Interesting article. And not to be contrary, but I'm curious. When did you first start adding video to your site? Because Whatsonstage.com and theatre.com have had video clips for several months (I think whatsonstage.com for over a year?) yet that article states that you're the first British site to do so.
Also, I had thought your idea was to bring full shows to the internet, yet the article and your site currently only offers clips and interviews. Did I misunderstand your mission, has it changed or is this how you're starting?
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
Ok Craig, my immediate reaction was that you ARE being contrary and setting me up for a fall. However, I will try and accept it as honest curiousity and answer your points.
The first filming was done in October of last year long before any of those you mentioned. Those websites do not produce their own content. I have three film crews producing ours but we also use some syndicated content for West End material and you can often see that on all sites for obvious reasons. As far as I am aware none of them do VIDEO PODCASTS either.
The article was written by a journalist of THE TIMES and I remember him asking what was online at the moment and my answer was trailers and features, so its just where we are now. These are quicker to edit and get online in the first week of the production thus giving it more publicity. As you can imagine the full production edit takes a little longer and requires an agreed business agreement and structure. This depends on expected volumes, which in turn depends on the marketing and publicity, hence trying to drum up support here and other bulletin boards.
By the way, it was also the journalist who chose to mention the other Broadway site.
I was asking for curiousity sake. I know that Theatre.com produced original content and has covered press events (video on their site) since late November, early October.
I'm not territorial at all, but the way the article reads (the writer's "angle") might tick off the other sites in the UK area that have had video on their site for quite some time (since it doesn't say original material but rather just clips and previews). The author, perhaps, should have distiguished the site by specifically citing self-produced content.
Incidently, and it could have been my interpretation, but I had thought you had full support for full tapings from various producers already. One of the topics I brought up (as did others) is that it is now coming down to contracts, fees and the like. So the "concerns," "pitfalls," and/or legal issues raised weren't off at all it appears.
And by legal I'm not implying you are acting illegaly. I am stating that the public viewing of material has to be cleared by all parties neccessary.
p.s. Theatre.com does produce their own content. Just FYI.
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
Part of the problem I have with your statements and questions is that they are like a lawyers questions, they raise doubt in the mind of the reader (or jury). Even if I return with a sensible answer, you then follow it up and split hairs in the comments I make. It's a great strategy to win ANY debate and you do that very effectively. Hence my backtrack and backdown last night as its a never ending loop. I'm sure even these words will be analysed and dissected as well.
I do not have the time to invest in explaining or debating this with you and you have all the time in the world, it's what you do, so you will continue to be able to sow the seeds of doubt in people's mind in this posting and I will always be several steps behind.
I do not intend to explain my business strategy in an open forum but suffice to say that all material I have is approved and agreed for the trailers and features. The filming of the full production has also been agreed. The distribution of it will be on a profit share basis and the exact amounts will be agreed between myself and the producers when we are ready to do that, not because a competitor has asked me.
Have a really nice day and I hope that your other bulletin are getting as much attention as this one. Can I ask you a question ? What are BWW doing in this space ? I'm sure there are lots of plans in motion and I;m sure your readers would love to know.
Lawyer questions? No. Just questions. Being a writer, I'm curious. I also believe that semantics and word choices are important online, in the press and in everyday life. That's all. No hidden agenda. No attempts to discredit you or your site. But thank you for the compliment (I'm going to take your comments that way, sarcastic or not)
And my questions weren't about your strategy, but rather to clarify comments and statements you have already made on this message board. I wasn't looking for dollar amounts, details on negotiations.
Speaking of word choices. Competitor? If that's how you see us, then why (sheer curiousity here) would you come here to try and garner support? Wouldn't that be like walking into Harrods with flyers for some other store trying to gain customers. Not exactly the best method in my mind anyway. And then to criticize members of the staff here about their methodologies. Given my recent example - that would be like backtalking to the Manager of Harrods when you're disgruntled about not being able to say whatever you want in their store about your own.
