The Producer Mentality: Everyone Needs to Think Like a Producer from New Media Interchange 21

 

New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


The Producer Mentality: Everyone Needs to Think Like a Producer from New Media Interchange 21

Every day I meet a lot of different people, from a lot of different industries, but due to the fact that my wife is a television writer and screenwriting teacher and I live in Los Angeles, I am especially surrounded by entertainment-minded people and those directly involved in the entertainment industry. The definition of this “industry” has also expanded dramatically of late with the inclusion or various YouTube, podcasting and blogging celebrities.

Producer mentality

Whenever I start talking New Media and Podcasting with these folks, they often inevitably turn to discussions of finding a mainstream broadcast network, pitching a show and having someone pay them to make the show. While that might have worked in the old world, although none too well, in today’s environment, I think a different mindset is required. Today, you don’t necessarily pitch a show to production companies and wait for someone else to say they like it. Instead, you produce it first — in some form — yourself.

That’s right, everyone is now, or at least should think like, a producer of their own content. We have spent years being managed by agents, managers, directors and producers, currying their favor in the slim hope that they might cast us in their latest show, hire us to write their script or produce our heartfelt project. That world is quickly changing and morphing into something quite different. Sure, the mainstream entertainment business will still be with us for the foreseeable future, but now there are a host of other opportunities available to us all.

One reason for these new opportunities is that the past limiting factor of distribution has finally been broken. This should be obvious when videos on YouTube are being watched by millions of people and podcasts have listenerships of tens or hundreds of thousands. For the first time ever, you are able to produce your show and deliver it to the screens of millions of people, not just in America, but around the world. You don’t have to have your project approved by a TV network, radio conglomerate or movie studio. You gather your money, your equipment and your utmost creativity and make it happen.
Sure, if your creation garners enough attention, the big media might come calling, but this shouldn’t necessarily be your end goal. Increasingly, as Internet distribution models continue to open up and money start to flow into these new media options, you might find you can make more money without the network and studios of today. Even better, you will retain more control over your content and retain more of the income derived from it. There is no need to pay the middleman anymore, unless they are truly providing a service.

So, now is the time for everyone to start thinking like a producer. What would you “love” to create? Who would like to hear it, see it, read it? How can you reach out to them? How much will it cost? More importantly, the question should be, “How can I get started today?”

Far too often I see entertainment creatives get bogged down in analysis paralysis over what they should produce, how they should do it, who should they work with and more. This is far too common and often prevents projects from ever seeing the light of day. In New Media, as it was in the earliest days of film and television, you sometimes have to to just “DO” something and see how it works. Each production becomes a lesson for every production that follows. Each show, each episode, each song, each video changes and improves each time. In New Media you have the space to develop your content. It doesn’t have to be perfect from episode one. Heck, even with mainstream television, pilot episodes are rarely the best episode of a series, or even a season. Everyone — actors, directors, writers, crew — have to discover what the show is about, how it works, who the characters are over time. They are rarely, if ever fully formed at the outset.

Even better, these days, the costs involved in spreading your message are rapidly approaching zero. Days, months and years spent gathering financial backing are much less of an issue in new media than traditional media. Using today’s technology, you can produce high-quality audio and video productions for a fraction of what the equipment alone would have cost your only 5 years ago. Sure, if you want to do a traditional, 60 minute, television drama with a cast of 10 or more people, yes, you are going to need some serious backing for that. What else can you produce, though, while you are trying to raise that money? You might find that that smaller project turns out better — and leads to better opportunities — than the more traditional project.

My message? You need to get the producer mentality today and start creating your own content. Find those around you with great ideas or content and start producing for them. Think like a producer and you will quickly find a wide variety of opportunities around you.

Now, I realize that not everyone wants to become a producer. That’s fine, but those people, at the very least, will need to partner up with someone — perhaps you — who does have the producer mentality and can bring their projects to fruitions. The days f waiting on agents, managers and the traditional gatekeepers is no longer required and, in most cases, no longer advised. In fact, in today’s entertainment world, waiting on anyone is probably not in your own best interest. It’s time to put on your producer’s hat and start creating your best ideas today.

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New Media Interchange 21: ABC Tests VR News, The New Apple TV, & Why Everyone Should Think Like A Producer

 

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New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


ABC Tests VR News,
The New Apple TV,
& Why Everyone Should Think Like A Producer

Listen Now

[audio:http://tracking.feedpress.it/link/10478/1779876/nmi_021_abc_vr_news_aplpe_tv_podcasting_microphones_and_more.mp3]


New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media Network which is launching a series of shows this week including Mindul(l) Media, The Render Break Report, New Media Interchange and More. You’ll find more information about 3rd Pass Media at http://3rdPass.Media.

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New Media Interchange 21: ABC Tests VR News, The New Apple TV, & Why Everyone Should Think Like A Producer

This is New Media Interchange where we talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. I’m your host, Douglas E. Welch, pioneer podcaster, blogger and writer.

