Vloggerheads: Country Club or Safe Haven? August 23, 2008
Posted by Nalts in : Blogs on Video, YouTube, vlogging , 24commentsJenna Wortham writes a balanced piece about the controversial Vloggerheads.com website, spawned by Renetto (a popular YouTube creator). My previous post on Vloggerheads generated more comments than any other post I’ve written. And, for that matter, brought controversy among a tight-knit group of regular WVFF commenters that usually play off each other like a well-oiled comedy troupe. Group hug?
I hope that whether you’re annoyed by Vloggerheads, or celebrate it as a new safe-haven for a tight virtual community… that you can still appreciate the irony of this random screen shot I took this morning. This just happened to be the most recent videos posted as of 7:30 am on Saturday.
What do almost all of these guys have in common!? I know where I’d advertise if I sold hair transplants.
Now guys don’t get upset. I’ve been known to do whatever it takes to be like Renetto myself. He has that quality. Hold on a second, I have to buy a candle online. Okay I’m back.
Former Top YouTuber Leads Vlogging Revolution August 14, 2008
Posted by Nalts in : Blogs on Video, Video, Video Sites, YouTube , 120comments
For months, YouTube Cewebrity Paul Robinette (Renetto) has been posting video blogs (vlogs) about his discontent on YouTube. He has criticized the site for how it handles the small but vocal video community, and has stirred up drama with the grace of an Olympic gymnist.
In the past few weeks, Robinette quietly launched Vloggerheads.com with 250 plus fellow vloggers. I previously reported that he was launching RenettoTube (see site), but apparently he had some help from branding experts.
The site, which was created using ning, is by invite only (info@renetto.com), and has already banned at least one controversial YouTube poet. The site has rules of ettiquette and is working to keep out unsavory “haters,” “trolls” and “pedophiles.” Fortunately that crowd has its own site (utubedrama.com). And don’t pretend you don’t surf for your name there weekly.
Renetto, who shaved my head years ago when I desperately wanted to be him, once topped the charts of YouTube but has fallen down the top 100 even faster than Nalts (which is rather sad given that I “jumped the shark” more than a year ago).
Renetto is loved and hated, but often the subject of discussion (see outtake clip that spoofs Renetto from a video I shot this week with YouTube Whore MrSafety). He’s best-known for his Mentos parody (nearly 10 million views) and was quoted regularly in the early media coverage of YouTube. In late 2006, Robinette rallied in support of YouTube-challenger Live Video, then changed his mind and brought about McCarthy-like challenge to those who abandoned YouTube (and took great pride in helping unravel LiveVideo). See NY Post article for more.
Vloggerheads is being listed as a “placeholder” site with larger goals. However it’s already attracting some of the YouTubers who don’t have top rankings but are staples among the inner circle of a vibrant community. My “poster child” of the online-video community (Nutcheese) is already addicted and that’s slown down her visits to Stumble! by 26%.
With just 800 videos to date and no apparent revenue model, Vloggerheads won’t soon be a threat to YouTube. But it’s an alternative virtual city where “hard core” community members are gathering, debating, communing and creating drama…
A smaller pond for those feeling lost in an increasingly commercialized YouTube?
Here’s my social commentary on vlogging. I wasn’t too sarcastic was I?
P.S. A reporter from Wired.com contacted Paul and said she heard about him from Nalts’ blog. That’s the power I have in media. Like TechCrunch I can make or break a company. Arington eat my pie hole you viralvideovillain promoter.
“Made for TV Drama” to Feature NewTeeVee Pier Screening’s Judges July 22, 2008
Posted by Nalts in : Blogs on Video , 14commentsThe first NewTeeVee Pier Screening of 2008 is themed “pilots,” (as in pilot episodes of web series not airplane fliers, dumb ass).
Judges include Martin Sargent (Internet Superstar), George Strombolis (YouTube) and Marie Drennan (San Franscisco State University).
Who will play the roles of each judge on the made for TV drama based loosely on the screening competition? Here are our votes.
- Jodie Foster as Marie Drennan
- Ryan Howard (The Office temp) as George Strombolos
- Eric Estrada as Martin Sargent
On NBC Today Show… this morning. maybe. July 9, 2008
Posted by Nalts in : Blogs on Video, Diet Coke, Future of Online Video, Killer Video, Making Money, Mentos, Nalts, Profit, Search, Video, Viral Video, apple, iheartviacom, marketing, poopie head, stopickingyournose, viocom , 5comments
Greetings boys, girls and willvideoforfooders!
