06/03/07 – More ways to view television

There is no doubt in my mind, that the Internet has become a convenient viewing platform for watching popular television series as well as films, cartoons and other such popular genres. In particular catching up, repeaing and most importantly watching at your own convenience. Two such sites which I have been recommended to look at are as follows;

Alluc is one of your typical directory sites which we have already explored, sharing links to the media we may wish to view. Although this site is very well laid out and easy to navigate around, you do have to register in order to access the links, it would at least appear that way on my visit to the site. The links that are available vary in quality but very few match the quality of downloading a TV recording or watching live. There is also the issues of screen within screen which does in some respect compromise the viewing pleasure. Nonetheless this site does carry a wide and diverse range of TV shows, movies, cartoons, anime, and sporting clips for you to view.

Another site is  TV-Video which appears to be even more user friendly then the last, offering not only some of the most popular current American television series (such as 24, Lost, House, Desperate Housewives and Family Guy) but also gives the detail of episode and season number and title of each episode, which the avid fan will very much appreciate. Allthough only stocking a brief collection, this site seems dedicated to providing quality and ease of access, even offering links to other series from other websites (such as Grey’s Anatomy) and adverts through Google of where to buy them. This site only offers a stream and not a download, and recommends a late visit when servers are quieter.  The video quality is good but once again your are forced to watch a box within a box even in large screen format. This site does contain the latest episodes and also offers links to other sites such as DVD Cosmos.

DVD Cosmos is a very basic site, but again is simple and affective to use. Varying from other sites, this one includes a blog keeping you update of the progress and new uploads as well as a forum for discussing different topics, mainly certain types of TV show and the site itself. But it is an important way of gaining audience feedback and interaction. So maybe a production blog of some kind or at least a link to a forum would be useful in engaging my intended audience with the TV show Chalkhill Lives, and to get them airing their views in a place where they can be instantly recorded and potentially actioned. DVD Cosmos appears to host quite a wide range of old and new shows, allows for both wider screen viewing (although still box within a box) and also downloading of it’s shows. It does take a long time to buffere even the shortest of shows and the quality of the ones I viewed were okay but as ever, far from perfect. Nonetheless this is yet another viewing platform for an online audience to get hooked into and no doubt it gets its regular visitors.

01/03/2007 – The Media Channel

Discovering this by sheer luck, I stumbled upon the Media Channel: The guide for Internet Television and Video, with it’s tagline “…changing the way the world views the Internet!”. It’s main aim is to point the Internet audience towards some of the best video content that can be seen on your PC or MAC. This is the ‘flagship site’, of which two others have emerged; Media Channel Guide (dedicated to Internet television) and Media Channel TV (focusing more on internet video content in general). The main site acts as a major directory for the Internet and encourages it’s visitors to add additional websites of entertaining or research and informative value. Organising its content in categories, the website is relatively easy to navigate around and it’s links take you straight to the hosts website where the interested footage or live stream can be found. What this allows if for both amateur and professional sites to be placed together and in an appropriate forum.

Although this is very similar to other sites in it’s approach, and the content is questionable to it’s merit for having an audience, there are no doubt some hidden gems and good points of research. However it would still be arguable whether or not such a directory is required, as search engines such as Google can powerfully search for any live streams or video content we require with quite accuracy and precision. Also some of the sites you are directed to (for example the MTV Overdrive Channel) only allow certain content to be screened in the USA making it a useless link to anyone else accessing it outside of America. What initially seems like a fantastic idea as ever seems to get swamped in it’s own limitless boundaries and as a result it’s appropriateness and usefulness is highly in question.

