1TimStreet Sponsor - A Product That I Use

Friday, October 31, 2008

Why Should You Update Your Content on a Regular Basis?



http://1timstreet.com

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.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

What Hard Drives Do I Need for HD?



http://1timstreet.com

I don't normally blog about tech products but every once in a while I come across something that I think is pretty cool and the G-tech guys have been very good to me - inviting me to parties at the Playboy Hef Suite in Vegas and making great drives that I use - so I thought I would point out two of their products that can be very useful to online video producers and editors.

I ran into Roger Mabon of G-Tech at the HDEXPO in Burbank this week and he had some new storage products that might be of interest to online video people who use Final Cut Pro and need to move large amounts of HD and SD video files around for editing.

First is the G Speed ES a 4 drive RAID that goes up to 4 TB and second the G Speed XL PCIe supports up to 24TB and is expandable up to 180TB with a 800 MB/sec throughput.

I don't personally edit HD (I have produced/directed projects in HD) but if you want to you can use these new RAID storage drives from G-Tech.

Tim, I'm an online video producer I don't care about HD video. Are you stoned?

Well, if you care about making money from online video you should care about HD and other Hi Res formats like RED. You should be doing everything you can to capture your video in the highest quality format that you can so that when people can watch online videos on their HDTVs your video looks better than everyone else's.

I'm not telling you to go shoot the best daily horoscope show on a RED camera but if you are creating video content that could live on TV, DVD or go to the big screen then you should consider how you can shoot High Resolution Video.






Do you have a tech product that online video creators should care about?

Let me know.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

How Can You Watch Web Videos on Your TV?


Link
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.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tubemogul Buys Illumenix



It sounds like an acquisition of comic book companies: "Tubemogul Acquires Illumenix" in order to take over the world. Well I don't know about taking over the world but this is certainly a step in the direction of giving Visible Measures a run for their money.

I think it's a very smart move for Tubemogul but what's really missing in the marketplace right now is a combined FLASH / Quicktime / Windows Media Player / Silverlight metrics standard that tracks all videos served on the planet.

The technology is there. Let's see who is able to get everyone on board and agree on standards that advertisers and content creators can use. Maybe by 2012?

Friday, October 24, 2008

3 TubeMogul Tips for SEO





http://1timstreet.com

Are you new to the online video game? Would some SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tips from Mark Rotblat of TubeMogul be of use to you?

Here's a video from the new offices of Tubemogul by Massimo Burgio from SMX London 2008 and a few tips:

1. Descriptions and Tags are very important. Use them.

2. Make sure you put your URL upfront in the description because the first couple of lines are often the only things that show. URLs in descriptions are often clickable and can get a 1% click through rate which is often higher than the click through rate of the ads around a video.

3.Put your most important TAGS in first and look to see how they show up on the different sites listed on Tubemogul as you enter them.






Will your business survive a PC Disaster? Carbonite Online Backup protects your important files. Start your free trial!

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.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Opie, Andy Griffith and the Fonz Have a Viral Video

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die


Ron Howard is the latest star to jump on the Obama train and he does it with his old costars Andy Griffith and Henry Winkler in a video for Funny or Die.

Stripping down he trims his nose hair, dons an Opie wig for a black and white call to action and then trips back to “Happy Days” as Richie Cunningham.

I wonder if they cleared the music they are using and if the use of characters are clear because of "parody?"

Let me know if you find any funny celebrity McCain Videos.

What's the Best Way to Make Money with Online Video? : Acquisition




"What's the Best Way to Make Money with Online Video?" is a blog series that investigates the different ways to make money with online video. This post is about: Acquisition.

Adam Eland and Jeff Marks (Jeff was a little shy but I got him sitting at his desk in the background of the interview) are the creators of WallStrip.com and with their other partner, Howard Lindzon managed to raised $600,000 from angels and friends to produce this web series where pop culture meets stock culture.

Next, with the help of their first smart and funny host Lindsay Campbell they built a loyal following and were then acquired by CBS Interactive for somewhere around $4 Million in May of 2007.

Since then the WallStrip team created another online show for CBS MobLogic.tv and they run the CBS Interactive Web Originals Department in New York City.

What's the Best Way to Make Money with Online Video? Well, acquisition is definitely one way that pays off however I'm not sure that in this particular economic time it's the best strategy but that could change. If you have an online video with a huge niche audience that would be of great value to a large media company you might just be able to get an acquisition deal.





