RedBull.tv

Everyone knows that Red Bull has made extreme sports a cornerstone of their marketing and brand. Watch anything from the X-Games to your local skateboard competition and you are more than likely to see a Red Bull logo somewhere.

Now, any of us stuck in an office or waiting to board a plane can get our adrenaline fix with the introduction of RedBull.tv

Featuring a variety of video from every sort of sport, there is something for everyone. We watched surfers tear up waves, motorcycles climb sand dunes and snowboarders some insanely fun tricks on the slopes.

If you are not sure where to start viewing from the hundreds of hours of video they have click on the Live button at the top of the page for a constant stream of some of their best clips.

It excited us to see more brands registering .tv domain names and using it to showcase their video content. Have you seen any brands that you love doing this? Let us know so we can spotlight them here on the site.

Flingo.tv

As covered by GigaOM, two .tv’s that showed new products are Flingo and Simple.tv.

Flingo, headquartered in San Francisco, launched in late 2008 as a way for sending online video to internet-connected TVs (including sets from LG, Samsung and Vizio). They launched a new product at CES, called SyncApps, which they claim allows users to share easily on Facebook and Twitter, while allowing social content from broadcasters, like polls and updates, to be sent to the user’s TV screen. There have announced a number of really exciting features, including an API that enables developers to create application that use SyncApps to hook into their system. This looks like the next phase of social television and we can’t wait to see where this goes.

Another .tv that emerged from CES is Simple.tv, a set-top device that lets you stream live and recorded TV content to supported mobile devices – including the iPad.  Simple.tv announced availability for Spring 2012 and are taking reservations for their device on their website. Simple.tv also announced a premium subscription package will be available  that will include an enhanced program guide, automatic recording and streaming to a set number of connected devices.

Simple.tv

These are pretty exciting uses of technology for online video – it looks like the future is really here!

We’re also looking forward to exploring great new features that are being implemented in cameras – like Wi-Fi and 3D – that will help take online video up to the next level.

One of the big events of this year’s CES was the International Academy of Web Television Awards. This is an organization that promotes and celebrates online video and the amazing creators behind them. The awards were given out on January 12^th and you can watch the stream of the ceremony here.  We were really excited to see one of our advocates, Brad Powell’s webshow, DadLabs, win Best Educational Web Series – Congratulations Brad!

Once again, the Consumer Electronics Show was an exciting kick-off to the year and we’re looking forward to seeing all of these products in use during 2012!

Twitch.tv website

We’ve written about Twitch.tv before and have followed it’s progress since it’s spin off from Justin.tv in June 2011. Twitch.tv is a site for video gamers to watch, broadcast and chat about their gameplay, a great site to discover new games and personalities to follow.

The site has been growing at an incredible rate – 11% month over month since their launch – and announced in December that Twitch.tv is now engaging more than 12 million unique visitors a month. They also launched an iPhone application, which had over 80,000 downloads in the first month.

Twitch.tv has a premium partner program that includes the Electronic Sports League, Major League Gaming and the IGN Pro League, and is now more than 1000 members strong.

There is an incredible amount of momentum going into 2012 around Twitch.tv and the gaming space – what we see is that this is an incredibly connected and vibrant community that’s passionate about video gaming and online video.

In this video, .tv Advocate C.C. Chapman and Mitch talk about the evaluation of client video content strategy and the importance of making great online video.

Thanks Mitch for such a great interview! Is video in your company’s content strategy for 2012?  Send us a tweet or comment here, on our Facebook page or YouTube channel.

* Disclosure: C.C. is a compensated member of the .tv Advocate Program, http://cmp.ly/3/vakqdV

Thanks Scott! How are you planning to use video in 2012? Let us know what – send us a tweet, comment here, on our Facebook page or on our YouTube channel.

Stay Tuned!

* Disclosure: Mark is a compensated member of the .tv Advocate Program,  http://CMP.LY/3/zNxf55

.tv Advocate, Amy Mac

From function to fashion, my journey to finding food…

It is true. I use to be the girl that couldn’t cook and was fine with it. This didn’t affect my daily life (I once survived on Cheerios for 4 days and didn’t notice until I got dizzy) because I was all about the function of food and not the fashion. Plus, my husband can cook. Fast forward a few years and my brother-in-law moves in and decides to learn to cook. I was his sous chef (mostly because I didn’t want him destroying my kitchen) and suddenly food began to matter. I could start tasting subtle differences in spices and really appreciating a well-prepared steak – what had happened to me?!

