I recently downloaded the pilot of Pioneer One, the first-ever made-for-torrent dramatic series. Given the paltry budget and the fact that it was just some random people making it, I thought it probably had the potential to be total crap, but I felt like I needed to give it a chance and support the ideas behind it. Governments and media companies need to understand that p2p is not the enemy— it’s a powerful tool that benefits everyone. And even if they insist on telling themselves p2p is the enemy, they need to know that we’re not going to stop doing it, end of story, and they either need to find a way to play along and be a part of the game, or get used to disappointment. You would have thought they would have learned this lesson after the now-hilarious incident where they shut down Napster ten years ago, dusted their hands off with satisfaction and said, “there, that’ll stop those pesky file-sharers.”
Anyway, I shocked myself by absolutely loving Pioneer One. Okay, yes, it’s low-budget. I’m prepared for growing pains, that’s not a problem. The important thing is that the storyline is there. It’s an unbelievably magnetic plot, and the twist at the end of the pilot sent chills down my spine. I donated to the project so that the rest of the first season’s episodes can get made, and in return I got a great mp3 of the Pioneer One theme music, which was one of my favourite aspects of the show. Consider me a fan of Bracey Smith’s and Josh Bernhard’s work. If you haven’t already seen the show, go and download it now. Free is my favourite price. Link