Corporate vidcasts from TI

Texas Instruments Video360 Blog - Video360 Podcast

The "vidcasts" on the linked page illustrate how digital media is facilitating communications and comprehension in commercial organizations. It's nice that they discuss technologies for enabling the spread of video in applications such as set top boxes, video security, and more.

Broken Arrows - case study in gory detail

Broken Arrows - the Movie

The blog for this movie came out in May, stating a September date. Since the investors behind the movie include the founders of Google, they are upbeat about their schedules.

Transforming archives for digital access

TAPE - Training for Audiovisual Preservation in Europe - homepage

‘Conventional’ preservation of audiovisual materials is already quite complex, and the new possibilities offered by digitization are only beginning to be explored and understood.

Cellphone film?

The Cellflix Film Festival is an intiative by Ithaca College that asks students to submit their own footage. Remix central!

Creating Video Podcasts on Mac OS X

Tutorials - Creating Video Podcasts on Mac OS X

Now it's official. Apple has simplified the entire video sharing process.

They have a nice tutorial for using QuickTime 7 to capture footage from your camera, cut it up, and transcode it for Podcasting. They quickly mention the process of uploading files to a vault, creating an RSS feed, and then "publishing" to the iTunes directory.

For "quick and dirty", what more do you need?

Apple thinks teachers will embrace this way of delivering learning materials to students, and has a nice solution note to that effect, which includes a podcast creation guide.

IPTV now

TV will never be the same as computer networks engulf satellites, making them just another link in the mesh. Replacing dedicated SDI connections out to satellite uplinks, "cloud-based" services enable targeted TV programming.

As an example (delivered as a webcast, to computers at corporate clients), AT&T has just unveiled AT&T Internet Security News Network, "a first-of-its-kind 24/7 video Webcast that provides enterprises with critical security news and information, helping them to stay abreast of the latest security issues and remain one step ahead of malicious activities proliferating on the Internet".

MercuryNews.com 12/21/2005 When network security is at risk, they bring you the news


Another example, this time delivered over the internet (and viewed on TVs) to subscribers willing to pay $15 per month:

KyLinTV brings Chinese programming to the world, using set-top boxes from TransVideo, "the world's leader in digital video technology... its Super Easy Set Top Box and Mobile IPTV products use TransVideo proprietary CODEC technology based on H.264 / MPEG4-AVC standard. TransVideo provides technology to enable video and television broadcasting over the Internet".

And at the White House...

A Very Beazley Christmas

While we might wonder if our government resources are being deployed effectively elsewhere, there is no question that DIY video publishing gets the message out. PR will never be the same.

Television Archiving

Television Archiving is a great resource, provided by Jeff Ubois.

Video ads for blogs... Vive Networks

Vive Network - Cross Channel Multimedia Online Advertising is making a good thing even better by bringing video ads to blogs.

Click on the image to see an example.

According to Vive, the criteria used to determine a blog's worthiness include its quality and content, the target profile of the blog's audience, relevancy match with advertisers' needs, and blog traffic and impressions.

The company designed a system so that bloggers, once approved, only need to copy and paste a few blocks of HTML for targeted video ads to begin appearing.

Vive is currently in beta with a number of bloggers and advertisers and during the next several weeks hopes to make it available to the general public.

Videoblog from the set of "Superman Returns"

Superman Returns News is from Warner Bros, in advance of an upcoming release. What better way to see what goes on behind the scenes than to watch the production as it unfolds?

You can subscribe to the video extras via iTunes by typing in http://movabletype.warnerbros.com/supermanreturns/bryansjournals.xml to the "Subscribe to Podcast" option. We can watch "behind the scenes, making of a movie" footage before its release. Talk about building an audience.

The high definition trailers are hosted by Apple, in 480p, 720p and 1080p.

Good stuff!

New "products", new workflow

Cooking with HDV is a fascinating story of pioneering. Not only do the producers capture via HDV and then distribute video as 24p on DVD, they integrate distributed production teams (in LA and New York) to integrate computer playable materials and online resources on the DVD platter.

The producers are custom publishers. They intend to bundle their DVDs with food equipment and consumer electronic products as training and marketing support.

"It's all about doing things at your own pace. This kind of a product is geared toward that concept and that future. We just had to figure out how to do it first, that's all." - Steve Kirsh, Founder, Reel Food Entertainment

Hollywood and the Internet

Point: Peer-to-peer Films

FastCompany says Hollywood will have to adopt P2P distribution, from organizations like Kontiki.