If you are interested in reaching Journalists, Hollywood Agents, Independent Video Producers, Studio and Network Executives who care about the monetization of online video sponsor 1TimStreet. Contact Tim Street for rates and opportunities. 1timstreet at gmail dot com.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Is There Video Pollution Coming?



Last night I was at Andrew Warner's Mixergy get-together and a guy that came brought a PICO laser video projector that was the size of a Flip digital video camera. This guy was projecting video everywhere in the bar. (It's similar to the one in the above video.) He was playing video from his iPhone on the ceiling, on table cloths, on people's shirts and even if you can imagine it, on the wall.

Everyone in the bar was drawn to him and his projector like moths to a flame. Just watching this made me think of the early days of filmmaking when just seeing moving pictures with no story was novel enough for people to pay admission to a theater to watch a motion picture of a train pulling into a station.

Next I thought about laser pointers and how people would bring them into movie theaters and point them at the screen before a movie and sometimes during. Then it got me to thinking about bars, schools and Tom Cruise in Minority Report. Soon there might be a rash of these little projectors projecting videos everywhere. Imagine sitting in a bar or restaurant and the Cuervo Gold Girls walk by and play a commercial. Or some dorky guy shows off a YouTube video that he's proud of or worse, his favorite adult movie. There is no end to where this could lead and the problems it could cause.

Imagine if you owned a restaurant and your competitor parked outside and projected her commercial on your restaurant's wall? I'm sure you are already thinking of how this could effect you for bad or good and the good could be really good.

What if your iPhone had the processing speed and storage of your MacBook Pro and instead of having to flip open your laptop you just set your iPhone down and it projected it's screen on the wall and projected a virtual keyboard on the table that would allow you to use your iPhone like a laptop?

Now imagine movie night. Where will you set up your portable theater and will you bother anyone with your video pollution?

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

When Will Independent Online Video Content Producers Be Able to Dynamically Serve Video Ads in Quicktime for Free?




Today NewTeeVee reports that VoloMedia Makes iTunes Interactive.

What does this mean for independent video content creators?

Well, if you are accepted into VoloMedia as a content publisher (they are a little picky) and you can afford their technology (it's not FREE), you will be able to dynamically insert video advertising into your iTunes videos and your subscribers will be able to share your content with friends, bookmark your videos and link back to your site or your advertiser's site. You will also be able to track your views through VoloMedia's Mesurement Services. Unfortunately it only works with Windows right now.

If you have high end content, have a large Windows based group of subscribers and a steady flow of advertisers this is a really cool solution to serve ads and track your video podcasts.

If you have a large Apple/Mac based group of subscribers and don't have a steady flow of advertisers this won't be of help to you one bit...yet.

I think VoloMedia has some great technology. I wish I could get my hands on their technology for FREE or as a REV share. The reason I say this is that right now I can sign up for affiliate programs, post banners and text ads on my site for FREE and using a free ad server I can change out those ads for free without having to redo my website each time. Unfortunately I can't do the same with my Video Podcast. However I'm working on changing that.

Right now I'm in talks with several of my independent producer friends who like me, have millions and millions of Quicktime video views each month that are going unmonetized each month because we don't have low cost technology and hosting to dynamically deliver video ads in our video podcasts and swap them out without having to re-edit and repost our videos.

I'm also in talks with technology companies who are working on making this technology available to my group of friends and me for FREE.

I'm also in talks with sponsors and affiliate marketers who want to advertise and sponsor online videos but don't have a turn key way of doing it.

When will independent online video content producers be able to dynamically serve video ads in Quicktime for free? I'm trying to make it happen in the next few months.

Tim, This could hurt people's businesses, why would you want to do this?

I don't think it will hurt anyone's business who is in online video for the long haul because standards are coming. Standards that will use the same types of technology to deliver video ads in video podcasts and track those ads. It has to happen. We can't be using different technology to do this because advertisers need things to be simple. Media buyers need the buying of online video advertising to be easy. Could you imagine if we had different technical standards for delivering and tracking TV commercials at each TV network?

Video Podcasts are an untapped resource for advertisers to reach consumers who are emotionally engaged with niche content that they really care about. In these hard economic times media buyers are going to discover this and and take advantage of it but we need to make it easy for them. Especially the small and medium sized advertisers.

