How is Online Video Different from Cable TV?

http://1timstreet.com While attending a party at AFI's Digifest at the Hollywood Hotel which is across the street from the world famous Grauman's Chinese theater I snagged Mahalo Daily's Leah D'Emilio and asked her about the auditioning process she had to go through for her current job in online video and how it differs from cable TV.

When Do You Need a Content Delivery Network?

When Do You Need a Content Delivery Network?

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I had the chance to speak with Perry Wu CEO & Co-Founder of Bitgravity at Digital Hollywood and I asked him about the threshold of entry for Independent Producers in the online video content delivery network arena.

He told me about the different online video networks that are using Bitgravity and how some of them started out small and then grew large.

If you have more than one video series that is delivering over one million views per month from your own site you might want to think about taking control of your video content as well as your online video advertising inventory.

Why Should You Update Your Content on a Regular Basis?

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Now I've never been one to update my web series content on a regular basis but it's something I'm always wanting to do. I just haven't found a cost effective way of doing it yet. But now that I've found a new Rev Share outlet I'm more motivated than ever to come up with a weekly version of French Maid TV so that I can reap all the benefits of fresh content.

I ran into Michael Berkley Co-Founder and CEO of SplashCast and he gave me the scoop on Rev Share for Online Video in widgets for Social Media sites.

SplashCast is distributing content and sharing revenue for Sony BMG, Warner Bros., Universal and MTV as well as bloggers, video bloggers and anyone who already has compelling content with distribution. There is one caveat: SpalshCast needs to be able to sell advertising against your content. If they can find a brand that is willing to buy your video advertising inventory then it's a go. If the sales peeps at SplashCast don't think they can sell your video content to an advertiser they won't take it on.

Keep in mind you could come to SplashCast with an advertiser yourself and they might help you distribute.

If you do strike a deal with SplashCast you could get a standard 50% / 50% Rev share deal or as high as 70% / 30% if you are selling the advertising.

SplashCast is looking for video content that is episodic in nature and already has a meaningful audience with 100,000s of views that they can help turn into viral videos.

THE BIG TIP: The shelf life for video content inside a widget on social networks is very short unless the content is refreshed on a regular consistent basis. Unless you create and post new content on a regular basis people will drop your widget from their site.

There are other rev share deals for video out there and if you have one that you would like to chat with me about please let me know.

Political Videos are Dominating the Viral Video Charts. Wassup?

Wassup 2008 is on it's way to viral gold this weekend. Online digital studio 60 Frames has create spectacle, story and moves two or more (depending on who you are) emotions with a parody / update of the "Wassup" Bud commercials.

"Its been eight long years since the boys said wassup to each other. Even with the effects of a down economy and imminent change in the White House, the boys are still able to come together and stay true to what really matters."

This video will make you laugh, make you sad and depending on who you are it might make you angry or even cry in two different ways.

On a personal note, I wish that the events that make this video work on so many levels didn't exist but they do and I think this video has the power to start conversations that will enable online video creators to help change things for the better.

We have some tough times ahead of us but we don't need to let them get in our way. We need to look for the opportunities that will present themselves and we need to work together to make the best of them. The best way to do that is to share.

If we can share what we as video producers find, share what we learn, share we need and share what we have we can make our lives better and then we will be able to help others.

The video producers that are going to survive this economic downturn are producers who can create content that cuts through the clutter and delivers a return on investment for their advertisers, sponsors and investors.

Negative political videos maybe dominating the viral video charts but we don't need to let doom and gloom ruin our online video party.

Do You Sizzle?

In the Entertainment Industry there have been two types of marketing that marketers have used to sell entertainment properties. Industry Marketing and Consumer Marketing. Movies have both Industry Trailers and Consumer Trailers. One set of trailers to explain to theater and DVD store owners as well as foreign distributors what the new movies are coming down the pike and one set of trailers for the general public to see in movie theaters and at the beginning of DVDs to get them motivated to watch.