I’m your substitute, I mean “GuestOfNalts (.)” today 
As you know this self proclamied viral video genius, Kevin ‘Nalts’ Nalty, started talking to himself early on, as we see in several of his more delightful films: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, AND here!
WHEEW!
Kevin has developed a number of personalities, alter egos and of course clones over the years. This is me here in my pre-natal state along with my other clone brothers and sisters. And here is the first generation of a Nalts’ Clone. As you might have guessed he didn’t quite make it. Unfortunately, he was unable to grasp the finer points and magic of editing and fell into a very tragic incident involving a can, the local trash collector and the very large trash collector’s truck. Since, much progress has been made and as you can rightly read I am one of the current generation ‘CloneofNatls’. However, we do prefer being called ‘Spawnsof Nalts’. We have advanced far more than the initial copy, even though we still titter on lame.
As a copy and a real live SpawnofNalts it is my position to make sure that anything Nalts does or thinks when indisposed makes its way to the beautiful eyes of his darling readers, fans, lurkers and all the rest of you, ASAP!
Tomorrow (July 9), on NBC’s Today show in a segment called “Frustrated Fliers.” The interview was shot in NYC yesterday and prompted by “USAIR Sucks” and not “Crawling Through Airport.” See if you can spot the original Nalts at the airport. If not, enjoy these little vignettes to make up for the possibility of a brown out we predicted in NYC. If you missed it because you just couldn’t drag your lazy ass out of bed before 11am, you know who you are, and barring some possible genetic or technical malfunction, me and all the other SpawnsofNalts will try our best to accommodate Today the day after yesterday or sooner right here!
Oh, and bring a clothes pin!
Be glad smell-a-vision never took off!
END TRANSMISSION
The Secrets of Viral Video (draft presentation) July 7, 2008
Posted by Nalts in : AOL, Blogs on Video, Future of Online Video, Making Money, Making Videos, Nalts, Online Video, advertising, marketing , 15commentsAs I mentioned previously, I’m presenting “The Secrets of Viral Video Marketing” at a Yahoo! event called “Big Screen, Little Screen.” It’s this Wednesday, July 9 in Toronto, Canada.
Want to review the deck and provide any suggestions? Obviously it won’t be self explanatory, but I thought I’d give you loyal WVFF readers a sneak preview. Here’s the Powerpoint deck in Flash via Slideshare.net.
Any suggestions?
Oh- and thanks to David Bridges for designing the Nalts flavicon (that little icon on the left of the browser window before the WVFF URL). Thanks also to Jan for installing the little booger!
KevinNalts.com vs. WillVideoForFood.com: Bifurfacted Visitors July 7, 2008
Posted by Nalts in : Blogs on Video, Nalts , 35commentsThere are two different people who will read this post. Help me out in dealing with this bifurcated audience, will ya?
- There are those of you who may, for reasons that elude me, like my videos or my banana-shaped head and disturbing personality. Maybe you RSS this page, used to visit it from my YouTube channel banner, or check it occasionally from bookmarks. Or maybe you stumbled here because of a URL on one of my videos. You people comment sometimes but only about .05 percent of the time.
- Then there are online-video industry watchers: video creators, agency employees, marketers, employees of video-sharing sites, analysts, journalists or new-media junkees. You people NEVER comment unless you’re Mike Abundo. That makes me wonder if you’re even reading, and whether I should publish/syndicate these kinda musings via better-read channels for online-video (like Advertising Age, NewTeeVee, TheDailyReel (kidding), iMediaConnections, Micropersuasion or TechCrunch and stuff). It’s not like I make a dime off this blog anyway.
Now I used to brand my videos CubeBreak.com and send them to that site I’d manage manually. Then I automated that site (which still exists) with Revver, and promptly lost all search-engine rankings because there wasn’t any fresh content as perceived by mother Google. So I forgot about the site. I later created WillVideoForFood primarily for amateurs looking to monetize their content via ad-sharing or sponsored videos, and starting using WillVideoForFood on my video slates.
Stupid move.
