Comments

p@mast3rs wrote on 12/12/2005, 10:50 PM
From their site:

What makes mariposaHD so new?

Lots of stuff:

* We made it ourselves. In the future, ordinary people will create TV programs and movies that compete with the best from the Hollywood entertainment conglomerates. That future has just arrived. We made everything ourselves, in our living room, just the four of us.

* It’s in High Definition. mariposaHD is the first IPTV program in HD. It’s filmed, edited, and distributed in 1080i, the highest resolution format of the HDTV specification.

* We’re using P2P distribution. We’re using the BitTorrent Peer-to-Peer protocol to distribute mariposaHD. This is the first free and legal HDTV show available on a Peer-to-Peer network.

* We’re broadcasting it. Unlike 99% of the online video content we’ve ever seen, we’re actually embracing the concept of broad, unrestricted, free distribution of our work. And we definitely won’t sue you if you want to give a copy to your friend. BitTorrent changes the economics of distributing video content on the Internet and our business-model depends on lots of viewers. One day, Hollywood will realize the power of free, organic, viral distribution and promotion made possible by P2P networks and perhaps all entertainment will work this way.

* It’s global. mariposaHD is designed for a global audience. We are available anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for free. Our content is based on images and sounds that appeal to a wide audience. We plan to translate our web site and subtitle our show into multiple languages.

* You watch when you want. No specific time to tune in. No programming the TiVo. No commercials to skip. You download it when YOU want and watch it when YOU want, anytime, anyplace. You can keep our videos forever and give a copy to whoever you want.

* It’s creative. When was the last time you saw something truly new or different on old analog television? Something obscure, abstract, surprising, bold, confusing, or unusual? That something is mariposaHD. Any sufficiently advanced technology necessarily expands the possibilities for artists to explore. HDTV and Internet distribution open up whole new avenues for artistic expression.

* It’s free. Yes, free as in beer. There is no charge or subscription fee to download and watch mariposaHD and you can keep it forever. There aren’t even any annoying ads. And you can redistribute it to whoever you like.
JJKizak wrote on 12/13/2005, 4:45 AM
What codec are they using for the HD-WMV?

JJK
Jay Gladwell wrote on 12/13/2005, 4:53 AM

"mariposaHD is about four guys. Mike, Jeff, and Dominic grew tired of their ordinary lives in the United States."

LOL -- What's wrong with this picture?


farss wrote on 12/13/2005, 5:41 AM
Given that 98% of all movies loose money this is a clever business model. Think of how much you save in advertising, prints and distribution. No, you don't MAKE money, you just loose less of it.
p@mast3rs wrote on 12/13/2005, 5:47 AM
Yeah but at some point you need a revenue stream if you want to continue making content as its not cheap and I am sure the talent would love to get paid someday. Afterall, they quit their jobs and moved to Argentina to do this show. :)

I definitely think Bit Torrent coupled with a half way decent yet unintrusive DRM model should be the way for ALL cotnent to be distributed.
filmy wrote on 12/13/2005, 5:51 AM
>>>. In the future, ordinary people will create TV programs and movies that compete with the best from the Hollywood entertainment conglomerates. That future has just arrived. We made everything ourselves, in our living room, just the four of us.<<<

Um...these guys have clearly never heard of Public Access. The "future" started a few decades ago guys.
p@mast3rs wrote on 12/13/2005, 6:02 AM
I agree however perhaps its a bit misunderstood. Public access is accesible to those in your area. I think they are talking about "public access: types being distributed over the internet in the fashion that they are doing.
epirb wrote on 12/13/2005, 7:03 AM
Noticed in one of the articles he refers to and links to the video of Jody Eldred on Sundance/VASST site. Pretty interesting stuff.
p@mast3rs wrote on 12/13/2005, 7:07 AM
I think I have figured out how they get their revenue. After watching the first show, it sometimes feels like an infomercial for vaious products so I am sure there is some compensation/free products for use in the show.

Definitely very interesting and even cooler idea for those that lack funding. Shows not that bad and the qaulity is excellent. I might have to rethink WM9 as a viable delivery method.
bStro wrote on 12/13/2005, 7:59 AM
Um...these guys have clearly never heard of Public Access. The "future" started a few decades ago guys

You know of many Public Access programs that can "compete with the best from Hollywood"?

Rob
bStro wrote on 12/13/2005, 8:06 AM
LOL -- What's wrong with this picture?

Dunno. What?

Rob
bStro wrote on 12/13/2005, 8:25 AM
PMasters,

According to their FAQ, you're absolutely right -- they have sponsors. They also, of course, have ads on their site and they accept donations. As for paying the "talent," someone asked about, keep in mind they're in Argentina, whose economy, I seem to recall, took a pretty big hit not too long ago. Could be they're working for cheap; could be they're volunteering; could be they're being promised money that they'll never get.

Most of all, I think it's safe to say they're counting on the program itself acting as a demo of their abilities. I don't think they plan on doing this forever -- probably just long enough for a production company to catch wind of what they're doing and either a) offer to fund it entirely (and charge viewers for the content) or b) hire one or more of the creators.

