It’s always an incredible thing to be recognized for what you build and contribute to the world! We were recently notified that we were voted Best of 2011 by Daddy Van Productions. Daddy Van Productions produce amazing concert videos each year, and do many other video productions as well. These guys love what they do, respect other companies who contribute to the industry, and as such want to publicly recognize those contributions and efforts.

Spidvid was firmly on their list this year, and here’s what they had to say about us:

Spidvid.com is a necessary resource for filmmakers. Young filmmakers. Filmmakers that want to make it in the industry. Their online community and blog feature some of the better insights into how to build a career as a filmmaker. Video production is an industry that can take you a number of places: directing TV spots, acting, dramatic film, and even concert videos. Spidvid offers those producers who are just starting out an otherwise unattainable resource.

We are honored that Daddy Van Productions thought of us, and really love what they do in video production as well. They have collaborated with some of the world’s biggest bands including: Nine Inch Nails, Aerosmith, Maroon 5, Motley Crue, Rascal Flatts, Dave Matthews Band, and countless others, so it certainly is humbling that they gave us the big nod. Thanks guys, rock on!

I really enjoy learning about new collaborative video production platforms, so today I want to mention one you may or may not have heard of before called Stroome. I had a fun and lengthy conversation with Stroome’s founder Tom Grasty last week, and was intrigued with what he’s building.

So what is Stroome? Stroome is where individuals go to upload video clips, collaborate on projects together by remixing, join groups of like-minded people, and share their originally remixed content with the world.

Tom spoke about interesting use cases, and one was for concerts where many people film the event from their prospective, each upload their clips, create a group, and remix the content together to provide a more complete video overall than anyone could possibly do via an individual effort.

Stroome provides an innovative platform, and has just scratched the surface of where they would ultimately like to take the product long-term. Go grab a Stroome account, upload some clips, remix other clips that interest you using their flash editor, and get a hands on feel for what you can do by leveraging the content and talent of others in their community.

If you have any questions or feedback you can contact the Stroome team and they will do everything to help make your experience the best it can be.

If you have an interesting collaborative video platform or service, and would like to have a conversation with me about it, then please email me at jeremy@spidvid.com, or connect with me on Twitter.

This post in inspired by The Think Big Manifesto by Michael Port.

I have listed some quotes and questions from the book below, which inspires both Spidvid and our community to provide ideal environments to produce quality video content. There are some (Spidvid’s take) comments as well on how these quotes and questions relate to collaborative video production.

- Love is at the foundation of the very best collaborations. Spidvid’s take: any video will be produced better if the team members feel the love for each another.

- True collaboration is a give and take. True partnerships are founded in equality. Equality does not equal sameness. We don’t all bring the same skills or resources to the table, but we all bring something and we all need something. Spidvid’s take: every video project needs a diverse set of individuals to make things happen.

- The paradox: Big thoughts create independence, not dependence. Big thinkers act instead of compete. They discover that in an open, fluid, back and forth collaboration, in the free flow of ideas, when you can intrust yourself to the notion of trust, big thoughts get even bigger. Spidvid’s take: open and authentic collaboration will always yield better results than a closed silo type of approach. Our social platform has been developed using these key concepts.

- Collaboration levels: (1) Competitive interactions, (2) Cooperative transactions, and (3) Collaborative interactions. Spidvid’s take: there is competition for joining limited sized production teams, but healthy competition ensures projects receive the highest quality of talent possible. 2 and 3 are large parts of what our platform stands for.

- How do we find partners and collaborators? The same way you get a date. By believing in yourself and what you’re doing. When you are excited about a project, you will draw others to you. You will receive offers of help. More than you can even accept. Spidvid’s take: if the enthusiasm and confidence in your projects is evident it will motivate others to join your production teams, and the passion will trickle down to each member involved.

- People who play small think they have to do it all themselves. What about you? Are you ready to play bigger by truly collaborating with others? Spidvid’s take: our skills, talents, and outputs are limited when we are the only person working on a project. Working on a well coordinated team ensures that our projects get value which we can’t provide on an individual basis. Long live collaboration.

- Are you the kind of person people want to help? Do you enjoy collaborating with others? What kind of collaborations do you engage in? Can you take your partnerships to the next level? Who do you love?  Spidvid’s take: if you are open to leveraging a collaborative model, can delegate tasks to team members, and trust and believe in what your team is capable of, there should be lots of love when your videos are fully produced.

Statement of Collaboration

- I will be a person others want to work with.

- I will work with others without hidden or selfish intent to accomplish our mutual goals in the service of what each of us stands for.