The Dutch spend more time online

The online population or ’surf-population’ of the Netherlands has increased with 1% to 83%. The time spent online by this group has increased with 8% to 8.4 hours per week. These are the latest results of the ‘Establishment Survey’ a research performed every 6 months by Intomart GfK for the STIR (Stichting Internet Reclame, i.e. the Foundation Internet Advertising). This survey investigates the use of media in general and that of the internet in particular amongst 2000 people of 13 years and older.

This version demonstrates two additional interesting results. First, the internet is the only medium in The Netherlands that showed an increase in use. The consumption of TV, radio and magazines all decreased (measured in hours spent per week), while the use of newspapers remained the same. As a result, the consumption-share of the internet increased from 11.3% in 2007 to 13.7% in 2008.
Secondly, the age group 50+ is demonstrating the highest growth in internet usage. Internet penetration increased from 59% in 2007 to 63% in 2008 and use per week grew from 3 to 3.5 hours in the same period. In contrast, the internet penetration of 13-34 years old arrived at 99%. Still, the increasing participation of age group 50+ demonstrates that internet has established itself population wide and, with reference to internet being the only medium demonstrating growth, has become serious competition for the traditional channels.

Relationships are changing

It’s a bit of an oldy, but I think it perfectly tells the story of the changing relationship between the advertiser and the consumer. This couple, he the advertiser and she the consumer, doesn’t seem to understand each other very well anymore. Both went their own way, apparently.

To save the relationship, like in the real world, start conversating.

Amazing Moments 6 – Croc attack

I still owe you something…this Amazing Moment in the Serengeti. I will not say too much, just watch:

Professional nature filmmakers spent hours and hours, often waiting in difficult circumstances, just to get that one shot. It took me only 5 minutes (and lots of luck). With that in the back of your mind, take a look at the video below…(if you haven’t seen it yet).

It’s no surprise that this video has been viewed 34,690,615 times (and counting). It’s spectacular, authentic and an unbelievable story with a happy ending. On top of that, it’s one of the most viewed videos on YouTube and winner of the YouTube Eyewitness Video Award. It even has it’s own website: www.battleatkruger.com And it’s made by an amateur.

David Budzinski, a supply manager from Chevron in Houston, made the film during his first visit to Africa in September 2004. Just a tourist on safari in the Kruger National Park. They encountered a group of lions sunbathing close to a watering hole when a herd of buffalo’s passed by. The tour guide suggested to observe the group for some time. After an hour the spectacular scene took place. It was breathtaking. “At the moment the crocodile and the lions were fighting for the poor calve, I wanted to turn off the camera”, Budzinski said in an interview. “I didn’t want a bloody mess.” Luckily he didn’t and a feel-good story was born. Someone suggested to Budzinski that he sould try to sell the video, which he did. He contacted several stations like National Geographic and Animal Planet but everywhere he received the same reply: “We don’t accept footage from amateurs”

Until the video took off on YouTube. Millions of people watched it and shared it with friends and family. After more than 30 million views National Geographic contacted Budzinski in order to purchase the television rights of the video (price unknown). On top of that, National Geographic sent David Budzinski back to South Africa to make a documentary on the video: Caught on Safari, the Battle at Kruger, which National Geographic recently broadcasted. And with that Budzinski set another record: the first hour-long documentary that was inspired by a YouTube videoclip.

Poor professional sods, still lying there, waiting in the mud or in the burning desert, surrounded by flies and other annoying flying and crawling creatures, persistent and motivated by just that one comforting guarantee…”they will not accept any footage from amateurs…”

Retro Social Media

Aaaahhh… those good-ol’ days.. Guess what, social media is much older than you think.

Social Media in the Nineties

Final Cut

Six months, twice a week, 500 kilometers per week, three assignments. That’s how our last half year looked like. Our course ‘Digital Video Producer’ on the College of Multimedia in Amsterdam started in August, and last Saturday we celebrated the achievement of reaching the finish line. We started with about 15 people, and only about one third eventually made it.

It was tough, but it was great fun. The learning curve was enormous, and thanks to our sensai übermaster ‘we’ll-fix-it-in-post’ Harry Creemers we really expanded our knowledge on digital video editing. You can see some of our achievements here, here and here.

Now we wait for the final judgement: our main assignment and theoretical exam. We’ll keep you posted…

BBC and MySpace

Just read an interesting article in the International Herald Tribune, here in Moscow. The commercial arm of the BBC announced a partnership with MySpace, the popular social web space. “ This partnership continues our strategy of putting BBC content right at the heart of where audiences spend their time and watch video online”, Simon Danker, the Director of Digital Media at BBC worlwide stated.

[good to see that they realize the younger generation spend their time differently than people 15 years ago]

Also remarkable is that BBC content will be viewable in all regions of the world, whereas previous co-operations were restricted to certain regions.

[so far for DRM stuff]

The new BBC site provides clips from various British TV, grouped into channels of comedy, drama, science fiction, documentary, and so on.

International Herald Tribune
Friday, January 25, 2008
Page 13

New Media versus Old Media

As you may have noticed, we recently went to the Podcast and New Media Expo 2007 in Ontario, California. A thrilling show where the true new media junkie could really satisfy his/her addiction. DigiRedo TV investigated what impact New Media has on traditional media. Is it just another communication channel or are both fishing from the same pond? And how significant is the impact? DigiRedo asked the experts and here is their view…

Meet Priscilla

Priscilla helped us out for a viral marketing campaign we’re currently shooting. She is the main star in the movie. Since it’s cross-media all over the place, she’s also appearing in the printed marketing material.

Priscilla is not only a professional model, she also likes sushi.

