The way I see it, the internet is going to revolutionize the way we consume our media (it already is—I’m a case in point without a TV), but the internet industry isn’t going to make it happen, the TV industry is. Some of the networks are finally getting it. It took a long time for them to start putting full episodes of shows online. Hulu took it a step further by getting several companies to all put their media in one place.

The reason I’m telling you this is to make sure you understand that I don’t think Silicon Valley is going to change the entertainment industry. There are plenty of productions houses up here that were thought to do amazing things, but just aren’t. (Revision3).

For those of us who are writers, directors, camera operators, editors: our jobs are staying in LA for the most part. Shows will be made the same way they have been for years. One difference is that now the internet provides us with random video clips —it’s like America’s funniest home videos except with no commercials and no censorship.

There is an exception to all of this: Joss Whedon of Buffy and Firefly. It’s not that I think he is the exception, but rather that he has realized the potential in making an online show the “old fashioned way,” which is the “current” way in LA. My understanding is that when Whedon created “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” he made the show how he wanted, then put it online how he envisioned it rather than through all the politics that generally ruins a good script. I think college humor is another great example of this.

If you have the funding, you can make something and put it online for people to see. Who knows how many people will watch it? If you have the funding and someone’s name, like Whedon, you can make something how you want, and maybe make a profit. If you have a show that is gimmicky, you might be able to get people to watch it, and may be able to make a little money. (See Ask A Ninja, Homestar Runner, or LG15.)

Television is breaking into the web-o-sphere. People like high quality video, and are willing to watch commercials for it. They just want to be able to choose when they watch it—not much of a change, think TiVo.

So is there an industry being built here for people who work in film? I’m not sure.
Seesmic is making it easier for the audience to communicate with one another, but possibly more importantly it’s making it easier for the audience to communicate to the media. That’s what is totally revolutionary as far as I’m concerned.

My co-worker Giselle and I just put this video together.

I think it helps show how people are starting to communicate with each other online, as well as how the media is becoming engaged with the audience.

The audience experience is changing as we speak but the way we produce our content is only slightly. High quality content will still be made by ABC, and all the other channels, but now you can make a show and say ‘Fuck’ in it 100 times, stick it online, and not have to worry about a thing (except for hate mail and death threats from crazy parents who don’t pay close enough attention to what their kids are watching).