In the entertainment industry, content creators traditionally have found themselves at the mercy of a series of gatekeepers. Studios, producers and theaters, among others, all owned a significant financial stake in the vast majority of film productions, and as such they each expected a say in the creative direction of those projects.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the multiplex. Well, a few things, actually: The emergence of digital technology, followed by the continued advancement of inexpensive recording and editing tools, made the process of making movies far cheaper. And when audiences were forced to trade cinema seats for rec room sectionals because of a global pandemic, the rapid rise of over-the-top media officially hit warp speed.

It’s a phenomenon that we’re witnessing beyond the film industry, however. Today, everyone from musicians to comedians to social media influencers is leveraging the power of digital video to bypass old systems and blast through longtime barriers to entry, getting their message out to the masses by connecting directly with target audiences.

The recent opening of Marvel’s Black Widow, a simultaneous release across theaters and Disney’s OTT channel, is an example of how streaming video can augment a large-scale creator’s business. Of the $218 million the film generated in its opening weekend, $60 million was revenue from its streaming as a “Premiere Access” title on Disney Plus. Not only is Disney’s profit share much more favorable in an OTT model than the roughly 50-50 split that studios typically agree to with theaters, but the company also is helping grow its channel’s subscriber base in a way that wouldn’t be possible with a theatrical release alone.

Those facts and figures won’t mean much to the upstart band or gonzo documentarian, but the implications are no less dramatic for grassroots projects. The direct access offered by OTT allows content creators of all stripes – and, more importantly, of all means and cultural backgrounds – to activate a niche target audience. By putting an affordable, user-friendly platform in the hands of the content originator, streaming video gives control back to the creator and throws the doors wide open for virtually anyone to reach out – without dilution or filtering – to consumers who are ready to be informed, inspired or both.

InPlayer offers content creators of all kinds the ability to own their audiences and broadcast directly to fans, all in an effort to solely profit from the monetization of their content. They are getting comfortable virtually more than ever before and the virtual experience for their fans is here to stay. At the same time, they have an opportunity to own content and become publishers of their own live shows. 

The direct connection to an audience has both creative and financial rewards, even (and perhaps especially) for lower-profile creators. For instance, a streaming platform can turn a local musician into a global performer, expanding their audience and providing opportunities for additional revenue streams. With an OTT site, past performances and special interviews can be preserved and monetized, and connecting motivated consumers with a merchandise page and other ancillary points of purchase couldn’t be simpler.

One final aspect of direct-to-consumer streaming that doesn’t get discussed nearly often enough: audiences, quite frankly, are tired of being gouged. If you’ve ever paid for parking, processing fees and credit card transactions as part of a concert experience, you’ve felt the pain of the average fan. In addition to benefiting the creator, OTT gives consumers the most bang for their buck – and, as a result, arguably builds a deeper connection with a creator.

So whether you’re sending or receiving the message, streaming video provides the clearest, most satisfying path for content sharing. By cutting out the middlemen and building a direct pipeline to audiences, this new system is creating more opportunity, stronger connections and better value for all involved.

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