Silver Vision Memories

[Onyx2]

 

From 1989 to 2012, Silver Vision was the official licensee for WWE home video in the UK and later Europe and Saudi Arabia. I was a very small part of that story and really enjoyed my time there working alongside Zeusy Steve, so after prompting here's a few things about Silver Vision behind the scenes you may or may not already know.

 

The story of why the company even exists is interesting in its serendipity. The chairman was at a US PPV having a thoroughly great time. He commented out loud "this would go down great in the UK. Someone should put this on tape and sell it mail order." The guy in front turns round and says "why, yes it would. Do you want to do it?" A WWE executive was sat right in front of him and invited him to pitch for the business. He was already in the home entertainment business so after producing a huge proposal document under the brand "Silver Sounds" he scored the contract.

 

For clumsy reasons WWE titles were released under the Silver Vision banner, whilst other titles from the same company such as Minder, Gladiators and Jack Osborne were under Clear Vision. Later, UFC titles came under the FightDVD label again from the same company. There was no separation - marketing, distribution, sales etc. for all titles across all brands were handled by the same people.

 

The company itself was quite special. Very few of the staff were fans but the boss was, so all kinds of stuff littered the office. There were life-size standees everywhere, with Diesel rubbing shoulders with Trish Stratus. There was also a Hulk Hogan one, and when times were tense between WWE and Hulk, this cardboard cut out would be shuffled into the cleaning cupboard. But the best room in the building was the library.

 

 

Here you could find a copy of every VHS, DVD, UMD, Blu-ray and probably other formats I've forgotten. As a WWE fan it was brilliant. Here's a video Steve made of it. He made it in Tout because he's a proper company guy.

 

I don't have a shot of it, but the boardroom was special too - a chair from every WrestleMania, and other very unique items such as signed items of all descriptions. And everywhere you looked there were PPV posters. 

I know catalogue numbers are a big deal for collectors. Here's the last list I could find in my files, which I know for sure isn't complete, but was used to create the order form you'd get tucked inside the Mega Mail catalogue. (Side note: keeping that list up to date for Mega Mail was a HUGE pain in the arse).

 

Why are there so many gaps in the numbering? We would get the DVD schedule from WWE around 12 - 18 months in advance, so we would slot them into the UK production schedule. That's when they'd get a SKU. Then down the line titles would be dropped, moved or amalgamated but we'd had the number in place. It's too awkward to release it and besides, they could come back into the schedule down the line so it was easier to not interrupt the numbering. Of course sometimes they never came back. For example there were plans in 2008 - 2009 to release Superstar titles for Iron Sheik, Superfly Jimmy Snuka and Goldberg. They were all given numbers but never came to fruition.

 

There were also a bunch of DVDs exclusive to Italy which most collectors would've missed - they would be bundled with a magazine and purchased in a kiosk and known as 'kiosk' titles. I remember a Big Show DVD, a Kane DVD and others - titles for superstars that at the time did not have their own 'official' releases.

 

Silver Vision were also the first company to release a sports Blu-ray in the UK: WrestleMania XXIV. WWE weren't convinced of the appeal in the US but we managed to get one produced.

 

Speaking of titles, a couple of my favourites:

 

 

The SummerSlam anthology had beautiful artwork. And best of all we were provided the layered PSD files so could pull out all sorts of shots for use in other collateral like banners, newsletters and social media. I also had a knack for pointing out errors in the US artwork so we had a chance to change it for UK - the number of spellings I saw for "intercontinental" was unreal.

 

And another thing: we got artwork changed if we thought it sucked. We often added a slipcase over the top. Such as this (US on the left, UK on the right):

 

 

And Steve and I commissioned original artwork too. Our favourite was probably the Edge one. Unfortunately we managed to spell the company name wrong :S

 

The relationship with WWE was not an easy nor smooth one. It was strained so trying to do impressive stunts was more difficult than you would expect. That said, when interviews happened we usually grabbed some decent prizes. Spoilers, but the stars only ever signed the DVD artwork which we then stuffed into a case, e.g.

 

 

There were also a few of these floating around the office:

 

 

Steve and I (among others) were instrumental in keeping the WWE Live in the UK releases coming out, as well as planning out those pesky Tagged Classics. I must've told American emailers a thousand times we weren't legally permitted to sell these exclusives to them via our website...

 

Well that's enough from me for now. Steve may well chip in if he remembers something interesting (or corrects my ailing memory!) but here's an interview Steve gave some years ago that fills in a few blanks. Feel free to ask a question if there's something you want to know about.

[Onyx2]

I just found this survey from mid-2008. 

