Episode 3 of Shelf Media Society features Sebastian Paul, also known as The Frame Vault, discussing his journey as a brand-new physical media collector and aspiring filmmaker. Seb explains that although he grew up around his dad’s large DVD collection, he only recently decided to start collecting himself after being inspired by creators in the physical media community. His first major pickup was the Pearl, X, and Maxxxine trilogy box set, which set the tone for the kind of premium editions he enjoys collecting.

Throughout the episode, Seb talks about why physical media feels more meaningful than streaming. He explains how owning films on 4K Blu-ray, especially when paired with an OLED TV and surround sound setup, creates a much more immersive experience. He mainly collects 4Ks, only buying standard Blu-rays when a film isn’t available in 4K ...