5 Mistakes I Made As A New Collector

Here are the 5 major mistakes I made as a new movie collector! Whether you collect movies, sports cards, comic books, coins, stamps, or rocks, this advice applies to you!!
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#mistakes
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[@JeffRauseo]

Listen to the Films At Home Podcast: anchor.fm/films-at-home

[@David25522]

Is your movie collection fully insured Jeff?

[@JeffRauseo]

@@David25522 yes sir - it’s just an estimate. But it’s all documented

[@johnnyrosas9891]

I just recently joined the "BIG BOYS" with a Panasonic ub820 and Five Nights at freddys uhd. Please review this FNAF if you have it I thought it looked amazing.

[@davefilms345]

I've always bought what I liked, I've never just bought everything, I own very little 4k titles maybe around 65. But they are the ones I like to have. For me it's not ever been about quantity it's about quality

[@tompoynton]

same brother, I treat 4K as an archival system, to have the best possible versions of all the old movies shot on film that I grew up with, so I only get the ones I really want. A digital-shot 4K almost always holds little interest to me

[@tylerwagner1978]

I just make a wishlist and go for that.

[@patsayjack402]

3 or 4 is "very little 4k titles". 65 is a ton and is well above average.

[@davefilms345]

@@patsayjack402 65 tbh imo is very little for a collector like myself I know ppl who have hundreds of 4k titles. All mine are based on what I enjoy and not random titles

[@Faisal-Hadi]

Same

[@victorj.montfort1916]

I think a collection isn't precisely better when you're in the hundreds or thousands. A collection is an extension of you, of your fond memories. Of cherished moments in life. Movies you watched when a kid. Movies you went with your friends or cousins while growing. Movies you went on your own, movies you went on a date. I love to collect, but I definitely prefer to have what I truly like rather than trying to have everything. Very well said, Jeff. Totally nailed it.

[@ddc2957]

That’s the right attitude & too few realise it. “I need 1000! I need 5000!” No you don’t - not only will you spend money on junk you don’t care about but you’ll have to manage it all physically.

[@used_bandaid]

Absolutely the same, looking at my titles an bring me back to those moments ❤😊

[@TheCoolerVergil]

I would say my own personal mistakes when I started were: #1: Buying movies that I enjoyed, but in the long run, probably would never watch again #2: Ignoring DVDs because they were “lower quality” and therefore missing out on unique collector items that were DVD only Also, I’m really glad you mentioned the community aspect. When I found yours, it completely changed how and what I collected and by extension, made me happier. It’s also been fun talking to other people and hearing their thoughts. PS: I totally owe _you_ for telling us about the _Reservoir Dogs_ 4K steel book with the slip cover, or else I totally would have missed out!

[@jimming26]

I sold a bunch of dvds that I had replaced with the blu ray or 4k upgrades to FYE a few years ago and yea kinda regretting it now even if I have the higher quality version, those older DVDs have so many memories attached to them

[@TheCoolerVergil]

@@jimming26 That’s another good point! Sometimes there are strong sentiments attached to certain versions :(

[@tituslafrombois1164]

​@@jimming26 a lot of the DVD versions have unique special features on them that never got carried over to HD versions. And sometimes it's something as simply as the menu for the DVD being more creative and fun, while most blu-ray menus are either a static image or a clip show of the movie/show with no thought put into it.

[@nine_tails137]

The first mistake you mentioned is definitely me. Which is why I had to purge some of my DVDs upon moving.

[@phenixnunlee372]

Oh yeah I recently collected used ghost in the shell : stand alone complex DVD. The bluray has bad audio (the dub has random out burst of Japanese). It looks good and it has so many special features. I also was able to get the sound tracks. DVD packaging is truly astounding.

[@leecaldwell1029]

You make an excellent point on collection vs hoarding. I see so many tours and showcases of rooms/collections. It is literally hoarding and nothing impressive about it. I do not understand how people buy and store items they are never going or dont really want to watch. If there is something in my collection that I have or a duplicate that I wont watch then I get rid of it. Life is too short and time is not infinite. I honestly struggle with why people have collections that if they sat and watch for the rest of their lives they arent going to get thru.

[@ericbakke3060]

I have a few rules when buying movies that helps me cut costs. 1. Never spend money on a new movie unless I really feel like watching it right when it comes out…most of the time it can wait and then prices drop. 2. Only upgrade to 4k if the sound has been upgraded to Atmos or DTS:X, picture quality alone is not good enough for me, sound is where it’s at. 3. I’ve discovered that pawn shops have the best prices. $2 for a blu-ray, $8-10 for a 4K. I think they just want this stuff to go away so it is dirt cheap. 4. I love buying used 4Ks from Redbox. I get them as low as $5. It doesn’t come with a box, but I don’t care about the packaging I’m only interested in the movie itself.

[@JohnDoe-bz4yl]

Mistake # 3 I used to rush out day 1 and grab a movie I was after but I found I didn't always watch it straight away and by the time I sat down and watched it It was cheaper so the majority of my buys now are second hand

[@bigmoviefreak]

My mistake, not exactly a big one, was buying TV series with many seasons. Unless you seldom watch anything else, those box sets are very likely going to be left unwatched indefinitely. Maybe you’d pop in a favorite episode or two once in a while, but I’d be curious what you do for a living if you could actually find time to rewatch a 5-season, 24-episode-per-season show more than one cycle.

