Streaming Media West 2009: Web Television Comes of Age

Streaming Media West 2009 saw record numbers with 2,768 attendees converging on the San Jose Convention Center to hear from some of the brightest minds and see the latest innovations in the online video industry. One of the highlights of the conference for me was to program this panel session, "Web Television Comes of Age", that assembled an all-star cast of web television pioneers who discussed what's working, what's not and what's coming next in this "coming of age" medium of online entertainment.

With the growth of online video producer community and channels of distribution in the last year, and the success of Streamy Awards now in its second year, web television is finally recognized as a legitimate entertainment platform. But in our current economy it's still difficult to gain sponsorship and maintain a sustainable business model. Advertisers haven't fully endorsed online video and studios are just dipping their feet in the water. Storytelling is also changing, according to several panelists, who are innovators in transmedia storytelling and social entertainment. And at the end of the day, it really comes down to telling a good story with compelling content that attracts an audience and creates a dialogue and conversation.

So without further ado, I present the video from the session, and I'm especially pleased to do so on the eve of the triumphant return of the pioneering web show EPIC FU. Again, my thanks to Dan Rayburn, Streaming Media West Conference Chair, for finding a place on the schedule for this session and also to Marc Hustvedt, for moderating the session and to our great panel of speakers, Zadi Diaz, Brent Friedman, Thom Woodley and Jenni Powell. See my previous post for speaker bios and also Red Carpet interviews with Zadi and Brent.

Web Television Comes of Age
Track B: (B102) 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Original episodic web television has grown up in a short time and is now recognized as a respected and legitimate entertainment platform. But in our current economic downturn some web television studios have been forced to close and the reality is that it's still really difficult to create a sustainable business model. Some creators say that until the web can provide the reach and a real source of revenue for independent producers, there's no way it will ever truly become the future of TV. In this session, hear from some of the producers in this growing space on what it takes to create, market and sell a web television series as we debate the future success of web television.

Moderator:	Marc Hustvedt, Co-Founder, Tubefilter & Editor-in-Chief, Tubefilter News, Tubefilter
Presenters:	Thom Woodley, Partner, Chief Creative Officer, Dinosaur Diorama Jenni Powell, New Media Consultant (LonelyGirl15, The Guild, Legend of Neil) Brent Friedman, Co-Founder, Electric Farm Entertainment (The Gemini Division, Afterworld, Valemont) Zadi Diaz, Creative Director, Co-Founder, Smashface Productions

The Return of EPIC FU!! Pioneering Web Show Relaunches on January 21st

After many long months of hiatus, award winning internet culture web show EPIC FU, produced by creative team Zadi Diaz and Steve Woolf, returns to the web on January 21st. In a celebration at the Tubefilter Hollywood Web TV Meetup in Los Angeles sponsored by HP and Intel, the sixth season of the "premiere web show about emerging culture" will be screened and a discussion with Steve and Zadi will follow. The event will be streamed live on Stickam at 7:30 PM PST.

EPIC FU premiered on June 1, 2006 with Zadi Diaz as the host as a weekly show focused on emerging art, music, technology and internet culture. Described as a "hyperfast-paced pop culture newscast" by Wired, the show will relaunch into a new format with two shows a week focused on music and film, and a new blog network featuring daily fresh content.

I recently spoke with Zadi at Streaming Media West, and she shared some advise for web producers trying to break into the business. Zadi said it's important to connect with your audience, and EPIC FU is a pioneering example of how to build a global community around your web show. Zadi also spoke with Peter Cervieri for a Streaming Media West 2009 Red Carpet Interview, about the evolution of her show and the growing pains felt by the web television industry. EPIC FU has won two Webby Awards and a Streamy Award, and remains independently owned and produced by Zadi Diaz and Steve Woolf.

Where Has EPIC FU Been?

On the EPIC FU blog Steve explained the where and why,

"The shortest explanation is really the least sexy: we needed to do other things to make money. We made some television commercials, we worked with PBS, we made a new 6-episode show for Next New Networks, and did a couple dozen other production and consulting gigs.

Throughout that entire time we were always planning the next iteration of Epic Fu in our minds. One of the things that we feel makes us different from other shows is that we are not afraid to change the show in response to the way the Internet changes. People interact with show like Epic Fu in a different way now than they did a year ago, and two years ago, and we need to change in accordance."

Since EPIC FU went on hiatus in the spring of 2009, many have both hoped and speculated that the revered web show would return. Now, for the many fans and supporters of the show, come January 21, the wait will be over.

Congratulations Zadi and Steve!


About the creators of EPIC FU (Bios courtesy of Tubefilter)

Zadi Diaz is a Webby and Streamy Award winning new media producer, digital filmmaker, and host of EPIC FU. She began her online career as a videoblogger and media activist, creating short-form personal documentaries and video mashups that garnered the attention of the New York Times, CBS Evening News, MTV, The Assoicated Press and other national publications. She is a Film Independent Project:Involve Fellow, a member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, the International Academy of Web Television, as well as a member of the Transatlantic Network 2020, an international initiative founded by the British Council to help bridge cultures.

Steve Woolf has been working in online media for over a decade as writer, producer, and technologist. As a two-time Webby Award winner and four-time nominee for EPIC FU, Steve co-created, writes, directs, and produces the pioneering show about web culture that has become one of the most well-known shows on the Internet. He was also honored with a Streamy Award and two nominations in 2009. Steve is an inaugural member of the International Academy of Web Television, a member of the Open Entertainment Alliance, and sits on the PBS Engage Advisory

Follow Zadi Diaz (Zadi) on Twitter
Follow Steve Woolf (stevewoolf) on Twitter
Follow EPIC FU (epicfu) on Twitter

Subscribe to EPIC FU

Updated 1/14/10: Added quote from Steve Woolf

Behind the Red Carpet - Streaming Media West Interview with Zadi Diaz

This is a special "Behind the Red Carpet" interview from Streaming Media West 2009 with Zadi Diaz, new media producer, host and co-creator of the award web series EPIC FU. Zadi and her husband and long-time creative partner Steve Woolf are respected pioneers in the web television space. Zadi spoke at Streaming Media West 2009 panel session, Web Television Comes of Age and was interviewed on the Red Carpet by Peter Cervieri.



Zadi had a few minutes to share some advise to producers who are trying to break into the web television space.

"First, think about the story you want to tell. Really know the audience online. Who's the audience online? Who are you going to be talking to? What's the community like? Look at all those things and how you're story fits into that, look at all the niche audiences. "

Zadi said that partnerships are important, and that you should align yourself with passionate people behind the scenes. If you're good at storytelling but not editing, it will show and will bring your quality down. So focus on what you're good at and build your support system to get help with the things you're not good at, like videography, editing or marketing.

This is similar advise Zadi shared in this related post: Epic Fu on How To Make a Kick-Ass Web Show where she runs down all the tools you need to make an awesome web show, from ideas to equipment to distribution.

Zadi also talked about how storytelling is evolving, and how immersive it's going to be through online video and alternate reality gaming (ARG) experiences. She noted XBOX 360 Project Natal, which does away with the game controller for a hands-free gaming experience through motion detection and speech recognition, as an emerging next-generation social and entertainment network.

See Zadi's Streaming Media West 2009 Red Carpet Interview.
Follow Zadi Diaz (Zadi) on Twitter

Streaming Media West 2009 Red Carpet Interview - Zadi Diaz, Epic Fu

In this Streaming Media West 2009 Red Carpet interview, host Peter Cervieri of ScribeMedia.org sits down with Zadi Diaz, new media producer and co-founder of Smashface Productions, her production company with husband Steve Woolf. She is co-creator and host of EPIC FU, the award-winning web series about internet culture, as well as co-founder of Pixelodeon, a screening festival recognizing innovation in global online video.