In Television and other entertainment arenas trailers are put together but they are called Presentations or Sizzle Reels. These highlight reels are less story driven and just give a high energy look at what entertainment a company currently has to offer.

Last night at Entertainment Networking Event I had the chance to speak on a panel moderated by NBC Host Shira Lazar with some of the folks from Deca. - The people who just invested in Smosh. This was one of the toughest panels I've ever been on. Not because the questions were hard hitting but because it was in a noisy bar. It was the first time I ever asked people in the audience to leave a panel I was on. I just told them, "If you want to talk leave. Go outside and network." Boom. They did but it was still hard to hear as their noise drifted into the old swimming pool area of the Hollywood Athletic Club where Douglas Fairbanks used to swim.

On the panel we talked the basics of online video monetization to a crowd made up of film and TV people who had not yet posted videos on the Internet. This was a group of people who were looking for work and new ways to make money. A crowed that was thirsty for Online Video 101 information.

Some how we made it through the panel and my big take away was that what ever you are doing to promote yourself, your online video or video series you need to Sizzle. You need to give industry and consumers something exciting that engages them. I didn't get up on that panel to tell talkers to leave but after the panel was over I had people thanking me for doing that and apologizing for other people's behavior. What ever I did made an impression on people and it gave them an opportunity as an ice breaker to talk with me after the show. I sizzled.

I've posted Deca's Sizzle reel here for you all to check out. If you are a media buyer or sponsor who contacts Deca because of my blog please let me know.

And if you have a Sizzle Reel or trailer that you would like me to feature send me an email or post a link to it in the comments.

We all want you to Sizzle.

How Are Ad Agencies and PR Firms Going to Make Money in Online Video?

In an article out today in Adweek "Twenty-eight percent of (ad agancy) respondents considered 1 million views successful; around 22 percent each would settle for 500,000, 250,000 or 100,000 views.

What? Obviously ad agencies, media buyers, brand marketers and PR firms are not connecting with online video content creators who get millions of views on a regular basis or they don't want to.

What do you mean Tim? Of course Ad agencies would want to help their clients out and connect with existing viral video series that would reach an advertiser's targeted client.

Would they? What's in it for them?

Tim, they would be a hero to their client saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Ah, last I checked ad agencies aren't in business to save clients money. Advertising agencies are in business to make money and if they can't make money on the creative because some kid is making videos out of his bedroom that get millions of views and they can't make any money on the time buy because there's no time to buy cause you just post it on the Internet, how are advertising agencies going to make money in online video?

The way ad agencies are going to make money with Internet video is to embrace it. Embrace it like it's their long lost cousin cause right now with the economy in the crapper they are going to have to find cost effect ways of saving their clients money in order to help their clients make more money so that when the economy recovers they can hit their clients up with higher rates and remind them of what an effective job they did for them in the lean times.

Ad agencies will have to be careful that they don't fall into the "Smoke and Mirrors" trap that several people in the advertising and public relations industries are falling into now with online video. Where they fan a bunch of smoke about how great the creative is in their online video and then use a bunch of mirrors to talk about how effective the over all outcome of the campaign was even though their "viral video" only had 800 views on YouTube.

Ad agencies are going to need to reach outside their comfort zone of working with the "gods of media" known as commercial directors. TV commercial directors walk on water in the advertising world but TV commercials don't play that well on the Internet. The Internet has a new bread of content creators who live on the web and understand the nuances, culture, and what it takes to emotionally engage an audience online. Sure commercial directors will learn these things but the huge day rates that they command in TV commercials won't be there waiting for them on the Internet so they won't be motivated to really dive in and become an online video creator.

Ad agencies are trying to create their own online videos but they will soon learn it's easier to jump on to a moving train than it is to build your own train and lay the tracks it's going to ride on.

