Web Video Your Way to Fame

Gone are the days when sending your home movies to friends and family was just one way to broadcast your message. It was a far cry from today's options available for internet-driven stardom. Becoming an online celebrity is the next wave of interaction online, and sites such as MySpace.com and Friendster.com were only the beginning. As more online surfers are using the web to upload homemade videos, many are choosing to create a complete 'You' channel. Have an inkling to get your voice heard and gain a mass list of subscribers? Create a catchy headline, video, or demo of something truly unique, and let the traffic buzz begin!

Both YouTube.com and Google Video offer exciting opportunities for even the beginner. The concept of the 'Vlog' versus the growing blogging culture, enables anybody and everybody to take part in the evolution of the internet. Think in terms of playback, record, and screenshots galore to capture the essence of your message. The recent Diet Coke & Mentos experiment created a national buzz with a simple upload through Google Video. Thousands of people downloaded this video clip in a matter of days, and the owners became celebrities overnight.

Other users of these sites include product demonstrations, family reunions, greeting messages, and even interviews. The concept is growing and popular, turning any occasion into a reason to videotape and broadcast. If users gain enough of a subscriber-ship, fans can join the RSS feed and monitor any new media available by the producer.

Uploading your new independently-made commercial, clip, or mini-film is easy with basic software, a digital video camera, and an internet connection. Editing software such as Movie Maker (free with Windows XP) makes editing of footage, sound, and transitions a cinch. The key is to make sure you can keep the entire clip under 20-25 megabytes, or the majority of interested viewers may not take the time to download the file. To begin, you can register yourself at You Tube www.youtube.com, or create a Vlog at http://blip.tv.

YouTube.com
YouTube.com offers the benefits of watching streaming video, and sharing it easily with friends, family, and acquaintances. The site features a listing of the most-watchied videos, and each is categorized into Channels for easy retreieval. When you set up an account with YouTube, you'll also have an 'inbox' for messages on user resonses, and all visitors to the site can rate and rank their preferred topics and coverage at any time. From watching 'Oreo Ice Cream Drama' to 'Ashley's Stupid Pet Trick,' you won't ever be in short supply of down-to-earth, reality television of all sorts. Small-time independent moviemakers are jumping on the YouTube.com wagon to showcase their portfolio of short stints, and it may provide a great way to gauge viewership, increase exposure, and understand consumer preferences.

Vlogs at Blip.tv
Blip.Tv is a 'beta' site to create and broadcast videos and stories similar to the YouTube.com format. Blip.tv is different because it incorporates the blogging aspect of opinions, editorials, and general cultural banter, with the video as an addition. Each story, or idea, is tagged according to interest and theme, and the Featured Vidoes are listed on the site. You'll find everything from a 'Harvard Study of the Magnetic Stimluation of the Brain' to garage-based music videos for fledgling stars. Blip.tv is partnered with Yahoo! And other search engines to be picked up on variety of topics and subjects through basic searches. Many of the videos here come from around the world, offering Spanish, German, and Japanese material.

Google Video
Google Video is another upcoming broadcast site, complete with the most popular cartoons, quips, and anecdotes by anyone in the world. Each video is rated with a 'star' system according to viewer preferences, and the most popular section offers the standard Google ranking system, complete with 'movement' of the video featured on its boards. Top rated videos include fan renditions of celebrity music videos, philosophies on art and life, World Cup clips and commentary, and the option to purchase single episodes of CBS productions such as CSI. Google Video is also a beta site, and is growing in demand daily.
We are witnessing a time where online trends are steadily shifting to a reality-based, consumer-driven need that in turn creates high response rates. As online surfers are constantly barraged by advertisements, sites such as YouTube.com offer a new experience to delve into people's interests, hobbies, and opinions. Think of it as consumer-driven and consumer-based advertising. As soon as these opinions and ideas are acknowledged and shared worldwide, we quickly find a new trend or cultural phenomena in a matter of days!