By KYRA KIRKWOOD

The current wave of extra-loaded DVDs is creating a new breed of mainstream-viewers-turned-film-students who buy, not rent, DVDs to repeatedly absorb intricacies of film.

The numerous extras on DVDs are what’s attracting mainstream movie watchers to the format.

"I think it’s one of those really great value-added pieces that home entertainment has over any of those pay-per-view or tape rentals," says John Thrasher, v.p. of video sales for Tower Music and Video. "All of these enhancements make it a better experience than strictly watching the film."

The storyboards, behind-the-scenes extras and director commentaries are what the consumer looks for in DVDs, says Thrasher.

"It’s not good enough just to have the movies," agrees Amy Jo Donner, executive director for the DVD Entertainment Group. Viewers want outtakes, running commentary, multiple camera angles and alternate endings. Viewers are studying the films almost as much as they are watching them, she adds.

Filmmakers are seeking new ways to add more innovative extras on their DVDs, making them extra appealing to viewers. New items include film-related games, screenplay comparisons and Web events.

Van Ling, producer and creator for Artisan Entertainment’s much-awaited T2 special edition DVD, says the DVD phenomena is creating outlets for many in the industry as well as those training to be professionals in Hollywood.

"The movie itself is no longer the final product," he says, mentioning how directors often think of the DVD production while the movie is being shot. "It is certainly the centerpiece and the core of any title, but it’s not the only thing anymore."

There is so much in the line of extras on some DVDs that Ling refers to them as "film school on a disc."

Yet some of this bonus material is left off discs for rental, encouraging customers to buy the movies, according to an article on the Forbes Website.

Consumers, too, are becoming more aware of the filmmaking process, Donner says. Commentary tracks offer insights into the unplanned nuances, insider information and behind the scenes footage.

"To be able to learn about film on a format that shows the craft you’re talking about [rather than just reading about theory in a book] will create more film fanatics," says Tom Adams, president of Adams Media Research. "People will become more savvy about how films are made."

Adams adds that the special features drive DVD sales, since more people want to study the special features–like director commentary and screenplays, which take hours to go through.

"No doubt, the added scenes are fascinating many people," Kirk Kirkpatrick, v.p. of marketing for WaxWorks says. "Many DVD owners use that as a greater motivation to purchase [the titles]."

Twentieth Century Fox Home Video’s new round of releases, Fight Club, ID4 and The Abyss, are introducing viewers to more advanced special effects sections.

Fox is looking to create a "new experience," says Peter Staddon, senior v.p. of marketing at Fox,.

The Fight Club DVD includes four commentaries and 17 special features (including deleted scenes)–followed by the actual scenes used in the movie.

"[It] really helps explain the movie," Staddon says.

With all these mega-packed DVDs–like the 5-plus-hour "Five-Star Collection" ID4–Fox knows it’s creating a generation of film students.

"Everyone now is a film critic," Staddon says. "And we’re enabling them to be film critics."

ID4 is jammed, with two discs featuring the theatrical version as well as the nine-minute extra of restored footage, an alien invasion "mockumentary," a making of the film documentary, original biplane ending sequence, DVD-ROM link to "ID4 Online" game and a 33-minute featurette hosted by Jeff Goldblum.

"We want to enhance the experience," says Beth Gunderia, v.p. of marketing for New Line Home Video, the studio which has the Platinum Series "Austin Powers" DVDs. "We want to take you one more step beyond just entertainment."

With DVD emerging into the mainstream, a wealth of family titles are hitting VideoScan’s bestseller lists, according to Videoscan. expanding the demographics of the DVD audience.

In the week ending May 14, the top--selling DVD was DreamWorks Home Entertainment’s Galaxy Quest, with Buena Vista Home Entertainment’s The Fox and the Hound ranked No. 9 and Columbia TriStar Home Video’s Stuart Little. The latter not only features an "interview" with Mr. Little, but it also has a commentary with filmmakers who explain how Hollywood created a talking mouse who wears trousers.