How are agencies going to make money in online video? Ad agencies and public relations firms will make money in online video by buying placement on video sites that will feature their sponsored or co-branded videos so that they get millions of views. But the real way agencies are going to make money in online video is by partnering with existing content creators who have relevant content with emotionally engaged audiences already in place. In some cases we will even see ad agencies and PR firms pour money into building up the audiences of small online video shows so that their reach will make a dent both nationally and globally and be affective as well as effective in creating ROI for their clients.

Wow that sounds greatt Tim, but what the hell does that mean?

Okay, let's take French Maid TV for example. Say there's a SCUBA diving resort or SCUBA diving equipment manufacturer that wants to reach young men and they don't have an online video campaign launched already. Their ad agency could go create their own SCUBA Diving viral video and hope for the best or these SCUBA people could partner with French Maid TV to do a "How To Skin Dive" episode or better yet they do a series of French Maid TV Skin Diving Tips where the French Maids explain different SCUBA or Skin diving techniques for beginners and for the pros. These videos could then be placed in an ad buy on relevant video sharing sites as well as SCUBA diving sites around the world reaching more than just the 1 to 5 million views French Maid TV episodes get. This would increase awareness for the SCUBA vacation destination or SCUBA manufacture as well as French Maid TV and be of value to everyone involved.

Are your online videos getting millions of views?

Tell us about them.

Tubemogul Launches MRSS Automated Video Upload Feature To Premium Products

Tubemogul launched a new feature for their MRSS video uploads, which is now part of their suite of Premium Products. Videos are automatically uploaded (and launched to video sites, depending on preferences) via a MRSS feed.

This should allow Tubemogul users who have hundreds of videos to be able to upload them at the same time.

YouTube Videos Just Went Interactive in a Whole New Way!

My head is spinning. I have been inspired by the INTERACTIVE Fortune Teller. This type of technology has been available on QuickTime for some time but not on YouTube. Now that it's on Youtube we are going to see some major innovation spawned from this viral video hit.

I see INTERACTIVE Fortune Teller as a groundbreaking pivotal moment in online interactive storytelling.

This is going to be a fun ride.

I've shot an email off to the creator of INTERACTIVE Fortune Teller and I hope to have more info soon.

What Do New Digital Studios Like 60 Frames Mean For You?

The Internet has brought us global video distribution and with that new digital studios like 60 Frames are popping up all over the place but what do they mean for Indie producers like you?

I had a chance last week to chat with Dave Koga from 60 Frames and get the scoop on what this UTA / Spot Runner backed digital studio is up to.

Who In Onlinve Video Has a Bigger Name Than Joss Whedon?

Ah, just some guy named Steven King

The Deals Are Looking Better

It use to be that I would meet with studios, networks and Web 2.0 companies and they would tell me that they were willing to pay me to come up with an original idea, write it, shoot it, cut it and then deliver it to them with the copyright that they would own forever for the whopping large sum of $2000.00 per episode.

Well I can safely say that I never signed up to accept such a lucrative deal and I'm really sorry I didn't because the people that did take those deals are rich and famous now and that could have been me.

Oh, wait, there isn't anyone who took those deals who is rich and famous now. I was confused.

Now I remember, the content that the studios, networks and Web 2.0 companies created for $2000 per episode were so successful that they just keep showing them online hundreds of times - some of them thousands of times and advertisers paid millions of dollars to have their products advertised hundreds and in some cases even thousands of times.

Oh, wait, that didn't happen either. Sorry my mistake.

Okay now I really remember. They paid a couple thousand dollars and they got a few thousand views and they didn't hire those content creators again. But the good news is that now they are looking to pay, license or do a rev share and for a little bit more than two Grand.

I can't really go into details cause I don't want to screw things up and maybe by being such a smart ass about this I already am but I did want to share that I'm seeing a slight rise in the price that people are willing to pay per episode for online videos.

For a long term relationship to work there needs to be a "Win Win" situation where both sides are benefiting from the deal. If one side isn't getting something eventually they will walk. Maybe that's why we have so many divorces in America?