Zadi talks about the growing pains felt by the web television industry and how her show built a community and grew from into a full-time job. In 2006, her small production company began making web shows, called JET SET then, which they distributed through multiple video sharing sites. They wanted to make what they were passionate about a career find partners to help with the business and marketing. Distribution was a time-consuming task several years ago, but when TubeMogul came along they were able to better reach their audience who were on a number of different sites.

In 2007, they entered into a distribution and sponsorship agreement with Next New Networks who gave them a licensing fee for each episode. They moved to Revision3 the following year in June 2008 with other web shows like Wine Library TV, but parted ways in December 2008 after the Revision3 restructured programming. Currently, Epic Fu is independently run and distributed through Blip.tv, and Smashmouth productions is busy working on a number of interactive web projects including J!NX Television Spots, PBS and Hacking Hollywood.

Zadi appeared as a panelist on Streaming Media West 2009 panel session, Web Television Comes of Age, in which she and moderator by Marc Hustvedt, Co-Founder, Tubefilter & Editor-in-Chief, Tubefilter News, Tubefilter and other panelists Thom Woodley, Partner, Chief Creative Officer, Dinosaur Diorama, Jenni Powell, New Media Consultant (LonelyGirl15, The Guild, Legend of Neil) and Brent Friedman, Co-Founder, Electric Farm Entertainment (The Gemini Division, Afterworld) discussed what it takes to create, market and sell a web television series. The TV Worldwide has a video of the session here and an embeddable version will be available on Streaming Media.com/videos in the coming weeks.

Look for more Red Carpet interviews coming soon!

Streaming Media West: Web Television Comes of Age, Panel Session and Speaker Announcement

I'm pleased to announce the web television panel session that I'm programming for Streaming Media West that will be on November 17 at 11:30 am in San Jose, California. While so much focus in blogosphere is on video platforms and the technology and business that powers the industry, it really comes down to telling a good story with compelling content that attracts an audience and creates a dialogue and conversation. There are many success stories in the independent film and video space and the explosive growth of online video producers and viewers has given rise to web television.

The first annual Streamy Awards was a watershed event that shined a spotlight on a new breed of independent producers who have found some success in producing low-budget web television series based on their own unique vision. But in our current economic downturn some web television studios have been forced to close, and the reality is that it's still difficult for web series to gain the reach and sponsorship, and many are still trying to find the right business model.

That was my vision for this session, which I think captures the essence of where we're at right now in the coming age of web television. A big thanks to Dan Rayburn, Streaming Media West Conference Chair, for finding a place on the schedule for this session and my thanks to Marc Hustvedt, Co-Founder, Tubefilter & Editor-in-Chief, Tubefilter News, for taking on the role of moderator and to our great panel of speakers.

Web Television Comes of Age
Track B: (B102) Tuesday, November 17, 2009 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Original episodic web television has grown up in a short time and is now recognized as a respected and legitimate entertainment platform. But in our current economic downturn some web television studios have been forced to close and the reality is that it's still really difficult to create a sustainable business model. Some creators say that until the web can provide the reach and a real source of revenue for independent producers, there's no way it will ever truly become the future of TV. In this session, hear from some of the producers in this growing space on what it takes to create, market and sell a web television series as we debate the future success of web television.

Moderator:

Marc Hustvedt, Co-Founder, Tubefilter & Editor-in-Chief, Tubefilter News
Marc is a co-founder of Tubefilter, Inc. Los Angeles-based web television company and the Editor-in-Chief of Tubefilter News, the leading authority in episodic web television and web series. He is a veteran entrepreneur, investor, writer, speaker and web TV producer. He is founder of the International Academy of Web Television and Executive Producer of The Streamy Awards. He's crazy about web series, web television and the revolution in digital entertainment and thinks it just getting started. Tubefilter's mission to grow the audience of web television. Tubefilter News helps you discover and keep track of the stories you care about.

