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Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Non-canon community video response videos removed

On the article comments here on this blog for Call to Arms - hymnofnone99, it was noted yesterday

QtheC said...
This video appears to be accepting non-canon video responses on YouTube (not sure if they are by approval or on auto-approve)
Virginian9000 said...
Yes, I did appreciate seeing community videos there and being able to attach mine. I hope that becomes a habit, that new community videos during that week are able to be attached to the lg15 video if so desired. I mean, I first started watching lg15 myself because I found a video that was attached to an lg15 video way back in 2006. I always thought it was the smart way to go to let community videos be attachments, and I'm glad to see that being done on this video.
Today, at least three non-canon video response videos were removed from Call to Arms and replaced with the next canon video, Jonas' Last Words, which has One Evil With Many Faces as a response.

Chaining the canon videos together in this way could help viewers follow along across the various channels. Allowing non-canon videos can lead to confusion and irrelevant stuff, but may help generate a viral effect on YouTube and inspire more fan video creation.

Note: We don't actually know what the plan is at this point (whether no non-canon responses will be approved, or whether some will be approved after the canon response is in place, or something else.)

What do you think the approach to non-canon video responses on YouTube should be?

21 comments:

  1. I would have thought it would be in lg15's interest to have as many community videos as possible, and a great way to encourage community videos is to have them as responses to lg15.

    Are community videos valued? Currently, there is no provision for them at the new site except for some forums off to the side. Its my understanding there is more coming, but its not there now.

    I don't mind my personal video being removed, but I am thinking toward future community videos. I thought the policy had changed, and community videos were going to be allowed as responses. This would be great for community videos, but apparently that's not the case.

    I would love to hear from lg15 staff/crew. What is the policy? Will you be allowing responses on any video? on the Saturday video? anything? If its going to be nothing, I'd at least like to know now.

    ReplyDelete
  2. In response to a post InsideLG15 asking us to comment on the saturday resistance video I left a comment suggesting that it would be a nice gesture of good faith if they reciprocated by accepting a few community videos. It is a two way street after all.

    When I saw those community videos accepted I was pretty excited that Eqal finally was getting "it".

    Now I wonder if that ray of hope was misplaced.

    I realize they cannot accept every video but it hardly seems fair to reject them all.

    You reep what you sow!

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  3. Anyone else find the title a little confusing?

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  4. I didn't know we could respond with videos...

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  5. it seems to me that the hymnofone99 account was created just before the "call to arms' video was posted there, and they must have not properly set the video response option.

    i think the show should help community videos as a good faith gesture. but the show is also ridiculously hard to follow right now for casual watchers, so there is something to be said for only allowing the 'next' video as a video response.

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  6. In the past when a video was accepted by "mistake" they left those that were already accepted and then locked down the account. This is the first time i have seem them actively remove a community video that had already been accepted. It seems a bit mean spirited but hey, it their company. They can run it how they see fit I guess and no doubt we will be accused of being unappreciative whiners. So be it.

    What they need to realize this is a new world and this community does have its own voice.

    As I said you reep what you sew.

    ReplyDelete
  7. reep = reed meep?

    reap what you sow, mm ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. he he he yep:) u get my drift.

    I definitely like the idea of featuring a few of the best videos as a youtube response. I would say that it long overdue (not to take anything away from the promotion on insideLG15 and also the main page which were both very much appreciated).

    Community video makers work really hard on their productions and it is really really really hard to get views on youtube. Eqal of all people should understand that. A little more 2 way cooperation would go a long way.

    As I said this is new world with new dynamics and those who do not get "it" will ultimately phail.

    ReplyDelete
  9. "As I said this is new world with new dynamics and those who do not get "it" will ultimately phail."

    Or maybe, just maybe, the mm way isn't the only way. I'm not trying to be rude -- it's just a thought.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh the "mm way" is certainly not the only way and i will not second guess the corporate decisions Eqal Inc. makes. Miles is the CEO.

    I will say that for every door you open another closes.

    The opportunity to lend a helping hand to community videos exists but there are also risks. Who knows, you might just spawn your greatest competitor from within the community. On the other hand if you fail to support the community you may find yourself very alone in a time of need. When they ask us to support them they should consider the ramifications of the choices they in return make.

    There are clear choices for Eqal to make and you can rest assured that we will be watching each of those choices carefully. The concept of stakeholders in the corporate world is not new but the level of cooperativity between those stakeholders that the Internet provides is a very new and powerful dynamic.

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. As a person who creates community videos, I have to agree with mm. Yes, obviously promoting the next video in the series is important, because without people watching the followup to a video, there's no point.

    However, once the next video has been promoted, I don't see why they shouldn't give community videos a hand. Community series on the whole help to advertise canon videos by making associating stories, etc. Just as much that someone could click onto a canon vid and see one of mine as a response, they could click on one of mine, and see it as a response to a canon one. Obviously ones more likely to happen than the other, but you catch my drift.

    But that's just me :)

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  13. "Who knows, you might just spawn your greatest competitor from within the community."

    Or your next staff writer.

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  14. Just a note that the resistance show page http://www.lg15.com/theresistance/ does include an initial list of community shows with links to their new forums. I hope to see the return of invidual videos from the community there as well.

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  15. "Or maybe, just maybe, the mm way isn't the only way. I'm not trying to be rude -- it's just a thought."

    Then what other way do you suggest, Silverblue? It is quite easy to point out the problems with something but it is not so easy to suggest solutions.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Here's one possible approach:

    1. Use YouTube descriptions for each canon video to provide links to
    - the main show page at lg15.com
    - the previous video in the series
    - the next video in the series
    - the weekly synopsis video (when available)

    2. On the weekly synopsis video include links in the description to
    - the main show page at lg15.com
    - the previous week's synopsis video
    - the next week's synopsis video (when available)

    3. post the next canon video as a response video before accepting fan video responses

    4. after the next canon video is posted, open the previous canon video to accept video responses from fans(either by approval or automatically)

    5. also allow fans to post videos on the show page (as was done on the old site on the right side), with approval

    ReplyDelete
  17. 6. Post each weekly synopsis video as a response video to the previous weekly synopsis video, before allowing fan video responses... (or possibly do not allow fan video responses to the synopsis videos to minimize confusion for casual viewers).

    ReplyDelete
  18. "Or maybe, just maybe, the mm way isn't the only way. I'm not trying to be rude -- it's just a thought."

    Then what other way do you suggest, Silverblue? It is quite easy to point out the problems with something but it is not so easy to suggest solutions.


    Way to be anonymous, anonymous. Ask me again and give your name, and I might respond to your question.

    Til then,
    silverblue

    ReplyDelete
  19. When I saw the YouTube channel for The Resistance, I thought perhaps they were going to consolidate all videos under one account.

    However, they're using playlists to do that. For me, a single account works for the show proper. For pre-season, the web of accounts is a nice way to get people involved and sold on it.

    But with that web, keeping everything straight gets muddy when plot is advancing in a linear fashion, and its delivery system is anything but. So I'm torn. The ARG-loving side of me wants to see it expand and grow where the only way to get the video is to be in X church at X time to find the hymnal book with the pages cut out to make room for the disc.

    The storyteller side of me, however, knows that getting the most people watching possible is important, and keeping that continuity for viewers is challenging.

    The short version of this being: I'm not sure what I'd do.

    ReplyDelete
  20. My guess is that Amanda was not the person who removed the videos because what happened here is not characteristic of the past. I suspect that someone new felt they had made a mistake and tried to "cya" by reversing the acceptance of the videos not realizing the potential fall out.

    I think we all feel it is a privilege to have a video accepted as a response video on any of the Eqal Inc. accounts on Youtube. That said community producers work very hard on their videos and the videos that were accepted by "mistake" were pretty good and in my opinion should not have been removed. Mistake or not it is a well deserved nod to the community when a community video is accepted on Youtube.

    Now that aside, I think the concept of filling a few of the response video slots under the Youtube videos after the first week or so is a pretty good one. Yes it would take a little extra work on the part of Eqal Inc. but I think it would pay dividends to them in terms of community support. As I keep repeating, it needs to be a 2 way street or it just does not work in the long run.

    Now in fairness to the old lonelygirl15 the acceptance of community videos was something that used to be done now and again. That tradition may just have been overlooked because of time pressure. However every good producer knows that sometimes taking short cuts because of time pressures (particularly in a low budget situation) can cost you dearly in the long run. All I ask is that Eqal Inc. considers that very seriously in regard to the acceptance of community video responses on Youtube.

    I should also add that the click thru rate on response videos is quite small so the tangible gain to community videos may not be great. However it does mean something more than that to community video producers and even a 0.1% conversion rate would lead to meaningful views and perhaps even a new subscriber now and again.

    Yes, the "mm" way is not the only way..... but hey, it may not be the worst way either.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Just a note: I tried adding a new video response and it shows the "by approval" message currently ... it has not been approved so far.

    Also, on the "Last Words" videos, there are now two video responses, both canon:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH-_0w2DsfQ

    They are "One Evil with Many Faces" and "Cheer Me Up!"

    It makes sense in terms of story, but in terms of simply clicking through the videos in order, it's a little weird that "Cheer Me Up!" was not made a response to "One Evil with Many Faces."

    ReplyDelete




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