‘We need a video!’
p2pnet news view | P2P | Music:- “Greetings, fellow p2pnetet readers,” says Robert. “I came across an interesting video where the artists give their opinions of music executives and the RIAA”.
You’ll find the video,Why Radio & Music Industry Sucks Nowadays from Frank Zappa, at the end.
Meanwhile, “Look at who the were the executives were at those companies at those times,” says Frank, quoted by Robert. “Not hip, young guys. These were cigar chomping old guys who looked at the product that came and said ‘I don’t know. Who knows what it is? Record it, stick it out, if it sells, alright.’ ”
Artists were, “better of with those guys,” says Frank, adding, “these young guys [now in charge] are more conservative and more dangerous to the art form than the old guys with the cigars ever were.”
“We see that now when we stop and look at how one band is given a chance, they make it and within 3 years you have 3 to 5 copy-cats of the original band,”" says Robert, going on »»»
How many bands showed up after Pearl Jam trying to mimic Eddy Vedder? Days of the New? Creed? Pearl Jam was still around!
How many versions of New Kids On The Block do we really need? Backstreet Boys? NSync? Hell, they even match the ethnic profiles when you compare those two bands. There’s even more like those two, but as I am not into that stuff they were not picked up by my radar.
Where’s the risk these days from labels? None. They don’t risk when it comes to money. It’s not about art, it is about grabbing as much money as you can, take a band that could be nurtured into a long-living band and pump them full of hype, use them up and spit them out. That’s it, that’s all they do.
But now artists have a chance. Independent labels, cheap home recording gear that make excellent demos (try GarageBand with Apogee’s Duet and a decent set of mics and you can do a damn good demo, if not album). Anyone remember trying to do multitrack recording in the late 80’s or early 90’s? 4-track recorders like Tascam MKIII cost you $300 used! And you suffered major quality loss if you bounced the tracks to record more than four.
So we know the labels are useless and full of garbage ideas as they only care about money. Nothing new here right?
The issue is what do we do about it? If the artists are admitting that the labels market garbage, try to sue fans (customers) into oblivion, alienate wouldbe customers, grab every last penny from the customers and the artists…. what do we do to fix it? How do we reverse legislation? How do we remove the DMCA or at least have it fixed to be realistic?
Here’s a sample video, very boring, with nothing we haven’t heard before from the labels themselves. But let’s look at it carefully, let’s turn off the “shills” attack in our brains and try to understand how this moves politicians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJg9WSu4vA8
It is panic mode! Politicians understand how to lock things down, how to write laws that stop panic, how to write laws the control and prohibit. They don’t know how to understand something and write laws that are fair and balanced. They don’t have time or the ability to understand technology beyond very high level. “Internets” is a good indicator of the level someone possesses on the subject.
So, the challenge is: how do we counter this? How do we create a video that shows the panic of free speech? The lockdown with DRM prevents people from creating? The lockdown with extended ‘rights’ and how this hinders one’s ability to create derivative works without paying excessive fees? How do we explain how this hinders competition and will bring the economy and art to a standstill? How do we explain it will tie up legal system and valuable resources (financial as well) with ridiculous, baseless, civil cases where the law is abused by those who can financially afford it?
How do we create a video that is exciting to watch, gets the real truth out there, is NOT an attack on the RIAA or MPAA or some satire or parody, as those will be disregarded? We need to create a video that looks so damn professional and sounds so professional you’d swear it came from the labels themselves.
Who wants to help? We can piece together clips, under fair use of course, we can create our own skits that seem as realistic as possible, research, demonstrate how lockdowns will do more harm than good. I’m not good at video compilation/editing, so I’d need a lot of help. I’d love to write the music for the video and contribute to research information.
What do you all think? Who’s up for trying to understand the tactics the RIAA and its Canadian clone, the CRIA, use and how they seem to be effective on law makers and law enforcement, and use it to shift things to where they should be? Who’s up for scaring them back to the right side of the tracks, where artists and consumers benefit alike?