12/02/07 – Homemade Television

A new program by Channel 4 is their ‘Homemade’ section of T4, their teenage viewing weekend slot. Homemade is a show, which just like Current TV, allows its audience to generate content. This show, presented by Dave Berry, allows you to upload short thirty second to four minute clips, which if deemed worthy by online voting, will then be shown on the Sunday morning show. Clips which are uploaded are first moderated before being placed online for voting. The online audience is then given a scale of 1-10 to vote on each video, 1 being rubbish and 10 being simply good as they put it, with a title above the small windows media player screen; ‘Homemade: Television made by you’. It includes such inserts as the ‘Lip Sync Chart’. ‘Homemade talent’, ‘Too much time on your hands’, ‘The Homemade Channel’ and ‘The Very Public Diary of….’. As ever terms and conditions apply and files must be in Windows Media Video (.wmv) format, more likely to keep everything simple and uniform and to allow for all files to be played on the online setting.
The website itself is simple, easy to follow and the guidelines are few. You can be 16 and upwards to submit, all you need is a camera, an idea which fits one of the aforementioned slots and a way of converting and uploading your file. Even on a broadband connection though it takes a while for each new clip to load and the viewing screen is quit small.

The overall idea though is simple and literally allows for any crap to be uploaded and voted for, and as most youngsters will have little video production experience, this is what most of it seems to be. A good idea, coupled by simple camera position and little if any editing is more likely to be a winning combination and in that light it somewhat reminds one of those old video clip shows such as ‘You’ve been framed’and ‘The Planets Funniest Animals’. The difference of course being that the audience through voting gets to choose which clips make it to the television show (and ultimately as they have been chose by a wider audience probably have more credit for appearing on the show then a clip chosen by a few researchers).  This thus not only gives the author an ownership to the program but also part of the audience has responsibility and so have ownership for the show.
This level of interaction is interesting and relatively new on British soil and comes in advance of any kind of
UK version of Current TV. I intend to become part of the user generating audience by producing a response to Chalkhill Lives, however my production values will be much higher.

08/02/07 – On Demand and the Time Shift Culture

On Demand is a relatively new concept but one which once again is ruled by the Internet. It is basically a service which allows the audience to tune into their favourite television show from certain stations and to then watch the episodes at a time when they find it convenient. This is known as time shifting as instead of watching it when it is live and being televised, it is viewed at a later date. Sky offer the opportunity to ‘pause live TV’ which you can also do with several television cards which you can attach to your computer. This allows you to pause in the moment at which the set top box or computer begins to record. You can then revisit the beginning, fast forward, rewind and play with what you’re recording as much as you like. You are only limited by the amount of memory you have but as soon as you stop recording the image is lost forever as it is only reordered for time shift purposes.  

Providers such as HBO and E4 are currently offering the On Demand option. E4 requires you to be a Resident of the
UK, have Windows XP on a PC with IE 5.5 or above, Windows Media Player 10 or above and a broadband connection. Then all you need to do is download a small patch and you are away. Some on Demand services may require you pay a one off set up or viewing fee.  

The on demand package is and interesting one as it is similar to the download culture previously discussed but instead of downloading your favourite TV shows you can instantly stream them (although you don’t get to keep them this way but at least you stay out of prison!).  

On Demand in one respect is not a new concept, after all, all the video content on Youtube and Google Video are on demand and ready for you to view at the click of a button. However getting essential viewing on demand is a step in the right direction to possibly reduce piracy and increase revenue. Whatever films I produce will be on both Youtube and Myspace so they will effectively already be ‘on demand’.

07/02/07 – Online Awards

Just as with every other medium, Awards ceremonies are prolific in marking the achievement of individuals in their fields of expertise and creativity. They create a sense of competition and a need to produce excellent pieces of work. The Internet is no exception. I have found no less then three forms of Internet Awards for visual creations in a quick browse which include;- The Vloggies - The Webby Awards- Citizen Journalism Awards 

All which target video and the moving image produced by the general public.  

I myself am more interested in film festivals such as Sheffield International Documentary Festival and Screentest Festival as they are more lucrative in the film making business, especially at my level. It is still important to know though that people are recognised for the work they do and that there is potential for me to enter a number of different competitions and festivals with whatever I produce in the hope of promoting myself and my skills to current employers.

