My Blog Has Moved!

I decided to move my blog to my own URL

I will leave my old posts here but you can find my new blog at:

http://1timstreet.com/blog/

5 Tips for New Web Video Producers - From What the Buck

Today I'm at NewTeeVee live in San Francisco and by using Twitter I managed to track down and get an interview with Michael Buckley the Host,Writer and Producer, "What the Buck?"

Michel Buckley didn’t have an Internet connection or any writing/hosting experience when he started the What the Buck Show in the summer of 2006 in fact he was on public access TV but when his cousin posted one of the clips on YouTube he started getting viewers. Now, over 400 videos later, What the Buck? is the 7th Most Subscribed channel on YouTube with over 270,000 subscribers and 95 million views. In July 2008, Buck signed a multi-platform development deal with HBO. He recently left his day job and is a full time Internet personality.

As one of the web's breakout stars of the year Michael's scripted show makes fun of celebrities but making the show is just part of the job.

Here are six tips for new and old Internet video publishers alike:

1. Find a format that works for you
Don't try and copy someone else's show just because their show is getting views. Come up with a show idea that you care about.

2. Enjoy what you are doing
If you don't enjoy what you are working on you are not going to do great job. You need to enjoy everything about your own show so that you can be passionate about it.

3. Don't get discouraged
Don't give up. If you know you have emotionally engaging content keep at it. People will eventually find great content and share it with their friends.

4. Get Enganged
If people connect with your show they will want to interact with you. Be "present" with the experience and engage your audience by replying to their questions and comments so that you continue the conversation and keep viewers coming back for more. Your audience will be glad that you are there.

5. Repost old videos that are good
Don't let dead videos just sit there. If you know you have a video that people will want to watch but they haven't found it yet, delete it and repost it. Remember if they haven't seen it it's new to them.

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.

What Will 2009 Bring in Web Video?

In a post for TV Week online video reporter Daisy Whitney asks Tilzy.tv What 2009 Will Bring in Web Video?

In the new year, look for immersive brand experiences, new forms of interactivity, concept before craft and a shift away from sketch comedy.

How Can You Make Money with Online Video? : Work for Hire Video Production

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When I attend different online video and digital events I'm always on the prowl looking for new ways that independent producers can make money with video on the web. While I was at Digital Hollywood I ran into Dave Toole from MEDIAmobz.

MEDIAmobz brings together buyers and producers in a one-of-a-kind marketplace to get videos made at an affordable price.

With the explosive proliferation of user-created content converging with the increasing growth of local search advertising video proves to be a compelling vehicle for communicating a business's message or story and MediaMobz is uniquely positioned to deliver on that need.

Providing a full suite of online services MEDIAmobz facilitates bidding on media production jobs, project tracking and management, as well as a private collaborative process to get high-quality videos produced.

Business owners and/or advertisers (called buyers on MediaMobz) can get the word out about their services and products with the help of short video ads that can be created by video producers in an affordable way.

Producers on MediaMobz can get paid for their creative talents as MediaMobz brings together video producers with a wide range of skills and backgrounds, from television professionals to amateur videobloggers there is opportunity to connect with buyers.

Once a connection with a buyer and producer is made and money exchanged MediaMobz get paid a commission.

Sounds pretty fair to me.

Online Video Leaders: Andrew Baron

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Online Video Leaders a series of blog posts to honor those pioneers who have laid the groundwork in getting Internet video to where it is today.

On October 26, 2004, Andrew Baron launched a daily news video blog with co-creator and host Amanda Congdon called Rocketboom. Andrew's comic newscast was inspirational to the likes of Kent Nichols and Douglas Sarine of Ask A Ninja as well as Tiki Bar TV's Jeff Macpherson who inspired me to create French Maid TV.

Since then Andrew Baron has gone on to inspire many others and both in creating videos and in political activities.

Early on Andrew pushed the boundaries of online video super distribution in the early days making his show available for consumption on as many different formats as possible. Andrew was also the first to explore alternative advertising models by auctioning off Rocketboom's advertising on ebay.

After a few bumps in the road like breaking up with his partner Amanda, replacing her as host and a few false starts on partnering with others, Andrew signed a distribution and advertising deal this year with Sony Pictures Television for a seven-figure guarantee plus a share of future revenues generated by the show.

Rocketboom is now distributed across many digital platforms like Sony's Crackle, the PS3, the PSP and Bravia Internet video link televisions. Rocketboom is also be available on its website, TiVo, iTunes, Miro, Apple TV, Pando, TVTonic and other web video portals, including YouTube, Metacafe, blip.tv and Vuze.

My sympathies go out to Andrew as last week he lost his father to cancer but even as his father lay dying this true leader of online video used the tools of the Internet and social media to try and save his father's life. In doing so Andrew has shed light on drugs that may one day be of help to others with the type of cancer his father had.

I think Andrew Baron will continue to break new ground in online video and inspire others to do so as well.

You can read Andrew Baron's blog at Dembot.com.

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.

How Do You Make a Video Go Viral?

In order to make a video go viral you need to move two or more emotions, have spectacle and a little bit of story or you could just put a sexy female super model like Heidi Klum dancing around half naked playing Guitar Hero in her underwear.

Like in this video for the Guitar Hero World Tour. It's the Heidi Klum Director's Cut, Directed by Brett Ratner.

It's also a good idea to have a video preview thumbnail with a pretty woman in her bra as well. ;)

Music, Games, Comedy and Pitches. Oh My!

ManiaTV has re-focused their programming and they are getting Cable TV numbers. Now let's see if they can get Cable TV CPMs. I had a chance at Digital Hollywood to speak with Peter Hoskins, CEO of ManiaTV and he told me that they are now in the music, video game and comedy business and that they are now looking for original video content from independent producers. He also explains how you can contact ManiaTV for pitches.