[@lgbuk]

This...I found exactly the same. I literally only buy and watch films these days

[@cap.haddock4017]

If you like "behind the scenes" stuff (or commentary), make sure before you upgrade from dvd, maybe a "2 disc special edition" to blu-ray, that the blu-ray has the same bonus materiel, cos a lot of the times it doesn't include the stuff. Don't get rid of the dvd, before you have checked.

[@HOTD108_]

Yeah, the Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid Blu-ray doesn't have any special features at all, but the DVD does.

[@tompoynton]

As much as I love great blu-rays and 4K releases, it makes me so sad how little effort is put into their packages these days, unless you’re forking out for a pricey special edition release. Those old DVD extras were an education man

[@cap.haddock4017]

@@tompoynton Yeah, I got quite a few dvd's with extra materiels, I still hold on to, that the blu-ray version doesn't have. It sucks.

[@michaelreddy4697]

I have kept a bunch of DVDS after upgrading to BR or 4K because the DVD has the supplemental contain.

[@u77750]

Thanks Jeff. I really appreciate these collection discussions. I learn a lot from them. Your podcasts are awesome!

[@Tromzy]

Really good advice here. After I bought my LG C1 I bought a Panasonic UB-820 UHD player and I started collecting 4K movies, and I made the mistake #1 you talked about : buying almost any UHD blu-ray, movies that I would probably never have watched otherwise. Now I try to focus on movies I really want to see and have.

[@Cujo71]

Great video. I have gotten back into collecting and now I only buy what I like or want to watch. I will admit that I stopped collecting due to the sticker shock. Now I buy from thrift stores/Goodwill. I look at every disc before I buy and am shocked at how many are in almost mint condition. I don't scoff at broken cases, the discs are the only thing that matter. I buy replacement cases when needed. I have also started picking up DVDs of movies that I really like but can't find yet on Blu-ray. Even in 480p, I feel they look good on my TV. I don't watch the discs however, I put all of my movies on my Plex server. Having my own library in digital form has become one of my favorite home project.

[@christianwitte406]

Used is smart. My old roommate use to be paranoid that discs would skip but out of over a hundred used movies purchased, only one or 2 skipped.

[@weldonyoung1013]

Do you only buy from place you can phycical inspect the discs? For tbose of us in smaller communities, physical media of a reasonable collection size can only be sourced online - without prior inspection. This comes with hazards: photos are generally not provided; when they are scratches are too small to see; and, I found some sellers on eBay that re-surface less than perfect disc with a water soluble 'polish' that list as "very good" or "like new".

[@christianwitte406]

@weldonyoung1013 I've only really purchased from best buy and ebay.

[@weldonyoung1013]

@@christianwitte406 as I've seen in the news - Best Buy and other large department retailers will or have stopped carrying physical media. Here in Canada only Walmart does and they are for the most part in just one bin. Used does work if they can be found in secondhand shops (or as you are already doing online via eBay). It is nice to make a visual inspection of used disc - looking for scratchs (somewhat common) or pits (not that common). The denser the format (DVD increasing through to 4K Blu-Ray) the more likely scratches will cause a problem. Basic inspection of used disc means looking for concentric circle/partial circle scratches - these cause missed images & sound in any format disc (most are caused by read head strikes but can also be caused by cleaning). And cleaning mean wipping from the center out with a micro fibre cloth wetted with a high concentration of wood/rubbing alcohol (though with 4K Blu-Ray this might still cause problems).

[@mackjay1777]

Absolutely right! I'm an older collector and the biggest mistakes for me are: buying sight unseen (a movie I'd never seen). Sometimes that has worked out well--I've liked the movie and watched it a few times,but far too often I got burned. The other mistake is not to ask myself will I want to watch this more than once (assuming I'd seen it already at least once)?. And of course, your first point about buying 'everything' is paramount./ Yes! Shopping around is so important. I've had great luck buying used on Ebay from reputable sellers. You can save a lot of money that way. Although:I'd not recommend buying "acceptable" copies---buy "very good" or "like new".

[@mauriciowalle]

I’ve always bought movies that I want to watch, but now that I have a full 5.2.2 Atmos set up and a nice tv I have bought some movies based on audio/video recommendations from channels like yours. I really enjoy your channel keep up the great work.

[@DaBearsGirl23]

I went down that FOMO rabbit hole. It got me in trouble, but I've learned now to only buy movies I'll actually watch and wait till theres sales or shop around for the best price. I also set limits for each month. I've went through my collection every couple months to get rid of movies I don't want. I'm currently at 1,600 movies. Right now I'm upgrading dvds to bluray or 4k. Not all of them though

[@JohnDoe-bz4yl]

I have bought a lot of DVD's second hand for $1 a piece and if I didn't enjoy the movie I gave it away so I only lost a $1 but if I enjoyed the movie I would keep an eye out for a cheap second hand copy on Blu Ray

[@JoeGrizz1y]

I started buying Blu Rays and 4Ks around 3 years ago. I already knew exactly what my rules were. As I did not want to fill up my single shelf so quickly. The number 1 big rule for me is “rewatchability” of a film and did I absolutely enjoy it. Otherwise I do buy collectors editions from sources like scream factory. For classic horror films. Every now and then, I will take a risk and buy an old film I haven’t seen or one that I missed in theaters but heard good things about. Overall, I probably purchase new films ever 3 weeks. So I’m never constantly flooding the shelf. In 3 years I have only collected roughly 80-90 movies. Granted a lot of them are collections and multiple disc sets to help prevent more cluster

[@billleary5779]

This is a good topic. I have a decent number of films and music and your advice definitely applies to any area of collecting. I know with music, especially records, you need to be willing to buy used if you are looking at out of print items otherwise you will be spending a fortune. Being part of a community is definitely a plus, I have always felt on an island when it comes to movies and music and being on KZbin and Facebook has helped me connect with like minded people. Thanks for sharing this!

