Scream Factory Blu-ray Discussion Thread

[DaveyJoe]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I'm not being apologetic to SF, but just pointing out how illogical it is to link Cliff's departure to this issue. It's just the kind of weird theories some members on here love to discuss, and feed off one another until it goes from speculation, to rumor, and then fact in their minds.

There is unfortunately no easy solution for the scratched disc issue when there all of these companies are relying on one manufacturing plant in Mexico with piss-poor quality control. The only possible alternative that has been discussed would be to move disc manufacturing operations to Europe, but given how thin the margins are as it is, it's likely beyond SF and Kino's ability to do that. And if they were to do that, it would lead to major disruptions. They'd be have to change up their lead times, and shipping schedules in order to get the product from overseas in a timely fashion.

It's also not realistic in the sense that Kino, SF and others deal in a much higher volume of both titles, and quantity of those titles, which may also cause issues for the plantsin Europe too. Vinegar syndrome gets their discs from Germany I believe, but they're not putting out as many releases as Kino, nor the volume of titles that Kino and SF are making for the US market.

I don't think the scratched disk think is a direct catalyst for staffing changes at SF, but something is obviously going on behind the scenes. The company recently rebranded in a move that seems to emphasize streaming and production over physical media. We don't really know what happens behind closed doors so all we can do is speculate, and a lack of effort to replace damaged product in that context is not a good look.

As for the manufacturing issue and labels' hands being tied with one plant in Mexio, I will quote a post from Brad over at Terror Vision:

Originally Posted by BradTV

People on this forum have no idea what they are talking about most of the time when it comes to these things. They read what other people say and spit it out as a fact and then others believe. It's exactly how rumors start. From manufacturing to film rights; people on FB, here, and Reddit don't really know a whole lot of what is truly correct.

"Music rights!" "No elements, they are in a salt mine." "Michael Mann is keeping THE KEEP from being released."

It's the same thing over and over.

And to be honest, that's one of the reasons why I' m here...not because I really want to be or enjoy it. I'm here to shut down the bullshit and hearsay concerning Terror Vision.

The fact that anyone believes that or says what they here without doing research is crazy to me. There's a quite a few authoring companies and a few manufacturers. So yeah, that's simply not true and silly if anyone believes that.

Everyone has the same access we do - we just went out of our way to find the ones that fit us best and can keep up with what we are doing...hence why we now have two. Which I imagine most have just one...but I can't speak for anyone else because I simply don't know. And I can say that ANYONE on here unless they are in the industry don't know either.

I obviously don't speak for SF, but if that happened with our discs - we would tell them to fix it or we are moving elsewhere.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

I don't think the scratched disk think is a direct catalyst for staffing changes at SF, but something is obviously going on behind the scenes. The company recently rebranded in a move that seems to emphasize streaming and production over physical media. We don't really know what happens behind closed doors so all we can do is speculate, and a lack of effort to replace damaged product in that context is not a good look.

As for the manufacturing issue and labels' hands being tied with one plant in Mexio, I will quote a post from Brad over at Terror Vision:

I don't know who Terror Vision deals with, but there are smaller manufacturing companies that can make discs too, true. For instance, Allied Vaughn manufacturers the discs for Warner Archive, but they are considered manufactured on demand, which translates to discs made in much smaller volumes. It's possible T-V can rely on a company like that, while companies like Kno, SF, and others have to rely on the Mexico plant for the volumes they need.

This is what Kino said about the business moving to Mexico. I imagine if there were as many easy and practical alternatives as Brad seems to make it out, Kino and SF would have shifted business elsewhere years ago.

Originally Posted by Kino Lorber Insider

Replication discs never goes through a QC process, the hourly paid individuals usually pack them carefully in the cases wearing gloves.

But you're right, since the replicator decided to move majority of the projects to Mexico and we and others have experienced this sort of thing more often, then we used to.

[DaveyJoe]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I don't know who Terror Vision deals with, but there are smaller manfuacturing places true. For instance, Allied Vaughn manufacturers the discs for Warner Archive, but they are consider manufactured on demand, which makees discs in much smaller volumes. It's possible T-V can rely on a company like that, while companies like Kno, SF, and others have to rely on the Mexico plant for the volumes they need.

That is possible, I hope SF can resolve this issue but it's been years now and I'm getting skeptical. They hold the rights to a lot of excellent films from horror to martial arts. If customers keep getting stuck with disks they can't play this won't have a happy ending.

[BradTV]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I don't know who Terror Vision deals with, but there are smaller manufacturing companies that can make discs too, true. For instance, Allied Vaughn manufacturers the discs for Warner Archive, but they are considered manufactured on demand, which translates to discs made in much smaller volumes. It's possible T-V can rely on a company like that, while companies like Kno, SF, and others have to rely on the Mexico plant for the volumes they need.

This is what Kino said about the business moving to Mexico. I imagine if there were as many options as Brad seems to make it out, Kino and SF would have shifted business elsewhere years ago.