Counterpoint: Hollywood Opts Out of the Google Economy

Consultancy I2 says it will be on Hollywood's terms, and at Hollywood's pace. Recommended reading.

Point again: Downloading for Dollars

Slate article by Edward Jay Epstein

Roundtables - "The Video iPod"

Roundtables - "The Video iPod"

"How will the new video iPod change video content in cyberspace? What does it suggest or promise as a cultural model? How will it affect independent media makers and corporate media providers? Is the video iPod good or bad for cinema—or is the term "cinema" no longer applicable in such a context?"

Nice thoughts from Mark Cuban and others on the impact of the iPod on cinema.

The Film Festival model

The Soul of Sundance's Machine - New York Times

There really is no way to find what's a great movie without audience reviews. I wonder how this process will live across markets and around the world once the internet makes distribution manageable.

Podcasting and Video Blogging conference session

Click here (or the graphic) to watch the entire session (1 hr).


The much-anticipated convergence of television and the Internet has not happened as anticipated. Instead, an ecosystem of mobile media devices is moving media consumption away from the desktop and into the living room using relatively simple web syndication technologies. Building on the combined cultural shifts of weblogs, the iPod and TiVo, streaming media is experiencing a long-awaited breakthrough into the cultural mainstream. This panel of experts will discuss some major effects of podcasting on mainstream media, and what’s happening with video-blogging.

Speakers
Moderator: Damien Stolarz, CEO, Robotarmy, Corp. & Author, Mastering Internet Video
Eric Rice, Founder, Audioblog.com
Kevin Marks, Principal Engineer, Technorati
Mark Larkin, Executive Producer, CNET Broadband and Webcasting, CNET Networks Inc.
Nicholas Ascheim, Product Manager, NYTimes.com

Excellence... New Tier

I've been enjoying a month by month improvement of communications from my alma mater, and I suspect I'm not alone. Universities have built in constituencies and extraordinary content. They are using targeted video publishing to increase fund-raising and alumni support. New Tier Communications has landed many influential accounts and deserves recognition for being out in front.

Here's what I received in my email today, taken from basketball action from earlier this week. Click on the picture and enjoy the highlight footage.

Elements of New Media technology offerings

So you have produced video, now you have to deliver it to your audience. That is easier said than done. How2Share Technologies has taken a comprehensive approach to personal media sharing.

Network: Their Pixpo network allows upload/download and management of media through multiple access methods.
Desktop software: The Pixpo client enables users to manage and share their videos.
Web service: The Flixpo service lets anyone browse and view clips, then download for either the iPod or PSP.

Beware, this is a startup, but their intent is admirable.

Filmaking today.... the case of Optimal Yoga

Optimal Yoga represents today's "state of the art" for startup production teams, in this case, Optimal Media Group. From their press release:

"OMG is an IP TV media production company with proprietary technology that publishes media for broadcast. These solutions allow content experts to personally coach millions of people."

Pilot publishing concepts like this test marketing assumptions and expose material to potential markets, partners and investors.

Upload Download

Veoh Networks - Internet Television Peercasting Network has released a nicely crafted tool for sharing and delivering video content.

The tool is easily downloaded, but I think the site is overwhelmed by useage. The server has been unavailable at times.

Certainly there is demand for a useful upload/download tool with media management capabilities!

Service bureaus for podcasting

Alternatives to broadcast will grow by leaps and bounds now. Services are surfacing that address just about every new market possibility. I'm sure these services will move beyond delivery of video to computers, iPods and PSPs. All sorts of set-top devices, at higher fidelity and for larger audiences (not personal devices) will start to pick up on the content coming to the internet.

Click the icon to visit What I Want Podcasting, of Miami. They describe some intriguing commercial applications in a variety of industries.

Podcasting through iTunes or FireAnt

Ripple Training has produced a couple of nice video segments on this. This 6min episode (it's 25 MG so you might want to "right click" as "save as..." to your hard disk) covers the tools and steps needed to publish through iTunes. Or, just subscribe to their feed via iTunes as they suggest.

They talk about moving appropriately formatted movies into .mac directories (for Mac users only, of course) and box.net (platform independent). Once files are on the web, they talk about creating RSS feeds using Casteasy and Feedburner. From here, iTunes (and FireAnt) users can subscribe to your feeds.

Converting Film in Australia

Esoteric Rabbit Films' Blog: Telecine

A very rough document, but shows the time consuming and expensive process of converting footage to usable digital material. Note, the cost was almost $2k (Australian dollars), the result fit on three DV tapes, and the producers didn't really get what they expected.

QuickTime, 17.7MB

Harvard courses via video podcasts

Talk about "tip of the iceberg"... these videos are very well done and now being Podcast.