Rob
p@mast3rs wrote on 12/13/2005, 8:33 AM
Rob, I agree. One has to admit that this is a pretty unique idea somewhat. I can definitely see more projects like this popping up. Kind of inspires me to finally work on a xmas show idea I once had. Just sucks as it is pretty much a seasonal show at best. But the internet can make a season last an internity.
Patryk Rebisz wrote on 12/13/2005, 9:02 AM
Interestingly just 2 weeks ago i shot an advertisement -- a comedy drama that's meant to be enjoyable and clever but never actually push the product on you. You enjoy yourselv and just see a small logo of the product -kinda like TV's logo in the corner. Whole show is meant to be distributed on P2P network.

...Opens up a whole new world to the short film category.

The show just got color corrected so i should be getting a copy for my reel very soon -- i'll post some stills when i hace it.
filmy wrote on 12/13/2005, 9:47 AM
>>>You know of many Public Access programs that can "compete with the best from Hollywood"?<<<

I was just finishing up a response with details and the browser crashed. &!!&@*(#)

Ok - so here again - my response is short form.

Public access is worldwide and it is called various things ("Open TV" in Sweden for example) and I do not know enough of the entire world to point out what they might do that competes with the "best of Hollywood".

My comment is based on how they worded it all - "in the future" and ended with pointing out it was made by 4 guys in the lving room. I am sure many films have been made almost the same way, so even that is nothing new, but I get th eimpression they don't actually shoot it in their living room but they post it there...which these days everyone trys to do. But the gist of what was said seemed to be that they were the first to do this - to pick up a camera and make something in the living room and be able to distribute it to the public freely. Thusly my comment.

But to the quesiton asked now - Just doing a quick and brief search will turn up many award winning producers, directors and shows/films that somehow have come out of PEG use. Jon Alpert is one of the forfathers of Public Access in this country and he is very much in the league of "best from Hollywood"...however I guess to be fair you need to define that comment. And if it means "Does your 'shot on any format of video' compare to 'Gone with The Wind'?" than probably not. But certianly as far as documentaries or TV shows - yes. And Public Access has made its why into mainstream Hollywood - don't forget Waynes World. Also don't forget the aptly named film Public Access that led to the film The Usual Suspects.

Overall the issue is that PEG is overlooked and most people have no clue it exists outside of a "Waynes World" mentality. Th eidea is that anyone can come in and do anything. Now with so many home PC's and camcorders out there where anyone can make a film, Those same films/projects can now be brought over to the PEG center for airing. Filesharing has been discussed here in the past and I have been one of the people who always says it is a great thing for new artists - that included putting up films for self distribution. Aside form that the whole "sponser" thing is somehtnig that has been done before as well - several years ago there was an internet sight that was offering an outlet for PEG shows, you gave them your show for free, they sold "sponsers" for it ala PBS...something that overall goes against most PEG centers policy's.

Either way - great idea to share HD projects, but by no means is it off in the future nor is it anything that has not been done to some capicty already which is what the gist of the film makers was...and that was my point and whay I said they never heard of PEG centers.

Here is part of one article that you may find of intrest:

After all, the perception that public access is cheesy and amateurish is mostly deserved. But in small towns and unassuming studios, a new wave of local producers is taking public access TV by storm. New thinking, new programming concepts and new blood are providing surprising alternatives to the dreaded town meetings.

[SNIP]

But technology and circumstances allowed the guys to begin thinking bigger. “Once I got a taste of the Final Cut Pro and Avid editing programs, it was a whole different story,” says Bortone. After learning how to edit right on his laptop, Bortone realized that producing a much higher quality TV show was well within their reach. “It’s amazing what some music, graphics and post-production can do to ratchet up the quality,” admits Bortone.

[SNIP}

While Rogers’ hopes to keep them laughing, Bortone points out another reason why local public access TV so relevant. “Everything you see on television is controlled by five or six global media giants.” concedes Bortone. “Everything. Community television is like the last bastion of democracy – the last place where anyone with an idea can walk in off the street and have their say on television. Guess that’s why it’s called Public Access!”
========

And an interesting little thing relating to Argentina -

The brilliant thing is that Argentina has used the Independant media center and has been difusing the information beyond what is available on the Internet. They have had exhibits far in communities from Buenas Aires. Argentina is a huge country and many didn't know what was going on in Buenas Aires and they were very concerned. So people near a University or cyber cafe where they could access to an Indie Media site, would down load text , sort of like the chineese wall posters, and string them up in town squares on clotheslines with clothespins. So the indie site became a source for people not only with computers but for people walking through a park. They would play tapes at night.
===

Just one more little thing I found -

One could easily argue that Argentina is home to the most exciting filmmaking in the world at the moment – and certainly, with the possible exception of South Korea, it is the core site of fresh work by women directors – if the country itself and the new voices emerging from it weren't so disparate, drawing from European and American influences as well as the history of a Latin American country second only to Brazil in terms of film production. This achievement is amazing, considering the country's new wave has risen from – and crashed against – economic ruin.