will modern technology kill film music and television

[Pol]

Ok I haven't started a topic for a while and I'm having a bit of a buggles moment (Most of you know the reference)

Just wondering with the invention of gadgets like android tv box's , chromecast etc as well as all your illegal torrent sites and legal streaming plus what ever the future holds Will this kill off anyone investing in the future of these media. Now I'm not the most tech savey person but I can or could easily figure out how to use these gadgets.
I think there will be call for cinema and live performance but how many people are going to buy cds dvds get sky etc Currently you need to pay for a tv license yet you can watch it an hour later on catch up without one crazy or what

[Master Ray]

It's a contentious debate, mate, and I can see both sides of the story, but it's one I have to get back to you when I'm a lot less tired and, er, 'refreshed'...

[Anna Woman von NRW]

I don'[t think these technologies will kill off film, music, tv etc but no doubt there will be fundamental changes to how they work.

People have always created art in various forms and most probably feel driven to do it to express themselves and create irrespective of whether or not they have an audience. I imagine only a minority set out to do it just to make money or gain fame. Take music for example: it seems that musicians have always existed be it wandering minstrels or whatever. But the phenomenon of the "popstar" is a very recent thing and perhaps is only a transitory situation. Maybe it will revert back to a more "normal" part of society ? I guess there has only been recorded artists for something like what - 80 years? Perhaps in time it will be seen as something like tulip mania or the goldrush.

The current "industries" must be brimming with people riding on the back of artists because they can make money ( or example I read that the entourage Kanye West took to Glastonbury was so large other artists Guest lists had to be cut ) and when that opportunity passes they move on to something else. Think about all those "next big things" who get dropped like hot coals when something else sells more. It will be the same for the current ways of selling film/music: they just have to figure out a way to moneterize new technology. Currently it seems this is by advertising but I guess there are some serious discussions taking place in corporate offices all over the world.

The difficulty is how do the artists themselves earn a living if we all want something for free? We ain't that altruistic to choose to pay for something if we can have it for nothing.  Yes, yes I know here in la la land we will all buy everything NMA put out regardless and we are all saintly people but do  you really think that represents wider society? No I don't think so either. If an artist can't earn enough to buy materials for the next project or  even enough to live on then where does the next album/film come from?

I don't pretend to understand the way new technologies work but we want stuff for free without thought for how  it arrives in the first place. There is always a price whether we see it or not.

[Master Ray]

Terrific post, Anna.

OK, deep breath... I do occasionally illegally download.  Never for music but often for films or TV.

But the 'business model' that so many media corperations relentlessly stick with is broken and outdated.  Look at the most obvious example, 'Game Of Thrones', the most bootlegged show in history, I think.  Sky keep it fairly exclusive.  I think you can buy it for about £3.50 per episode on a Sky-related alternative channel.  Now, I refuse to give me money to anything Rupert Murdoch related (not getting into that here, research it if you need to...) but I'm happy to pay premium prices for a lovely Blu-Ray set, as I always do when it comes out... nope, that same BR set always comes out about 10 months after the season ends.  So I see it as 'watch now, pay later' (why should I pay £35 for the individual episodes when I'll pay £59.99 for that eventually released BR box set?)  Is this so different to listening to a leaked version of an album then buying it when it comes out?

Another fave show of mine in 'Banshee'.  US date for the third series? Jan 3rd. UK date?  Early June. No indication of any BR release.  Please, my money is in my hand, I'm waving it at you, please give me what I want (in the format I want) without having to pay ridiculous subscriptions to bloody SKY?

Yes, I know... I'm on somewhat dodgy moral ground here.  I truly believe that artists deserve to be paid for their work, otherwise art would cease to exist.  I get it.  But Pandoras Box is open and it can't be closed again.  My tiny flat is almost collapsing under the weight of DVDs and CDs that I buy relentlessly. I doubt a lot of regular downloaders can say the same.

And can I ask if anyone who disagrees with me has never borrowed a mates DVD to watch or a CD that you ripped to your iPod... that's getting entertainment that you never paid for, you know?   

Three films have crossed the billion-dollar mark this year in less than two months.

The key here, I think, is to rethink that old business model...

[Amandistan]

No, people will always watch films and listen to music.  Possibly all digital  but the industries will still thrive.
It could be good or bad for small bands.

