Notes From An Online Video Junkie

Stun Gun for the iPhone?! WTF!

2010-11-10T21:13:00.000-08:00

Hoping that this is real. Guess we will find out this Friday...

Rainbow Over Los Feliz Towers

2010-02-11T23:17:00.000-08:00

Feb 9th, 2010. I captured this rare Los Angeles full rainbow with the Canon 7D at the end of a very stormy day. It was breathtaking. Music is from Gregg Fine's Hidden Tiger Music.

My Trip To TED with Shira Lazar for CBSnews.com

2010-02-11T17:42:00.000-08:00

Had a fun few hours yesterday at The TED Conference in Long Beach, CA with friend and fellow eGuiders, Shira Lazar. We were there to interview Jamie Oliver (chef, author and food activist) who just won the 2010 TED Prize. As we were walking to the press room, I was stunned at the creative and scientific minds that surrounded me.

I was also able to say hi to buddy Robert Scoble, who is attending the whole event and I would be lying to say I was not envious of his free pass into the greatest conference in the world. I had 2 Blue Yeti Mics in the trunk of my Veggie Benz waiting for him, but as expected, Robert was buzzing around like a kid in a candy store...

I thought Shira did a great job under the huge time constraints... The CNN crew and ABC's crew who were shooting Jamie Oliver's reality/documentary series were very cool. Not sure if we will make it into their cut of the show, but we did have a blast putting Jame to work on the second Kodak Zi8 HD camera. That guy has a steady hand. Nice shooting, Jamie. Shira also had a Zi8 and I was using the Canon 7D and recording audio separately on a Zoom.

Here's the video, which looks surprisingly compressed on the CBSnews.com site. Come on, CBS... Let's get that HD signal flowing...

Watch CBS News Videos Online

eGuiders named "Curator of the Month" on YouTube!

2009-12-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

Check out our special video made just for the occasion. Click on the link at the end of the video to go directly to our YouTube channel and see our featured playlists and original content!

Leo Laporte Interview Pt 3 of 3

2009-12-11T16:22:00.001-08:00

Click to Play

Marc Ostrick and Michael Sean Wright interview Leo Laporte at the TWiT Cottage for the documentary OPEN. This is pt 2 of 3 of the complete interview using 2 Kodak Zi8s and 1 Flip Ultra HD. The Spark Series is a collection of short documentaries by Marc Ostrick and Michael Sean Wright that show the application of emerging tech tools empowering the creative process of communication. Our goal is to ignite conversations into action.

Leo Laporte Interview Pt 2 of 3

2009-12-11T16:20:00.003-08:00

Click to Play

Leo Laporte Interview Pt 1 of 3

2009-12-11T16:20:00.001-08:00

Click to Play

Marc Ostrick and Michael Sean Wright interview Leo Laporte at the TWiT Cottage for the documentary OPEN. This is pt 1 of 3 of the complete interview using 2 Kodak Zi8s and 1 Flip Ultra HD. The Spark Series is a collection of short documentaries by Marc Ostrick and Michael Sean Wright that show the application of emerging tech tools empowering the creative process of communication. Our goal is to ignite conversations into action.

OPEN (episode 3)

2009-12-06T15:54:00.001-08:00

Click to Play

OPEN (ep 3) explores the inner-workings of the TWiT Cottage and the creative process of Leo Laporte. Leo has build an online network with over a dozen shows, a staff of 7 and an unrelenting drive to elevate the level of conversation about tech and media. The Spark Series is a collection of short documentaries by Marc Ostrick and Michael Sean Wright that show the application of emerging tech tools empowering the creative process of communication. Our goal is to ignite conversations into action.

Drew Meets Drew

2009-11-20T13:36:00.001-08:00

Click to Play

-Drew meets @DrewFromTV for the first time. Help us raise $1,000,000 for Livestrong by following @DrewFromTV on Twitter. The Spark Series is a collection of short documentaries by Marc Ostrick and Michael Sean Wright that show the application of emerging tech tools empowering the creative process of communication. Our goal is to ignite conversations into action.

Not Another Twitter Conference (episode 2)

2009-11-08T21:05:00.001-08:00

Click to Play

Documentary filmmakers Marc Ostrick and Michael Sean Wright continue their journey through the world of social media. Not Another Twitter Conference, explores the various ways people are using social tools like Twitter to empower their voice.

part 1, the new dial tone

2009-10-30T15:06:00.001-07:00

Click to Play

Part 1 the new dial tone

Marc Ostrick and Michael Sean Wright set out to document a day at Blog World Expo in Las Vegas. Ostrick, Co-Founder of eGuiders teamed up with fellow documentarian Wright, founder of nicefishfilms, to take the pulse of what some are calling the new media revolution.

The gathering of bloggers, lifestreamers and seasoned journalists provided an opportunity to dialog with media producers from around the world. Ostrick and Wright attempted to push the limits of the current technology, shooting with Kodak Zi8 and Flip Ultra HD cameras.

The short doc is part of the conversation focused on the shifting landscape of media. The new dial tone is a dialog among media producers, technologists and bloggers who are looking to express their ideas into the stream of the real-time web.

The filmmakers shadowed Robert Scoble, early technology blogger-evangelist as he interacted with the influencers in social media.

Social media is the new dial tone, according to author Chris Brogan.

The tc140 in Los Angeles Was An Inspiration

2009-09-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

I was truly inspired at the Twitter Conference 140 this week. Not because I learned a ton of new Twitter tricks, but because Tony Robbins gave one of the best motivational keynote addresses I have ever seen. No wonder celebrities and athletes pay this guy the big bucks. Tony had us jumping in the isles, connecting with our more positive self. He also weaved how Twitter can be used to help trigger conversation or inspiration by sharing and connecting with others. We all know that Twitter can't be used as a substitute for real relationships, but it can be used a trigger to share with others.

I was also honored to be interviewed for Robert Scoble's new venture with RackSpace, Building43.com. The interview should be live soon. Michael Sean Wright, who is also a core eGuider, was filling in for Scoble since he was unable to attend due to the birth of baby Ryan.

It was great to meet up with Brian Wong, who is the CEO of FollowFormation.com, a great Twitter tool for novice Twitter users and I got to meet iJustine, who was very sweet. She should join th eGuiders team.

Here are a few pictures. Enjoy!

Here is Tony's headshot. He really does have amazing teeth. I was skeptical at first, but man can this guy tell a story. "If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. " Good to remember when you're in the middle of chaos, challenge & fear. :-)

He had us on our feet, jumping for joy!

It was really incredible.

Hamming it up for the
Building43.com interview.

Rocky, the cameraman, with the rock steady hand.

Michael Wright with the hard-hitting questions.

Talking Twitter with iJustine. A new LA transplant from Pittsburgh, PA - now living in Santa Monica.

NATPE LATV Fest: eGuiders Evangelizes Web Video Curation

2009-07-14T16:38:00.000-07:00

NATPE, the National Association of Television Program Executives, is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation, development and distribution of digital video content in all forms across all mature and emerging media platforms.

I was fortunate to be able to represent eGuiders during a panel discussion entitled "Deepening The Audience Experience With Online Programming." It was a packed house and I shared some of my experience about what works and doesn't work when trying to extend a TV show online with video.

