Hi Guys! A newbie here!
I'm Kneko Burney, from Eyesoda.com, a new social networking, streaming site that brings independent filmmakers and film lovers together.
I'm sure everyone's been talking about online film distribution as the next big thing for indie film. And, as an owner of a business that does just that, I would agree. But, as a trained economist and consultant (I continue to run a successful consulting business) I thought I'd also be honest about the near-term future of the market...
Here are my two unsolicited cents - I hope we can start a vibrant discussion about them!
1. High-quality streaming of video content (independent, broadcast and Hollywood) is one of the biggest areas of activity on the Internet today. Streaming video, along with Web cam conferencing, IP TV and user-generated video, fall into a category called "IP Video," where IP stands for Internet Protocal. There is more investment in this area than just about any other area of high-tech today.
2. Business models for this category are still developing, even for popular sites like YouTube (which is still not profitable). As such, there is no one "right" business model. There are lots of ways to skin a cat, so to speak, and many of these diverse business models will survive in the long-run. That's beauty of the Web, it facilitates diversity. As such, if you've got a little time on your hands, it would good to check out more than one company in the area. Here are some that I watch:
3. Filmmakers should be open to working with more than one online partner, because each online distributor (like Eyesoda.com) has it's own unique market strategy and will appeal to different segments of the market. Like my mom always says, don't put all your eggs in one basket. With this in mind, I would not recommend working with any online distributor that requires exclusivity. And, though you'll get exposure through free platforms, like YouTube and MySpace video, now is the time to start working with companies that require their audience to pay to see your labors of love. It usually not difficult to work with online distributors, like mine. For example, at Eyesoda.com, all you have to do is send us your film on disk (DVD or DVD-R) in the highest quality rendering and we'll do just about everything else for you to get your started - create a profile, encode and upload the film, reach out to communities that might be interested in your film, etc.
4. Film lovers will pay to see independent film online and they are already doing it to some degree via iTunes, Amazon and the online distributors mentioned above. But, only a very tiny fraction of potential viewers are buying indie films this way because it's so new. However, because so much is going on this area people are becoming more aware of their options and thus exploring more ways to enjoy indie film over the Internet. As such, we're just at the beginning of the curve, so expect very fast growth with regard to traffic and dollars spent over the next few years. But, please be patient, it will take some time for each filmmaker to build a following online and really start to capitalize on the power of the Web. But, it will happen.
4. Because there are so many new films each year (indie and otherwise), the online sites that take an active role in marketing each film (not just making them available to their viewing public) will in the long-run be the best distributors for indie film, even if their traffic is lower than bigger names, like Amazon. Here's why: Amazon has thousands of titles. And, unlike buying books or electronics, film selection is usually a "discovery" process, where viewers "discover" new films via ads, recommendations from others, seeing trailers or movie posters and, to a lesser degree, searching. Though big destinations, like Amazon, will deliver big results for some filmmakers, they will not facilitate indie filmmakers being able to build a following or audience over time. I personally think film is to some degree a communal experience, where you enjoy it as an individual and then enjoy it again via discussions with others. You don't get that on e-commerce sites or even with iTunes.
5. With the last point in mind, I believe that each indie filmmaker's ability to build their own network of "film lovers" or a "following" will play a powerful role in each ones success. A few sites, like mine and Jaman, have social communities built into them, which means you can build your own audience over time. The Web is probably the best way for indie filmmakers to create a viable outlet for their work, and the best way to monetize it on a larger scale. The trick will be to find those audiences that will be avid for your work. And, this will likely start with your own contacts (get them to join the indie film communities you're on and become involved), driving traffic in your everyday interactions, such as inviting folks that you come across offline, and reaching out to other members in each site's community. This might sound like a bummer, but the more active you are at building a "following" and leveraging these sites to your advantage, the more successful you'll be as more and more people go to the Web to enjoy independent film in the coming years. We'll help you with this at Eyesoda.com, because you success it our success too.
So, that's my two cents.