In today’ show…

  • ABC tries out VR news coverage
  • Apple introduces the next Apple TV
  • TechRepublic details 20 years of VR at NASA
  • Why everyone should think like a producer
  • …and the next installment in our educational In the classroom… series
  • See the complete show notes at 3rdPass.media

More after this…

Today’s show is brought to you by Audible.com. I love New Media like podcasting and YouTube, but I also love all types of books. If you love audio books you can support New Media Interchange and 3rdPass Media by starting your free 30-day trial with Audible today. 

Choose from over 100,000 books, Including Walking in This World: The Practical Art of Creativity by Julia Cameron

Visit AudibleTrial.com/3rdpass or use the link in the show notes today.


 

New Media isn’t Just for the Big Guys from New Media Interchange 20

New Media isn’t Just for the Big Guys from New Media Interchange 20

by Douglas E. Welch

Nmi big guys

It is too easy these days to focus on the big entertainment news coming out of New Media and ignore all the things that New Media can do for everyone else from individuals to freelancers to small companies and beyond. Sure, it’s great to see new shows with big name starts being picked up by Netflix and exciting to hear about one company buying another, but for me, this isn’t the heart of what New Media is about.

Eleven years ago, when I started podcasting, I saw it is an opportunity for letting the world hear the underheard and see the underseen. It was about giving distribution and exposure to millions of people who never would have made it through the gatekeepers of mainstream media. Mainstream media, by the very nature of its technology had extremely limited time available for shows, so the competition was fierce. This often drove content to the lowest common denominator, designed to please the widest range of viewers possible — and deliver the largest number of eyes and ears to advertisers — rather than produce great content.

New Media had no such constraints. You could do a show about woodworking, or knitting, or gaming, or butterflies and easily make it available to those who wanted to see or hear it. You didn’t have to garner 3 million viewers to stay on the air. You only had to create a show that served an interested and devote niche base of fans. We have lost of a bit of this idealism, though, as money and the influence it buys started to make its way into New Media. It took a long time — and much outright denial — for mainstream media folks — actors, directors, producers — to understand New Media, but now they are taking over.

Read the entire article on New Media Interchange


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New Media Interchange 20: New Media isn’t just for big companies, a New Media Assignment and More! [Audio]

 

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New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


New Media Interchange 20: New Media isn't just for big companies, a New Media Assignment and More! [Audio]

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New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media Network which is launching a series of shows this week including Mindul(l) Media, The Render Break Report, New Media Interchange and More. You’ll find more information about 3rd Pass Media at http://3rdPass.Media.

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New Media Interchange 20: New Media isn’t just for big companies, a New Media Assignment and More! 

This is New Media Interchange where we talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. I’m your host, Douglas E. Welch, pioneer podcaster, blogger and writer.

In today’ show…

  • New Media Money, CBS Streams Sports and Tech giants try to stave off next VHS/Beta platform war
  • New Media isn’t just for the big companies
  • An assignment to jump start your new media creation
  • …and the next installment in our educational In the classroom… series
  • See the complete show notes at 3rdPass.media

More after this…

Today’s show is brought to you by Audible.com. I love New Media like podcasting and YouTube, but I also love all types of books. If you love audio books you can support New Media Interchange and 3rdPass Media by starting your free 30-day trial with Audible today. Choose from over 100,000 books, Including A Study in Scarlet, the first Sherlock Holmes story.

Visit AudibleTrial.com/3rdpass or use the link in the show notes today.


 

New Media Interchange 19: YouTube Launches Its Gaming Specific live streaming site and Does autoplay video force gruesome content on new media users?

 

Please subscribe, review and rate via iTunes 


New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


New Media Interchange 19: YouTube Launches Its Gaming Specific live streaming site and Does autoplay video force gruesome content on new media users?

Listen Now

[audio:http://tracking.feedpress.it/link/10478/1692867/nmi_019_youtube_gaming_and_autoplay_video.mp3]


New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media Network which is launching a series of shows this week including Mindul(l) Media, The Render Break Report, New Media Interchange and More. You’ll find more information about 3rd Pass Media at http://3rdPass.Media.

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New Media Interchange 19: YouTube Launches Its Gaming Specific live streaming site and Does autoplay video force gruesome content on new media users?

This is New Media Interchange where we talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. I’m your host, Douglas E. Welch, pioneer podcaster, blogger and writer.

In today’ show…

  • YouTube Launches Its Gaming Specific live streaming site and companion apps
  • Does autoplay video force gruesome content on new media users?
  • Followups from past shows 
  • ..the next entries in myHardware Hotlist  and In the Classroom series.
  • See the complete show notes at 3rdPass.media

More after this…

Today’s show is brought to you by Audible.com. I love New Media like podcasting and YouTube, but I also love all types of books. If you love audio books you can support New Media Interchange and 3rdPass Media by starting your free 30-day trial with Audible today. Choose from over 100,000 books, Including Jump Start Your Brain!: 50,000 Volts of Ideas for Cranking Your Cranium and Turning Your Dreams Into Reality by Doug Hall

Visit AudibleTrial.com/3rdpass or use the link in the show notes today.


 

New Media Interchange 18: Vertical Video… A Vice or Virtue? and more! [Audio Podcast]

New Media interchange, my new show with 3rd Pass Media, is now available on iTunes. 

 

Please subscribe, review and rate via iTunes 


New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


New Media Interchange 18: Vertical Video… A Vice or Virtue?