This new appreciation of food didn’t really play in to my healthy lifestyle and weight management regimen so my workout plans have had to be modified through the years but it has been worth it. Not only do I appreciate amazing food but I can also cook (even though my family will never really believe it)! It is nice not to stress over having people over for dinner or taking a dish to a party. That’s why I’m a fan of LeGourmet.tv!

LeGourmet.tv

This site is full of short,informative and fun to watch videos on cooking and kitchen prep. I love the site’s simplicity, tips and recipes. From how to store an avocado without it browning to the correct way to measure flour and howtomakeovenpulledpork, you will learn something new from this site! Even if you don’t attempt any of their recipes, you get to watch and enjoy the process in these fast 5 minute videos! 

Thanks Amy for a great post.  We’d love to hear what are YOUR favorite .tv sites – send us a tweet or comment here, on our Facebook page or YouTube channel.

* Disclosure: Amy is a compensated member of the .tv Advocate Program,  http://cmp.ly/3/7Zcya9

.tv Advocate, Brad Powell

One of the best things about working with our .tv Advocates is that we get to hear about great companies that are using online video as a means to help other people and businesses.

Today, .tv Advocate Brad Powell introduces us to David J. Neff of Lights.Camera.Help., a company that connects filmmakers with non-profits.

Thanks Brad – what a great organization!

We’d love to hear what topics you’d like to see covered by our advocates – send us a tweet or comment here, on our Facebook page or YouTube channel.

Stay tuned!

* Disclosure: Brad is a compensated member of the .tv Advocate Program,http://CMP.LY/3/IohLtU

.tv Advocate Melissa Pierce

Based in New York, Portable.tv is an online channel that explores fashion, film, music and art through online video.

Recently, .tv advocate and filmmaker Melissa Pierce caught up with their creative director, Andrew Apostola.

How did Portable.tv get started?

We had been running the Portable Film Festival for a few years and wanted to provide more to our fans on a daily basis. So we launched the new Portable in February 2010. It was instantly well received by people around the world, particularly by the fashion industry as we were one of the first to really cover fashion video in a serious and consistent way. Today we curate videos across fashion, film, music, art and design. We recently released a great article on the history of fashion film and we have a regular series called “What We’re Watching” that covers what bands, designers and artists are watching online.

What inspired you start curating online video?

Portable is both a broadcaster and a curator—we merge the two together. I have a background in broadcasting and filmmaking and my friend and co-founder Simon Goodrich has a strong interest in technology. It’s incredible difficult to find great video online, so we’re filling that gap and I guess our fans love us for it.

Why online video and not another form of media?

Online video is where all the innovation lies when it comes to broadcasting. In 2003 we launched the Student Youth Network, a radio station out of Australia. The next logic step was to start broadcasting on the internet and we chose video because it’s the most visual and visceral form of media available today. It’s not to say that we’re not interested in other forms of media: you need to start somewhere and it’s best to start where you passion lies before moving elsewhere.

The site is has a minimal and very clean look to it, almost like an art gallery, how many of Portable.tv’s staff are designers/artists?

Our audience consists of a lot of designers and artists, however our staff just have a strong appreciation for good design. We actually help a lot of other companies get online through Portable Studios our production company.

How long has portable.tv been on the net?

We went live in February 2011 and we’ve watched our audience grow quite rapidly from then. Most of our audience comes out of the United States, followed by Australia, the UK and France. We noticed that the French really liked us few months ago so we decided to give them some love back with an article on the Best French Indie Filmmakers of 2011 . We also have a guide to Melbourne filmmakers which is where the whole concept of Portable emanates from. Today we have offices in New York, Melbourne and Sydney.

Does Portable.tv have any big plans for 2012?

Portable is constantly evolving. Expect to see a bold and beautiful re-design in the new year. Also expect to see more pretty pictures, beautifully shot videos and contributors from around the world. Oh and a series of events in New York and Australia.

Thanks Melissa! Portable.tv is a beautiful site and we’re looking forward to watching them in 2012. Do you have a favorite .tv site we should profile? Send us a tweet, comment here, on our Facebook page or on our YouTube channel.

Stay Tuned!

* Disclosure: Melissa is a compensated member of the .tv Advocate Program,  http://CMP.LY/3/1x3XoV

.tv Advocates, The MidLife Road Trip

Whether it’s for a new iPhone app or a marketing vehicle for a online filmmaker, a Sizzle Reel is a great way to promote what you do. Today’s post from Rick and Sandi from the MidLife Road Trip talks about what a Sizzle Reel is and what to think about when you’re planning one.

