Ask Me Anything About Producing BJJ DVDs

Hey guys a while back i did a thread about making BJJ gis and fight gear. I got a lot of feed back about some good some bad. Some people in the industry didnt like what i was sharing. But in my opinion the more people in the BJJ business the more it will grow.

VHS tapes produced by my mentor Paqueta spread BJJ all over the world in the 90s. Thats what got me hooked. Now its DVDs.

Gumby & I produced over 80 BJJ titles over the years. I'd like to think it help grow the sport too.

So if anyone out there has questions about making & sharing their own videos or how it works Ill do my best to answer them all here.

Scotty

How many VCRs do you think we went through self duplicating American Penetration?

Do you think DVD instructionals are now all but dead? Is the new subscription model(mginaction, mendes bros et al) or apps(Kid Peligro's stuff, Caio Terra) the wave of the future?

Subscription-based and the app stuff seems to avoid the piracy stuff to some extent. It also gives you a method of distribution where one can purchase content in drips and drabs rather than an entire collection for a chunk of money.

Can somebody bump the thread about gi's and fight gear the OP talks about. Sounds interesting and I can't search threads. Thanks! Phone Post

hey im slammed at work. ill answer all these tonight after training.

is it true you can only make 100 or so copies every 6mos?

nogidavid - 


what's it cost to make an instructional and get it to the point of distribution?


There is a wide gap on how much you can spend.

On the cheap you could film it with your iphone put the moves on your computer and burn a dvdr with a dvd burning program like toast.

On the crazy expensive you could hire a big time production company and spend tens of thousands.

Looking at the quality of DVDs I have seen recently. Im guessing people are using videos camera that cost $3-5k. If you shoot two angles you need two cameras.

If you want it to look good you will need at least 3 lights. Good lights start around a grand maybe less if you get them used.

You will also need space to store the digital footage on so a few hundred for an external drive.

You will need an editor or editing software. Final Cut Pro is usually the norm. its about a grand las time i checked.

Editing is one of those things you get what you pay for. A good guy will be more but also be faster and do a better job. I would guess you will pay $1000 to $1500 a dvd maybe less these days.

Once you have it edited you will need to compress the video and have a dvd authored.

DVD authoring again about $1000 a dvd maybe less if you or your editor build all the menus and put all the chapter markers in with finial cut.

DVD replication is about a buck a dvd including 4 color printing on the dvd. You need to print covers about $150 to $200. So $1 to $2 a dvd.

You can always go cheaper and you can always pay more for better quality at any step of the way. From the cameras you use to the quality of the dvd cases.

I know this is all a bit vague but it is almost like asking how much does a car cost. There is a wide range.

I am happy to give more details on any part you want to know.

scott

Gumby - How many VCRs do you think we went through self duplicating American Penetration?

Dam?

I dont know but we got them 4 at a time and took them back every 30 days. I still cant believe that target was never like WTF do you keep returning VHS recorders 4 at a time for.

Lucky those people at target dont get paid enough to care.

Back in the day Gumby and I made BJJ VHS tapes. DVDs didnt exist. Back then you had to copy 100 VHS tapes at a time we never had enough money to pay for 100 copies at once and we never thought we would sell a 100 so we would copy them 4 at a time at home and mail them to people.

Funniest part is back then you couldnt take credit cards online unless you were a huge company so people would mail us money orders. Id come home from work and open the mail and then mail people tapes one at a time.

dam im old

Gumby - How many VCRs do you think we went through self duplicating American Penetration?

Dam?

I dont know but we got them 4 at a time and took them back every 30 days. I still cant believe that target was never like WTF do you keep returning VHS recorders 4 at a time for.

Lucky those people at target dont get paid enough to care.

Back in the day Gumby and I made BJJ VHS tapes. DVDs didnt exist. Back then you had to copy 100 VHS tapes at a time we never had enough money to pay for 100 copies at once and we never thought we would sell a 100 so we would copy them 4 at a time at home and mail them to people.

Funniest part is back then you couldnt take credit cards online unless you were a huge company so people would mail us money orders. Id come home from work and open the mail and then mail people tapes one at a time.

dam im old

Tboney8669 - 

Can somebody bump the thread about gi's and fight gear the OP talks about. Sounds interesting and I can't search threads. Thanks! Phone Post


i just tired to but it didnt seem to work. maybe a mod can do it.

On the Mat -
Tboney8669 -  Can somebody bump the thread about gi's and fight gear the OP talks about. Sounds interesting and I can't search threads. Thanks! Phone Post

i just tired to but it didnt seem to work. maybe a mod can do it.

Thanks for trying Phone Post

I for got to say you have to either pay the tallent up front or give them a commission on the sales.

I wrote that like you were making your own dvd sets.

 Average payout to subject? Is it pretty lucrative for the "talent"?

 

 

allthingsbjj phil - 


 Average payout to subject? Is it pretty lucrative for the "talent"?



 



 


nothing like it used to be i'm guessing. I know back in the days guys could get 10s of thousands but I have no idea now since i dont make videos anymore. sorry

joe_mama - Do you think DVD instructionals are now all but dead? Is the new subscription model(mginaction, mendes bros et al) or apps(Kid Peligro's stuff, Caio Terra) the wave of the future?

Subscription-based and the app stuff seems to avoid the piracy stuff to some extent. It also gives you a method of distribution where one can purchase content in drips and drabs rather than an entire collection for a chunk of money.

Hey Joe! Long time.

I dont think they are dead but they have lost appeal a lot. I think the DVD in general is dying. Didnt netflix ditch their dvd program recently for all on demand?

I dont rent or buy dvds any more. Unless its like the new gracie vale tudo video.

I think MG's site is awesome. I think that is more the future. Looks at lil wayne and beeber too. they both are doing the member ship sites. so is kobe. gives more control to the artist tallent that way.

I havent seen an app i thought was that great and the cut itunes takes is a lot. lets say you pay your tallent 50% commission and itunes takes 30-50. doesnt leave much meat on the bone.

it is interesting that most of the online marketing is moving to on demand and sign up marketing.

remember used to be anyone could see your myspace with out signing up. but now with FB you have to have an account to see much of anything.

what do you like best?

Matthieu Battle - is it true you can only make 100 or so copies every 6mos?

you can make one dvd at home on your computer but it might not play in all dvd players. or you can have millions made. up to you and your budget.

In Phone Post 3.0

What's up with the Glover Welcome to the Jungle DVD? Will it be sold on it's own or just packaged with Lucky GI /OTM gear?

Open Mat Radio - 


What's up with the Glover Welcome to the Jungle DVD? Will it be sold on it's own or just packaged with Lucky GI /OTM gear?



 Right now we are using the DVD to promote Jeff's BJJ Camp coming up in August.  We are all going down for my brithday.  You can get the dvd for free at www.BJJCamps.com you just have to pay the shipping $8.  Or pay the amazon download fee $2 and put up with me emailing you to get you to come with us on Costa Rica. 



The dvd is hilarios. FYI

ttt for more questions