Category: video

Elections are Over Yeah!

I get excited over local elections. Ever since I met Ruby and moved to Chapel Hill I’ve been hooked. I love learning about this whole process. One of my favorite bits this year was Ruby’s election coverage videos. (I’m a bit jealous actually. I want to do vids like this!) She made these with her Palm Treo 680 and a audio headset.

This is great citizen journalism that gets the info out there. Yes I said journalism. Ruby has publicly said many times she doesn’t consider herself a journalist. But she is providing information people want and need. She is trusted by many and scorned by others, but such is the life of a politico with a strong opinion.

Obama Supports Net Neutrality

I recored a video question for the Presidential candidates the other day for 10questions.com about Network Neutrality. So did someone else. He did a much better job than I. 🙂

So Move On sent out a email with a link to this great video and within hours it was at the top of the voting pile. (Matter of fact on the same day that the email came from Move On, Oct. 28, this video was voted for 4,332 times. 83 against and 4,250 for. See Voting History data.) Here’s the video:

Because this video question was the top vote getter it was asked to Sen. Obama at the MTV/MySpace forum. They played the entire YouTube clip on MTV for the local audience and the TV audience. Luckily we have a copy of this on YouTube here.

Sen. Obama did a good job of explaining what is at stake and why we need Net Neutrality. Something that college age citizens really understand. I’m very happy to hear his commitment to protecting our somewhat level playing field online. Fact is the democratic party wouldn’t have so much power from its base if the Internet wasn’t as free as it is. I think it could be even more free but we MUST protect what we have. (How could it be more free? For starters we need the HIGHEST speed broadband made available to EVERY home in America.)

This is a pretty good example of participatory democracy in the 21st Century. We created our own questions, voted for them, and had them presented to candidates live on global TV. This is how the CNN YouTube debates should have been done. This is only the start of creating a more participatory and just democracy in our country.

What really blows my mind is the power of email and web advocacy to promote a cause and insert our collective concerns into a National debate. The work isn’t done yet. Now we have to get other candidates to talk more about Net Neutrality. (Back in May Sen. Edwards spoke at Google and addresses Net Neutrality) [video] Learn more about Net Neutrality at the SaveTheInternet.com FAQ.

I’m going to call the Kucinich Campaign next.

Social Software and Multimedia Consultant for Hire

I am now available for hire to consult on the creation, care, and feeding of online communities. Plus I can create audio and video for the web. To get an idea of my professional experience you can check out my resume here and my portfolio here.

I’ve been contributing to and creating blogs for many years. I’ve also active on social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, del.icio.us, and Ning. I am very interested in how people can use these online tools to connect with each other. I can show you how to use social software and how to build your own.

My experience with social networks extends to physical events too. I’ve helped organize several blogging events and was the lead organizer of PodcasterCon. An unconference about many aspects of Podasting and Video blogging. It was a 300 person one day event at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Its success is due to the people who participated but also the fact we organized ourselves. This was done using social networking tools like blogs, wikis, and podcasts.

I have been shooting and editing video and film since 1989. During the early ’90s I began preparing video for the web. Much of this work is very similar in style to what is now all the rage on YouTube. You can find examples of my video on my portfolio.

In 1997 I earned a certificate in AVID Media Composer. Its the non-linear editing software and hardware used to edit feature films. This experience taught me a lot about telling stories with film and video. I have professional audio and video equipment ready to be put to work for high end web productions.

Plus I produced a podcast show called Audio Activism. This helped me hone my skills in recording and editing audio. Check out my audio archive over at audioactivism.org/audio. Great video depends on clear audio to communicate successfully.

I’m interested in working for non-profits, businesses, and progressive political campaigns. I can help you make your own media and demonstrate how it will strengthen your mission and benefit your organization financially. But most important is communicating with customers, members, and constituents. Please contact me and I’ll help you accomplish your goals.

Video Site Design

I just ran across CNN’s new website design and am pretty impressed. So many other MSM websites are cluttered and hard to use. Check out the video page.
cnn.com/video

Amazingly clean and usable. The HD video content is great looking… even if I have to watch a commercial first. Can’t we get creative like YouTube and put dynamic ads you can remove after watching them? I duno… maybe this model is fine. Especially if someone makes BETTER commercials we’d like to watch. Possible? I think so.

vimeo.com

Then there is Vimeo’s new front page. Very usable and practical. If you are new to the site you can figure out what to do first. If you are a old user then you can log in and get started. Good functionality for a community website.

The welcome video is an amazing mix of casual realistic style with a gorgeous actor. Notice how she adjusts the camera and the audio is not perfect? That isn’t just a “amateur” video. Its a “professional” video done with the DIY aesthetic. I’m not complaining or calling it out as sell out or something. I *love* this style. Its feels real and makes me want to watch it. A wonderful ballance is acheived and the message gets across well. I hope this new DIY Pro style (as I call it) will infiltrate successfully into TV. Right now they are aping it and not doing such a good job IMHO.

blip.tv

Then we have Blip.tv. A good clean design that lets the main content, video, be the center of attention. I love how the video is big and promoted on the front page. It does an excellent job of showing off their communities content.

Each of these sites have different purposes and goals. Though Vimeo and Blip.tv are cousins. By this I mean they both host user created video. Having used both of those sites I like Viemo the best. Mainly because of the control you have over the look of the embedded flash player. True I could put my videos on YouTube but their flash player is kinda lame looking. Viemo’s disappears after a few seconds. Cool.

Overall I think the CNN website wins my mini design award. They have lots of content and make it easy to find it. Plus the designers have chosen a small color pallet with red in it. I really believe this is a KEY foundation in good usable and attractive design. SIMPLE is BEST!

I’m also shocked at how a big media company has matched the design quality of small startups. In the Internet world the nimble small company usually has hipper aesthetics. (ex. Twitter) Part of the reason seems to be that startup management usually has the sense to trust designers. I think its a real competitive advantage to have a site with SIMPLE usable design.

Plus I love the color red. Can ya tell? 🙂

Mobile Video Internet Calling

That is a Nokia N800. Another way you could use public WiFi… Its not just for coffee shops and laptops anymore! This video demonstrates the Nokia N800 tablet using Gtalk to make a video call to someone. Pretty good quality for a small device.

The popular VOIP software Skype works on the N800 now. This means you can send and receive voices calls from this tablet to a landline or mobile phone. All via WiFi.

What should I Vlog about?

I’ve had the itch to make some vlog video for awhile. Bits of short video content delivered via a RSS feed and often times viewable in a browser with the flash plug-in. (ala Youtube, etc.)

But I have a bit of a creators block. So I ask you dear readers, What should I vlog about?

Honestly I don’t like to be in front of cameras. So I don’t want to just babble to the camera about some abstract thing I’m thinking about. (Easy enough todo in writing tho’. 🙂 ) Somehow I was able to speak into a microphone for my podcast despite my mild stage fright. I’m asking you because I want you to participate and be interested in what I make.

I want to know WHAT YOU WANT. Please login and leave a comment. All serious ideas considered. I reserve the right to laugh out loud…