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Alternatives to the Entertainment Industry?

Posted by michael on from the minor-leagues dept.

Lendrick writes "With all the discussion lately about the increasing proliferation of Digital Rights Denial and the erosion of fair use rights, it occurs to me that if the entertainment manufactured by the big entertainment companies gets to a point where it's no longer worth the trouble, then maybe we should get our entertainment elsewhere. My question is this: Does anyone know of any places (apart from the obvious mp3.com) where music and especially movies by independent artists can be legitimately downloaded?"

5 of 49 comments (clear)

  1. Get out of the house by Deanasc · · Score: 4, Insightful
    There's lots of great music going on in bars, big city or small town. You just have to look. Don't like smoke? Try the libraries. Most have postings for local music. Join a club or drive into the city for art house movies or movie night at the museum.

    Buy a Macintosh with a superdrive and get a camcorder. Make your own movies.

    Learn an instrument and make your own music. You'll be happier and smarter.

    Take up gardening, pottery, painting, sculpture etc. Have something you can give away or sell.

    Getting out of the house has the added benefit of introducing you to new people. You may even meet the cute guy or girl you've always hoped to meet. Better than a chatroom cause you can see what they look like.

    Or stay at home and look at pr0n and watch whatever dribble they package to replace Friends.

    --
    I've hit Karma 50 and gotten a Score:5, Troll... I win!
  2. The entertainment industry: built on distribution by stienman · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The entertainment industry was built around the fact that it cost money to distribute the entertainment. As distribution channels changed (and became cheaper) the industry adapted in more and more profitable ways. The internet gives us an opportunity to shortcut that (again), and cut out the middleman. The industry, obviously, is searching for ways to adapt and become even more profitable - now they can get the customer to pay for the content, and distribution. Their charges are now all profit.

    The problem is that the creaters of content are so intertwined with the distributers that it'll be a long time before we see creators uncoupled from the providers. In the meantime you find that providers will only support creators that do it their way, ie, exclusively through proper channels. They also act as the middlemen between the advertisers and the creators in the case of 'free' content such as TV.

    We won't see independant creaters even near the quality of current movies/music/shows/series until we show creaters that it is worth their time. The model that premium cable channels have (no ads, full unlimited access) needs to be adopted. But - guess what - no one will pay for that model. Not yet, anyway...

    -Adam

  3. Who needs an industry? by Jon-o · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I think it's kind of sad, not surprising, but disappointing, that we feel we need an "entertainment industry" to keep us occupied.

    Back in the Good Ole' Days(tm) they didn't have recordings of the superstars. If you wanted music, you played it, or hired someone who could do it for you, for those higher in finance than in talent. And if you were lucky/dedicated/rich&famous you could hear the superstars.

    I think we'd all be a lot better off in this sort of thing if we didn't think of "entertainment" as "recorded performances by strangers". Instead, try to think of it as "participation in the act of creation".

    1. Re:Who needs an industry? by Lendrick · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Who needs an industry?

      That's actually the point of the question. The entertainment industry lost me when they became an industry. What I'd like to find out is where I can find real art created by real people who are creating for fun, not profit.

      To all those who have said I should create something myself--I do. I write. I also program in my spare time. However, it's nice at times to sit back, relax, and enjoy someone else's creation.

      Peace,
      Lendrick

  4. Yes, there are... by redhatbox · · Score: 2, Insightful


    Okay so there are bunches of indie film sites on the web... a good start. Let's take this a step further.

    Here on /., the single most common gripe I've heard (and have made myself) regarding the "entertainment industry" has been their lack of attention to really leveraging the web for media sales. They've spent an awful lot of money trying to hold back the tidal wave of "rampant piaracy of their products", but haven't really made any great strides with offering an acceptable sales channel online. Alrighty then, to hell with them.

    This is Slashdot. Only God knows how many web designers, database programmers, and general purpose coders hit this site on a daily basis. Why haven't we fired up a community-driven initiative to build a site that allows indie groups (both video and audio-based) to sell their wares directly to the public via the web? This *really* shouldn't be all that complicated. Maybe it already exists, and none of us know about it.

    I suppose the point is simple: most of the people I know would *gladly* pay a buck or two to download a couple of songs, as opposed to leeching them off [insert favorite P2P server here]. Not that there's anything technically wrong with P2P services... all I'm saying is I *know* people will pay if someone would only build a decently usable system to offer up the goods. Maybe the established music industry would take a lesson from such a venture, and get their own ball rolling as well.

    I'm a perl programmer, database designer, and fairly competent GUI/page designer. Anyone want to start a forum somewhere as a central place to meet and throw ideas around? This merits action, not just conversation. :)