Monty Python – For Free!
p2pnet news view Movies | Advertising:- “And now for something completely differen – ‘Free Monty Python Videos on Youtube Lead to 23,000% DVD Sale Increase’.”
That was the headline from /film discussed on the recent edition of the new BBC World News program “The Oracle with Max Keiser”. (The original report came from the Mashable.com article Can Free Content Boost Your Sales? Yes, It Can).
Keiser, a well-known economist (but in these times not a very well-respected or enviable profession to be in), hosts the weekly show with his side-kick Stacy Herbert (she recently changed position on set to show her good three-quarter profile).
Keiser, Herbert, and their guests discuss current financial and cultural trends and make predictions for the coming year.
The current economic depression has been bad for the fashion and luxury goods industries, but has increased sales of video games, lipstick for men, and Monty Python DVDs.
And that’s because the Pythons have started to do what the rest of the entertainment sector has refused to do: they’re giving their stuff away for free and raking in the dough at the same time. And considering they’ve each portrayed mad housewives at some point, it might also explain the increase in sales of men’s lipstick (but this is idle speculation on my part).
The Python’s YouTube channel has been online since 13 January, 2006, but only in the past few months have they started to upload HQ clips of their famous sketches, based on the popularity of previous lower quality clips uploaded by YouTubers.
At this writing, they’ve posted 47 original clips, as well as several home-made videos from fans.
Each Python clip contains a link to an online shop where all their DVDs can be purchased. And apparently their new sales model works. Sales of Monty Python DVDs have seen an increase of 23,000% since they started uploading their clips!
The Python chaps explain:
“We’re taking our most viewed clips and uploading brand new HQ versions. And what’s even more, we’re letting you see absolutely everything for free. So there! But we want something in return. None of your driveling, mindless comments. Instead, we want you to click on the links, buy our movies & TV shows and soften our pain and disgust at being ripped off all these years.”
Keiser and his panel agree, “the sub-culture of free stuff on the web, which intellectual property content providers resisted, is turning out to be a huge bonus”. “The entire culture of patents and intellectual property rights (copyrights) has to be rethought”, says panelist Philip Golub, an American journalist and lecturer at the University of Paris.
The Oracle predicts: “2009 sees surge in sales of creative content as more artists give away their material.”
Keiser gives away his stuff, too. The links in this article include videos, podcasts, and official torrents.
Well, well, well. Seems like sharing what one owns actually increases sales, not the other way round. (Duh!) This is exactly what filesharers and other right-thinking people have been saying for years, and which has been proved time and time again, notwithstanding the false claims of the cartels such as RIAA and MPAA.
For many people, filesharing has been an inexpensive way to sample “product” before shelling out cash and then finding out the $30 film is crap, or that there are only a couple of good songs on a $20 CD. And YouTube, despite numerous attempts to block or take down so-called illegal “copyrighted” materials, has shown itself to be another invaluable tool for people to share and sample before buying.
Box sets I’ve bought in the past few years include all 4 series of the new “Doctor Who”, series 1 and 2 of “Heroes”, and Batman spinoff “Birds of Prey”. Recent films include “Cloverfield”, “Death Proof “and “Planet Terror”.
Recently, I bought the 3-Disc RC1 NTSC set of “Wall-E” but only after having first sampled it through p2p networks.
Although I live in a RC2 PAL region of the world, I opted for the RC1 NTSC version because it includes a digital copy for use on a portable player. Currently there are no digital copies included in RC2 PAL versions.
Unfortunately, Di$ney’s access code is only valid until November and I don’t have a portable player yet! AARRRGH!
All of the above and many more I bought only having first sampled them and then decided that (for me) they were worth buying.
Or not.
I’ve downloaded many films that I’d never pay good money for. And apparently producers don’t often think people will either. Instead, when they have a really crap film that not even theatre owners will touch, they dress it up in nice packaging and ship it to stores straight to video.
It’s widely known most filesharers – and non-p2pers in general – rarely (if ever) go to the cinema anymore, and as a result movie ticket sales have dropped (although studios continue to report record profits nonetheless) for a number of reasons, including the outrageously high price of a ticket, uncomfortable seating, sticky floors, people talking, cell phones ringing, freezing cold air conditioning (or no a/c at all), the cost of transportation to and from the theatre.
Oh, and also because most movies are crap, or crappy remakes. And after sitting through a terrible film, you can’t even demand your money back.
These days governments, banks, and companies are looking for ways to cut expenses. Here’s a tip to Hollydud: Stop paying actors and directors (good, bad, mediocre or terrific) $20m or more per film. Then use the money to buy good scripts, build quality sets, and produce good “product”.
Put your films online at the same time they’re in the cinema and released on DVD.
