Physical Media Anxiety And The Things I Deal With As A Collector And Content Creator.

[@Lv426-h2m]

You’re not suppose to buy everything ever released, you only buy what you’re into. Thats a mistake the majority of “collectors” do

[@RobertQuant]

Yeah that’s why I’ll only buying things I want

[@garyturley2435]

Well said

[@olllena148k]

consumerism is an addiction and fills the hollowness we have in our modern lives for about 5 mins. the purchase becomes the high rather than the product itself. it’s still a lot better than drink, drugs or gambling. my heart goes out to him as probably most of us have this in one form or another. despite our technology and comforts most of us feel something missing deep down

[@RavenShinyThings]

Don't be afraid to trade up films as well

[@Lv426-h2m]

@@olllena148k can’t say i relate, after years of collecting, its still about the product than getting high off buying.

[@phillyharden913]

Ken, as a (smaller) personal collector, I appreciate videos like this a lot. I don’t know a lot of people that are also into this hobby, so having somebody that discusses topics like this is so valuable. Your channel is a real treasure to people in this community

[@DONWASABIJUAN]

This space doesn’t really feel like it’s about a shared love of films anymore. It seems to have switched to “must buy products for pretty box”. Buy physical media for films you love not just because it’s the cool new box set that will sit on your shelf and never be watched. I feel that breaks from buying physical media is a good thing for your financial and mental health. I appreciate the films I already own much more and have less of a backlog. People also need to stop demonizing streaming and use it as a helpful tool in assisting with your purchase making decisions. Physical media is also not worth going into to debt over.

[@InimicusSolitus]

I agree. I collect movies I actually like and want to own. I have upgraded many movies to 4K, but many of them I am happy to keep the DVD or regular bluray, simply because those editions are good enough for me. I too use streaming to check out some movies, to see if I like them. I rarely ever blind buy a movie. I do like to collect some "premium" editions of my favorite films. Those are the ones I will re-watch many times, including the special features. I like to display some of them for the art work. I am a movie and memorabilia collector, more than a physical media collector.

[@Mediagalore]

I really do think now and moving forward the big boxset are what collecting is going to turn into since a lot of Studios are marketing more towards a niche collector since you can usually watch it in streaming somewhere. It's not just here's the movie anymore. It's what special features, extra, and collectible packaging they can sell us.

[@SeekingGodsWill]

I have never bought a boxed movie package... The only one that came close was I bought the Extended edition LOTR with the soldiers on the River holding out their arms... That was worth it. That was it... One time as a teenager I bought a collectors edition movie box set... It was only Fellowship of the Ring in the Green Box. Red was 2 Towers And Blue was Return of the kind. The next 2 films didn't come with collectible toys... Those Special Features are Legendary... Best ever special features

[@UnconformedMediaYT]

I just commented on the difference that I have started seeing in "collectors" vs. people who have spent years, or even decades, building a library of movies that they love. Movies and TV are a type of anti-anxiety therapy for me. That escapism and nostalgia means so much more to me than collecting for the sake of saying that I have it.

[@gudmundursturluson7683]

I agree with you, it's more ab consumerism now. Even the term physical media irks me to no end, because it's a sterile corporate jargon. Books, records, movies feels way more personal. I'm not a serious collector, I only buy my fave niche movies I really like and want to own and since it quality over quantity, my curated collection is small but nothing but bangers.

[@Kamehaiku]

Here's my attack on Ken. You do what makes you feel comfortable. We are here, no matter what! We appreciate your hard work and keeping us peasants informed. 😂

[@Mediagalore]

Man that was harsh! Lol Ken is a great guy, I've talked to him here and there through different social media sites and DM's and fully support him. Just a guy that loves movies lol

[@screamingeekmedia]

That's a big downside to having a channel monetized. You feel obligated to do it and it becomes a job and takes the fun out of the hobby.

[@CerioHome-x8t]

One word for you Ken - Curation. I have been curating down my collection for a year or so now and it has definitely helped with everything you talked about.

[@bacarandii]

Remember how important your developing taste in music and movies were when you were a child and into adolescence and early adulthood? That's where the "curation" comes in: What collection best reflects what you find most valuable in movies?

[@letstalkcriterion]

I started my channel in 2020 and it has slowly grown, I don’t want to share my feelings on KZbin, I’m happy with how it is semi professional in its feel. I do admire you for your frankness, you work very hard and you have a family too so there are invariably pressures there too. Keep up the good work, you are one of the best channels out there.

[@steelbookobsessed]

I really haven’t opened up like this on my channel but watching a few people make videos like this in the past couple of weeks I’m feeling the itch to just press record and spill some feelings. But I agree a lot of stress is involved that I try not to divulge to others.

[@hiphophappeningkenny2371]

Fair play Ken, tough topic to tackle! For me, the number one and basically only major issue I have is space!! Most movies I either don't like or feel I won't watch again, I sell locally or on ebay. It's s a bit if a pain in the hole but at least it's serves a purpose. Most of the problem comes from exploring genre cinema I hadn't experienced before and realising I liked it a lot and wanted to find more of the same. Issues start to arise when you realise not all reviewers have the same specific tastes and you get titles that are fine but not essential! Hence, watching channels like yours and a few others, you guys have tastes I'd trust, and are relatively similar to mine^^ It can still be hit or miss, though. I mean even with a few purges here and there, it can be easy to get swamped with all the new great and funky stuff being constantly released. It's just a cascading never-ending flow of new releases, 4k re issues, remasters, never before releases, boutique collectors editions etc etc. Anyway, don't sweat it too much, your channel is fun and you seem like a good guy and you're doing right by your family. You know you're gonna be just fine, you're just a little overwhelmed, it happens sometimes. But maybe just stick to buying your absolute favorites that you know you'll re watch(I do that with my steelbooks and collectors editions) and then subscribe to like, shudder or the like for stuff you haven't watched yet! I've found my watch pile has decreased a good bit and I feel like I'm dealing with less shite^^