 

 

Those in italics are hand-typed responses to survey questions. 17 people went to the trouble of typing Mr Kennedy.

 

That reminds me though. The biggest seller for a long, long time was Tombstone: History of the Undertaker. Verrrry popular title, that one.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Onyx2

[mim731]

Cracking post/thread Onyx, really interesting stuff!

[Midnight Zeus]

Wow, so much I could write - some of which will never see the light of the day as I'm still with the company that was born out of the ashes of Clear Vision! Can't believe you found the Tout account Gary - that was WWE's newest toy so I thought I'd join in, for about a week anyway!

 

The Beginning...of Me at SV/CV

Tiny bit of background on my start... back in 1999 I wrote a letter to both Vince McMahon and Silver Vision, outlining my love for the WWF and why I liked it as a commercial entity. I went on to describe my relevant working experience and also things I thought I had an aptitude for, which ranged from research to commentating - no, really! I have the letter somewhere and will find and scan it for everyone's amusement soon. Well I got a call from the boss of SV and we arranged a time for me to go up (I was in Devon) to Enfield for an interview/chat. So a week before this was to happen I decided, in my infinite wisdom, that I was having too much fun partying with my friends and was in a relatively new relationship, so I turned the interview down. I actually did this in the form of a letter, and ended it by telling them how much of a mistake it was to release Mayhem In Manchester as a video of highlights and not the full event. A combination of immaturity and arrogance saw me a taking a pot shot as the right way to sign off.

 

Fast forward 12 months and I was a lot more settled and regretting my decision to turn down the opportunity to meet up. I wrote another letter, explaining how I'd matured and showcasing my wrestling website (fallscountanywhere.com if anyone remembers it - it had about 8 writers, so there's a tiny chance one or some of you may even post here), that I believed would impress them enough to give me another shot. I even said in my letter that everyone deserves a second chance and this was me asking for mine. Well to cut a long story short I got that second chance, had an interview, had a second one and started in February 2001 where I worked on WWFVideo.co.uk, then Silvervision.co.uk, and every company website since.

 

WrestleMania XX Limited Edition Boxset

 

So remembers these and I' guessing some of you still have one knocking around somewhere?

 

 

When these came in, on many pallets, the boss had about 10 of us go in to the warehouse and open every single box until we found number 0001/6000. It was a few hours and a few more curse words later, but it was yours truly that found it. He wanted it for his office where it sat until the day he left. I was given the choice and took 0013/6000, as 13 has always been my lucky number. i say always, actually ever since I became a Dan Marino fan in 1985 and he wore 13 on his jersey.

 

WWF Buys WCW

 

I'd only been with the company a matter of weeks, but the first big story I was ever told ahead of time was when WWF were to purchase WCW. It was only a few days, but I was a party to this information and told, obviously, to keep it quite and tell absolutely nobody. As an active member of the alt.pro-wrestling.wwf newgroup at the time that was tough, but of course I did it. This was bitter-sweet for me, as a huge fan of WCW since the late 80s I was devastated to see it go, but from a business stand point I saw the opportunities. I then also saw them, along with everyone else, get flushed down the toilet pretty soon after.

 

Ric Flair Goes Mad At Reporter

 

One of my jobs early on was to write interview questions which would be passed onto a journalist who we employed to do the interviews and then I would publish on the website. One such of these was Ric Flair, and one of the questions I'd asked was 'do you prefer being a heel or face?'. When asked this question he went berserk, saying the journalist had no write to use such words, and they were insider words etc. Apparently this made it into the Wrestling Observer and was picked up by wrestling sites the world over. It wasn't long before I managed to persuade the boss that I should conduct the interviews as the journalist wasn't a wrestling fan so the interviews didn't flow. This of course had nothing to do with me wanting to meet all the wrestlers, oh no. My very first one was Matt Hardy and the recorder never recorded anything, so I spent the train ride homing trying from memory to write down every one of his answers. Thankfully I have a good memory.

 

We actually had the opportunity to do a phone interview with Christian, and I passed that on to Gary/Onyx2, as it was always me who did them and thought it would be nice for him to get a chance. Poor Gary - that had to be the most corporate by the numbers interview Christian ever did.

 

I have to get on with some work but will add more over time, like when I commentated on a Man Utd match with one of WWE's Executive VPs or the time when I came up with Tagged Classics and our then MD taking it as his idea and telling everyone as such for years after!

 

EDIT: I also have pretty much all the old Mega Mails going back 20+ years, so when I get a chance I'll scan some including, including the one that had a wrestling tap on the front cover. That was chosen because "it looked like a fun image", and not because it was relevant in any way!