If you want to get an idea how iTunes or FireAnt works with long-format video, this is a good feed to explore. The subject matter is very well presented, even with the most modest production setup. There is one stationary camera, no special lighting, sound, or post production other than transcoding. I found this raw footage more engaging than most "staged" educational productions. Capturing the natural presentation seems to work nicely.

It makes me wonder what the response has been. This course is being looked at throughout the world now, and the RSS feed reports will enable the publisher to track usage as the weeks go by. It's free to watch, but you have to pay for a workbook in order to complete the course.

No wonder video production is so popular... how long will it be before every teacher thinks up new modules to publish?

Getting Video out of the iPod and onto your TV

Here's how you hook the new iPod into standard TVs. Sharing media on standard AV equipment just makes sense.

I use my iPod (Model 1) as my car stereo, and it works great. I don't like ear "buds". I prefer the AV equipment I already have. So, my kids get to hear all the old jazz tunes I heard growing up when we go for long drives.

Maybe I'll hook a new iPod to the TV when I get home, to watch what I have accumulated during the day?

The revolution WILL be televised

The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Cisco purchase to fuel revolution in TV viewing

"Putting a Net connection inside the cable box starts the process of making Internet content available on home televisions"

'Nuff said.

Enjoyable distribution to PCs?

AtomFilms Hi-Def

OK... enough of the podcasting stuff... what about high end distribution, theatre quality, all those high definition TVs? At the Steaming Media conference in San Jose, I got to talk with the folks at Maven Networks, who have a nifty player now available through Atom films. Try it. It will download some neat short films in the background while you are watching others. Microsoft is sponsoring this use of their wmv HD formats.

From the press release:

The films available on 'AtomFilms Hi-Def' represent the best of the renowned AtomFilms catalog of shorts. They range from one minute to thirty minutes in length; many boast film festival awards, Academy Award nominations, and involvement by well-known talent. In celebration of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, this week's lineup includes the adrenaline-packed skiing short "Collins Brothers," and two hits from past Sundance Film Festivals ("Girl Go Boom" and "Venus Blue").

For brand advertisers, such as Nintendo and Microsoft WindowsXP Media Center, AtomFilms Hi-Def provides a unique interactive channel that delivers television-style advertisements even better than television does - offering high-quality playback, detailed usage tracking, and no ad-skipping or channel-changing. The commercials play prior to each film in the weekly line-up.

"We are at a crossroads in the evolution of digital entertainment," said AtomFilms founder Mika Salmi. "'AtomFilms Hi-Def' represents a giant leap forward, for audiences and advertisers alike. I'm pleased that through our partnership with Maven Networks we've made the viewing of movies online much more accessible and fun. Our audience is also privy to the immense power and impact of Microsoft's WMV HD and I am proud that we are the first to provide this glimpse into the future of high definition online films."

"Maven complements highly compelling user experiences with the software infrastructure needed to support a new generation of ad-driven video services and subscription-based business models," said Hilmi Ozguc, Maven Networks co-founder and CEO. "We are pleased to provide AtomFilms with the content management, production and delivery platform it needs to create groundbreaking services that offer movie fans an exceptional viewing experience and advertisers a branding medium that rivals television."

"AtomFilms is a pioneer in using WMV HD to enable the first online delivery of HD short film content to consumers." said Dave Fester, general manager of Microsoft's Windows Digital Media Division. "The quality of WMV HD means movie fans get a great experience, and the compression efficiency of WMV HD makes it the most cost-effective way of delivering HD content online."

'AtomFilms Hi-Def' is being showcased at this week's Sundance Film Festival, where the service premiered at Microsoft's party at 350 Main St. on January 19th (9pm-12am) In addition, throughout the week festival attendees will also be able to experience the new service and access past Sundance hits at Microsoft's Digital Center.

The Digital Video Expo East 2005

This has to be just the beginning... We've been thinking that conference sessions really should be available as stream services. It's a great way to justify your attendance, when others can see what you suggest they watch.

DV Expo has taken sessions from their last conference and put them online to help promote their next one. They edit from two cameras in the workshop rooms and the powerpoint slides being displayed alongside. A nice way to promote the new show is to show what happened at the last one, yes? You have to register to view the streams, and you agree to have your contact info sent to a sponsor.

The Digital Video Expo East 2005

The production was handled by PQH Productions, of Arlington, VA. Maybe they have "cracked the code" for conferences?

WSJ.com - What the In-Crowd Knows

WSJ.com - What the In-Crowd Knows

Quickly moving into every industry? I was stunned that the publishing blog has a $20 per month charge!