I cursed a little, I laughed a little, I even at one point was going to throw a chair into the audience just to mix it up a bit. There were some really smart people on the panel as well. David Bloom form Words and Deeds was moderating and he did a fantastic job at keeping the conversation moving. Marc DeBevoise, SVP, Digital Media of Starz Network was there, Greg Goodfriend, Co-Founder of EQAL (LonleyGirl15 & Harper's Globe) gave some good feedback about creating story extensions for TV shows online. Lisa Hsia, SVP, Bravo Digital Media dished some knowledge about Real Housewives of NJ and Hardie Tankersley was there, he is the VP of Innovation and Partnerships for Fox.com.

Overall, we agreed that value added content needs to be done creatively from every aspect - budgets, story, marketing, etc... I know Greg and I agree that the more the vision can come from the showrunner and organically expand the characters and themes of the show, audiences will be more engaged with the programming. As always, content is king. However, the need to be able to market and get the word out about this type of programming is still essential to its success.

Thanks to Daisy Whitney and Jordan Ryder for inviting me to participate. Some of the highlights included our panel (of course), Gavin McGarry's presentation on disrupting the old guard of TV. Running into my old friend Adam Steinman from IMG, Ross Levinsohn from Fuse Capital gave an insightful talk about finding VC money. And the debate over "What is considered a "view" when discussing online video" is always good for a few laughs and cringes. Both parties were a ton of fun and lots of quality schmoozing. Here's a few pictures from the event. Enjoy!

eGuiders on Stage with Billy Ray & Miley Cyrus! (Sorf Of...)

2009-04-09T12:45:00.000-07:00

So here is some shameless eGuiders promotion...

Miley Cyrus and her dad Billy Ray were on Regis & Kelly Show live from New Orleans... My buddy Jamie plays guitar in Miley's band. He's a super talented musician who is also in the band American Hi-Fi. Jamie is also a fan of eGuiders and when he told me that he was doing some promotional gigs with Miley, I couldn't help but get him a t-shirt to wear for a couple of the performances... Of course I don't expect to get any traffic from people seeing our "e" logo on Jamie's shirt, but subliminally the logo will be imprinted into the minds of millions of Regis & Miley Cyrus fans. Plus it's always fun to see our logo on national TV... Now if we can just get Miley to be a guest eGuider!

The Streamys Awards Shine A Spotlight On Webseries!

2009-03-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

The 1st annual Streamy Awards were held last night in Los Angeles to honor kick-ass awesomeness for original web content. It was an excellent event that helped validate the efforts and creativity of those participating in original online videos. Congrats to all the winners all the good people who put this show together. I think it was a huge success.

The nominees, winners and everything you need to know about The Streamys can be found HERE.

The after party at Palomar's really was a blast. I was happy to see a bunch of people I knew and that people had been checking out eGuiders.com. The party reminded me of a Hollywood-themed Bar Mitzvah, which I mean in the highest of compliments. The one beer I had was delicious and the snacks went pretty quick.

I wish I had taken some more pictures, but I was too busy having fun and schmoozing it up.

Lisa Kudrow (who stars in Web Therapy) presents the audience choice award.

Tay Zonday (Chocolate Rain) and I outside the after party.

Tim Street from FrenchMaid.tv & Blake Calhoun, Director of Pink.

Damon Berger (Dir of Branded Content at Moderati), Ask A Ninja Co-Creator, & Jesse Cowell (Creator of Drawn By Pain).

Dan Meth (Animator and Creator of Meth Minute 39) & Shira Lazar (Web and TV Host, Lifecaster, and Online Video Power Player).

eGuiders TV Web Extensions Go Live!

2009-03-27T23:18:00.000-07:00

We just launched a new feature to the site today called the TV Web Extension Guide.

I'm also experimenting with writing this post center justified.
I thinks it's going pretty good so far.

We've been getting some good feedback and will continue to add shows to this one-stop shop for people who want to discover what their favorite TV shows are doing with online content.

CHECK IT OUT HERE.

While I'm on my promotional kick,
Sign up for the eGuiders newsletter and get some good karma points.

The NY Post picked up the feature and gave it a little love.

READ THE ARTICLE HERE

Back From SXSW: What A Long, Awsome Trip It's been!

2009-03-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting settled and back into the work groove after 5 days of intense, mind-expanding conversations, introductions and celebrations in Austin.

It's true that I Twittered more than I ever Twittered in my life and was partially responsible for crashing the AT&T servers. Whoops.

While I did attend a handful of panel discussions and keynote addresses, I think the most interesting aspect of the SXSW conference was meeting people in the convention center hallways, the introductions at the parties and random conversations that were popping up everywhere...

The highlight of the trip for me was hanging out at the Ustream.tv Studios where they were streaming live video all day and evening long. This is where I was pulled into a panel with Jeff "The Dude" Dowd and Robert Scoble. Jeff is the real life Big Lebowski (Jeff helped launch the Cohen Bros first film, Blood Simple & is one of the founders of the Sundance Institute). Robert is a social media pioneer and celebrity blogger / photographer. After our discussion that night, we hit some great parties and met a ton of wonderful people.

It was so powerful to be in a place where everyone with similar interests and passions converged to discuss, share and celebrate the web.

Here are a couple of pics from Robert Scoble. I'll post another blog post soon about some other adventures and tweets from SXSW.

Associate Press gives a shout out to eGuiders.com

2009-02-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday. I wanted to share some more good news about eGuiders. Yesterday afternoon a story about the site came out in the Associated Press. Jake Coyle, the writer of the article, got some great quotes from Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. Many thanks to Jake for getting the human element of our story. I don't know, but I'm thinking a Pulitzer Prize could be in his future for this piece... The article has since been picked up by over 100 news outlets in North America. It may reach 200 –300 by Monday. Here are the outlets that ran the story so far:

Yahoo News
MSN Entertainment
MSNBC
ABCNews.com
CBSNews.com
Washington Post
Chicago Tribune
Newsday
Hartford Courant
Austin American Statesman
Baltimore Sun
Orlando Sentinel
Contra Costa Times
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Sacramento Bee
Seattle Times
Philadelphia Inquirer
Denver Post
The Record
Modesto Bee
AOL Canada
Myrtle Beach Sun News
Metromix.com
Lethbridge Herald
The Olympian
Metro Canada
Winnipeg Free Press
Merced Sun Star
The State (SC)
The Times Picayune
San Jose Mercury News
Seattle Post Intelligencer
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Brandon Sun
The Canadian Press
Kentucky.com
Belleville News Democrat
Centre Daily Times
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Maximum Edge
Fresno Bee
The Southern Ledger
Idahostatesman.com
Monterey County Herald
Ithaca Journal
The Salinas Californian
Times Union (Albany)
NJ.com (Newark Star-Ledger)
Heraldonline.com
Examiner.com
The Oregonian
Mid Columbia Tri City Herald
WGNtv.com (Chicago)
myPHL17.com (Philadelphia)
Reflector.com
Syracuse.com
The Patriot News
KTLA.com (Los Angeles)
KWGN.com (Denver)
Fox4kc.com (Kansas City)
Myutahjazz.com
Bay Ledger News Zone
39online.com (Houston)
Daylife.com
Topix.com
Dailypress.com (VA)
Whnt.com (Alabama)
Newsmeat.com
Mlive.com (Michigan)
Masslive.com (Massachusetts)
WTOP.com (Washington, DC)
CFnews13.com (Central Florida)
CJAD.com (Quebec)
Canadaeast.com
Omaha World Herald
The Express Times
Findlaw.com
Inform.com
Medicine Hat News

Traffic for the site has been through the roof since the 17th of February. Our first newsletter also went out today. Please visit eGuiders.com and subscribe. It's a great way to stay in the loop for all the latest videos.

