How Can You Watch Web Videos on Your TV?

http://1timstreet.com from Digital Hollywood Dave Mathews of Boxee.TV talks about the open, connected, social media center that won iStage's $50,000, a booth at CES and how you can use Boxee to watch online videos on your TV.

And Dave mentions how you can share what you are watching on TV with your friends without sharing if you are watching any Internet TV programming you don't want your friends to know you are watching.

How Comfortable are You with Taking Risks in Your Online Video?

One of my clients, Chris Christensen of Amateur Traveler sent a tweet out this morning about this Extended Stay Commercial.

It's a 60 second spot that I can't really see playing on regular TV (maybe late night TV) but it is a great example of risk taking, pushing the envelope and doing what you need to do to get views in online video.

Casting Online Videos

Over the years I've used Craigslist, Now Casting and Breakdown Services, Ltd. to cast TV Shows, Promos , Online video and even French Maid TV.

As I've started casting the next episode of French Maid TV we have been using Breakdown Express from Breakdown Services, Ltd. which is a companion site to Actors Access. Breakdown Express let's you post a casting notice for a particular roll. Then actors, talent agents and managers can then submit talent to audition for that part.

Once an actor is submitted you can then look at their head shots, photos and resumes and send them a message if you are interested in calling them in for an audition.

There are a few little pet peeves I have about the interface of the site and it's only available to large cities but I do like it better than the other options. Over all Breakdown Express is an extremely valuable tool and best of all it's FREE.

Have You Created Any Online Training Videos?

Online videos are a great way to get the word out and train your staff. Training videos are more popular than ever. Even Chad Vader Day Shift Manager has gotten in on the action.

"Learn how to be a better Empire Market employee with Chad Vader's new series of training videos. This time around Chad shows you how to deal with a suspicious looking person (spy) in the produce dept. From Blame Society "

When Should You Give Your Content Away for FREE?

So when should you give your content away for free?

I say never.

When you are first starting out and you are trying to get noticed one strategy might be to place your content everywhere you can but in that instance you aren't really giving your content away for free, you are using your content for marketing promotion. Another strategy might be to create promos for your videos and post the promos everywhere and keep your videos on your own site.

If you have sponsored content that is baked in, like what we've done with French Maid TV (for GoDaddy.com, iLike.com, Barterbee.com and Tubes), your sponsor may want you to place it everywhere you can and in that case you are not giving it away for free your sponsor is paying you to super distribute it.

After you are a successful online producer and your online videos are being viewed millions of times a month you don't need to give your videos away. Advertisers will place ads next to your videos and video portals like Revver.com and Blip.tv will share advertising revenue with you. Maybe you can sell your own ads on your own site or a copy of your online videos on DVD or a high res version of your viral videos as a download.

But what if you get a call or an email from a website or mobile aggregator who just "LOVES" your show? What if they tell you how smart you are and how clever and funny your videos are, should you give them your videos?

Well, if they have a rev share and they have advertisers and they have other content creators that have already been paid money that you have spoken with, then seriously consider putting your videos on their site.

If they don't have a rev share or they don't yet have advertisers or they won't let you talk to any other content producers who are making money with them and they are not willing to pay you a licensing fee...

DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR VIDEOS!!!

These guys are calling you because they have two problems:

1. They don't have enough good content

2. They don't have advertisers

They need your content to get advertisers and if you have emotionally compelling content that you give them people will watch it, you won't get paid and they might, I say "might" get an advertiser out of it. When and if they do get an advertiser they will be tired of your content and feature something new on the front page of their site.

Keep your content on your own site unless you are getting something for putting it on someone else's site.

Video and mobile sites are paying their employees to help them find advertisers and if they are using you and your content they should be paying you as well.

So if the emails and calls start coming for your wonderful funny online videos that they "LOVE" don't give your content away, ask them if they have a rev share. Ask them if they have advertisers. Ask them if they have other producers who have already been paid. If they can't give you any of that ask them if they would be willing to pay you a licensing fee. Depending on how popular your videos are you might ask for $500 a month you might ask for $5000 a month. Maybe just ask them if they are willing to pay something and then start negotiating from there.

What do you have to lose?

Video Advertising on YouTube

Video Advertising is something I’ve been doing for years on Network and Cable Television. I’ve created promotional spots and campaigns for shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer to UFC as well as TV commercials for feature films like Fight Club and Sin City. I’ve also produced “different” Online Advertising like French Maid TV but in all my time in advertising there has never been a big day like yesterday.

Yesterday Google announced that they are launching overlay advertising on Youtube Videos. I’m very excited about this and look forward to see how things will play out.

This is a really incredible time to be producing emotionally engaging online videos that cut through the clutter, launch new brands and drive consumers to act. Oh right, and the video can really be measured. But as someone who is plagued with ideas it’s more exciting to know that I can run with an idea, produce it, post it on YouTube and finally get paid for it.