Listen Now

[audio:http://tracking.feedpress.it/link/10478/1661417/nmi_018_vertical_video_vice_or_virtue_and_more.mp3]


New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media Network which is launching a series of shows this week including Mindul(l) Media, The Render Break Report, New Media Interchange and More. You’ll find more information about 3rd Pass Media at http://3rdPass.Media.

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New Media Interchange 18: Vertical Video… A Vice or Virtue?

This is New Media Interchange where we talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. I’m your host, Douglas E. Welch, pioneer podcaster, blogger and writer.

In today’ show…

More after this…

Today’s show is brought to you by Audible.com. I love New Media like podcasting and YouTube, but I also love all types of books. If you love audio books you can support New Media Interchange and 3rdPass Media by starting your free 30-day trial with Audible today. Choose from over 100,000 books, Including Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling by Ross King

 

Visit AudibleTrial.com/3rdpass or use the link in the show notes today.


 

Audio: New Media Interchange 8: New Media is all about customer choice & An Interview With Jim Henson Puppeteer Grant Baciocco Part 3

New Media interchange, my new show with 3rd Pass Media, is now available on iTunes.

Please subscribe, review and rate via iTunes 


New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


New Media Interchange 8: New Media is all about customer choice & An Interview With Jim Henson Puppeteer Grant Baciocco Part 3

[audio:http://tracking.feedpress.it/link/10478/1218489/nmi_008_customer_choice_over_all_hardware_hotlist_and_interview_with_grant_bacioocco.mp3]

Listen to New Media Interchange 8: New Media is all about customer choice & An Interview With Jim Henson Puppeteer Grant Baciocco Part 3


New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media Network which is launching a series of shows this week including Mindul(l) Media, The Render Break Report, New Media Interchange and More. You’ll find more information about 3rd Pass Media at http://3rdPass.Media.

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New Media Interchange 8: New Media is all about customer choice & An Interview With Jim Henson Puppeteer Grant Baciocco Part 3

This is New Media Interchange where we talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. I’m your host, Douglas E. Welch, pioneer podcaster, blogger and writer.

In today’ show…

More after this…

Today’s show is brought to you by Audible.com. I love New Media like podcasting and YouTube, but I also love all types of books. If you love audio books you can support New Media Interchange and 3rdPass Media by starting your free 30-day trial with Audible today. Choose from over 100,000 books, Including one of my favorite books, Why Read Moby-Dick? By Nathaniel Philbrick

Visit AudibleTrial.com/3rdpass or use the link in the show notes today.

See the complete show notes at 3rdPass.media


Audio: New Media Interchange 7: Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality & An Interview With Jim Henson Puppeteer Grant Baciocco Part 2

New Media interchange, my new show with 3rd Pass Media, is now available on iTunes.

Please subscribe, review and rate via iTunes 


New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


New Media Interchange 7: Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality & An Interview With Jim Henson Puppeteer Grant Baciocco Part 2

[audio:http://tracking.feedpress.it/link/10478/1189592/nmi_007_vr_and_ar_in_the_news_and_pioneer_podcaster_grant_baciocco.mp3]

Listen to New Media Interchange 7: Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality & An Interview With Jim Henson Puppeteer Grant Baciocco Part 2


New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media Network which is launching a series of shows this week including Mindul(l) Media, The Render Break Report, New Media Interchange and More. You’ll find more information about 3rd Pass Media at http://3rdPass.Media.

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New Media Interchange 5: UpFronts NewFronts & YouTube Celebs with Douglas E. Welch

This is New Media Interchange where we talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. I’m your host, Douglas E. Welch, pioneer podcaster, blogger and writer.

In today’ show…

  • VR News explodes this week with announcements and news from most of the major players
  • Part 2 of my interview with Pioneer Podcaster, Grant Baciocco
  • Next entry in my Subscribed series where I share the great podcasts, YouTube Channels and blogs I’m subscribed to.
  • See the complete show notes at 3rdPass.media

More after this…

Today’s show is brought to you by Audible.com. I love New Media like podcasting and YouTube, but I also love all types of books. If you love audio books you can support New Media Interchange and 3rdPass Media by starting your free 30-day trial with Audible today. Choose from over 100,000 books, Including one of my favorite history books, The History of England from James I to the Glorious Revolution by Peter Ackroyd

Visit AudibleTrial.com/3rdpass or use the link in the show notes today.

See the complete show notes at 3rdPass.media


 

Audio: New Media Interchange 6: Crowdfunding suffers from growing pains and an interview with pioneer podcaster, Grant Baciocco

New Media interchange, my new show with 3rd Pass Media, is now available on iTunes.

Please subscribe, review and rate via iTunes 


New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


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Listen to New Media Interchange 6: Crowdfunding suffers from growing pains and an interview with pioneer podcaster, Grant Baciocco


New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media Network which is launching a series of shows this week including Mindul(l) Media, The Render Break Report, New Media Interchange and More. You’ll find more information about 3rd Pass Media at http://3rdPass.Media.

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New Media Interchange 5: UpFronts NewFronts & YouTube Celebs with Douglas E. Welch

This is New Media Interchange where we talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. I’m your host, Douglas E. Welch, pioneer podcaster, blogger and writer.

