We just came back from running two Video Bootcamps, back-to-back in DC.
One of the core lectures at the bootcamps is about rights and releases.
We are fastidious about them. Personal appearance releases, location releases, music releases and more.
One of the students at a bootcamp in New York last month called the day after the class ended and asked if we wanted to go to the Springsteen concert in the Meadowlands. Front row seats – comped.
Who would say no?
Jerry is a hollywood stuntman but also a roadie with Springsteen. It was an offer too good to pass up.
Last night, scanning through Google Video, I came upon the concert we had attended. For sale. ‘The complete DVD set”.
The sale, however, will not return one cent to Springsteen or the E-Street Band.
There were an estimated 70,000 people in Giant’s Stadium on October 3rd for the concert. All of them, I am sure, had cellphones. Most of the cellphones had video cameras. And those that don’t soon will.
The video, shown above, looks like it was shot on an iPhone or a small camcorder. It doesn’t matter.
What it tell us is far more interesting.
Out of curiosity I started to poke around the web, looking for what other pirate videos I could find. They are as vast as google or youtube. Pretty much any movie you want – shot by someone in the theater with a camcorder. Do you like classical music? You can get Beethoven performed by the Berlin Philharmonic. Opera? It’s all there.
On the one hand, we are delivering the news about rigorous adherence to releases and rights, and on the other hand, anarchy is in the streets. Who is going to prevail?
My guess is the anarchy. Once the technology genie is out of the bottle, you can’t put it back in.
In 1989 I was working in Sweden with Steve Carlin. He had produced the $64,000 Question in the 50s. Now we were trying to produce “Swedens Funniest Home Videos”. The problem was that almost no one in Sweden had a home video camera, so we had to run Japanese clips. Things have changed.
Today everyone has a video camera. And they turn them on all the time. And pretty soon, when G4 kicks in (as it has already done in Asia, where 200 million people upload videos from their phones every day), everything that happens is going to be recorded and reproduced and distributed for free.
When the cost of recording and distributing is nothing, what happens to the businesses that do this for a living?
Ask the people who used to work at Tower Records.
And in a world where everyone has a video camera and a transmission system, how long do you think copyright laws will stay in effect?
Anyone still doing 55 on the Interstate?
12 Comments
Michael Rosenblum October 19, 2009
That was pretty interesting.
So long as the authors agree to put their stuff up voluntarily, I think it’s a great idea.
I have a stack of rejection letters from publishers that go from here to Mars.
If they take unpublished works, I think I would post there as well.
pencilgod October 18, 2009
Have you read Eric Flints ideas on Baen’s free library? Started back in 2000 and still going.
http://www.baen.com/library/
Michael Rosenblum October 18, 2009
I agree completely. It’s this sense that because its on the net, it’s OK. If the guy was standing in front of Giant’s Stadium with his DVDs he’d be arrested in a second.
pencilgod October 18, 2009
Oh I see.
Still its weird that a criminal, not a fan a criminal, steals someone elses work, puts it on the internet to promote sales of the illegally gained material. Then because its on the net and we expect everything on there for free its up to the actual legal owner of the material to somehow change.
Michael Rosenblum October 16, 2009
No no man. I was there. Unless I am missing something, what this guy shot was what was being projected on the giant screens next to the stage. There were like 8 fixed big cameras and probably another 8 shoulder mounted ones in the stadium and their product was being projected through huge screens set up next to the stage. That was a very very professional and produced live product. The place was so enormous that most people probably just watched the screens. What this guy shot (unless I am wrong) was the screens. I seen the bounce in his camera. I can’t find any DVD of the Oct 3 concert. In any event, I don’t disagree that rips of DVD or movies or TV shows for that matter are also killing the business. The technology is simply at odds with the laws. Something has to change, and its not gonna be the technology. The cat is already out of the bag on this one.
pencilgod October 16, 2009
What you posted Michael is rip of a DVD shot by an outside broadcast with professional cameras and an OB van that would have cost lots and lots to make.
If you want to see what a cameraphone shot of the Boss looks like here you go… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybhC9FYV8bQ
Now I fail to see how a cameraphone coverage is a threat to anything. What is a threat is someone can buy a copy of a DVD and rip it to youtube where anyone can watch it without paying anyone a cent.
That is what is killing us.
Kevin Curl October 15, 2009
So CNN is now saying that it will package content for sale. The News Corp guys can’t be far behind. People already pay for Netflix, Blockbuster and etc. Premium content has never been free. Analog TV is gone. Hulu will be charging for the ability to view reruns.TV manufacturers are releasing new sets next year that have internet capability beyond anything we have imagined. Adobe has announced Flash video for iPhones (smartphones). What do they.. .. and you know, that the average Joe doesn’t??
Michael Rosenblum October 15, 2009
I think that original content that is creative will always have value. The question of how it gets packaged, sold and protected is something that we have not even begun to grapple with. But for sure, the old model does not work any longer in light of the new technology.
Kevin Curl October 15, 2009
Okay, so are you saying that everything we are doing is for naught? To empower people to broadcast the world is one thing. But are they going to displace VJ’s and enterprenuers as well?
Michael Rosenblum October 15, 2009
I don’t know what the guy shot it with. When we went into the Meadowlands they checked all the bags and stuff for cameras! (did not take away phones). Lots of the stuff posted online (movies mostly) are seemingly shot with iPhones (judging from the quality). In any event, the web is awash with pirated stuff. You can pretty much see anything you want any time you want for free. And I guess that soon you’ll be able to transmit the Yankees playoffs live from your phone as well. Just noting that the whole notion of copyright is getting pretty archaic.
pencilgod October 15, 2009
BTW the Bosses vid you posted was not shot with a cell phone, why would anyone watch that when there are DVD rips uploaded?
pencilgod October 15, 2009
The thing for me is availability. I love some the British shows like ‘Mock The Week†“QI†“Never Mind The Buzzcocks†but I can’t see them in New Zealand. I fact I’m told because of Northern/Southern hemisphere music copywrite issues “Never Mind The Buzzcocks†will never be able to screen here so I keep up on them 10 min at a time on youtube. Would I pay to see them? Yes but there is no option. I watch illegally or not at all… and you only have to read the comments to see I’m not alone.