[@michaelpitts7584]

I have over 5000 films in my collection. I don’t have more than 1 copy of any movie and I only upgrade if I feel the title is special to me. I don’t need every movie upgraded to 4k. I only shop during sales and don’t care about all this extra stuff that honestly are not important. It is a hobby for me and my fiancée supports it. I just don’t go crazy. I’m currently starting to write about film. I’m not sure if this will evolve into a web site or start a KZbin channel. But I’m enjoying collecting because I’ve found what works for me. Once you figure that out the anxiety won’t be as much. I love your channel. It’s informative and fun but find what makes you happy and run with it. Your followers will still be there.

[@TheGannon22]

Keep on kicking ass man. I work outside and drive a lot during the week so I listen to your content all the time. Also you, Sue, and Tony are the reason I started my own channel (Billy's Blu's) to talk about collecting. You are appreciated.

[@JaketheSnakePlissken]

Take the pressure off yourself Ken. Just record your movie/physical media journey as it comes, follow your interests and share with us! Don’t let it become a job, keep it fun man. There are enough stresses in life as it is.

[@FreeJohnDoe2006]

First of all congratulations on the new job, Thank you for your content, In my personal opinion I'd do videos on stuff that I personally love and care about first unless it's a new release for example movies that we're previously only released to vhs but now have a 2k-4k new scan etc, Just do what you like to do and the crowd will follow, Do what you can when you can/If you can, Your family and job/s come first.

[@FreeJohnDoe2006]

I would also suggest that if you want to do a review of all the different releases of certain movies but you also need to get rid of like for example vhs and bluray of it and keep the 4k only, to do the review video then get rid of what you don't need this way you don't regret not doing a review you wanted to do and won't be stressed out about not doing it because you needed more space, Keep in mind I'm not telling you what to do I wouldn't do that, I just hope my suggestions can help your Anxiety

[@Hank_Kingsley81]

Kenny, I live in Japan 🇯🇵 and I watch your videos everyday. Your videos on physical media means a lot bc it reminds me of being stateside 🇺🇸 do what makes you happy Kenny 🫡

[@RobertQuant]

Japan is still number 1 for physical media 😅

[@brucericketts3943]

You are human and do you! I started watching you during Covid lockdown and I still look forward to Tuesdays but since a split with my wife and the economy and can’t buy like I use to. I make pretty good money and I can’t fathom all the money you spend. I would hope KZbin covers the cost. You are doing a great job and I love hearing about deals and reviews on movies from the past. So many movies that are new on 4K are just not up to par for me to spend my money. You do a great job!😎

[@davidjames2431]

Ken, your level of knowledge regarding collecting is similar to my own. That is why I tune in. I enjoy your channel a lot.

[@itsneight1260]

Your thoughts and feelings are appreciated Ken! So glad you feel comfortable enough to be REAL. That's why true fans of your channel love it and stick around

[@444chroma]

Thanksgiving is already upon us. this year is flying by! have a good one Kenneth

[@mataiguana5]

Yes, it happened to me this upcoming Tuesday. I began to preorder and today I realized that I went for more than ten titles, I did cancel most of them because I am a professional, an adult that loves movies and well aware of my priorities in life. So I cancelled most of them because in the long run you'll get it or forget that you bought them. We buy by impulse, not by rational thinking. Respect yourself, respect your family, respect your hard earned money. I do respect your channel and yourself but above that I respect myself. Love u very much my friend.

[@robertprocon]

I totally get where you’re coming from Ken! I just try to focus on the releases that I’m really passionate about and the ones that make me want to preorder right away. I understand that being on youtube makes it more complicated though

[@Franksmediaandreviews]

Just wanted to say, I appreciate you making the video. I think making these genuine videos you're always going to face some type of backlash, but as a PM KZbinr obviously I can relate to a lot of what you're sharing. For the most part, I've bought the movies that I wanted in my collection, and I really haven't felt the obligation to buy a movie for the sake of my channel. It also doesn't help that like you, I like a ton of genres, so I'm always buying something. Especially since I started recollecting late.

[@midlevelmedia]

@@Franksmediaandreviews Thanks Frank!

[@Dark.RoomReviews]

Dude, thanks for sharing. Anxiety has been a huge topic these past few years.

[@billyo160]

Love this video and I can 100% relate! Thank you for voicing how so many of us physical Media collectors feel

[@prentissweston5998]

Hey Ken 👋 You're a movie collector just like me and everyone else who collects movies, anxiety is something we all go through but we go through it and continue on buying movies but U have a KZbin channel so that's kinda different from people who don't have a video channel like me. My advice to U....just continue being U 👌

[@Pocketkid2]

I'm glad I am not a content creator. I can focus on buying only the movies that matter most to me, and it brings me such peace to know that I don't have to pay for a subscription to a streaming service, and I don't have to worry about a movie I care about leaving a streaming service My advice to you would be to try not to worry so much about what other people want to see, and focus more on what you want to do as a content creator. The views and the loyalty will follow as you chase your passions.