A new spotlight section is also going live on Monday and it's gonna be a good one!

Okay, it's time to play with little Mitzi. She's just too much fun!!

Marc

Marc Ostrick & eGuiders.com on Fox Business Network

2009-02-23T22:37:00.000-08:00

Today, I was interviewed on Fox Business Network live via satellite from Los Angeles to discuss the launch of eGuiders.com. It was one of the most unnatural and anxiety provoking experiences I have had in a long time. But I have to admit it was still a fun challenge.

It's tough to stare directly into a camera (with a 1970s smiley face taped on top) and pretend like I am talking to a person who I can't see. I had an earpiece jammed into my ear and could only hear their tinny audio - the audio feed sounded as if it was coming from China.

Overall, it went well, but the two hosts, Tom Sullivan and Cheryl Casone I don't think visited the site over the weekend just to get the idea of what eGuiders.com was about. They busted my balls a bit, but what do you expect at Fox. I'm just happy to have a platform to get the word out. It took a few seconds for me to loosen up a bit, but by the end I was getting the hang of it. I'm curious to hear your thoughts...

eGuiders.com Gets Some Love

2009-02-17T21:20:00.000-08:00

Wow. What an exhilarating 24 hours...

Today was a great day for eGuiders.com, a new online video site that I launched in December. We had two really fantastic write ups from Mike Snider in the USA Today. We were also featured on ABC News and several other major publications.

The first piece, "eGuiders cuts through clutter of a gazillion videos online" - was on the cover page of the Life section of USA Today. It establishes the mission of eGuiders as the "TV Guide for the Internet" and discussing the impetus for the site.

The second piece - "eGuiders' human voice' leads the way to worthwhile videos" - highlights the human element that makes eGuiders unique and discusses the talent involved, including a sidebar of video suggestions from eGuiders.

Following the USA Today article, ABC's Tech Bytes -- a consumer technology news site that is distributed to all ABC affiliates nationwide --

featured the launch of eGuiders in a segment: "TV Guide' for Internet
Videos - New Web site organizes the seemingly endless numbers of videos
available online."

eGuiders is currently one of the top tech stories on ABCNews.com and is
the lead segment on Tech Bytes.

Last Friday, we were also very fortunate to have a mention in Time Magazine. The article is entitled "Viewing Outside The Box" and it looks at the various websites that are giving consumers additional choices for where they can watch their favorite programming online.

We also got a great nod for eGuiders on David Bianculli’s blog, TV Worth Watching. The whole day was quite thrilling, full of hugs and high-fives...

eGuider Update

2009-02-06T17:27:00.000-08:00

Just Getting Familiar With This Cool Facebook Feature. I haven't posted in a while. Just slammed trying to get my site running like butter.

Check out eGUIDERS.COM when you have a chance.

Thanks,

The Daily Online VIdeo Fix: Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

Okay, a friend of mine from high-school and fellow eGuider, Nicole Snyder, turned me onto John Roberts' YouTube videos. When I started looking at some of his other very funny Jewish Mom impersonations, this one struck a chord for Christmas. This guy just nails this character. If you're not a kid from Long Island, Miami Beach or some other Jewish suburb, this may be a bit strange. But trust me, this kid brings up some funny and horrifying memories. Thank the good lord for overbearing moms and the comedy they have subsequently produced. As my mentor, David Milch, says - Storytelling is turning the pain of the past is the future tense of joy.

Merry Christmas everyone. Have a piece of honey-baked ham for me!

The Daily Online VIdeo Fix: eGUIDERS.COM BETA IS LAUNCHING

2008-12-23T16:05:00.000-08:00

I am proud and honored to present my latest project: eGUIDERS.com. We have great people recommending great web videos. So, stop searching and start watching!

Over the last year, I have been working with a talented team of designers, developers, reviewers, writers and online media junkies who have given their best to make sure we have a successful launch. Today we are one step closer with the beta version going live.

Please take some time to check out the site, subscribe to the newsletter, watch some amazing videos and see what we're about. Please spread the word about the site to friends and family!

Thanks to the team at Plank Design in Montreal for burning the midnight oil to get us up for the holidays. Shout out to CatalystSF for their strategy and support. Evangeline Morphos for her great ideas and super-sharp mind. Adam Klein for saying the right things at the right time. And a huge thank you for all the incredible eGuiders who worked diligently to make sure we are kicking things off on the right foot. But most of all, thanks to David Milch, who with his unwavering support and vision has helped make this all happen!

So, what are you waiting for. Check out eGuiders.com and start spreading the word!

Thanks,
Marc Ostrick

The Daily Online Video Fix: YouTube HD

2008-12-18T21:38:00.000-08:00

Will this be the death of Vimeo? YouTube just released their HD section with a super huge player.

The Daily Online Video Fix: Sarah Palin Turkey Fiasco

2008-11-26T16:07:00.000-08:00

Yes, the election may be over, but the fun continues. I thought for Thanksgiving, I would add this video which became an instant classic as soon as it hit the internet. Thanks to John Rota for sending this out last week as soon it came online.

My lord, what a PR nightmare. No matter how many times I watch this, I can not help but to burst out laughing. And I still have no idea what she is saying! This video just works on so many levels. It captures the drama of life and death, it is a classic comedy of errors, it exemplifies Palin's "blissful ignroance", it couldn't be more topical and ultimately reinforces why this cooky governor from Alaska is not ready for prime-time.

This holiday, I will be giving thanks that John McCain and Sarah Palin where not elected into office.

The Daily Online Video Fix: Nokia's Branded Bruce Lee Ad

2008-11-24T15:46:00.000-08:00

Amazing how dead people are coming back into fashion. This time Bruce Lee is hawking digital cameras for Nokia.

Remember Apple's "Think Different" campaign.

Gandhi, Hitchcock, Einstein and the rest really had no say if they felt like being plastered over the world to sell Macs. That's because they were all dead.

While the ethics of using this kind of approach to advertising is debatable, it always helps when the content is kick-ass. Check out this amazing ping-pong battle. I am still scooping my jaw off the floor. I haven't seen anything this effective since the ping-pong VFX from Forrest Gump. I just hope the estate of Bruce Lee is happy pimping him out... Enjoy!!!

The Daily Online Video Fix: Tech Crunch Post

2008-11-18T15:30:00.000-08:00

There was a great post that I wanted to share in today Tech Crunch blog. I usually post videos, but I thought this article on what makes an online video popular, was too fascinating too keep to myself. I hope you enjoy and please let me know your thoughts!

READ THE POST HERE.