[@mclovin7326]

For me it's trying to complete franchises it's fun to have a complete series or franchise on your shelf but now I've got quite a few movies don't like or can't complete because not everything is available physically

[@JoshRazauskas]

This was a great idea for a video. I definitely had to learn all this stuff the hard way myself and still do because I have cerebral palsy and I’m lucky if I get a title every two months so you just have to learn to appreciate what you can. Thanks for sharing!

[@ToniNYY]

Great insightful video since I’m also starting to beef up my collection!

[@MyFireVideos]

Thanks for the video! My favorite part is your thoughts on community joining and building. That really is key.

[@ashley_collects]

These are all really great tips and I agreed with all of them! My biggest mistake was when we were on YT doing Talk Movies With Us, I would buy multiple copies of new releases to show off on the channel. But then afterwards regret spending so much just for some views. I’ve learned since then thankfully 😂

[@FrederickLopez]

Great video! I think all collectors make mistakes from time to time. I did with #2 and #5. I got 4K and really didn’t understand the technology and wonders of HDR. Later I got a Dolby Vision / HDR 10+ TV and noticed a big boost in UHD. As far as community I wasn’t involved. By getting involved I found useful info in which editions to upgrade to or which to skip.

[@mikebragg9591]

Another great video Jeff and great points some I need to follow better myself. Love your channel, keep up the great work and keep growing

[@cbaker2102]

Buying Mistake: Not Nuying Out of Region. Might be a liitle harder to play if you dont have an unlocked player, but still worth getting into for awesome regional limited editions, and getting additional languages. For me at least its pretty cool to find a disc with Irish/Gaeilge language because of how obscure it is

[@coreybrown1289]

Well done explaining this, it puts things in perspective for us, thanks my man🤙🏼

[@tituslafrombois1164]

To point number 2, I had a guy come into my work last week to return a 4K Blu-ray of Grease, because "it won't play." He was an older man, so I politely asked "Do you have a DVD player?" He said yes, so I tried explaining. "Yeah, a 4K disc needs a 4K player. It won't play on old DVD players." He simply scoffed and said "it's all the same thing! It should have played." I didn't bother to press the issue any longer since he got very irritated at my daring to challenge his "knowledge." Processed his return and sent him on his way. I can't tell you how deeply annoyed I get when I hear someone call them "blu-ray DVDs". Many, many people I know have called them that and it's like nails on a chalkboard lol. I'd love to reply "do you call them DVD CDs? CD Blu-rays? No, they're all different things." But most people just don't give a crap, and usually if they're calling them "blu-ray DVDs" it's because they're telling me how weird and pointless it is for me to have a physical media collection.

[@redrock425]

Shh the ignorance of the general public means I can buy very cheaply second hand. Because "streaming is better", of course it is 😉

[@madcat4563]

I find myself rewatching the video, and the information still stays valuable. I think I started at 16, and now I'm 21 and I built a impressive collection with my small budget. I look forward to when I start working next year, then I will have a bigger budget to continue getting movies I want to watch or have for my home cinema dream.

[@uhoh7541]

FYI, audio has been lower than i think intended past couple videos- have to turn up close to max volume. Apologies if you're already aware🙂

[@JeffRauseo]

I noticed that today! Am adjusting for the future. Sorry about that

[@uhoh7541]

@@JeffRauseo no need to apologize my man- i probably owe you a nice dinner for all the good/bad discs you've talked me into/out of buying. Just wanted to give you a heads up in case you didn't know!

[@macinman]

Hey Jeff, great video, and a lot of good tips / advice. I myself had to recently take some community advice and I purchased a Panasonic UB420, as the Sony UBP-X700 was just having random issues on UHD discs. Since I don't have a Dolby vision display, and certain features of the upper models don't apply to me, someone who had both players the UB820, and 420, was able to advise me that the 420 was a good match for my setup. As far as other things I've learned, I only like specific types of movies, and I like having it in UHD, but Blu-ray is perfectly fine, and even DVD if that's my only option. I typically save DVDs for TV shows, a lot of the older stuff won't ever be on newer formats as far as I know. Always like your content, when I watch. Have a great evening!

[@RickHonks1]

Reason #6: Not getting swept up with the packaging! Make the actual movie the primary reason you buy the movie. Collect films for the right reason and not because the case is made out of tin or comes with a piece of useless cardboard with pretty pictures on it. Many people buy the same movie multiple times just because the packaging is different. Are they collecting movies or Pokemon?

[@yunogasai1338]

I have multiple copies of the elfen lied anime for different reasons. I got the singles ADV set of the original release for my sixteenth birthday from my uncle back in 2010.I later bought the blu ray as an adult because it had the ova episode my original set didn't have. A couple years ago I bought the limited edition steelbook because it came with the soundtrack and a oneshot chapter of the manga that isn't in the collected volumes. I also collect manga so it was a nice bonus too. I kept my older dvds because they were the first gift I ever got from my uncle. I usually buy blu ray but I like blu ray dvd combo packs the most.

[@vincevirtua]

Glad I found this video. Why am I finding myself getting all these Criterion discs I have no care for at all? The issue is sometimes you don't know until you try... I've still not watched more movies than the one's I have. Arg...

[@TheTerryGene]

I started collecting during the VHS era (1980s). I have literally never rented a film, strictly purchased. I found, after several years, that my tape collection was almost literally taking over my home. I had to dispose of them. I moved on to DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K. My collection covers my walls and is stacked in boxes in my bedroom. What a life!

[@Bobashasaurus]

My biggest mistake for the longest time was keeping to myself and not getting involved in collrcting community. Coming out of my shell has been the best thing for me.

[@SamLovesMovies25]

I def agree with these points, though it is *slightly* different for me personally. If a new release has a slipcover with nice artwork, embossing, sninyness, sparkle, anything like that that appeals to me (or if I like the steelbook artwork) I will be more likely to get that new, closer to release, so I can get that limited aspect that I like. However, if the slipcover and/or steelbook artwork doesn't really do anything for me or I don't care for it, I will wait and get it used or heavily discounted because I won't mind if I don't get the slipcover/steelbook. So I'm kinda picky and particular about that in that way.

[@Tomhyde098]

Mine was blind buying hundreds of movies during the Family Video closing sale, spending a thousand dollars and I’m realizing as I’m watching them that most of them are mediocre to bad movies that I’ll never watch again.

[@FilmsByColor]

Great video, Jeff! I definitely made some of the same mistakes back in the day.

[@bnm7990]

I’ve never been a collect all kinda person, maybe because I started as a kid when Blu-ray was first just starting out. But my biggest mistake was holding onto everything. Once I learned to let things go and unhaul some of my collection that I didn’t watch anymore, that freed up a lot more room for the stuff I do like

[@drdjfromovies]

I got hosed with my 3d Blu-ray collection. No longer can you buy a 3d TV. I also have a collection of HD discs. My Xbox 360 add-on quit working. Bummer

[@ddc2957]

You don’t have a 3D TV already though? Did you buy the titles before you got around to the TV? I still have mine & a handful of titles I’m planning to show it to my son when he’s a little older for the novelty.

[@YellowfinGrouper]

Sometimes it is important to buy new or even pre-order if you want to support the release if you think the label is doing a good job in doing high quality releases of material which has been hard to get. Other stuff, buying used is a great option.

[@wowbagel42]

I appreciate the Will Ferrell 'I drive a Dodge Stratus!' reference. That one still pops into my head 20+ years later. Haha.

[@oldschoolfunkster1]

You're spot-on in every aspect of your suggestions to collectors. I collect guitars and fragrances and have used these same ideas because of my own mistakes. Especially when it starts getting too expensive, you have to know when to put the buying brakes on. Hard, but doable. One exception on using your methods; when you find blu rays at your local Dollartree. I just can't seem to pass up the deals. Most of them I've never heard of or can see for free on cable. But for some reason, I still buy them. My go-to reason? The extras bonuses of a movie. You can't see that on cable. If I end up not liking the movie, I throw the disc(s) away and keep the cases to store other discs I might have loosely laying around. By the way, can you recommend a site where I can print out Blu Ray movie covers for my cases?

[@ddc2957]

300 films that’s my limit - anything new I want has to come at the expense of something else. Not only does that make the collection manageable but it also keeps my standards high. Too much emphasis is placed on sheer size of collection - focus on standards for what’s worthy of a collection, not what the raw numbers are.

[@redrock425]

Good plan. I'm just reaching 300 and plan to prune out some of the dead wood.

[@1977Suspiria]

The one major one was how I just bought anything. A lot of blind buys & a lot of films that I didn't really love all that much which are a one time watch at best. That was my DVD days, it was a large collection but seriously lacking in quality. I wised up by the time I switched to BluRay, I ver rarely will blind buy now & my collection is 95% made up of films I rate very highly & there's a lot of boutique titles. Much happier with my collection now than I was back in the day. Quality over quantity everytime.

[@tompoynton]

I quite like a blind buy - when it comes round to sales time at least, eg the Arrow and Indicator sales over here in the UK, I’ve discovered some real treats I was completely unaware of,

[@jeffreykaufmann2867]

Does a blind buy include not checking the movie's rating on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, not seeing the Trailer?

[@1977Suspiria]

@@jeffreykaufmann2867 Sometimes & sometimes not. The thing is there are many films that I like & think are good films but wouldn't really want in my collection as apace is limited & I try to reserve it for the best of the best which I also know I'll want to revisit more often.

[@christopherpiatt492]

I will only blind buy if the Blu Ray is at Big Lots of the Dollar Tree for 1.25. I figure you can't go wrong for that price. Yes there has been some duds but some others I have really enjoyed.