Speakers:

Zadi Diaz, Creative Director, Co-Founder, Smashface Productions
Zadi Diaz is a new media producer and co-founder of Smashface Productions, a new media production company focused on developing original programming for the web, bridging new and traditional media, and building and cultivating online communities. She is currently the co-creator and host of EPIC FU, a popular Streamy and Webby award-winning web series about internet culture, as well as co-founder of Pixelodeon, a screening festival recognizing innovation in global online video.

Though filming, writing, and directing are Zadi’s main focus, she also speaks on panels and teaches people around the world about social movement media and media literacy. Her work has been highlighted in the New York Times, Forbes, CBS Evening News, MTV, The Associated Press, The Guardian, and many other national publications. She is a Film Independent Project:Involve Fellow, a member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), on the advisory board for PBS Engage, as well as a member of the Transatlantic Network 2020, an international initiative founded by the British Council.

Brent Friedman, Co-Founder and President, Electric Farm Entertainment
Brent V. Friedman is a founding partner in Electric Farm Entertainment, a leading digital media company specializing in science fiction. Brent created, wrote and produced EFE’s first two groundbreaking webseries, Afterwold and Gemini Division, distributed by Sony and NBC respectively. Brent is presently serving as Executive Producer on EFE's next webseries, Woke Up Dead, done in conjunction with Sony. He is also the Co-Creator and Exec Producer of Valemont, EFE's collaboration with MTV. Upcoming is Prophet, another webseries Brent created and will produce for Disney.

At EFE, Brent works on the bleeding edge of online storytelling. Producing high-end webseries that are distributed globally on all three platforms: broadcast, broadband and mobile. These unique "entertainment experiences" offer audience full immersion and interactivity. Additionally, EFE partners with major brands such as Cisco, Microsoft, Intel, Kodak and Verizon to integrate their products and services into the content and into the narrative itself. The result is a dynamic new form of branded entertainment with an innovative, lucrative business model. He got his degree in Creative Writing from UCLA and currently resides in Washington.

Jenni Powell, New Media Consultant
Jenni has been deeply involved in innovative online communities for several years, dating back to the cult internet series Nobody’s Watching (over 40M views) and later becoming a central figure in the web video breakout lonelygirl15 fan community. This led to her creating the fan-favorite parody series LonelyJew15 which landed her a job at lonelygirl15’s production company EQAL. She has a strong background in production working for Upright Citizen’s Brigade (UCB), A&E’s Deadliest Catch, and Lifetime’s Lisa Williams Life Among The Dead.

Online, Jenni has worked on many popular web series such as the smash Microsoft-sponsored hit The Guild, Streamy Award-nominated With the Angels, Poor Paul, The Crew and Comedy Central’s Atom.com standout The Legend of Neil. She freelance writes for popular web entertainment site Tubefilter News and consults on and produces various transmedia entertainment projects around Web

Thom Woodley, Partner, Chief Creative Officer, Dinosaur Diorama
Thom Woodley is a writer, musician and web video pioneer based in Brooklyn, New York. He's creator and producer of web video series The Burg, The All-For-Nots and All's Faire. Ten of his scripts have been staged in New York, Boston, and Pennsylvania and two have been optioned. His short film Go for the Gold! was independently released to regional festivals in 2004.

He is also a member of the bands Infidels and [bert], which have toured the United States and released four CDs, and the comedy music duo Dawghaus, who have performed at numerous comedy festivals around New York City and released sketch videos. Temp of the Year, 2001. Thom is also a copywriter at Euro RSCG New York, specializing in digital advertising and branded content.




About Streaming Media West
Attended by more than 2,500 executives last year, Streaming Media West is the only show that covers both the business of online video and the technology of streaming, downloading, Webcasting, Internet TV, IPTV, and mobile video. Covering both corporate and consumer business, technology, and content issues in the enterprise, advertising, media and entertainment, broadcast, and education markets, Streaming Media West is about more than just streaming!

Streaming Media West 2009 combines cutting-edge exhibitors and intensive conference sessions with more than 100 speakers, giving you the chance to hear and see the best and the brightest minds in the online video industry—at the podium, in the Exhibit Hall, and among the attendees. We look forward to seeing you at the show!

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