MR.CLEAN

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  1. MR.CLEAN

    How We Do It

    By MR.CLEAN,

    Scot once told me, "The day you start a blog is the day you find a new job."Welcome to today, motherfucker.

    <a target='_blank' href='
    http://img718.imageshack.us/i/groupshot.jpg/'><img src='http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/5162/groupshot.th.jpg' border='0'/></a>

    OTWA Cast & Crew shot two nights after the big victory. Photo by BMW wing designer Winnie.


    Anyway, who knows whether I'll do much with this - it's not like I have a lot of free time to do MORE writing, but I think it's worth playing with. In the meantime, if you haven't seen them, these are our masterpieces from Valencia. Parts 1 and 2 of Gonzo AC, each is a ten-minute long reality show about the America's Cup, the sailors, media people, teams, and our OTWA coverage team. Peter Crawford (Penalty Box Productions) is a pain in my ass, but he is also brilliant as a videographer and editor. Hell, maybe I'll use this blog to put together an entire index from our Valencia coverage.
    Part 1:
    <object style="height: 344px; width: 425px"><param name="movie" value="
    name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></object> 
    Part 2:
    <object width="400" height="300" ><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/334185484338" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/334185484338" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>
     
     
     
     
  2. MR.CLEAN
    For a long time - up until really recently in fact - video production in sailing operated on a very exclusive model. Filming and editing sailboat racing was so expensive compared to other activities that it took a lot of cash to get anything decent to a form viewable by anyone, and that meant sponsor and advertiser dollars galore for the most basic footage. So you'd see VCR and later DVDs offered - for free (sponsor paid) or for sale. Not a great way to get big audiences watching sailing...
     
    Over the past five years, the model has changed. The first change was the easy availability of cheap camcorders and new mounting techniques, which have allowed enthusiasts to create a mountain of raw footage. Easy editing programs have made it possible for basic cuts to be shot, produced, and uploaded in hours. This resulted in the thousands of videos - mostly crap - available on YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Brightcove, and the other video hosts. But the model has kicked up a notch lately, mostly due to a few new consumer-level cameras on the market, and their ability to get HD video to the screen.
     
    And while the costs to get good stuff to the browsers of sailors around the world is a fraction of what the 'old model' productions cost, there IS a cost, and producers and advertisers are finally beginning to realize what an opportunity this presents to them. There are more independent film producers around then ever - anyone with a mac and a nice camera will suffice - and advertisers, having learned that the classic marketing tools are no longer working, are desperate to adapt to the new ways that we all get our information and entertainment.
     
    So a few smart advertisers and sponsors are spending a few grand here and there to get nice clips on the web with a small amount of advertising. And it's a nice system.
    Here's a little headcam catamaran clips that shows what I mean. And something a bit more advanced.
     

    <object width="580" height="360"><param name="movie" value="
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRU7b603nQQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"></param><param'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRU7b603nQQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRU7b603nQQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="360"></embed></object> <object width="580" height="360"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="360"></embed></object>

    This new model seems a bit more democratic than the old one, and gives anyone access to quick, effective marketing via video rather than just the few who had an 'in' with one of the few video guys in the sport. And it gives the sailing fan more diverse content to play with.
    I like it.