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May 2000, Week 2

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Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 12 May 2000 10:24:33 EDT
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Darryl,

Great history -- thanks! From our perspective, a company that uses both terms
at whim, we basically choose what sounds best. There is still a lot of
negative commercial feedback to "letterboxed" videos (especially to the term)
so we like to use "Collector's Edition: Widescreen Version" on the front and
use the term letterboxed or give the proper screen ratio on the back. This
way, the public -- hopefully -- will have no surprises. (Also, we suspect we
sell more copies this way, but I'll never know since we don't release pan and
scan videos.)

You would be surprised at how many people really hate letterboxing and will
not buy the video if they see the term. They feel that instead of getting
more visual information, that they are getting less due to the black bands.
There was even a letter complaining about this to the Bergen Record in New
Jersey this past month. When we get phone calls like this, we explain
letterboxing to them and sometimes it works but many times they are extremely
unhappy.

Neither term is copyrighted.

Dennis Doros
Milestone Film & Video
PO Box 128
Harrington Park, NJ 07640-0128
Phone: (201) 767-3117 or (800) 603-1104
Fax: (201) 767-3035
Email: [log in to unmask]
Website: <A HREF="http://lcweb.loc.gov/film/arch.html">http://www.milestonefil
ms.com</A>

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