The Louis Experiment - What does it mean?

So Louis CK’s recent experiment with direct engagement has lit up the internets, attracting a lot of attention and catching people a little off guard. Louis, one of the world’s best and most famous stand up comedians, financed, arranged and delivered a stand up special without big corporate backing, selling it direct on the internet for much less than you would usually pay ($5).

For an online public accustomed to being ripped off, insulted and taken for granted, it was a welcome change; but it also challenged a community of people of whom a large proportion, if not most, if not all, have pirated entertainment product and put some blame on ‘big business’ for their actions. Suddenly, we wouldn’t be stealing from a big company – we would be stealing from a person, and a great artist who wasn’t a millionaire and had given us top quality entertainment off his own back.

This raises a lot of questions for me, about piracy and the future of entertainment. By early accounts, it was highly successful, covering his costs and making him some good money on top. Who can begrudge him anything but full success off of this?

I saw plenty of comments on Reddit about this being a vindication of what online users have been saying for years – stop treating us like thieves and idiots, and we’ll happily pay for content. Is this a watershed moment in the entertainment industry? I’m not sure.
Louis’ experiment is the first I’m aware of outside of the music industry in which an artist has bypassed the entertainment industry to engage directly with the public. There are a few examples of superstars selling content directly to online users (for example Radiohead), and presumably making some good money from it. But my guess is they make less than they would through the entertainment machine, and they’re also the biggest and best in the game. If only the biggest and best can make money this way, how important is this?

I’m confronted by the implications for piracy. There has been an outpouring of support for Louis across the internet, and a strong moral stance by those who have bought it. Here on the Sift, there have been plenty of comments saying “Just buy it!” and lots of people wanting others to know they spent their $5.

I don’t think piracy can be justified. You can dress it up however you like, but essentially we do it because we can. Of course, that doesn’t mean I haven’t done it. The closest I get to a justified stance with music piracy is that if I get into a band and they tour, I shell out the coin to see them and buy a t-shirt. It doesn’t justify the piracy, but it’s what I do. Why are things suddenly so different with Louis? People who would quite happily torrent are now loudly proclaiming their online purchase of Louis’ special.

I saw Louis a couple of months ago, paying $80 to see him. He was great, and I loved it – money well spent. Some if not much of this material will be in his online special. Why should I now pay for his material online, but not everyone else’s? Why is it different? I’m not saying I won’t, but I am saying I haven’t. I find it hard to accept the difference between him and any musician I paid $80 to see, and they tour with a full band with much higher on-road costs.

I certainly think he’s discovered a truth of the internet – you can deliver good entertainment directly, allowing you to maintain creative control and making good money if you do it right. I’m not sure this will change the game and break the back of the entertainment industry, if only the biggest, best and multi-talented (Louis can direct and edit and the rest) can do it.

And I’m not sure I believe you can justify torrenting other entertainment but not his. But next time he tours, I’ll go see him again.

Some links:
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/n9tef/hi_im_louis_ck_and_this_is_a_thing/
https://buy.louisck.net/
https://buy.louisck.net/statement

I'd be interested to hear Sifters' views on this.

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