In today’ show…

  • Crowdfunding suffers growing pains
  • The Most Popular Games on YouTube this month
  • The First Entry in my Hardware Hotlist
  • The first part of my interview with Pioneer Podcaster, Grant Baciocco
  • Next entry in my Subscribed series where I share the great podcasts, YouTube Channels and blogs I’m subscribed to.
  • See the complete show notes at 3rdPass.media

More after this…

Today’s show is brought to you by Audible.com. I love New Media like podcasting and YouTube, but I also love all types of books. If you love audio books you can support New Media Interchange and 3rdPass Media by starting your free 30-day trial with Audible today. Choose from over 100,000 books, Including one of my favorites the Agatha Christie mystery, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which introduced readers to Hercule Poirot for the first time. 

Visit AudibleTrial.com/3rdpass or use the link in the show notes today.

See the complete show note at 3rdPass.media


 

Audio: New Media Interchange 5: UpFronts NewFronts & YouTube Celebs with Douglas E. Welch

New Media interchange, my new show with 3rd Pass Media, is now available on iTunes.

Please subscribe, review and rate via iTunes 


New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


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Listen to New Media Interchange 5: UpFronts NewFronts & YouTube Celebs with Douglas E. Welch


New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media Network which is launching a series of shows this week including Mindul(l) Media, The Render Break Report, New Media Interchange and More. You’ll find more information about 3rd Pass Media at http://3rdPass.Media.

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New Media Interchange 5: UpFronts NewFronts & YouTube Celebs with Douglas E. Welch

This is New Media Interchange where we talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. I’m your host, Douglas E. Welch, pioneer podcaster, blogger and writer.

In today’ show…

  • Networks vs. New Media at the Television UpFronts”
  • YouTube Stars vs Mainstream Celebrities
  • Some Amazing YouTube Stats from Syracuse University
  • News Followups about Virtual Reality, Ubisoft and 4k video delivery
  • Final Part of my interview with Michael Anderson, CEO of GameWisp.com which is helping game play video makers expand their monetization optons
  • Next entry in my Subscribed series where I share the great podcasts, YouTube Channels and blogs I’m subscribed to.
  • See the complete show notes at 3rdPass.media

More after this…

Today’s show is brought to you by Audible.com. I love New Media like podcasting and YouTube, but I also love all types of books. If you love audio books you can support New Media Interchange and 3rdPass Media by starting your free 30-day trial with Audible today. Choose from over 100,000 books, including the great business and productivity book, Getting Things Done by David AllenVisit AudibleTrial.com/3rdpass or use the link in the show notes today.

See the complete show note at 3rdPass.media


 

 

From the podcast…Nintendo wants a piece of that YouTube Money and plans on taking it out of the pockets of Let’s Play video makers

From the New Media Interchange podcast with Douglas E. Welch: Episode 1…

Listen to New Media Interchange Episode 1

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Gaming is the #2 category on YouTube, behind music, and you can find a wide variety of gaming reviews, recaps and a growing number of Let’s Play video series, where a gamer walks you through their experience of game from beginning to end. Some of these Let’s Play series can go on for 30 or 40 episodes as the gamer hacks and slashes their way through the zombies of Dying Light, works to save the fictional country of Kyrat from a crazed dictator or performs speed runs of amazing dexterity in Zelda or Mario Brothers. While many game manufacturers have a good relationship with Let’s Play producers — even providing them explicit license to play the game on video — the aged “big boy” of the gaming world — Nintendo hasn’t been playing nice of late.

Back in mid-2013, Nintendo starting claiming all YouTube revenue from many videos that included Nintendo Copyrighted content, like Let’s Play footage. They eventually backed off this wholesale money grab and last month created a “licensing” program that allows YouTube producers to continue sharing YouTube videos of Nintendo games in exchange for 30%-40% of the revenue according to articles from Game Informer. com.

While this certainly is a better deal than taking 100% of the revenue, I always look suspiciously at large companies taking money away from some of their biggest fans — turning off many of these fans from ever playing or sharing a company’s products in the future. Is this a sign that Nintendo is struggling overall and looking for a quick way to gain a quick cash boost? The company has been struggling of late, but I think trying to level out their balance sheet on the backs of fans might not be the way to do it.

What do you think? Are YouTuber’s getting a free ride on Nintendo gaming content? Is Nintendo making a desperate money grab? What does this mean for the thousands of hours of Nintendo gaming already available on YouTube and its creators? I’d love to know what you think. Send along a comment on the blog, email to nmi@3rdpass.media or via Twitter to @NMIPodcast.

Audio: New Media Interchange: HBO, Silicon Valley and TwitchTV, Media fragmentation, Meerkat and Periscope and more!

New Media interchange, my new show with 3rd Pass Media, is now available on iTunes.

Subscribe Via iTunes 


New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


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Listen to HBO, Silicon Valley and TwitchTV, Media fragmentation, Meerkat and Periscope and more!


New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media Network which is launching a series of shows this week including Mindul(l) Media, The Render Break Report, New Media Interchange and More. You’ll find more information about 3rd Pass Media at http://3rdPass.Media.

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HBO, Silicon Valley and TwitchTV, Media fragmentation, Meerkat and Periscope and more!

