dan benyamin future of digital entertainment
DESCRIPTION
This is a presentation given to the Entertainment Management class at the University of Montana. See dan.benyamin.org for more info.TRANSCRIPT
Recorded music
on plastic
Past, Present, &
Future
By Dan [email protected]@gmail.com
Presented to the University of
Montana Entertainment
Management Class
April 11 2008
For educational purposes
� This presentation was a response to over one
hundred questions provided by the students of
the Entertainment Management class at the
University of Montana
� A few of the best questions are addressed in this
presentation
Forward
presentation
� Check dan.benyamin.org for a written transcript!
� “With a contrived example you can prove
anything.” – Joel Spolsky
� I am an engineer, who likes to find patterns in
chaos, then make things chaotic again
Disclaimer!
chaos, then make things chaotic again
� This is informed opinion, you can prove or
disprove it in the privacy of your own mind
� All I ask is for you to question everything!
“Where I come from CDs
are quaint souvenirs”
“I come from the future”
Start from what the
consumer really
needs, see how
technology can be technology can be
applied to solve the
problem, then make
it “insanely great”
Consumers measure value using three metrics:
1. Convenience: instant access to any content, any
time, any place
Dan’s three laws of digital entertainment
time, any place
2. Quality: Analog Tape to CD, VHS to DVD to BD
3. Content: ?
In North America, Convenience is probably the
highest valued of the three!
Now that the battle
between Blue-ray and
HD DVD is over, Blue-
ray vs. Downloading has
begun. In the digital
side of entertainment,
including movies and
music tracks, will music tracks, will
downloading
completely conquer the
market?
YES, SEE RULE #1
With album sales no longer being a cash cow for production
companies and artists alike, where do you see the future of companies and artists alike, where do you see the future of
consumer entertainment money being spent? Live shows?
Merchandise, etc?
Do you think that there is something fundamental that record
companies could do (flashier product, different medium (mini
disk, flash drive)) that could help them begin selling albums
again?
Use new
technology
creatively
Stream of
consciousness
What is the future of the middle man in
entertainment positions? As artists become
more technologically savvy, will there be a need
for managers, producers, art dealers,
songwriters, engineers? Or will art go directly
from the creator to the consumer?
Technology squeezes distances,
time, weight, and cost
This disrupts many business’
“value chain”
Don’t get caught
Do you think more bands will take
on the grassroots approach of
releasing albums that Radiohead
adopted for their last release, In
Rainbows?Rainbows?
Did the recent release of
Radiohead’s new album destroys
something that the industry has
been fighting? Or could it have
caused a shift in how music will
eventually be distributed?
Trent Reznor: “Saul’s previous record was
released in 2004 and has sold 33,897
copies.
As of 1/2/08, 154,449 people chose to
download Saul’s new record.
28,322 of those people chose to pay $5 for 28,322 of those people chose to pay $5 for
it, meaning: 18.3% chose to pay.”
What kind of shift could be made using technology to
get people who are very interested in discovering but
have no resources, no names and no direction, except
ones that are globally known?
We’ve heard a lot about grass roots marketing, how do
artists use new media to get their point across?
stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com
Do you think technology changes
entertainment or just creates a temporary
uncertainty of business models and
distribution platforms?
� Smart business follows technology, but human needs always remain the same. Is there really a plot line for a movie that hasn’t already been done by Shakespeare? Are there themes of pop music not already explored by the Beatles? Can there be an animated sitcom any better than the Simpsons?
No!
� We will witness the rise of hyper-efficient entities that can move quickly and operate with minimal costs.
� Technology will shrink the human labor standing between artist and consumer.
� Technology also empowers both ends to do more.
� Where do you fit?