I asked a question to our Twitter followers and Facebook fans a couple weeks ago; As a filmmaker, would you sooner create a web series or short film? 13 people said they would sooner create a web series, whereas 7 people insisted they would rather create a short film.

What I know is that I watch many more web series episodes vs short films during a typical week of online viewing. I’m obsessed with watching web series creators and producers increasingly improve the production and entertainment value of their content as we push forward in the rapidly evolving media creation space.

When I first started tracking and covering online video news and production “norms” back in 2006 it’s like night and day compared to just 5 years later, now in 2011. The quality gap between TV series and web series is certainly getting smaller and smaller, as the economics are constantly improving for the semi-pro filmmakers and video creators to show off their creativity, passion, and storytelling.

There are advantages and disadvantages of creating a web series vs a short film (see links below for more reading in this area), and I believe that filmmakers and video creators should do both over time. Create as much quality entertainment as you can, promote it like crazy, see which videos find large audiences and engagement, and create more similar content by doubling down on what actually breaks through the noise. Don’t spend too much money or time in the beginning, if your story resonates with viewers then leverage that when reaching out to producers to help take things to the next level.

The number of entertaining web shows is blowing up, and to me it’s extremely exciting because I see progress every week and believe in the potential going forward. I’m bullish on web series, and it will be interesting to see what big hits emerge out of this space next.

Perhaps now is your time to shine?! If you need to build a team and/or collaborate on your video or film projects, then be sure to join our Spidvid community, and post a project for our talented members to check out!

What do you think of web series vs short film in terms of creation and viewing? The comments are yours below! Here are some opinions from other bloggers on this subject: The Short Film Is Dead, TV vs Web Series vs Indie Film, Indie Filmmaking Death Match: Short Film vs Web Series.

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Jeremy Campbell Rant entertainment, Facebook, film, film content, filmmakers, new media, opinions, short film, storytelling, twitter, video, video content, video creators, video entertainment, viewing, vote, web series, web show

With each passing month, online videos are getting more creative, more fun to watch, and less expensive to produce. Below are 5 remarkable viral videos from July, 2011. There are dozens of others likely just as deserving as these, so if you have a favorite please include the link in the comments below.

1. Crazy Marriage Proposal – Guy Falls Off Building – We are in the heart of the wedding season, so congrats to all of the new husbands and wives out there who recently tied the knot. See how your marriage proposal stacks up to this one below which has reached almost 5 million views since July 11th! Video production takeaway: Leveraging emotionally moving events and moments is very powerful for telling a compelling story.

2. Netflix Relief Fund with Jason Alexander - Not too long ago Netflix raised their pricing on their streaming/DVD plan from $10 to $16 a month causing a wild uproar throughout the USA. Jason Alexander tells the horrific stories of Netflix victims. A very well thought out video, enjoy it below, and if you have your own Netflix horror story then please share it in the comment section below. Video production takeaway: Create entertaining content that is relevant to today’s controversial news as quickly as possible.

3. Kitten Vs Two Scary Things - With over 3 million views and counting, this stunt kitten is a big time hit in the web world right now. Very well musically scored as well which is uncommon in many other popular viral cat videos we’re used to seeing. Video production takeaway: Kitten’s are huge online, but timing with a camera is everything. If you have a cat (or any kind of silly pet really) be sure to keep a camera close by because you never know when the next viral hit may be right in front of you begging to be filmed.

4. firepower – Got to feature a fireworks video since it was USA’s and Canada’s birthdays on July 4th and July 1st respectively. Here’s a creative one out of Chicago with many camera angles, and good use of visual effects. Visually stunning! Video production takeaway: Visually stimulating events will always be popular with viewers from across the world.

5. Ape With AK-47 – Don’t ever give an ape a machine gun… you’ve been warned! The video below has gone ape on the viral charts clocking in at almost 12 million views since July 6th! Video production takeaway: Unexpected things move us emotionally, and drive us to share the content with our friends and family. 12 million views don’t lie!

Create better quality video entertainment by collaborating with our talented community, be sure to get a Spidvid profile and if you need any help at all just ask us!

Jeremy Campbell Lists accident, AK-47, AK47, ape, Apple, attack, bed, Chicago, entertainment, fight, firepower, fireworks, Fox, Jason Alexander, kitten, marriage, Netflix, Planet of the Apes, proposal, viral, viral content, viral video

If someone told me a couple years ago that it was possible to create videos without any cameras I would have thought they were nuts! Fast forward to 2011, and we are seeing new innovative tools being built so new video production possibilities can become realities.

xtranormal is a startup company that’s giving the power to anyone with a computer and internet connection to create video entertainment very quickly, easily, and in a fun way too. How it works: A user selects their desired set, actors, sounds, and writes a script to tell a story then out pops a video. xtranormal even has their very own film festival as sponsored by Microsoft’s Bing product.

While what xtranormal is doing is very impressive for 2011, I believe it’s just the tip of the iceberg for what tools can be built for creating video entertainment with essentially nothing. I heard a quote a few months ago from a studio executive who believes that a future Toy Story movie will be created by a collaborative “amateur” group over a summer. That may be a bit of an exaggeration but truth be told he may not be that far off. Only time will tell!

Below are some short and entertaining animated videos created by xtranormal’s users.

