The published writing, research and development projects for Netribution.
Open Video Tech
Open Video Tech was set up to explore the toolsets, potential and problems with decentralised video online. It is inspired by the largely decoupled structure of independent film finance, sales, distribution, and exhibition/release pre-Internet. It was initially funded by Grant for the Web to explore open web subscriptions using Web Monetization for indie film and video.
Independent film funding & distribution online
Indie films were once to Hollywood what Open Source is to Microsoft..
Now indie film sits in a grey zone between 'user-generated content' (which earns nothing unless it's hugely popular), and streaming and studio media (which pays well, but demands all rights, in all territories, forever). The distribution and revenue-generating spaces for film are not interoperable, and are heavily monopolised from production to platform. It's as if the birth of TV had led to a Disney TV set, only showing Disney films and ABC; a Warner Bros TV set, only showing Warners Bros & HBO and so on. This centralization has happened once before in the history of cinema, and the response was the birth of Hollywood.
Open Source and Civic Tech
"If machines produce everything we need, the outcome will depend on how things are distributed. Everyone can enjoy a life of luxurious leisure if the machine wealth is shared, or most people can end up miserably poor if the machine owners successfully lobby against wealth redistribution. So far, the trend seems to be toward the second option, with technology driving ever-increasing inequality."
— Professor Stephen Hawking
For design & video, see visuali.st. hi@helloideas.com