Make all of your films and TV shows available to viewers everywhere. There’s no point or profit in blocking IP addresses from foreign countries. If you don’t offer it to everyone at the same time – whether online or on DVD or on TV your customers (us) will go elsewhere to get it when they (we) want it.
And lower the price of a DVD to an affordable level.
If all this is done, studios will see even huger increases in profits than they have now. If they have a good film or TV show, more people will buy a ticket or DVD. These are proven, indisputable facts.
Pythons and P2Pers prove again that a shared file absolutely does not equal a lost sale. It equals increased sales when what you have to offer is good, unique and worth the price. If it’s not, don’t be surprised – or complain – when only a handful of people pay to watch it.
Remember what the Monty Python boys say: “No one expects The Spanish Inquisition!” (Quote taken from “Sliding Doors”, which I downloaded because it’s not available on DVD where I live.)
Useful Links:
Monty Python YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/MontyPython
Monty Python Homepage: http://pythonline.com/
Max Keiser Homepage: http://www.maxkeiser.com/
Max Keiser Radio: http://karmabanqueradio.com/
Max Keiser YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/maxkeisertv
The Oracle: http://www.bbcworldnews.com/Pages/Programme.aspx?id=246
catflap – p2pnet
February , 2009
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February 2nd, 2009 at 3:11 pm
therapy guys its really really good fun and therapy
anyone who cant laugh at such stuff we should put into a mental hospital
February 2nd, 2009 at 3:14 pm
HAHAHA they are taking clips pirates made and making there own version aka ripping hte pirates off
at BT sites uppers get right peeved GOOD ONE
February 2nd, 2009 at 5:58 pm
It seems to me that, in the general scheme of things, an open, individualized model of business will supercede the huge record labels and movie studios. Why? Well, several reasons. The first is that, at this time, only individuals are willing to dabble in “experimental” marketing concepts (such as offering your stuff for free!), so the big companies like the RIAA and MPAA are going to see a lost profit margin, simply because they aren’t willing to do what would actually make them profit (It’s a case of “Duh!”).
Second, we have available today a few business models that couldn’t be done before: What if, say, movie studios opened their doors to paying customers who wanted to make a film. Cheap studios for cheap films, better studios for better films. You split the industry right down the middle: the creative side and the industrious side. Now, if you have the script, and you have the money (another area of business: money suppliers), you can rent the studio. Voila! Independent films, by independent artists (or groups of artists, perhaps, if you count the actors). Other business models include what Monty Python did here, and even a sort of preemptive bargaining (”The Contingency Market”) could prove to be another useful distributed business model.
I think the key here is that a business which is centralized is soon to be the way of the past. Distributed models, with little spots in the middle where everything hooks up, will take over the creative markets.
Anyway, finally, we have the fact that the artists are getting sick of the conglomerates as much as the customers: so not only will the customers not pay for the RIAA’s crap, but the artists seem to be less and less interested in signing up to *be* the RIAA’s crap. They’re getting knocked on both ends. Here’s hoping that keeps up
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:41 pm
although i’ve pointed it out in previous articles, it’s again important to note what Joss Whedon did with Dr. Horrible. He put it all online for everyone, everywhere. Of course people downloaded the streams, converted them to xvid, and shared them online. he knew that would happen, and said so himself. but he also asked very nicely that people buy the series from itunes or the dvd when it was released.
his gesture and request translated into immediate itunes sales and other DH merchandise. when the dvd was released it was an immediate success.
DH was an extremely high quality production created on a small-ish budget specifically because Whedon knew that his product was good and unique, knowing it would reap huge profits when available to buy.
he wasn’t wrong and he has earned a great amount of respect from the online community for what he did and how he did it.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:26 am
When I was a kid, many moons ago, I actually wet my pants laughing while watching Monty Python on the tele. The good fun we all had.
A few days back I read this story in some Dutch article (non-P2P related). Guess what, it happened again. The good fun we still have.
âFree Monty Python Videos on Youtube Lead to 23,000% DVD Sale Increaseâ
February 4th, 2009 at 11:55 am
I was hoping someone could help me! There is a skit where Michael Palin is a government minister with a very small brain.He keeps repeating ‘ yes yes yes’ and ‘I see I see.’I have the whole collection of tv shows but can’t find it anywhere.Could anyone help me?
It’s much appreciated.Thanking you in advance
Ed Kalkstein
February 4th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
maybe it’s in one of the films. why not ask on the youtube page?
February 4th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
” I was hoping someone could help me! There is a skit where Michael Palin is a government minister with a very small brain.He keeps repeating â yes yes yesâ and âI see I see.âI have the whole collection of tv shows but canât find it anywhere.Could anyone help me? ”
I can’t find any video of it yet but the episode is “The Nude Organist”
http://www.tv.com/monty-pythons-flying-circus/the-nude-organist-aka-the-nude-man/episode/57529/summary.html
That is a link to the summary and script.