COM597 BlogRoll Fall 2010

Here are the links for the class blogs.  It is a great way to share insights and discover new ideas. Nothing worse than putting tons of work into writing a post and dropping it into a vacum.

Eric Burgess http://mcdmstudent.wordpress.com/
Ingrid Butler http://ingriddigitalme.wordpress.com
Antika Emyaem http://antikamania.wordpress.com/
Danielle Gatsos http://daniellegatsos.wordpress.com/
Jim Hong http://omphaloskepses.wordpress.com/
Sara Niegowski http://sara1bethdigitaldistribution.wordpress.com/
Elizabeth Noagi http://gretionthego.wordpress.com/
Anna Pan http://anna2009mcdm.wordpress.com/
Inge Scheve http://ingescheve.wordpress.com/
Shane Suzuki http://suzukiuw.wordpress.com/
Derek Walker http://derekjwalker.wordpress.com/
Evan Westenberger http://evanwestmedia.wordpress.com/
Li Li http://lilismiling.wordpress.com/

Telling Your Story – Video Sequencing Made Easy

Web video producers are forgetting something. Sequencing their shots.

I can’t be the only one who has grown weary of the continuous camera shot. The instant I see a boring talking head blathering on and on in a web video I am hitting the “next” button. Rarely do I have the interest or inclination to imagine the images needed to understand the complex topic at hand. And even when they do include shots that illustrate the story, too often it is a string of wide shots that confuse more than enlighten and appear to be the result of timidity on the part of the photographer.

The state of most web video is toxic. But it can be fixed with just a little thought. And a little sequencing.

3DTV Sales Figures Tank

In a not-so-shocking announcement, the research firm DisplaySearch released today that the sales of 3D TVs are weaker than expected. Expected by whom? Because I don’t know anyone who is saving up for this technology. OK, one guy. No kids. Man cave. Needs to shower more.

In March, Samsung said it expected all manufacturers to sell 3 million to 4 million 3-D capable sets in the U.S. this year. DisplaySearch has pushed the sales figures off a precipice, reducing them to less than half. Now they are saying “just under” 1.6 million in the US. Sales of LCD TVs are down 3 percent over last year, but that does not account for the death march for 3D TVs.

Streams of Content

danah boyd’s article describing networked information ties in closely with the presentation I gave last week about being nimble in the information marketplace. She certainly improves on my framing of how we are moving from a broadcast syndication model (think channels and destinations) to highly structured content that moves freely across the network. Think vertical and horizontal integration.

As Web 2.0 reaches the tipping point, collecting the attention of the middle two-thirds of the Rogers curve, we’re seeing all sorts of folks get into the content distribution game. What this next wave of average “Joes” and “Janes” are doing to push and pull content often looks different from what early adopters were doing.

boyd’s analysis about the emerging power structure with information brokers points out that, “In a broadcast model, those who control the distribution channels often profit more than the creators… Unfortunately, there’s an assumption that if we get rid of the limitations to the means of distribution, the power will revert to the creators. This is not what’s happening. Distribution today is making people aware that they can come and get something, yet those who actually gain access to people’s attention are still a small, privileged few.”

Workshop Videos COM597

I have posted the sequences from today’s workshop. Nice job and I am looking forward to the edit/compression/upload workshop on October 23rd. If you are planning on attending please bring your camera, footage that you can use, and if you are planning on using your laptop bring that. There are also computers you can use in room 302 with Adobe Premier. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Flip Wireless Mic, GE’s Camera and a Gorillapod for Video

Lots of new cameras and accessories rolling out in the past few days. Probably because of Photokina and the push for placement on store shelves during the coming holiday shopping rush.

GE is rolling out another Flip-like HD video recorder. They might just stand a chance of grabbing some market share, at lest better than most, with its new DV1 model. It is waterproof (up to 16 feet), shockproof, shoots 1080p, HDMI out, will hold an SD card for expanded storage and has a now familiar switch-blade-like USB connector. It sounds eerily familiar to the Kodak PlaySport.

Google’s Pizza to Go

Is it a case of being brilliant? Or did they just have too much time on their hands? Google’s wacky promotional video will cause you to hear the word “Pizza” in your dreams. It’s a promotional video from Google Mobile designed to promote Google Search with My Location, a feature that automatically pulls up local listings on GPS-enabled phones.

This one breaks most of the viral video rules. For one, it is over 10 minutes long. Two, the script is not overly complicated.  I must admit that I am glad I didn’t have to get the rights for all the images. This is 10 minutes of one guy saying the word “pizza” over and over. On the surface it just seem annoying. But after about a minute I caught myself playing along, chuckling over the ever-changing background images.

But the really clever bit is spotting all the hot spots on the video that take you off to another clip. It is just cul-de-sacs of jokes. For example, click on the basketball 0:42 seconds in, the toast at 9:12 in, or azzip at 1:21 in. 

I have a feeling this will have legs.