1TimStreet » business

Getting Sponsors for Your Web Video

Tim Street — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 02:28:55 +0000

Rhett & Link are a North Carolina-based comedy duo consisting of life-long best friends, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal. They support themselves by creating and distributing their branded entertainment as web videos and songs. They have created over 200 videos with integrated advertising for brands like McDonalds and Coke, Dentyne Gum, Taco Bell, Alka-Seltzer, Food Network, Microbilt, Sanyo, Kotulas, TV Guide, Baby Ruth, Starburst, Hummer, and Cadillac, as well as integrating smaller brands such as Smule, AJJ Cornhole, and iRESQ. There videos have received over 60 million views and gathered an audience of over 400,000 Youtube subscribers.

I had never met Rhett and Link before and they had no clue about me. I had to do a little negotiating with them for this interview at the Blip.TV party but it all worked out with a simple little trade. They gave me an interview after I introduced them to Felicia Day. I love how Felicia is always opening doors for me.

Anyway, in this video they tell me how they first went about getting sponsors and how brands looking to do product placement and integrated marketing now contact them.

SXSW Interactive: Are You Going?

Tim Street — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:39:01 +0000

Hugh Forrest SXSW from 1timstreet on Vimeo.

In Las Vegas at the National Association of Television Programing Executives ( NATPE ) Market I had the chance to catch up with Hugh Forrest of SXSW and got to ask him about his interactive event.

The Bannen Way Interview Part 3 of 3

Tim Street — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 09:16:37 +0000

Jesse Warren and Mark Gantt the Executive Producers of the hot, new, hip, Hit Web series / Feature Film The Bannen Way talk about product placement, brand integration and how to sell a web series to a Hollywood studio. They also share some great advice for Independent Filmmakers.

The Bannen Way Interview Part 2 of 3

Tim Street — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:47:00 +0000

The Bannen Way Interview Part 2 of 3 from 1timstreet on Vimeo.

So here is the long awaited part 2 of 3 interview with Jesse Warren and Mark Gantt the creators of the Hit Web Series The Bannen Way who talk about the business of creating web video Internet series and how they put their package together and got car manufacturer Jaguar to do a product placement in the pilot episodes and place a 2010 Jaguar xkr in the final feature film.

The Bannen Way Interview Part 1 of 3

Tim Street — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:19:45 +0000

Jesse Warren and Mark Gantt the Executive Produers of Hit Web Series The Bannen Way gave me an insider’s view as to how they took their idea, shot a trailer and two episodes, got ICM as their agent and then sold it to a major Hollywood Studio. This is part 1 of 3 segments.

How Do You Get a Book Published?

Tim Street — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:35:38 +0000

David Meerman Scott writes about viral videos, social media and about inbound marketing. In his new book, World Wide Rave he talks about what it takes to get your ideas out there to millions of people by using social media tools and give some great example. To use his words, “A World Wide Rave is when people around the world are talking about you, your company, and your products-whether you’re located in San Francisco, Dubai, or Reykjavík. It’s when global communities eagerly link to your stuff on the Web. It’s when online buzz drives buyers to your virtual doorstep. And it’s when tons of fans visit your Web site and your blog because they genuinely want to be there.”

David has also published the #1 bestseller The New Rules of Marketing and PR
How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing, and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly and in the above video he talks about what he would do if he was just starting out in book publishing today. I think a lot of what he talks about can be applied to launching an online video series.

If you get a chance to see David speak or have the resources to buy his books I recommend you do.

Online Video Leaders: Zadi Diaz and Steve Woolf of EPIC FU

Tim Street — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:38:52 +0000

They started out on their own with a Pop Culture show called Jet Set but after renaming it EPIC FU and going through two Network Deals they are still standing and with a bigger audience who love their show. Webby Award Winners and a two-time nominees with over 30 Million views Zadi Diaz and Steve Woolf are true Online Video Leaders.

I had some spicy gumbo ya ya at the Farmer’s Market in Hollywood the other night with Steve and Zadi and I asked them about what they have learned along the way. The told me some great information about their experiences and gave out some interesting tips.

From politics to to technology to musicians to artists EPIC FU is always covering the hip and relevant pop culture of our time and Zadi and Steve have approached the business side of web video with the same talent, passion and artistry of which they cover in their show.

Steve and Zadi first created their show in 06 as Jet Set on their own then signed with Next New Networks for a marketing and distribution deal. In OCT of 07 change the name to EPIC FU (If you are interested in WHY ) and then went to Revision3 for a different but similar deal. In 08 they left Revision3 and are now back out on their own changing the landscape of media.

It’s hard for Steve and Zadi to talk about the whole business specifics but they seem to have not burned any bridges and still get together with NNN founder Fred Siebert (MTV employee number 1 and the guy that came up with “I want my MTV.”) and he even gives them advice. Even though they didn’t tell me all the juicy details of their deals they did give me some great advice for independent web video series producers.

TIPS FOR INDEPENDENT WEB PRODUCERS

Study what you like and don’t like about web video networks and take the good parts and use them.

Don’t Sit Back – Be Proactive – You can’t expect a network to do everything for you. You know your brand better than anyone. Be in control of your brand and communicate that to any network you are partnered with.

Keep experimenting and see what works for you.

Keep working on other projects besides your main passion because there is always a “GAME OVER” and you want to be ready so that when you are asked, “What else are you working on?” you can tell the interested party what other ideas you have and maybe get some funding for that other project.

Currently Steve and Zadi are working on a new show and exploring the option of launching an EPIC FU Network as well as looking into international format rights and distribution. Again making Zadi Diaz and Steve Woolf true Online Video Leaders.

What Does Web Host Sarah Austin Have That Other Hosts Don’t?

Tim Street — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:35:34 +0000

She has over 8000 followers on Twitter and who knows how many daily viewers of her web show POP17 but Sarah Austin has a few things that most other on-camera talent don’t have.

While I was getting ready to be a guest on her show during NewTeeVee Live I whipped out my handy dandy Flip Ultra digital video camera and recorded Sarah’s portable television studio set up and got her spin on things.

Using a High Speed Internet connection, a MacBook Pro and it’s built in webcam, a lavalier microphone and Mogulus Studio to broadcast live via the Internet Sarah Austin is a traveling television studio / channel.

In addition to being the on-camera talent, producer, director, guest booker, camera operator, audio mixer and PR person Sarah is her own engineer / technical director, setting up her gear, breaking it down and using Mogulus to do live switching – although she did have help from a friend from a remote location who was helping her with roll-ins of French Maid TV videos that she had preselected from searching YouTube by using Mogulus. No worries if her friend wasn’t available Sarah knows how to do it all herself.

Don’t let her on-camera talent looks and conversational tone fool you Sarah Austin may look like she could be a French Maid on French Maid TV but she comes with technical know how and business intelligence that put her far beyond her twenty something packaging.

Sarah also has a few tips for people who would like to create a web show like her’s:

1. Be passionate about what you are doing. Love your subject material.

2. Look at the landscape of that subject – Investigate your competition.

3. Find your potential revenue possiblities.

4. Build it out like a business.