Recalibration

I've been taking a break from updating my various social media channels  - here, YouTube, Twitter and even (to a considerably lesser extent) Facebook.   My "time out" wasn't really anything planned or intentional.  I didn't wake up or come to a realization that I needed a break from social media.  My informal vacation had to do with several l things.

First, I've simply been too busy.  Work has picked up considerably this year.   As I write this, I'm juggling several productions for several different clients, each with individual deadlines, levels of client involvement, and particular challenges of their own.  I also have several other projects on the horizon that will be equally as time consuming (recalling the old worn adage, "when it rains it pours").  I actually find that having to work on multiple projects at once to be a fun challenge - meeting all the deadlines, creating a quality project that the clients like, and finding inspiration simply from making the overwhelming manageable.

Having said that, my personal creative projects have been very much on my mind.  My novel, "My Life at the Bottom of the Food Chain," is finally nearing publication, fulfilling what I'm finally admitting to myself has been my single greatest ambition.  Everything I do - producing, directing, editing - circles back to my first love - writing.  I've always thought of myself to be a writer above all else - but I've never written a novel.  Like screenplay writing, I've simply never had the patience to commit myself to a project that would then require a several-year attempt to win acceptance from a publisher or producer, who might be willing to try to bring the project into the sunlight and in front of an audience.

While I would love to have a formal publisher, the world has changed for emerging writers.  I can now bring my work - my writing - directly to my audience.  I can make both ebooks and paperbacks available and accessible by major online retailers.  I no longer have an excuse.  If I write it, it can be delivered.  If I write it well, and work with a qualified editor, that audience will respond and grow.

Response so far by my early readers has been positive, I'm focusing a lot of my energy and time on working to bring it out to a wide audience.  I've shared some of those efforts on the Facebook page for the novel,  but have been more selective on what I share across other media.

My creative horizons- and how I pursue them - are evolving, and with them, my social media personality.  Between this blog, my YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter, I hope to share that evolution.

To support "My Life at the Bottom of the Food Chain," please check out the Facebook page: http://facebook.com/mylifeatthebottomofthefoodchain

The Vlogger Interviews: OnlyWeekDays

About this interview:

Adam and Luke are high school students in the small town of Blandford, in the south of England, a town best known, they tell me, for the Great Dorset Steam Fair.  For the past year or so, they've been experimenting with their YouTube channel, OnlyWeekDays.  Now that school's out, they're hoping to spend some quality time on the channel this summer and begin to develop it further.  Even though they're in the earliest chapters of their YouTube story, their friends and local residents have already taken notice.  Other students have been inspired to try their hand at creating YouTube channels.  In this interview, we'll discuss their efforts at creating a channel, and how YouTube and online video are becoming the preferred source for video entertainment.  

The Vlogger Interviews: TheSchwartzcaster [Eric Peter Schwartz]

About this interview:

Why would a grown man play with a puppet on YouTube?

A while back, I interviewed Spiggitz the Cat on The Vlogger Interviews.  Spiggitz is a ratty-looking, opinionated vlogging feline puppet created by Eric Peter Schwartz, and featured on his YouTube channel, http://youtube.com/TheSchwartzcaster  With this interview, I meet Eric himself, and find out the question asked of most YouTubers by the uninitiated:  Why?

Eric Peter Schwartz, a resident of Aurora, Illinois, has a long history in writing, theater and comedy (take a look his extensive resume on his home page).  He thinks of himself as a born performer, but his comedy efforts had been been in hibernation for a while when he learned about YouTube a few years back.  As you'll discover, YouTube reignited his creative flame.  Spiggitz, once a crowd favorite in his live comedy shows, was adapted for this new venue, and has since evolved into Eric's alter-ego.

Eric is fascinated by the opportunities that online video is beginning to offer.  In live theater, ad sales in a show's program booklet is an important supplementary source of income.   He believes that with some hard work, YouTubers could be quite successful monetizing their work beyond the Google Adsense model, which allows YouTubers to share in the revenue generated by advertisements placed by Google on their videos.

The Vlogger Interviews: BerrySoftball [Tommie Weimer]

Thoughts on this Vlogger Interview:

Dayton, Ohio resident Tommie Weimer's channel, BerrySoftball, is both a creative outlet, and a way to socialize and get to know people from around the world.   While many people, I think it's fair to say, have discovered the world through vlogging and YouTube, Tommie's participation in the YouTube community is just the latest chapter in his interaction with the world.  A U.S. Navy vet who served in the early to mid-1990's, he has friends the world over.  Having the chance to build an even wider community online is a huge part of his attraction to the world of vlogging.

So far, I've interviewed over thirty vloggers  - and social interaction is by far the most frequently mentioned reason for starting and continuing vlogging.  Yet, strangely, it's the one thing that non-vloggers don't fully realize.  "Traditional" media tends to see Vlogs and other produced YouTube videos as a one-sided affair.  Even in some corners of the YouTube community, there's a tendency to create more and more of these "one-way" productions in the broadcast model - it's the tried-and-true way to go.  

The Community model, I think, is far more exciting - and, potentially, offers so much more for a creator and his audience.  The strength of community in the online world is still largely overlooked.  It's going to take more ambassadors like Tommie - whether they're veterans, retirees, entrepreneurs, or simply individuals witha  passion to express themselves - to bring that community to it's full potential.

The Vlogger Interviews: Andy8b

About this interview:

Aside from gaming, 20 year-old Andy hasn't turned on his television in years.   His friends still watch broadcast television, but it's just a matter of time before the tables are turned - and vloggers like Andy turn out to be the early adaptors when online video emerges as the dominant source of video entertainment.  Though Andy's actually been actively vlogging for the last couple of years, he still finds it a bit surprising when people in his non-YouTube life - from church, for example, mention that they've been watching his channel.  It seems that as YouTube becomes more accessible, the hidden lives of vloggers may not be hidden anymore...

Planet of the Vlogs: A New Podcast

I've been interested in podasting for quite a while, and now - this is my first attempt at a podcast series.  "Planet of the Vlogs" focuses on my perception of the world of vlogging, from the perspective of my background as a traditional media producer - really, it's an extension of what I've been doing on my blog and my vlog.   I anticipate that many of these podcasts will also include audio versions of the Vlogger Interviews I conduct on YouTube.  This episode includes an interview with Ryan Abe,  a YouTuber (ForSkitsAndGiggles) with over 242, 000 subscribers.  He reveals that many successful YouTubers are beginning to see the site as a destination, as opposed to a jumping off point for a career in traditional media.

Listen using the player below, or click on the links.



Check out the official podcast page at http://planetofthevlogs.podomatic.com/

I look forward to your feedback!

By the way, you can subscribe to this podcast through iTunes at itpc://planetofthevlogs.podomatic.com/rss2.xml

Will Apple TV Turbo-Boost Vlogs?

Study  after study shows that people are unplugging from cable at an ever increasing rate.  As reported on mashable.com recently (Millions of Americans Cut the TV Cord, by Alissa Skelton), The Convergence Consulting Group reports that between 2008 and 2011, 2.65 million Americans ended their pay-tv subscriptions.  They predict that number will grow to 3.58 million by the time 2013 rolls around.   The exodus, according to the report, is driven by online streaming services - Netflix, Hulu and the like.

What the report doesn't reflect, but which will undoubtedly make a dramatic impact in a follow up report a year or two hence, is the rise of online-specific entertainment, led by YouTube and driven by the emergence of the "digital hub"  -  televisions and devices (like Apple TV) that unify most of your digital entertainment (online video, music, podcasts) in one convenient place.  Watching YouTube in your living room is finally becoming as simple as watching your favorite television show.

The numbers so far are likely very small - but they're certain to grow.  As AppleTV and it’s cousins become more commonplace, I expect that millions will soon begin to discover online entertainment - expanding the market so rapidly that conventional (aka traditional/old/archaic) media will be left scratching it's collective head.

Recently, I demonstrated Apple TV to a friend largely unexposed to YouTube and online entertainment. I launched the YouTube app, and scrolled the featured and most popular videos.  A scientist at heart, his attention was drawn to a recent video by Charlieissocoollike - Fun Science:  Randomness -  part of his series defining scientific concepts in brisk, easy to understand and funny videos. At 21, Charlie is a veteran vlogger - he's been on YouTube since he was sixteen.  According to the latest statistics, his videos have over 225 million views.  He's not a typical vlogger - but I think it's fair to say he's a good ambassador for the vlogging community.

In a single moment, my friend understood, for the first time, the personal appeal of online entertainment.  Vlogs take on an added power when presented full screen on a 46 inch television.  A large part of the appeal of effective vlogs is the creator’s personal connection with the audience.  On a television, that connection is only strengthened.  I began to wonder if his reaction might be an early hint of the potential growth of vlog-based entertainment.

The technology isn't there quite yet - all of YouTube's social and community features (commenting on a video or channel, or liking, for example) are currently inaccessible from Apple TV and other similar devices.   Bring these features into the family room alongside big-screen YouTube, and the combination could very well engage millions and make possible a true Vlogging Industry.

The Vlogger Interviews: Mippey5 [Luke Thompson]

About this interview:

Luke Thompson, of Mippey5, is a Minnesota-based YouTuber creating song parodies of contemporary songs.  Now that he's graduated from college, he's working full time to see if he can make his growing YouTube channel a part - or even full time profession.  Luke discusses how he began on YouTube, and haters who have trouble understanding the word, "parody"

The Vlogger Interviews: Cullen and Katie [Bamachick1101]

About this interview


Alabama residents Cullen and Katie are in the midst of spending a year in Florida as part of Katie's education.  They began vlogging on their YouTube channel, Bamachick1101 to keep in touch with family and friends back home - but soon found that other people they didn't know were interested as well.  They've become friends with other vloggers and some of their subscribers, too.

They've vlogged every day they've been in Florida - and they've found that creating for an audience - and knowing their subscribers appreciate their upbeat attitude - helps them keep upbeat and positive, even through difficult times.

The Vlogger Interviews: FlashVlog

About this Vlog:


Gordon, a resident of Seattle, Washingto, has a vlogging story that really represents what we might call "The Hidden World of Vloggers."  If you're not already plugged in in some way to the vlogging community, you may not realize just how diverse and wide-spread it really is.  Gordon's day job is as a landscaper/Gardner - yet no one he encounters in his daily life has ever been aware of his online life.  It's not that he's keeping it a secret - but the fact is that vlogging still hasn't reached the mass audience.

In this interview, we talk about the future of vlogging, and the possibility that, with more accessible tools like AppleTV and other devices, casual viewing of YouTube content might finally open the vlogging world to the world at large.  Also, we touch on the challenge of balancing vlogging - with family.

Who are the unexpected vloggers in your life?

Check out Gordon's YouTube channel, FlashVlog.

The Vlogger Interview Goes Rogue: Spiggitz the Cat [TheSchwartzcaster]

About this interview:

Well, okay - this is more a parody than an interview - but it brings up one of the challenges to doing the Vlogger Interviews as I move ahead - many people seem to think that I have some sort of worthiness test. The fact is that I'm more interested in enthusiastic vloggers than their subscriber count.  It's also a bit of an experiment to see I can exploit the cat thing on YouTube!

Special thanks to Spiggitz the Cat (via TheSchwartzcaster) for taking time out from the litter box for me.

The Vlogger Interviews: Martin [Princeword]

 Martin is a  dedicated vlogger from Karlskrona, Sweden. He's actually been vlogging since before YouTube existed.  His interest is also academic - he's written a these on vlogging and social media, and is now preparing a documentary exploring the subject - he's seeking your participation.  Martin also discusses the Nordic vlogging community.


Some supplementary information about Martin not covered in the interview:
Though Martin has had an interest in the power of media for quite some time, he was, briefly, the center of a media firestorm during the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007.  He had arrived on the campus a day before on a educational collaboration, and was on campus, with his video camera, during the shooting.  He provided the video, free of charge, to the media (he says he never wanted to be accused of profiting off of the tragedy), and was interviewed by media in the U.S. and in Sweden.

He had what he describes as a surreal experience being interviewed by various reporters from CNN and other outlets:  One reporter, in interviewing Martin, referred to Olaf Palme, the Swedish Prime Minister assassinated over twenty years earlier, perhaps looking for a parallel between the two entirely unrelated events.  Martin, however, wasn't entirely critical - he singled out CNN's Anderson Cooper as a particularly compassionate reporter.  Martin intends to explore his personal experience at Virginia Tech in an upcoming documentary.

Martin's Primary Channel is PrinceWord
His Secondary Channel is TheSwedishLad

The Vlogger Interviews: MaddiePost1

About this Interview:
Maddie - MaddiePost1 on YouTube - considers herself to be in a rare vlogging category - she's a woman in her forties that's not vlogging about her family.  She first discovered the world of vlogging through some of the popular make-up vlogs, but soon discovered the wide range of entertainment available in the vlogging world.  Eventually, she decided to try her own hand, and she's having a great time.  Like most vloggers, she enjoys the interaction with her subscribers, and extends her online community to Google Plus Hangouts.  Maddie also shared a concern that many women vloggers have expressed - the very real concern about maintaining privacy and security while continuing to enjoy her online interaction.

The Vlogger Interviews: Eric, of Epoddle [Coco Bean & Eze)

About this Interview:
Today's Vlogger Interview features Eric, 'EzE' of "CoCo Bean and EzE," a comedy / family vlog formally known at as Epoddle.   Eric's vlogs usally center on loosely scripted comedy sketches centered around his adventures with his four year-old son, known to YouTubers as "CoCo Bean." What began as a fun father-son (and family project) has turned into a growing YouTube channel.   We spoke about the origins of the channel, speculated on his son's future as a true child of vlogging - and preserving his family's privacy as their YouTube fame grows.

The Vlogger Interviews: Kyle Marshall [Maddog53]

Maddog53, 28 year-old Kyle Marshall, spoke with me from Calgary, Canada about his commitment to vlogging and it's growing popularity:  Now, even his mom knows what it is!



Kyle talks about the continuing evolution of his YouTube channel.  Though he has been posting videos on YouTube for several years, a visit to Vidcon, the YouTube content creator's conference, provided the inspiration for Kyle to make his vlogging commitment.   In the interview, discover the television icon he'd like to emulate in the world of vlogging.

The Vlogger Interviews: Teen Entrepreneur Andrew Brackin

In a few months, seventeen year-old Andrew Brackin will graduate from high school.  The London, UK resident will have time to pursue the things he loves - and dive full-time into his ambition to be a web entrepreneur.  He's been a part-time entrepreneur for most of his teen years, and has several web-based projects already behind him.

His own journey began when he was just 13, and began vlogging on YouTube - building an audience and making friends across the UK and around the world - and introducing him to the world of entrepreneurship.  He could be called, I suppose, a child of social media, with a network and a sensibility that almost certainly will set his generation apart from those before.

Though he's already achieved modest success, he has no illusions about where's he's at - and where he needs to go, "I don't think I'm anywhere near "there" yet - I feel I'm at step one of many, many steps."

One of earliest projects, tunevibez.com [no longer in operation], evolved out of day-long experiment in music streaming, and evolved into a year long experiment.  After finding that licensing mainstream artists would be too expensive and complicated, he personally contacted hundreds of independent artists and record labels to secure their permission - and created a 24/7 operation that involved more than a dozen DJ's - all friends he'd made through YouTube and other social media (with BillTVMacon providing an automated voice for the station when DJ's weren't available.  Though Tunevibez never made money, "it was great fun," and expanded his community of friends and followers.

Today, he's the co-founder of getdealy.com, a Groupon-like site aimed at a tech-minded audience.  It has eighty thousand members worldwide so far, offering discounts on specialized products like font packs, ftp software, and productivity software.  It's continued to help raise Andrew's profile, generating media interviews - and even a brief mention in the Wall Street Journal's "Marketwatch" column.

As Andrew moves on, he's already giving back to other young entrepreneurs.  He's careful to say he doesn't offer advice - but the benefit of his experience.  He encourages other like-minded teens to "break every rule...failure is good.  I've failed many times."

He also offers a perspective to other teens that might leave some of his older counterparts scratching their heads.  It makes perfect sense, in this author's opinion, if you take into account a teen just beginning to comprehend the possibilities ahead.

"Lots of people talk about business plans, and I just feel like, you know, if you have one set vision, when you write a business plan right at the start of your company, and that's the time when you're company's going to change the most...because you do all this early learning about the market, just naturally, reading about other companies, or contacting your first partners, or customers, you'll learn really big lessons which will change your company and essentially, if you  have a business plan, it's very hard to do that, your mind is set.

"So basically, don't be worried, don't be afraid to make mistakes, and if you work on something long enough and hard enough, and listen to the people around you, you will be able to succeed. "

This year, upon graduation from high school, Andrew's ready to take his ambitions to the next level.  He intends to come to Silicon Valley and work on an as-yet-undisclosed new project.  "I'd like to do something really disruptive," he says.  He hopes, of course, to eventually  pursue start-up and/or venture capital funding, following the path of so many tech entrepreneurs before him.

After chatting with Andrew, however, I can't help but anticipate how his powerfully connected generation might impact the established tech world, as the Gates and Jobs generation shook up the tech world in the 70's.

More on Andrew Brackin:  http://zerply.com/andrew

Vlogger Interview: Bill Elder [BillTVMacon]

Today's Vlogger Interview features Bill Elder, known on YouTube as BillTVMacon.  He's based in Macon, Georgia, and has had a long career in broadcast radio - including thirty years as a DJ.  That experience definitely shows.  His vlog is funny, well edited, and responsive to his subscribers the vlogging community around the world.    He has an amazing ability to create content that has an appeal across all age groups on YouTube.  AND, if that isn't enough, he's a nice guy.

Though the Vlogger Interview is usually ten minutes long, I sometimes have great conversations that go on quite a bit longer.  I'm considering an audio podcast that would, among other things, include in-depth interviews with a number of vloggers that's you've met here.  What do you think?

The Vlogger Interviews: Curt Phillips [OhCurt]

Today's Vlogger Interview features Curt Phillips - OhCurt on YouTube - he's a vlogger with a cinematic sense, and a vlogging veteran with over five years behind him.   In this interview, learn how Curt actually began developing his vlogging style in the 1980's - and the single greatest reason he keeps it up to this day.

If you haven't seen it yet, here's the powerful video by young Jacob Mowry, to whom Curt refers to in this video. This video, though posted months ago, went viral just a couple of weeks ago.  Here's Curt's own response.

The Vlogger Interviews: Gabe Gerrard [TheresGabe]

In this latest episode of The Vlogger Interviews, I speak via Skype with Gabe Gerrard of Salt Lake City, Utah.  Gabe, along with his wife and son, create content across several channels, including TheresGabe . Gabe loves the camera, and even though he now works in an industry about as far from the entertainment world as you can get, you'll learn about his role in a certain classic kid's movie.   Perhaps that was just his warm-up for his vlogging career....

Enjoy the Vlog!  

The Vlogger Interviews: Margaret Fabrizio [ATree3]

Here's a very special Vlogger Interview with Margaret Fabrizio, ATree3 on YouTube.  Margaret is a livelong creative artist.  As her website notes, she began her study of piano six weeks before her third birthday.  She's been a pianist, harpsichordist - and for 25 years was on the faculty of Stanford University.   She's a writer, visual artist, filmmaker - and an active and prolific Vlogger.

Margaret's creative and dynamic use of the vlogging canvas sets the bar high for all of us. In fact, she might very well represent the elusive soul of Vlogging...

Enjoy the interview!