4 - Tutorial Task

1. Where and when did usable online video start?

The first youtube video was posted in 2005 which led to an onslaught of videos to show up online.

There is a brief history of online video of the past 6 or so years here.

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?
Recent innovations that are being used to lure us into movies lately is this horrid trend known as "3D". Personally, I hate 3D as it is such a fad and takes away from the story and performances in films. My least favourite movie from the past 2 years is Avatar. It was a terrible movie with a horrid screenplay and story, however it made over 2 billion dollars because of the CGI and the fact that it was in 3D. It made so much money that they are rereleasing it into cinemas (after a DVD release which is pretty unheard of) with an extra 9 minutes of footage (as if it wasn't long and horrible enough as it was) that cost 9 million dollars to make. 3D like that which was seen in Avatar had not really been seen in cinemas before. Nowadays, there are many movies in 3D such as Toy Story 3D and Step Up 3D. I do not believe the 3D trend will last as it is a fad and something new will come along that will detract viewers from going to see a movie just because it is in 3D.

3. Are short films still being made? Why? Who pays for them to be made?
Short films are being made all the time and are more popular than ever. It is so easy for people to use their own camera at home and go and shoot something, upload it to youtube and gain notoriety for it. Many students participate in short filmmaking.

Shorts are the most accessible form of cinematic storytelling: they can be made on any gauge of film or video and they are by their very nature, free from the commercial constraints of feature films.

Source: isfc.com.au

4. The term viral is thrown about adhoc but what does it mean in film/movie arena? Give some examples.

Viral is a term that has seemed to be used a lot over the past few years but I think when people say it about film and television, it has a different meaning. Justin Bieber has recently become a significant figure in today's pop culture and he started by posting youtube videos, and he went viral online. Viral is a term that is thrown about a little bit too much these days but it is still relevant.

A video, image or text spread by "word of mouth" on the internet or by e-mail for humorous, political or marketing purposes.

Source

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.

Webisodes have shown up a lot over the past few years. I personally do not think webisodes or web series can gain the same level of popularity as tv shows or films seen on regular commercial television because they don't have the same level of widespread mass marketing. A series feels more legit if it is seen on television and has DVD releases, rather than just being seen online. An example of webisodes is "Chasing Dorota", a Gossip Girl spin-off which I talked about in my last entry.

I think a viewer's experience when watching something is greatly dependant on whether they watch online or on their tv at home. I watch a lot of shows online that don't air here in Australia and you don't get the same viewing experience from doing so. It is more convenient as you can watch it whenever and wherever you want, but it doesn't have the same impact as watching something on your TV, at least for me.