A sizzle reel, sometimes referred to as a demo reel, showcases the body of your work. It is a 2 – 5 minute video that highlights what you are all about, your purpose and passion. It’s what sets your ‘brand’ apart. You want your sizzle reel to be a ‘tease’, to leave viewers wanting more.

You’ve decided to create a sizzle reel, now what?

First, what is the purpose of your sizzle reel? Who will see it? What type of impression do you want to make? Answer those questions and that will help determine the direction of your video.

Next, check out similar videos. Find out what you like and don’t like about them.  Take notes. It is important not only to have a clear-cut idea in your head but to also put a pen to paper.

Once you have developed your concept and written your voice over script, you’ll need to select the photos, video and music that will set the tone for your sizzle reel.  If you are using video highlights of your work, you’ll want to select short clips with compelling sound bites. 

A sizzle reel is not an in your face commercial. Sizzle reels are usually fast paced and exciting. The music you select sets the mood.  If you have a lot of action in your video, you’ll want music that is upbeat and reflects that. There are as many options for music as there are moods, and a quick google search of Royalty Free Music will provide you with numerous sites offering single tracks or entire libraries of music for a small fee or a donation.

If your just not a great editor, not feeling creative or simply don’t have the time, there are numerous companies that can create a sizzle reel for you. 

What ever you decide, the outcome should be a powerful, emotionally engaging video that exemplifies who you are and what you are about. It’s a first class marketing tool that is will leave a memorable and lasting impression. 

Thanks Rick and Sandi, great post! What do you think of sizzle reels?–Send us a tweet or comment here, on our Facebook page or YouTube channel.

Stay tuned!

* Disclosure: Rick Griffin and Sandi McKenna are compensated .tv Advocates,  http://cmp.ly/3/LyzHe9 and http://cmp.ly/3/yDVhjL

.tv Advocate, Amy Mac

Many people think that they need to be a massive production house in order to use or even afford a teleprompter.  Not true.  If you are putting out webisodes every week, EVEN if you’re just getting started, a teleprompter is not just a luxury… it’s a must.  A teleprompter is the difference between memorizing hundreds of lines and hours of shooting and stuttering OR taking 2 minutes to shoot your video and moving on with the rest of your day.  The teleprompter we use was around $1000 dollars and is considered by most standards to be pretty small.  The farther away you are from the camera the bigger teleprompter you need, at about 10 feet away from our camera, I can read it just fine.  That being said you don’t need a $1000 teleprompter or even a $100 teleprompter to get started. 

If you plan on being close to your camera (like using your webcam) you can write out the words in a big font on your screen and refer back to it as needed.  Alternately, if you have an iphone, or other smart phone, there are teleprompter programs for just a couple dollars in the app store.  Just place the phone as close as you can to your camera and you’re off! 

Some rights reserved by PrimeImageMedia.com

If you do decide to pick up the real deal, there are a couple things to know in order to look like a pro….

Make sure you stand far enough away from the teleprompter that people watching can’t see your eyes reading.  Another way to say this is use a bigger font.  If you are close enough to the teleprompter that you can have several sentences on it at one time YOU’RE TOO CLOSE.  You see this a lot when the president speaks in the Oval office.  The camera is so close to him that if you watch his eyes, you can actually see him reading the speech.  The way you fix this is to make the text a little bigger and take a couple steps back.  This way it seems as though you are just talking and not reading a script!

This brings up my last point on teleprompters.  Just because the words are on the screen doesn’t mean you can’t rehearse the text a couple times.  I can’t tell you how many times I see terrible commercials on tv or videos online where the person is talking, but clearly someone else wrote the script and they are just reading it.  You have to say the lines a couple times to make sure you are getting the inflections right and the script makes sense.  It’s like the classic scene from Anchorman when Will Ferrell reads the line on the teleprompter wrong because someone put a question mark at the end of a sentence.

A little knowledge and a small amount of cash can make your next production faster and less stressful by just using a teleprompter.

Thanks Amy for a great post. Do you use a teleprompter when shooting web video?  We’d love to hear what topics you’re using – send us a tweet or comment here, on our Facebook page or YouTube channel.

* Disclosure: Amy is a compensated member of the .tv Advocate Program,  http://cmp.ly/3/7Zcya9