We’d need research, lots of data, lots of charts and graphs to back everything up. We’d need to conduct experiments with bands, proving the value of filesharing (not studies, they are easily discredited). We’d need do document with videos. Not just one but a series of videos explaining economics, artistry, history, and legal issues surrounding the mess we are in, who really caused it, and how it is a “problem, we’re in a panic, and we need it locked down” so politicians get it.
Here’s a sampe “show” that looks really professional, kinda like what I’m after for display of info. Not scare, those are what the skits are for and other videos. Similar to this for happy ones:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ybp99tlq8E
It’s funny, it’s upbeat, the guy has a personality. That’s what I am after, and this is the format I’m after, except for the videos intended for politicians to be scared. For those I like this clip:
This classic with Bill Murry is what we should also have for the politicians.
Interested? Get in touch here mrlastname @ ymail dot com.
~Robert
[Hailing from Ottawa ("currently anyhow"), Robert says he's a, "tech-obsessed, music-obsessed, human-rights supporter, anti-copyright/IP frequent reader and commenter on p2pnet".]
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
June, 2009
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June 29th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Personally.. I like videos that ridicule. Plain and simple your not going to change things unless you destroy every argument presented in such a way that it blows the viewers mind away from believing the propaganda. Copy/share Remix until your hearts content. Videos that are removed, re-uploaded them 5 times. Its simple, the writer above makes it seem as though a lot of thought needs to be put into it when really any idiot who knows how to rip music/video/images can destroy the asshat arguments of the RIAA/MPAA/ESA/BSA . Politicans who present bias’d bills = ridicule. Institutions bought and paid for by vested interests = ridicule. Its simple.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:34 am
In the beat days, the record labels were smaller and were run by teams who had CHARISMA. And if people have charisma, it is passed into inanimate objects that they create.
But then gangs of lawyers and accountants came, bought out the small record labels and imposed the “corporate culture”. But when you buy a company, you are not buying the charisma of the team. And it’s either you have charisma or you don’t have it – you can’t fake it. And if you don’t, your “product” won’t have it either. This is why the “product” of different companies is indistinquishable and sucks equally.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:39 am
To read more on charisma, the role of labels and the future of the music industry, go to translate.google.com and enter this address: http://www.webplanet.ru/column/business/Bitnique/2009/04/14/beat.html The article is called Beat to Bit.
I do not agree with everything in it, but the article is good nevertheless.
June 29th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
to further my point heres a remix I made a long time ago but decided a what the hell why not share it today. I put together a crappy slideshow if someone wants to remix this by all means please do. Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScDR-uJEIFk uploaded minutes ago.
June 29th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Regular people who are not tech savvy, not p2pnet readers or techdirt readers, aka: the masses, and politicians will not understand the parodies out there. Kids may get it, but many campus interviews on youtube show those whom were hit with litigation changing their minds about filesharing.
So you can ridicule all you want and laugh in the corner with those that agree, the rest out on the dance floor won’t notice or care and will continue to be lead around.
That’s why I suggested newer material, stuff for people, regular people, and politicians who know NOTHING about filesharing’s interworkings or maybe even don’t fileshare themselves. Those are the people you need to target, the videos I have seen are either targeting rebellious teens or those who understand what the mess is about and are on the opposite side of the **AA groups.
Again, several videos that show up and coming bands (fictional or real) trying to make it but being sued because they used D-C-G in their chorus and G-Am-C-D in their verses, which match how many different songs???? The key thing is the target audience.
We need to target the masses with both humour, sympathy, and fear. Throwing facts at them won’t work. They don’t care or understand or care to understand. Politicians fall into that category too.
“They have to be so scared to miss it.” That’s the approach we have not tried.
