Comments on: More than 25 million Americans are criminals http://blacksmythe.com/blog/2007/01/26/more-than-25-million-americans-are-criminals/ The Future is Here Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:26:42 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Lester Spence http://blacksmythe.com/blog/2007/01/26/more-than-25-million-americans-are-criminals/comment-page-1/#comment-590 Lester Spence Tue, 30 Jan 2007 03:18:55 +0000 http://blacksmythe.com/blog/2007/01/26/more-than-25-million-americans-are-criminals/#comment-590 (The Alphas actually threatened Sony with a lawsuit or at least public humiliation...Sony responded with a 2.5 mill donation to the MLK Memorial in DC.) But yes I remember the article in Harpers, thanks for reminding me. There are so many contradictions embedded in the behavior of hollywood executives here that it isn't even funny. But fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your point of view) the current business model of the mass media engine doesn't have much life left in it. Who would have thunk it....the American media empire dying because of bootlegging. (The Alphas actually threatened Sony with a lawsuit or at least public humiliation…Sony responded with a 2.5 mill donation to the MLK Memorial in DC.)

But yes I remember the article in Harpers, thanks for reminding me. There are so many contradictions embedded in the behavior of hollywood executives here that it isn’t even funny. But fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your point of view) the current business model of the mass media engine doesn’t have much life left in it. Who would have thunk it….the American media empire dying because of bootlegging.

]]> By: Submariner http://blacksmythe.com/blog/2007/01/26/more-than-25-million-americans-are-criminals/comment-page-1/#comment-587 Submariner Mon, 29 Jan 2007 20:47:28 +0000 http://blacksmythe.com/blog/2007/01/26/more-than-25-million-americans-are-criminals/#comment-587 I agree with everything you wrote and would refer you to an interesting article in the February 2007 issue of Harper's magazine by Jonathan Lethem titled The Ecstasy of Influence. The funny thing about Hollywood and the media is that they are constantly appropriating or downloading ideas from public cultural life and don't even give it a second thought. I recently saw Stomp The Yard and was struck by the thinly veiled disguises of the Kappas (my frat) and the Alphas; the film-maker didn't even change their respective colors! Now how foolish would these venerable Black Greek lettered orginizations look if they sought to bring a lawsuit against the film's producers? The bottom line is Hollywood has to be willing to put out feature releases in an unconventional format. The traditional method of new cinematic releases followed by release on DVD and cable six months to one year later is not enough to keep up with public demand. We're bombarded with advertising telling us about the desirability of their products yet we're supposed to walk right past them when they're available on the street, barbershop or internet. Some people will always go to the cinema just as some will always read newspapers or hard covered books. However, a large segment of the population includes folks like myself who are constrained by work schedules and lack of childcare and yet want to enjoy a movie. Hollywood should be willing to have A-list movies simultaneously available on pay-per-view cable television, DVD and theatrical release. That is the way to erode the underground market share. And like all other commercial enterprises Hollywood will have to cope with some loss of profits due to illegal activity. That is a inherent feature of any market based exchange. "Don't hate the player, hate the game." Oops! Does the NBA have a copyright on that phrase? I agree with everything you wrote and would refer you to an interesting article in the February 2007 issue of Harper’s magazine by Jonathan Lethem titled The Ecstasy of Influence. The funny thing about Hollywood and the media is that they are constantly appropriating or downloading ideas from public cultural life and don’t even give it a second thought. I recently saw Stomp The Yard and was struck by the thinly veiled disguises of the Kappas (my frat) and the Alphas; the film-maker didn’t even change their respective colors! Now how foolish would these venerable Black Greek lettered orginizations look if they sought to bring a lawsuit against the film’s producers?

The bottom line is Hollywood has to be willing to put out feature releases in an unconventional format. The traditional method of new cinematic releases followed by release on DVD and cable six months to one year later is not enough to keep up with public demand. We’re bombarded with advertising telling us about the desirability of their products yet we’re supposed to walk right past them when they’re available on the street, barbershop or internet. Some people will always go to the cinema just as some will always read newspapers or hard covered books. However, a large segment of the population includes folks like myself who are constrained by work schedules and lack of childcare and yet want to enjoy a movie. Hollywood should be willing to have A-list movies simultaneously available on pay-per-view cable television, DVD and theatrical release. That is the way to erode the underground market share. And like all other commercial enterprises Hollywood will have to cope with some loss of profits due to illegal activity. That is a inherent feature of any market based exchange. “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.” Oops! Does the NBA have a copyright on that phrase?

]]>