The Blog for Video 2.0

Last month, video site Revver.com was sold in a fire salee. LiveUniverse, an online entertainment company led by MySpace founder Brad Greenspan purchased the online video sharing site for a reported $3.5 million. Revver had previously received $12.5 million in funding from such investors as cable giant Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) CMCSA and venture capital firms Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Bessemer Venture Partners.

Another video startup, Stage6.com, shut down operations last month. Stage6, owned by digital media pioneer DivX DIVX, pulled the plug even though its viewership had been rising since November. It had 10.7 million views in January. DivX has stated that they did not have the resources to run the site and that copyright issues were a growing concern. LiveUniverse is reported to be making an offer for Stage6.

The recent consolidations and closings leave a still crowded field of online video sites with Veoh.com, Break.com, Metacafe, HungryFlix, and many others battling for page views and visitors.

Labels: hungryflix, movie downloads, online video, video distribution

In continuation of the ad revenue sharing model that is gaining ground in the online video world, Web publishers that participate in Google Inc.'s AdSense ad distribution network will now be able to make money by offering ad-supported video clips from Google's YouTube video sharing site.

For advertisers, the program opens their video-based ads for distribution across the AdSense network, instead of being limited to the YouTube site. Meanwhile, video producers get a chance to generate revenue from their clips.

The video clips will be delivered within "a customized, embedded player that's ad supported," Google announced on Tuesday.

Online video is currently monetized in one of three ways: share of advertising revenue, paid download-to-own, or subscription based services.

Labels: adsense, Google, online video, video distribution, video sharing, youtube

As Old Media gears up for the start of the fall TV season, we seem to be getting weekly updates on who is and who is not playing nice with Apple's powerful iTunes distribution model.

NBC fought for tiered pricing, Apple held firm, and NBC walked in favor of pushing shows as free streams and as downloads via Amazon Unbox and the yet-to-be-seen Hulu.com.

FOX and CBS seem to be happy with Apple and iTunes. These networks view iTunes as more of a promotional avenue and not for pure revenue.

The iPod/iTunes backlash is growing and it will be interesting to see what the Next Big Thing will be.

All of this is well and good for the big guys and their major studio titles. But as we continue to look at great independent content being produced and distributed online we hope that sites like HungryFlix.com continue to grow.

HungryFlix provides iPod movies free from DRM restrictions. We hope to continue to help indie producers get their works seen.

Labels: download, hungryflix, ipod, iTunes, video, video distribution

Who needs iTunes? The rise of the ‘indie friendly’ video download store by ZDNet's Steve O'Hear -- Adams Media Research predicts that by 2011, the online video market will be worth $5.8 billion, and bucking today's trend, the majority of that revenue will be generated through selling downloads not ad-supported content. It's perhaps no surprise then, to see a number of paid-for download services pop up over the last 18 months...

Labels: download, hungryflix, independent, indie film, ipod, iTunes, online video, video distribution, video download

In news that is very interesting for us here at HungryFlix.com, Variety is reporting that Apple has opened the door to independent video producers for the first time.

Apple's iTunes store on Tuesday started selling "That," a snowboarding action pic made for DVD by Forum Snowboards. This is the first time iTunes has sold video content that didn't come from an established network, studio or distributor.

Given iTunes' dominance in the nascent digital download market, that's sure to generate hordes of interest among independent film producers in all genres who don't have a distributor.

But in a sign that Apple isn't quite sure what to do with pics outside its strict categories, "That" and Studio411's content are being sold in iTunes TV section at $1.99, instead of in the feature film section, where most pics are $9.99.

Though iTunes does sell some short films in its movies section for $1.99, they all come from established names such as Shorts Intl. and Sundance. Apple apparently wasn't ready to put direct-to-DVD action sports pics among the small number of shorts and Hollywood features in its movies section.

All independent producers can sell their content at HungryFlix.com. HungryFlix accepts all types of content including sports video and how-to video.

Labels: indie film, iTunes, online distribution, online video, video distribution

More news from the big boys in the video 2.0 world...The Wall Street Journal is reporting that A deal between Google Inc. and CBS Corp. that would let YouTube users watch clips from CBS shows such as “The Late Show with David Letterman,” has unraveled.

The two companies had been closing in on a multi-year deal but could not agree on key issues such as the length of the partnership.

Traditional media companies are looking for ways to court online users as viewers split their leisure time surfing the Web and using digital media devices like Apple Inc.’s iPod. While Google/YouTube, Joost and other large providers continue to look toward big media, independent content providers such as filmmakers, musicians and video producers can find distribution for their movies and videos at http://www.hungryflix.com.

The talks may resume, and the two companies have agreeed to work on smaller scale initiatives in the short term.

HungryFlix provides video downloads for the iPod, PSP and computer.

Labels: Google, media, online distribution, video 2.0, video distribution, youtube

Viacom has signed a deal to deliver television and theatrical programming to to the new Joost Internet TV service.

TV shows expected to debut once the deal is closed include MTV's "Laguna Beach," "Beavis and Butthead," "The Real World," "Punk'd" and "My Super Sweet 16." Comedy Central will provide episodes from "Stella," "Comedy Central Presents" and "Freak Show." BET's offerings will include "Beef The Series," "DMX: Soul of a Man," "Comic View" and "American Gangster." Country Music Television, MTV2, Logo, Spike TV, mtvU, VH1 and Gametrailers.com will also provide content.

The deal is clearly targeted at teens and young adults, a huge advertising demographic and one that is open to viewing content on their computers.

