So How Can You Make Money if You’re Giving It Away?

One of the big assumptions in Creative Commons, an alternative to traditional copyright, is that artists don’t make money from work they release with Creative Commons licensing.

Because they don’t.

Not directly, that is.

To make money, there needs to be a alternative source of income from a creative work other than charging for any form of access to the content.

Take for example Sita Sings the Blues and Rip: A Remix Manifesto. Both of these films are available from their creators for free on the internet.

Both of these websites have stores that offer T-shirts, DVDs, and other accompanying products. The films allow people to contact the directors for public appearances or speaking engagements. Through merchandise and speaking fees, the filmmakers are able to generate some income off of the films.

It is important to note that neither of these directors is pursuing the traditional Hollywood filmmaker career. They are blazing their own artistic trails. For them, money was not the goal of the project. The idea was to entertain or to convey a message, not primarily to make money.

As a creator, it is up to you to decide why you are making your film. Is it for experience, fame, supporting a professional career outside of filmmaking, or to directly generate money?