DVD Swap - Because it's good to share your toys
By @edent
· dvd swapping swishing · 4 comments · 350 words · read ~112 times.
Inspired by Vikki Chowney's Swishing Party....
The idea is simple. You bring along some of your old DVDs that you think other people will enjoy. You get a token for each DVD you bring. You look through all the DVDs everyone else has brought along. Swap your tokens for some awesome new films!
We're still working out where we'll hold it and how many people we need to make it viable. If you've got any suggestions, let us know.
FAQs
How much does it cost? Entry is free but we ask that you bring a minimum of 2 DVDs.
What Can I Bring? Any DVD you think someone else will enjoy. Movies, Music, TV Shows are all fine.
What about a free DVD I got with a newspaper? As long as you think someone will get value out of it - go ahead.
What condition should the DVD be in? It needs to be playable (no heavy scratches) and in its original packaging.
What region should the DVDs be? Any region, including Region Free, is fine.
What can't I bring? No R18 - that's porn to you or me. Nothing that's banned from this country. No "backup" copies - original DVDs only. No heavy scratches; must be playable.
Caveat Emptor: Check that the DVDs you want to take home are compatible with your equipment & are in good enough condition to play.
Technicalities: 1 film on 2 discs (special features etc.) counts for 1 token. Several films on 1 disc or in a single case counts for 1 token. Box sets will be counted as a single film - you may wish to separate them, but you don't have to.
If there are any leftover DVDs, you may purchase them for the princely sum of £1 - all the money goes to Oxfam. Anything DVDs not swapped at the end of the night get donated to the nearest Oxfam shop.
Well, those are the basics. Interested? Got a suggestion? You know where the comment box is.
How to run a tech swap shop at a conference
Nick Barnes says:
Nice idea, but I'd specifically rule out freebie DVDs if I were you otherwise you'll have people taking the mick.
Also, let's say I bring 10 DVDs, get 10 tokens, other people take my 10, but I can't find anything worth having. I walk away worse off than I arrived.
Hmmm... It's a possibility. Although some of my favourite DVDs have been freebies ("Night of the Living Dead" and "Little Shop of Horrors" being among them).
There's nothing to stop people buying crappy Kung Fu movies from Poundland and getting your copy of Titanic. But then, some people like crappy Kung-Fu and others hate Titanic. Additionally, there's nothing to stop you from seeing there's nothing that tickles your fancy and taking back your DVDs.
The point is, you're bringing a DVD that you no longer watch or no longer want to keep. Worst case scenario, you're getting a bit of shelf space back.
But you raise a good point. Perhaps the solution is to say no fewer than 2 DVDs and no more than 5? The best way to ensure quality and diversity is to get a large enough group of people together.
I don't really want to impose a restriction on the types of DVDs people can bring - because how do you judge what's crap or not?
I had a very similar idea a while ago but never got round to organising it. Be interested in taking part.
Will says:
I have a big pile of DVDs ready for a new home so would certainly be interested.