Linkapalooza - July 2, 2008... making money in online distribution?

I had a day off yesterday, so I'm getting to my Linkapalooza a little late. Lots going on out there involving online distribution... check it out.

Google and Creator of ‘Family Guy’ Strike a Deal - on NY Times.com: It's still a bit of a mystery as to how to make money by distributing content online and if you're a regular reader, you know that we follow the subject quite closely. Really, as indie filmmakers, we should all be watching it closely... mainly because it means a new revenue stream for what we do down the road. In any case, new to the scene is Google, who just struck a deal with Seth MacFarlane, creator of Family Guy. This is something to take note of for a few reasons. (1) this is original content, financed, I assume, through Google, (2) Google is distributing it through their adsense program, which means that content will pop up all over the place, (3) Google and their army of analysts have figured out how people view video content on the web and this whole program was designed around that and (4) at this point, it's 100% advertising based, so consumers don't pay. After its initial run on the web, it will, of course, get a DVD release. Either way, keep an eye out for “Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy" and watch it closely.

HBO joining forces with FunnyorDie - on Variety.com: Once again, interesting news from the world of distributing content online. HBO bought a 10% stake in Will Ferrell's "Funnyordie.com" site and plans on a bunch of upcoming ventures between the two, including 10 hours of content to be shown on HBO. What I like about this is that Funnyordie is not only a playing ground for Ferrell and his buddys, but it's also a place where they're actively looking for new talent. It's sort of a minor leagues for comedy filmmakers and comedians... It's easy to upload content to their site, too. It works a lot like Youtube. In fact, Dead Harvey's own Brad Paulson has his latest flick up there, here's a link. Basically, with a partnership with HBO, you never know. Make some content, be active on the site, hope your clip gets popular, which would get it some buzz, then it could make it as content on HBO, which could lead to, well... anything.

Digital delivery critical to Sony's future - on THR.com: While Google and Funnyordie are out making content for delivery on the web, Sony continues to figure out how to get that online content on to your TV. This is a brief article that talks about what Sony thinks the future of Sony is all about... long and short, between their new Bravia TV's and PS3, they think they're going to be able to bypass all the traditional content delivery systems (cable companies, etc.) and become a delivery system themselves. Anyhow, cool article.

Paramount Breaks Out the Booty Sweat - on Adage.com: I just thought this was kinda funny, as I've never seen brand sponsorship of a movie work this way. Usually, an existant brand pays to have their product integrated into a film. Here, a brand that the movie made up is being put into the marketplace. In effect, the movie created the product. It's a spoof drink that's showcased in "Tropic Thunder", the upcoming Ben Stiller movie, and you'll be able to buy it in stores.

The Youtube Screening room - on Youtube: Have you seen this? Youtube is now showing indie films in their "screening room". To quote Youtube, it "is a platform for top films from around the world to find the audiences they deserve." Originally, I heard that Youtube would be paying the filmmakers whose films made the cut, but I later heard that they went against that idea. I don't know if they're planning on monetizing this somehow or what the deal is, but I sat through a 4 minute film starring John C Reilly and didn't see any ads or anything...