First Day of the Conference

Of course, we did have a lot of fun. But boy, did we learn a lot. Below a summary of the sessions we went to on the first day. More to follow later on:

Keynote
Discussion with Howard Lindzon who sold his podcast about financial stock market to CBS for about $5 mln. He created his show in 8 months and is using actors in his show. Some highlights:

• Each show costs about $1000 – $2000
• 25,000 downloads per episode per day
• Each episode about 3 minutes
• Started because conventional news on financial stock markets was not fullfilling a need
• TV should rot in hell, although they still have the cashflow and are important in the media space
• No future for minimedia companies if they don’t focus on the business. If you want to sell your content and get a living out of it, act like a business person. If you do it for passion, fine but don’t expect to make a living out of it.

Field Production Strategies for Video Podcasting (Rich Harrington (RHED Pixel))

• Produce more than 1 episode in 1 day/session
• Mobile studio
• Tip: change your clothes for every episode
• Treat podcast production as Electronic News Gathering style shoot
• Spend money to save money:Proper size crew: various multi-disciplines people (min. 2)
• Multi-cam: simplifies post-production
• Use hard disk recorders (use tape as back-up): saves time in capturing
• Balancing format:

• Acquisition format: HD currently complicated
• Keep it short! Better impression to the client.
• Keep shot ration (footage vs used material) very low! (approx 2 or 3:1)
• Use shotlist, plan ahead, but remain flexible on location

• Map the production

• What is the content, who is the audience
• What is the roll outplan/frequency?
• When published, be sure to have more than 1 episode and backdate first few
• What is the production plan

• Multi-camera shoots

• Use similar cameras! with exact the same settings (shooting format, codecs, frame size etc)
• Use tripod and external mics
• Use clapperboard: looks silly, but clients love it!
• Use QP card – Color card
  • small and lightweight inexpensive ($7-8 each) and disposable, gives true white, true black and intermediate grey
• Use light: Diva Lite

• Tips:

• Use photos, titles etc.
• Use a propter (~autocue)
• With low light situation, increase gain to max +6 dB (not higher!), fix the rest in post
• Be careful with ECUs: could be problematic in post when using graphics

• Editing tips:

• Edit in original captured format, compress when project is finalized
• Enables you to offer client various end products (DVD, Flash, H.264 etc)
• Frame sizes (output) is defined by the data rate

Interviews that Rock – Heidi Miller (Heidi Miller Presents)

• Prepare, prepare, prepare
• Research what the interest of your guest is
• If you think it’s interesting, many of your listeners will
• Balance between what your listeeners want and what your guests want
• Ask your guests questions to discuss, but also your audience: involve them upfront via your blog/website!
• Storytelling! What is the story of your guest!
  • Start questions with: What, where, why, how…etc…Tell me about…
  • Show your research!
  • Don’t send questions upfront to your guest, but key topics
  • Send reminder day before with topics, time, location, way of communication (if on distance, e.g. Skype etc). Make clear that end result will be edited (either audio or video)
  • 2 minutes before interview: ease them down, offer drink, physical contact (hand shake, hug), pre-interview about themselves
  • Start interview: don’t forget to hit record!
  • How much should you talk yourself? Involving yourself (even personal) can be a reason for guests to listen to your show

Flow:

• Make sure it flows
• Enthousiasmize/engage, use your own tonage/intonation to increase flow
• SUL: Shut Up and Listen, do not be afraid of silence at the end of an answer: dare to wait longer than initially feels comfortable.
• Keep tough questions for the end
• Repeat name of guest frequently.

After the interview:

• Ask directly after the interview how it went

• Send thank you note afterwards

Difficult situations:

• Puffy guests: say that it’s an interesting topic, but your time is valuable so…
• Dull guests: forget it, may be not worth publishing
• Complicated guests: ask them to translate it for 5-year olds

On the spot interviews:

• Who: get some info upfront from programme, bios etc
• Where and when: try to do it shortly after a session
• How to invite: “Would you mind to have a short chat with me…
• What: look for story and surprises

The week of Reuters

 

Gamers are used as guinea pigs in a new social experiment on epidemic outbreaks. In a game like environment, specialist are trying to predict the consequences of a next pandemic. Initial idea came from the accidental outbreak of a virus in World of Warcraft in 2005, whereby the maker of the game introduced a virus as a challenge for high level gamers. As in real life the virus escaped, causing a high mortality rate among the players. The game needed to be reset to get rid of the virus.

The researchers will investigate human behavior such as ’stupid behavior’, near instant international travel’ and ‘infection by pets’.

In the meantime other researchers have calculated that Facebook might costs your boss billions of non-productive hours. “People love being there and telling people what they are doing right now, what their thoughts are right at this second,” SurfControl chairman Richard Cullen told Australian radio.  Banning Facebook from the computers might not be the right decision since people are happier when they can socialize and stay longer to do that.

Sick of playing CoD, BF2142, WoW? Or you are part of the female population of this world and are not ‘into’ these games? Disney is listening to you. With the introduction of  ‘High School Musical: Making the Cut’ the introduce a girly videogame for the Nintendo DS. They believe there’s a market for that (and if Disney says there’s a market for that, there is…)

The Long Tail in optima forma: niche e-tailers are attracting bargain hunters. “Think of a retail boutique with a very, very limited range of products and bargain basement prices. Now, put that on the Internet and you have the next big thing in online shopping”, according to the article. They describe three examples: Goldstarevents.com (offer discounted tickets for live entertainment events), Woot.com (selling a productpriced well below retail price for only 24 hours) and Travelzoo.com (finding the best deals on airfare, hotels, car rental, cruises and package trips for its 11 million users)