Now don't get me wrong - I'm not angry or even peeved at all. And I think everyone reading including yourself can't deny the fact that we're very accepting and accomodating - even to "competition". So to bite that hand that feeds you, when as another poster has said, seems a bit off. In my book anyway. Especially to someone trying to garner support from our readership. How you approach the readers is important. But at the same time, and this is just a suggestion, you might be a little more PR savvy when it comes to other businesses which you are either working with - or utilizing.
This isn't a condemnation, just some helpful advice, I hope.
As for our video plans, I think we've been very forthcoming. We are continuing to expand coverage and utilize the latest technologies to bring our readership as close to live theater as possible with interviews, features, previews and more.
As for my time commitment or posting in other threads - I don't see any relevance. This is a thread of interest and obiviously one that I would be in "more" because of the conversation taking place.
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
"I've enjoyed the debate. Really. Many thanks for those who have contributed. I will be back in a few months with an update. If you want to keep in touch, email subscribe@uktheatre.net and you will get a weekly update."
What happened to this declaration? Why is this poster still here? Is this TzOO??
"Carson has combined his passion for helping children with his love for one of Cincinnati's favorite past times - cornhole - to create a unique and exciting event perfect for a corporate outing, entertaining clients or family fun."
I'm not a writer, and I just jump in with words. Competitor was not the right one. I would love to be a competitor but at the moment I'm non-profit and only aspiring to make the revenues that BWW make. The mission I have had for 5 years when I registered the idea with the Scottish Arts Council, is to watch live theatre on an Internet screen. The Video IPOD was clearly a secondary thought. I have a drive to make it happen and this bulletin is more than just marketing my idea, it's about creating enough drive and enthusiasm to make it happen in every city in every part of the world. I think its getting there. One small step at a time. I don't care who does it but I know I can do it and rather than talking about it, I'm putting it into action in the UK and I have many collaborations forming in the U.S. to start to do the same over there. More importantly, I'm having a lot of fun doing it, I just need to make sure I make some money along the way to pay for the technology and film crew and share the revenue with the productions so that they can in turn put on more productions. Theatre wins !
"As you can imagine the full production edit takes a little longer and requires an agreed business agreement and structure. This depends on expected volumes, which in turn depends on the marketing and publicity, hence trying to drum up support here and other bulletin boards."
I am trying to stay impartial and give you the benefit of the doubt, but this is what we have been saying is the main reason this will never happen here in the US. You will never get the "required business atreement" because there will be no end to the union demands and the cost will be astronomical if you would ever be able to get all of them to agree.
What you are producing now is nothing more than sound bites and promotional material with rather amateurish video.
It is a nice dream of yours, but what you first proposed, pod- casts of full length professional performances from the US (Broadway, Off-Broadway or regional theatre) just will never happen. Sorry.
"If people stopped responding, the board would just die off."
It had died, until you posted your apology at 4:15pm EST yesterday to bump it to the top again.
I think you should go ahead with your site if you wish. I agree with Sueleen, that podcasts of full broadway shows will not likely happen, but if you want to pursue it, great for you. That is not what you have now, though. I think your salesmanship needs some work. Early on you decided to rant nastily against US theater and it's audiences, then claimed everyone was being mean to you... and that turned me off to your claims.
"Try Pirelli's Miracle Elixir..."
"Carson has combined his passion for helping children with his love for one of Cincinnati's favorite past times - cornhole - to create a unique and exciting event perfect for a corporate outing, entertaining clients or family fun."
I've skimmed through this entire thread and let me just say that I am ashamed that certain people have stooped below common dignity and resorted to personal attacks. But anyways, I do believe in this idea. However, I think that DVDs of shows should be released a couple of years after they've closed. What would be the harm in that? NO ONE is going to prefer to NOT see the Broadway show and wait 5 years or longer for the DVD to come out. To those that say it would hurt the integrity of the show, you're actually insulting the thing you cherish the most by saying theater can be ruined by a little disc. It is true that nothing beats a live performance, but it would still be nice to pop in a DVD and have all the memories of a show I've seen long ago rush back to me. In addition, I am only 15 years old and I would love to see shows that appeared on Broadway when I wasn't yet born.
Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings.