Bridging the Gap: Storytelling

In the era of YouTube, FlipCams and affordable prosumer production gear, being a video content producer has become more of an accessible reality than it has ever been before.

That’s not to say that everything on the Internet is of fantastic quality, or relevance - though you could argue that’s entirely subjective. But that does mean there’s a little more democratization on who’s producing content.

There are a lot of creative people in the world and with the cost of production going down, more people getting excited with wearing multiple hats at a time, and audiences of millions within specific niches you simply have to seek out, tap into and engage, the opportunities for independent content producers telling their stories are greater than ever.

Being an indie video producer, for the web or even TV, isn’t for everyone. Some like sticking to the status quo, doing things the traditional way. Working your way up a corporate production ladder at a network to eventually get to where you want to be. Being an independent producer takes a lot of hustling and a lot of research, innovation, and persistency. It also takes a certain level of thinking outside the box, creative problem solving, and a willingness to take big risks.

Half a decade since the launch of YouTube, the Internet isn’t just someplace to upload videos of adorable kittens and laughing babies anymore (although those are of exceeding prominence on the web and, admittedly, some of my guilty pleasures.)

Online video is the fastest growing, increasingly expanding, and legitimizing media space. Hands down.

Since I’ve started in this game, there has been the launch of an industry-specific trade association - The International Academy of Web Television - developed for media experts focusing on the web; post-secondary schools are starting to hand out New Media-specific diplomas; networks are finally recognizing the need to engage their audience offline and online and are seeking out cross-platform video journalists who know how to play in both realms; and there has even been the launch of The Streamys, the first awards show of its kind “recognizing the outstanding achievement in web television arts and sciences.” (Think of it as the Emmy’s of the online world, with the likes of TV notables such as Joss Whedon and Neil Patrick Harris joining the festivities since they too are part of the independent web content production family with their hit Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.)

One of the aspects I’ve found most exciting for independent content producers, that I don’t think enough people realize, is that crossing the media platform doesn’t just go in one direction – you can start on the web and syndicate outwards as well.

For example, partnering with online video networks like New York-based Blip.tv enables you to syndicate your content not only onto TiVo boxes and Sony Bravia TV sets, but they recently partnered with NBC affiliate, WNBC, to get their clients’ content onto the airwaves on NBC’s NY Nonstop broadcast channel in New York City. Of course this, rather lucratively, also means a more broad network of eyeballs to lure advertisers with.

There are many other examples of how to spread your content via various outlets. But we’ll leave that to another column.

Being a show creator or content producer doesn’t have to be so untouchable or black-and-white anymore. The Internet has shaken up lots of industries, and the content creation space is no different. If you want to be a video storyteller, you don’t have to wait for the opportunity to be given to you to do it anymore. If you’re a Doer, this is the medium where you can go ahead and just create. You’re only limited by your own drive.

Image courtesy stock.xchng.