Re: V-M 3rd party reels

[P3D Marvin Jones <72657.3276@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 1. A minimum run of 1000 reels (which costs approximately $1250US for the
> reels and the basic white single-reel envelopes) is far too large for many
> businesses to invest in.  I have discovered this first-hand in my attempts
> to pitch ideas to other institutions.  500 reels is much more realistic for
> anyone smaller than the Metropolitan Museum.

Actually, I don't think a 1000 unit run WOULD be too great to service all of the
small, medium and large museums which might have a place for such a set in their
gift shops. The question is whether you have the time, facilities, backing, and
most of all, energy to tackle the job of contacting, selling, and servicing them
all!

> YES, I firmly believe that if marketed properly and if enough
> titles are offered, that these ideas will work, but I also think that TYCO
> should be backing it somehow.

Emotionally I'd like to agree that there's a market there, although my pragmatic
side questions it. In any case, I don't see why Tyco should be backing someone
else's idea of what could be done with the format used by their product. They
know how they want to utilize the V-M format, they are doing so, and they are
obviously being successful enough, under their own terms, to justify their
continuing to do so. But if someone as eager and talented as Jamie cannot find a
market for a lowly 1000 reels in his own immediate field of knowledge and
involvement, why should Tyco even try?

What is needed is a group of people as enthusiastic as Jamie willing to fund and
produce a library of titles and develop a distribution outlet for them, as a
third-party company entirely separate from Tyco. My guess is that a production
deal could be struck with Tyco as long as their concerns about content were met.
They seem to be perfectly reasonable in dealing with outside producers. Could it
work? Obviously many people here think it could. As I've said, I'd LIKE to think
it could. But my practical side says, "Don't bet the farm on it."


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