The Daily Online Video Fix: Casanovas Web Seies

2008-11-13T16:38:00.000-08:00

Casanovas at first glance seems like your typical web series aimed at young males in search of no strings attached sex. But Casey Casseday and Geoff Bunch's series quickly shakes off this stigma by having good performances, decent production value and most of all a sharp script. You almost wish that the episodes were serialized a bit more so we can dig deeper with the characters. At the moment, it feels more like really good scenes. But hey, I'll take it. I thought the episode below was really funny and well delivered. I'm just waiting for the women to strike back and knock some respect into these galavanting man-whores.

The Daily Online Video Fix: Future Shorts, Black Hole

2008-11-12T15:17:00.000-08:00

British filmmakers Phil Samson and Olly Williams’s surrealist short, THE BLACK HOLE, is one of those great universal tales about greed. I don't want to spoil the hook, but the precise execution of tone, pacing and production is nearly flawless. Another intriguing aspect of THE BLACK HOLE, is that the short uses no dialogue. Therefore, it is can be easily understood by anyone who watches regardless of what language they speak - talk about a virally charged. This short is ready to infect the web. I wouldn't be surprised if this hit 2 million views in the next week (it is up to 450,000 now).

So, sit back, relax and enjoy!

the Daily Online Video Fix: VW Golf goes Viral

2008-11-11T12:39:00.000-08:00

Love this viral branded ad for the Golf VW. It captures the imagination of a new generation through a classic film clip. Ah, post-modernism at it's finest.

VW has been know for great ads and this is no exception. CLICK HERE to check out some early Beetle print ads.

Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

The Daily Online Video Fix: One last political laugh

2008-11-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

I am too anxious to write, but thought this latest political themed video was very funny, even if it was late in the game. Hope you dig this Star Wars themed poke at the campaign.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

The Daily Online Video Fix: The Obama Special

2008-10-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't catch the Obama Special that aired last night on CBS, NBC, FOX, MSNBC, etc... YouTube is now showing the video in it's entirety. I've also posted the two segments I did as well.

This video is especially close to my heart since Davis Guggenheim hired me to direct & produce two of the segments in the video. I worked on the Ohio senior-citizen couple and Ford family segments. Please check out the video and make sure you vote on Nov 4th!

Juanita & Larry Stuart from Marc Ostrick on Vimeo.

Mark Dowell Family from Marc Ostrick on Vimeo.

The Daily Online Video Fix: Strike.tv's House Poor

2008-10-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

Strike.tv just launched about 10 original online web series. Some have real potential. I just finished watching Mindy Kaling's HOUSE POOR. I thought the concept is simple, but engaging and the cast of characters were excellent. The best part about the series however is Mindy and her brand of offensive humor. The other great aspect of the site is how they organized and displayed the cast and crew credits as well as the overall design and navigation. Check out the site to catch the other series that have just launched.

The Daily Online Video Fix: More Halloween Fun

2008-10-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner and I thought I'd add a few of my favorite original online videos that pay tribute to our pagan holiday.

First up is College Humor's take on those cheap local commercials that made people like Crazy Eddie famous. They nail the tone of these so-awful-their-awesome spots. Great performance from Nick.

Next up is a video that would make David Lynch proud. This is the strangest, scariest political web video yet. I won't go into details, you'll have to watch for yourself.

Enjoy!

The Daily Online Video Fix: Small and Creepy

2008-10-27T16:59:00.000-07:00

In honor of Halloween this week, I wanted to share one of my favorite scary websites with you.

SMALL AND CREEPY is a truly horrifying space to visit. The website was created in part by my friend Peter Lebow, who was one of the founders of Instant Films. I highly recommend checking out this site. It is a great example of what happens when you get some very creative and talented people together who are not restricted by studios or committees. There is a real blend of quality design and content and it really feels like you are in a haunted environment. I had a to take a cold shower after being on the site for a few minutes.

Check out who is also behind this really creepy site. I think you'll be surprised.

I am also adding an example of an episode from their epic horror web series, THE HILLS ARE ALIVE.

The Daily Online Video Fix: Ron Howard on Funny Or Die

2008-10-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

My close buddy Ezra Soiferman just turned me onto this video. It has only been up for a day but it is already a classic in my book. If you're like me, whenever I see Ron Howard today, I still can only see Richie Cunningham and Opie. It's hard to see him as the aging, bald director he has become over the last 30 years. That's what makes this web video so powerful. He actually goes where back in time to the most fondly remembered shows in TV history - All in the name of keeping our great democracy strong. You know this election is important when Ron Howard, Henry Winkler and Andy Griffith decide to take a trip back to their past characters for this first time in decades. What a treat.

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

The Daily Online Video Fix: Sarah Palin on SNL

2008-10-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

Finally, NBC is starting to get the idea of web video. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now you can finally take the embed code and share their comedy gold with others, while SNL still reaps the benefits of having their hit count skyrocket. I don't know who finally got this going, but they should get a promotion. And congrats on the quick turnaround.

The Daily Online Video Fix: WB.com's Childrens' Hospital

2008-10-17T19:45:00.001-07:00

Looks like WB.com is diving head first into some very funny waters. Check out this preview for their upcoming web series, Childrens' Hospital. I found it hysterical. This is the type of original content that I am hoping will soon flood the internet. Great production value, good actors and packed with attitude. I'm sure the series will offend some, but comedy isn't a pretty business. Rob Corddry (Daily Show) is the creator of the show and it looks like it may be a big big hit.

The Daily Online Video Fix: Studio Visit

2008-10-16T09:03:00.001-07:00

Here are some additional webisodes from my series STUDIO VISIT. The series was originally created in 1999 for Eveo.com. These videos represent one of the first web series created and explores the creative process of emerging artists working in NYC. Eveo.com was a predecessor to YouTube. These videos were to seed the site for launch so viewers could see what kind of stuff they should be making and uploading to the site. It's unfortunate that Eveo.com was ahead of its time. People didn't have broadband and the streaming was painfully slow. The result was the internet bubble bursting in 2000.

So, hope you enjoy this bit on online video history. Enjoy and please share your thoughts.

The Daily Online Video Fix: The Genius Of PES

2008-10-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about my last post and was wondering what other online videos are on the internet that pay homage to games of our youth. Then I remembered the brilliant stop-motion animation short from PES called GAME OVER. To the side, is a still image from the short where we see the classic FROGGER in action. CLICK HERE to check out this video that gives viewers a chance to relive those agonizing moments when the game was finally over. It's not nostalgia that puts a smile on your face, but the playful ideas and blissful imagination behind the video that go into recreating these moments.

Check out his website to see the outrageous ROOF SEX. But beware, this hot video is NSFW.

Below are a couple of my favorite PES shorts. They are so sweet and delicious you just want to eat more and more and more - which is why I think artist known as Pes has chosen the perfect name. Enjoy!!!

The Daily Online VIdeo Fix: Mario Brother Parodies

2008-10-12T07:35:00.000-07:00

Since Donkey Kong's inception over 25 years ago, American pop culture has been fascinated with Mario, the hero character from the Nintendo's addictive video game. Soon after the success of DK, Mario was given his own adventure, starring Mario the plumber and his brother Luigi. CLICK HERE to get the full history of Mario Brothers according to Wikipedia

There has been a ton of merchandising, spin-offs and other schlock out there that has furthered the Mario Brothers legacy, but in terms of original online video I think the two videos below are great examples of quality content that have stuck a chord with audiences. Both videos are very different, but each are successful in their own way.

