If 25,000 downloaded a show from iTunes at $2.00 per download, that’s $50,000 in total revenue. Or one half of what the show would make for a single thirty second spot even at only 5 million viewers. And that assumes that all of the money goes back to the network, which of course isn’t the case — iTunes (Apple) gets a cut. Again, I’ve deliberately ignored many nuances and disclaimers here just for the purposes of keeping it simple. Adding all of that discussion and explanation back in just confuses things and doesn’t change the end result much. And the end result right now is simple. Watching television on television makes a lot more money — and I mean a lot more money — than Internet viewing of those same shows.

Of course, $50,000 might be a lot of money to an indie filmmaker — even a split share of those 25,000 viewers could look attractive to a micro-budget filmmaker. Unfortunately we’re talking about a high-cost TV show with an advertising budget and a rabid built-in fan base (those folks who know Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) – marketing advantages that few indie films have.

This not to say that iTunes is irrelevant; as a service there are very few download-to-own or rental options online that are nearly as easy to use or that have as much content. iTunes is pretty much the king of legitimate downloadable content both musical and cinematic. For now, however, it’s just one piece of the puzzle filmmakers have to figure out when constructing a home video distribution plan.

Read the entire article on TV by the Numbers.

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You do iTunes? B-Side does… and now our Choice Indies titles are available as part of the IFC, Movies Uncut iTunes channel.

Now on iTunes – B-Side Groundswell™ alum and music industry expose “Before the Music Dies” combines performance footage, industry insight, and humor to document the current mess that is popular music. Filled with interviews by well-respected talking heads like original riot grrrl Jenny Toomey and New York Times critic Jon Pareles, the movie does what all good documentaries should do — elicit dialog and (hopefully) action.

Also available on iTunes is the suspense drama “The Cassidy Kids” that weaves a clever tale of murder, memory, and Saturday morning television. It features “30 Rock” resident nerd-bot Judah Friedlander and 80’s sitcom star Kadeem Hardison — who’s seen a career spark since his “A Different World” days with “Bratz: The Movie” and “Made of Honor” co-starring that McDreamy dude. Yes!

Finally, look for B-Side beer and bro-fest doc, (and Choice Indies grad) “The Outdoorsmen: Blood, Sweat, and Beers” on iTunes later this month.

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