Bill Cammack

Leveraging Live Video Platforms

Posted by Bill Cammack On March - 6 - 2008

Kfir Pravda asks the question How can videbloggers leverage live video platforms?

I think live video will enable individuals or production teams to foster closer relationships with their core group of viewers. I’ve seen Jonny Goldstein make excellent use of “live” from back in the days when we used to have to use telephone conference services to video conference with each other. Now, services and applications are getting better and increasing the number of features to the point that just about everyone is getting experience with some kind of live interaction, even privately, via Aim, iChat & Skype.

As far as for scripted shows, such as 35 and Something To Be Desired, there’s the opportunity to go behind the scenes with the actors.. either as the actors themselves or as their characters. Depending on the situation, either one could be really fascinating. It would call for some ad-libbing,though. The actors would have to have a really great understanding of the characters they play in order to interact in real-time with an audience “in character” and explain motivations and information that ended up on the cutting room floor or weren’t discussed by the cast & crew at all. I think this would make people way more interested in the show itself to have more of an intimate interaction with the actors.

I’ve seen Epic-Fu do live shows. They’ve had live entertainment from Paul Dateh and it was great to watch them party and interact with each other genuinely and authentically. There’s much to learn & gain even from being a ‘fly on the wall’ when people whose shows you’ve seen are out of character and being themselves.

I think that interactivity is the benefit of internet shows over television shows. It gives the actors the chance to get to know more about their audience, and makes the audience more emotionally invested in the show. It also affords the actors the opportunity to showcase more dimensions to themselves than scripts and editing allow. I mean, who’s going to script Jonny playing his music box into a show? :D

Another benefit is allowing the fans to become a part of the creation of the show. Going live, you can get suggestions from them and incorporate their ideas into a future script. You can get an idea of what they’re receiving compared to what you’re attempting to project to them.

I think live video’s going to be a great asset for scripted shows. It’s just going to take a while for people to get up to speed in utilizing the various services and sites before we see some really creative and innovative uses for the medium.

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