[@craigcohen5378]

The point about curating your collection is a great one. I have 100s of DVDs in my collection that I picked up because they were cheap or I wanted to see them pre-streaming. But with the access the way it is now, you can watch something on streaming and choose if you REALLY need to own it. It has changed my blu and 4K approach for sure.

[@matthewsmith8952]

This is one of the best videos you've ever put up, Jeff. I've unfollowed numerous collectors on YT because it's just 'weekly hauls' and stuff without putting any value on the films themselves or the technology. Having to have is completely pointless, and doesn't achieve the status that hoarders think it does. Personally, I'm always trading up and trading down and keeping the volume more or less the same - updating standard blu rays to 4ks or special editions etc. I'll buy new if they're Zavvi 4k steels, Second Sight boxes, A24 store exclusives or whatever, but otherwise it's largely used all the way. Plus, there is collector's gratification in trading unwanteds for store credit and bagging gems. Just last week at CEX (UK), I traded various bits I'd either upgraded or never touched and walked away with the Burn Book Mean Girls BR and the Stalker Criterion BR (how's that for contrast?) having spent NOTHING on the day. Keep up the good work. You're the best of them.

[@jaysonhuckaby6323]

Recently started collecting last year. My collection is an extension of myself and tastes. All of if ranges from DVD’s to Blu Rays, Complete Series and so on that I find hunting in the wild at flea markets, thrift stores, antique malls and so on. The most I pay is $30-$40 for really rare 90’s anime’s that you can’t even stream or rent. Most of the time my purchases range from .25 cents to $3 a blu ray.

[@BUTT-HEAD666]

This is an excellent video taking about this Jeff. I used to blind but on movies a lot just based on the cover just because I think it looked cool and then I watch the movie and then end up not liking it. Buying used is also good but always remember to check the disc especially if you buy at thrift stores if you're buying any physical Media there.

[@IronWolf277]

I only collect what i enjoy, so basically alot of Horror, Sci-Fi, and Action. Finding Shout Factory was a God send because their releases are loaded with bonus features!

[@steveskayman9487]

Buying films just because they're a particular label. The amount of KZbinrs (not you) who say only buy the films you love yet all they have on their shelves are rows of Criterion, Arrow and Kino Lorber.

[@thomasedmonds8325]

My film collection was really kicked off when my uncle tragically passed away. He had a huge Blu Ray collection, and my Mom allowed my brother and I to pick through the collection and take whatever we wanted (and some we thought we wanted). There are still movies from that collection I have yet to watch, and it's been almost a decade. I'm happy my uncle's love of movies lives on in my collection, but there is a definite delineation between the films I've sought out and the movies I inherited from him. The searching and finding is a huge part of collecting films (it's a huge part of collecting anything). Definitely buy what you like.

[@jaredmiller7365]

I technically started really collecting about 8 or 9 years ago and it was mostly DVDs because what I really enjoyed was Golden Age films like noirs, Marx Brothers, Capra movies, etc. At the time most of my favorites were only on DVD. I typically didn't have an issue with FOMO or buying all of the things with reckless abandon. It took me moving 2 1/2 years ago to evaluate my collection and get in the know about boutique labels, presentation specs, and player differentiations. I had already jumped into the world of Criterion a few years prior, but I started upgrading those to Blu and from there within two years my overall Blu collection grew to 700+. If it is a blind I do a ton of research and I keep up with my new movie watching. I have to say that channels like yours have really helped that journey. If it weren't for your review I would have sold my Scream Factory edition of The Thing to upgrade to 4K, but now I am so much more cautious. Especially when it comes to studio upgrades. Thanks Jeff 👍

[@ElevenEvilExes]

i've always been baffled by collectors who buy movies they never watch or movies they don't love. i own almost exactly 700 movies on blu-ray now, and i love each one of them, with less than a handful of exceptions, like BLADE: TRINITY which i only bought because it's part of the trilogy set. and whenever i watch the BLADE movies, i even watch TRINITY as well, despite it being awful :D but the other 695 movies or so, i love and rewatch at least once every few years. and at this point, i've basically completed my collection, because i own all the movies i want to own, again with only a handful of exceptions that haven't been released on proper HD discs yet, like THE ABYSS, TRUE LIES and BRAINDEAD. i guess other collectors might not like the idea of being "done" with your collection, but i must say it's a true feeling of inner peace :D from now on, i'll just buy the roughly 10 new movies a year that i like enough to buy them, and that's it. maybe a very cool new edition of a movie i already own, to replace the old one, every now and then. i have also spent the last few years "curating" my collection, so that every movie is in only one place on my shelf, in only one case. i consolidated lots of movies into one single case, if i owned several editions of the same movie, keeping only the latest version with the best picture quality, and sometimes keeping an older disc if it has some special features on it that aren't on the newest disc. but all the discs of one movie are always consolidated in one case. this was a necessity to save shelf space on the one hand, but it also feels much more orderly that way. and i have also managed to combine all movies of each movie series into one set each, even if the set didn't contain a sequel that was released later. this was actually a lot of fun. for example, i made my own complete X-MEN collection, by buying two of the cool german X-MEN sets on ebay that are in a big plastic X box set, sticking them together back-to-back with double-sided tape, and putting ALL the X-MEN movies into them. it's a set that definitely no one else in the world has :D strictly limited to 1 piece :D similarly, i have created complete sets of all the DCEU movies (with just enough room for the remaining 4 that are coming out this year), all the TRANSFORMERS movies, all the PIRATES movies, all the ALIEN movies, PREDATOR movies, TERMINATOR movies, MATRIX movies, MINIONS movies, and many more. now all my standalone movies (with no sequels, or no good sequels) are on one shelf, in alphabetical order. and all my movie series are on two other shelves, one for the normal box sets and one for the awesome special sets in the shape of heads, busts, cars, trains, buckets, buildings, wheels, books, ghost traps, briefcases, orbs, treasure chests, toy chests, and so on. and finally, there's a small section of the wall with magnet strips for the 17 or so steelbooks i own. now i'm done. i don't have any desire to buy any more older movies, and i'll simply add the few new movies that come out that i like enough to buy them. kinda feel like Thanos at the end of INFINITY WAR :D

