The future of video content creation and distribution
By Cliff Etzel • Jun 22nd, 2007 • Category: The Business of VJ, Video JournalismI’ve been doing some thinking lately about the future of video content and it’s distribution for viewership. So I’m going to ask some hypothetical questions.
Is there a possibility that video content creation and distribution as we currently know it will cease and be replaced by something different – where hyperlinking video with other content and the Solo VJ paradigm will in a sense, replace the hair and teeth people that currently make up what we know as televised news or other content?
What if network broadcasting is replaced by the Outernet – where broadcast quality content is so pervasive that we no longer need Network TV as is its current incarnation?
Instead, internet access providers increase bandwidth to accommodate full rez video content, set top devices like Apple TV, or other media center computers receive the content that the user subscribes to, which is downloaded to their media center PC’s hard drive (which will be in the Terrabytes range), then can be played back at their leisure. Productions are supported by cost effective embedded advertising and sponsorship from companies would benefit from a specific productions content.
The shooter becomes a balance of talent, narration, shooter, editing and post production – for a specific style of content.
The detractors of the Solo VJ paradigm would have you believe that it isn’t possible.
Understand though that I realize in this post that there will always be a place for the more stylized productions that require more than the Solo VJ paradigm espouses. Certain projects won’t be possible due to the limitations of what is required for the end result (example – on camera talent walking the streets while talking – camera needs to follow talent – Solo VJ can’t be in two places at the same time, etc).
If one is looking to shoot in a style that would be shown, for example, on Discovery Channel – instead of a cable tv channel, a portal website replaces said channel, which can feed full or reduced rez content (depending on their preferences), utilizing the Outernets capabilities and the increased bandwidth to allow people to subscribe to video content via search terms (underwater, whales, diving, etc) to view what is of interest to them.
That is within the realm of the Solo VJ paradigm from what I have surmised so far.
Television executives will have to give the public what they want to see and not what the TV executive wants the public to see. I believe this touches on a fundamental issue we as content creators struggle with, which is giving people what they want (or think they want) to see.
Having said that, do we as content creators have a responsibility to band together to teach visual literacy by limiting what the public sees, in a sense, editing for higher artistic value, and as a result, teach them through higher quality content?
These are issues being faced right now by those who see their careers being threatened by the rapid pace of change in viewership habits. The Solo VJ paradigm brings to the table the opportunities to be on the cutting edge of video content creation, but the future is still uncertain.
And the answers have yet to be fully revealed.
Cliff Etzel is a regional award winning photojournalist from the Pacific Northwest who has been a visual content creator since 15 years of age. In his past still work, he specialized in photo documentary and slice of life stories. Since discovering the new paradigm of self contained video journalism, he now focuses his energies in the Solo VJ paradigm with an emphasis on people-based stories, environmental, social justice, travel and documentary work through his company, bluprojekt
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As media fragments due to the sheer vastness of the web, being able to generate revenue based on the dominance of niche markets, will be one of the key drivers. As mentioned with the Discovery Channel example content is available globally and all the time. How can content creators negotiate fees or prices when the traditional rate card of circulation, territory or primetime spots for example are not applicable. So far pay per click and percentage of ad or banner revenue has been key in affiliate marketing, but could this be superceded by another model or chargeable method.
That is an excellent point – how does someone monetize a return on their content with the net being so fragmented and to be honest – complex?
Does localization play a key in this? I have no idea. There is so much uncharted territory in this arena that it’s literally learn as you go.