1. Where and when did usable online video start? (provide some refs. and an example if possible)
According to Dembot site, usable online video started ten years ago and we are now “celebrating” ten years of online video. (http://dembot.com/post/310798115/a-decade-in-history-of-online-video, Accessed 18/8/10) Although it wasn't a convenience to watch these videos until the creation of broadband, which was 2004 in America, and then populated across the globe.
There were many sites of course, pre-youtube.com but youtube.com is globally and most popularly known for people to be able to watch, access and download videos and parts of films. The domain name "YouTube.com" was activated on February 15, 2005 (http://www.articlealley.com/article_1482289_81.html, Accessed 18.8.10) and ever since has been the most popular website for the general public.
2.In the lecture we heard about technological innovations that were used by the studios to lure audiences (mostly to combat the popularity of TV). What recent innovations are being used to lure us in the movies? What are they luring us from?
The movies are using the same method that they attempted to do in 1952, which was creating everything in 3D. Companies and cinemas also try advertise heavily and also make the premieres of movies seem so much more appealing by having special guests. Cinemas are also known to have a 'cheap day' like Cheap Tuesday, to bring people in on a day that wouldn't normally bring people in. Any method to save money in recent times, people are gullible. They will fall for marketing techniques if they believe that they are saving money.
The cinemas are trying to lure people to come to the cinema, purely because they do now want to lose the company. The internet and downloading free or cheap movies has become such a popular phenomenon that it is a constant fear and risk of the cinemas. Why pay for a movie when you are going to have to sit through ads, be accompanied by screaming children, uncomfortable seats that you actually paid for, when you could watch a movie in the comfort of your own home for free or cheap? You can pause or rewind it whenever you want and you are watching it as the same time or before it is released. The cinemas are aware that this is reality and they have to combat it.
3. Are short films still being made? Why? Who pays for them to be made?
Short films are still being made. They are most of the time cheaper to make, as one person can afford to put the debt on a credit card, opposed to many, like an independent film maker would. Short films are made because people have ideas and want to demonstrate them, but large companies don't listen. So a short film may be an achievement, or it may be like a prototype to advertise their films which they want to make into a feature.
Short films are also great for advertisements. To get a real message across it appears that ads use the short film technique to make it really impacting. Some examples are Chanel no.5 perfume ad, Old Spice Ad and a UK Seatbelt Ad.
Short films additionally are great for "before" feature films. Pixar uses this technique before every movie. Example. It helps people get into the mood of the film and is some funny entertainment.
Most short films are self-funded, hoping to get picked up by a studio.
Airlines also use them to advertise the country and introduce the culture, nationality, etc.
4. The term viral is thrown about adhoc but what does it mean in film/movie arena?
Examples are like Llama in Hats, Perez Hilton, Lazy town, and even the Old Spice ad that was shown above.
5. Online video distribution isn't limited to the short film format. We are now starting to see television styled shows made solely for internet release (webisodes). Find an example of this style of content and discuss how viewing television content in this way can positively and negatively affect the viewer's experience.
An example of a webisode would be 'The Awkward Man' which is a 9 part TV show for the web. http://www.theawkwardman.com/
A lot of anime would be distributed this way, as so many people enjoy it, but not enough to distribute on television.
There are positives and negatives when viewing television this way.
Positives- People can watch shows that they like.
Negatives- People will not watch programs pointlessly, and therefore the TV networks will suffer.
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