Even though some of us have been at online video for over 8 years now - Wow, I can't believe it's been that long - we are still in the early days of this new Industry. (Remember TV took over 25 years to really get off the ground.) Companies need to test the waters and see what they can do for minimal investment until someone starts making money and then they will copy that success. Unfortunately the market share for eyeballs continues to become more fragmented but viewer habits are still forming and that could mean that you and everyone else will start going to your favorite video site to check on new videos every day. I check my email every morning but I don't go to YouTube or other sites till later in the day. I do try to watch the evening news that I've Tivoed every night but I don't yet watch it online.

None the less large companies are looking to spend more money now on more emotionally compelling videos that will bring viewers to their site or make them stay longer once they are there.

How much more are they willing to pay?

Well, based on meetings that I've had and conversations that I've had with other people I'm hearing that companies are willing to pay $5000 to $20,000 per episode for exclusives or acquisitions. I wish I could share specifics with you but I don't want to screw up anything for myself or for others. I just want to let you know there is hope.

What do I mean by hope? $20,000 isn't going to make you rich but if you can get a five episode order, keep your costs low and create compelling content that will keep them coming back for more you can make a living. AND if you fund the creation of the content yourself and license it instead of sell it you can then license it to other markets for more money.

Lower your head, watch your step, and enjoy the rest of your day in online video.

Free Speech and the Price of Gas

Free speech allows us to say what ever we want and online video is enabling more people than ever to reach millions with free speeches. But some free speech still comes at a price.

Depending on who you are you may think the guy in the above video is a kook. You may have trouble looking past his southern accent to believe any of the outlandish things he says about the US President and the US Vice President. You might not believe that a Baptist minister could say bad things about the President. You may think the video quality is too low to take anything he says as the truth. You may just not know what to think after watching this hour long video but it was number one on Google Video yesterday and it has some very thought provoking statements in it that will get you emotionally engaged if the price of gasoline is somehow affecting your life.

Even if you do believe what this man has to say what can you do about it? Your opinion has no power here. Or does it? What would the cost of your free speech be? If you said what you thought about why gas costs so much would people think you were a kook? Would you be able to change anything? What would other free speakers like Michael Moore have to say about this video? Could people like Obama say anything about this video without paying something in political costs for their speech? Would you risk your life to say something like this in an online video?

Is Michael Eisner Still Pissed at Steve Jobs?

Last year Michael Eisner said, "Steve Jobs, not the studios, is the one making money on digital distribution," Eisner said at the Media and Money conference according to Remy Davison at Insanely Great Mac.

Yesterday Michael Eisner’s Vuguru and book publisher Putnam, launched the first of a 50 episode online video series called Foreign Body. It's a prequel/promotional vehicle for the soon to be released Robin Cook novel title Foreign Body. The video series is produced for Eisner by my paintball buddies over at Big Fantastic who also did Prom Queen for Michael and sold him their original series Sam Has 7 Friends.

I have great hopes for the Foreign Body series not only as an online video series but as a ground breaking business model for monetizing online video. Eisner has always been and continues to be a man with a vision of the future. (I like to tell this story so if you've heard it before please bear with me.) Years ago I had the fortune to work as a production assistant for Michael on the opening segments of the Disney Sunday Movie where Michael would say, "Hello, I'm Michael Eisner and Welcome to the Disney Sunday Movie." I was a terrible PA, always trying to do more than I was asked to do, but I did manage to learn a lot watching the leader of the Disney empire and how he handled things while he worked.

Way before the Internet, each morning Michael would be handed several sheets of paper that listed all the news worthy items of interest to a CEO of a entertainment conglomerate. Now you can subscribe to Emails, Blogs and RSS feed readers that assemble all the same information but back then when I was a kid I thought this was WAY cool. Another thing I saw Michael do was that he never got mad at anyone. Well at least not that we could see. If something or someone was bothering him he would call over his assistant Art who was also his pitbull. Art would take care of all the dirty work and Michael would smile and say, "Hello, I'm Michael Eisner and Welcome to the Disney Sunday Movie."

Years later as a producer I had the pleasure of traveling the country interviewing Michael Eisner's teachers. I video tapped his kindergarten teacher, the head master of his all boys school and even the professor that Robin Williams' character was based on in Dead Poets' Society. During that project I learned that Ethan Frome was Michael Eisner's favorite book as a young man. Knowing that really makes me examine the way Eisner is playing with online video.

Now I've not spoken with the Big Fantastic boy since they started working on Foreign Body and I sure hope I don't get them in any trouble with this post but I have noticed that the man who seams to be putting the most skin into the original content creation /online video game at the moment is not playing with all of the players.

You can find Vuguru's videos on Youtube, Blip.tv and of course on Veoh the video site that Eisner has invested in but you won't find Prom Queen, Sam Has Seven Friends or Foreign Body on the iTunes Store...yet.

If you visit Foreign Body's website you will find a link to iTunes but when you click on it you get a message, "iTunes Podcast coming soon. Check back June 3rd."

This makes me wonder, Is Michael Eisner still pissed at Steve Jobs? Or has he moved on? Or are there other reasons Michael hasn't been using the iTunes to get the views of his online video up?

Most of us online video producers have found iTunes to be the best thing in launching our viral video successes, including the Big Fantastic guys but for what ever reason Eisner hasn't been embracing Steve Job's wonder toy.

Any ideas?

When Will Online Video Creators Become Rich?

People are always asking me. When will it happen?" "When is it going to happen?" I assume that when they ask me this they are asking: When will online video creators see a lot of money?

Well first let's talk about who has seen money so far.

Miles Beckett and Greg Goodfried, the guys who created Lonelygirl 15 and the spin-off KateModern got $5 million but that isn't 5 million they get to keep. That's $5 million in Series A venture funding that they are using to launch Eqal, their new “social entertainment” production company.

Kent Nichols and Douglas Sarine of Ask A Ninja gross $100,000 per month in advertising revenue but they do have to pay other people out of that money. On the other hand, they landed a book deal and a writing/directing gig for the remake of the classic film “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes”. With that they stand to take home more money than what they bring in with advertising on Ask A Ninja.

Wallstrip got $5 Million from CBS. I don't know if they got to keep the money but they did have to go to work for CBS.

None of these examples show a producer posting a video and getting rich. Each of these online video series are examples of people creating businesses with online videos and there will be more people who are going to make money in online videos by creating businesses.

If you aren't planning on creating a business out of your online video you might make a little money, but you will not become rich. That said, I'm sure there will be some kid that creates a video that goes viral and then a large company may pay money to buy or license that video but I wouldn't plan on that as your exit strategy.

Recently I had a friend come to me with a great idea for a viral video, A HOME RUN viral video idea but I can't see a way to make money with the idea right now. Unfortunately it is a timely idea and as each day ticks by it loses value and any chance of going viral. I don't see a way of getting a sponsor for his viral idea. I don't see how I could get video ads up and running fast enough to make any money so I had to pass on doing it. My friend is pretty upset with me because he thinks if we make this video it will go viral and we will get "Big Deals" out of it. Well I've said it before and I'll say it again, fame without fortune turns you into Joey Buttafuoco.

If I had another video go viral what would it get me? A big Hollywood agent? I already have one. Meetings with Movie Studios and TV Networks? I already go on those. A job with a media company? I don't want one. I want to be able to create, distribute and license my own content and make a living off of it. I think I'm very close to seeing that happen and when I have that in place I will launch new videos that have nothing to do with French Maids.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying don't create viral videos. I'm saying if you create them try to think of a business plan to make money before you post them and get the money making machine in place. Chances are no one is going to pat you on the head and say, "Great video, here's 5 Million dollars."

