Wired News: DV Studio Can't Make a Buck

While filmmaking has changed film distribution has not. Distribution remains a big risk, big reward business. A new avenue for watching films needs to be created if independent filmmaking whishes to thrive. The most obvious would be to move these films to cable television or the web, already crowded venues. If independent film wants the traditional "show up at a movie house" venue then it must ask why people go to movies in the first place. If people just wanted to watch a movie it is far easier and cheaper to go rent a movie, that is a couple of months old, and stay home. If they want to compete with other big screen movies they will need to pass their savings on to the consumer. Maybe charge $4 instead of $9. If the dollar per seat profit was the same as the big movies the cineplexes might just be able to have a smaller theater dedicated to independent films.