Rocketboom gives the lowdown on RSS aggregation tools

Rocketboom has released a nice video to walk through off-line readers (they show how videos are distributed through Bloglines, iTunes, FireAnt, dtv, mefeedia, as well as our old favorites from Google, and Yahoo.

Kent Bye and the Echo Chamber

I'm becoming so impressed by what Kent is doing with his Echo Chamber Project. He's got a video editing background as well as being a geek. He's pushing what "bottom up media" can become, and documenting the perspectives on this from a variety of sources. This video segment is from his video blog, which I recommend to anyone who enjoys using iTunes as a media reader (subscribe here). He's organizing an open-source initiative around collaborative video editing and distribution.

Want to take in a bit of his work? Just click the picture, or, since it takes some time to download, right-click it and "save target as..." onto your machine.

Podtropolis - BitTorrent Tracker for Your Video iPod

Now the illicit side of podcasting shows up for iPods. This new directory doesn't host movies but tracks them, so you can go find them and download them.

eHomeUpgrade | Podtropolis - BitTorrent Tracker for Your Video iPod

videoblogging : Video on the new iPod

videoblogging : Message: Video on the new iPod

It had to happen ... nice video podcasts (for free) from an Apple training company. Ripple Training sells $80 DVDs, and it looks like they are using iTunes to distribute their brand more widely. Sign up here (use iTunes "Advanced" menu):

www.rippletraining.com/movies/ripplecasts/ripplecast.xml

One Mac tool they feature is Podner, which automates transcoding a bunch of QT files for the iPod and placing the resulting files in a folding inside iTunes.

WordPress, DreamHost, and Mike Davidson

It's quite a blast to find someone who is investigating our part of the world, and who has the fortitude to blog about it. For me this morning, that guy is an ex-disney/espn vet named Mike Davidson. He's touting his own "bottom up" news system, but also pointing towards some very valuable resources (in addition to a neat "live" graphic on his home page ... maybe it's because it happened to be a sunny day in Seattle when I first saw it, but it looks great!).

For open source blogging software, he recommends WordPress

For web hosting services (with lots of space and built in support streaming video), there is DreamHost, brought out by some graduates of Harvey Mudd College.

And finally, for quickly accessing the world of blog, is BlogLines (the link is to Mike's public blog list, but most people make up their own).

The underpinnings for all this is a migration to "Web2.0". One consulting business in this area is Business Logs and their site provides one rationale for what this all means.

Documentary Film Network

The Documentary Film Network are pleased to announce the launch of the following new and unique features. You can now:

1, Upload your documentary films free.
2, Make a profit when others pay to watch your films!

Our screening room has the best streaming quality online!Please see our sample movie here:

http://www.documentary-film.net/search/sample.php Please accept our invitation and visit us to see what all the fuss is about. http://www.documentary-film.net We would welcome feedback on the site and its functionality.

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Ok, it says your show should be under 100 megabytes and in a Flash wrapper. They have an auction idea, where sponsors can insert ads into your shows. From the UK.

State of College athletic communications

New Tier Communications is pace setting what unbundled new media looks like, signing up a raft of college and pro teams.

http://www.newtier.com/

I'm sure I'm one of hundreds of thousands of Cal alumni who received a nice email today with this link:

If you would like to view today's press conference for FREE in it's entirety, simply visit The Golden Bear Sports Network and scroll to the bottom of the page to access the free preview.The Golden Bear Sports Network offers exclusive coverage of all of Cal athletics. Including live webcasts of athletic events, interviews, highlights, press conferences, and more.

The demo example

We have been commonly publishing a bit of media to a web page, as a sample of Web output. Just so it is clear, a blog can also access that media.

This is what the current example looks like.

Bringing media into the web and beyond is now manageable!

Realities of online video advertising

http://www.clickz.com/features/insight/article.php/3482046

A good article to describe a great opportunity going forward. As publishers learn to manage video services, they will find sponsors.

The flickrs of video emerge

Comparison of video hosting services by www.techcrunch.com

http://www.techcrunch.com/2005/11/06/the-flickrs-of-video/

One interesting site allows you to view it as either a blog format or a TV format.

http://blip.tv/

Ongoing reports from the field

I hope to use this space as a resource, identifying digital video solutions, both online and off.

http://wearethemedia.com/2005/10/25/videoblogging-in-education/

http://www.freevlog.org/

starting out the blog, not because these are special by themselves, but reflect the breathless eagerness of "mere mortals" who have never produced A/V materials before... now they can, and do.