[@alexphilip16]

I used to like that, the most important for me was to collect, regardless how good the movies were. I had tons of dvds and then blu rays. Now I only buy the stuff in 4K, only titles that I like and the transference is worth buying it! Much smaller collection thou…lol

[@larrykramer2761]

My 5 biggest mistakes: 1. Getting caught up in FOMO and buying stuff just because it's "limited edition" or about to sell out. 2. Not budgeting. Buying stuff day after day and then getting a huge credit card bill the following month. 3. Preordering everything and paying full day one prices. 4. Buying movies WAY faster than I can possibly watch them thinking I'll get to them "some day." 5. Buying movies based only on the slipcover, packaging, artwork, etc. without knowing anything about the film or if I'll even like it.

[@steveny5384]

Always enjoy your content.

[@JeffRauseo]

I appreciate that!

[@burnedoils]

this is an excellent guide on what are the key points to be much more balanced and efficiant with the money one has

[@Gondarth]

Speaking as someone who has run a review series for the past 6 years, where I mess up the most is when I buy wrong versions of the movie or whatever I'm looking for. This mostly applies to VHS, I try to get the same releases I had when I was younger, and a few times, I bought an earlier version or something incorrect, and it sucks. One thing I'm trying to avoid these days is buying region-locked Blu-Rays. I did that for my wife once, I think it was a BR set for Critters, and it was the wrong region, and it wouldn't play in any of our Blu-Ray players... On that note, there's a few collection sets of classic horror movies from Universal. More obscure movies like The Mad Ghoul, Man-Made Monster, Jungle Woman, what have you. I'd love to have them all in my collection, I do so like B&W Universal, but every listing I see has them as "Region A", which is America only, so that's no good for me. I'd buy one to test and see if they're actually region-free, but each set costs $50 minimum, before shipping and import charges, so I don't feel comfortable taking that chance.

[@DanKeatis]

In the early days of blu ray, I used to get into the habit of buying films in the best possible format solely because they had good word of mouth. This got expensive and wasteful very quickly. Three questions I always ask myself are: "Am I ever going to be in the mood / have the opportunity to actually sit down and watch this?" "Am I likely to watch it more than once in the next 5 years?" "Will buying the disc benefit me more than watching a stream or buying a digital copy?".

[@slate49]

All excellent points! Starting about 4 years ago, I eased into collecting; I actually realized the steps you’re bringing up are what I did to help me out. Great wisdom shared here. Following the community has made my journey of collecting smoother and has helped me save money! The reviews, the sales, understanding the boutique labels-I learned all on KZbin! It’s truly something that needs to be studied and understood to have a solid collection that fits the personally of the owner. An extension of who the individual is.

[@kylelavery88]

I personally only buy movies that I like enough to rewatch but I buy the highest quality available. I don’t worry about special editions or limited releases. I currently have a collection of about 550 movies, which isn’t a lot but it’s a solid collection of movies I love.

[@rafaelgurgel7065]

Good video as always! Excellent tips! 👏🎬💿

[@JillDinardo-mb6ii]

I agree,isnt that the point of collecting? We all make mistakes,but that's the fun of learning.Part of the journey!

[@bronxboroughpresident3608]

What about buying the same movie twice by accident 🤦🏿‍♂️🤣

[@ericrawlins8444]

Great video, thanks for making this one. I think especially overlooked is the community aspect, especially if you don't have a friend or two who are as excited about collecting as you are (and even then, it's not often a shared experience; I have a friend who is an even bigger horror movie buff than I am, but he buys EVERY new release, even if he already has a decent-enough version of the movie. Kind of off-putting.). My personal rule is, if there's a new release of a movie that I already own and I haven't watched it in five years, I'm not buying the new release (UNLESS the reason I haven't watched my existing copy is that it's a crappy version, in which case, I come to places like Films at Home to see if the new release might give the movie a new lease on life in my BluRay player).

[@turnda6432]

Great video Jeff. Hopefully it helps many people when starting out into collecting. After jumping into MLB cards > Hot Wheels > Disney memorabilia (🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️) I learned my lesson before I stepped into the HD movie scene. The first dilemma I encountered was which format I was going to partake in. Remember that? The High Definition format war?! Lol! Red vs Blu?! Lol! Yea, I researched for months and months between the two before I settled on the Blu-ray format. Unfortunately for my uncle, he chose HD-DVD (Tm. Red.) Then came which player to buy. PS3 or a standalone BD player. I chose PS3. Now something like a decade later I have a standalone player, Atmos 5.1 soundbar system, 70" TV and about 2,500 physical BD's & 4K disc combined. I have all movies I want in my collection but still possess such a diverse collection that I have something for everyone to enjoy movie night when they visit. In conclusion, been watching you for a few years and your vids are great and absolutely informative. So keep it up kind Sir, this community appreciates you. And your wife for letting you spend time with us. Lol!

