tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8357124.post8472392259392094626..comments2024-01-25T15:49:37.832-07:00Comments on <b>SEX SCENES AT STARBUCKS</b>: free isn't freeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8357124.post-68267459981451781622010-09-22T20:38:56.018-06:002010-09-22T20:38:56.018-06:00Well, I'm trying to actually get paid for my w...Well, I'm trying to actually get paid for my writing. So if way more people steal my work than pay for it, it hurts my pocketbook. There's a point where promotion leaves off and it's simply stealing.<br /><br />Honestly, I think most people aren't thinking about the millions of musicians working shit jobs and busting their asses to support their music career. They just think about the few musicians who are big. I wonder if they did, if they'd still steal?ssashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15527483283426518167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8357124.post-70243549830082333072010-09-22T17:38:36.954-06:002010-09-22T17:38:36.954-06:00The music business went through it first. The big...The music business went through it first. The big dumb rich people resisted, tried to sue people, tried to use DRM to protect music, etc. But then they realized what's most important is to give people what they want.<br /><br />I learned a simple lesson from a smart boss of mine once: Make it easy for me to do business with you. Why do I buy music online when I could download it somewhere for free? Because it's easier to pay! The only people who prefer to download it for free:<br /><br />a) wouldn't have paid for it anyhow because they don't really like it, or<br /><br />b) place the value of their time at zero, which means they probably COULDN'T have paid for it anyhow, or<br /><br />c) can't find it legitimately for sale (in other words, the owners aren't smart enough to grok the long tail)<br /><br />I can't speak for how movie subscription services pay filmmakers. But I do know how flat fee music subscription services pay. Let's say the monthly fee is $10. The distributor/publisher/website takes their cut, say 50%. Of the remaining $5, they divide it up evenly among all the songs you paid $10 to download. If you downloaded a ton of songs that month, I may only make less than a penny. If you only downloaded five, then I make a buck.<br /><br />No musicians went broke because of online music piracy. In fact, it's the opposite. No-name musicians (like me) who wouldn't make a dime 30 years ago now are able to advertise and distribute electronically and earn some cash today. If 20 people pirate one of my band's songs for every 1 who pays, that just comes with the territory. It's the price I pay for having access into a global market.Todd Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06996922733283347058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8357124.post-89925392749999463842010-09-22T17:01:33.069-06:002010-09-22T17:01:33.069-06:00I imagine we'd be paid similarly to how we are...I imagine we'd be paid similarly to how we are now and then the publisher would go from there. But maybe it would have to do with download numbers or whatever. Not entirely sure and the RS article doesn't go into it.<br /><br />Wonder how the movie subscription services pay the filmmakers?ssashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15527483283426518167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8357124.post-35798487512099251332010-09-22T15:02:57.638-06:002010-09-22T15:02:57.638-06:00I'd totally pay for a subscription service. He...I'd totally pay for a subscription service. Heck, I'd pay $50 a month for it.<br /><br />I've always wondered, though: how does the money trickle down to the artist in that scenario?Spy Scribblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299551957327543491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8357124.post-89003082284112072162010-09-22T12:09:36.173-06:002010-09-22T12:09:36.173-06:00Well, pirates compare themselves to the used book ...Well, pirates compare themselves to the used book industry.<br /><br />For me, for whom books are almost more of a decorating object (I own many many more books than I've read) it's crazy. I download books because I want to READ them.<br /><br />And stealing is stealing is stealing is stealing is stealing is.ssashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15527483283426518167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8357124.post-29433245810692788962010-09-22T11:55:47.820-06:002010-09-22T11:55:47.820-06:00I can't find straight numbers, either. But you...I can't find straight numbers, either. But you cannot convince me that the cost of developing and selling an eBook is the same. <br /><br />1) The content starts digital now. STARTS in MS Word, which converts to .mobi, .pdf, .pub, dot whatever. <br /><br />2) Cost of materials= computer and server<br /><br />3) Nothing to store, ship, or pulp once the product is created.<br /><br />Editorial and marketing budget should be similar for either format.<br /><br />The frustration I have is that everyone is so paralyzed by the fear of piracy (and it's real, and real bad, I know this) that the publishing industry is making things worse. Out of print titles are available, battered and used, for upwards of $40 but no one has converted them to digital except the piracy sites. People who would, who WANT to purchase these books are seeking digital copies and the only way to get them is to download illegally.<br /><br />I bet after they've done it once, it is easy enough that they would consider doing it again.<br /><br />The international copyright stuff is so convoluted that non-US residents can't get a book unless they manipulate the system, like share a Kindle account with a US based user or something.<br /><br />Piracy is bad news but pretending that DRM or print only will keep it from happening is insane. The only way to slow the bleeding is to make digital easy and the price point non-offensive. The smaller ePubs are making money so it can be done.<br /><br />Oh, and hell to the yes on who is making money on piracy and who is in their pocket. It will continue into the next administration, too, because they all suck. It's not an R or a D thing, it's a money thing.<br /><br />Unless artists go union or get a lobby, though, I don't see how they won't continue getting screwed.Laurelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06120847492230531939noreply@blogger.com