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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?"

2 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