Learning how to write a Blu-ray review for a movie is not complicated. This edification process is basically learning how to write a movie review but also taking into account all the other things that make a movie on Blu-ray a movie on Blu-ray. This basically involves giving your impressions on all the relevant sections of the Blu-ray so the reader of your Blu-ray movie review knows exactly what they are getting if they decide to plunck down their hard-earned cash for it.
First, let us get that lingering question in your mind out of the way.
Hay! What the frell is a Blu-ray?
A Blu-ray Disc (official abbreviation BD and official shortened name is Blu-ray) is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede theDVD format. The standard physical medium is a 12 cm plastic optical disc, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs (50 GB) the norm for feature-length video discs…The name Blu-ray Disc refers to the blue laser used to read the disc, which allows information to be stored at a greater density than is possible with the longer-wavelength red laser used for DVDs.
What you need to Review a Blu-ray
These are the essentials for reviewing a movie on Blu-ray:
1.) An HD TV.
2.) A Blu-ray disc player.
3.) A surround sound stereo system. (Optional but it shouldn’t be since you can’t fully review the sound of a Blu-ray without it)
4.) A note pad and a pen.
5.) Time to dedicate to watching the film, its extras, and writing the drafts of your review. Time management comes into play.
Elements of your Blu-ray Movie Review
These are the elements of a Blu-ray that will make it creditable and worth reading:
1.) Review the film in question. If you have already written a film review for the film while in theater, great. Part of your work is already done.
2.) Review how the film “looks” on Blu-ray (Video).
3.) Review how the film “sounds” on Blu-ray (Audio).
4.) Review the extras on the Blu-ray. This part of the review is probably the easiest. All you have to do is give your impressions on the extras. People want to here about them and what they offer.
5.) List the Disc Details somewhere in your review. These include: Release Date, Rating (G, PG-13, R, NC-17), Disc Number, RCE, Video, Aspect, Anamorphic, Color, Audio, Subtitles, Extras, Easter Egg, Length, etc.
6.) Your overall impression of the blu-ray movie at the end of your review.
7.) A Blu-ray or Blu-ray Review category on your website. Such a category is good for site navigation (your Blu-ray reviews can be easily found) and is good for SEO.
The Title of your Review
I spoke about the title of your post here: Tips on Title Tags, Post Tags, and Movie Review Posting Strategies, here 4 Ways to Hammer Search Engine Terms, and here Keyword Placement for High SERPs (Search Engine Result Positions). The ideas from those posts apply to the title of your Blu-ray movie review.
Best Time to Post
Before the Blu-ray is released is probably best because people will be looking for reviews on it before they purchase it on Home Release Tuesday. That means search engine traffic for you if you optimize your post via SEO. The day the Blu-ray is released, its street date, is also good.
Cashing In
Throw in a couple links or actions button (written about here: Making Money with Amazon Associates on a Movie Website: The Deal Post and here: Making Money with Amazon Associates on a Movie Website: Automate) that allow the reader of your review to purchase the Blu-ray in question. Hot link the images in your Blu-ray review to purchase sites as well.
Back-linking
If you have some other posts and material on your site related to film you are reviewing (i.e. photos, trailers, etc.), back-link to some of them in your Blu-ray movie review if its appropriate and back-link to it correctly (i.e. name the link correctly, not generically). Example: Blu-ray Review: TRON: Legacy (2010) / TRON (1982): Five Disc Combo Set.
Giving Back
If the Blu-ray you are reviewing was obtained from a movie PR Firm, send them a link to your review after it is posted. They will probably ask you to send them a link after it has gone live but if they don’t, sending a link is just good edict. If a movie PR Firm gave you the film in advance: review the Blu-ray and get it online within the time frame they’ve given you. It makes you look good and will ensure that they fill your requests when you make them in the future.
Optional
Use an screen shot from the Blu-ray in your review as an example of its video quality. I say optional because not everyone has a Blu-ray player connected to their computer and thus can not take a quality screen shot of the film as its playing. If you are lucky, you can obtain Blu-ray images by doing a Google Image Search (written about here: 5 Movie Photo, Celebrity Picture, and Movie Poster Resources) for the Blu-ray movie in question. A picture or two will add visual flare to your review but is not necessary. It will even add ocular sweets to a post about writing Blu-ray movie reviews.
Olivia Wilde, Garett Hedlund, TRON: Legacy
In Conclusion
Writing a Blu-ray movie review can be a SEO, back-linking, money-making opportunity if handled correctly but you have an responsibility and obligation as a reviewer first and fore-most. The film on the Blu-ray disc should be reviewed just as you would an in-theater film then you should talk about everything else that makes the movie on Blu-ray a movie on Blu-ray.