"Mario: Game Over" by POYKPAC was nominated for Best Comedy Video of 2007 in the Youtube Awards. The talented comedy troop had racked up an impressive 9,600,000 views and was originally posted in May 2007. Writer/Director Ryan Hunter does a great job with the cast. The down-home effects add to the charm of this indie production as well. I love that these guys just went out and made this on their own. No branding, sponsors, etc., just some good old fashion talent and determination.

On the other side of the spectrum comes Seth McFarline's short, which is part of his new original online series CAVALCADE. The series are a bunch of humorous shorts that are made for those with severe ADD. The pieces are quick, funny and have that McFarline flair. In case you have been living under a rock, Seth MacFarlane is the creator of Family Guy and American Dad. This online venture is sponsored by Burger King, which I think is a very smart move for the burger flipping giant. This Mario video has reached 6,100,000 people in one month. My only issue with the video is I wish it was longer.

Nintendo, thanks for giving us Mario. Hopefully, someone will soon make a few online videos with Activision's PITFALL hero. That guy was nuts, too!

The Daily Online VIdeo Fix: Barack Video

2008-10-09T22:17:00.000-07:00

The Obama campaign couldn't of hoped for such a sweet tune to get people hooked on his message of hope and unity. This video by MC Yogi just nails Barack's central themes of his campaign and skillfully weaves imagery and logos into the fabric of this great video. Check it but don't wreck it, yo!

The Daily Online VIdeo Fix: Dove & Dove Responses

2008-10-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share some of my favorite original online videos with you. Dove's incredible video campaign to help spread themes of self-confidence, inner-beauty and empowerment to girls and women were truly powerful. The videos were professional, poignant and cut to the core of how images from the media can be damaging to women and girls everywhere. I also thought this is the type of content that is defining what makes this medium unique. Please visit DOVE'S SITE to get the full impact of their endeavors. It is nice to see a company try to do some good in the world.

Then when I started to dig a little deeper, I found two films that were a response to a couple of the Dove films.

The first, a comedy, mocks the do-good nature of the Evolution short by going in the opposite direction. Let's show a decent looking guy becoming an obese pig. It's funny how on-target the video is with aping the tone and style of the original. A pure parody.

The second, a video created by Greenpeace, points the finger back at Dove for their forestry practices for collecting palm oil, one of the main ingredients in Dove Soap. It is an equally alarming and scary film. It definitely creates an emotional impact and makes you think about issues facing branded entertainment.

Unfortunately, this content can be a double-edged sword. It begs the question - When does entertainment begin to become propaganda? As videos try to appeal to media-savvy audiences, what kind of techniques are being used to win fans? What are the motives behind some of these videos?

I think the motivation to make the Dove's videos were honest, but we will never know if the endeavor was more public relations than good corporate citizenship... Maybe it's a mix of both. I'm just glad they were made and it inspired such feedback in the online video community.

The Daily Online VIdeo Fix: McCain and the Keating 5

2008-10-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

With the stock market down 370 points (it was almost 800 points a few hours ago) I thought this short documentary from the Obama campaign would be insightful. It's well done and really hits McCain in his economic nuts. Please watch to get a sense of some of McCain's past history with the economy.

There are also a ton of books on the subject. CLICK HERE to see the list on Amazon. Maybe one of these days we will be able to learn from our past mistakes.

The Daily Online VIdeo Fix: Lexus's L/Studio

2008-10-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

It's nice to see that certain branded entertainment is being targeted to an older, affluent, educated audience. I was starting to think that only slick, porn parodies and renegade surfer viral ads were populating the Internet.

L/Studio, Lexus's online video channel, was created to share culture, entertainment and design. Below are a few examples of some of the programming that I thought was compelling to share.

All the content is well produced and very professional.

WEB THERAPY is a comedy series starring Lisa Kudrow from Friends fame. She is a self-absorbed shrink who's short sessions take place over web cameras. I thought they were funny for those who like there humor on the dry and dark side. Don Roos an industry vet, co-wrote with Lisa Kudrow and directed the series.

PUPPY LOVE is a trailer for an upcoming series about, you guessed it, puppies. Looks cute for those who love small, fuzzy animals.

And finally, my favorite, is a clip of Ray Manzarek, keyboardist from The Doors, giving us a little "Light My Fire" on solo organ. This is one of three clips. Very cool.

After watching, did I feel like buying a Lexus? Not really. But my respect for the car company went up a few notches. And it did reinforce for me that their brand is associated with hi-quality, original products that push the norm. Lexus should feel good about their effort with L/Studio. Now, I just hope they get the eyeballs to justify creating more content.

The Daily Online Video Fix: Spider On Drugs, A Classic

2008-10-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

The description line of the YouTube video reads, "In 1965 Dr. Peter Witt gave drugs to spiders and observed their effects on web building. This short film about the results of the experiment was created by First Church Of Christ, Filmmaker."

I almost wish that the second sentence was not there, because it would have left so many people wondering if this was really an old clip from one of those educational nature shows (at first)... The voice-over is perfect, the props and shooting style is brilliant. They pacing of the jokes is also very well planned. It's not until we get the restraining order, the hammock, the crack pipe that this video goes into comedy genius. As always, success is in the details.

To date, the video has over 16 million views. I am hoping the filmmaker, First Church of Christ, makes a follow up. This is too good for just a one hit wonder.

The Daily Online VIdeo Fix: Jesus Is My Friend

2008-10-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

In honor of Sarah Palin and the global economic crisis, I thought this online video - Jesus Is My Friend by Sonseed - is a perfect pick-me-up. The song is catchy, the message is pure and it really puts a smile on your face. It reminds me of some of the early tongue-and-cheek songs by Ray Davies and The Kinks.

With over 850,000 views on YouTube, this is surely to become a classic video in no time.

I hope Sonseed gets back together for a few more toe-tappin', faith-based tunes to turn all those frowns upside down.

Paul Cibis, another fan of this video, had this to say about Jesus Is My Friend -

When life gets you down and you find yourself in a panic about the economay collapsing, terrorism on the rise abroad, and hurricanes destroying our coasts, where is the one place you can always turn to bring peace and joy to your heart? 1980's public access white people playing Christian ska music!!! Everything about this video from the music, to the clothes, to the film stock is so uncool that it laps itself and becomes freaking awesome.

Well said for sure. Hope you dig the vibe!

The Daily Online Video Fix: Web Series, LOCKOUT

2008-10-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

As promised, I wanted to share with you a bunch of webisodes from my documentary series LOCKOUT. These videos were originally produced and licensed to Eveo.com in 1999 during the first Internet boom. They were intended to have a guerilla filmmaking style to inspire other video enthusiasts to submit videos. The site was basically YouTube before there was a YouTube. I was one of the few people that were paid to seed the site with content for their launch. Unfortunately, most people in 1999 did not have broadband connections and the streaming time was very slow. Hence the dot-com crash of 2001.

The series focuses on the creative process of breaking bands in New York and Los Angeles. I am posting these videos as a way to get a sense of what was being produced back then and how original content for the Internet created its own form.

