DVD/VHS running times

[John Mason]

I recently have been checking out the product that other producers have been putting out (R18 only) and have noticed that the running times go from 60 minutes to 2 hours. The average being around 80 - 90 minutes.
I'm only talking about new British product, not the repackaged American and European stuff.
What I'd like to know is, does the running time influence your choice in buying product or do you just go by sleeves, producer, models etc etc.
The reason I'm interested is that all the new stuff I'm producing is going to be over 150 minutes of wall to wall action. Not filler footage or talking heads.
For example 'Filthy Fuckers 1' is 155 minutes and has 8 scenes. Is this the sort of thing you'd like to see more of or doesn't it matter so long as the girl on the front looks cute?
I await your feedback.

John Mason

[Mr Anon]

I have noticed this too and I would have to say that releasing short
duration material is something that some british producers are guilty of.

This wouldn't be so much of a problem if there was more variable
pricing in the shops but if you go down to your local sex shop you will
most likely find a 60 minute brit-porn flick on the same shelf as 135
minute titles from Red Light District & Anabolic but priced exactly the
same.

I appreciate that the repackagers are not contributing the same to
production costs, but it is a competitive market out there and British
products can suffer in comparison by being too short at times.

Before I buy I tend to look on the back sleeve for the running time
and if it is less than 70 minutes it tends to go back on the shelf.

Having seen a few of your flicks though John, I wouldn't
put you in the "makes films too short" category. House Party 1 & 2
is quality.

[D-Man]

For me it actually depends on the genre mainly but the running time of the flick does have some influence on whether or not I'll buy it.

However, I'd rather have buy a Lubed film (only about 70-80 minutes on DVD) that one of those 4 hour compilations. I'm not really inclined to buy any more of the R18 Redlight District DVDs seeing that the distributors are so stingy with extras such as trailers or behind-the-scenes footage.

[Rem]

I'd rather have 90 mins of good well shot action than three hours of crap no matter who shot it, at any price. All our DVDs are 90 mins and are top quality action and reproduction. AND they are the same price as our tapes. Have a look at the new titles out now at

[Joe A]

I'm glad John asked that question..

I can understand that most customers look for the longer dvd/video when looking for a general genre film but what about niche specific products where the content is limited and it's difficult to make a film over 90 mins and may in some cases be only 60- 70 mins long.. Would this put you off buying if you knew that this was all that was available.. I'm asking this question due to the Indian niche that I work in, as there are very few girls who will appear in even solo/toys vids let alone b/g.

I know there aren't many customers here that buy this niche but is ?30 too much for something that is totally exclusive as the models don't/won't work with other producers and so become over used ?

[Bayleaf]

For me its a matter of value for money. And for the majority of consumers in the majority of other markets its a matter of value for money too.

Three hours of softcore crap is valueless while 10 minutes of digital quality Angelina Jolie in hc action would be priceless. However all britporn falls between these extremes.

Personally I look at the performers first, then at the situations then at the length. I have just reviewed some stuff from Solarnet which should be on the site at the next update. Videos such as Confessions of a Photographer and Cocktales are just 60 minutes long and feature a single couple. However the action is good and clear and picture quality is excellent. At ?20 a programme these are poor value, but you can get them at three for ?20 which, for me, makes them worthwhile.

At present I would use Ben Dover and the Student House/Relish stuff as mainstream benchmark. For ?20 in the shops I would expect at least four or five girls in three or four scenes with at least two or three guys giving somewhere between five and ten pairings.
And, of course, production values are high (by porn stanndard natch).

Based on my experience of your stuff, John, I expect that girl quality and production quality will be good, so a long programme with lots of girls sounds really good. Also based on my experience of your stuff please don?t get too formulaic. 8 scences with the same guy running through the same positions in the same order just gets bloody tedious. Checkout Freddies stuff.

Variety is the spice.

[fevrd]

It's bound to have an influence. A short film on the same shelf as a longer one at the same price looks stingy. Us punters hate to think we're being taken for a ride.

If the long one doesn't look as exciting as the short one though you can often end up not buying anything at all.

[Phil mCc]

My DVD's were/are all 2hours. The new stuff is all 90 mins approx. I would prefer it if we could do it on two discs if more than an hour as the quality drops after 1 hour. To put 3-4 hours onto a DVD 7 the compression is only about 30% quality on DVD.
Iwould recomend 70-80 mins unless DVD9.

jim.

[John Mason]

The good news is there are 8 different guys in eight scenes. There are also 9 girls, including Autumn, Bev Cox, Sarah Wright, Candice Paris, Tilly and Claire Brown ( You probably know her as Betty Swollocks). And the best bit is I'm NOT in any of the scenes!
The bad news is that it could be classed as formulaic, but I don't tell the performers what to do, I just tell them to get on with it and film around them. In most cases I shoot the whole scene straight through without stoping the camera at all. That way it's a performer led movie as opposed to a director led movie.
I don't claim to be original or different. I just make films that I'd like to watch.
Email me your address and I'll get the guys at Rude Britianna to send you a review copy and then you can give me an honest opinion of what you think of it.

John

[John Mason]

Thanks for that. There are more 'House Party' films in the pipeline.
Also at the end of September I've got 'Swingers 1' due out. I shot the whole thing over a period of two months at LaChambre in Sheffield and everyone in the movie goes to the club! Again, it will be over 150 minutes long and the final scene is the big group orgy and has everyone fucking everyone else (before you ask there is NO guy on guy stuff!).