December 18, 2005
02 AM
Well, firstly, go and read this, because basically I want to steal this idea. No thoughts expressed in this post are original, yet they might lead to something that is.
The video iPod, and devices that emulate its function (including, in a large part, your computer) are going to change the way we consume video content, and it's going to rush the convergence of television and the internet even faster than it is already going. There's a wave building, and I want to be on it, rather than looking back on it in a few years saying: "Ooh I really should have caught that one." Because it really is going to explode, very soon.
Little TVs in your pocket you take them out and want to watch something. You don't want to watch a half-hour show because you're on the tube and you are constantly getting up to change trains or buses. You want something short, something consumable. Music videos automatically spring to mind, of course, as do a variety of short-form film sites (Channel101 and Strongbad being two of my favourites), but the rise and rise of bloggin obviously indicates a craving for fresh, regularly updated content that is germane to your location and your own personal interests.
A niche that needs filling. Obviously the 'establishment' (whatever you choose that to mean) has started grinding the wheels and will eventually start producing short-form content, but in the meantime the people on the ground, as always, have the potential to be one step ahead- to get into the niche before it gets filled with corporate crud. People on the ground...like you and me.
Here's my game plan: A 3-5 minute downloadable webcast, each episode focusing on a different thing. Made by us.
Plainly, most vLogs are generally useless and inane and hard to watch. Like most blogs, actually. I don't wanna go down that route. Whatever is done needs to be tight, it needs to be about something interesting and informative about that subject, and it needs to have at least a semblance of a professional look about it (but let's not go crazy).
It also needs to be regular. Right now I'm thinking once-a-week. Now, I probably could research, film and then edit a minishow once a week (I have NO idea how rocketboom does it once a day), but it would mean I'd have to pretty much dedicate all my free time to it, leaving no time for all my various other hobbies.
So what I'm thinking is this: Four teams, each one responsible for making one show every month. This takes the pressure off each individual team- not particularly hard to make a 3-5 minutes magazine piece in one month. I'll give you an opening title and bar graphic to maintain continuity between each of the four sources.
The show can be about whatever each team wants it to be about, but it does have be about something (as opposed to most vLogs which are just people blahing into a camera). You need ideas? I got ideas. Take a look at my blogroll. Everyone on it, each of you reading this, get excited by something. Pix is nutty about knitting and photography. Adrian will chew your ear off about string theory and design paths. Lori will show you that little corner of Manchester that only she knows about. There's a year's worth of interesting stories just there. Interview a band. Take us on holiday with you. Review a videogame. Take us rollerblading down the Thames path. Investigate the animosity between skiiers and snowboarders. Investigate the London porn industry. Talk to people. Take us dancing with you. Get mad about something. Get excited about something. Feel happy about something. Make it interesting. Show it to us. Join me.
One show a week. (Oh! We need a name. Think about that, too.) One show a week. You make one a month. I make one a month. I need three other like-minded people who each have access to a camera and some editing software. We band together. We get on the wave. You don't even have to live in London, this can be done from anywhere in the world. I'm excited about this. I'll sink my next paycheck into this.
Think about it. It could work I will be e-mailing you. I'll be e-mailing Londonist. I'll be e-mailing Pick Me Up.
In the meantime, I'm off to the sunny shores of San Diego. Have a Merry Christmas! I'll see you next year.
You are totally right, there is a new market here. Like I said last month, the next set of talent will come from the web. Which hopefully will start killing off all the PopIdolsXFactorStars crap. And you are also right, about the VideoPod changing things. I had the same thoughts when apple brought out the PhotoPod.
Apple no longer makes music players. They make media devices. People don't buy HiFi's any more, they buy speakers that plug into their iPod. TVs will just become big screens you watch stuff off when at home, as you plug your iPod into them
The TV industry is running in circles trying to figure out how to defend themselves. And doing a bad job of it too. Most of their ideas are around charging people extra to pause and rewind movies. Not exactly genius. The big problem for them is devices like tivo are disruptive technologies. They fuck with the whole content productions model (push big shows to everyone and force them to watch adverts). The Rocketboom deal with TiVo is massive. It's bypassed everyone. It's stunningly brilliant.
AS for producing your own content, you've got it spot on with Whatever is done needs to be tight, it needs to be about something interesting and informative about that subject, and it needs to have at least a semblance of a professional look about it (but let's not go crazy).
it's got to be tight. It's got to be slick. Rocketboom works because it looks professional. It looks smart. It doesn't look like two people fucking around. I think this is why I got so annoyed when you sucked sweets during your podcast. I think your podcast is brilliant. But the sucking sweets wasn't slick. You could be a Rocketboom, but doing things like the sweets made me feel you ruined the brilliance of your own work.
The only thing I think you've got wrong on the VLog idea is having each episode by different people and different topics. I think with a 3 min videocast, you need to have the same topic/theme every episode. Rocketboom works because you know what you're getting. You need to find your topic niche and do it better than anyone else. Then you get people coming back.
I can think of no one better to produce a decent videocast than you. Provided you don't suck sweets. :-)
Posted by: Adrian at December 18, 2005 02:11 PMSlightly off-topic, but Apple are planning a whole lot more than just the video iPod. There's a report on Gizmodo about the upcoming Macworld expo that mentions an iBoombox, and aggressive marketing plans from several large American consumer electronics retailers, but I'd say that's only the tip of the iceberg. iTv anyone? iPhone? iFridge? iRobot(ha!)?!
(there's also a link to an Apple Insider article that goes into it in a more detailed and slightly more boring fashion)
Posted by: matthew at December 18, 2005 09:26 PMOoooh, this is such a great idea! You've got me all pepped up here, mate! Sad thing is, I don't have access to a camera, nor do I have access to video editing software.
Nor do I think anything that flits through my little mind is interesting enough to film.
Reminds me of a song Ian has me addicted to right now:
"I was waiting for a cross town train on the London Underground, when it struck me / That I've been waiting since birth to find a love that would look and sound like a movie / So I changed my plans, I rented a camera and a van, and then I called you..."
The Postal Service - Clark Gable
I agree with Ade that you need a level of continuity, but then I also believe that you need different voices to keep things interesting.
Posted by: nrgza at December 18, 2005 09:37 PMGreat idea, if Santa brought me a camera and editing equipment I'd join in.
Have fun in San Diego!