If Google had charged a $5 CPM for the privilege of using Google AdSense technology Google would have never become the number one text based advertising company on the planet. If we as independent content creators can get our hands on dynamic ad insertion technology like VoloMedia's, Castfire's and Podaddies' for free we will be able to cross promote each other, build larger audiences, deliver ROI for our advertisers / sponsors and make a living or better with online video. And companies like VoloMedia, Castfire and Poddadies will be able to sell statistics and advertising to ad agencies, media buyers and other advertisiers.

By making dynamic video ad insertion free in QuickTime and Flash for that matter, online video content creators will become "Pain Killers in a Pain Killer Economy," Independent video producers will be able to help small and medium sized advertisers reach consumers in relevant ways by advertising to audiences who will care about and want to buy their products. Most importantly by making dynamic ad insertion for video FREE Independent Online video producers and content creators will be able to make money with online video on their own by cross promoting other independents, sharing sponsors, using affiliate marketing programs and online video producers will be able to do it all without having to give away ownership of their original content.

Are you working on a dynamic ad insertion for video technology? Are you interested in monetizing it by giving away the technology for free or for rev share?

Email me at 1timstreet at gmail.com.






Online Video Leaders: Steve Garfield - The Nicest Guy in Online Video




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.

It was January 1, 2004 when Steve Garfield took his videos and added them to his blog. That very well could make him the Father of Video Blogging or Vlogging. It definitely makes him a pioneer in online video and an Online Video Leader.

Since the early days Steve has been a correspondent for RocketBoom, a work for hire video guy / video blogger, an online radio show host, he teaches at Boston University and even got his Mother video blogging.

Last year Loic le Meur of video conversation site, Seesmic interviewed Steve Garfield in this video and there's some great info in it as Steve talks about video blogs he's discovered and how people are making money in online video.

I run into Steve at conferences and trade shows every now and again where he's speaking and I'm always impressed how Steve manages to find the coolest new cutting edge technology faster than anyone else and gets into it like a kid opening presents on Christmas day. Steve's curiosity and boyish charm have served him well on the Internet. As a true leader in Online Video, Steve is also known in the online video community as the nicest guy in Internet Video.

There's also another great Interview with the Father of Video Blogging on Veoh.

Be Sure and Visit: Steve Garfield Dot Com where you can try and keep up with what Steve Garfield is up to next.

Palintones


Add some Palintones to your mobile phones

Monday, October 20, 2008

Who is the Puppet Master Eric Doyle?




I was out for drinks with my buddy, radio show host turned actor David H. Lawrence XVII who plays the villain, The Puppet Master Eric Doyle, an Owner of a marionette theater / escaped prisoner from Level 5 on NBC's hit TV show Heroes. Doyle can control people with the snap of his fingers just like a puppeteer. I asked David a few questions about coming to Hollywood and advice for other actors, online video producers and Internet people.

David worked as a radio show host then came to Los Angeles to break into Hollywood as an actor. It looks like all the acting auditions, casting calls, talent searches, self promotion and studying that David did on how to become an actor has finally paid off.

After his creepy role on Heroes I’m expecting David to become a movie star. Maybe we’ll soon be reading celebrity news and Hollywood gossip about him and Hayden Panettiere or he could just wind up as a regular on Heroes, 24 or LOST.

Who knows maybe we will all be walking around snapping our fingers the way Eric Doyle snaps his fingers closed to shut someone's mouth. It will be like Bewitched and the nose twinkle.


icon
icon Add Heroes to Your iTunes, iPod or iPhone

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Hayden Panettiere PSA: Vote for McCain NSFW

See more Hayden Panettiere videos at Funny or Die


The Hot It Girl of Television, Hayden Panettiere from NBC's Heroes does a Funny or Die PSA to Vote for McCain and it's topping the popular videos at Digg Don't worry, there are no nude Hayden Panettiere photos in this video but there are lots of naughty words.

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Want To Learn About Social Media /New Media / Inbound Marketing?



Then get your butt to BarCamp LA !

If you are looking to dip your toe in the water without spending a ton of cash BarCamps are a great way to find out what new technologies, Internet new media tools are emerging from the cutting edge without running up your credit card dept.

