Video Hoax: Getting Google TV Invitation February 28, 2007
Posted by Nalts in : Google, google video , 14comments
There was part of me that wanted to send you to Infinite Solutions without revealing it as a hoax. It’s much funnier that way. But I didn’t want to be responsible for any readers beating their head against the wall trying these video tutorial tips out.
Mark Erickson provides fascinating technology tips that don’t really work, but delivers them with deadpan credibility. So I’m guessing that the majority of the people that watch this Google Television tutorialare now logging in and out of Gmail… over and over.
It’s a compelling proposition: a sneak preview at on-demand television via Google. You’re probably going to try it just to be sure.
Fight Videos February 28, 2007
Posted by Nalts in : Video Sites, Viral Video , 13comments
Regular WillVideoforFood poster, Liam Gooding, has created a site dedicated to fights. It’s called Fight-Vids, and he’s got a blog on the subject as well. Mind you I haven’t watched all of his videos and I avoid fights because they generally hurt (”I’m not like other people- I don’t like pain”*). That said, I suppose it’s better to watch them than participate.
Liam probably has discovered a niche in combining humor, fighting and risque material. It would appear like there’s a boundless appetite for this content. If you agree, visit his site. If you disagree, track him down and pummel him.
* Daffy Duck
Save Me from Embarassment? February 27, 2007
Posted by Nalts in : Online Video , 28comments
Dear readers, I don’t ask much from you. Free blog, no advertising. But I need your vote for the Valleywag “hot boys” contest. I’m getting my ass kicked. Not that that there’s anything wrong with losing one of these. It happened to Micki Krimmel.
My ego just can’t handle losing by a landslide. That would be almost as humiliating as the photo they selected.
Here’s the deperate plea video from Patrick (my son). I didn’t put him up to that or anything.
Viral on Veoh February 26, 2007
Posted by Nalts in : Video Sites, Viral Video , 8comments
Episode 11 of “Viral on Veoh” features Host Sunny Gault in Philadelphia. I missed seeing her live, but she include moments of my recent “Mall Pranks” (aka Mall-licious) at the end of the segment. Thanks, Sunny.
The show’s pacing has picked up dramatically. This episode moves at the speed of light.
YouTube Celebrities are “Hot Properties” February 26, 2007
Posted by Nalts in : Revver, Viral Video, YouTube, advertising , 7commentsJust what some of the popular personalities on YouTube needed. The NYTimes is calling them “hot properties,” and providing examples of some YouTube “weblebrities” getting courted by other sites. Indeed there’s been at least one example of this with Smosh, a creator who was paid to move from YouTube (where he still posts) to LiveVideo. LonelyGirl15 went “bi-situal” last year and began posting on both Revver (a site that shares 50% of ad revenue) and YouTube, which is planning to share advertising revenue with creators. This article has YouTube’s “Renetto” claiming the share would be 20 percent — a small fraction of what’s becoming the norm.
A List of Viral Lists February 24, 2007
Posted by Nalts in : Viral Video , 54commentsNice list of viral lists. Some wisdom from around the web on viral marketing — thanks to Adrian.
Comedy Horror Series on AtomFilms: Hellholes February 24, 2007
Posted by Nalts in : Online Video , 11comments
Funny and frightening series made for AtomFilms. Check out “Hell Holes.”
Bid on HappySlip’s Stapler and Headshot On eBay February 24, 2007
Posted by Nalts in : Online Video , 19comments
It’s the biggest eBay item since the Grilled Cheese Virgin Mary. Bigger than Britney Spear’s hair being auctioned!
The stapler I recently swiped from HappySlip’s apartment (see video) is now on eBay.
Click here to bid on the stapler and autographed picture on eBay.
As you’ll see from this new video, my son reluctantly gave the stolen stapler to his friend Nate’s mom — Denise Bash. She founded CanineLifeline.org, a group that provides food, equipment, resources and funding to animal rescue groups. So auction proceeds will go directly to save abandoned animals and bring them to homes like yours.
Thanks, Happyslip for the stapler and autographed head shot. Christine gratiously sent the stapler (which I had not really stolen, for the record) and her brand new headshot. Here’s her post about this.
Let the bidding beginnnnnnn…. Hurry. You have until March 3! Act now before GoldenPalace.com finds out about this.
Verizon and Revver “Sittin’ in a Tree” February 23, 2007
Posted by Nalts in : Revver, Video Advertising, Video Business, Video Online Tools, Video Sites, Viral Video, Web 2.0 , 18comments
Micki from Revver announced in Revver’s blog that Verizon and Revver have deepened their relationship. Later this year, subscribers to FIOS TV (which is limited to certain regions) will be able to watch Revver videos from the comfort of their couch. They’ll be free to viewers, and Revver and the creator will evenly split an undisclosed percentage of the total ad revenue generated through this channel.
Typically Revver provides the distribution platform with 20% of the advertising revenue, leaving Revver and the creator 40% each. I would venture to guess that this deal offers a larger percentage to Verizon even if Revver is staying true to the 50/50 share with creators. For instance, if Verizon sells the ad space then it could expect Revver and the creator’s cut to be smaller.
This opens up a powerful new distribution channel for Revver, who has a generous business offering but very little traffic to Revver.com. Without these upstream/downstream partnerships, the creator must generate his or her own traffic. I’ve told Revver before that I’d happily settle for a smaller percentage of the revenue if they could drive the total advertising revenue higher via new distribution channels. They’ve been trying to broker these deals, but I suppose they’re not easy ones.
I truly hope that the larger media companies will syndicate consumer-generated content from Revver and similar entities. From my perspective as a content creator, it makes life much, much easier. I don’t have time to upload my videos to 12 sites. And from the “big media” perspective (be it Verizon, Sony, Comcast, Disney, networks) it provides fast and painfree access to gobs of user-generated content, and saves them the peril of pissing money away dissintermediating online players.
Thumbs up to Verizon for sticking to its core competencies. The Revvers, blip.tv, Veohs, Brightcoves and Metacafes are there to help.
P.S. Hey Verizon… You stinkers sent me a note saying I could get FIOS TV, and then retracted it a week later. Get in my neighborhood. I wanna watch Revver from my couch. My butt hurts.
YouTube Does NYC: 7/7/07 February 23, 2007
Posted by Nalts in : YouTube , 16comments
This is a teaser for a NYC YouTube event. I’ve been exchanging e-mails with Paul Houston from Podcasting101, and we were planning an event this summer. Yesterday morning while going to NYC it occured to me that July 7, 2007 would be perfect. It’s the weekend after 4th of July and it has a memorable date: 07/07/07. Paul’s gathering dates and posting them on YouTubeMeetUp.com.
In this video Nalts gets the date wrong and finds himself doing a “One Tuber” event instead of a “One YouTube” event like San Francisco held weeks ago. More than 200 people attended that event with only a few weeks notice. So here’s hoping a big crowd will descend upon NYC.
Now we just need a hotel. And a venue. And some sponsors. And someone who can organize events. Ah, don’t sweat the small stuff.
Special thanks to the most excellent Pinaki who designed this logo with about 2 hours notice.