Web video is booming. Companies are adopting new marketing methods in search of the perfect viral video to push their brand. Demand for content is on the rise from consumers and retailers. Social networking is at its highest point ever. Its at this point that we should be asking, where do we want this to go? Its time to reevaluate this medium and push past the cliches. Its time for web video set to higher standards.
Hulu launched just recently and has grown rapidly with the clear distinction from YouTube because of its higher quality content and “TV-like” video quality. The site lets you view high quality versions of popular TV shows, Films, and commercials. You can even cut out a clip from those shows and email it to a friend or post it on your blog. My biggest frustration on YouTube is that there is no distinction between “real” content and “fake” copies. If you go to search for a movie trailer you like, you get the real version plus 20 other home-made irrelevant copies.
The issue here is quality. The success of Hulu suggests that there is an audience demanding higher quality for web videos. Web video deserves respect and has a lot to offer. But respect means holding it to similar standards that you would demand from a TV show or commercial. Would you watch a movie that was filmed by an amateur and filtered through a plug-in-play “editing” software? Would you live in a house that was designed and engineered by a person with no engineering or architecture background?
Now this isn’t to say there is no value in home-made video. I started making videos when I was 10 on a home video camera and would have loved an outlet like YouTube to spread those productions out to the world. It can be a wonderful means of expression.
My desire is to see more distinct outlets to showcase professional video on the web. This is a call for an awakening that it is not okay to promote your serious business with a low-quality video because “its only a web video”. I’d like to see the web as an outlet to be inspired and network with other talented video artists; a venue for young artists to be seen and show the world their amazing creations.
Ben Young
CEO / Head of Production
SilkMotion Studios
www.silkmotion.com
www.silkmotion.com/blog
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube