I met Jeff from Films at Home earlier this year pretty organically. He had shot me a DM saying he really liked some of the Pokémon stuff we were making and that he’d love to partner up in the future. I took a look at his channel and saw instantly that he shared the same passion for Film and nostalgia as I had. His commitment to physical media and keeping DVD and Blu-Ray alive in the digital age really impressed me. We decided to plan out a Halloween collection honoring some of our favorite Horror franchises and it’s been some of the most fun I’ve had in this space thus far. I had a chance to sit down with him for a quick Q&A talking film, horror and his experience as a content creator:
Hey Jeff! I’ll start with the most obvious question: Tell us a little about your channel and how did you get started?
Hey! So my channel is called Films At Home and it focuses on my love for movies, centered around my physical media collection of Blu-rays and DVDs. I do disc reviews, talk about home entertainment and the film industry, and educate other collectors on the benefits of physical media.
I started collecting movies when I was in college, after I got my first decent sized TV and a cheap little surround sound system. I really jumped into the hobby head first and started getting involved in the community, wrote some articles and reviews, started an Instagram account, and then launched the YouTube channel in late 2017.
What are some of the most memorable films you've featured on Films at Home, and why do they stand out to you?
I love Jaws, so I have done several videos on the film including a location tour during a trip to Martha’s Vineyard where the movie was filmed, a history of the film’s home video releases over the years, and of course a 4K review when the new remastered version came out on 4K Blu-ray.
I also love talking about horror films and have had the opportunity to highlight a lot of cool releases and new remastered versions of classic films before they hit store shelves like The Exorcist, Halloween, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Suspiria.
I also had the chance to talk to director Brian Levant, who directed Beethoven, The Flintstones (live action), and my favorite Christmas movie of all-time, Jingle All The Way! So that was a very special interview for me.
How do you select the films and content you feature on Films at Home? Are there specific criteria you follow?
I cover the stuff I like! I really don’t have interest in covering films that are going to be a drag for me to watch, so I just focus on what I love and build my collection and my channel in that way. That is also my advice for any collectors out there who want to start buying physical media. Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses, just buy what you love and make it your own!
What are some underrated or lesser-known horror films that you think deserve more attention from home viewers?
I would highly recommend Alice Sweet Alice (underrated slasher), The Watcher (awesome psychological thriller/horror on Shudder), The Dark and the Wicked (creepy paranormal film from 2020), and 1408 (an underrated Stephen King adaptation). There are so many more depending on what people like, but that is what I am sharing my recommendations on social media for!
What’s the most valuable lesson you've learned from running Films at Home, and what advice would you give to aspiring content creators in the film and entertainment niche?
When you start, there are going to be a lot of doubts in your mind. You will second guess it. It will be tough. But you get better every day. The channels that make it are the ones that stick around after year 1, year 2, etc. It is just like running a business. Most fail in the first year. The rest fail after two. The successful ones make it to year 3. You just have to keep going and cover things you are passionate about.
When I started the channel, nobody had a large physical media audience. No one had cracked 100k subscribers in the space. I thought there was a ceiling, but we keep growing. If you are passionate and put time into the craft of creating content, the audience will find you.
Where do you see Films at Home five years from now, and what legacy would you like it to leave in the world of film and home entertainment?
Honestly, I would love to get into the physical media space myself at some point, releasing some small films that I think deserve a physical media release and spreading the joy of independent film to a larger audience through my content. I also want to write and publish a book (working on several now), and I would love to make more mini-documentaries and video essays for YouTube to expand my creativity as a creator.
Do you have any future plans or projects related to Films at Home that you can tease for your audience?
For sure. I cannot say too much, but there are several things being worked on right now. We will see where they go, but at the very least I am trying to get some of the things I mentioned above in order so that in the next year or two we will have some very cool announcements to share with the audience.
Check out more of Jeff's content over on his YouTube channel and Instagram page: