I hear you, and i hate seeing them have to unfairly overcompensate - as if their product was something of compromising value - in order to compete or even, seemingly, have a seat at the table. I believe there has been imposed upon "us" an unnatural (and irrational) sense of urgency - that we must act and align (with somebody BIG) right now as if our very relevancy and effectiveness relied upon it. This is just a marketing ploy, and given that the medium itself lends a sexiness to it, it is easy to succumb to - nobody wants to miss out on the fun and excitement. But it's this impetuousness that will cost us qualitycontent/titles (and the further development/production of future titles) if we aren't careful. Not to be trite when speaking of "continuing this dialogue" etc., but i do believe that there is power in our numbers and that we have to organize a front. Even by starting small and setting up ergonomic access and purchasing models on a mini-scale - just to get our hands dirty is of value. I feel there is too much conjecture and not enough trial (and, yes, the inevitable error). I think we need to start getting our hands dirty - it's not as though any of us don't have ideas for what works, doesn't, or maybe could. (Strong, vague words I know.) While there is an argument that there will always be big guys and little guys and that they each have a role in the media's ecosystem, I fear that the unique rub with this current frenzied rush to find/establish a monotheistic content-provider universe is that this more tech-centric delivery method (and the tentative economic climate) might leave many smaller guys in the dust.
ben -----Original Message----- From: Jessica Rosner <[email protected]> To: videolib <[email protected]> Sent: Tue, Dec 6, 2011 8:20 pm Subject: Re: [Videolib] Long article on streaming video on Library Journal online I did not mean to give you a hard time and I appreciate your mentioning the little guys. I have just been frustrating explaining why a lot of the little guys I work with can't directly stream their works ( but hopefully they can "make up " for it by offering lifetime rights) and the extra run of rights issues. On Tue, Dec 6, 2011 at 5:56 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: Hi Jessica - If tonality came off as harsh for not offering, then I apologize. The intent was to cover things objectively as a "state of the union." I agree with you 100% - and many of these smaller distributers/producers/providers, etc. are favs of mine. On some accounts, their mention was something of a name drop to build awareness so that catalogs might be checked out and awareness to them brought - as much as my article last year discussed New Yorker Films who at that time was out of business (i wanted to draw some attention to them, their catalog, and that). To this extent, the ability to offer streaming isn't meant to be a negative either - perhaps even viewed as a comment in its own right - and meant to for information purposes. I too am a huge proponent of coming up with an approach that sidesteps a big dog distributor (as content provider) and would like to see libraries work with small companies in an effort to develop a model that, quite efficiently, might eliminate such middle men - and remove them of some "power." Whether that be through catalog access or a la cart style (title by title) purchasing. ben -----Original Message----- From: Jessica Rosner <[email protected]> To: videolib <[email protected]> Sent: Tue, Dec 6, 2011 5:35 pm Subject: Re: [Videolib] Long article on streaming video on Library Journal online Ben, I think you are a bit hard on companies that "don't offer" streaming. Most of the small companies you site don't likely have enough of market to set up their own streaming system. In most cases they do offer streaming rights for libraries that want to do it on their own system ( FYI I don't think Kino Lorber offer direct streaming only rights but someone can correct me on that). Rights issues can be particularly vexing for small companies specializing in educational/ independent and especially foreign films. Old contracts need to be redone in many cases and rights generally have a fixed period for which the company can stream the film ( or do anything else). Contracts expire and thus rights expire unlike the vast majority of studio titles. For obvious reasons a small company that might have anywhere from 50 to 500 titles in its collection has to have a different model than studios or netflix with have tens or hundreds of thousands. Small companies are committed to working with libraries both public and academic so their films can be seen & used at a reasonable price but tech and rights issues are a problem. Regards Jessica On Tue, Dec 6, 2011 at 4:43 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: Hi Deg, As the author of that piece I wanted to thank you for agreeing with most of the article (we have that in common), and for also addressing educational aspects as part of the WHOLE media discussion - it is certainly an integral part of the picture, was considered as such, and will hopefully result in future coverage. Frankly, in this format, there was way too much to talk about. My research took many more factors into consideration and along those lines I easily could've added 5k more words of coverage, this, plus the fact that the topic is/was so much "in active development" due to constantly changing "this just in" information it often felt as though i was reporting on where a clock's second hand has been 5 minutes ago. So you go with what you can and attempt to put it and its context into perspective as best you can - even though there is always the fear that such live information might leap directly from your monitor into a bin of irrelevancy. The intent of this piece was more for, as you mentioned, entertainment purposes with a mind towards establishing base level education of how things work so that we might encourage and nurture elaboration on many different levels. This wasn't to slight. I'm pushing to get more of, well, EVERYTHING going on the topic (discussion, dialogue, camaraderie, support, interest, understanding, representation, conference presentations [physical and virtual], etc.) and i hope attention given to and stemming from works like this will help to do so. Let's keep it going. Thanks - Ben -----Original Message----- From: Deg Farrelly <[email protected]> To: videolib <[email protected]> Sent: Tue, Dec 6, 2011 3:47 pm Subject: [Videolib] Long article on streaming video on Library Journal online Here: http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/newsletters/newsletterbucketljxpress/892497-441/still_loading__av_spotlight.html.csp I don't disagree with much of the article, but the focus is almost entirely on ntertainment. I wrote a long, rambling comment, but so far I am the only one…. Join the fray! -deg - eg farrelly rizona State University .O. Box 871006 empe, AZ 85287 hone: 480.965.1403 mail: [email protected] VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues elating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, reservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and elated institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective orking tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between ibraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors. VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors. -- Jessica Rosner Media Consultant 224-545-3897 (cell) 212-627-1785 (land line) [email protected] VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues elating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, reservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and elated institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective orking tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between ibraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors. VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors. -- Jessica Rosner Media Consultant 224-545-3897 (cell) 212-627-1785 (land line) [email protected] VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues elating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, reservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and elated institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective orking tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between ibraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
