A new ebook by US based Scott Kirsner called Fans, Friends, and Followers (Building an Audience and a Creative Career in the Digital Age) looks at new business models for online content.

The first section gallops through the new rules for selling content online, peppered with practical advice for how to build and maintain audiences.

The second part of the book comprises twenty-three interviews with content creators who has marketed and distributed their content online. There are eleven screen content case studies, ranging from feature film to documentary, to short form animation. Some of them will be familiar - Jib Jab,Red vs Blue and the work of documentary maker Robert Greenwald.

The thing that comes through loud and clear is that monetisation of online screen content requires a flexible approach. At one end of the spectrum, projects use conventional pay-per-view models. Others made money by giving away the screen component but selling merchandise.

Fans, Friends and Followers is a very useful introduction to the myriad opportunities offered by the online marketplace. When it comes to the business model for the book itself, Scott walks the talk.

The download version is US$12, which makes it perfectly priced to garner big initial sales. Having written, compiled and distributed the book himself, I imagine that Scott will pocket all of the ebook profit.
Hard copies are available from his site for $15 or from Amazon. There is also a Kindle version from Amazon.
The PDF version is not DRM protected and Scott urges you (or the recipient) to make a donation if you pass it on to someone else.

Fans, Friends, and Followers

What this means to you

There are models out there for monetising screen content in non-traditional ways. They may not be familiar and they will require adaptation for your project, but people like you are making money from them.