And yes, I agree, the most relevant work will float to the top, but it can be very difficult to become recognized as a result of over-saturation.
Sure…anyone can make a film, but can anyone make a good film?
Looking for a good film on YouTube is like shopping at the world’s largest T.J. Maxx. There is a lot of sifting through unwanted items before you find the gem. But personally, I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to make the films that I have made. And I enjoy playing my part in this very large creatively expressed community.

So for instance, where once upon a time a band would have to play dive bars for 5 years to build up a fan base, now they can use the internet as a means for generating buzz. Different methods, but the principle is still the same: The cream rises to the top.

Ultimately these artists make the majority of their money on live shows anyway. (After everyone takes their piece of the pie on a record, there isn’t much left.)So they make money by having fans, not necessarily by selling records.

I think it’s similar with film directors. Getting a gig directing a feature is largely a function of being trusted to be at the helm of increasingly larger budget projects. The major barrier of entrance is getting someone to finance that first or second project. Well, now with the internet, you can publish your work for free and demonstrate your skills…which would potentially get your foot in the door.

So even while distribution streams are changing, the big hurdle for artists is just breaking through. Since these new media streams are much more accessible, it really does give more people a fighting chance.

“I’m not so sure that downloading stuff for free is going to hurt TV and films. With music, fanatics will still shell out money to have stuff on CD or vinyl (see Nine Inch Nails’ Year Zero media blitz)–I certainly have, even though I occasionally download stuff for free (out of print b-sides, of course!). Or, fanatics will pay to see their fave artists live, and buy artist-related merch. The money’s there, really. There’s also licensing, where some bands have morphed into making soundtracks or doing music for commercials (see Shudder To Think).

In terms of TV and films, people want to watch stuff on their TV and go to the movie theatre to see blockbusters–it’s a different mode of watching than on a small computer screen (or worse, on their iPhone or mobile). IMO, David Lynch’s rant on watching movies on TV or mobile phones pretty much says it all, lol.

Music artists (as well as directors) will start marketing directly to consumers via the web; in that sense I do think there will be a slow and steady build in terms of online business. Even though mainstream record labels are obsolete, I think there’s a cool factor/tastemaker cred with indie labels that will survive this change in the business. I still love Minty Fresh records (another Chi-town label!); I still love Warp. I still will check out Slumberland Records’ site, or even Astralwerks or Domino. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone.”

Includes my hometown Ann Arbor News. This should be a wake-up call for all those giant industries trying to plow on with products or distribution models that no longer work in this new market.