[@Jyroxcarib]

I am happy you have done this video, I have myself mostly focus first on my favorite movies then extended on my favorite directors while still filtering the movies then by favorite actors will invest in collector /steelbook edition only for my Top movies which I can watch non stop not more than 20 atm My collection really isn't about number but about the quality of what I am watching and how it aligne with me it does extent with time with new interest as well, also made me realised what I actually like

[@RonD84]

Great video I think this is a good idea to make new and old collectors think about what there buying, I still keep seeing so many channels now especially here in the UK doing blu Ray hunting every week and buying everything and anything that released even if they own it already and just because it's a different steelbook, I look at it as just plain hording and is a serious condition that can get worse and you'll end up with far to much that doesn't mean anything to you whatsoever

[@dalecomixcollectibles137]

Lots of good info. Thx

[@screamingeekmedia]

I have been lucky not to make those mistakes in my collecting since VHS days. I think my biggest mistake has been in the past year or so when I went nuts buying movies from Dollar Tree. Sure, I was getting them for $1, but many times the movies ended up being crap. instead of paying $20 for 20 movies that are bad, I would rather spend that $20 for one good movie. I have become more selective with my buying. Another mistake would be getting into 4K and upgrading anything from Blu-Ray and realizing that some 4Ks are not much of an improvement over BD. Example: Disney Pixar. 4Ks are a waste of money as I feel the BDs are good enough.

[@thezachmarsh]

3:40 not the "Hide the Pain Harold" meme 😭😂

[@richardbutton1179]

#6 When you sell something, make sure it's something you know you can live without. Yeah Ive made that mistake a few times.

[@markselvisforeveryonechann1153]

I’ve fallen into the trap in the past of buying just to buy and you’re right- it’s not healthy. Thanks for this video!

[@nordy259]

I blind buy regularly but I at least wait for sales or buy used and I'll look up the Rotten Tomatoes audience score first. I've got around 300 4k's at this point but I've only paid full price for maybe 10. If I end up not liking a movie I'm not out much if I paid less than $5 at a pawn shop and I'll trade it in on my next trip anyway.

[@namtak316]

Yup made those 5 mistakes myself😅.quite comon id say,im collecting comics, action figures,vidéo games and movies.its quite universal mistakes. Im discovering your Chanel since last week,awesome content.will watch more for sure!

[@chargingbadger_]

I have the exact opposite of the ‘buys everything’ mistake. Even if I want to buy a movie, I often don’t because I convince myself I need the OOP steel book or criterion or collector’s edition, which I end up also not buying because they are too expensive.

[@naturallawman2965]

I kind of fell into that myself. I've went through times when the money wasn't there. There was a set I really wanted, like "bucket list" territory, and I passed because it was way too expensive. It went OOP quickly, became heavily bootlegged, and now is really rare to find, in it's original authentic form. And even if it is available it's even more money than the original price. Sometimes you gotta know when to pull the trigger on what's in front of you. But also don't be afraid to lose out on what was never meant to be.

[@charlienutt1175]

The fun part of collecting for me is finding a title you love at a good price. Sure you could just walk into a store and purchase a 4K at RRP, but the hunt for finding it sometimes up to 50% cheaper makes it so much sweeter imo

[@austerity101]

Props for the shot from The Watermelon Woman! Very underappreciated film.

[@vegangoth6761]

Great film

[@josearevalo6573]

Don’t slow down on the reviews bro they’re hella helpful

[@thebest12700]

lmao!!! that mickey mantle card with the glasses drawn on had me dying

[@ps3inquisition441]

I’ve been collecting video games for decades, so getting into 4K collecting has been great. It’s so much more affordable. I’m just buying movies I like, or classics that I really want to have.

[@giles852002]

The part where you said “Not knowing the format etc” reminded me of my time at HMV in the UK. People would buy vinyl to start a collection but would purchase terrible cheap record players. I always recommended the £199 Audio Tecnica as a starter turntable but they would buy a Crosley Cruiser & wonder why the music sounds awful.

[@mikefisher2673]

When started getting DVDS I started with Zombie 2 and the Fright Pack zombie pack. I started building zombie film collection in about 2008, but after around 200 films I gave because there were too many films. My first blu-ray was The Wild Bunch, one of my favorite films and Omega Man. Most of my films I've picked up used or on sales. Now I'm been picking up 4k and finding films in Europe that are not released here. Also, when a film goes out print I will not pay outrageous prices for it i will just be happy with my DVD of it.

[@jasonmadwell9426]

My biggest mistake was when I was setting up my home theater, I did no research and bought a very cheap projector on Amazon because it was such a “great deal”. It stopped working after 2 months. The other big mistake I made was in thinking I could easily reorganize my collection. When your collection gets to a certain size, you just have to run with the organizational system you got or be prepared to spend a lot of time just moving stuff around (especially if your system is already overly complicated”

[@DerekSmith-vh5mo]

I first started collecting about 5 years ago. I used to buy all formats and now that my collection has evolved I strictly stick to blu ray and 4k. My DVDs are all in boxes now. I was in that same boat of just buying everything and not understanding the formats

[@jimpowers2257]

It is very important to set a budget. It can get away from you fast. I just buy what I want every Tuesday and stick to a budget. Works for me…but I have definitely been down that road where I want to own too much and blow my budget.