Weird because we use the biggest one in the US and nothing to do with how big or small we are.

Without doing a ton of research there are 7 in the US and I’m sure there are more. We get contacted occasionally to move manufacturers anyway so other companies are looking for business.

If anything comes from another country - by important standards - goods from Mexico will be labeled by law. It would also be under the shrink wrap or printed on the shrink wrap which you’ll see on some Kino, Scream Factory, and Criterion releases from Mexico and Germany. There’s definitely a plant there but you do not need to use them. Maybe they get super cheap rates or something along those lines? No clue but I would guess that’s the reason.

But saying that’s the sole place or the biggest is insane because that’s simply not the case.

[BradTV]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

That is possible, I hope SF can resolve this issue but it's been years now and I'm getting skeptical. They hold the rights to a lot of excellent films from horror to martial arts. If customers keep getting stuck with disks they can't play this won't have a happy ending.

Agreed. If this happened with us we would simply find someone else if our discs came damaged or wouldn’t play. I haven’t had any issues personally but I do get the occasional smudge or gunk on a disc

[DaveyJoe]

Vinegar Syndrome has to be putting out numbers close to SF, if not more. Taking the Partner Labels into account, OCN had over 60,000 disks pressed for this month alone. I am guessing that SF is capable of finding another plant but they're choosing to stay with the cheapest one.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

That is possible, I hope SF can resolve this issue but it's been years now and I'm getting skeptical. They hold the rights to a lot of excellent films from horror to martial arts. If customers keep getting stuck with disks they can't play this won't have a happy ending.

Unless Shout/Scream decides to use a facility overseas, like Paramount, there is no fix. The Mexico plant is the only North American option.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Unless Shout/Scream decides to use a facility overseas, like Paramount, there is no fix. The Mexico plant is the only North American option.

[DaveyJoe]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Unless Shout/Scream decides to use a facility overseas, like Paramount, there is no fix. The Mexico plant is the only North American option.

[BillyBrown66]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Unless Shout/Scream decides to use a facility overseas, like Paramount, there is no fix. The Mexico plant is the only North American option.

Man I’m jealous of you, wish I was high right now…

[sonicyogurt]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Unless Shout/Scream decides to use a facility overseas, like Paramount, there is no fix. The Mexico plant is the only North American option.

Read the discussion on the previous page:

Originally Posted by BradTV

Weird because we use the biggest one in the US and nothing to do with how big or small we are.

Without doing a ton of research there are 7 in the US and I’m sure there are more. We get contacted occasionally to move manufacturers anyway so other companies are looking for business.

If anything comes from another country - by important standards - goods from Mexico will be labeled by law. It would also be under the shrink wrap or printed on the shrink wrap which you’ll see on some Kino, Scream Factory, and Criterion releases from Mexico and Germany. There’s definitely a plant there but you do not need to use them. Maybe they get super cheap rates or something along those lines? No clue but I would guess that’s the reason.

But saying that’s the sole place or the biggest is insane because that’s simply not the case.

[DenOfEarth]

Originally Posted by RevolverOcelScott

I would be, but I don't think it'd be coming from Shout.

Who knows, maybe it might be possible for that

[LeDroitDeTuer]

Even if you accept the patently false premise that there is no other option for pressing discs, you can be accommodating with your customers and acknowledge the additional burden imposed on them by making it easy to get replacements.

[BillyBrown66]

Originally Posted by LeDroitDeTuer

Even if you accept the patently false premise that there is no other option for pressing discs, you can be accommodating with your customers and acknowledge the additional burden imposed on them by making it easy to get replacements.

Yeah, the BS “there’s no other pressing plant” argument ignores the main issue here which is that SF refuses to replace the discs with issues. I think people would be far more forgiving of the problem if SF wasn’t so hostile to customers trying to get undamaged product.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by LeDroitDeTuer

Even if you accept the patently false premise that there is no other option for pressing discs, you can be accommodating with your customers and acknowledge the additional burden imposed on them by making it easy to get replacements.

That is true. Mayhaps, Shout/Scream should look overseas and when the discs do arrive, actually check them.

I mean, half the time Shout/Scream does not even check the elements sent to them by a rights holder.

[Mike0284]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Unless Shout/Scream decides to use a facility overseas, like Paramount, there is no fix. The Mexico plant is the only North American option.

[DukeTogo84]

[MifuneFan]

Sorry to change subject, but thought I'd repeat some speculation I just made in another post. In the Unlawful Entry thread people have reported that their disc reads as being Ninja III: The Domination (1984). With the BD for this coming from a 4K scan, and it also being the 40th anniversary of the film, i think it's possible this was an inadvertent leak of a title SF are working on for 4K.

[jibboo]

Funeral Home was also labeled Ninja III - The Domination.

[Mushi Minion]

Customer service tip: if you aren’t getting what you want from the peon, request for a supervisor. Keep moving up the chain until you get what you want. But for the sake of the wage slaves, be stern but kind.

And if all else fails, take it public to social media.