I feel the greatest success of this series was capturing the energy and passion of those individuals I was documenting. It's up close and personal. Out of the handful of artists I featured, Linkin Park by far was the greatest success. That year they released their debut album and became the biggest selling act of the year (see the videos in my previous post about the series).

Below are the additional video clips from the series. I hope you dig them and feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts.

The Daily Online Video Fix: A Shot of Jewish Humor For The New Year!

2008-09-30T10:43:00.001-07:00

Happy Rosh Hashanah! I thought it would be appropriate to share a couple of memorable online videos that relate to the new year of 5679.

PHONE ATONE is a new comedy that ties in the current race to the white house, while HAPPY ROSH HASHANAH is a hip-hop animation that is meant to get you grooving to temple.

Both videos were produced by BIRTH-RIGHT, a Jewish organization that funds educational trips to Israel for teenagers and young adults, free of charge. I think these videos serve as an excellent strategy to get young people interested in Jewish traditions in a fun, modern context that is relatable. It also shows how original online entertainment can target specific audiences and succeed. HAPPY ROSH HASHANAH (made in 2006) has over 150,000 views, while PHONE ATONE has over 730,000 views.

Check out these videos and let me know your thoughts!

Shalom...

The Daily Online Video Fix: Barely Political's Nadar & Obama Girl

2008-09-29T16:13:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to say much about this video except that I think this show could be bigger than ALL IN THE FAMILY. If you are following the viral political videos this election season, you will love this video. Barely Political knocks it out of the park with this one! Mazel-Tov!

The Daily Online VIdeo Fix: Zeitgiest, Federal Reserve

2008-09-29T13:20:00.000-07:00

I thought the last post may have been a little too flip about the economic disaster facing our country at the moment, so I wanted to post a more sobering online video that may shed some light on one of the most mysterious institutions - The Federal Reserve. I think this clip from the film Zeitgeist does a great job of giving us a background on hot the reserve was formed and how it operates. Even though this film is labeled a conspiracy film, I think it holds a lot of valuable information. The word conspiracy is sometimes used to marginalize the truth and make people think that this type of content is fiction. Sometimes, I wish it was so... As Americans, this is a very rough time and I hope this video can help give us a little understanding of the forces that shape and drive this nation.

The Daily Online Video Fix: Diesel Viral Ad Goes Nuts

2008-09-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

With the stock market collapsing and people losing everything, I thought this video may inject some much needed escapism into the day.

Diesel's viral marketing campaign created this shock video. At first glance, it's brilliant, funny and down-right nutty.

The only problem is that it's rip off of Prono Tapados, a publication of 2006 by Paloma Blanco. Hate to be the buzz-kill, but want to keep it real.

Nevertheless, it's still a great example of a creative, edgy video being produced by a big clothing company, even if the idea was stolen from a spanish print ad.

http://view.break.com/577249 - Watch more free videos

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW IT WAS PLAGIARIZED

Paul Newman: We Will Miss You

2008-09-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

Today, at 83, we lost Mr. Newman to cancer. His legacy will be remembered forever. His career spanned over six decades and I think he was one of America's greatest actors and humanitarians.

Thank you for giving us so much.

Below is a short clip from Iconoclasts in 2007, that brings Redford and Newman back together.

The Daily Online Video Fix: So Bad It's Amazing

2008-09-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a couple of videos that could be filed under the category - So Bad It's Amazing.

First up is Jonah Sky's "That's What Friends Are For". It's a piece of classic inadvertent Jewish humor. The VHS tape of Seth's Bar-Mitzvah was found at Jonah's grandmother's house (she is in the blue/green dress). I'm not sure if the whole family is tone deaf or everyone is just loaded on Manischewitz and Xanax. You be the judge. And if you think I am just some eccentric video junkie who's overdosed on too much online content, there are over 240,000 other video addicts who experimented with the addictive new comedy sub-genre of So Bad It's Amazing.

Next up, is "Who Needs A Movie?", a video that now has over 850,000 views. John Waters would be proud. This takes the So Bad It's Amazing sub-genre to another level. A combination of low-rent graphics and a performance that would make Steven Wright seem jovial, sends this promo video into the comedy stratosphere. It may almost be worth it to hire these guys just to make sure their "signature voice" gets heard by millions. I'd love to see some of their finished wedding or business promo videos. If their clients didn't have a sense of humor, they may have blow their brains out. Hopefully, no one got hurt and they will be uploaded soon for the world to enjoy!

The Daily Online Video Fix: Dr. Horrible's Sing Along

2008-09-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

This is going to be the future of online content. Professional, dynamic and originally web-centric. Love the pacing, performances, lighting and overall production value. It's evident that Joss Whedon really gets what makes the medium work. Hulu's site really is also easy on the eyes. The player is elegant and clean. This is a short blog entry since it is Friday, the debate is on and it's time to step away from computer. I repeat, step away from the computer. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

The Daily Online VIdeo Fix: A Viral Classic

2008-09-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Not sure if you have seen this viral ad, but it has always been a favorite of mine. I remember watching it for the first time and thinking "This is not for real. Or maybe it is...Damn, that was cool!". Quicksilver really knows their audience. Any kid or young adult watching was probably also impressed. They subconsciously tapped into our bad-boy, coolest kid on the block attitude. It doesn't even matter if we really are rebels or hipsters, because deep down we always want to feel like we are, even if others don't see us that way. I know I wanted to get a pair of board-shorts and blow something up after watching this... Okay, maybe I didn't want to get a pair of board-shorts.

I hope we continue to see branded viral ads that continue to impress and keep us on our toes.

Dynamite Surfing - video powered by Metacafe

The Daily Online Video Fix: Studio Visit Webisodes

2008-09-23T17:02:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are a few more webisodes from the original online series STUDIO VISIT. The series reveals the creative process of visual artists. These short documentaries first appeared on Eveo during the Internet revolution of 1999. Check out my earlier post (Getting Hooked on New Media) for more info about the creation of this show. Thanks!

The Daily Online Video Fix: Coma on Crackle

2008-09-20T21:39:00.001-07:00

Yesterday evening I opened my new issue of Wired magazine and was surprised to find a DVD of COMA, Crackle's new online series directed by P.R. Brown. Actually, what surprised me was that Sony (who owns Crackle.com) had the balls to promote original online programming in such a big way!

The show is banking that the star power of Michael Madsen and George Hamilton will drive eyeballs to the series. The free DVD proves that the studio is committed to spend some major bucks on marketing their series on traditional media platforms, such as print. I hope it works for them. It definitely got me curious. I'm sure Fox and Disney's Stage 9 is watching closely to see if Coma is successful. If so, I'm sure others will be stepping up to the plate soon with their own traditional marketing campaigns.

I guess the big question really is - how is the show? My one line reaction on the first episode: I thought it was huge on style, light on substance. A lot of work went into this series and it shows. I just wish more time was spent on the story. That's just my take. I've included the first episode below so you can make up your own mind. Enjoy!

From Crackle: Coma, Ep 1: The Blazer

The Daily Online Video Fix: 24:Conspiracy - The First Mobile Series

2008-09-19T13:58:00.002-07:00

One of the things I quickly learned once I started producing and directing after NYU, is that finding work is a mixture of talent, tenacity and luck (and not specifically in that order). The other lesson is that good work always leads to more good work.

