Alternative Markets

Technology is moving faster and faster these days and new ways of distributing films are coming into existence each and everyday. So with more households having broadband capability the way a filmmaker distributes his or her film is beginning to change. The digital arena changed when films could be digitized, and placed on the web. I see more and more companies that want content, and like the VCR market of long ago there is a hunger for all types of films. What one market can so selectively target your movie to the it's target audience then the internet. Enjoy horror movies, go google it, or maybe you like romance, try Amazon.com You'll find a number of films that may interest you, and most all come with previews. That way you can see if the film is to your liking or maybe isn't. So why hasn't this revolutionized the industry? It's all about technology, and on what different platform will manufacturers decide on. Right now HD (high definition) is the catch phrase, but in time technology out paces itself faster and faster. At some time it's all about getting it small enough and affordable for the average consumer. When this happens and it will. All I can say is watch out. Wired America is on the horizon. Comcast is already doing this with their movies on-demand. Your TV won't just be a TV. It will be a hybrid of the computer and the television. People will show their family pictures on their big flat screens in the living room, and they will all be plugged into the internet. Networks will see their audiences dwindle to more entertainment choices to the consumer. Some say it is already happening with the explosion of "gaming", "blogging", and even "podcasting". I won't shed a tear for the networks because they are already actively seeking alternative markets, so they will catch up, and they will be your competition. The one thing that filmmakers have an advantage is that they are less incumbent with no bureaucracies as networks or studios have. Filmmakers can respond quickly to market trends quicker then the big behemoths, and there will always be an audience for alternative programming. If one can contain the costs of doing these programs one might just have an audience and a paying audience at that.

So the world is wide open, and it's all on the horizon. It'll change as technology changes, but the filmmaker must remember it's the content that is king. No interest, no audience, no audience, no revenue, and with no revenue there is NO further product. It just got a bit simpler, but yet it's quite complex. Happy filmmaking!