Youtube's new Hollywood studio is free, for some Macleans.ca The idea is to dangle the prospect of Hollywood stardom before the eyes of millions of YouTube contributors in the hope that they'll step their games up, raise production values and shift...
Google's Rich Get Richer
If you've read Barabasi's book Linked: How Everything Is Connected TO Everything Else you know one mathematical certainty online is the RICH get RICHER.
YouTube and Google have created a cool state-of-the-art video creation facility. FREE if you can pay the freight. Free if you have the views, the velocity and the star potential.
Expect more of "Rich Get Richer" online marketing grouping since everyone wants the same thing - JUICE (buzz, viral content, whatever). BTW, the least likely way to create buzz is to follow the crowd.
IF that last sentence sounds like CATCH-22 it is and isn't. Actually its more like, "Any club that wants me for a member I don't want to have anything to do with," since to qualify for Google's free studio time means giving up the thing that got you the free studio time (ah and there's the Internet marketing rub if I ever heard it or thought it lol).
One sure bet is RICH will get RICHER via the Internet marketing's compound interest (links). Disruption is quickly becoming your best contrarian play.
One contrarian play that is rapidly becoming a favorite is don't aspire to be RICHER than you need. If 12 people and a dog can keep the mortgage paid and the product development engine primed then maye that is "rich enough" for you.
Google wants us to aspire to an increasing MORE in speed and volume. Perhaps one of the most magical things about the web is you can reach those 12 people and a dog who care about what you are doing the most.
Herasy I realize, but the hamster wheel of MORE seems a rigged game. When Google / YouTube creates a "by invitation only" star system they reinforce the rigged nature of the game.
The real REVOLUTION online is not everyone plays any game ever, so here's hoping 12 people and a dog find you and are sufficient to keep the wolf from the door :). Maybe we don't ALL have to get RICHER just better? Crazy talk I realize.
BTW, YES the irony of providing tools to those who would seem to need them the least did strike me. CATCH-22 :). M