Unless you're still on a modem connection, chances are you've noticed the tidal wave of interest in video on the Web.
Web video means different things to different people (and organizations). For many years, some large media conglomerates appear to have been perplexed by video on the Web, as they struggled to align it with their business models and other media.
For the average Web user, however, Web video is free and it's fun. For many, it has also become a highly popular form of social media - a way of broadcasting one's own interests or point-of-view that is much more accessible than anything that's come before (e.g., community-based cable programming).
We now appear to have reached a point where David is be battling Goliath in the content wars: User-generated Content vs Media Company Content. Will there be a winner?
Here's how I see it:
USER-GENERATED CONTENT IS HERE TO STAY
YouTube has the best game in town as far as this goes. One reason is, it is a highly "interactive" sites, with a large number of special ("social") features. And you could spend days of your life there if you want to (and people do), looking at what people post. Recently (thankfully) they have limited video lengths to 10 minutes (in response to copyright concerns about unathorized posting of television programming.
Content is categorized broadly (film and animation, for example). Why watch it?
1) Well, for one thing, it doesn't cost you anything, as long as you have time on your hands and a fast Internet connection.
2) You can discover people or groups (e.g., bands or other performers you might not ever see. I watched a beautiful, 3-D animation based on Chinese painting that I never would have viewed otherwise).
3) You can learn interesting things (there are some fascinating things available from people of all ages, including memories and recipes of senior citizens, and how to do stuff.
4) It's a highly interactive experience (if you want it to be). It just depends on whether you like this stuff or not.
Don't like YouTube for any reason? There are a host of others you can check out.
THE SMART MEDIA COMPANIES ARE JOINING THE FRAY
Not just with "promotional" clips or recaps of shows, but with Web-exclusive programming. Examples include New York Times video clips, or NBC's (slightly silly) Web exclusives.
Does that mean the less smart media companies aren't joining the fray? Let's just say some haven't figured out that Web video means "free" or "different." Some media giants are moving very slowly in this realm, and trying to hold onto older business models where everything is a "Store."
THERE IS A NEW WAVE COMING
Not old world, traditional media. Not entirely user-generated. There is a new wave of media sites that are attempting to bridge the gap between amateur and professional programming, and are trying some innovative approaches to video content on the Web. Some of these have social media elements, such as contests or voting systems that allow users to rate content, whether professionally produced or user generated (examples: Channel 102, with its quasi-TV programming and Funny or Die, with its user-rated comedy videos that are seen by millions).
IT'S EASY TO JUMP IN; LESS EASY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
It's pretty easy to get started as a Web video producer. All you need is a camcorder or Web cam, and a high speed Internet connection. The sites make it pretty easy to upload your video.
Oh, and one other thing - you also need an idea or two. In the end, it's the idea that counts - not the production values. We'll all be watching, I think, to see whether David, Goliath, or the space in-between is where the action happens. And some of us - many of us - will be the action.
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