You can also sign up for the Geek Dinner where you are sure to meet all kinds of techies willing to share new info.

Be forewarned these events are very open. You are bound to be welcomed with open arms and walk away with new knowledge and new friends.






What Advice Does An Online Video Star Have For Actors?



I ran into actor David Loren star of Big Fantastic's Prom Queen and Sorority Forever at a wrap party in Hollywood and he gave me some words of encouragement for actors wanting to act in online videos and come to Hollywood.

We were standing outside in the parking lot of The Twisted Spade card club in Hollywood - the first of its kind "Entertainment Only" card room. Twisted Spade Card Club is a members only establishment providing its members with a comfortable environment to play, learn, and enjoy the game of poker.

The grand opening day is November 1st by Invitation Only.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

How Do You Monetize Old Content?




Last week I caught Co-Founder of GetBack.com Fitz Flynn off guard at Contentinople with my pocket sized Flip Digital Video Camera and I got him to explain how old content is still valuable and I even got him to cough up a few tips for independent video producers.






Wednesday, October 15, 2008

TV Marketing Guru Vince Manze Leaves NBC to start New Media Company!




According to The Hollywood Reporter NBC Promo Wizard Vince Maze is leaving NBC after 18 years to start his own New Media Company.

That's nice Tim. Why should I care about some old guy leaving NBC?

Cause this is a guy that understands short form and long form media better than anyone else on the planet and if Vince Manze is leaving the comfort of NBC in the middle of a recession to start a new media company you know he has something good and worst yet he's going to stir the pot for everyone else.

I recently ragged on StrikeTV for having 40 Shows and no promo department. Vince Manze is a guy that can create 40 Internet Shows overnight and have the promos done and posted before Midnight.

Look out kids, there's a new professional on the new media playing field who is going to raise the bar for all of us.






Video Blogging Pioneer Interviews Spike Lee


A few questions with Spike Lee from ekai on Vimeo.

Video Blogging Pioneer Eddie Codel had a chance to sit down with Spike Lee yesterday with a handful of other bloggers & vloggers and got 20 minutes with Spike to ask him about the influence of the Internet, social networks, mobile devices and cheap tools on film making. They also got his view on UFOs!! This is part of the Nokia Productions film project.

It's interesting to see how a ground breaking filmmaker like Spike Lee is so far behind when it comes to new technology and the digital revolution.

Nice work Eddie!







Have the Clintons Figured a Way to get Hillary in the White House?



This political video is on it's way to 1 Million views this week. It features a law suit by a Democratic attorney alleging that Barack Obama is not a Natural born US Citizen.

Have the Clintons figured a way to get Hillary in the White House?

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.

Hayden Black to Give Key Note at OMMA Video


Hayden Black - The best free videos are right here

Online Comedy Series Creator/Exec Producer/Actor Hayden Black will be giving the Key Note at this year's OMMA Video where he will talk about his online video successes Goodnight Burbank and Abagail's X-Rated Teen Diary.

Jamison Tilsner of Tilzy.TV talks to Hayden Black, creator of GoodnightBurbank.com and AbigailsXRatedTeenDiary.com.

SIDE NOTE: Last night one of the cast members of Goodnight Burbank, David Lawrence showed up in the NBC hit series HEROES.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Prom Queen DVD Hits the Street



The Big Fantastic boys now have a DVD of their Internet Video Hit Prom Queen out and you can buy it at Amazon for as low as $7.85 as of this posting.

Can you guys tell us anything about how it got to DVD or was that all handled through Michael Eisner's Vuguru?

What if you could use Joost without a Download?



Well it looks like you can now!

Now let's see how they treat independent content producers.

Guess Who's Investing in Original Independent Online Video?



It's not Revver.

It's Deca!

According to Paid Content "Digital entertainment company Deca has invested in Smosh, taking an undisclosed stake in the teen-centric online video brand. The Santa Monica-based content development, marketing and sales studio will handle everything, including ad sales, business development and distribution for Smosh. Deca co-founder and CEO Michael Wayne told paidContent that Smosh was already “profitable” from advertising; it currently runs Google AdSense-powered search and display ads."

Currently the third most subscribed YouTube channel of all time, Smosh is sketch comedy for teens and tweens by 20-year-olds Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox. With more than 175 million views, Smosh videos have become a pop culture phenomenon. Their site, Smosh.com, features video extras, robust forums, and a growing community of more than 340,000 registered members, who contribute to more than five million page views each month.