1. The can easily get their stuff out there
2. So can everyone else which may make it difficult to reach fans.

[Master Ray]

It's never been easier for new bands to get their stuff out there... but you're right, its a wash of new stuff out there.  Still, better than relying on some bloody record company to do whatever they can be arsed to do and still take 90% of the revenue...

They need to get creative... isn't what the performing arts are all about?

[Pol]

My main concern at the moment is android tv boxes with xbmc/kodi now I'm no expert but it basically seems that can watch most tv stuff for free if you know what your doing including pay for channels I personally don't use torrent sites I did you kazza back in the day about 15 years ago and like ray I did go out and buy a lot of stuff I liked, I guess it was a free sample. I know people that use torrents and for me I still struggle to get my head around the fact you can put a  full season of any show on a small memory stick n plug it into a usb on your tv. I agree that sky etc are too greedy was thinking about watching blacklist its £2.50 per show but I can buy the 22 episode box set for £13 or then again  ?

[Anna Woman von NRW]

I think that maybe the industries are just too far behind technology as it develops. I'm not that old (!) but I bet higher management etc in the leading sectors are older than me and I wonder if maybe they don't get it either.

I read this today and perhaps it is a way forward (Gonna crow a bit cos I actually know about Twitch as my Lad is permanently on it  )

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/chris-tt/what-the-arts-can-learn-from-twitch_b_7672456.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

[Pol]

Thanks for that Anna - wow an extremely interesting read on something I've never even heard of, gawd I'm feeling old and out of touch now.

Was going to post something about what I done last night. Decided to watch the cult live whilst in bed and unable to sleep. So I get youtube going on my tablet and send it to my tv via the chromecast, it got me wondering why should anyone go out and buy a dvd of band they like. Now all of this perfectly legal and I do own a few cult cds and some vinyl so at least if contributed something to them

[Anna Woman von NRW]

Ha! We may be feeling old Pol but we ain't as old as The Who and they seemed to do allright 

There was mention of how people will pay a modest monthly subscription to something they enjoy and want to be part of. Now, my Lad follows one guy on Twitch who doesn't have a massive amount of followers/subscribers but if each one is paying a couple of quid each month then this means a regular bit of "bread & butter" income. So, if a band could host it's own "channel" (?) with enough content to keep folks interested they cut out the middleman, have complete control over content and output and keep the cash !

Buying DVD's ? Dunno if this is a viable longer term market or not. Think back to how CD's were gonna kill off the music industry but it's still here. After all, people still buy prints of long dead artists work. I think folk do want tangible products but are far more selective in what they buy.  Also people still go to to gigs, visit galleries for exhibitions or attend book readings/signings. I think they always will.  My hunch is that it's about looking at new technologies and seeing how to use them to get your art out there. If it's good enough and connects with people then they will pay. People do want to be part of a "community".

[Pol]

Yes your definitely right on a couple of points, maybe a few smaller bands could get together or a record label alternative tentacles cherry red etc. And being part of the nma community is a excellent thing.

[Master Ray]

This reminds me of Marillion.  They were one of the first, back in about 2003, to ask their fans to buy an album ('Marbles', as it turned out) a year before release in return for a deluxe edition when it was finished.  They raised about £400,000 and they did it without any record company involvement whatsoever.

Classic example of a band with a cult following putting the power back in their hands and reaping the rewards (Marbles sold very well and most of the cash ended up in their hands...)

Also, John Lydon doing butter adverts to finance the last PiL album... you might laugh, but the album was pretty good and was made outside of the usual record company shenanighans...

[peternotbaldyet]

In the next twelve months or so, there wI'll be the start of a new revolution in entertainment technology wit the release of vr headsets such as FOVE and Occulus Rift. Parts of the film industry are already planning films around the New technology, but I've not yet read anything about what the Music industry intends to do wwith it.

[Heno]

VR technology is still short of making anything considered an immersive experience. i think that they will need to consider augmenting users experiences with chemicals. otherwise our senses are still good enough to notice the flaws and poor production will plague the VR experiences.

plus, it will basically have to be a technology that can house a whole super dolby and imax capability on your head, and then some. not happening any time soon.

[Master Ray]

Wow.. people want cinema / TV to be strapped / plugged into their ******* heads / brains, ie 'headsets'?

 

What's wrong with looking at a screen a few feet away from you?  Do you have that little respect for your eyes or brains?  And what happened to the communal experience, with friends and family ? 

Has nobody else seen 'Strange Days' (one of my fave films ever)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQoLWeXMdP0

What can I say, I don't even like 3D...