One of this site's supporters is adamant that films should never be given away for free. Last year when I talked to Kelley Baker about his take on the indie film scene he stated that you don't have to charge much, but you do have to charge something. I'm on the fence about this, but I understand where he's coming from. More than trying to create a microcinema market, it's about respect. Your work is worth something. If you give away your film to say, PBS, the next time they are going to expect the same. And it's true, they probably aren't going to take you as seriously as a producer who offers their work at a very low rate.

But what about the web? Take a series like Riese, which has decent production values, yet is available for free on their website. Is their intent to establish an audience and get picked up? I like their optimism, but I don't share it. I've produced a web series before and also gave it away to anyone who wanted it. Personally I just liked people's reactions and the respect I got. Like most filmmakers I have a bit of an ego and having it pumped up a bit through praise for my work was like heroin. But pride doesn't pay off my credit card debt. (That being another gripe from Mr. Baker, but we'll save film financing for later.) I never deluded myself into thinking I could monetize the series, and maybe that was a mistake because I never put any thought into how I might of.

What's your motivation in making movies? For me it was the admiration of my peers, although I'm sure I would still get that and perhaps more if I'd actually made a few bucks as well. Maybe your web media is a vehicle for traffic, a way to drive viewers to your site where you will monetize your work with ads or merchandise. That's a tricky sell since it takes a lot of viewers to see any real cash, but that's not to say it's impossible.

Having been hanging out in microcinema circles for so many years I have to admit that I'm starting to lean towards Baker's philosophy. The next time I intend to deliver my work to the web or anywhere else, I'm going to think long and hard about what's in it for me.

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Footnote: This article was written long before FR became a site that assists in the paid distribution of indie films, but reflects some of the opinions that lead to it's creation.