Why is it stupid? First, most YouTube video creators with their own websites have “fan” sites. They extend the content, blog related content, sell branded things and provide a community for their fans. That said, I’ve long rejected the idea of having a fan site because, frankly, I find it creepy and even more egotistcal than me. Plus I’m not HappySlip or Smosh if you know what I mean. But I also recognize that there are people who stop by this WillVideoForFood site to interact with me or mutual friends (probably the latter, but shut the hell up for a damned second… you’ll get your turn).
I still haven’t figured out how to make all this work, but for now here’s the model I’m currently envisioning: Kevinnalts.com is my new vanity site and I’ll probably start providing that link after the video instead of willvideoforfood.com. People who visit a URL from a video about farting or pranks aren’t likely looking for a blog about online video. They want more farts or pranks.
Willvideoforfood.com remains my website for online-video industry trends, and it reserves the right to self indulge about Nalts too (since I don’t have the energy for a friggin’ Nalts blog).
Then there’s the WillVideoForFood.com Forum (which cost about $200 to setup and takes Jan time to maintain). So you’d better darn well use it. I also got Ning crazy this weekend and set up a willvideoforfood ning and even a ning for Nalts (it’s called NaltsNing since NingofNalts isn’t possible). Nings are “off the shelf” social networks, and most of them are empty shells but some people run their entire website using a paid version of ning and you wouldn’t know it’s costing them a fraction of coding their own functionality.
I even created a YouTubeLive Ning (see above image), only to soon realize after I spent 2 hours making a banner and logo that Podcasting101 (aka Creepy Paul) already had created a YouTube Gatherings Ning with 147 members.
A first I felt really bad at creating more confusion by strating a new Ning (but was looking for somewhere to exchange information about the YouTube gathering in Philadelphia July 12 (YoTube). I’ve made it clear that YouTubeLive is not meant to replace Creepy Paul’s YouTube Gatherings. He’s WAY more into physical gatherings than I am, even though he’s super creepy (and I say that with love).
I like to promote and attend these Star-Trek like events, but can’t stand the politics and logistics (like the hot dogs but don’t need to see the factory). But now I really want to get more “members” to YouTube Live Ning just to tease Creepy Paul. So go join YouTubeLive’s Ning if you have a Ning identity- even if you don’t care about YouTube nerdy events.
And if you haven’t heard of Ning, remember you learned about it from me. I was the first guy in my school to own a Swatch and a Mac 128 so I’m totally hip on trends.
Kevin is a poopie head July 5, 2008
Posted by Nalts in : AOL, BlipTV, Blogs on Video, Contest, Diet Coke, Future of Online Video, GooTube, Google, Making Money, Making Videos, Mentos, Nalts, Online Video, Profit, Revver, Search, TechCrunch, Uncategorized, Video, Video Advertising, Video Business, Video Contests, Video Gear, Video Online Tools, Video Sites, Video Software, Videocameras, Viral Video, Web 2.0, Yahoo Video, YouTube, advertising, apple, copyright, google video, marketing, metacafe, poopie head, popular videos, video cameras, viral videologist, vlogging, xlntads , 33comments!
discuss!
Battered User Syndrome: YouTube and Online Monopolies July 2, 2008
Posted by Nalts in : Blogs on Video, Video Online Tools, Video Sites, YouTube , 16commentsWant your Gmail to replace your YouTube messaging? Sorry- but
here are some pretty thumb icons you can use to rate comments!
Who would have thought the market would be so beholden to YouTube’s inside-out design… half way through 2008? By now, I would have predicted that Web 2.0 would offer us endless options for customizing a video experience using someone else’s player. They can pay for the bandwidth and make ad revenue, but please allow us to customize, widgitize, and private-labelize. You know- the open source, altruistic dream that borne Revver, and its open source API (whatever the hell that is).
Nope. Maybe that’s in the Web 3.0 upgrade. Not now. No soup for you.
Alas, market dominance means you innovate on your own terms. YouTube and Google were designed to solve a problem its founders felt, but the market didn’t quite know it needed. That works well when you’re in start-up mode or innovating, but can inadvertently spawn arrogance that hardcore users begin to resent. I’ve been an informal adviser to several smaller video-sharing sites, and found it very rewarding when those sites responded to our needs (or at least convinced us they were). Note: I disclose these relationships and they’re not paid — otherwise I’d lose my objectivity on them. And risk hating one less than another.
