> Say, we had a ton of media assets from a BBC programme which > we owned all the rights to and wanted to distribute widely. > Not just video, but images, sound, subtitles, metadata about > the programme scripts, etc. > > How would you > 1. Package it? > 2. Distribute it? > 3. Licence it? (this isn't such a worry)
Given the current state of play, there's two options. 1) HTTP host on bbc.co.uk somewhere. (Prepare for a bandwidth bill you can also use to prop your office door open with) 2) P2P with BitTorrent. If the licence permits, Archive.org is exceptionally feasible... I would choose the latter. Have some superseeds on the BBC network so that ISP's customers can use more lcoal peers... Package up a selection of various torrents with combinations of files. Avoid MXF like the plague, even if the corp did have a hand in its inception. At the moment there seem to be so many incompatible variants that it's pointless. Also if you're going to be distributing direct to joe public some kind of intermediary format like MXF is just asking for trouble. Keep It Simple Stupid. Of course, if you want to offer an expert-mode torrent which has all the various metadata files as well, go for it. :) ZIPs I find somewhat pointless unless they're collecting a group of relevant and related files; BitTorrent has its own CRC and error checking built in to the protocol, no need to zip up files and then torrent the zip, just torrent the files direct (like NIN did). Various user advantages to that approach. Licensing... CC non commercial attribute & sharealike would work wouldn't it? Finally, what's the subject matter of the content? ;) - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