Edited February 19, 2015 by Midnight Zeus

[Midnight Zeus]

Screenshot of the Silver Vision website I took on October 3rd 2007. Coincidentally showing the same Vengeance 2007 DVD that Gary talked about earlier.

 

[Onyx2]

At the time of that screenshot I'd been with the company a month. Ugh, that Lashley cover of ONS is the pits. That "Best" of Batista was a tidy little seller though.

[wrestlingmad]

I can see this being a fun thread.

 

Did anything ever 'bomb' that you pushed heavily?

[Midnight Zeus]

There was relatively little we did away from what WWE released themselves, but the steel book PPV releases were an initiative the company took upon themselves. At the time we thought they'd be highly sought after  as collectible pieces, but in reality they cost a lot more to produce and we had returns in the thousands. The  steel book releases also went on far longer than they should have because we were tied into a deal with the production company to produce X number of steel book DVDs. I still have a bunch at home as we wouldn't even sell them all off for peanuts in the end, and places like CEX aren't interested in the few I've taken in. Maybe I'll give them away on here.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Midnight Zeus

[Onyx2]

I don't know about "pushed heavily" but things that lacked star power from the title or cover were hard sells: AWA, Wrestling Families, History of the IC title... whereas despite being similarly dry the WCCW title had a good cover.

 

I think the "Wrestling Families" one was featured in every sale.

 

 

PS to clarify something Steve said above a "return" in this sense means coming back from the retailer unsold, not an unhappy customer sending it back.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Onyx2

[Midnight Zeus]

Gary mentioned exclusive slipcases we did for the website and posted the Edge one, with spelling error. Well here is my concept that I gave to our design department for the Hell In A Cell exclusive slipcase:

 

 

And this is of course what it ended up being - a more minimalistic design:

 

 

[SpiritOfTheForest]

I was a winner of one of the signed Benoit DVDs. Pretty unique collectors piece now for sure.

[CTXRussomark]

This is tremendous!  Great to hear that the company was actually run by someone who was a huge fan.  I always wondered if it was just a regular office/company who just happened to have a contract to distribute wrestling DVD's, but the thought of the office being full of merchandise brings a smile to my face.

 

I remember there being a big thing about the Billy Graham not being released over here (I think?).  What was the story there?  Did you just not think it would sell?

[truthofsin]

There was relatively little we did away from what WWE released themselves, but the steel book PPV releases were an initiative the company took upon themselves. At the time we thought they'd be highly sought after  as collectible pieces, but in reality they cost a lot more to produce and we had returns in the thousands. The  steel book releases also went on far longer than they should have because we were tied into a deal with the production company to produce X number of steel book DVDs. I still have a bunch at home as we wouldn't even sell them all off for peanuts in the end, and places like CEX aren't interested in the few I've taken in. Maybe I'll give them away on here.

 

They really sold that badly? I had a bunch at the time as i thought they were pretty great. Sadly got stolen along with the rest of my wrestling collection back in 2011. I do miss Silver Vision, things haven't been anywhere near as good under Fremantle.

[Midnight Zeus]

Superstar Billy Graham - in total BBFC wanted to take 15 minutes of footage out, and we thought that compromised the title too much so chose not to release it.

 

The mistake with the steel books is that initially they were sold at £2 more than the standard one, and with little in the way of extras people were tending towards the cheaper standard option or the extra filled Blu-ray. To be honest, releasing 3 versions of a non WrestleMania was too much for the market to handle, especially as collectors were getting fewer and fewer as the years went on. Customer behaviour seemed to change too - there was a time when Z amount of people would buy each and every release without question, but people became choosier as the years went on.

[truthofsin]

Superstar Billy Graham - in total BBFC wanted to take 15 minutes of footage out, and we thought that compromised the title too much so chose not to release it.

 

The mistake with the steel books is that initially they were sold at £2 more than the standard one, and with little in the way of extras people were tending towards the cheaper standard option or the extra filled Blu-ray. To be honest, releasing 3 versions of a non WrestleMania was too much for the market to handle, especially as collectors were getting fewer and fewer as the years went on. Customer behaviour seemed to change too - there was a time when Z amount of people would buy each and every release without question, but people became choosier as the years went on.

 

That's pretty true of my buying habits. In the VHS era i was buying every release without fail in release week. The same with DVD for quite some time, then more and more titles were getting released and it just wasn't realistic after a while. So i pretty much just bought the PPVs and select special releases. The steelbooks were a really nice gimmick, they were one of those things that was nice to hold. As down as i was about those being stolen, i was much more upset about the 2 WrestleMania XX limited edition boxsets i had stolen alongside them lol.