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How Should On-Demand Content Work?
Shirlockc asks: "A recent Slashdot thread on how NBC is planning to offer on demand movies, and this NPR story on The Changing Face of Television has me asking: How will content (be it TV, movies, old, new) be distributed? I also include books -- content is content, the medium for the content changes but good content will always sell. Has anyone thought to try a pay-on-demand for content ie., subsidize the production costs by getting the audience/fans to pay for new episodes, thus skipping the broadcast networks? I know there was a campaign to raise money, in this way, to save Star Trek Enterprise, and there was an attempt to bittorrent a Star Trek Spoof recently on a pay-for-download basis. For shows with a decent cult following (eg., Firefly, Arrested Development, etc.) isn't it possible to fund the production without network participation (assuming all license agreements can be cleared?"
The concept of bringing the shows to the fans directly is possible and doable, but very few producers with proper credentials want to do it, because they're terrified it will end up losing them money somehow. A show I've created was on the verge making the move to the web when some fool added up numbers and mused out loud that they might only make 90% of what they'd make from standard international distribution... (but really, he was saying: "If we become the biggest hit show in the history of mankind, our licensing revenues would eclipse the GDP of western Europe! Beat THAT, Internet!"). So the idea was shelved, because there's a bit too much certainty in fans-per-show than suckers-in-foreign-broadcasting-company. So I'd say you need someone to make the AJAX of web shows, and THEN all your favourite shows will be re-invented for the web, with cheaper effects and b-er-list actors.
/. readers of the world, are too cynical and selfish to invest in anything other than gadgets for ourselves. Here, take this example: I've got plans for a series about a group of charismatic con artists who swindle $5M from WoW players through an elaborate scheme. It's got comedy, drama, danger, sex, the works. 13 episodes, 10 minutes each, one a week, and an online puzzle that ties into the plot. If I can raise $7,000, it can go ahead. Who's with me?
Of course, the whole concept may be flawed anyway. Very few people will pitch in to make anything anyway. We, the
[crickets]
Right.