Lando (thanks for the Star Wars ref, brings back memories), if the videos we have out now are so powerful, why has nothing changed? Why do politicians still go along with **AA BS? Why are students not revolting beyond filesharing? I mean massive protests. That gets attention. The only way to get more people to write in is to show “real” stories of how copyright has hurt rather than helped.
It isn’t plain and simple, because if that’s all we needed, things would be different than they are.
June 29th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Robert, though I agree more activism needs to emerge in the public eye I think the only reason we are at this point in Canada is because of online activism. So I would argue its the only reason Canada hasn’t implemented DMCA like policies. I know I sure as hell wouldn’t know much about it if I hadn’t seen videos/blogs voicing their disconcern. The media rarely picks up on it as most have a vested interest in stronger copyright policies, so how else is the message supposed to get out? Yes the message tends to be geared towards savvy viewers but thats a good thing because those savvy people will spread it more than the people who know nothing about it. We have similar goals (you and I), we just take different directions.
June 29th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
woops thats lando above /\
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June 29th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
What about a movie for film festivals? Two parallel stories, one of struggling band and the other struggling IP company?
We can add some T&A/Violence/Explosions/Coarse Language so people will watch it, maybe that would help?
June 29th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
RW above said:
“Yes the message tends to be geared towards savvy viewers but thats a good thing because those savvy people will spread it more than the people who know nothing about it.”
O.K., Now go explain it a 16-17 year old. Or mom & pop who aren’t teksavvy but have a computer for their kids.
Let us know. Or better yet, get that 16-17 year old (or that mom & pop) to write something on it as they understand it.
Or, better yet, you write what you think a 16-17 year old (or mom & pop) will understand.
No it’s not a good thing.
June 29th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I take it you didn’t watch my video RW. Its in english and its simple. Any idiot can do it. If you can do better please do. Walk the walk or STFU
June 29th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
dbl comment but 16-17 yr olds cant vote… so why bother tuning anything to their ears? Mom and Pop or whatever you think that means is pretty damn vague. So I look forward to your video RW. Make sure you inspire the tots at your local playground while your at it.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Lando,
Good start but I wanted something where the music is much lower in volume, the forfront is the voice, with someone standing in front of you with charisma. I wanted to see people demonstrating how copyright actually hurts, not lectures. No one wants to be lectured, they want to be entertained. The messages have to come across like an actual movie in order for it to be absorbed, especially in the subconscious where we hope it remains and thus influences the non-tech savvy’s decisions on voting, on purchases, and inspires them to write to their MP or Senator.
The target audience is a group that does not know shit about the internet other than how to email. The target audience has the attention span of a fly, is self absorbed and self focused but not self motivated. The target audience has no clue what goes on behind the curtain and telling them will only leave them with a dumb look on their face.
June 30th, 2009 at 3:40 am
I really doubt that a “video” is that much of an addition.
1. Creative Commons and the Free-software scene have been doing info videos for a hell of a long time now, and a lot of people DO get it (people with an attention-span longer than your averate house-fly, that is.) The problem is, what you’re advocating strikes me as trying to be “clever”, and cram a whole bunch of very deep issues into a soundbyte.
That’s exactly what’s wrong with “mainstream” media, folks — the rapid-fire jabbering and spin that substitutes for real debate.
The issues involved with p2p technology, copy”right”, creativity, corporate malfeasance — they are all linked, and all fairly deep, whether you happen to know the “bells and whistles” of the bittorent protocol or not, so it’s not really an issue of being “tech-savvy” either. (Hell, I’m not particularly “hi-tech”, but I, for one, have most definitely changed my views on these topics, as Jon and others here can attest.)
2. Let’s also not forget that there already HAVE been “clever” parodies and send-ups of these issues, that still DID get the point across:
Anybody remember those flash animations that were going around during the “Metallica Vs. Napster” thing? “Napster bad! Beer good” — big ogre-lookin’ version of Lars with a gold-capped tooth. Funny, funny stuff, put together by people who really did “get it”, even back then.