Now you as a sophisticated media professional might not see the value in two guys in a bedroom punching each other to the tune of the Mortal Kombat Theme but there are over 13 million views of this one video that prove that you need to face facts and realize that just because something is not appealing to you it still has an audience and has value.

As a young adult I was a producer on a variety show on Nickelodeon called What Would You Do? It was a show with hidden cameras and lots of pies. I swore to myself that I was an adult and that I was not going to let a kids' show with pies make me laugh but oh how I was wrong. Every time someone went through the Piepod, the Pie Coaster or was hit with a pie from the Wall o' Stuff I laughed my ass off.

Now you as a media buyer or brand manager might pause at associating your brand with a a show as wild and crazy as Smosh but times have changed. Smosh is the 3rd most subscribed channel on YouTube and Smosh has over 175 Million views. Someone likes and is watching Smosh and this is a huge opportunity for you as an advertiser to get in front of an audience that really cares about these guys.

Sure you can try and go make your own Smosh and get over 175 Million views but while you're doing that someone else is going to be sponsoring Smosh while you are still trying to get 1 million views.

So what are you waiting for? Call Karl House Director, Business Development at 310.587.3535 x 103 or email him at khouse@deca.tv and sponsor Smosh before your competitors do.

Monday, October 13, 2008

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.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Can Social Media be Used to Revive the Economy?



The Great Depression of the 1930s had Franklin Delano Roosevelt. FDR was the man most people looked to for leadership in that time of global economic crisis and world war. In this News Reel that played in movie theaters across the nation he asks for foreclosures across the country to be halted until homes and farms could take advantage of federal credit and in clear terms he explains to the country the steps the Government will take to speed economic recovery in America. Roosevelt describes striking plans for the stabilization of currency, and for mortgage and home relief."

During that uncertain economic period Roosevelt created a government program called the New Deal which was set up to provide work for the unemployed, help the economy recover and change the economic and banking systems that brought America and the world to its knees. Through the programs FDR initiated it took over 10 years for the economy to recover but it did recover and went on to boom.

With all the programs FDR had at his fingertips the there were a few things FDR didn't have: Television, the Internet and Social Media.

As a nation and as a world we have some heavy lifting ahead of us but we also have some powerful tools at our fingertips. We have the power to help others find jobs. We have the power as individuals to create jobs. We have the potential power to use social media to revive the economy much faster than FDR did.

We don't need permission from the government. We don't need corporate approval. We don't need bank approval. We don't need the stock exchange to recover first. All we need is a will. A will to share work, goods and services to each other through the use of the internet, online video and social networking. And a will to take action and make something happen.

Wow, that's are cool and stuff Tim but what the hell are you talking about?

I'm talking about us, the community of social media. I'm talking about the people who use social media on a daily basis thinking about our hopes, our dreams, what we really want, what we really need and how we can work together to help each other and maybe in turn help the nation and the world.

Are you looking for work? Are you looking to hire someone? Are you looking to sell something? Are you looking to buy something? Are you looking to start a project? Are you looking to fund a project? Are you looking to sponsor a project? How can we make these transactions happen quicker? How can we get money into the hands of people who need it sooner? With social media we can move at lighting speed. If we build a network large enough we can change things overnight. We don't need to wait and see what the government is going to do for us, we can do it ourselves. Right here inside our little bubble of social media we have some very smart people and some very smart leaders among us.

There are people and companies here in our network that have already made a difference in their workspaces and in their cultures. Companies like Zappos with leaders like Tony Hsieh have changed the way people think about their jobs. People like Leo Laporte, Robert Scoble, Kent Nichols, and Guy Kawasaki have large followings that they can reach out to. Leaders like Tony Hsieh and events like TED can all get involved in a social media community movement that can make things better for us before they get worst. Then we can take what we've learned to the masses.

By getting all of us social media people involved we can use our social media tools to revive things for our community now and maybe with what we learn we can also use social media to revive the economy for the rest of the world.

It all starts with one step. Do you think there is something you have to offer? Do you have ideas to share? Do you think you could be a part of tackling some of the biggest issues facing our planet?

Care to comment? Have you already blogged about it? Is there someone already doing this?