[@davek3373]

I think physical media anxiety is very real for serious collectors as well. Like you back in the day I bought DVD's and got rid of them as I upgraded to better formats. And with 4K's I now feel more like a serious collector in the last couple years. Even though I don't have the extra stress of having a great KZbin channel like you, I've started to feel the anxiety of collecting with various movie genres that I like, and the last week I've been thinking I can't continue at the same pace and have to cut back next year. So much has changed recently with how movies hit the market that it does make it hard for all of us to buy everything that we want to add to our collection. It's getting so expensive and pretty much impossible to but it all

[@jeffcunningham0389]

How about u stop buying everything. Quality over quantity. With the amount of money you spent on films youll probably never watch again, you could’ve got a bigger tv and actual surround system

[@theskinner3040]

He’s mentally ill

[@jamesphillips4599]

@@theskinner3040That’s a shitty thing to say. No he’s not, and if you’d watched his video you’d see that he’s completely rational. KEN: Bro, regarding space, it’s okay to SELL stuff. IDK if you’re agreements with the studios who send you free discs preclude you from selling them. But you can sell your old stuff. Unless it’s your favorite film in a genre or something…WHY keep the damn DVD or VHS of it? The idea that you’re gonna make a video about all of these editions probably isn’t t gonna happen.

[@theskinner3040]

@ disliking a movie but then buying 5 versions of it because it has different covers is mental illness in its purest form …. I don’t mean it as a slur

[@jamesphillips4599]

@@theskinner3040 I mean I mostly only own a single edition of each movie in my collection for the most part. I have extra 2 disc 4K clamshell cases in reserve in case I want to save the blu-ray because it has some awesome special feature that I don't want to lose. But generally, I don't care about the "lost" special features and just want the movie in the best quality possible. That's how I collect, and it works for me. But I'm not gonna gatekeep and tell Ken or anybody else how to collect. He was clear that this channel basically covers his physical media purchases and he breaks even. It's not like his kids are going without meals or clothing or birthday presents so he can buy two editions of Twister. Is that how I collect? Nope. But you calling him "mentally ill" is chicken-shit and uncalled for.

[@SeekingGodsWill]

​@@jamesphillips4599to kens point. I do have like 30 VHS and 30 DVDs that I just don't want to sell... I offered the DVDs to homeless people who if asked if they like movies say yes but I still have about 10 in my trunk. I figure they can barter or watch them on portable DVD players or when couch surfing. The VHS are hard to kill. I don't think I will ever sell those plush Disney VHS cases. Maybe someone will buy them from me one day for like 200 dollars.... I won't give them away though... I Still don't have the Armageddon and the Rock 4k and I gave away my Criterion DVDS of both. I got RoboCop though thank you Arrow. In my line of work I have seen Hoarders... That wall of movies I guess is teetering on the line of Hording behavior... As long as it is alphabetized or placed into genres it's ok. If you just put the disks on shelves with no organization. We can't be friends.

[@bornblu-ray]

I do really agree Ken! When you get more conservative of your viewers and how many people actually watch your videos stuff can really shake your core! That’s why I changed my name

[@SuperDevilDoctor]

FYI, y’all… Trump’s proposed tariff on Mexico will raise the cost of all new physical (video) media in the USA by 25%. (All our physical media discs are made in Mexico… ALL of them.)

[@scaps2200]

No true. Just making things up to prove a point.

[@robertjosephson5764]

Thank you for your time and you truly entertain and inform. Keep up the great work. Thank You!

[@iloveblue7920]

If you need a rest Ken, take it Maybe do not second guess your fans, ever thought of asking us what we want you to cover. Ken if you have stuff you have not seen why are they there, sell them!!! Like i do not understand how come some Collectors divide some of their collections into Directors, this i cannot get my head around, i mean do some ppl absolutley love every film hes made, so some films will be bought of a director that are just OK, these films take up space , pure and simple .

[@b-icemedia]

Donate/sell all of the VHS tapes, DVDs, and blu-rays that you’ve upgraded to 4K or blu-ray. The likelihood of you ever watching them again is slim considering your love for 4K like myself. I have anxiety about creating videos myself, but I remind myself that there are no deadlines except for what you create for yourself! Lastly, I’d say only buy what you truly want and stop buying chunky box sets to save room. You could take the money that you save and put it toward a home theater setup to properly review titles and also create a more immersive experience! You’ll find that you’ve been missing out once and if you do! We’ll be here for you though no matter what you choose. Just remember to take care of you and your family first!

[@AndrewDyson-u2u]

"We’ll be here for you though no matter what you choose. Just remember to take care of you and your family first!" This; 100% priority. We'll all still be here if you need to take a hiatus to sort things out.

[@modernpeasants7]

I am less picky than I used to be when buying films. I used to ONLY buy when I really loved a film and planned on rewatching it over and over. Now I find myself also buying films I find good or okay. This has led to my collection going from 30-40 films to almost 300 in the last 5 years. 300 is still not a lot compared to what people like you have. So in a sense I am still picky, but only relative to those with walls filled with films. Friends and family think my 300 films are insane haha.

[@InimicusSolitus]

Hehe, I have about 800 movies and people do not understand why you would want so many movies! Back in the 90's I had over 700 VHS, and I gave them all away when I moved. I started over and I have a mix of DVD, bluray, and now 4Ks.

[@trueCinemaniac]

Ken, love when you get real like this. I've got thousands of movies and tv shows across all physical media (4K, bluray, dvd, laserdisc, and some VHS) and space is definitely an issue. I focus now on acquiring only movies I really like to love. I avoid big/chunky box sets as they take up too much space and I don't care for postcards, chachkies and the inflated cost. I have steelbooks for many of my favs, but my thing now has been to get slipcovers for all the standard 4Ks I really love (maybe 150) and getting custom slips made for the ones I don't have. I use Malkos protectors for the slipcovered 4Ks and steelbooks which make them look clean and streamlined on the shelf, esp without big boutique boxsets to mess things up. Blurays I haven't figured out yet, but for DVDs I've done a variation of the Tarifold sleeve solution - my hack allows me to flip through spines like cds and is backed by thin cardboard, and discs are protected in ultra thin plastic disc cases. It probably reduces the footprint by about 75-80% as opposed to the 90-95% of Tarifold but is more protective. I almost never pull out DVDs to watch anyway, but I have a hard time letting things go. Good luck brother, keep up the great work on the channel and happy holidays.