What do you think?
I'm Kneko Burney, from Eyesoda.com, a new social networking, streaming site that brings independent filmmakers and film lovers together.
I'm sure everyone's been talking about online film distribution as the next big thing for indie film. And, as an owner of a business that does just that, I would agree. But, as a trained economist and consultant (I continue to run a successful consulting business) I thought I'd also be honest about the near-term future of the market...
Here are my two unsolicited cents - I hope we can start a vibrant discussion about them!
1. High-quality streaming of video content (independent, broadcast and Hollywood) is one of the biggest areas of activity on the Internet today. Streaming video, along with Web cam conferencing, IP TV and user-generated video, fall into a category called "IP Video," where IP stands for Internet Protocal. There is more investment in this area than just about any other area of high-tech today.
2. Business models for this category are still developing, even for popular sites like YouTube (which is still not profitable). As such, there is no one "right" business model. There are lots of ways to skin a cat, so to speak, and many of these diverse business models will survive in the long-run. That's beauty of the Web, it facilitates diversity. As such, if you've got a little time on your hands, it would good to check out more than one company in the area. Here are some that I watch:
3. Filmmakers should be open to working with more than one online partner, because each online distributor (like Eyesoda.com) has it's own unique market strategy and will appeal to different segments of the market. Like my mom always says, don't put all your eggs in one basket. With this in mind, I would not recommend working with any online distributor that requires exclusivity. And, though you'll get exposure through free platforms, like YouTube and MySpace video, now is the time to start working with companies that require their audience to pay to see your labors of love. It usually not difficult to work with online distributors, like mine. For example, at Eyesoda.com, all you have to do is send us your film on disk (DVD or DVD-R) in the highest quality rendering and we'll do just about everything else for you to get your started - create a profile, encode and upload the film, reach out to communities that might be interested in your film, etc.
4. Film lovers will pay to see independent film online and they are already doing it to some degree via iTunes, Amazon and the online distributors mentioned above. But, only a very tiny fraction of potential viewers are buying indie films this way because it's so new. However, because so much is going on this area people are becoming more aware of their options and thus exploring more ways to enjoy indie film over the Internet. As such, we're just at the beginning of the curve, so expect very fast growth with regard to traffic and dollars spent over the next few years. But, please be patient, it will take some time for each filmmaker to build a following online and really start to capitalize on the power of the Web. But, it will happen.
4. Because there are so many new films each year (indie and otherwise), the online sites that take an active role in marketing each film (not just making them available to their viewing public) will in the long-run be the best distributors for indie film, even if their traffic is lower than bigger names, like Amazon. Here's why: Amazon has thousands of titles. And, unlike buying books or electronics, film selection is usually a "discovery" process, where viewers "discover" new films via ads, recommendations from others, seeing trailers or movie posters and, to a lesser degree, searching. Though big destinations, like Amazon, will deliver big results for some filmmakers, they will not facilitate indie filmmakers being able to build a following or audience over time. I personally think film is to some degree a communal experience, where you enjoy it as an individual and then enjoy it again via discussions with others. You don't get that on e-commerce sites or even with iTunes.
5. With the last point in mind, I believe that each indie filmmaker's ability to build their own network of "film lovers" or a "following" will play a powerful role in each ones success. A few sites, like mine and Jaman, have social communities built into them, which means you can build your own audience over time. The Web is probably the best way for indie filmmakers to create a viable outlet for their work, and the best way to monetize it on a larger scale. The trick will be to find those audiences that will be avid for your work. And, this will likely start with your own contacts (get them to join the indie film communities you're on and become involved), driving traffic in your everyday interactions, such as inviting folks that you come across offline, and reaching out to other members in each site's community. This might sound like a bummer, but the more active you are at building a "following" and leveraging these sites to your advantage, the more successful you'll be as more and more people go to the Web to enjoy independent film in the coming years. We'll help you with this at Eyesoda.com, because you success it our success too.
So, that's my two cents.
What do you think?