This is New Media Interchange where we talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. I’m your host, Douglas E. Welch, pioneer podcaster, blogger and writer.

In today’ show…

  • HBO’s Silicon Valley takes their show directly to the gamer audience via TwitchTV,
  • Video Killed The Television Star: Why Total Fragmentation Is The New Norm
  • Meerkat and Periscope put live streaming in your hand

I’ll round out the show with a book review of video game storytelling and the next installment of my Subscribed series.

More after this…

Today’s show is brought to you by Audible.com. I love New Media like podcasting and YouTube, but I also love all types of books. If you love audio books you can support New Media Interchange and 3rdPass Media by starting your free 30-day trial with Audible today. Choose from over 100,000 books. Including one of my favorites, The Hobbit. Visit AudibleTrial.com/3rdpass or use the link in the show notes today.

SFX: Silicon Valley Trailer Clip

HBO’s Silicon Valley takes their show directly to the growing gamer audience via TwitchTV

A recent article in The Verge details how HBO is taking their newest comedy, Silicon Valley, directly to an existing audience that is probably predisposed to watch it — the viewers of Amazon’s TwitchTV streaming service that focuses on all types of gaming related content. These TwitchTV viewers likely already understand the joys of “cable-cutting” or freeing themselves from cable television subscriptions in lieu of “over-the-top services” like Twitch, YouTube, Netflix and now, HBO Now..

For me, this move makes a great deal of sense. Through Twitch, HBO can reach an audience that almost directly matches their desired audience. Through HBO, Twitch expands its programming beyond game play and into other aspects of their members’ lives. HBO also gets a chance to give Twitch users a taste of what they might be able to watch if they subscribe to HBO Now — content that was unavailable except via cable television until very recently. As The Verge article states, HBO is using “video games as a trojan horse” and getting their content in front of “roughly 100 million monthly active users” of Twitch. It is my bet that it will prove to be great promotion for everyone involved — HBO, Twitch and the users of both sites.

I imagine we’ll see more and more collaborations like this between all the players in what I call the “alternative TV” market. As the choice of content and services increases, discovery of exciting new content grows more difficult. Users can be overwhelmed with choice, but “giving them a taste” of content has always been a way to gather new viewers and it will continue to be important long into the future. Video content producers still need to find receptive audiences, as HBO has done here, but the opportunities for these collaborations in new and unique ways will continue to grow.

Video Killed The Television Star: Why Total Fragmentation Is The New Norm

All this collaboration, cross-over and cooperation between various content providers continues to push the fragmentation of the television and online video content market and David Armano over at the Logic+Emotion blog has written posts detailing exactly how this is happening and the trends he sees being created. First came DVRs, then YouTube, then other online video services signalled the end of television’s stranglehold on video entertainment. It gave consumers more choice over the type of content they wanted to view and provided the technology to time shift entertainment so viewers could watch what they wanted, when they wanted it. They didn’t need to rely on the curation and control that was wielded by mainstream media anymore.

Once the technology advanced to a certain degree — with relatively easy-to-access high speed Internet and software — content creators and providers immediately saw the opportunities it presented. Once content was available in significant quality and quantity, users quickly began to explore and enjoy the viewing options they had and — despite claims to the contrary — began cutting the cord more and more frequently.

For myself, I haven’t had a cable television subscription for several years now, opting to use broadcast to watch the few mainstream shows I do watch and a combination of YouTube, Netflix and other online video sources for the remainder of my viewing. Even though I am older than the target demographic for cord cutting, I have no problems leaving the “vast wasteland” of mainstream television behind, now that I have plentiful options. I can imagine that younger viewers, who tend be be a bit more tech savvy find it even easier to explore the myriad of options available. For me, the fragmentation of the industry is a welcome change and one I think will provide more unique and diverse content than ever before. There is a whole new entertainment world out there and I plan on taking great advantage of it.

While YouTube, Netflix and the other current “big boys” of online video content will continue to thrive in the coming years, even they are seeing competition and fragmentation in the form of live streaming sites like TwitchTV, and smartphone apps that put streaming in the hands of anyone with a smartphone.

SFX: Music Bed

…and that thought leads us into our last story for this episode…

Meerkat and Periscope put live streaming in your hand

In the last couple of weeks there has been an explosion in the mobile live streaming space with first the indie app, Meerkat, exploding to life during this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) conference followed closely by recent Twitter acquisition, Periscope. Both of these apps all offer nearly one-touch live streaming from your smartphone or tablet and use Twitter as the main discovery and interaction source, with streams being announced immediately via Twitter and interactive chat messages, in the form of Tweets, overlaid right on the video stream. The release of these two services caused a veritable flood of live streams with everyone testing out the services and how they might be able to use them. Things have settled down considerably since launch, but I am still seeing quite a bit of activity in my Twitter stream.

For me, live streaming is a special use case. While I wouldn’t use it everyday, it can be dramatically useful during special events or breaking news stories to give immediate and alternative views a forum for the event. Other content creators thrive on live streaming. Both they and their audience love the immediate interaction via Twitter or chat room. it does indeed bring a much different feel to a show which is quite different from pre-recorded videos such as those on YouTube and elsewhere.

