So this is why Big Media is freaking out. Anyone with a MacBook and a Shure SM58 mic can record a studio quality album, and anyone with a Canon 5D on a shoulder rig can produce professional quality video. The Internet replaces the studios' giant duplication and distribution networks. And now Louis proves that this applies to full features as well, and that the artist can make really good money with this model. Reminds me of Kina Grannis of YouTube fame, who won a major record label deal, but decided to keep self-publishing, probably for her own best (even financially).
Too bad Big Media is barking up the wrong tree (piracy). They can't stop technology.
That's not really true, there's a lot that goes into 'professional' recordings, video or audio.
Mostly, experience is a huge part of it.
There's also a world of difference from a shure 58 on a macbook line-in, and high quality mics on a protools rig.
that said, my band recorded a 4 song ep for about 600$ at a local studio start to finish recently. (i linked to the album on my about page) I don't think any of us expect to make our money back on this one, unless everyone on here decided to go buy a copy on itunes, so we're giving it away.
Were we to do it all ourselves, the investment in equipment would have been at larger than that, and then amortized of a small amount of sales. The resulting quality also would not have even been close.
It's also hard to do promotion on a national scale without some kind of built in audience. Hows a small local band or whatnot going to reach people on the other side of the country, or in other countries entirely?