[@Forestwidow]

I started my collection after watching stuff from you awhile back, I have an Xbox series x to start watching 4k and Blu rays but it's a start and hopefully I can upgrade my 4k tv and buy a real 4k player in the future! And a surround sound system to go with it haha but thank you so much! I have a collection that is nearing 40 movies and tv shows! Started my collection with movies and shows that I truly love and that maybe one day I can pass on to my loved ones 🤙

[@dontam6781]

Thank you for sharing your real movie lover psychology, this is the Truth!

[@TucBroder]

I collect video games, and in my early days of collecting, I definitely bought everything. These days, I only buy the games I want to own and play. From my PS5 to my retro consoles.

[@lordteabelly]

Another great video with more top advice. My main issues with collecting movies has been blind buying and having no set budget just for movies. After watching one of your other videos about scaling down the collection recently, I started going through my movie cabinets with all my films in and started pulling out a few that after looking and really thinking about them decided that I didn't need to have them in my collection and if I wanted to watch them I could just stream them in future, most of the films I didn't really have any attachment to so that was a good feeling! I've also made the decision to only upgrade to 4ks if its a favourite film that i have an attachment to, a cult classic I love, it has rewatchability and its a good transfer/package and regarding budget, I really want to set myself a budget per month of say £100max so I can get those boxsets I want, like the new warriors 4k set from arrow. 1 question 2....more advice, I have always kept a catalogue of my blu rays in an excel spreadsheet, would you keep your dvd movies seperate or just list them all together?

[@Babreanki]

Hey, great video. Do you use an app to track your collection?

[@JohnDoe-bz4yl]

Mistake # 5 I am a member of a few forums and there are sections that people tell others of local Blu Ray bargains which is handy to save some cash

[@Deepthoughtsabound]

I collected a bunch of stuff for my kids. I'm always afraid that streaming can cut kid's movies. I do have some 4k, but its the stuff my 9-year-old loves to watch. He loves Megamind. You have to rent it now. I learned from my mistakes too. I was a comic and card collector. My son is into cards, and I work wuth him to understand how collections work. If you like Jason RobertsonI I appreciate your complete honesty. What a great video. I will be showing this to him too.

[@MovieCentral867]

Great advice. When I go and add movies to my collection I have rules that I put in place 1. I leave the debit card at home 2. I take the set amount I budget for that month it’s usually $25 3. I can only spend the $25 4. I never buy new movies 5. I challenge myself to buy movies that I am interested in and walk out with money left over. Any money I have left I put it into a jar and save it. When I need to replace my tv or blu-ray/DVD player I will have the money already set aside.

[@johnm.withersiv4352]

I collect narratives. I collect interactive fiction, movies, comics, and a little bit of toys. I do try to keep my buying focused on what I enjoy. I've taken some gambles on cheap movies and books, but haven't let it impact my budget. I think my overwhelming collection is fairly curated.

[@veganbadass]

Great TIPs. I was the same way 30 years ago when I started my Laserdisc collection {mostly horror} that is now sold off. I waited 10 years before making the switch to Blu Ray from DVD. Now I only buy 4K, no more Blu Ray as 4K is the final word on 5" disc. I am glad I waited so long to buy Blu Ray {released 2009 mostly single layered discs} as transfers got better and many films were released multiple times. We are at a point now where most 4Ks are fantastic looking. Funny how you did not know the difference between DVD and Blu Ray, all good though because now you have the knowledge. I still run into people that think an MP3 is the same quality as audio CD. Also the tech in 4K players are much better than old Blu Ray players, they were slow to load and were build like tanks. Right now is a great time to get into 4K film collecting as they look and sound awesome and are limited compared to the DVD era when a film was pressed in millions of copies.

[@veronichat]

I call my media a library, as in media that is actually in circulation, being taken off the shelves and used. This label helps me narrow down what I actually add to my library, at least, in theory. It's still hard to deal with FOMO and all the other issues of deciding what media to get and how to get it.

[@johnp4424]

Great video. Thank you for sharing.

[@csscott9803]

8:10 love the clip of the old lady throwing money into the fireplace.

[@JohnDoe-bz4yl]

She is a doing a Disney at the moment

[@RandallStevenson]

I already had a substantial collection growing since the late 90s, the way I add to it now is movies and TV Series that I remember fondly on Amazon or eBay (depending on price) and the shotgun approach at places like Family Dollar or a thrift store where the movies are like $2 around twice a month. At over 700 movies and over 3000 episodes, am I ever gonna watch ever single one of them? Of course not. But the wealth of choice is there, and there's no telling what I'll feel like watching any given day.

[@ryanb2607]

So true concerning the first point. I see all of these collections shown on here and they almost all seem to be filled with stuff the person has never seen or maybe even doesn't care for, etc, it's just about 'having it in the collection' - that's just stupid to me. I own 800 blu rays/4ks and I like every single one - that's why I have them.