Digital Joe #22

---

Tools:
Send to a friend »

---

Color me shocked. No, really. I´m utterly shocked…that this marriage took as long as it did.

Remember not too long ago when the internet and rabid fans were the bane of Hollywood´s existence? Remember all the threats, consequences, hand-wringing and whining that online pirates were going to destroy the entertainment industry? Remember the lawsuits against Napster and the seemingly endless glut of file sharing services that sprung up almost overnight? And remember music artists and studio chiefs all crying that they weren´t getting compensated for their work that was being disseminated through "illegal" means?

Well, apparently, all the contracts have been signed and everyone is getting their fair share of the cut. Why, you ask? Because, for starters, a pilot-a pilot that didn´t get picked up by the new CW network of all people-is the number one video download over on iTunes. Yep, you´ve probably heard about this. The Aquaman pilot, entitled "Mercy Reef", was pitched to the combined WB and UPN networks (which will begin operation under the name CW in the fall) and failed to gain a berth either to start the year or as a midseason replacement.

So Warner (the company behind the show) threw it up on iTunes in late July. For a measley $2, you can download the entire 40-odd minute show and see what the CW passed on. Again, I want to reiterate: this is a show that was deemed not good enough for a network that was desperate to grab "7th Heaven" back from the throws of cancellation, a network that created its fall season schedule out of the "best" programs from two networks that couldn´t hack it. People are paying money to see "Mercy Reef" when, had the CW gone with the show, they could have seen it for free.

Imagine a network model where you premiere a new TV show on an iTunes-type vehicle to build an audience. Oh wait, NBC is currently doing that. Via Netflix, you can grab the first episodes of both "Kidnapped" and "Studio 60" before their fall premiere dates. We´ve even got movie studios lining up to distribute their movies online.

Lord, isn´t it nice when we all get along?

But not so fast. Not everyone´s getting along. It seems as though you can download movies…for a bit more than you can go out and buy the DVD. Using the CinemaNow website, any one of us can download the George Clooney movie "Syriana" for $19.99. The site says you get the extras as well as labels for when and if you burn the movie to disc. Now, that´s all well and good…however, that´s not to say anything about the price of the disc to burn the movie on, the case to put it in AND the paper and ink you´re going to use on the art.

Besides, there is an exclusive two disc version out there I bought on release day for a hair over $15. Why in the world would I download from these people in order to spend more money on all the accessories when I can get an arguably higher quality product from the store for less?

I understand the allure of not going to the store (rental or retail) for movies anymore. Hell, I even understand not waiting for the movie to come through the mail from an online rental store. I can get a one movie at a time subscription from Netflix for $10.59 (including tax). I can buy "Syriana" for $15, with the most work I have to do is opening the shrink wrap. Please tell me why I should fork over at least $19 for the same "pleasure".

Guys, this is a good first step, but that´s all this is: a first step. The internet should have been utilized many, many years ago to disseminate media to consumers. I´m not privy to the inner workings of the negotiations for these mediums, but it couldn´t have taken this long to get everything figured out.

My guess is that the major bone of contention between the various parties was the subject of dollars and cents. See, once iTunes became hugely successful for distributing music, it was a no brainer that Hollywood was going to jump on board. For all their politicking about being on the front lines of new ideas, Hollywood was behind the music industry on that one. But that´s to be expected.

If anyone thinks this is still an industry for the dreamers, the craftsmen and the passionate, you´re dreaming. Hollywood, just like everything else, is ruled by the almighty dollar to the detriment of everything else. Quality means nothing, the number of butts you put into seats on opening weekend is all that the bean counters care about. It doesn´t matter that you screw over your fans-the consumers-with quadruple dips, two competing formats that hold no appeal for the majority of the public and the hundredth rehash of the same silly premises. Add a poop joke, a couple jiggly breasts and blood and you´ve got yourself a hit.

Guys, listen to me. If the good people over at the CW have any sense whatsoever, they will see the number of downloads (paying downloads, I will add yet again) "Mercy Reef" is getting and will greenlight a 13-episode season for January. And I hope that both "Kidnapped" and "Studio 60" on NBC have boffo ratings all year long, proving that a model with the pilot shows coming to consumers through a medium like Netflix is viable.

I even hope that the studios will come to their senses and lower the prices on new movie downloads. Alas, just like the DVD prices, they´ll only come down when the demand starts to level off and revenue decreases. (We´ll also hear at least one studio honcho complaining that revenue is down in a couple years once the download model has been exhausted.)

So what´s the lesson here? Internet is good, everyone can work together, everyone can get paid. Simple enough?

---