07/02/07 – The Online Audience

The Internet has created its own unique audience, through the way it views, interacts, contributes and reflects on its own position. I have discovered several times through analysing different websites that it is imperative I look closely at my intended audience, how they expect and react to how they view and interact with online media. One interesting book which will no doubt be used in further research is called ‘Tune In, Log On; Soaps, Fandom, and Online Community’ (Baym, N.,2000). This title discusses elements of audience such as its social position within society, its interaction with soaps and the discourse that this creates, and how online communities are formed and managed around this. What is most interesting to establish is that these forums actually exist and are used by fans. An example of such a forum which covers many
US soap operas is Soap Central. Its interesting reading peoples general comments, insights and dialogues with one another.  

I have also written an essay paper on Soap Operas and their audience which I have also included in the appendices and is essential reading. This study which I undertook establishes the audience’s relationship with the soap opera itself. As many of the references are key texts to this study I have also included them in the over bibliography. 

Audience positioning is key to a successful project. Therefore I must know my target audience and understand what they require. Further research in this area will be looking at this issues and key debates around them for both online and offline viewing or the programmes I intend to produce and of the webpage’s I intend to create.

30/01/07 – Cookery shows

Cookery shows have longed used the Internet for one basic reason, to post up their recipes. People watch cookery shows not only to get ideas and inspiration, but generally because they don’t intend ton buying a cook book they will probably never use. An example of this would be the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen. Aired on a Saturday morning. Each week the Chef James Martin meets other culinary experts who share with him their recipes. Most people will sit and watch rather then jot down the ingredients and recipes. Later however when they realised something was a good idea or actually fancy trying something which they saw, the can easily access the Internet and get a full breakdown of the ingredients and step by step detailed instructions of how to accomplish a specific dish. These can then be printed out and kept for further use later on, so the audience are engaging with the show, and also building up a compendium of recipes. The website also allows and encourages easy access to sending the recipe to someone else via email.  

Other similar programs with recipes up for grabs include Channel 4’s You are what you eat, ITV’s The Nigella Show, and the food slot on ITV’s This Morning.  

The idea here is the sharing of knowledge as well as the encouragement to actually apply what you are watching. On this level as mentioned above, the audience thus engages with what they see maybe on the same day or a week later. Recipes on each website are easy to find and printer friendly. They are also detailed enough for even the most novice of Chef’s to follow. I do not see anywhere at this stage where I would see it applicable to host such a webpage, after all I am not going to write a book about the recipe of making film (although that could be another project entirely). But the notion of actively encouraging others to follow the same journey that I am about to, to produce something for the Internet intrigues me, as did Current TV and it’s attraction for its audience to feed in content.

29/01/07 – QVC and the shopping phenomena

QVC or ‘Quality, Value and Convenience’ has aired on television across the world since 1986. It is a shopping channel which sells a wide variety of products. At has since utilised the Internet also having its own sites across the world and here in the UK. Where as the televised show recommends item by the hour or in half an hour slots, the Internet is the catalogue for its buyers and allows for easy online shopping. It makes life easier for those with busy life styles or those who find it hard to leave the home, or just those who are lazy and want the convenience of online shopping. Payment method is always by credit card or debit card.  

A whole host of other television based shopping channels have also appeared on the Internet in competition with QVC including bidtv, ideal world and price-drop tv. All make like more convenient for the consumer bringing the shops closer to them.  

Each webpage is very similar in set up, acting just like a catalogue, categorising different products into similar groups for easy access. Purchasing itself couldn’t be easier with step by step instructions. Some may it is a little too easy to sit at home and spend, and then just like at Christmas time, wait for that parcel to arrive with your new goodies in it. Nonetheless the website along with the television stations have all been designed with the consumer in mind, to place them in the right frame of mind to buy. Therefore it’s the audience’s needs in relation to my own as producer which must be matched for a wining formula to emerge.