Now lately I’ve been confronted with some needs that are on the edge of YouTube’s functionality. So I did what any YouTube Partner would do: I went to both my dedicated YouTube technical liaison, Eric, and community representative, Brenda, to solve these issues.
No I’m just kidding. They don’t take my calls either.
No, friends, we’ve got battered user syndrome.We don’t expect YouTube to fix itself. It’s tired after a long day of work, and we did spill its beer on the counter. So we’ll search for our own tools we can use on top of YouTube… despite it. The bad news is that we’re limited to offering this to people via channels we can control. The good news is that they solve problems that YouTube doesn’t see, doesn’t care about, or views as off strategy. The more bad news is that we don’t know what tools are safe or effective.
Suppose you had a cheese playlist and wanted to randomize it (like the Oreo contest entries) so each video gets a fair shot at being first. Or maybe you’re using the playlists as a free, copyright-violating jute box. Well you can’t do that. You’d want the Randomize YouTube Playlist script (mind you I’m not vouching for these things- I wouldn’t know what to do with them even if I could get past the porn ads and download them).
Then there’s the YouTube Search Script. I suppose that one allows you to customize search and embed videos based on parameters? Then there’s the “YouTube Script” which represents itself as a poor man’s custom YouTube (with that impossible promise, I’m guessing it’s a virus that turns your monitor into a camera and broadcasts your life 24/7 in Stickam). I am having fun playing with Overlay.tv (which is kinda like YouTube’s overlay tools on steroids). But I may do a promotion video for Overlay.tv… so more on that later. And don’t give me crap about promoting them because it’s like a skateboarder endorsing a skateboard brand. It’s cool. It’s why I pimp TubeMogul for free.
Anyway- share your own YouTube hacks below (not the zillion YouTube rippers, thank you). And don’t expect Eric or Brenda to call you back. Nope. Leave it to Web 2.0 to foster a monopoly where we love a website even when it beats us. We deserve the beating, though. We didn’t behave, and the website is under a lot of stress lately.
P.S. I dare someone to turn this post into a video blog and make it look like they’re not scripted. I’ll add a link here if you do. You gotta do it like Pat Condell… with articulation and enough emotion that you don’t look like you’re reading.
P.P.S. Domestic violence is not funny. Go get help, please, if you experience it. I am just using the analogy to exaggerate the learned helplessness we face with some technologies.
What is Social Media? June 17, 2008
Posted by Nalts in : Blogs on Video, Online Video , 14comments
I met the Marketing Diva (Toby Bloomberg) at a Cox Communications event. She pulled out her Flip cam and asked me to define social media. So I gave her a quick answer. Then along comes “The 60 Second Marketer” and packages this spontaneous clip into the following video called “What is Social Media.” Suddenly, my “pull it out the bum” verbal exposition looks rather comprehensive and definitive.
Let’s explore what makes this clip so trustworthy:
- Logo at the beginning
- Cool voice over
- Simple delivery
- Sponsored content
- Nice look/feel
I think the next time I decide to represent my random opinion as fact, I’m going to proceed and follow it with Slater doing a deep, rich voiceover that summarizes it.
Robbery Victim to Post Live Hostage Video Via iPhone June 15, 2008
Posted by Nalts in : Blogs on Video , 6commentsRemember I predicted that we’d see live news via amateur cameras in 2007? Imagine the next bank robbery where you get to watch along? Maybe there will be an interactive chat so you can give the hostages survival suggestions, and tell them they suck and are gay.
Grant, I was a bit early on that bank robbery prediction, but that’s because I’m cursed with remarkable foresight. And now you can host live streaming video via your stupid iPhone (see Steve Garfield’s demo). So the next time you’re watching a newsworthy event break, just turn on that iPhone. And don’t forget the rubber band. And the Nokia N95. And be sure someone else is watching. Bring Steve Garfield along too. He’ll help you through the technology, and even give you ideas how to clean blood off the marked bills you swipe, cope with post-traumatic shock, and reduce the swelling on your gun-smacked head.
Hey, Garfield. Can you do a tutorial on how to get my stupid iTouch thing to raise its volume? You should have seen me driving home Friday desperately trying to figure out where Mac hid the volume control on that bastard. Googling via the Blackberry, and finding nothing. [Editorial Note: found the answer in Yahoo Answers, which is incredibly well optimized on Google. Great idea, Mac. Let's make the volume look like a time bar for the track].