Does Putting Sundance Shorts Online Harm Movie Makers?
Last week, we noted that the majority of shorts being shown at Sundance this week are viewable for free streaming online. We noted that it would be even smarter if they made them downloadable, so that people could watch them offline, on devices or however they wanted to watch them — and also more easily share them with friends. In the comments, people told us we were being unfair because to offer films for download would make it difficult for filmmakers to earn any money. This seems like a myth — and a dangerous one. Recognize, first of all, that these are short films (often under 20 minutes) that are being made by independent filmmakers who often have absolutely no name recognition in the industry. In other words, the likelihood of anyone ever seeing the film, let alone spending money on it is small, at best. However, by promoting the film for free online, the better quality ones could get the attention of many more people, opening up all sorts of opportunities to make a lot more mo