[@bizmofunyuns6463]

I've spent well over 30k on movies over the last 25 years. It's my hobby I don't do anything else. I have a theater/hifi setup and I sink money into that here and there and that's it. It's my oasis. It's the way I unplug from everything. Not gonna feel bad about it either.

[@tomboling2309]

@@bizmofunyuns6463 that is cool that you have a theater set up. Bc I use to have a theater set up & it was so much fun & cool & watching movies on my theater setup. Was so amazing bc the sound was like watching a movie in theaters

[@Mediagalore]

100% agree with this. I love turning off all the lights and cranking the volume up to movies. Hearing that boom of the subwoofer and just having that time where it's just a movie and I'm not stressing about real world stuff.

[@davidrembert2682]

Thank you!

[@richardansley]

Well said. It’s a much loved hobby for me. Other people cannot or may not understand. I don’t care 👍✊️😊

[@tomboling2309]

@@bizmofunyuns6463 well I have a question for you. How do you keep track of your collection ? Like how do you know if you already have a movie in collection or not ?

[@jimwoodswrites]

Ken, thanks for your honesty. You can always scale back. Unless you want to become a full-time content creator, I don't see why you can't just do it YOUR way.

[@DonOmegaMedia]

We're in kind of a golden era for physical media, but prices have gone up and it feels like more stuff is coming out than ever. There's certainly too much coming out, and I think many of us at least kind of worry that if we don't get it now, then another edition isn't coming out for a lot of stuff, particularly the smaller titles from boutiques, especially if they never had a disc before. Good times, but also uncertain times.

[@veronicareitherreese6671]

I have bought less physical media recently because I realized I'm not watching all these discs. Lack of space and cost helps to keep me on the straight and narrow.

[@DrumdumsXtra]

As a content creator and film reviewer, I can relate to so much of this. Great video man.

[@jonathanrivera8585]

What gives me anxiety as a physical media and movie aficionado is geting my favorite series with scratches and in some cases with nicks multiple times and having to keep contacting publishers. Another one is Amazon vonstantly sendind movie sets destroyed or with brokem boxes. It really is afecting my enjoyme in the hobby.

[@dallasmann7904]

Ya the quality of the cases seem to be getting worse, all wrinkled plastic, warped paper even. Looking at you Furiosa Blu Ray

[@BennyBrilleman]

I've been collecting for 30 years, and I suffer from none of the issues you complained about. I am backlogged with movies I've bought and haven't gotten to (especially with streaming options taking up possible time), but I feel like I'm lying back in my cot in the tropics, sipping mojitos, with two bikini-clad hotties fanning me with elephant leaves while I decide what I'll watch next....I'm a 4K collecting assassin who's completely unbothered while basking in perfected celluloid. What a hobby!

[@midlevelmedia]

@@BennyBrilleman Happy to hear it!

[@manuelcaceresjr.712]

Hey Ken… man, I cannot agree with you more… I love physical media and also collect.. and the anxiety is real.. Sue from Movies with Sue said it best, when it comes to spending.. I too have put myself in some credit card debt that I am working to pay off, and it not fun.. Sooo many good releases and also kool packaging, that it drives me insane cause I want them all. But I sure the anxiety with you, and I’m rolling with ya til the wheels fall off. I follow You and some other content creators from this Physical media community because of your content, take on the movie (transfer, audio, video and special features) and for y’all’s honest reviews.. Thank you brother for those, because without you guys, I would’ve never gotten sooo many kool sets. Much love from NYC brother.. keep up the awesome work, because it’s very very much appreciated here.

[@NickTangeman-ge4us]

I also stick to buying Blu-Rays as I don't buy many 4Ks as I'm waiting on a number of titles to get Blu-Rays for the first time ever. I also don't have a 4K player as they're quite pricy, and am probably just going to get a region free Blu-Ray player instead.

[@NickTangeman-ge4us]

Honestly, I just stick to genres I enjoy, or films from different countries I'm a huge fan of anime, and Asian cinema, but also am trying to get more into French films, and more Italian films. I also love British cinema not so much the modern British titles, but older British films. I also stick to directors I enjoy a lot and films I have a lot of nostalgia for. I'm going to be getting more into John Frankenheimer films as his films are still pretty new to me. However, I have been cancelling a lot of titles lately, and avoiding more, and more sales as sales are just too dangerous for me as I spend way too much. So I'm not going to be buying anything during Vinegar Syndromes Black Friday sale. I also love checking much much weirder films too especially trippy animated films from other countries they're quite fascinating. So what I've been doing is cutting back a lot lately on buying titles.

[@ClarksMovieArrangements]

Take a breath Ken. There is no rush to get things reviewed or to talk about things. Take your time. Your audience isn’t going anywhere. Keep your head up. Do what you have time for.

[@McH0rror]

My suggestion would be try to take a break from buying, review a bunch of movies you haven't yet in your collection while you re-organize and go through your collection, sell off your extras or store them in those long underbed plastic totes, quit focusing on the slips and only buy during sales to save money. Most of the stuff that comes out will be available for years so if you can quit caring about the slips it will save you a lot of anxiety and money and give you time to see if a 4K comes out as well.