Somebody put out a parody of “Enter Sandman” around the same time…..”sue our fans, we’re off to Napster-Napster land!”
Also very funny, but also informative.
But by far the absolute best, and most thorough send-up of the RIAA bullshit, was the South Park episode “Christian Rock hard”. I can’t even describe how well they did at encapsulating the whole thing, you just gotta watch it.
So it’s not like nobody ever tried the “clever” approach before.
3. “They have to be too scared not to notice”:
I’m sorry, but I just have to call “bullshit” on this aspect of it, because the RIAA’s whole strategy is BASED on being feared.
What needs to happen is for the RIAA vermin and their nuisance lawsuits and shit, to become a complete laughingstock. I mean, come on now — even by their OWN stats, the number of “settlements” is vanishingly small, and they’ve managed to “win” exactly ONCE (Jammie Thomas — which will probably be appealed anyway.)
They need to be seen as the modern equivalent of the Tobacco industry — dishonest corporate scumbags whose “business-model” is so profoundly shitty that it can only survive by means of Government cronyism.
Those people being interviewed who’ve “changed their views” in response to harassment? It’s understandable, because the RIAA assholes — with the full complicity of the “mainstream media” owned by the SAME corporations — spins things so as to make them look formidable. They’re really not: they’re scared shitless, and are grasping at every desperate, half-witted move they can think up, because nobody — NOBODY — really respects them anymore.
I guess what I’m trying to say here is: the “clever” thing has already been done, and done well.
And, above all — if WE show fear of the RIAA, they’ll have won.
OUR fear is really the only weapon they have left.
Sorry for the sermon.
June 30th, 2009 at 8:41 am
@Henry,
Thank you for the reminders, I did see those videos. I still think the masses is what’s missing. When the “average joe” knows what Napster is/was and what iTunes is and can at least say “bitTorrent allows me to obtain music and movies” then they are at least aware.
I would agree with you that it has been done well, but the masses do not know what’s been going on. They have no clue about DVD encryption. If it were not for Jammie Thomas’ case, how many would actually know the RIAA is suing customers? The two juries we saw is a good example of the masses. They either believe the RIAA’s BS or they don’t know a damn thing so they can easily be BS’d.
By scared I do not mean “fear the RIAA”, I think that was misinterpreted. By scared I mean fear the DMCA’s IMPACT on our freespeech and ability to hear music. Fear the lobbying to the point where you know if you take that money or follow their “pamphlets” or believe their BS, you’re contributing to the downfall of art and ultimately humanity.
That’s what I mean by fear. Not fear them, fear the consequences of their foolish actions and what wonderful things you enjoy now (free speech, new and creative music, new and creative products, software etc..) will be gone because no one can afford the licenses so no one makes money so no one creates.
That’s the fear I am talking about. The fear of lacking competition and the fear of staleness in art of any form, and an almost stall in innovation.
If the **AA groups can BS people with fear of being sued for “due rights” (aka ripping you off), then we should be able to spread the fear in the opposite direction!
I hope it was a misinterpretation of what I meant by fear. Again, do not fear **AA, fear the result of letting them have what they want, so we PREVENT it and CHANGE what they currently have, reversing what’s currently underway (ACTA).
June 30th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Well,
I am gonna get flamed for this again, but,
It doesn’t make a rabbit turds difference how many regular people hate the RIAA members,
It doesn’t matter how many boycott ( they just blame downloaders ),
It doesn’t matter how far the word spreads through the masses.
The ONLY ears they care about are the ones in the various world ( yes , world, the evil USA is not alone in this ),
governments that they have paid cold hard cash for laws that help keep their monopoly sound.
I found the Gentleman stated how radio was being hounded on all sides by competitors interesting, because
the RIAA members have already got the law the wanted, and our well on their way to turning internet radio
into the ‘Net version of clear channel.
They don’t give a fuck what we think.
They already have control of the only people who’s opinions count.
I really wish I had a solution, but I don’t.