#smre

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Is Britney Spears Naked "Womanizer" Missing Any Tricks?



The official video of Britney Spears' "Womanizer - DIRECTOR'S CUT" for the New Album CIRCUS which is in stores December 2nd hit YouTube yesterday. Full of spectacle and story it also moves two or more emotions...depending on who you are of course. Womenizer also has a naked Britney Spears in a sauna and over 450,000 views as of this posting. So why does it remind me of the MTV music videos of the 80's?

Britney's stripper like performance in this director's cut is a far cry from the days that I remember Jimmy Huckaby directing her in music videos and skits on the Mickey Mouse Club at the Disney MGM Studios in Florida but the feel of this video some how throws me back to that time period when I was working on MTV's Remote Control during the week and picking up freelance gigs on Mickey Mouse Club on the weekends.

Maybe it's not the video itself but all the other money making schemes that are in play. It could be the "The B Line" call in number where Britney is "Taking Calls" now that reminds me of all those 900 numbers that used to be on TV at that time or it could be that this is just a classic music video that is being used to market Britney Spears' New Album CIRCUS in stores December 2nd.



What ever it is, this video and all the marketing behind it feels like classic music marketing being applied in a Web 2.0 world.

The big differences are that with just a few clicks you can listen to the entire song for FREE or buy it at Britney Spears - Womanizer - Single - Womanizer. You can also buy the ringtone of the song Womenizer on Britney.com. Something you couldn't do with cable TV in the 1980s.

Britney Spears is back from her sabbatical with a vengeance and she's not missing a trick in monetizing her content online. Britney and her Sony Music marketing machine have a blog, a forum, wallpapers, ringtones, a Double Click ad server installed on the Britney.com website serving relevant ads to her site visitors and they even have an animate yourself into Britney's videos page from Gizmoz.

Friday, October 10, 2008

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.

What's the Best Way to Make Money with Online Video? SERIES: "Work For Hire"




What's the Best Way to Make Money with Online Video? is a new blog series that I'm launching that investigates the different ways to make money with online video. This post is about: "Work for hire."

Since the 1990's frustrated filmmakers have been trying to figure out a way to monetize online video. Very few have been successful.

I first got started in online video back in 1999/2000. Back then everyone was all the rage about short films on the Internet. "Get your short film on ATOM Films!" From a distribution stand point that was really cool but from a viewing standpoint it was a pain in the ass. Most of the short films were pretty bad and trying to watch them was even worst. Watching VHS was way better than trying to watch a short film on the web.

Knowing that I decided to create a website that was it's own storytelling device and it would use video along with text, photos and links to other sites to tell an emotionally engaging story that took visitors some place they were not supposed to be visiting and let them see someone else doing something they weren't supposed to be doing.

This storytelling website appeared to be set up by a guy who had fallen madly in love with a girl named Julie. He built an online shrine to her that was password protected. No one could see what he was up to until some cyber sleuths from a website called creepysites hacked in and at that point the whole world could see how this creepy guy had hidden video camera's in Julie's apartment and was keeping an online journal of how he was stalking her every move.

Well a whole bunch of people came to the site including the LAPD, the Santa Monica PD and the LA County Sheriffs' Department and instead of winding up in jail I wound up on the TV show Extra, had a big Hollywood agent representing me, meetings all over town and a deal in the works with Viacom. Then the DOT COM crash happened and no one was interested in online content. I did however get a few phone calls along the way and they turned into "Work for Hire" projects for some movie studios and TV networks.

I never made any direct money off of "For the Love of Julie" but I did make hundreds of thousands of dollars creating creepy websites for studios and networks, the biggest of which was an online journal as written by Tyler Durden. - You guessed it, I'm not really allowed to talk about it.

These "Work for Hire" projects were creatively rewarding and allowed me to play in this online video space very early on. I did projects for Fox, Paramount, ABC, UPN, Sony and even Game Show Network.

At that time GSN had a show called Inquizition where the host of the game show was in silhouette and you never got to see his face. So I came up with an idea where a disgruntled game show contestant who was kicked off Inquizition would hack Game Show Network's signal and threaten to Expose the Inquizitor face online at her website where she had proof that she had got the question he asked her right and should not have been kicked off the show. After her network signal take over Michael Flemming the Founder and President of Game Show Network at that time came on the Network and apologized for the illegal interruption telling people not to go to her website. We laughed about how we shot her breaking the signal with a home video camera and shot the Game Show Network President with a studio camera and it all turned out great.