It will be a while before we see exactly where Meerkat, Periscope and other live streaming options fit into the overall online video market, but I think we can all be certain that we will see other, similar apps in the near future.

You can read more about Meerkat and Periscope in the articles linked in the show notes.

Is Meerkat winner-take-all?

Periscope, Twitter’s answer to Meerkat-style live streaming, is now available

The Race To Make Everyone A Livestreamer

Angry Joe and Nintendo

In a follow up on our story from last episode about Nintendo claiming copyright and advertising revenue from YouTubers who share their game play, it looks like the company finally forced one major YouTube personality, Joe ‘Angry Joe’ Vargas to give up on them entirely. Vargas boasts nearly 2 million subscribers on YouTube, a significant audience in the gaming space.

In a multi-part, self-titled “Rant” Vargas details how much money he has spent on Nintendo products and how much time he has spent sharing and promoting their devices and games and his extreme disappointment in the company’s YouTube policies. He has decided to totally drop the playing, recording and reviewing any of Nintendo’s devices and games rather than deal with constant copyright claims or joining Nintendo’s Creators Program which takes 40% of a YouTuber’s revenue for the right to post and share Nintendo games and doesn’t cover usage of all Nintendo games, only a portion.

You can find all of Angry Joe’s Nintendo rants, and all his other game reviews and game play videos on his YouTube Channel – AngryJoeShow.

YouTuber Angry Joe Swears Off Nintendo Videos After The Company Claimed His Mario Party 10 Take

Also in the news this week:

HBO Now Live on Apple TV

HBO’s over-the-top service HBO Now launched this week exclusively on Apple TV and Apple mobile devices for 3 months. Fans of Game of Thrones and other HBO shows can finally get them, legally, without a cable television subscription, for $15 a month.

Roku 3 Media Streaming Box adds new remote with with voice search

Along with Apple TV and Google Chromecast there are other streaming media players out there on the market, including the somewhat lesser known Roku 3. Press releases report the Roku has added a new remote to this device which allows you to do Voice Search to find shows over about 17 major apps, including Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and Hulu Plus.

Pixar’s Renderman released for free

Now anyone with a powerful enough computer can use the same animation software used to create PIxar movies like Toy Story for their non-commercial projects. This follows on the release of various gaming engines like UnReal Engine 4 and Unity in free non-commercial use versions. And also better licensing options that allow independent game makers to use the software for free up to certain levels of earnings.

Links to all these stories are in the show notes

SFX: Music Bridge – “Theme for Harold (var. 3)” by Kevin MacLeod (http://Incompetch.com) under Creative Commons License

Book Review: Video Game Storytelling: What Every Developer Needs to Know about Narrative Techniques by Evan Skolnick

Check out the book on Amazon.com

At first glance, an outsider to the world of video games might see little relation between a major motion picture and a video game. They seem to be different genres, different worlds, even when movies crossover to become games and games crossover and are developed into movies — often badly. The action, the interactivity, the immersion of video games can make their stories seem unlike a standard narrative program. Surely, due to the player’s control of characters, video games can’t be written in the same way as a television script. While that might be true in some regards, when you go deeper into the creation of story that drives the final narrative, there are more similarities between writing for film and video games than you might imagine. These similarities also mean that many similar challenges exist for these writers regardless of their genre.

Writer Evan Skolnik is an international speaker and educator who conducts workshops on storytelling techniques and has worked on large scale video game projects such as Star Wars 1313, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 and Spiderman 3.

The first half of Video Game Storytelling would be familiar to anyone who has ever taken a film writing course. It discusses the “three act structure”, “The Hero’s Journey” and the Monomyth that are the basis for many of our most classic books and films like Star Wars and Alien. Skolnick uses these well-known films to illustrate various writing concepts but then expands his examples with examples from well-known video games and how they also use these same techniques. These games include the Bioshock series, Uncharted and Metal Gear Solid. Thankfully, just as with movies, many scenes and playthroughs of these games are easily available via YouTube. This allows the reader to familiarize themselves with games they may have never played and fully understand the lessons Skolnick references.

While there is a good deal of video game examples spread throughout this first half, I found myself wishing for even more examples of how the traditional writing and storytelling rules applied to video games.

The second half of Video Game Storytelling details the many disciplines involved in creating a video game and how each of these affects — and is affected by — the narrative tools he has illustrated in the first half. For incipient video game developers this is where they will find the “meat” of the book and the majority of the author’s expertise. The information found in the first half might be found in any good book on screenwriting, but the detailed breakdown of all the video game development disciplines, their challenges and their relationship to the narrative of any video game should probably be required reading for anyone considering a career in video game design and development.

In the “In the Trenches” section, Skolnik details the responsibilities of each important discipline including Game Character Development, Level and Mission Development, Environments, Audio and several others. He also details how a video game writer needs to work with each of these disciplines in order to create a well-balanced, successful, and most importantly playable video game.