Singles Bar for Bears – A bear tries to pick up another bear without success

Celebz Ranting – Charlie Sheen Goes Off About His Brain and Life (custom created)

Decisions Decisions – iJustine talks to herself inside the Internet

Rainbow Bear has a Frowny

If you are creating a video, or want to create one that can’t currently be done using an online tool, then be sure to get a Spidvid profile and post your project for our community to collaborate on with you. Or if you don’t have a project to post right now, then bid on one that interests you.

Jeremy Campbell Mention, product, resources actors, bing, Charlie Sheen, entertainment, film festival, filmmaking, ijustine, Microsoft, new media, new media platform, production platform, scripts, scriptwriting, sets, story, storytelling, video, video creation, video entertainment, video platform, video tool, videomaking, xtranormal

There were so many great viral video hits in 2010 that it’s hard to choose just five. Hope you enjoy the selections (below), and if you have a favorite that isn’t on the list (which is likely) please share the video link with a comment below!

1. OK Go – White Knuckles

OK Go are perhaps the most creative band on the planet today. They have had many viral video hits over the past few months including their newest one, “White Knuckles”. A great use of dogs too, check it out below.

2. BP Spills Coffee

By now you probably know how BP deals with spills. UCB Comedy takes the oil spill story to the boardroom and shows us exactly what would happen if BP executives spilled their coffee, and how well coordinated they work together to clean up the spill. On YouTube the video got over 5.2 million views in just 9 days.

3. Angry Birds Peace Treaty

Are you a big fan of the game Angry Birds like me? When I saw this video I was a bit upset because I wanted to be the first video creator to create a viral Angry Bird video. I had purchased a few Angry Birds plush toys and I just got them this week! Be on the lookout for my Angry Birds Spidvid project later next month, subscribe to the projects feed if you haven’t already to collaborate with me on it. It has the potential to be a viral hit for sure! For now enjoy the peace treaty deal that the Angry Birds and Angry Pigs (sort of) make.

4. Tweet It – iPad vs iPhones (Michael Jackson “Beat It” Spoof)

With the runaway success that Twitter experienced in 2010 it would be wrong not to include a Twitter related video. So, if you like “Beat It” by Michael Jackson, and like Twitter, then you will likely enjoy this spoof called “Tweet It” check it out below.

5. Surprised Kitten

This video is actually from late 2009, but because we didn’t do a 2009 viral video list this video (unofficially) qualifies. Possibly the cutest kitten video ever created, and it now has almost 40 million views! Would love to see what this cat is up to for New Years tonight!

Honorable mentions: Double Rainbow, Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”, Hail Storm Oklahoma City, Whale Crashes On Boat, Big Bang Big Boom, and there are dozens of others that could be on this list too!

Looking forward to rapidly growing the Spidvid community, developing new collaborative production projects, and promoting videos that deserve more love, views, and attention. Thanks for an amazing 2010, and cheers to a remarkable 2011 to come!

Jeremy Campbell Lists amazing, entertainment, funny, remarkable, shocking, surprising, unbelievable, video, viral, viral video, wow

So you have created a Spidvid profile but you don’t know what to do next. We’ve created a list of tips that will help you get the most out of your experience using our new media platform, and leveraging our community for video projects.

5 tips for getting the most out of your Spidvid profile:

1. Fill Out All of Your Profile Info – Tell your story and showcase your portfolio with your Spidvid profile. Embed your top videos and/or demo reel so others can watch what you’re up to, not just read about it. Include important links such as your website, blog, Twitter and Facebook profiles, IMDB page, etc.

2. Upload a High Quality Head Shot – A good first impression makes all the difference in getting your project bids accepted, and looking the part is half the job for some roles. So if you’re an actor, VFX artist, or graphic designer, expect other members to be highly critical of how you present yourself in our community. Also, if you can’t take the time to upload your picture, how will a producer trust you’ll play your part on the project?!

3. Actively Bid on Projects – The only way you’re going to get noticed and invited to participate in projects is if you start reaching out to video creators, and earn feedback from collaborating on projects. We’ve recently had several great opportunities arise for members to get involved in all aspects of some amazing video projects. From writing, to acting, to production, to promotion and beyond, no matter what part of the process you’re involved with there is a team and project waiting for you to be part of. So head over to our projects section and see if something interests you right now. If there is nothing right now that catches your eye then perhaps there will be in the near future, so subscribe to the Spidvid projects feed to stay updated going forward.

4. Participate in the Forums - The Spidvid Forums is the spot where you can start conversations about video projects, production, ideas to improve the Spidvid platform, or anything else on your mind. Create a thread about your project, post a link to it in your project description to let interested people ask questions, provide advice, give recommendations, and offer feedback to help you move forward and get your project off the ground. Additionally, the forums feature daily filmmaking and production tips, alongside a conversation section where you can connect to others in the Spidvid community.

5. STAY CONNECTED - Subscribe to our blog and monthly newsletter and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Connecting with us via e-mail and through phone conversations is the best way to build a direct relationship with us. Our YouTube channel features several videos that demo our Spidvid platform and visually show first hand the project work flow process.

We hope you find these tips helpful for making the most out of your Spidvid experience. If a question just came to mind leave it below with a comment, or email us. Don’t be shy, we would LOVE to hear from you!

Jeremy Campbell Lists, community collaborate, collaboration, community, connect, connected, create, entertainment, forums, hints, how to, members, new media, new video, platform, portfolio, produce, production, profile, projects, spidvid, talent, tips, video entertainment