[@guittarman7]

This video made me subscribe. I usually don't to any channels anymore, the algorithm shows me what I want without subbing, but you earned it. I watch your videos multiple times a week, and I always appreciate your insight and passion. I know I'm probably in the minority here, but I'd really love to, well only see what you want to be making. I have dabbled in content creation before, and it was so so hard on the weeks where I wasn't feeling passionate about it. I also definitely have physical media anxiety about how much there is to watch, and space. Potentially, you could clear one wall and put a few of the rotating media shelves there? They hold a lot in less space! Just a thought. There is someone in the comments talking about what you're "supposed to do" and "mistakes" that collectors make. Speaking in language as if they're speaking facts, but it's all their opinion. You can buy whatever you want for whatever reason you want, and as long as you're happy, it's not a mistake. And, if you're not, you can go forward and try to adjust, that's all we as humans can do. Cheers and have a great day! It meant the world to me when you commented on my collection video by the way.

[@tgrujic1965]

that is exactly what I do! :). I combine my blu-rays and 4k's into one case...yes, you have to order 2 movie cases, but it saves A LOT of room.

[@theignorantintellectual]

I used to have this kind of anxiety when I was buying things more new than used. Once I stopped that and also began to sell as well as buy, my anxiety went away because the selling was covering the cost of buying.

[@movie_av_impulse]

23:30 Man I hear ya Ken... Welcome to part of my life. Being a trucker dealing with idiots on the road, still being a great husband a great father and still finding time to pump out 2 videos a week.. And I feel you on the anxiety because I never wanted to trap my channel into one thing. So I do various different things on movies and music reviews, movies. I would love to see with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, I never wanted to pigeonhole the work that I want to do on my channel.. And now that I'm finally monetized and my audience has grown, it becomes more of a. What am I going to do to satisfy everyone? I think you're still doing a great job with the reviews, but maybe consider taking a short break a short breather. It does help just keep focused on what's really important the audience will always be there.. 27:04

[@screamingeekmedia]

When it comes to space, you might think about those spinner racks. Sure, they don't look as nice as a solid wall. But they are great space savers.

[@slave_to_cinema]

I am driven basically by space and budget. But i know that i cant get everything so i stick with what im into. Which like you, is quite a bit. The fomo hits sometimes. I bought the second sight Hitcher 4k box and i didnt really need it. But if you are overwhelmed by releases you need to share then maybe just stick to what YOU want to share and not what you think everyone else wants. Your channel is already successful and people tune in for reviews but they also tune in just to watch YOU. They've gotten to know you and your personality so i think most of us would be open to viewing vids that are more personal and reflect your own personal cinema journey. Because we all have our own journey into movies we would share something in that with you.😊

[@andrewparr4078]

Great blog Ken. I totally get what you are talking about. The main thing is you need to bring it down to a level where you are enjoying it. Because if it’s not for enjoyment .. then what else for? Stay well mate 🇦🇺

[@444chroma]

Finding stuff in your collection that you forgot you even owned is amazing

[@rocketrod1444]

Quality over quantity is my mantra . If your passion becomes a chore , take some time out and have a rethink and reset . I dig your channel mate , very informative . My passion is sci fi and horror all the rest of the content i just gloss over , you can't please everyone but you can please yourself . 😉

[@carzombieeatery3216]

I've been there and done that with the physical media thing for roughly 30 years, but mostly stopped collecting around 10 years ago. Not only did I get burned out, but the glory years for physical media are in the past...

[@AndrewDyson-u2u]

carzo, we might need more detail; can't quite relate to what you are saying bro

[@Mediagalore]

I cant lie, when i did more on youtube i bought what i liked but i also had that thought of "hmm" this will push my channel a little more. Also the time thing in general im with you. I have a 50-60 full time job with 30+ employees so i dont have a bunch of time to watch/review so i pick and choose. Tik tok has helped with that since i can do small quick videos. I do want to jump back in to youtube but i just have to think about what I'd want to talk about on there.

[@LeeTheVet]

For me, I stopped blind buying a long time ago just because a certain actor or actress may be in it. I've been a physical media collector since 1995 when I bought my first DVD. Most of my purchases now are 4K editions that I really like and want to see more than once. I still have some VHS as well. I own just what I really like in several genres. Keep 'em Ken but perhaps downsize in your library. Condensing is what I have done myself and continue to do.

[@LetsTalkEntertainmentMedia]

Great video Ken! I appreciate the open and honesty about something a lot of us struggle with as collectors.

[@midlevelmedia]

@@LetsTalkEntertainmentMedia Thank you for watching John.

[@ractsninjas]

Black Friday deals suck this year. Pretty much already own the movies on sale.

[@galesbangs]

Maybe making it more fun and less clockwork you'll feel less anxious. Make a post and ask from that pile what the viewers want to see. Make a live of just choosing films you'll never watch and unloading them. Make things more interactive! ❤

[@djchapin2006]

Yes it's stressful such as Getting damaged items Dealing with cs retailers stores, etc

[@WorldMoneyWins]

I really like your "video store" example! Sometimes I wonder why I buy some titles, but I think its because I would like to have it in my personal library.

[@axis2320]

I collect comics, movies & CD's. I bought over 25 movies from a video store recently and I've only gotten to watch about 30% of them. I don't have the time to do so but I know eventually I will so not knowing I haven't watched it doesn't deter me. The comics though, I've been selling what I know I won't ever complete or ones I don't want to continue collecting. I have been keeping what I know I will die with, everything else is expendable to me.

