As much as I may consider myself to be a proponent of physical media, I still appreciate that streaming and digital media have their strengths and purposes. For example, if you’re a particularly enthusiastic fan of movies and TV shows, you might not have enough storage space for individual disc versions of every title you’d like to watch. Like most people, you probably have to make certain strategic decisions when choosing which DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K discs are worth buying.

It’s unlikely a personal physical media collection could ever thoroughly cover every movie and show you love. Rather than representing the sum total of your tastes, your disc collection may instead be a curated selection of titles that reflects something about your unique connection to your favorite film and television.

To that end, some people build physical media collections around themes. Doing so can help you better determine whether a given DVD, Blu-ray, or 4K disc is worth buying. This approach can also help you build a collection that says something about you beyond “These are a few movies and shows I like.”

Choosing discs based on directors and stars

You may build a physical media collection based on creative talent

You don’t necessarily need to overcomplicate the process of choosing which titles belong in your personal physical media collection of shows and movies. It can help to treat your collection the same way you might treat a music collection.

For example, perhaps you have a favorite band or artist. You might be a completionist of their work, buying all of their albums on CD or vinyl. Doing so doesn’t just provide you with physical copies of your favorite band’s discography. It also helps you grow a collection that reflects your passion as a fan.

You may go about building a collection of DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K discs the same way. Perhaps there are specific directors, actors, screenwriters, or even cinematographers whose work you admire. If so, you might buy their filmography on disc.

Naturally, because you’re a fan of their work, for the most part, you’ll be buying titles you actually like watching. On top of that, as your collection grows, you might feel yourself developing an even stronger relationship with art that means something to you.

Sticking to one genre yields a disc collection that makes a statement

Again, unless you have unlimited storage space, or you’re just the type of person who doesn’t care that much about movies and TV shows, you probably don’t have the space for physical versions of every movie and show you theoretically want to own. Although there are ways to save money when buying physical media, nevertheless, you likely can’t justify the cost of purchasing every title on your list.

Knowing this, your goal when buying discs for your physical media collection may be to grow a collection that makes a statement about your tastes. One way to achieve this goal is to stick to a particular genre.

Obviously, this makes growing a collection around a theme quite easy. Over time, as your collection gets bigger and bigger, it can also boldly advertise your devotion to a particular type of movie.

This highlights the way a physical media collection can double as home decor. For example, if you build a collection of horror movies, the visual identity of this collection will likely be defined by dark blacks, deep reds, and a general “gothic” aesthetic. On the flip side, if you go all-in on rom-coms, the warm hues of the packaging will ensure your collection visually communicates a sense of fun and playfulness.

Mini-themes are also acceptable

It’s unrealistic to stick to just one theme when buying DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K discs

Choosing themes like those already discussed can help guide your decision-making process as you build a robust physical media collection. That said, it can also be quite limiting if you stick to just one or two themes. That’s why mixing it up with multiple themes can help you build a more diverse collection that truly reflects the dynamism of your personality and taste.

You likely don’t need to be told how you can use the themes already mentioned in this capacity. Rather than building a collection around one favorite director, you can focus on several directors and stars. Instead of just sticking to one genre when buying discs, you can buy discs across your favorite two or three genres. Or, you can pick one genre and break it down into subgenres.

Those are just basic examples. You might get more nuanced, picking themes that have to do with the seasons certain movies take place during, the settings in which they take place, the eras in which they were made, and more.

The idea is that a physical media collection can be a manifestation of who you are as a consumer and appreciator of art. Rather than haphazardly buying titles for your collection, you can use themes to help you make purchasing choices. Doing so may be key to building a collection you can be proud of.