27-09-2008, 05:54 AM
Magda - how does this work?
I looked at the FAQ, which is interesting:
http://freedocumentaries.org/faq.php
However, the fundamental challenge with documentaries - as I know through bitter experience - is that the upfront costs of production are huge. And if the documentary is commissioned through and largely paid for by MSM - eg BBC, Discovery - they try to control secondary and tertiary rights. So legally, it's tricky. Editorially, there are usually huge "compromises" involved in working with such MSM organizations.
The internet has revolutionized access to information, taking the means of distribution away from a few, often government-funded or controlled, powers. However, the net has not altered the economics of production.
I looked at the FAQ, which is interesting:
http://freedocumentaries.org/faq.php
However, the fundamental challenge with documentaries - as I know through bitter experience - is that the upfront costs of production are huge. And if the documentary is commissioned through and largely paid for by MSM - eg BBC, Discovery - they try to control secondary and tertiary rights. So legally, it's tricky. Editorially, there are usually huge "compromises" involved in working with such MSM organizations.
The internet has revolutionized access to information, taking the means of distribution away from a few, often government-funded or controlled, powers. However, the net has not altered the economics of production.