[@busht4169]

I'm one of those 30 plus year collectors and I have learned a lot in my time. You make so many good points in your video. Just remember, collecting is a willful activity like any other hobby and the discovery of how to find a way to make it a satisfying hobby is the hard part.

[@scrappedbits]

Im sure it helped to talk through all of this and it sounds like you are figuring out what you want to do. If having that many movies, even ones you wont watch, makes you happy to just walk in the room and see then I think that is probably helping you more than hurting you. I am not a content creator, but I went through a similar dilemma a couple of years ago with video games. I caught myself just buying things if it was on sale to build my collection then realized one day it was stressing me out just seeing my unplayed game pile. So even with movies I have tried to be way better at only buying things I know I will actually play or watch. But it is really tough. Do whatever you think is best for you though. I think a lot of us are just here to listen to your thoughts on things.

[@littlemanitor]

I still love physical media but had a small unit to store them in my movie room i could probably store around 150 movies. I then removed the unit and build another that almost trebled storage space and swore once its full that's it ! I have almost filled it but i am sticking to my promise to myself even though i now have to sell stuff for new media particularly nice steelbooks. Out goes bulky boxsets to create space for them but its not easy and stresses me out a little for sure. This collecting can get out of hand i think if i lost control i would one day walk in the room look around and just think what have i done this is ridiculous and feel terrible 🤔

[@MyFireVideos]

Hey Ken, I liked the raw video take. I definitely hear you with having a large watch pile and having more coming in. I have lots of movies I've watched and taken notes, but haven't filmed my reviews. I need to organize and sell some of my collection. I feel bad when I make a video or post about a movie and promise an upcoming review and it takes me forever to get to it or I have not got to it yet. I also totally get you in the film-exploration mode, where you want to watch everything and learn about everything and yearn to hone down your tastes. Hang in there, man, I know that all your good fans want the best for you and your family, even if it means a change to the channel. Keep the raw videos coming! Like you said, it's good for us to talk about it.

[@noelmaldonado7124]

I like your points you mentioned. I think as a collectors with all have the same anxiety too. Don't have to be a KZbinr. When it comes to space there is some options to create space. What to buy only what you love.

[@TheDreamtimezzz]

You will never make everyone happy. Just do what you need to do. Collect how you want to collect. 🤔

[@thegamegeezer5424]

I personally collect according to the time I have to devote to watching it. That greatly reduces my anxiety! Also you have to curate, it’s not even a question

[@ernestolopez23]

I normally just watch your videos and hardly ever comment but i can really relate to you when it comes to having movies to watch. Like for me too i have movies I want to watch and that I know i will at some point but haven’t gotten around to it because of time. Its ok it’ll come around, anxiety from that is most definitely real lol. Honestly though its a good problem to have, like its what we enjoy and what we love to collect. Lets take a breather together ken, deep breath in and deep breath out lol 😂

[@michelle_pgh]

Space is a big thing for me. Especially since I moved earlier this year into a smaller place. But it was a good incentive to go through my DVD collection and get rid of stuff I know I'll never watch again. I had DVDs I bought 20 years ago still in the shrink wrap! Luckily I got out of collecting not long after blu-ray took off, and got back into it around 2022 because of 4k, so upgrading is an easier path. Lots of stuff I just don't own on blu-ray. I've gotten in the mindset that I just won't buy blu-rays anymore unless I'm pretty sure it's something I really want that won't likely ever get a 4k release (mostly TV, but a few smaller films). As for what I buy on 4k, I used to have a strict I'm only upgrading films I absolutely love policy. But over the last couple of years I've started getting tempted more and more if I see a steelbook that looks cool or a chunky box set of a film I enjoy but maybe isn't an absolute favorite. Seeing you show them off here doesn't help. You're an enabler Ken. 😂

[@AndrewDyson-u2u]

"I had DVDs I bought 20 years ago still in the shrink wrap..." I've recently unearthed a few of those too; it's a concern for sure...

[@nellgwenn]

A couple things that might help you decide what to do. The first one is considering what happens to your collection after you die. Are your family's tastes in movies the same as yours. Have you willed your collection to a group or organization? My dad was a collector of movies and music. He loved science fiction, action adventure, some horror, war, and some really stupid comedies, and a lot of classics. When he died my mom, my sister and I took and kept the movies we liked and got rid of all the movies nobody cared about. And that pile was huge. In the end it's your life, your house and your tastes. If you're having this much anxiety, it becomes your other full time job . It ceases to be a hobby of enjoyment. The second thing that might help you is the impending political climate that is about to descend on the U.S. If the tariffs go through. The price of everything we buy is going to shoot up. You may find that there will be a slow down of a lot of goods coming in, and the stuff that does come in will be more expensive. It will affect you personally, but more importantly it will affect your viewers. There are already layoffs happening because of the threat of the tariffs. Remember tariffs were one of the causes of the Great Depression. Some of your audience will struggle to purchase basic necessities, 4K movies will be low on the list of must haves. In short after January 20th. some of your anxieties concerning media collecting will vanish into thin air, replaced by other anxieties. You might find you have some extra time to watch all those movies you haven't watched yet. You might want to hold off on getting rid of any of the movies you have, just yet.

[@jasonshouseoffunandvideoga7169]

I've new to the channel, only found yours within the last month or so. You bring up a lot of great points. I'm a collector of a whole bunch of things and have my own Channel as well. From what I've seen, i really like your content. This type of vid is also gear content but for different reasons. This type of vid can really make you think. I look forward to more of these types of vids and your regular ones as well.

[@KidCharlemagne.]

Ken you ma dogg bro love you man !!!! We’re all human !!!!

