Last Saturday I was part of a panel at the Dallas International Film Festival about creativity on the web.
Short, one-off viral videos have driven interest in original content for the web. But with the introduction of hi-def, web-based players, cheaper high quality cameras and increasingly savvy viewers we may be approaching a watershed moment: a time when the web is the final destination for high-end material. Is the web a viable outlet for creative, original content?
Matt Bolish (Dallas IFF): Moderator
Justin Muller: Dream Factory
Jessica Rose: Lonely Girl 15
Joy Gohring: DateAHuman.com
Tina Santomauro: Atom.com
Nicholas Robinson: Vuguru
Moderator Matt Bolish did a great job focusing our discussion. I had a few opportunities to chat with Matt prior to the panel and was happy to see he shares the same enthusiasm about the digital space as I do. On the panel, we covered all sides of the digital content creation equation – development, marketing, and distribution. I always welcome an opportunity to discuss the future of our industry. This panel was an excellent chance to do so with a bright and talented group. The audience was similarly engaged, and while they all wondered how to make money (We’re working on that), they were excited about the possibilities. My fellow panelists and I all agreed, before the panel started, that the answer to the core question was, obviously, a loud YES – The web is a viable outlet for creative original content.
It’s to be expected that a panel about content creation on the web, by people intimately involved, will go in the direction that it did. The most encouraging and surprisng conversations were the ones I had with everyone else at the festival. The volunteers and general festival-goers ‘got’ what I am doing and see how important the digital space is becoming. I don’t think that would have been the case even last year. Sometimes it takes a one-on-one conversation to drive home the point that there are high quality, engaging stories being told online. If I can get one new person to tune in, that’s a success.
While the Streamys may not have gone over very well, the overwhelmingly positive reactions of everyone at Dallas is encouraging. As long as we push forward and work through the obstacles, an incredibly promising future awaits. You can check out DIFFs recap here.
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