Where are the video bloggers in this country? We have Technolotics and we have Balcony TV, anyone else? Blogs pushed the idea of homemade content and subscribing to it and then podcasting came along and is going quite well in fairness, but what about video content? When will Ireland have a Ze Frank and can we help it along? I’ve been chatting to a few tech companies to see would they sponsor some gear for such a thing. Two tech companies seemed interested but then they always say that instead of saying “get lost smelly blogger”. Too polite they are.
What I’d like to see are the current creative types who make quick podcasts, flash games and go crazy with photoshop, to start considering video too. Since most of the stuff created for YouTube and Bebo seems to be done in bedrooms using webcams then the first step to help along this new generation of content producers might be to give them web cams. This is where the tech companies come in to donate their gear and naturally they’d get some good coverage as a result.
What I’d like to see is a few people (maybe 10) given videocameras or even just cheapish webcams after they agreed to create something like a 5 minute show once a week for a month or once a week for two months. These shows would then be uploaded to a website with the sponsor’s name on it. There the public can rate these videos.
An audition or competition would be held to give the webcams and software to those who send in the best proposals. Then each week the shows are watched and after a month prizes of tech gear could be given out to those deemed the best shows. It’d be a first in Ireland for a competition to encourage digital creativity. It would be guaranteed to get the tech company or even non-tech company some good press as well as goodwill. We could even find the elusive Ze O’Frank.
Ze O’Frank is a talented guitarist and voice actor who lives in County Tipperary. You will see his three minute videos once a week on mobile phone screens and through web browsers starting in October.
You know there’s not enough broadband in Ireland to foster vidcasts for mainstream viewing.
Let’s be realistic though. Even with big budgets and top quality equipment 99% of TV is utter tripe.
What do we expect vidcasting to be like? If it’s anything like the cretins who use YouTube to post their video diaries then we can do without it.
Please tell me you are not doing a “You’re a Star” of the tech world, but without the ability to sing? Where do I apply!
Given what you are talking about, you have barcamp Ireland coming up. Trial it and see how it goes.
On the other hand, rocketboom is scripted. You could try that angle.
If you’re doing compelling video, you need scripting behind the faces. At the very minimum, that means a few storyboards for key frames.
I imagine this kind of initiative involves a tame 20M writer supporting a mad face on a small screen. We have all the kit and the hosting bandwidth already in place.
Just because we’re capable of doing something doesn’t mean we should.
Camera + YouTube + embed on your blog = DIY TV but really unless it’s something conceptually different I would never look at it.
It might spark some innovative people who are creative enough to make it work but most of it will be utter bilge.
I predict an Irish vidcasting Dennis Pennis or Dom Joly.
THis is a good idea and comes in at one end of the spectrum but what I’d also like to see is semi-professinal stuff like what’s being done at TurnHere (http://turnhere.com/). Why can’t Bord Failte sponsor production of similar video tours for Irish attractions?
Meant to add…
I’ve passed through Cashel a number of times in my life but never felt inclined to trek up the famous Rock. Guess what’s made me determined to correct that next time I’m there? Bernie Goldbach’s countless wonderful photos of the ruins.
And that’s just still photos! Imagine what moving vignettes could do to promote the Rock and other Irish attractions, even to a native audience.
This kind of thing is being tried on youtube already.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyfRLgJKOfE
Renetto is going to give 100 web cams to people with the best reasons, h is doing it to get more quality videos onto youtube.
I have to agree with 20, there is alot of really poor material, but there is also alot of quality there as well, just check out Damiens blog and the amount of youtube links he has.
It’d be easy to be put off, reading your points of view, gents, but I think that some of the specialist businesses could make shows about their passions no less compelling than what’s on TV. At least if it was bilge, it would be bilge with lumps in.
I’m on the board of a youth film group which is looking into video podcasting in Kilkenny. I’m also considering it myself as a direct extension to KilkennyMusic.com, we’ve been slowly putting together audio podcasts (due for release in a few weeks) and figured – hell, we can use cameras and came through camera training so we may as well lash out video too. From feedback garnered over the last 11 months, there’s demand locally (Kilkenny) for it anyway, from a bands point of view.
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I talked with Tourism Ireland’s boss a few weeks back and mentioned that some kind of IPTV programming was absolutely necessary if Ireland was to talk to its potential visitors the way they wanted to listen and (see). And rural tourism is suffering. Maybe if more people mentioned it? I think mobile is a viable outlet now that oeprators are letting customers into the billing process. It’s make a good web project to do the citizen Ireland thing, even using mobile phone cameras.
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