[@jjlnguess7354]

I feel you Ken. I’m doing the same thing. Only things I actually love anymore. For everything else, if Goodwill has it in some form for $0.99 and I want to try it, I’ll buy it from Goodwill. I can’t keep buying $50+ 4K releases. I have to allow myself to pass on a huge portion of releases. I can’t obtain it all and remain responsible for my family. So yeah, it’s time to scale back big time for me.

[@letstalkcriterion]

Interestingly I got the UK Twister 4k set after watching your channel unboxing, you are a physical media influencer it is nice I often get comments when I preview releases that it’s my video they watched and decided to buy that title, that’s nice that they have an informed choice.

[@chuck31]

It's like you're speaking directly to me! LOL I've only been seriously collecting in the last 2-3 years and my channel is still very small, but I have a lot of the same thoughts and concerns you do. Heck, I'm in my basement, recording on a phone with a son stating high school next year and a daughter in 3rd Grade. So I can relate! LOL Thanks for making this video.

[@ReelClassicFilmReviews]

I’ve bounced back and forth between being a ‘collector’ and ‘hoarder’ constantly since getting my first vhs tapes in the late 80’s… since moving house this year, and with an eye on 2025 and beyond, I’ve decided to finally get my act together and curate (Eugh, i usually hate that word! 😂) my collection… having been similarly anxious and exhausted over the years with fomo and trying to be a completionist, I feel I’m ready… 👏👏

[@brockmckraken]

Your content is great, man. Just keep up what you're doing and if you need a break it's all good because I'd rather see whatever you put up than not and you always give us your best. I made disagree with you and I also may strongly agree with you, either way I consider it a valuable source of information and entertainment. Either sell, use Disc Binders or box up and put what you haven't watched yet in your garage and box up the fluff you don't care about and rent a storage unit until you decide what to do. Use your valuable media shelf space for the releases you love.

[@Tori_99]

I would still watch your channel, even if you didn't have movie releases in your hand. The information you provide is very entertaining, and informative. Dont feel like you have to "buy" everything to show us and "keep up with the Jonese's" There are other Blutubers who are horribly obnoxious, and I now stay away from. Keep up the great work as always!

[@tomboling2309]

Ken let me say this I have been collecting physical media since 1987 when I was buying music on cassette tape & then in 1988 I started buying music CD & I have been buying CDs ever since. But I don't buy every single CD that came out just music I like to listen to & my CD collection is only 340 Cds. And I started buying movies on VHS in mid to late 1988 and I only bought movie that I wanted to own & I did sometimes blind buy a VHS tape to see the movie & own. And from mid to late 1988 to September of 1997 I bought VHS movies & I had 450 VHS tapes in my collection. But in September of 1997 I sold off all of my VHS collection to start buying DVDs to start collecting. And from September1997 to September 2009 I had 1200 DVDs in my collection. And in September 2009 I sold off all my DVD collection to start buying blurays & in 2018 I started buying 4ks along with blurays & I have 402 4ks & 1755 blurays and all together I have 2157 in my collection. And I love collecting and buying & discovering new movie when I blind buy a movie either on bluray or 4k & adding it to my collection. And yes I have been collecting physical media for over 35 years now & I still love collecting music & movies & adding them to my collection

[@AndrewDyson-u2u]

Tom, if nothing else, your discipline to find the motivation to cull the collection, and the correct time to do so whilst the products still have/had currency in the 2nd hand market, is right on the money so to speak. Sometimes it feels like we are feeling off old friends, but one has to be ruthless I suppose.

[@ShaMicKan]

I finally hit the brakes over the last couple months. It ended up being prices for me. They’ve gotten out of control. Even studio releases. I used to clean up when stuff hit the $10 range. That doesn’t seem to be happening as much as it used to.

[@stevecatanio8532]

You can do it. I believe in u ken

[@jonathandavis7359]

Considered myself a collector since about 2015 but my love of movies really gave me jump start. I'm at the point of do I wait till it hits the ultimate format of 4k because ,other than anniversary additions, then I feel like the movie duplication is over. But ultra rare movies getting a new release get me everytime....Trick or Treat is a good example

[@popey129]

You do good work. Hang in there. 😊Man I want to watch movies day and night .

[@thrashpuppy2010]

Have become more selective about what i buy lately. It got to a point where i was running out of room. Decided to donate many dvds and blu rays.. I didn't do it overnight. What i did was move my collection onto shelves in my closet and when i thought about a movie i wanted to watch I took it out and put it on the shelf in my entertainment room. After about 2 years i realized i hadn't grabbed any movies from my closet in a long time and was only re-watching the portion of the collection in my entertainment room. I donated the rest of the movies that were just sitting in the closet collecting dust

[@donnellcoleman7784]

you don't have to be afraid of change. Change is a beautiful part of life.

[@Jowurel]

Just finished watching the entire video. I think you’re self-conscious of your problem enough to get out of it. You identified the problem, now you just have to act on the solutions you acknowledged in the video itself. Stop buying stuff you won’t watch, sell movies in the backlog that you won’t watch, occasionally use streaming services or theaters to watch movies before buying them if you’re unsure if they’re worth owning, and stop letting your channel interfere in your love for the hobby. Buying stuff just for content will eat away at your love for movies and you’ll end up hating what you do.

[@mrhobs]

Sometimes I feel like I want to support everything even remotely interesting, but no, this is a hobby to enjoy for yourself, we’re not obligated to support the whole industry. We have to share that responsibility and let other people support releases that are better for them. Just support what you actually really want to watch. There’s not even enough time in our remaining adult years to worry about watching everything. Scale back a bit, pick up one of your abandoned goals or hobbies… enjoy life. Idk, this could use some workshopping. Everyone is different, some have the funds and time to support much more, so go for it in that case.

