I Want My Three Minutes Back

"I Want My Three Minutes Back, the new documentary film from Chuck Potter, is a look into the world of online video.

The film follows the lives of three YouTube video creators. Kevin Nalty (“Nalts”) is a 37 year-old marketing professional, father of four, who is obsessed with online video.

Nick James (“Nickynik”) is a 47 year-old struggling filmmaker, father, surfer who despite having some connections in the Hollywood scene, still struggles with trying to make it in the film business.

Cory Williams (“Mr. Safety”) from a small town in California’s central valley, moves to Los Angeles to see if he can make the transition from online video fame to traditional media success."

Interactive Online Movies and User Narative Control

Bandwidth and video technology enable online video producers to mix and match video clips in real time. This means that viewers can click on video to alter the action or storyline. Users steer the narrative by making choices along the way. User navigated content. Some recent examples show just how seamless and full-screen these experiences can be.

Survive the Outbreak is an interactive horror film which allows viewers to make their own life or death decisions with zombies.




NOLAF.org is a wild Tostitos brand entertainment story labyrinth created by Element79 and Mekanism. It is successfully compelling and is able to weave the brand into a Monty Pythonesque tale of crusaders who are fighting against fun. I hope Tostitos is feeling that taking a marketing chance with their budget has proved worthwhile. I can consume this kind of advertising.

The Orange Underground is an interactive video site combined with user-generated videos. A Cheetos ad campaign.

And some groups are pushing the video interaction even further. For example, GPS Film is a location-based mobile cinema. "Using a GPS-enabled PDA or mobile phone, artwork selects clips based on location. As the viewer travels, the movie is revealed. The result is a new type of film experience that is tied to the movement of the viewer. Similar to a game, GPS Film tells stories by exploring an environment… but by taking it off the computer and back into the real world."

YouTube Continues Cultural Infiltration

YouTube is the granddaddy of online video and they continue to innovate. Check out the above video by Dr. Michael Wesch regarding YouTube as a cultural phenomenon. (See a table of contents with timeline info.)

This week, they announced the launch of YouTubevertorials. These are affiliate marketing-type ecommerce links. Do you like a song you are hearing in a video? Buy it now from Amazon or iTunes.

This week, they also announced a partnership with CBS TV to post full-length TV shows. CBS will sell pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll ads and both companies will share the revenue.