Throughout Video Game Storytelling you will see and hear a complaint common to any collaborative writing and creative enterprise — the lack of inclusion, if not outright respect, for the creator of the narrative of a game. There are several common mistakes in dealing with a writer, whether in traditional media such as television or film or the relativly younger video game industry. Skolnick lays out the biggest mistakes creative teams can make with their narrative experts i.e. writers. These mistakes can range from not hiring a writer at all for your game to hiring a writer but then not giving them the power and support to defend the narrative from the competing demands of all the disciplines mentioned above. Too often writers are given all the responsibility for the narrative, but very little power to defend that narrative. This can often translate into taking much of the blame for a less-than-successful game, even when many of the narrative decisions were taken out of their control.

Skolnik’s best advice when hiring a video game writer can be summed up as — hire as early as possible in the development process, integrate them fully and equally with all the other disciplines and teams, listen to their guidance about the narrative. A game developer is paying their writer for their experience, advice, and knowledge. They should then take it. Too often, though, that is not the case. The writer — and the narrative — get shunted aside by cool gaming mechanics, great explosions and intricate AI characters.

One of the main reasons I requested a review copy of the book from Blogging for Books is so I could better familiarize myself with game development and be able to discuss it more intelligently with my high school aged son, who is looking at a career somewhere in the game development industry. As I read the book, I found myself reading him some of the stories and ideas out loud and also encouraging him several times to read the book as soon as I had completed it. I think there is a great deal of knowledge to be gained from both sections of the book. The “Basic Training” section gives an excellent introduction into the world of the Three-Act Structure and the second half applies that knowledge in very concrete ways specific to video game development. It is a great starting point for learning about an industry — video gaming — that is rapidly becoming a huge entertainment industry on the level of traditional television or film.

SFX: Far Lands or Bust Opening Clip

Subscribed

Today in my Subscribed series is Far Lands or Bust. This series is where I highlight those Podcasts, blogs and YouTube Channels I subscribe to and watch regularly.

Years ago my son, Joseph, was just getting into online gaming and his introduction to that world was the now common gateway drug of Minecraft. In Minecraft and online in multi-user worlds he found a great collection of people. I was almost universally surprised and happy with the quality of folks he found there, which made me feel more comfortable with allowing him to play more video games as he grew up.

His interest also developed my own interest in Minecraft both as a player and viewer of Minecraft-related content. He shared his favorite YouTube personalities and their channels with me and they became — and remain — a significant part of my online video viewing. Far Lands or Bust and its creator, KurtJMac was one of my first subscriptions.

Far Lands or Bust is a series of Minecraft videos with a good cause. Like a virtual walkathon, Kurt is walking to the “Far Lands” of Minecraft and raising money for the Child’s Play charity. He has raised over $269,000 so far with his travels. The show is combination of various things. It’s a travelogue as he walks through his Minecraft world, a bit of a video blog, and as some people see it — an audio podcast with some pretty scenery. As he walk and has adventures in the Minecraft world, Kurt talks about gaming-related topics as well as his other interests including space exploration and astronomy.

Each season, Kurt hosts a marathon live stream as the culmination when he and the viewers reach their fundraising goal for Child’s Play. This brings in special guests, special live episodes of Far Lands or Bust, group gameplay in Minecraft and other games and, typically, a lot of fun and laughter.

Kurt also does a host of other video shows, some are Minecraft related but he also enjoys a variety of driving games and loves to check out quirky, artistic or just plain odd games from independent game publishers. You can find everything at FarlandsorBust.com or on his YouTube Channel KurtJMac. You’ll find links in the show notes.

Far Lands or Bust

KurtJMac on YouTube

SFX: Music Bed

That’s it for this episode of New Media Interchange where I talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more.

Some music written and produced by Kevin MacLeod at Incompetech.com and used under Creative Commons License by the author.

New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media network. For more information, visit 3rdPass.media. Do you have questions or comments? Send them along to NMI@3rdpass.media or via Twitter at @NMIPodcast .

I’m Douglas E. Welch and I’ll be back next week with more New Media news on New Media Interchange..

***

Audio: New Media Interchange: Nintendo and Youtubers, Netflix to spend $5B on programming, Best time to post your videos and more!

New Media Interchange is a podcast spotlighting various developments in New Media & focusing on the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. Hosted by Douglas E. Welch , pioneer podcaster, blogger and new media consultant.


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Listen to Nintendo and Youtubers, Netflix to spend $5B on programming, Best time to post your videos  and more!


New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media Network which is launching a series of shows this week including Mindul(l) Media, The Render Break Report, New Media Interchange and More. You’ll find more information about 3rd Pass Media at http://3rdPass.Media.

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Nintendo and Youtubers, Netflix to spend $5B on programming, Best time to post your videos  and more!

This is New Media Interchange where we talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more. I’m Douglas E. Welch, pioneer podcaster, blogger and writer.

In today’ show…

Nintendo wants a piece of that YouTube Money and plans on taking it out of the pockets of Let’s Play video makers, Netflix plans on spending over $5 billion on programming in 2016, and Tubefilter explains the best times to post your YouTube videos for maximum impact.

Will round out the show with some words about “Attracting Attention to Yourself” and end up with the first entry in my Subscribed series, highlighting the podcasts, blogs and YouTube Channels I am subscribed to.

More after this…

Today’s show is brought to you by Audible.com. I love New Media like podcasting and YouTube, but I also love all types of books. If you love audio books you can support New Media Interchange and 3rdPass Media by starting your free 30-day trial with Audible today. Choose from over 100,000 books. Including one of my favorites, The Hobbit..