[@Hicks-g1m]

More people watching you're videos is good Ken. I haven't watch all you're videos but I love them you do this for us you are one of the hardest working physical media people here on youtube and you rock Ken thank you so much yeah we all need a mansion to keep our physical media collection Ken LOL I need the you're next steel book and the second sight one

[@markchadwick636]

Mate think that's normal I get anxiety from buying and i don't do utube just do what's fun best way love your channel keep it.up

[@PIPERBOYWILLIAMS]

My only worry is that physical media channels don’t actually watch the movies. They just pop it in for a second and then do a video for views and money.

[@midlevelmedia]

I watch every movie and the features for reviews. If I for some reason don’t watch it all or all the features, I let you know that.

[@UnconformedMediaYT]

Some I can relate with and some not so much. Recently, I started trying to get out of the decades-long habit of calling myself a "collector" because I've seen that there is a clear difference between someone who has been building a library of movies since the 80s and someone who collects physical media like one would collect stamps, baseball cards, etc. There's also the collector who just buys random movies that they know nothing about and have no interest in watching just to use for channel content. I do "collect" all types of memorabilia as well. Since finally focusing my budget mainly on starting my own channel, I wasn't able to buy as many of the recent releases that I really wanted, so now I'm going to have to pay hundreds of dollars just to get a few titles I love in the aftermarket. The modern physical media world can cause all different kinds of anxiety for all kinds of collectors and preservationists. I actually use the nostalgia of movies and TV to help with an anxiety disorder that I already deal with, so I've really had to step back and rethink how I approach my physical media purchasing. My channel is focused more on pop culture and entertainment nostalgia, so there's not as much to concern me about getting everything just for content purposes, but there's still an intersection where there are titles that I want to talk about and have to rush to get to them before they're sold out. I hope that through more people supporting the boutique labels, they'll be able to produce some of these titles in larger quantities and for longer periods of time. That would hurt the aftermarket, but I don't think I'll lose any sleep over the feelings of scalpers. Lol.

[@thespagent5718]

Something which really changed the way I looked at my collection was creating a list on Letterboxd of every film I’d bought without watching. At that point I got like 140 titles. So as a new year’s resolution I said to myself that by the end of next year I would’ve cleared that list. And I did! But as a result I was really reluctant to buy new stuff. So that year I literally only bought things which I knew I would watch the same day so it never would land on that pile of films I hadn’t seen. Being so restrictive also made me realise that maybe I don’t need to buy everything just for the sake of owning it. I don’t need all the Marvel and DC films just because I love Batman. I also started to go to the cinema a lot more. And before I might’ve waited for the blu-ray, but now I didn’t. Some films I realised I wanted to buy so I could watch it a second time and some I felt fine having seen it once and I knew I didn’t need it. I also started to be more useful of streaming. If a film I wanted to see was available on a streaming platform I would watch it there first and then take the choice if I needed to have it in the collection. Now my bars for entering the collection is as follows. 1. Will I rewatch this film more than once? 2. Is it not available on a streaming platform? 3. Am I dependent on having to be available to watch the film whenever I want? Those three are my top criteria’s and they have really benefited my mindset when I’m considering a purchase. Lastly the channel doesn’t have to be strictly about the physicality of owning films. It could also be about simply watching films. Do a video where you have a movie night and talk about the film etc. Good luck! 😊

[@Capoeiraplaya22]

Well, 1) welcome to the world - about the your job - not hatin - it’s just a fact of things. 2) yea like a few other people said on here : Curate that collection & 3) Family First - nobody would hate on you if you said “hey guys - im only doing 3vids a week from now on” : You can always get more money - You Can Never Get That Time Back 😎

[@TokuAndAnimationNewsNetwork]

My wife and I are planning to move to another state a year or so from now, so we're currently going through our collections deciding what do we truly want to keep. Part of the decision for keepers is it must something we rewatch quite often. If we have a movie that we haven't watched in more than 5 years, we probably don't need it in the collection unless it is something specific like an Alfred Hitchcock movie or from a franchise we're huge fans of even if we don't always watch every entry (Halloween, for example). I'll tell you my most recent regret buying though. I got Inseminoid during the Scream Factory sale. Been wanting to watch it for years and when we were watching it a few weeks back, my thought was, "Well shit, I wish I never bought this." Now the one thing I am debating are my Kino Film Noir box sets. I've got the first 19 sets, and I feel I need to have them all because they're numbered, but there's only a handful of movies from those sets I will ever rewatch, so I have to decide how to approach those ones. I wish my channel was making enough money for me to fully rely on. I've quit teaching and am trying to grow the channel, but it's moving slower than I was hoping. Funny story. Back when I lived with my parents and brother, my brother walked into my room one night and said, "Blockbuster Video, open 24/7" as he was browsing my collection for something to watch, not knowing I was up to hear him say that. Like nowadays whenever I watch a new movie in theaters, I think, "How often would I rewatch this?" And that now determines if I buy it or not unless, again, it's a franchise movie. Like I will buy every Godzilla movie that comes out.

[@leoallan2225]

You could always say I only seen the trailer on a film or just read a decent synopsis, on films you haven't watched yet, I also put films in binders, with clear sleeves so I can keep the cover aswell, I have like 220 Dvd, and Blu ray films in one regular size box, it saved me tons of space, and get rid of any films you know you don't care about. Its totally fine to brain storm on how to save space ext.

[@pat727321]

I only buy movies that I'm going to watch over and over again

[@garyturley2435]

Well said