In 2005, I was producing/directing/editing behind the scenes documentaries for DVDs. These were mostly for feature films and TV shows. I created material for Daredevil, The Shield, School Of Rock, The Commitments, The Harold Lloyd Box Set and many more.

Another project I happen to be working on was the TV show 24. I created a 90 minute documentary following the cast and crew as they created the season 2 finale. We shot the documentary in the style of the TV show: 2 cameras (one wide and close, the other telephoto and roving), snap zooms, backlighting, split frames, same sound fx, etc...

The piece came together and everyone on the show really thought we did a good job. At the same time, Fox had just made a deal with Verizon to create programming for their new 3G cell phones. They wanted to create a spin-off of 24. When the question came up to the producers of the show, "Who should we get to make the series?" Everyone said, "Get the DVD guy.".

Being able to play in the fiction sandbox again was a great experience. However, this whole endeavor was a big experiment. We were not going to be using the cast members from the TV show. Our budget was a fraction of the cost to produce one episode. We were doing this non-union.

Now that a few years have past, I can look back and see the shortfalls. The biggest problem was not having the cast. I'm not sure why someone would want to pay to see unknown actors when they can watch Kiefer for free every week on Fox. In this case, the rationale was that people would pay just to say they watch video on their phone (which was true at the time). However, the novelty of the 3G technology would quickly fade. Which leads to the next big issue. Just because the technology is there, doesn't mean people really want to watch TV on their cell phones - unless there is something that is truly unique about the experiencing the content on a phone than any other medium. This is one reason why the mobile content market has not caught on yet (especially for original programming). No one is creating anything that NEEDS to be seen on a cell phone in order for an audience to get the full impact of the story.

But at the end of the day, I was really proud of the work. Fox execs and the 24 producers were also happy. I thought our episodes had the same style and tone of the TV show, great production value, action and pacing. And it's always great to say you were the first at something. In this case, 24: Conspiracy was the first series made specifically for mobile phone. That year, we were nominated for an Emmy award in the new category of new media programming.

Here are a couple of "mobisodes" from the series. I hope you enjoy!

The Daily Online Video Fix: Will Ferrel on Funny or Die

2008-09-19T13:58:00.001-07:00

You gotta love how Will Ferrel is able to laugh at himself. This video really shows how stupid most comments can be when people have the opportunity to say something. It's a little sad, but Will always finds as way to turn that frown upside down.

Now, I wish someone would start leaving me comments - even if they are nasty, mean-spitrited, hate-filled rants. Or you could just say something inspiring...

See more Will Ferrell videos at Funny or Die

The Daily Online Video Fix: Star Wars For A Viral World

2008-09-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

What I love most about these two videos is how the handheld, amateur style is perfectly executed.

***SPOILER ALERT***: Watch the two videos before reading any further, unless you enjoy buzz kills.

With Stabbing at Leia's 22nd Birthday Party, you completely buy that this is a high-school party getting out of control until the light-sabers are broken out. It's a great turn and the action is well shot and editing is tight. Congrats to the editor who really did a great job with the quick pacing of the piece. Most of all, the effects blend really well into the shakey cam video.

Death Star Over SF is just a stunning piece of work that celebrates the often wondered fantasy "Dude, what if there was a Death Star instead of the moon?!" We get to see all our favorite machinery from the Star Wars movies displayed in real world settings. It's a geek dream come true. What I think works best is the laid back attitude the camera guy has about what he's filming, like it's no big deal. It's amateur cam at its finest and I just want to say to these filmmakers - BRAVO!

I think what these videos prove, and I know there are more like these out there, is how the power of George Lucas's imagination continues to inspire us to this day. The fantasy/sci-fi genre really taps into our belief and dreams that there is something out in the universe much greater than ourselves. These two video do an excellent job of making us feel like we are kids again. Hope you enjoy!

Stabbing at Leia's 22nd Birthday (Censored)
Uploaded by studio8net

The Daily Online Video Fix: Atomic Weggie's Bush Bites

2008-09-17T17:46:00.000-07:00

While I was working with Stun Creative as the head of their New Media / DVD division, I was fortunate enough to set up a web series I created called BUSH BITES with Freemantle Entertainment's Atomic Weggie.

I think what really works in these animated shorts is Chis VanArtsdalen's clever animation combined with President Bush's embarrassing gaffes. It's the gift that keeps on giving. We produced over 20 of these webisodes and luckily there was a lot of audio to choose from. What was very attractive about this series is that satire/parody is covered under the Fair Use Act and as well as the presidents statements are all in the public domain. So these were quick and inexpensive to produce while still being very creative and fun.

Below are a few selections from the series. I hope you enjoy!

The Daily Online Video Fix: Gay Town on Crackle

2008-09-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

Crackle.com really knocks it out of the park with this web-series. For me, GAY TOWN is a great example of quality, original online entertainment.

Owen Benjamin created and stars in this series about the life of a straight man living in a very gay town. The success of this simple, high-concept comedy lies in its execution. The acting is solid, the jokes work while not trying so hard and production value is on par with anything you would see on television. However, underneath the surface, you can't help but catch the social message that is lurking in the closet. Yes, it's funny to watch a straight man get picked on, bullied, fired and outcast just because he's not like the other guys in town. But then you begin to realize how it can be at times for homosexuals living in the real world and what they have to put up with their entire lives... Which is why I think GAY TOWN is more that just a funny comedy, it slyly turns homophobia on its ass and gives it a good spanking. It takes a couple of episodes to get cranking, but I think the overall quality of these ten episodes really sets this series apart from the clutter.

Congrats to Owen and Crackle.com for producing an excellent series! Hope season two is a good as the first.

From Crackle: Gaytown: Episode 1

The Daily Online Video Fix: Daisy Whitney

2008-09-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest problems I find facing original online entertainment is that there is a lack of smart people out there discussing the medium. There is a huge explosion of online content, but it seems that original videos made for the Internet is still looked at as a novelty. Something that is just a fad, a cute little medium on a cute little screen. Only in the last six months to a year, have people begun to pay attention because advertisers are now starting to divert funds to new media from their traditional media buys. Hopefully this good news will continue. The trick will be finding the correct balance between art and commerce. If you hit consumers with too much advertising, they will get pissed and tune out. If you don't have advertising, another business model will have to come into play and I don't think people are ready to start paying premiums yet for original content.

One of the few people that I have seen who is taking this medium seriously is Daisy Whitney. She is not only taking it seriously, she is smart and really gets the online video landscape. Below is a segment she's created for TV Week called the New Media Minute. I think it is a great resource for anyone interested in following how video for the Internet is emerging. Her website is daisywhitney.com.

Check it out and let me know your thoughts!

The Daily Online Video Fix: Hallmark Across America

2008-09-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

Here's the pilot I produced and directed for the original online series HALLMARK ACROSS AMERICA. This premiere episode focuses on MURDER MYSTERY WEEKEND. Stun Creative hired me for this great gig. It's been a long time since I had this much fun on a project. We were in the beautiful town of Langley, Washington. The town is about an hour north of Seattle on Whidbey Island. The people were really nice and everyone was very cool with us shooting there.

