Author Topic: Spacecraft Films  (Read 12554 times)

Offline Jason Thompson

  • Uranus
  • ****
  • Posts: 1601
Spacecraft Films
« on: February 27, 2012, 06:46:18 AM »
I finally got my copy of the Challenger set today. I ordered it in January 2009! One thing that did surprise me was how amateurish this set looks. They seem to have gone from good glossy printed sleeves and quality cases to something that looks like it was knocked up by a guy on his home PC and printer with DVDs and cases from a 99p store. I haven't tried to play the DVDs yet and assume they will be fine, but this is a surprising drop in product quality. Does anyone know if they have been having problems lately?
"There's this idea that everyone's opinion is equally valid. My arse! Bloke who was a professor of dentistry for forty years does NOT have a debate with some eejit who removes his teeth with string and a door!"  - Dara O'Briain

Offline Echnaton

  • Saturn
  • ****
  • Posts: 1490
Re: Spacecraft Films
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2012, 09:31:51 AM »
To me the years long delay between offering the DVD and shipping is symptomatic of a lack of working capital to fund the development of new products.  One can only speculate on the particular causes that have led to the situation but there is no doubt that Spacecraft Films is facing the same environment that all video producers are subject to, rampant illegal copying that undermines the ability to recover the development investment.  No mater what the reason, I am certainly happy that Spacecraft Films keeps its work going as they can. 
The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new. —Samuel Beckett

Offline Jason Thompson

  • Uranus
  • ****
  • Posts: 1601
Re: Spacecraft Films
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2012, 10:38:53 AM »
I saw from a blog post that there have been some issues with distribution and packaging over the years which must have cost a lot (especially the distributor who never paid for the stock he was sent!), and I did notice that my DVD was very rapidly shipped after an email in which I pointed out I wouldn't be buying any more from them until I got the one I had ordered. It's great that it keeps on going, as it is clearly a labour of love most of all, but it is a shame that, judging from this DVD set I just received, the problems have led to the authentic releases looking more like illegal copies than actual illegal copies do!
"There's this idea that everyone's opinion is equally valid. My arse! Bloke who was a professor of dentistry for forty years does NOT have a debate with some eejit who removes his teeth with string and a door!"  - Dara O'Briain

Offline James

  • Mercury
  • *
  • Posts: 2
Re: Spacecraft Films
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2012, 09:04:26 PM »
It took 3 years till you got it?! Wow. I recently got my copy of "Apollo 17: End of the Beginning". I ordered it last Nov. and received it by Jan. and I thought that was a long wait. But the packaging and everything looks fine to me, but maybe this was actually produced some time ago and had been sitting around.

As for Spacecraft films and piracy. To be honest I've looked, but I found it extremely hard to find much of anything out there. So I don't know if that would be much of a problem for them. Perhaps it's more to do with having such a niche market.