It was such a big hit with the GSN On-Air promo team that I ended getting a large monthly contract to produce other programing stunts for Game Show Network with celebrities like Betty White, Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Jamie Farr, Gary Burghoff, Monty Hall, Jeffery Ross and others.

Creating the online video stalker site didn't make me any money directly but creating online content that cut through the clutter and was emotionally engaging led me to "Work for Hire" projects that literally brought millions of dollars into my bank account.

You can make money with "Work for Hire" projects but one word of caution: If your goal is to make your own original content that you create and own be careful about "Work for Hire" projects as they will creatively satisfy you to where you don't create anything of your own. TV Host and producer Marc Summers once told me, "If you want to make movies you are better off working as an assistant manager at McDonald's than working on TV promos or Movie Trailers because working at McDonald's will keep you creatively hungry." He was right. I should have listened to him.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Online Video Leaders: Alex Lindsay



He's the leader of the Pixel Corps a guild for digital content creators and he's teaching a small army of people both in the US and abroad how to create, manage, distribute and monetize digital assets. I had a chance to catch up with him at the iHollywood Forum's Web Video Marketing Summit in San Francisco and he had some interesting things to say.

Why is this such a big deal?

Well if you need a friend to work on your project do they name their files the same way you name your files? If an editor or motion graphic artist gets sick and you have to pick up a project from a stranger will you be able to figure out what they were doing in After FX or Final Cut Pro?

Beyond just laying the ground work for digital artists to be able to work together on a global scale Alex Lindsay is reaching our to third world counties in Africa and helping poor people develop digital skills that will allow them to grow their nation's economies. It's content creation as an economic development tool.

I think that's a big deal and that makes Alex Lindsay a true Leader in Online Video.






Wednesday, October 8, 2008

What is Next New Networks and Why Should Independent Producers Care?



Last week in San Francisco at the iHollywood Forum Web Video Marketing Summit Next New Networks' Co-Founder Tim Shey had a chance to tell me how online video producers can use Next New Networks to monetize their online videos.

I also had the chance to be on an episode of This Week in Media with Tim Shey, Alex Lindsay from Pixel Corps, Daisy Whitney, Clay Nichols from DadLabs and I must say you need to listen to Tim Shey talk about Obama Girl, Thread Banger and the sponsor Janome. Tim is briliant.











You are among Journalists, Hollywood Agents, Independent Online Video Producers, Web 2.0 Companies as well as Studio and Network Executives who read the 1TimStreet blog. If you are interested in reaching influencers in online video sponsor 1TimStreet by contacting 1timstreet at gmail dot com.

Don't Vote Goes Viral - Star Power or Sarah Silverman Taking off Her Bra?



Shot on the RED Camera, Leonardo DiCaprio, will.i.am, Tobey Maguire, and Forest Whitaker have created public service announcements to encourage American youth to register to vote and have created a star studded PSA that has gone viral.

The non-partisan PSAs, produced by DiCaprios Appian Way, were created to engage and inspire young people to register and vote and participate in the upcoming election.

Celebrities appearing in the PSAs include: Amy Adams, will.i.am, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, Halle Berry, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Connolly, Courteney Cox, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Jonah Hill, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Kiedis, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Ethan Suplee, Kyra Sedgwick, Michelle Trachtenberg, Usher, and Forest Whitaker.

Looks like star power still works or could it be that Sarah Silverman takes off her bra in the PSA?

Monday, October 6, 2008

Which Would You Give Up First, Cable TV or High Speed Internet?




With economic hard times looming online content creators may have to make some cut backs. That said, which would you be willing to give up first, Cable TV or High Speed Internet?

Please take the Poll on my blog http://1timstreet.blogspot.com







What is Reveision3 Beta?



Over the last three weeks I've been in San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York for several different online video events. Some I spoke at, some I attended and some I just went to the parties. While I was in New York I caught up with Jim Louderback CEO of Revision3 and he explains what Revision3 Beta is and how Independent producers can take advantage of Revision3's hosting, advertising, cross promotion and online video consulting.

Jim also talks about Hak5.