Imaging being a prospector during the early days of the California gold rush. You have traveled across country before anyone else. You have bought axes, picks, shovels and even a pair of new fangled denim trousers. You stake your claim, start digging and find gold. You go into town and they don't take gold as payment yet. You have to convert that gold into cash before you can buy anything with it.

If you create a viral video with millions of views you have struck gold but there's no place to use that gold until you convert it. But unlike real gold you can't exchange your millions of views for cash. You have to find a way of convincing someone that you can strike gold again. That might be a sponsor. That might be a production company. That might be an advertising network. That might be a DVD distributor.

If you look back at the California gold rush the people who sold the axes, picks and shovels made the most money as did the other suppliers who enabled the prospectors to dig or pan for gold by proving food clothing, shelter and even sex. Now the only two companies that I can think of that are still around today are, the company that made the denim trousers, Levi Strauss and the company that turned the gold dust into cash, Wells Fargo. I'm sure there were some individual minors that struck it rich and cashed out but there is no one stand out prospector that we all know by name. My point is, you might become rich from posting a video that goes viral but chances are that you won't and you won't make any real money unless you figure out a business. It may be the Internet and Online video may be the hot thing but unless you can turn your videos into a business you aren't going to make and money and until you can build a market for your business you will not become rich.

What do I mean by a market? Well, you could have a market of one like Wallstrip did with CBS or you could have a market of millions (and a wine book) like Gary Vaynerchuk's Wine Library TV .

There are many ways to convert your "gold" into cash. Tim Bourquin from the New Media Expo has posted 26 slides that tell you how but you have to pick your poison. You have to figure out how you are going to convert your gold dust into cash. Once we all do that we will have a market place. Once we have a market place will make money and if more people like your business more that the rest of our bussiness's you will become rich.

3 Key Elements Successful Online Videos Should Have

Online videos should be different than TV. Internet videos should give viewers something they can't get from the Networks. Online videos should be like the MidWest Teen Sex Show.



The MidWest Teen Sex Show creates funny, educational and very entertaining online videos about sex, sex education and relationships. They should be commended on their video producing skills and this show should be winning awards.

Now on the other hand... they have some work to do to build a business out of this brand. I'll start with their Show Notes.

For the above video that is posted at Revver their description currently reads:

"I'm so over you... Hold me."

Hey, that's funny but not so good for letting your audience know what the episode is going to be about and it really sucks for search engine optimization (but they do have the self explanatory title: MTSS Episode #15 Break-Ups). On their website I didn't see any show notes.

I spoke with the show's creator and director Guy Clark on the phone yesterday and he told me that they are getting 150,000 views per month and growing but because of the show's subject matter they were having trouble getting advertisers and that even at Revver their tags were excluding them from ads running on their videos.

When I watched the video at Revver I did see ads running on the BREAK UP video so maybe that is fixed.

I took a look at the MidWest Sex Show's tags at Revver (advice alt boobs boy break breakups breasts dating education gay girls health high school hot lesbian midwest relationships sex sexuality show teen tips up porn video) and they look like they should drive some traffic if only they were on the MidWest Teen Sex Show website.

Now I'm not getting down on the MidWest Teen Sex Show. I think they are great. They have the 3 key elements of a successful online video series, they just need a little "fine tuning" to make their website and their videos a little more attractive to some alternative advertisers and alternative sponsors.

What are the 3 Key Elements a successful online video should have?

Here are 3 key elements an internet video series should have:

1. Move 2 or more emotions
(MWTSS is funny sexy awkward shocking disgusting and maybe a few more)

2. Be Irreverent (Break the rules)

3. Be Different from anything on TV (Don't Copy TV)

I have a conversation going with Guy he told me he is using Wizzard but hasn't really made any money yet. I hope our conversation continues and that I can be of assistance helping him make some money cause right now we all need to band together and build this new market place where the online video media buyers can find us and we can find sponsors who want to reach online video viewers.

Do you have any ideas on how the MidWest Teen Sex Show can get Sponsors and Advertisers?