25/01/07 – Skins

Skins is a relatively new addition to Channel 4’s line up and also utilises the Internet. It is a show about a group of teenagers in
London and their individual lives as they come of age. What is different about Skins that I have not yet mentioned is that on it’s website, amongst the other common features, is your chance to watch ‘unseen mini episodes’. They claim it is for the ‘Skins community’ so they are obviously adopting the philosophy that they have created this already. But it is interesting that they are producing these mini episodes specifically for online viewing. In one respect it attracts any avid fans to log on. They also promote the show using Myspace where you can watch past episodes, meet the characters on their own pages, read logs and so forth. So far the Skins network as collected more then 25,000 friends so their community is valid.

Skins the show is nothing new, but the way it positions itself is. Tapping into youth culture, the Internet and Myspace allows its audience to get involved and feel apart of it. Similar to the Dubplate Drama without the moral message running through it, Skins has been positioned to attract a certain audience and its promotions are clearly working.

Unseen episodes  and clips are clever and add to the series without invading on network time nor adding to its network costs. They also act like vlogs or video diaries giving you a deeper insight into the life of its characters. The most useful point is its use of Myspace to promote itself and build an audience. This I would intend to use in my major project. I currently have a Myspace page but it is geared up towards myself and not my films and my intended production company. So I really need to revise the contents of the page and use it more as a showcase of my films and the ethos of what mt film aspirations are.

12/01/07 – Dubplate Drama

Something which caught my eye on channel 4 quite a while ago now was a television show entitled ‘Dubplate Drama’. Dubbed the ‘first interactive television drama’ this show follows a young girl with dreams of becoming a famous MC. What makes this interactive and so innovative is that at the end of each episode there is a cliff hanger and the audience get to chose between a series of choices as to what happens next. This was done through online voting, text messaging and video blogging.
Therefore although the choices are limited, the audience still have some ownership in the production and in the well being of its characters. This short show (at only eleven to fifteen minutes in duration) has only aired six episodes thus far but did carry a vital message about drugs to kids. The kids it targeted in particular were thought to be those who were hard to reach and which conventional methods did not communicate well with in parts of
London. The programme itself therefore, aired late at night, revolved around things they could relate to such as the urban music scene, gang culture, fashion and drugs. The audience were then encouraged to visit a collaborated website dealing with people with drug issues called Frank.  

It was also streamed across the Internet, onto mobile phones and also via Sony handheld consoles, which are appealing to kids and young adults. It also had a cameo from Ms Dynamite, a well known London R’n’B and Garage artist. At peak it had a viewer ship of approximately 400,000 and cost in the region of £100-£500k.  

The main page of this TV show is very appropriate to its urban theme. It appears dark and gritty, just as the show, along with its topics are. The interface is easy to use but its content is rather simple and you have to sign up in order to cast a vote or for other privileges such as watching past episodes, accessing the online forum and getting some free online music. The show itself is has good production values and easily appeals to the cultures it represents, especially since it is aired at a suitable time. Being made available on technologies used by the youth it is targeting also makes it viable to why it was quite a success in its initial launch.  

This shows a piece of work which has a focus to send a message out, has an intended audience and suitable means of reaching that audience. It’s use of urban and youth culture is also attractive and its short sharp burst, along with audience interaction keep the viewers waiting for the outcome of the next episode. I generally like the idea of an open end which the viewers decide on. It would be intentional, I would assume, that the writers had already penned in the two or more various endings before the show went out, although I am not sure if it was screened on a weekly basis. Voting would have to be done over a short period of time to allow script development, rehearsal and then filming before the next episode is due to air, and even though each episode is relatively short, a minute of filming can often take a days effort. Nonetheless the interactive element of this, along with its moral intentions and well focused audience positioning are definite points to consider when looking at such a production.