VidCon: Community & Online-Video Industry Morphs in July 2010 Event
This video shows Hank Green (with his lesser known 3rd Green brother) announcing VidCon, taking place July 9-11, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Here’s the official VidCon website.
For those of you familiar with the Vlogbrothers (John and Hank Green), I don’t need to tell you what an enormous connection they have with the vibrant and growing community of online-video. They’re funny, smart, and selfless; this week they’ll be orchestrating another “Project for Awesome,” where they encourage fellow video creators to make a video about a charity… to “reduce world suck.”
So it wasn’t surprising that they’ve attracted the “Who’s Who” of online video… literally the most-viewed and most-subscribed video creators of YouTube and beyond. Also- if you know Hank and John, you’ll know that the admission price is to cover costs, and proceeds are for charity. These guys aren’t interested in making money, but these events cost a lot to do well. So I’ve got little sympathy for those few dozen people who feel a price tag is “anti-community, man”- sing that tune to your waitress at IHOP, kids.
For you online-video industry people who are less familiar with the community side, I have one piece of advice. Attend. If I could only attend one conference this year, it would be this one.
There will be a series of professional tracks covering advertising, marketing and production. But of course you can see the “brains” of online video at any conference. This one you’ll see the brain and the heart. And you really don’t know online-video until you’ve seen the heart… watched the most-viewed amateurs interacting with the fans… seen the groundswell of enthusiasm about a medium that’s changing people’s lives… see the friendships among the talented people (and me).
The informal YouTube gatherings — like 7/7/7 — have brought hundreds and even thousands together in various cities, but this one’s actually organized and planned. So it’s likely to be a huge event. Book your hotel early, friends.
If you’re interested in speaking slots, panels or sponsorships (imagine how many videos your logo can show up on, and how many millions of times it will be seen), let Hank know or shoot me a note (I’m volunteering to help on the professional side). Much of that will be formalized by the end of January. In the mean time, follow VidCon on Twitter.
I’ve never been to a YouTube thing, but I’m considering going to this one. You want to be roomies, Kevin? 😉
Yeah, not going to LA, afraid it’s gonna fall into the ocean because of climate change…
I would love to go; not sure it will fit into my finances, though.
As much as I hate LA, it is close and so I’m seriously considering this one. Also I’m wondering if booths will be available to allow one to promote a book or two.
I’m going to be there regardless, but I would love to be involved in some sort of panel or something (or even doing my parodies in some capacity). I love being able to pretend to know what I’m talking about, though.
Well, I won’t be seeing you guys there. I would love to go SO MUCH, but how is a 16 year old guy like me going to fly out to California and cough up the admission price? I don’t even have a job.
Plus, I am really getting used to having to miss these things. No, I am not trying to throw a pity party here, but honestly, being a teenager in Wisconsin makes it really hard to do anything like that.
I agree though, Nalts, if I could only go to one youtube thing in the next year (heck, even the next 5 years), I’d choose this one. It looks pretty much amazing.
What is it going to cost to go? I know there’s the $80 fee but does that include the hotel costs or what? If it’s $80 plus travel expenses plus a couple of nights in an expensive hotel, then it seems to me that it’s likely for the cost to be prohibitive for most people who would want to go.
Does anybody know what the deal is?
Crap. It looks like hotel costs are an “incredibly low $149/nght”.
That’s just absurd. I refuse to pay that much just for a place to sleep. I guess I could bring a sleeping bag and sleep on the street. And flights to LA cost $300 – $400?!? How are people supposed to afford that?
They’re probably covering the expenses of the big wig “Featured Guests”, but besides them who’s going to actually attend the conference unless they live near LA? I can’t imagine very many people dishing out $700 – $800 unless they are seriously involved in YouTube.
I predict just a bunch of YouTube elites showing up along with a few fans who either live nearby or are rich enough not to care about the cost.
It’s a shame really. It sounded pretty cool.
Do you not know how much L.A. costs? $149 is extremely low for a hotel there. Ridiculous low. And yes, flights to L.A. cost $300/400 – down from 2 years ago’s $500/600.
I’m not trying to start a fight here, but I am going to this no problem and if I am included in the elite then the elite is a majority.
I’m part of the DELITE™. GET IT?
I’m well aware that LA is ridiculously expensive, but $149 is still $149 regardless. Same goes for airfare.
Majority of what? People who make a living off of YouTube? Certainly not the majority of people who are interested in going.
Let me put it this way. It’s not that I can’t afford to go; it’s just that since online video isn’t a major part of my life, I can’t justify spending that much on something that isn’t extremely important to me. I’d love to go, but the cost to benefit ratio doesn’t look great.
If I were a creator, where YouTube is something more of a profession than a hobby, then I don’t think I would hesitate to go. (I would probably still gripe about the fact that the cost of spending two nights at the hotel is about the same as a month’s rent around here.)
So for those who don’t live and breathe online video, it probably doesn’t make much sense to go. Even many people who do probably can’t afford it. (Many are students trying to pay for college, right?)
Would you pay $700 to go to, say, a Star Trek convention (supposing you are a fan)?
“Would you pay $700 to go to, say, a Star Trek convention (supposing you are a fan)?”
Yes, I would. But then, I am a HUGE Trek fan, and have been for 40 years. Plus, I’m a geek.
People spend that on costumes for Star Trek conventions.
And also, I would suggest that if YouTube/online video isn’t a big part of your life that something like this isn’t really going to appeal to you a giant amount anyway…
@14: I should mention that I would pay that amount for a ST convention only if the big leads from TOS (William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, etc.) or the new movie were there.
And I also make my own costume so it doesn’t cost nearly that much. 😉
I’d love to be on a panel as well. Peter Coffin is coming to town – I smell a Wicked Awesome Films, Daneboe, PeterCoffin collaboration!
@Bobbo I know dude, we DEFINITELY have to make a big ol awesome sketch.
Why does this sound extremely painful to me?
Sign me up for the “Talk” from sXephil!!! Pffttttt!!!!!
what if I like world suck?
b there or b [] look for me the guy with the outside my window t-shirt on
If you fly Southwest Airlines it’s always cheaper.
I’d love to go myself just to see Nalts because I’ve subbed to his videos and I love them!