I attended PodCamp NYC this past weekend. Was impressed with how the conference came together in such an outstanding way, all with an "open source" approach. A terrific group of people attended.
Here's my roundup of the best from around the web on PodCamp NYC:
Articles:
Photos:
Video:
Will be attending PodCamp NYC this upcoming weekend.
If you're a video producer or video blogger, I'd like to get a chance to meet you, hear about what you're up to, hear about your experiences, and talk ideas. If you're interested in meeting up, please get in touch with me via the contact me page here.
I have seen the future of online video and his name is Justin Kownacki.
Kownacki, Director of the online episodic show "Something to Be Desired," presented his new approach to video production to a capacity audience at the Video on the Net conference in San Jose.
Since November 2003, Kownacki has produced 100 episodes of the show - with a cast of 25 - at the ultra-low cost of $200 per week.
His secret? What Kownacki calls "Open Source TV Production", similar to the open source magazine production model I developed for Inside Carolina in 1994.
Kownacki's 25-person cast volunteers, keeping cost low.
The people in the cast, many of them aspiring actors and actresses, volunteer because they believe it is good for them to be seen - and because they believe in the show.
"If you have a good product, good talent wants to attach to you," said Kownacki.
Kownacki spends most of his time coordinating the cast and producing the show.
Why an episodic approach? According to Kownacki, snack-based content is not sustainable. It isn't engaging, doesn't tell you a story that grips your mind or heart.
In addition to the show itself, the STBD blog gives a behind the scenes look at the production of the show. Looking ahead, Kownacki believes the way to make the show even better is to open up the creative process to fans, open up the scripting process and allow the audience to have a say.
But the bottom line isn't just the low cost of production, it's about why people watch the show.
"People don't subscribe to online shows, they subscribe to people and personalities, interesting characters who engage you," Kiwnacki said. "And a story you want to see where it goes."
(Photo credit: cirne)
I attended and spoke at the Video on the Net conference in San Jose last week.
Video on the Net was an outstanding conference. Not only were the speakers thought leaders in their fields, there was an engaging mix of speakers ranging from executives at major media companies to independent show producers. The conference sessions were fast paced, energized, and professional in every regard. Something I always appreciate: there were ample opportunities for business networking. I'm looking forward to attending Video on the Net in Boston this fall.
Here is a round up of the most interesting things I heard and learned from the presentations at VON2007.
Related Video:
Watch Steve's video, "Recorded and edited on a train with an N95"
-- Bob Bowman, CEO of Major League Baseball Advanced Media says that when MLBAM first got started streaming video of live baseball games, all were abysmal failures - not once did it work right all game. "Streaming live stuff is totally different than video on demand," Bowman said. Bowman adds: your content has to be real and authentic, or it won't last. He suggests providing an interactive experience, not doing flat video. Finally, Bowman made the following bold statement: "Convergence, it's not happening." According to Bowman, consumers won't consume on their cell phones the same content they want to consume on their TV's. You have to produce different content for each platform, TV, the PC and mobile, even if it is for the same consumer.
-- Justin Kownacki, director of the online episodic show "Something to Be Desired," has produced 100 episodes since November 2003 on a shoestring budget of $200 per week through an approach he calls "Open Source TV production". How does he do it? The 25 person cast volunteers for the show, keeping production costs ultra low.
-- Albert Cheng, vice president, digital media, Disney-ABC Television Group, says that his company is redefining the network as "a content programming service that connects fans to their shows." According to Cheng, 54% watch online because they missed an episode or didn't program their PVR; 34% are fans of the show who want to watch the episode again; a very large percentage watch the entire episode; and greater than 80% say they have a positive experience and would recommend to a friend. Cheng says consumers respond very favorably to ads that are very interactive and highly relevant (in contrast to 30 second ads). A cool idea coming out in a few months: when you pause the video from Disney-ABC Television, you'll see a static billboard with a brand message for a sponsor.
-- Daniel Scheinman, senior vice president and GM, Cisco Media Solutions Group, says we'll see an explosion of content that will make it hard to find content. The central question of our age, according to Scheinman: how do we enable content to find you?
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Next week I'l be speaking at the "Video on the Net" conference in San Jose, on the panel titled "A New Look at Content."
If you're a video producer or video blogger, I'd like to get a chance to meet you, hear about what you're up to, hear about your experiences, and talk ideas. If you're interested in meeting up, please get in touch with me via the contact me page here.
RealNetworks has launched a film and entertainment news site, Film.com, featuring film previews, movie trailers, DVD releases, and coverage of television programming and celebrity news.
Plenty of other web sites and blogs already offer similar content - so it remains to be seen if Real can build an audience in a crowded space.
Having said that, I'm always impressed with Real's resourcefulness, in this case putting to use the great domain name they owned (but had essentially mothballed several years ago), and creating inventory for online advertising.
I also like that the site will offer a free full-length independent movie each week. The "Film.com Movie of the Week", supported by in-movie sponsorship and advertising, will initially draw on a catalog of movies through a deal with GreenCine, a San Francisco-based company with a library of independent, international and documentary films.
Seeking to further differentiate the site - and no doubt get media exposure - Real introduced the new Film.com at Sundance, where Film.com contributors posted daily video reports and commentary from the film festival.
Among my friends from Real working on the project are Elizabeth Coppinger, Vice President, Media Software & Services (pictured); Michael McMurray, Director, Product Management; and Ted Kuoppamaki, Product Manager (who was Art Director at the original Film.com, which was founded by Lucy Mohl in 1994). Congrats on the launch of your new product!
Concert webcasts and online vintage performance clips are gaining traction, according to this article in The New York Times.
What role, if any, will be carved out for fans who take their own pictures and "bootleg" video at concerts? My friend and former co-worker from RealNetworks, Erik Flannigan, is quoted for this article. (If you know Erik, I think you'd agree that he is a top expert on the subject of fans capturing various types of media at concerts.)
Erik Flannigan, general manager of America Online's music, film and television content, said that at a big arena performance these days "20,000 people walk through the door." He added: "How many people who went to that show walked out with some kind of media captured? They called someone, they took a photo. Why not harness that and turn it into something?"
Last year's U2 tour brings to mind photos, audio and video captured by fans with camera phones, digital cameras, DAT and mini-disk recorders - and posted to fan sites immediately after each show (and some even during the shows). As a fan, it was fun seeing the results of this grass roots effort.
What drives 1% of fans to capture and share content? I think it's as much about the hunt for content as anything else. And for the rest of the fans who seek and consume this fan generated content: it's very much about re-living the concert experience and collecting. This isn't the type of content that you tend to listen to or watch again and again.
I've got to say, though, there's something about the experience of going to see a band live that isn't captured in the online viewing experience of an entire concert webcast. But that's not just a matter of web video: I find that most professionally produced concert DVDs are of only marginal interest to me - even from my favorite bands. (Notable exceptions: Fleetwood Mac's "Say You Will" tour DVD; and U2's "Vertigo" tour DVD.)
Like many things music, I prefer a concert CD with audio - a passive listening experience - vs. the active viewing experience required of a DVD. And who has the patience to watch a two hour concert on their computer?
Some companies have tried charging admission to view concert webcasts online. I am a big fan of live music, but quite frankly, I'm not inclined to pay to watch a webcast of even my favorite bands perform live.
I think the better bet is for bands to put short form video clips of their live performances out onto the web as a means of connecting with their existing fans and reaching new fans - and a way of building interest in going to a show in-person.
Related Link: Concert, rehearsal venues get wired
