What’s Your Trip…..

Guy Bauer’s video submission on his trip to Ireland made it into the pilot for What’s Your Trip with Anthony Bourdain. But I also loved Bauer’s travel video to Poland.

The home page for the show is finally up as well. Check it out at www.travelchannel.com/yourtrip.

Check it out.

George Lucas Speaks

I didn’t say it, George Lucas did:

Moving Beyond Moving Pictures:

 

Spring 2007
By George Lucas ’66
When Johannes Gutenberg set out to build a printing press in the mid-15th century,the last thing on his mind was starting a revolution.But by taking advantage of the technologies that surrounded him – oil-based inks, bulk paper making, the screw-type press – and putting them together with his own innovations for movable print, he did kindle an evolution in printed communications. That evolution, in turn, served as the catalyst for many revolutions, both literally and figuratively, which shaped the course of human history. Like Gutenberg, we, too, have arrived at a historic juncture. All the elements are present to push the evolution of communications farther and to shape the technological, economic, cultural and educational landscape for this century and the millennium to come.The question is, are we up to the challenge? At the core of this movement are the techniques of the cinematic arts – movies, television, interactive media and formats yet to be invented – that will change the fundamentals of how we communicate on both a personal and a global basis. While the so-called “digital revolution” is nothing new to anyone who has kept even remotely abreast with developments over the past two decades, what is new, and profoundly so, are the ways in which people of all ages and backgrounds are using these media.

5Takes Vlog

This is the first of many videos I will be posting from the 5Takes series. This is a vlog, intended for quick turn and online only. This is not a finished, polished for air clip. As soon as the series airs, I will post material from there.

The Peasants Are Revolting!

…. storming the CBS Building…..

The printing press unleashed a revolution unforseen by Gutenberg.

The ‘people’ were suddenly in control of information.

And those who had until then complete power over information did not like this at all.

The Cheese and the Worms by the Italian historian Carlo Ginzburg gives us an analysis of the impact of literacy on Medieval Europe. Menocchio, a peasant has learned how to read on his own. He is the first in his small village to do so. And he immediately starts to ask unpleasant questions.

The World Turned Upside-Down

…for all to see, in black and white…

“Yes, there are more producers of video content. That content will continue to grow/explode. But I will not have time or energy to watch more than a few each day. Sorting through the videos will be impossible. That is more true for the general public. They will never sort through the millions of video posts produced each day.”

So writes Eric Blumer, who wrote below and I think works at CBS. And he is right. There will soon be millions of people making videos and posting them, and millions and millions of videos available to see. Who will have the time to look at them?

To address this question, I think it is instructive to take a look at the impact of the arrival of the printing press, immediately after that technology was invented; and look at how that technology percolated out into society. ….Which is now so much in parallel with where we are in the world of online video.

The Revolution Comes Home

The hand that rocks the cradles… also holds the video camera….

Mary Sturges.

Home schooling mother of 8 from South Carolina.

Not exactly your idea of revolutionary.

But when the video revolution reaches here, you know its real.

KGTV is Number 1

numbers through the roof….

KGTV, the VJ (or DC) driven station in San Diego has moved way up in the ratings as of the critical May sweeps period. Some newscasts have shown increases of almost 30%.

There has been a great deal of discussion about the impact of the VJ model on any number of local TV newsrooms. I cannot say whether the VJ model was literally responsible for the massive increase in numbers, but it certainly does not in any way hurt our cause.

Kudos to ND Gary Brown, GM Derek Dalton, Group President Ed Quinn and all the fine people who work there.

A great job.

Here are the numbers:

Internet Started Here 50 Years Ago

…one small step to the web…. who knew?

Fifty years ago this week, the Soviet Union gave approval for the launch of Sputnik, the first man made satellite. Although it launched in October 1957, the Politburo gave approval for launch on May 24th. It was a moment that changed the world.. but not in the way you might think.

The Internet and all that we do here is a direct consequence of Sputnik.

Making Air

Erika Graffeo, from airline stewardess to television personality….

What we are talking about here is ‘video literacy’.

That is, the ability to tell a story in video.

No Arguments Here

..”hello room service? Can you send up a LaCie drive?….”

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA:

The arguments about the cameras are endless.

The small cameras are toys.

They are not professional.

They are for amateurs.

Ironically, they are also the least significant driver of the video revolution.