A new series, and a new episode!

So I created another web-series for the Network. This video is about animals planning to help us, cause they think we are just to messed up to do it for ourselves!

The series is titled 'The Takeover', since it is about the way animals will be taking over our lives. But this is no ordinary 'takeover'! The only reason the animals are trying to takeover is because they feel that during this troublesome time (recession et al), we need help in surviving. Since they have survived for decades without any worries, they are now going to help us, mankind, survive! But will they be able to? Don't we humans tend to put them down generally?

Last week I also released the second episode of 'Every Little Bit Helps'.

Chris makes the pitch to his boss with the presentation, but what do you do when you have a boss who is just not willing to see anything beyond numbers?! The boss has given him a challenge! From here on, the story will go the way people want it! If he has enough supporters for his cause, he will go ahead with it, if not...

Since the series in meant to show people the kind of problems that people trying to help animals face, it is best to get people to direct the story!! I have thought of keeping it simple: If you support Chris, like the video! If by the time the time runs out, Chris does not have 50 likes on his video, then he has not won the challenge! Simple, isn't it?

So I made my first web-series a few days ago. I know last time I wrote about starting a travel blog, and I have, though I have not gone public with it just yet!

The video above is my first shot at seeing how I can use webisodes for marketing purposes. Since I am a student, I do not have the liberty of splurging money around. That is why I have started using YouTube's Video Creator Apps. The best thing about it is that I am just getting to know the app. I love the fact that there are different kinds of videos that can be created using the apps.

Some provide animated characters like the ones I used above. However, there are also other kinds of videos which are more useful for people who want to make video presentations.

Fact is that while doing my report for my digital channel, I had to explore the world of webisodes and mobisodes. That was when I realised it. A picture says a thousand words, then a movie?

Every Little Bit Helps is a series about young adults who are trying to change the way people around them think. This episode starts showing the hostility and attitude a large number of people have to the very concept of CSR.

As of now, this video was released on 31st January, 2012 and has received 73 views. I realise that the number may not be extraordinarily high, but nonetheless, at least it reached that many without any advertising (apart from the few tweets and facebook posts). I have till now, not spent a penny on my NOAH campaign. But have managed to get around 205 followers (of which I only worked at getting the first 120 or so)!

If NOAH does well, I will definitely be on cloud no 9! I just need to put in a bit more effort!

Understanding Digital Channels

We have a new task at hand... becoming an 'expert' in different Digital Marketing Channels! My topic for this particular assignment is iPTV, Webisodes, and Mobisodes. The funny thing is, I was one of those who would rather wait for friends to download movies or television shows and then watch them--and here I am trying to understand the world of online television!

It is not a tough topic--the problem is quite contrary... it is a very extensive topic! Webisodes, Mobisodes, and iPTV are three quite different channels used for more or less the same purpose. When you watch shows on iPlayer, you are actually watching iPTV. On the other hand, there some shows which are designed primarily to be aired over the web. These are then referred to as Webisodes (web episodes). The concept of Mobisodes is still in its infancy. With more and more people turning to smart phones to watch TV, the concept of Mobisodes is becoming popular.

While doing my research, I realised something, whenever I searched for information on Webisodes, I would end up with a number of TV shows and Webisodes but no information about them. I then realised that I need to play with the 'keywords'.

Finally I have sufficient basic information on the topic. However, to get primary sources (straight from the horse's mouth), I still need to find some resources. I should be able to find something soon, now that I know how to find it and what I am looking for!

One of the important factors to remember when understanding any digital channel is that each channel is designed for a particular use and is intended to be used by someone specific (customer, businessmen, organisations, etc). Identifying the target of the channel is probably one way of gauging the efficiency of the medium. For instance, I cannot say that the concept of webisodes have failed just because kids still like watching TV! The idea of a webisode is not to replace TV completely! Perhaps someday it will, just as someday paper newspapers will be replaced by digital papers!

I guess I still have a long way to go before I become an expert in webisodes and mobisodes! iPTV seems an easier bet! It was my search for information on iPTV that got me re-hooked to some of my all-time favourite shows!

Whether or not I become an expert in internet television, webisodes and mobisodes; I will surely become an expert in which is the best website for each show!