Izzy Video

Originally uploaded by Noell.

Noell uploaded this photo to Flickr today, and I just love it, so I wanted to share it with you all.

This is a beautiful sunset in Rocky Point, Mexico, and I’m doing what I always do — shooting video.

Feel free to comment on the photo at her Flickr account if you’d like…

And yes, there’s a new episode of Izzy Video coming soon, so please “stay tuned.”

My son, Blake, made this video with Moviestorm, a new application (free) for both Mac and PC platforms that allows you to make a virtual movie. Blake created the story, customized the characters, recorded the dialog, rendered it, and uploaded it to YouTube. I haven’t really tried using the software yet, but my guess is that it must be pretty easy to use.

I was pleasantly surprised by his mini short film. And after watching it, I couldn’t help wondering, “Could Moviestorm be used for storyboarding?”

What do you think?

Tim Street frequently talks about how important spectacle is in video. In fact, he says it’s one of the three key components of a viral video, along with emotion and story. The dictionary defines spectacle as “anything presented to the sight or view, especially something of a striking or impressive kind”. A more common way of describing it might be simply “something interesting to watch.” This video is certainly “interesting to watch.”

When I watch videos like this, I pay close attention to what’s happening inside me. What does the video cause me to think and feel?

The above video certainly possesses spectacle. Have you ever seen any place like this? Surely, this type of environment is rare. In fact, in the beginning I wondered if it was simply a very elaborate 3D rendered environment.

What emotions do you feel when you watch it? I feel terror. I’m held in suspense.

And the story? I have no idea what the story is, but there is one just the same. I think it’s similar to a “back story.” Why is this person here? What has happened before this event that has brought them here?

Also, what’s the story in the future? What’s going to happen?

And the big question I was wondering, “Are they going to fall?”

I know this video is old, but I just saw it tonight for the first time. I love stuff like this. If you have a website, please consider embedding it.

via AmberMac

I’m going to do a free session called “Improve Your Online Video” on November 3rd at Podcamp AZ. The Podcamp is free. My session is free. You can follow this link to register. If you can make it to Phoenix on November 3rd, please join us. I’m hoping to see as many of you there as possible.

Following is the description for my session:

Aesthetically, most web video is pretty horrible. Because folks don’t know how easy it is to create good video, they make major blunders. They shoot up their own nostrils; they distort their faces with incorrect lens settings; they ignore audio quality. Avoid these pitfalls! Beginner or pro? Come join the discussion.

Oh, and by the way, I believe Podcamp AZ is going to be streamed live over the internet using Ustream.tv, so if you can’t make it to Phoenix on November 3rd, you can still enjoy much of the event.

Finally, my friend, Justine Ezarik (yes, the iPhone “Bill in a Box Video” Justine), is having a Photoshop contest to help promote Podcamp AZ. Maybe you’d like to participate?

*Update: Everything is working again. Andrew was right. The date in the system was wrong (I think this was a Dreamhost issue). Suddenly the date is correct and the system is working again. Sorry for any troubles…

Old Post:

For some reason, yesterday the membership software I’m using suddenly stopped working, so all of yesterday’s new subscribers may have issues when trying to access the premium area of the site. I will get this fixed as soon as possible. In the meantime, here is a workaround that appears to work:

1. Try to log into the premium members area, and you will get a message that says: “Access to this membership area is not allowed. Please go to ‘Membership information page’ to renew or add subscription”
2. Click on the words “Membership information page”
3. Inside the membership information page, in the upper left-hand quarter, you’ll see a section called “Your Subscriptions”. Click on the subscription called “Six-Month Premium Subscription to Izzy Video”.
4. Now you’re inside the premium area!

I will post once I have the problem fixed. Sorry about the problems!

I’m really enjoying myself at the Portable Media Expo here in Ontario, CA. If you’re here, and you want to connect over the next few days, please feel free to call. My mobile # is 480-980-1533.

Here’s my dilemma: More than a year after forming Glimpster, I continue to get requests from people with good ideas for shows, asking if they can join the network. I don’t know what to do about these requests. They’re tempting. Glimpster has four different shows, and only two of them actively produce new content, Paperclipping (my wife’s scrapbooking show) and Izzy Video. With only four shows, and two of them active, I can hardly call this a network and keep a serious face.

I admit that the thought of adding more shows to Glimpster thrills me. I can imagine how fun it would be to develop this into a network with ten, twenty, or more shows, all producing educational content and making it available for free. I think this kind of project could benefit people worldwide.

But the problem is, unfortunately, time. When I think about how strained I feel with only Izzy Video and Paperclipping as active projects, I wonder if I might become overwhelmed by additional responsibilities. Right now Glimpster is a spare-time project. Do I have time to do more? Honestly, I believe I do. But how far do I want to take it? I don’t know the answer to this yet.

I’d like to get your feedback. You are the viewers, after all. What should I do with Glimpster? If I accepted requests to join the network, would you want to participate? How would the arrangement work?

I’m curious to read your responses in the comments.

Okay, here’s the thing: I get zillions of questions via comments and emails every day, and while I’d love to answer them all, I can’t because I don’t have time, and because most of the questions are all the same, and answering the same questions over and over is a challenge for me, because I find that type of thing troublesome.

So I invented a new thing called a FAQ, which stands for “Frequently Asked Questions.” Okay, so I didn’t invent it. I’m just trying to prove to myself that I’m not a moron. For two years I’ve been answering the same questions over and over, and I just recently created an FAQ. I don’t know why I didn’t think of the FAQ before. I guess I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed after all.

Here’s the other thing: I don’t want to be the only one answering questions. Many of you are geniuses. I know this because I’ve received messages from many of you. Because I think you all could really contribute, I’ve put the FAQ in the form of a wiki, which means that anyone can edit it. You can edit it to ask questions, or to answer them, or to link to answers, or whatever. That’s the beauty of a wiki. (You have to setup a profile first, but that’s my attempt to reduce spam edits.)

Without further ado, here’s the link to the FAQ wiki. Take a peek if you want. It’s three questions long at the time that I write this, but I’m sure it will get bigger.

Thanks for all your help! And I hope this new resource helps you (although admittedly it mostly helps me).