has YouTube replaced the skate video dvd?

**skategeezer** · 03-31-2008 08:14 PM

**zumee** · 04-01-2008 12:19 AM

but id rather spend my money on skateboards than dvds... that's why torrents are a wonderful thing

**Steve Ignorant** · 04-01-2008 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by zumee

but id rather spend my money on skateboards than dvds... that's why torrents are a wonderful thing

I use torrents, sure, but anything I really support, I will purchase.

It's all about adapting to changing media formats as technology advances. As much as VHS tapes helped spread the insane advances of the skateboard phenomenon, I'm sure there were purists who felt that kids inside watching tapes missed the beauty of someone teaching them to boneless, or figuring it out for themselves. Video upload sites like YouTube allow kids to access any trick, any move, any combo they could ever dream of performing, and gives them something to work with. It's at once an excellent format for learning new things, and an awful one for usurping the quality and production value that goes into a proper video release. Ultimately, this is a question of new technology vs old. I own a lot of vinyl, and prefer the sound quality to any other format, but I also own an MP3 player and a cabinet stacked with CDs. It's just more accessible. I fall back on the vinyl when I want some stellar immersion, but I rely on the CDs/MP3s to get me through my day when I'm on the go. 'Sides, it's kids fueling these things, always has been and always will be, and to quote David Bowie "You gotta make way for the Homo Superior".

**elementalzoo** · 04-01-2008 09:13 AM

I guess some people are ok with poor quality video. I'm not. I also don't want to have to hassel with watching an entire flick in ten minute increments. As far as I know, YouTube doesn't allow the upload of any video longer than that, which is why movies get broken up into several chapters by people. Well, the whole click/download/watch repeat x 10 thing is nowhere near the viewing experience of just popping in a dvd and kicking back on the couch.

I've seen clips of movies on YouTube for instance, but it doesn't begin to approach the combination of quality ( visual AND auditory ) and experience of any DVD I have, including home movies

I think so long as the distributors of the DVD are using all their market points to reach people ( like using Netflix ), then people will continue buying dvd's or at least renting them.

**kenofseattle** · 04-01-2008 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Ignorant

I own a lot of vinyl, and prefer the sound quality to any other format, but I also own an MP3 player and a cabinet stacked with CDs. It's just more accessible. I fall back on the vinyl when I want some stellar immersion.

I love my stack o' wax and yes, they sound much better to me than a CD or mp3. Stellar immersion, yes. Big ass headphones, four or five 33 and a third rpm discs, and a sunny afternoon. Nothing like it in the world.

**Steve Ignorant** · 04-01-2008 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by kenofseattle

I love my stack o' wax and yes, they sound much better to me than a CD or mp3. Stellar immersion, yes. Big ass headphones, four or five 33 and a third rpm discs, and a sunny afternoon. Nothing like it in the world.

What do you listen to? I'm totally chilling out to some weird stuff right now. MenInBlack by the Stranglers, crazy album.

**gorillabiscuits** · 04-01-2008 11:53 AM

DVD's to me have a different feel from youtube. I saw a skate video on google video, and then I proceeded to buy it on DVD and I was even more blown away. YT takes away the magic.

**Warren** · 04-01-2008 01:56 PM

As a retailer of said Skateboard DVD's - the answer is 100% YES - the ol' intra web has all but killed the sale of DVD's. As you mentioned - the only skate video I have sold in any quantities has been Fully Flared - and even that has been no where near what we used to sell in movies.

What a lot of the younger generation might not understand is that if no one buys skate videos any more - the companies will stop making them.
You all may think that the "big conglomerate" skate companies have piles of money around for marketing (videos and such) but this is not the case. The web WILL kill this completely.
This is already happening - where years ago companies would, at the very least, put out a new video every year. Now you are lucky if it happens every 2 or 3 years.

Strange thing is the Snowboard crowd still does buy movies - might be that snowboarding is a bit more expensive sport to start with - so the few dollars spent on movies is not a big deal.

Same thing goes for blank deck vs. pro models (popsicle decks that is) but don't get me started on that situation.

**sk8norcal** · 04-01-2008 05:27 PM

the youtube phenomenon is amazing,
I watch more new skate footage than ever thanks to youtube.
but true, most of the good stuff is copyrighted material.
torrent is pretty much piracy..

I am pretty broke, so I only bought a handful of dvd's ever,
most of my video collection I own were copied, got by trading, burned, (did bought one guy's used dvd collection)

watching a dvd on tv is of course better than watching on youtube.
but that is really not the point.

youtube is searchable, link/embed-able, a video database.

Also, I hear skate dvd's are not profitable for companies anyways, done more for marketing the brand.

So having it on youtube is not pure loss because the footage still sells the brand.

look at Indy having the NW video online recently.

(also MB is giving away CW on pdf's)

I think quality skate videos will always be around,
with cheaper hd camcorder, and computers for editing.
Even amateurs are making quality footage.

**elementalzoo** · 04-01-2008 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by sk8norcal

watching a dvd on tv is of course better than watching on youtube.
but that is really not the point.

.

For some of us, that is exactly the point.

**Wells** · 04-01-2008 08:50 PM

Whatever. The shoe companies can still afford it.

**SteveC** · 04-01-2008 08:59 PM

one of the main problems with online delivery is that you're more at competition with other media, I,E. you tend to sit through a dvd more whereas youtube bombards you with things to distract you. "nice kickflip... ooh, nice bewbees. Click"

**sk8norcal** · 04-01-2008 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by elementalzoo

For some of us, that is exactly the point.

Its hard to teach old dogs new technology....

here's why you are missing the point,

didn't you watch the 'sick boys' clip?
If BK didn't plan to release, how else are you gonna watch it?
impossible to find on vhs, (I got lucky and got a dub in a video trade.). Would you be excited about the dvd release if I didn't put up that Youtube clip?

Anyways, hopefully online video quality will soon improve to at least standard definition and playable from computer to tv screen.
and On demand service will be available, so any dvd's would be obsolete.

**gorillabiscuits** · 04-01-2008 09:50 PM

I still buy videos without ever watching them on youtube first. They are portable. You don't need to pay for an On Demand service. Instead you can give the money directly to the skaters.

**sk8norcal** · 04-01-2008 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by gorillabiscuits

I still buy videos without ever watching them on youtube first. They are portable. You don't need to pay for an On Demand service. Instead you can give the money directly to the skaters.

right now, the money doesn't go directly to the skater, the retailer takes half...

but in the future, you would just pay direct for a download, full quality. (see porn industry for the wave of the future.)

**Lee W** · 04-01-2008 10:12 PM

They can afford to make the videos with all of the non-skate stuff they sell to non-skaters. They make enough off of that to make up for all of us watching their videos for free.

Besides, even if the big guys are gone (which will not happen), there will still be great skaters out there filming themselves and putting out videos on the internet for us to watch.

**gorillabiscuits** · 04-01-2008 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by sk8norcal

right now, the money doesn't go directly to the skater, the retailer takes half...

but in the future, you would just pay direct for a download, full quality. (see porn industry for the wave of the future.)

Not if you buy directly from the company's website.

**sk8norcal** · 04-01-2008 10:26 PM

Lakai Movie Section

I just wandered over to the Lakai site.
I think clips from FF are available on QT...
They don't sell direct, they don't want to burn their retailers....

**gorillabiscuits** · 04-01-2008 10:37 PM

I'm not even talking about the big companies. I'm talking about the smaller guys who put it down regardless.

danwolfe.tv
Peter Vlad's Wonderful Horrible Life
Wiskate.com - We Mention Skateboarding Once in Awhile
Null Skateboards

etc etc

My point is, I will always buy DVDs. They are like magazines to me. Even though there is the interweb, I still subscribe to magazines. I like something I can hold on to. I have watched a lot of skate videos online that I couldn't have otherwise, but it doesn't replace DVD for me.

**Steve Ignorant** · 04-01-2008 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by gorillabiscuits

I'm not even talking about the big companies. I'm talking about the smaller guys who put it down regardless.

danwolfe.tv
Peter Vlad's Wonderful Horrible Life
Wiskate.com - We Mention Skateboarding Once in Awhile
Null Skateboards

etc etc

My point is, I will always buy DVDs. They are like magazines to me. Even though there is the interweb, I still subscribe to magazines. I like something I can hold on to. I have watched a lot of skate videos online that I couldn't have otherwise, but it doesn't replace DVD for me.

Dude, thank you so much for pointing out wiskate to me, this entire video is sick.

Wiskate.com - We Mention Skateboarding Once in Awhile