I have also included a variable for the DVD
region. 254 live in Region 2, 4 in Region 3 or 4 and 48 in Region 1
(USA). It is remarkable to see the region 1 entries first
chronologically and then the Region 2. The explanation is that Europe
came online later than North America.
At first I also offered the choice between VHS and DVD. At the time
many people didn't know about DVD, let alone have one. This has
changed. In the end only 4 requested a VHS release and 4 both DVD and
VHS. The demand for a VHS release also went down when Absolut Medien
included a VHS release of Die (Zweite) Heimat (without subtitles
though!). It seems silly to me to make a VHS release. What would be
much better is to make it possible to make copies to VHS from DVD.
Then you can borrow it to a friend, without your precious DVD-box
leaving the house. Just copy it on VHS.
Then about the extra features. What do we want on the DVD?
It has got to be subtitled in English (220 asked for it) and German
(64). Then in the languages of the neighbouring countries: Dutch
(39), French (16), Swedish (14) and Danish (5). Finnish and Norwegian
got only 2 and 1 requests, while Hebrew was asked for twice. Eight
wanted Spanish and six Portugese. And let's not forget China. One
suggestion came in for traditional Chinese.
A DVD has got to have a 'Making of documentary' nowadays. Most people
(186) asked for it. Personally I am thinking about the documentary by
Angier prior to the BBC broadcast of die Heimat and Die Zweite Heimat.
Another nice feature of a DVD is the extra soundtrack. Just imagine
Reitz giving comments on an extra soundtrack explaining things you
see and remarking details. He can do that very well as is
demonstrated in an interview Frank Wiering once did with Reitz for
VPRO television. The transcription is on the website
http://reinder.rustema.nl/heimat/interviews/vprogidsen.html (amateur
translation). 161 people can imagine a soundtrack with Edgar Reitz
talking.
After hours of watching the actors many people would like to know
what they are like and what else they did. Little portraits with
clips of their other work and a short interview for example. Looking
back on the project so many years later would be nice also. 135
people asked for 'portraits of the actors'.
Die Heimat and Die Zweite Heimat is more than just a beautiful film.
It's also chronicle of the twentieth century, it's about German (or
European?) culture and what not. Let dozens of experts comment on the
film in an extra soundtrack in relation to their favorite scene and
put in perspective what we see on the screen. That would be
educative! 134 people agree with that. The next question would be:
which celebrity would you like to comment on which scene or what
would they like to comment on? I would be a huge project to collect
hundreds of little interviews.
Another nice thing about the DVD is the navigation through it. Beter
have it organised scene-by-scene (71 requests) than the usual
arbitrary 'chapters' which are so common on DVDs nowadays. Or what
about an option to only listen to the music? Just hookup your DVD to
your stereo equipment, close your eyes and listen (67 want it). The
CD-box of Die Zweite Heimat is sold out anyway and the music is on
the disks already, why not add an option to listen to it seperately?
What would be easier and more practical is adding the script in a
Adobe Acrobat PDF file on the disk. The book is sold out and
extremely expensive to print and distribute. Not something to read
anyway, more a reference. 53 asked for it.
Then there are things that are inspired on this website. Would it be
nice to see and hear testimonials from around the world of people who
like Die (Zweite) Heimat or is it something for a fansite on the
internet? 34 would like to see testimonials. It is interesting to
analyse who asks for it. Such a request seems not to be compatible
with the option of experts talking...
An extremely nerdy thing is to connect the DVD to the web in some
way. Insert the disk in the computer, click on something on the
screen and extra details come from the web. Only
internetprofessionals and other nerds seem to have asked for this (40
in total).
Some of you used the option to suggest other things. Like a list with
all the filming locations in the HunsrŸck (this should already be in
the http://www.imdb.com) and one request for that interview by Frank
Wiering with Edgar Reitz. A request to have the whole film dubbed in
other languages (like English). Musical notation for the Mamamgakis
fans. Commentary on the music by Mamamgakis. Historical background on
time and places and how it relates to the film...
So far. Soon I will try to contact Edgar Reitz Filmproduction again.
I tried before, but they were shooting Heimat 3 on the set and
unavailable. I hope that publishing the survey results on the web
will put things in motion. The last I am told is that the Die Heimat
release was scheduled for 2003, together with the broadcast of Heimat
2000. But it was years ago when this was told to me.
--
ReindeR
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