With computer technology getting cheaper, its getting easier to create small, independent media, such as music, art, even movies. With the success of Linux and other open source projects, people are now talking about open source media. However, it still takes money to make certain types of media, especially movies.

I propose a system whereby consumers of upcoming open media projects bid on the release of the work. The highest bidders are on the 'first wave' release. They pay the creators and recieve the open media directly from them when it is ready. The first recipients are then, of course, free to do whatever they want with the media, and this includes reselling it to the second wave of consumers. Presumably these people bid a little less on the media.

Finally, all of the people who want to pay for the work will run out, and then the work is generally released to the public. This way, people who want to get their hands on the work ealier than others can pay to do so. This money goes to re-imbursing the creators. Early recipients of the works have an incentive not to release it generally, because they can in turn re-sell it to others who want to see the work early. Finally, it gets to the person who paid $1, and that person says "What the heck, it's not worth trying to resell this, I'll just give it to anyone".
-- lawpoop, Jun 08 2005

A Swarm of Angels http://www.aswarmofangels.com/
British initiative; trying to raise £1million to fund a movie. [jutta, Nov 15 2006]

I like it. I don't know if this would work, but I'd be willing to help finance a season of Firefly if they did this...
-- dbsousa, Jun 08 2005


This is a really good concept. I think. I'm still getting my head around it.
-- wagster, Jun 08 2005


I can see this as a possible way of censureship being imposed by some groups (any group who's doctrine cannot endure free debate). Or a way of getting (generally) unwanted material out in the open for example nazi propaganda movies.
-- Susan, Jun 08 2005


[Susan] How would this system impose censorship?
-- lawpoop, Jun 08 2005


If you have enough money (which somehow these 'groups' always seem to have) you could keep the media, not offer it up for vendorship ant thus prevent if from ever being seen.
-- Susan, Jun 08 2005


[Susan] This is a proposal for releasing open source media. The creators are free to sell it to a high-bidding group for the first release, and if that group hangs onto it, then the creators can go ahead and do another release. They could release it for free, or sell it again to another group.

The idea is that successive waves of people resell it to more people for less money. This is the method of distrubtion, and resellers are able to recoup costs or even sometimes make a profit.

So, anyone interested in censoring the media would have an incentive not to buy in at any wave, because it is open source after all.
-- lawpoop, Jun 08 2005


Ah. So people would be willing to pay just to see it first?
-- Susan, Jun 09 2005


if the first wave could do with the media as they pleased I can see the embedded advertising now. using the Star wars example

Texaco theater Presents Star wars!. Music cues would change to cola songs like I'd like to teach the world to sing. .. In the bar Han Solo is drinking Miller lite. The garbage scene turns into a giant washer using clorox bleach (its how Leia's dress stayed so stain free)
-- Isayhello2u, Jun 09 2005


[Susan] Yes, that's right. People are willing to pay to see it first. The 'retail' movie theaters in my town are packed at 7 PM - 11 PM on a premier night, while the dollar theaters almost never have more than 10 people at any show. People want to keep up with what's happening *now*, so they can have conversations with other happening people. If you are behind, you are lame.
-- lawpoop, Jun 09 2005


<rambling>Aha! Now I object on the basis that people should be steered away from shallow longings such as wanting to be the first..<rambling>

You've won me over. I've removed the fish and added a bun. I could see how this could improve movies which are far from the mainstream (such as chinese).
-- Susan, Jun 09 2005


[Wagster], I demand that all 5532 low noise chips be replaced by the older raunchier 4558 dual op-amps.

Open, as long as there is an open public registry of what everyone is watching.
-- mensmaximus, Jun 09 2005


[Susan] Great! I think would go a long way for independent films.
-- lawpoop, Jun 09 2005


It's a bigger issue than discussed here so far. "Sin City", by mr. independant vidiot, was crap. Society should have had a pause-lock button installed on his camera after viewing the first day's rushes.
-- mensmaximus, Jun 09 2005



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