Saturday, October 4, 2008

People Love Making Sarah Palin Videos



For some reason people love making Sarah Palin videos. Maybe this "Hey Sarah Palin" video to the tune of "Hey There Delilah" will make some money when it goes viral as they are already selling T-Shirts for it.

I think this one will really go viral once it gets mashed up.






Have You Bought Your Muzzler Yet?



Jessica Alba, Hayden Panetierre, and Tristan Wilde get serious about voting.
Find out what happens when you don't vote. http://www.themuzzler.com!

It will be interesting to see if star power takes this voting PSA to viral video status.

Friday, October 3, 2008

I Smell an Online Video Hit



Exective Producers Jason Sklar and Randy Sklar just may have a hit on their hands with Back on Topps the big question is, Will Vuguru make any money? Or is this just a marketing project to relaunch Topps cards now that Michael Eisner bought it?

Who cares?

I think this series could be a big hit.

Daisy Whitney has a great post about the business end of it at Ad Age.

SPECIAL NOTE: Watch Episode 2 First!






How Do You Become an On-Camera Host?



It used to be you would audition and audition to get an on-camera hosting job. Now the rules have change and Revision3's Tekzilla's Co-Host Veronica Belmont shared some insight with me. Hey, with over 30,000 followers on Twitter she just might know what she's talking about.

I'm back on the road this week and in San Francisco again at the Online Market World and the iHollywood Forum Web Video Marketing Summit where I happened to catch up with the intelligent, talented and tech savvy Veronica Belmont the co-host of Revision3's show Tekzilla and I asked this new media maven a few questions about what it takes to be an on-camera host.

Veronica Belmont started out as an intern at CNET Networks producing audio content and six months later was hired to produce CNET's "First Look from the Labs" series, and also began producing Buzz Out Loud.

According to Wikipedia Veronica was originally a sound engineer but soon her role on the podcast grew substantially. She began to inject her own commentary, and, was acknowledged as an official co-host in August 2006. She also was the producer and co-host of two more CNET podcasts called MP3 Insider and CRAVE Gadget Blog, which were both co-hosted by the late James Kim.

Veronica made her video debut on CNET on April 6, 2006, on an Insider Secrets segment titled "Give your PC a Mac-over". Since then, she has hosted videos from Maker Faire, CES, and South by Southwest. She was also the host of the Prizefight series. She appeared for the final time in CNET TV on July 25, 2007, in the"Apple iPhone vs Nokia N95 edition of Prizefight".

I apologize for too much background noise at the beginning of the interview but once I pointed my little Flip Digital Video Camera at the noise maker, Tim Shey from Next New Networks he quieted down. (Wait till you see the interview I did with Tim Shey. He's really quiet when you point the camera at him.) I'm just teasing you Tim. I could have told you to pipe down but this was way more fun. ;)

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Online Video Leaders: The Podcast Brothers Tim and Emile Bourquin


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

The Podcast Brothers

Tim and Emile Bourquin are known as the Podcast Brothers because they are brothers who have an audio podcast titled The Podcast Brothers. Imagine that? They are also the team who produces the New Media Expo in Las Vegas where a community of online content creators get together to teach, share and learn about making and monetizing online content.

Now you may not think that two brothers who do an audio podcast about the business of podcasting would be likely candidates for leaders in online video but Tim and Emile Bourquin have done more to influence innovation and foster real world community than anyone in online video. They have also been a big influence on me.

I first encountered Tim and Emile Bourquin at the first Portable Media Expo (that later became the New Media Expo) where the big news was that the "Podfather" Adam Curry was ignoring the Invitation that the Podcast Brothers had extended for him to speak at the Podcast Expo and would not be attending. (In later years Curry and his Podshow team would crash the conference and hijack attendees in a limo.)

It was at that first Portable Media Expo (that was going on at the same time and in the same convention center as a Portable Waste Management Expo) where I saw Leo Laporte speak about how he was using Podtrac to survey his audience and monetize This Week in Tech. I walked out of that conference knowing I needed to shoot French Maid TV.

Since then Tim and Emile Bourquin have gone out of their way to find numerous business models that Independent audio and video podcast producers can use to monetize their content.

By building both an online and a real world community as well as sharing valuable information to others Tim and Emile Bourquin have joined the ranks of the people I consider to be leaders in online video.