Nine Inch Nails releases 405gb of free HD footage to fans

preston

preston

Well-known member
hey, over at nin.com, trent reznor just released over 400gb of raw, unedited HD footage from NIN's recent Lights in the Sky tour.

here's a link to the post

enjoy!

trent reznor @ nin.com said:
The internet is full of surprises these days.
I was contacted by a mysterious, shadowy group of subversives who SOMEHOW managed to film a substantial amount (over 400 GB!) of raw, unedited HD footage from three separate complete shows of our Lights in the Sky tour. Security must have been lacking at these shows because the quality of the footage is excellent.

If any of you could find a LINK to that footage I'll bet some enterprising fans could assemble something pretty cool.

Oh yeah, you didn't hear this from me.
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Trent is no dummy. I see this as a modern version of the Dead and Phish taping community, right? Radiohead gave away In Rainbows too.

Many feel that this is the future of media, where most of it is all access, all free, all of the time. The younger generation of people have grown up not paying for media anyway so this is the logical continuation.

I think as soon as media conglomerates can figure out a way to monetize in more alternate methods, we may see more and more artists doing stuff like this. I am sure that this hurts sales of DVDs, but in a way, doesn't this also give NIN's fan base a VERY intimate relationship with their hero that is unique, other than for a few Grateful Dead fans. It's an interesting relationship that this artist has setup with his followers, an extension of what artists like Todd Rundgren have been doing since the 70s and 80s.

Dan
 
puredrifting said:
Many feel that this is the future of media, where most of it is all access, all free, all of the time. The younger generation of people have grown up not paying for media anyway so this is the logical continuation.
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Well, that could easily backfire and bite us all in the ass. Call me a traditionalist, but I like going to a theatre to se a film (yes even with the sometimes obnoxious people that talk and text). I also like to get a nice DVD/Blu-ray or video game with professional art and packaging, same with music, although iTunes is great and I don't need a carbon copy of all the music I buy. The idea of downloading everything and everything being free will kill some of the things that are great about the entertainment industry. For one thing, no big epic films will be made. Say what you want about a lot of the over budgeted Hollywood product, but when it works (The Dark Knight, Lord of the Rings, original Star Wars films, Lawrence of Arabia, etc.) there is nothing that the indies can do to come close to it.

The reason this gets me worked up is that yes, the idea is to monetize things in alternate and smaller amounts, but if a whole generation grows up with free media, then they might not pay for whatever system for legally purchasing media is put in place not matter how cheap and convenient. I hope that art and entertainment doesn't become dominated by hobbyists and the Black Market.

I'm not trying to attack you Dan, just speculating on the darker side of this concept.
 
think about this... trent (NIN) released Ghosts as a free download, but also offered a few different delux packages for people who wanted them. they sold very well.

but also, Ghosts was #1 on Amazon.com's mp3 album sales for 2008. so whatever he's doing is helping sales, not hurting them.
 
preston said:
think about this... trent (NIN) released Ghosts as a free download, but also offered a few different delux packages for people who wanted them. they sold very well.

but also, Ghosts was #1 on Amazon.com's mp3 album sales for 2008. so whatever he's doing is helping sales, not hurting them.
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You're right, this can work. I've thought of doing similar things. For example, I would love to do a web-based series someday. I'm thinking that to build any type of audience that I would need to put episodes up for free on Vimeo and Youtube, but could then sell seasons or series compilations on DVD or in high res 1080p downloads. This would be similar to how network television works. You can watch it for free but then the fans can buy the DVD set.

Another thing to take into account is that NIN and Trent Reznor have huge fanbases from previous successes. I cringe contemplating how impossible it will be for an unknown to make it if once they've paid their dues, done exceptional work, and marketed the hell out of their art; then are just met with "dude, I'm not paying you for that, it should be free like everything else." How do you compete with that?

Overall I'm more worried about the implications for the near or not so near future where such a large percentage of the population just doesn't want to or refuses to pay for media. It is starting to happen now with all the bit torrents and bootleg DVD's, especially in other countries but here as well. In the past I've worked with a few people that get bootleg DVD's all the time. A few years back I worked at a restaurant where one of the employees sold bootleg DVD's of big budget Hollywood films before they were even in the theaters. I never purchased any.

During filming (Michael Mann's Miami Vice) in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, the crew came across bootleg and other illegal merchandise for sale in a similar fashion to that of the film's theme. Michael Mann purchased a copy of Collateral (2004) for two dollars while he was there.

As it is now, it is ridiculously hard to make a living in art or entertainment. If too many potential audience members are turned off to the idea that the artist should be paid for their work, then that is not a good thing and I can't imagine anyone making money, let alone a living off of art or any form of multi-media. Especially film due to the cost of just shooting a film. Painters and musicians would have an easier time, but a huge part of being a good or great filmmaker or a painter or a musician is the time needing to be devoted to the craft. I don't see many or possibly not any Kubricks, Spielbergs, Scorseses, Coens, or Finchers every blooming if every filmmaker has to have a day job and can only squeeze in filmmaking between 40+ hours of work, grocery shopping, mowing the lawn, taking the kids to soccer practice, etc.
 
so very true... no one really knows yet what will happen to art media in the future. i already feel old-school buying a CD (or even a DVD), but i like having a tangible hard copy. but i also like the convenience of my ipod...

have you heard of Vampire Killers? someone told me it's a web-based series, but i haven't watched it yet. i wonder how they plan on making money... i just checked out the website (vampirekillers.tv), and incidentally they're using some of Trent's music that was released under the Creative Commons license. go figure..
 
preston said:
so very true... no one really knows yet what will happen to art media in the future. i already feel old-school buying a CD (or even a DVD), but i like having a tangible hard copy. but i also like the convenience of my ipod...

have you heard of Vampire Killers? someone told me it's a web-based series, but i haven't watched it yet. i wonder how they plan on making money... i just checked out the website (vampirekillers.tv), and incidentally they're using some of Trent's music that was released under the Creative Commons license. go figure..
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Yeah, buying a CD feels really old school for me too, plus they're kinda expensive now, about $15.00 to $16.00 at the local record shop, not Walmart and Best Buy. Let's face it though, the big chain stores only sell the uber popular stuff anyways. iTunes is cheaper and has both the popular stuff and the underground stuff too.

