Have You Voted For Next Year's SXSW Panels Yet?

Did you know it's time to start voting for next year's SXSW 09 panels?

Hugh Forrest and Kathryn Lasater have sent out the email that the 2009 SXSW Interactive Festival Panel Picker voting application has now launched.

This means that YOU now have the opportunity to help pick the Interactive panels that take place March 13-17, 2009 in Austin, TX .

REPEAT: The SXSW 09 Panels are up for voting on the Interactive SXSW Panel Picker.

You can use the search function to find a term or a presentor, or even to gauge the zeitgeist of this community. "Trends that we have noticed for 2009 include web apps, brands, lessons, news, things that are long, the popularity of the word "suck" and a lot more advanced-level proposals than last year."

Here are a few of my pics:

Advertising is Entertaining - Who's Selling Out?
Felicia Williams, YouTube
Description:
How are popular online video creators making advertising work without losing the authenticity and credibility that are their biggest assets? A panel with real experience tackling these issues will talk about things they’ve learned, successes and failures, and emerging best practices for making sponsorships entertaining without selling your soul


Video Content: Super Distribution or Super Disaster?
Daisy Whitney, TelevisionWeek
Description:
With hundreds of video-sharing sites, social networking and blogs, devising an effective video and social media strategy is daunting. Creators face a myriad of tough questions. Discover how your strategy impacts your revenue model. Take away a list of tools, trends, and tips to save time, money, and your sanity.

Online to Big Screen: Filmmakers Reflect
Kent Nichols, AskANinja.com
Description:
Hollywood is sending online video directors to the big leagues of feature films. Find out how these online pioneers made the leap, how the mediums differ, and how you can turn internet success into a dream come true.

Sex, Lies and Online Videos
Zadi Diaz, EPIC FU
Description:
As the online video world evolves, how do we properly evaluate what's been working and what hasn't? How do the old media mantras and models apply themselves to the new media world? Our experienced panel will bring together their combined knowledge and discuss what has worked for them and what hasn't. We dispel the myths about money and production, tell you what you should watch out for, reveal our new media experiences in the Hollywood world, and teach you what you need to be aware of as a producer in the digital age.

Anytime, Anywhere, Any Device: Navigating the Distribution Paradigm
Damon Berger, Revision3
Description:
How do you get online content in front of the biggest audience? What are the best distribution platforms to use? Online video sites want their content accessible – and on as many devices and networks as possible. Attend this session to learn the latest in navigating the new distribution paradigm.

Lessons Learned from Successful Online Video Producers
Tim Street, FrenchMaidTV
Description:
These popular video producers beat the odds and created profitable online videos. Learn the essential ingredients for success and how to avoid time-consuming and expensive pitfalls. Improve your chances for launching a successful online video or movie trailer by implementing the necessary elements and strategies.

Are there any panels on the panel picker list that you would like to see?

ACT NOW Time is running out!

Voting will close at 11:59 pm Central Standard Time on Friday, August 29. Panel organizers will be notified as to whether their idea was accepted (or not) beginning in mid-October.

The Hardest Working Couple in Online Video

Most people throw a Holiday party to kick back relax and enjoy some downtime with friends and family, not Zadi Diaz and Steve Woolf of Epic FU.

Last night several of the "Online Video Movable Feast" gang were invited over to Steve and Zadi's house for drinks and pizza but instead of serving small talk and pigs in a blanket the Epic FUers had us reading things for them on camera. We even had to sign talent releases - not that anyone had a problem with it.

From Notourage's Sarah Atwood to Ask A Ninja's
Kent Nichols and Tiki Bar TV's Jeff Macpherson to Doug Bresler, from Doogtoons and Bonny Pierzina, Vu Bui and Lan Bui from Noodle Scar the group was taking turns reading lines while Steve worked the lights and camera and Zadi held the cue cards. Steve and Zadi didn't even stop to have a drink. They just kept working the whole time I was there.

These are the early days of online video and if you are looking to get some ideas on how to make money with online video pay attention to what Steve and Zadi are doing.

1. They keep costs low by not having office space and they shoot in their home.

2. They are a two person team who write, produce, direct, host, edit and do their own website work.

3. They involve their friends and their online fans to generate content and build a community.

Steve and Zadi are absent from many online video social events because they are always working and that work ethic is starting to pay off for them.

They signed with UTA as their agent and struck a deal to produce Epic Fu for Next New Networks and besides all that they are really nice people.

Con - FU - sed about Jetset

Today Bill Cammack posted in the Yahoo videobloggers group that http://jetsetshow.com is now http://epicfu.com/. I was really shocked about this and I'm not sure why I'm shocked and I'm not sure why the shows creators Zadi Diaz and Steve Woolf would change the name of Jet Set to EPIC-FU.

At first I thought it was a legal decision and that they must have had a run in with Next New Networks. But after watching the first episode I saw that they were still with Fred, Herb and Tim so it wasn't that.

I thought about calling Steve and Zadi but they work all night and are likely sleeping so I visited their site and found:

"Wasn't this show called JETSET?

Yes, it surely was. From June 2006 until October 2007 JETSET was born, grew up, and thrived. But it wasn't unique, and we reached a point where the name was no longer right for what we were doing and where we wanted to go.

With EPIC-FU we have something unique that we can fully own. And it's just cooler, to be honest. :)"

Okay, I'm starting to get my head around it. I just hope Zadi doesn't dye her hair blond next just to be "cooler."