Tools of the Trade

As video producers we are all familiar with cameras like the Panasonic AG-HVX-200 P2 or editing software like Final Cut Pro but most of us are not that familiar with a very special tool called a Media Kit.

For those of you just getting into the online video business - Media Kits are sell sheets that explain to Media Buyers what a media property (in our case an online video) is about, who it reaches and what inventory that media property has available for that Media Buyer to advertise on. Media Buyers look at media kits to decide if a property is right for their brands.

As a advisory board member of the ADM I have been asked to put together some tools for members of the Association of Downloadable Media and I thought the first thing to pull together should be a collection of Media Kits.

That said, if you are a producer of downloadable media and you have a media kit you would like to share with the ADM please send it to me at 1timstreet (at) gmail.com.

I can't promise if we will use it or not but if we don't have it we won't be using it for sure.

If you are looking for a little preview here's a copy of The French Maid TV Media Kit.

And if you are interested I've also posted another tool of the trade the French Maid TV Advertising Sales Presentation which is basically an Upfront Presentation for French Maid TV.

Standards and Practices "The Mom Rule"

What if someone you liked did something that you thought crossed a line in an online video and no one said anything about it? What if other people embedded that "bad video" on their site and no one said anything about it? What if it was someone that millions of people worshiped and paid millions of dollars to go to their movies? Would you blow the whistle on them? Would you tell people about the bad thing they did in their video?

One good argument for having movie studios and TV networks is that they have lawyers and standards and practices people in place to guard against a producer's momentary laps in judgment or a comedian's lack of judgment in going for a laugh in dangerous territory. But as an independent producer you don't have the luxury of having 12 lawyers on your staff but what you do have is "The Mom Rule."

"The Mom Rule" is a simple rule used by a lot of people who just ask themselves, "Would I be okay showing this to my mom?" Now where you get into trouble is when you are knowingly creating something that your mom won't like, say, sexy girls jumping up and down on beds while having pillow fights. In cases like that you might want to substitute "mom" with a favorite aunt or your sister or someone who you think has good judgment but isn't too much of a square. Having some line in place and knowing what that line is, is really important. Especially if you are going to have advertisers.

Now as far as that bad thing in that movie star's video...

If you tell people about a movie star posting a video that you think crosses a line won't that just send more people to see that movie stars video?

If Scott Simpson Were a Hit Man

If Scott Simpson Were a Hit Man

If the beloved podcasting insider Scott Simpson were a hit man this video is how I would picture him. - Smart, improvisational and he would have a way with the ladies but I don’t know if in my mind’s eye he would live with his mother. Maybe his brother?? I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, he would be
Getting Away with Murder

Beyond what I think about Scott Simpson being a hitman and that it has nothing to do with Getting Away with Murder I think IFC has done a wonderful job of bringing us a fun online series that makes me laugh long after I’m done watching it. For whatever reason though, I have no idea who the creators of the show are and what the real story is behind how this online video series came to be. Maybe I’m too busy enjoying the great music and watching the hip motion graphics to read the credits. Or maybe I’m too lazy to look past the first page of my Google Search.

That said, looking from the outside in it appears that IFC has produced Getting Away with Murder to brand the cable channel as cutting edge and risk taking. Indeed watching Getting Away with Murder does make me think that IFC is all that but only on the Internet. That’s right. I love this online series and I want more webisodes like it but I don’t think for a second that if I turn on IFC I’m going to find anything like it on TV and that my friends is the rub. If IFC is doing this to get more viewers I think they are wasting their money.

Even if IFC does have programming on their cable channel that is like this super cool internet show I don’t believe it’s on IFC.

With the snappy writing and high production values Getting Away with Murder could be brining in great advertising revenues for an online video but instead it only showcases that it’s made by IFC and does nothing to make me want to watch IFC. I hope it’s working for IFC and more importantly I hope the show’s creators are getting something out of it cause they really deserve it for doing such a great job. If not, I think Scott Simpson should take someone out.