How about buying a book? Really old school. I love reading and I wonder how long we'll have book stores and books in general. I could never live with a Kindle reader.

I'll have to check out Vampire Killers. Thanks for the tip.
 
Hi Nek:

I am definitely not saying that this will happen, but a lot of signs seem to point to almost everything but big blockbusters ending up super cheap (micropayments) or free. My boss, who is much more saavy about all of this than I am (he is the one who actually deals with all of the studios face to face as far as the executives) seems to think that this will be the future and of course, the studios are lumbering dinosaurs. They are terrified that the world is changing and they really don't want it to. But it is, as far as media, and I don't think anybody has a clear and persistent vision of what is will all be in say, five years time. That's pretty scary when you run a multimedia branch of an international multi-billion dollar congolomerate.

The writing on the wall does seem to point this way though, although Preston does make good points also about how the sales of Radiohead and NIN of their respective works that were "given" away free were still pretty robust on the "extras" and deluxe versions when you take the whole record company/media conglomerate out of the mix. I guess that is what is both scary and exhilirating about our future as media producers. Artists don't need to make nearly as much to be successful when they sell directly to their fans and cut out the middleman.

We may not, as an industry, make the big bucks anymore, but I know that a lot of people in the industry do it because they love doing it as a career, not all of us are into it to become the next Lucas or Spielberg or huge actor or studio head. A surprising number of people in this business would be thrilled to have a small, but rabid base of fans and consumers of their media output. This model is already thriving with a few young indie recording artists where they tour, put out their albums, do some soundtrack/video game work and sell a few thousand copies of their efforts to on-line fans/friends. Not getting rich but if people can make a living at it, a lot of them will be thrilled about that.

In way, this seems to be the silver lining, if we as storytellers, filmmakers and writers, can have a lot of small audiences that seek out and will pay us, even small smounts, in a way, for creativity and art's sake, isn't that healthier than all of the entertainment coming from corporate monoliths? Sure, Hollywood can make good comic book blockbusters but overall, is the quality of the stories that Hollywood tells anywhere near what it was during the 30s? The 70's? To a lot of people, modern Hollywood films are no different than a roller coaster at Six Flags, really fun and a thrill, but you forget about it the second you step off of it.

I know that I never went into this business with a plan for world domination and becoming a hugely popular producer or director, making millions of dollars . I went into it because it is what I seem compelled to do and love to do and getting paid for it is just a way that I can keep on doing what I love to do. If I ever have widespread success at it, that is a huge bonus, but not why I do what I do. I guess this is different for everyone?

I think that's what a lot of people lament about this business, it is becoming harder and harder by the month to just try to make a living at it.

Interesting times.

Dan
 
This reminds me a lot of debates I get into with people about intellectual property. Yes, if you come up with a great idea, be it an invention, story, method of doing something, etc. then you should be rewarded for it. It's like any business giving their services or products away for free...do it long enough and you will be either out of business or miserable.

It's not about being greedy. Money is a BIG inspiration if not the only underlying inspiration behind many of history's greatest ideas. As a producer I know that it's definitely one of the biggest motivators for the best talent. Craig's list volunteer crew vs. a paid experienced crew, anyone? Rookie actors vs. paid SAG actors. Let's not kid ourselves there.

Granted I do a fair share of free services though. But it does mutually benefit me and the other person/group.

Companies abusing interns and keeping people out of paying jobs come to mind also...

I just can't see the argument that all ideas should be free for all. What incentive do people have for putting the time, money and effort into making that idea into something useful? Yes, established artists can do this, no problem. But do the math on that album NIN released. $750,000 in three days, divide into $12.00 for the typical cost of a CD. 62,500 people paid for the CDs in the first three days of release.

I know of some indy bands who are following this path. Ironically that's one segment of the market that I am happy to support by buying their CD because I know they really need it/if I like their music I am not going to illegally download it. If they put their music up for free though then why pay for it?

Man this giving the house away for free is detrimental to the industry at large. Signs of the times...I guess.
 
Nektonic said:
Yeah, buying a CD feels really old school for me too, plus they're kinda expensive now, about $15.00 to $16.00 at the local record shop, not Walmart and Best Buy. Let's face it though, the big chain stores only sell the uber popular stuff anyways. iTunes is cheaper and has both the popular stuff and the underground stuff too.

How about buying a book? Really old school. I love reading and I wonder how long we'll have book stores and books in general. I could never live with a Kindle reader.

I'll have to check out Vampire Killers. Thanks for the tip.
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As old school as buying a CD is, it does have value that digital downloads do not. You can pawn or resell a CD at a record store on eBay. Try selling your MP3s to the pawn shop!

Also...I love books/newspapers/magazines. I'm in front of computers everyday long enough reading/doing stuff. I like the good old hard copy and feel that printed materials provide.
 
so is anyone interested in downloading the NIN footage and making something of it? i would, but my PC is not strong enough for HD...
 
I read that all of the user submitted footage is HDV. You need to either download it all, then transcode it to an editable codec like ProRes 422 or DnXHD or you need a pretty hot rod computer to effectively edit HDV natively.
 
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