The Monty Python Channel on Youtube

[Roshi]

Mods, I hope this one doesn't belong to the vid thread in Misc. If so, then feel free to redirect to the said thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGqX-tkDXEk&NR=1

I like their interesting "catch".


What do you think of their move?

 

[Arrqh]

I'm also going to assume that they're getting a cut of the ad revenue from the embedded ads (this was something YouTube was trying to get the studios to sign on with when Google first purchased them)... and if they're not, then they should be.

I think it's a great move. People are going to keep posting these clips anyway, and instead of wasting time and money on takedown notices they're trying to monetize it. Something everyone should have at least tried several years ago.

 

[Hermiod]

One of the reasons the Pythons have been so successful is that they're all very, very intelligent people. This move just shows that.

 

[cardinal biggles]

They're going to be disappointed with me; I already own the complete Flying Circus and all of the films, so they kind of can't get any more of my money.

 

[Roger Wilco]

I like it a lot.
Essentially what they are doing - offering content for free and asking people to buy their stuff if they enjoy it - is the only thing they can reasonably do to protect their intellectual property (besides going apeshit and sueing everyone left and right, which would only cost them popularity).
Anyone who wants it for free, can download it anyway illegally, and there's not a thing they could do against it.

It's a smart move, they are accepting reality instead of trying to live in a 1980s dream world like the music and film industry still are.

 

[MyCylon]

I think it's a great movie. I've already got the series and most of the movies on DVD, so I've done my bit . But it's great to see them taking the IMHO smart route in the whole matter.

My favorite part in the video:

Speaker: "And what's more, we're letting you see absolutely everything for free!"

Cleese, Idle, Jones, Palin, Gilliam: "..."

 

[Roger Wilco]

Just as a quick follow-up:

ars techinca

Monty Python DVD sales up 23000% (sic!)

Rather than sue users, Monty Python decided to upload good-quality copies of the most popular clips from its Flying Circus TV show. The troupe explained its motivation in a YouTube video of its own, in which the comedians each appear to think the scheme a grand one until they learn that the videos will be given away free of charge.

At that point, the sales pitch begins. "But we want something in return," says the channel message. "None of your driveling, mindless comments. Instead, we want you to click on the links, buy our movies & TV shows and soften our pain and disgust at being ripped off all these years."

The Pythons aren't kidding. Just as a filet mignon is best when wrapped in bacon's comforting embrace, the "Please pay up, you dirty pirates" message goes down well when slathered in honey. And when they say in their video that they know "who you are and where you live," real YouTube user accounts are flashed in sequence--a reminder that the Pythons certainly could take a harder line on dealing with the unauthorized material being uploaded.

The "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" scheme appears to be working. As the official YouTube blog noted this week, "When Monty Python launched their channel in November, not only did their YouTube videos shoot to the top of the most viewed lists, but their DVDs also quickly climbed to No. 2 on Amazon's Movies & TV bestsellers list, with increased sales of 23,000 percent." (Note that Python videos are no longer in the top 50 on that list, so it's unclear just how strong the effect was.)

 

[Emher]

Well clearly it worked And that's great, because it was a good idea, and the humor is fnatastic so bsacially this is good news all around

 

[TheGodBen]

I was upset when I first saw it because I already paid for all the DVDs, and now they're putting them online for free?!!

But they still don't have the architect sketch, so my DVDs are justified.