I had no idea what to expect going into this... It's always harder to try and find the story as it unfolds rather that just covering a simple event or competition. What I mean is that there were multiple narratives to this event - the story being amateur sleuths trying to figure out "who did it". There are a ton of stories happening all at the same time because there were thousands of people in town, all trying to figure out who the murderer was over two days... We needed to find interesting characters to follow within a few hours of shooting or we had no story. Other festivals, such as Alaska's ice sculpture competition, doesn't really have an unpredictable narrative. You know it is going to be teams of people carving ice all in a confined area. All you need to do was document a few teams carving ice and you were good to go.

It was important to Hallmark not only cover the event, but reveal the personalities of the people participating. I agreed totally with this. Getting into personalities is always more fun. Luckily there were a ton of great characters who came to Langley and we got a ton of video gold. We were all over the town, running from team to team, trying to follow their stories... I think this series can be a real winner. Please check it out by clicking the link below and let me know your thoughts!

HALLMARK ACROSS AMERICA - MURDER MYSTERY WEEKEND

The Daily Fix: Pressure Drop Online

2008-09-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

The Pressure Drop Website is showing the award-winning NYU thesis film. Ezra Soiferman and I made this film almost 15 years ago and I think it holds up as a classic stoner comedy. We launched the site in 1996 and still periodically add updates. I'm so happy that we continue to find an audience for this short and that traffic to the site continues to grow. Please visit the website, watch the adventures of the original token jew and leave a comment in the "eye say" section!

Or, if you're too high, just watch below from someone who ripped the embed and posted it on youtube.

Getting Hooked On New Media, Pt 2

2008-09-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

...Before the deal was done with Eveo, I made sure they would pay for as many videos as I could possibly crank out. There was no minimum or maximum number. Each video could be just one piece or broken into several parts. This was key. I had total freedom. The one thing that was important to them is that the video was in focus (most of the time) and that there was audio. Period. I was unsure if they trusted my abilities or were completely out of their minds... Oh, and I got to keep the copyright and they would license the content. Not bad.

Once I got the go ahead, I called everyone I knew who was involved with the NYC art world or had a band that didn't suck. Part of the reason for pitching these series were because I went to a high-school of visual and performing arts in Miami called New World. I was still close with a bunch of people who were now breaking into the art or music world and thought this would be a great chance to highlight their work. Within an few days I had set up over a dozen shoots. It was the middle of winter and it was brutally cold in NY. I packed up my Sony TRV-900, ME66 shotgun mic, Arri light-kit and Russian fur hat and headed to NYC.

Most segments took two days to shoot. The first day was usually shooting b-roll of the artist or musician working... I was able to get familiar with their style and process. This allowed me to formulate questions for our interview which would usually happen on the second day. Most of the time, I realized that there was enough content to support two segments for each artist.

Once I started, I was soon being introduced to other artists, musicians, A&R execs, gallery owners, curators who all wanted to participate as well. It seemed each segment opened the door to two additional people to document.

The greatest discovery however was realizing how much people opened up if they didn't feel like there was pressure on them to deliver. Just being one guy with a camera, I think allowed people to let their guard down and just be themselves. There was an intimacy that I had never gotten before when working with a larger crew. Sure, when you have a team of people, the level of production value goes up (some of the time). I found the trade off was completely worth it. Getting great content from your subjects always trumps production value. Obviously, I tried my best to light things properly, get good audio and shoot with a steady hand and pick interesting angles, but nothing was more important than making sure the people I were taping were dynamic and fun to watch.

I also think my subjects saw that I was having a good time. And if I am having fun, there is no reason for them not to relax and have fun as well. When I would go on other shoots with larger crews, everything was always very professional and serious. Now, it was important to just relax, have fun and get the magic of the creative process.

The other major lesson I learned was that, being the shooter/producer as well as the editor, allowed me to shoot just enough so I could get a great segment. I didn't have to overshoot everything. Once I was in the editing room, the pieces came together fast. I knew where the best shots were. I could sometimes cut together two or three segments in a day.

To this day, I look back on those three weeks of shooting and realize that was the most fun I had creating a series. The initial fear I had that it was going to be crap because it wouldn't feel professional was crazy. Eveo wanted it to feel like an amateur made it. They wanted it grungy and homemade... Luckily, that's exactly what they got.

Within six weeks I delivered 33 segments - 20 on emerging artists, 13 on breaking bands. Eveo, I think was a bit shocked that I was able to crank out so many segments that quickly. They were very happy with the pieces, but more importantly, most of my subjects were also thrilled about their segments as well. That was a great payoff. Not to mention, I made ten grand. I think I was one of the first people hired to create original video content specifically for the Internet.

However, once the videos were up, it was clear that the technology was not yet ready for prime time. Most people still didn't have broadband and most computers took forever to stream a single piece of video. It wasn't long before the Internet bubble burst and many companies folded or changed their business model. It was a shame, because Eveo was really trying to make a great site that was about the democratization of video. It would take another six years till YouTube came along and proved that user generated content was a powerful creative force.

Here are a few segments for you to check out. I will add the complete series shortly. Hope you enjoy!

LOCKOUT: JAMMIN WITH LINKIN PARK

LOCKOUT: DJ JOE OF LINKIN PARK

STUDIO VISIT: RACHEL LEVINE

First! Getting Hooked On New Media...

2008-09-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with original online video from the start. It was 1999 and the first Internet wave was washing over the country. I was finishing up co-writing, producing and directing PRESERVING THE LEGACY, a three-year environmental documentary series for PBS. At 26, I had travelled the world and discovered the incredible ways we were quickly destroying the planet. This was years before it was cool to be aware about global warming. My friends hated hearing about nuclear waste, the population explosion, our carbon footprint, Superfund, air pollution and so on... Working on this series was an incredible experience, but left me with a feeling like I needed to create something on the lighter side once it was over.

At the time, broadband and video were the big buzz words and companies were sprouting up like weeds on the Internet to cash in on they hype. Start-ups were being given huge amounts of cash. They needed content and they needed it now. To me, as a filmmaker, the future was here. For the first time, advancements in digital-video cameras and online editing software made it possible to create stories that didn't have to cost a ton of money. Anyone could do it and that what companies were banking on...

I was pitching two series ideas. STUDIO VISIT followed the creative process of emerging visual artists and LOCKOUT revealed the process of breaking bands. After three months of getting nowhere, Eveo came along.

Eveo was a startup based out of San Francisco and they were YouTube before there was a YouTube. They were betting that user-generated video content would be huge. However, before they launched their site they needed videos (which they called eveos) to be seeded on the site so they could show their potential audience what to make. They loved my ideas for LOCKOUT and STUDIO VISIT. Kids would see the videos, be inspired to make their own videos and then post them on the site. Great. Perfect. Let's make it happen!

The deal was fast and loose. Since they wanted my videos to inspire others to make their own, my videos needed to have a home-made feel. It was to be a one-man-band operation. Me shooting, doing sound, lighting, everything... They wanted me to make as many as I could as quickly as possible. I was going to get paid $300 per video. Each video was to be 2 - 4 minutes in length. I could do whatever I wanted as long as it was about breaking bands or emerging artists. I needed to be smart and plan ahead. If I wasn't careful, this process could become very painful and expensive. If done right, I would be able to tell some great stories and be able to make rent for a while. What followed was the most intensive filmmaking experience I've ever had in my life.

To be continued...