Joost has been receiving positive reviews for their rich client software and great user experience. Joost was formed last year by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, founders of the Internet calling service Skype.

Also of note is the fact that Viacom has selected Joost over YouTube/Google. It seems that YouTube will now look to form partnerships of it's own and the IPTV space will enter it's next phase.

While the large corporations move forward, independent filmmakers, video producers and content providers can find distribution for their films at HungryFlix.

Labels: iptv, joost, media, online distribution, tv, video 2.0, video distribution, youtube

Apple announced in a joint statement with Lionsgate that more than 150 movies from the studio would be added to the iTunes store by the end of the month.
“We’re delighted to offer these incredibly popular Lionsgate films on iTunes, and look forward to adding even more films in the future,” said Steve Beeks, president of Lionsgate. “iTunes lets users download these wonderful films to watch on their computer, TV or iPod, so movie fans can take their favorite Lionsgate films with them anywhere.”

iTunes customers will be able to purchase blockbuster Lionsgate films like “Terminator 2,” “LA Story,” “Basic Instinct,” “The Blair Witch Project” and “Dirty Dancing” and more than 150 titles coming to iTunes this month. Lionsgate joins Paramount and Disney, who just recently announced that it had sold over 1.3 million movies since it joined the store.

It appears that the release is limited to a portion of Lionsgate's catalog rather than new releases, similar to the current deal with Paramount.

This adds to the options available to customers in the US. Movie fans can also download movies from HungryFlix.com, which offers great independent content not available on iTunes.

Labels: apple, apple tv, ipod, iTunes, media, movies, online video, studios, video distribution

Convergence at it's best. Here are two big players joining forces. TiVO owners will be able to download movies from Amazon's Unbox service directly to their TiVo units.

TiVo really has an interesting role here. Amazon and TiVo are planning for the service to be available on 1.5 million TiVo boxes soon. That is a great installed base to begin with. This could also usher in a new era for TiVo where they could move from their high monthly subscription fees and into more paid downloads and advertising supported content.

Here at HungryFlix.com, we provide MPEG4 movie downloads that can be made compatible with TiVo. We hope TiVo will open their technology to other online distributors and allow our content to be pushed easily to the family room.

More info at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070207/tc_nm/tivo_amazon_download_dc_4

Labels: convergence, download, movies, video distribution

Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple, Inc.) has published a letter to the community in which he talks about the past, present and future of online music sales and music consumption.

At the end of the letter Mr. Jobs asks the record companies to remove the DRM requirements from the songs Apple sells in iTunes. He says, "Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly."

Apple has come under fire recently from European governments and internet and music industry pundits who all claim in one way or another that Apple is the source of, and primary benefactor of, DRM in iTunes and the iPod.

It has often been claimed that Apple's "closed" system locks people into buying iPods and music from iTunes. Mr. Jobs gives his views on this and provides some interesting statistics to back up his views.

HungryFlix provides movie and music downloads with no DRM. We believe that consumers should not be treated as criminals and that content providers will be rewarded by providing their content to a broad set of users in open formats.

The full letter from Steve Jobs can be found at http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/

Labels: apple tv, DRM, ipod, iTunes, music, online distribution, video distribution

There are so many talented indie filmmakers out there...everyone trying to get noticed, get their big break. Well, in the meantime, why not get your film out there to as many people as possible? Hop over to HungryFlix and upload your movie. You set your own price, and you'll earn 60% on your sales.

Labels: hungryflix, indie film, short films, video distribution, web

We are living in an exciting time. As the Web 2.0 bubble expands and the popularity and acceptance of user-driven ( which is just another word for independent, btw) content increases, we are finally seeing "new and improved" ways of consuming this content. Streaming is still the most popular method of watching internet distributed content. But, with the introduction of the slingmedia slingbox and the Apple tv, we are begining to see the completion of the distribution channel from content creation to internet distribution to delivery in the family room.

I don't think the importance of this can be underestimated. Think back to 5 years ago...how much online video was distributed? What were the levels of quality? It is easy to see how far we have come. A parallel can be made to the software industry. It is now very rare to run off to the store to purchase software. Yes, major packages such as an OS upgrade, Office suite or design/production software are still delivered on physical media. But most small to medium sized software packages are purchased and distributed online. This trend has moved to the music industry with iTunes, Rhapsody and Napster. This is a huge shift that will also sweep up the video industry.

The audience for watching video on a computer is small. I doubt that anyone over 45 is even willing to try watching more than a 3 minute clip on a computer screen. We are just too programmed in our ways. Long form programs belong on a TV. Another important factor is comfort. Most people want to sit, back, relax and enjoy the show...that is hard to do in an office or den setting. The final issue is that TV viewing-especially for movies-is considered to be a group activity. Many people like to watch movies with family and friends, this is impossible to do when all huddled around the computer.

So, we have new exciting options available. While geeks have been pumping online content to media center PCs or hacked Xboxes for years, we are now moving into the land of the rest of us. The new devices promise plug-and-play simplicity and a "look mom, no wires" approach to grabbing content off the net or from other networked computers.

The abiity to watch independent content in the family room is a huge win for content creators. Anyone can grab a DV camera and make a movie. We've seen this through the past five years in the explosion of no-budget filmmaking. The hardest part has always been getting your movie seen. Now with the internet as the distribution channel we've eliminated the need for getting a "real" distribution deal. And now, that we can get into the family room it's time to grab the popcorn!

Hungry for content? http://www.hungryflix.com

Labels: apple tv, indie film, online video, short films, slingbox, video, video distribution