Visit AudibleTrial.com/3rdpass or use the link in the show notes today. 


Gaming is the #2 category on YouTube, behind music, and you can find a wide variety of gaming reviews, recaps and a growing number of Let’s Play video series, where a gamer walks you through their experience of game from beginning to end. Some of these Let’s Play series can go on for 30 or 40 episodes as the gamer hacks and slashes their way through the zombies of Dying Light, works to save the fictional country of Kyrat from a crazed dictator or performs speed runs of amazing dexterity in Zelda or Mario Brothers. While many game manufacturers have a good relationship with Let’s Play producers — even providing them explicit license to play the game on video — the aged “big boy” of the gaming world — Nintendo hasn’t been playing nice of late.

Back in mid-2013, Nintendo starting claiming all YouTube revenue from many videos that included Nintendo Copyrighted content, like Let’s Play footage. They eventually backed off this wholesale money grab and last month created a “licensing” program that allows YouTube producers to continue sharing YouTube videos of Nintendo games in exchange for 30%-40% of the revenue according to articles from Game Informer. com.

While this certainly is a better deal than taking 100% of the revenue, I always look suspiciously at large companies taking money away from some of their biggest fans — turning off many of these fans from ever playing or sharing a company’s products in the future. Is this a sign that Nintendo is struggling overall and looking for a quick way to gain a quick cash boost? The company has been struggling of late, but I think trying to level out their balance sheet on the backs of fans might not be the way to do it.

What do you think? Are YouTuber’s getting a free ride on Nintendo gaming content? Is Nintendo making a desperate money grab? What does this mean for the thousands of hours of Nintendo gaming already available on YouTube and its creators? I’d love to know what you think. Send along a comment on the blog or via Twitter to @NMIPodcast.

Read More
Nintendo Updates Their Bad YouTube Policies By Making Them Worse


In our next story, courtesy of Business Insider, Netflix will spend $5 billion on programming in 2016…

Netflix will spend $5 billion on programming in 2016, more than everyone but ESPN, says Janney

I often comment to people how I am amazed to took so long for large, Internet companies like Netflix, Google and Amazon to get into content creation for their services. Living here in Hollywood itself, I have seen the production companies — those entities that do the actual nitty-gritty work producing a television show — don’t really care who pays the bills, as long as there is money to be made. I knew it was only a matter of time before they started to see services like Netflix, Google Play and Amazon as potential partners in content creation.

Therefore I see no surprise at all that Netflix is going to be spending even more in the future creating exclusive content. With critically acclaimed series like House of Cards, I think they can see a great potential for content beyond the traditional, mainstream, broadcast networks. I would expect to see even more players enter this market, both in the existing ranks of high-tech businesses as well as new startups focused on becoming the next, great, content network.

You can read the complete story using the link in the show notes.

 


 

Finally, for all you incipient content creators out there, TubeFilter provides a detailed article on the best days and times to post your videos for maximum viewership. If you are looking to turn your content into an on-going moneymaker, information like this can be critical. Moving the number of views 5% upwards could result in a significant boost in advertising earnings. As a fairly casual producer of YouTube content myself, I tend to post videos whenever I have time and whenever they are complete. After reading this article, though, I think I am going to spend a bit more time and consideration on my video release schedule. All the detailed tables and charts are available in the TubeFilter link in the show notes.

Want To Know The Best Days And Times To Post YouTube Videos? Here’s A Yearly Calendar.


Attracting Attention Yourself!

Ever since I first heard George Carlin’s comedy album, Class Clown, a certain phrase has always stuck with me… (paraphrasing) The job of a class clown is…ATTRACTING ATTENTION TO YOURSELF! I call this “Carlin’s Law of Attraction!” Replace class clown with any other profession and you will see the universal truth of that statement. Replace class clown with “podcaster” and you can probably see where I am headed.

Podcasting offers anyone the ability to “attract attention to yourself”, your business, your cause, whatever is important to you. Sure, it can be difficult to rise above all the other folks who have already discovered podcasting, but the odds are certainly much better than they ever were in the traditional media.

Carlin’s Law of Attraction, also dictates that you want your media spread as far and wide as possible. This means posting your videos to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and any other spots where your audience might stumble across them. That said, each piece MUST have some links driving people back to your home site where they can subscribe to your content directly.

Everything depends on your ability to attract attention to your content. Scripts and books don’t sell themselves in your drawer (or trapped in your computer), art does sell when it sits in a closet and your podcast doesn’t attract an audience if no one ever gets to see it.

Apply Carlin’s Law of Attraction to everything you do, podcasting, writing, office work, whatever, and you will find that things just start to happen for you.


That’s it for this episode of New Media Interchange where I talk about the media world beyond mainstream television and radio, including podcasting, YouTube, live streaming, gaming and more.

New Media Interchange is part of the 3rd Pass Media network. For more information, visit 3rdPass.media. Do you have questions or comments? Send them along to NMI@3rdpass.media or via Twitter at @NMIPodcast .

I’m Douglas E. Welch and I’ll be back next week with more New Media news on New Media Interchange..