I was surprised when I heard the details of this year’s aforementioned “for your consideration” program. Creating a demand by hosting an award show and then profiting by controlling access to the judges sounds shady. I’m sure it was unintentional and I’m glad to see that the program was quickly removed.

I also thought, to a much lesser extent, that the initial $10 certified submission process was a problem. I had no issue with the amount but by having two ways to submit side by side, is there anyone who wouldn’t automatically think that the $10 submission would give them a better chance? In this case I think it was the presentation that brought up the questions. In the future I feel initial Streamy submissions should either be free of have a fee attached, one or the other. That levels the playing field for everyone and doesn’t cause confusion or speculation.

Hopefully all these issues can be ironed out by next year so we can all concentrate on enjoying the process and the awards!

PS – Casey, Please tell Rudy thanks for bringing up our knitting show Let’s Knit2gether on New Mediacracy #8. Our show is long running and successful in the knitting space but we realize it’s not one of the “cool” shows. We don’t get mentioned often outside knitting and it really makes our day. Thanks!

I will say, though, that there’s something deeply concerning about limiting the ways in which we communicate with one another. Controlling the distribution of Screeners, flyers, and e-mail (and what we say about other shows, which was in the fine print of the rules of the proposed FYC program) seems deeply antithetical to the ideas of the web and transmedia. Sure, no one wants to get spammed, but I’d rather suffer through a barrage of unsolicited e-mails and screeners for the chance to find just one transcendent communiqué from a fellow creator. The web is multi-media, just like ARGs, physical meetups, and yes, DVD screeners. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t have a distribution system for all of this, but there are limitations to the web that we seem to be ignoring. My show is not 100% digital, and doesn’t exclusively live online. A singular platform experience is always going to be insufficient, whether you’re at a screening, watching it online, or on DVD. Let’s open ourselves up to the true possibilities of transmedia communications.

I think that, especially for small, indie shows like yours and mine, a heads-up in a less crazy time of year will at least help ensure that more than 1 episode (or even just a part of an episode) gets watched, which is the danger when 2,000 shows are competing in a really narrow timespan. It’s not an either/or – it’s an additional opportunity to get eyeballs on shows which, tho deserving, may struggle for brainspace in a narrow timeframe.

-David
GOLD

Casey,
Yup, all questions answered. I was just confused by what you wrote regarding the improper links and who exactly it applied to. All clear now! And as I said before, wonderful ideas. I’d love to see this model or one very like it be adopted next year.

Jeff,
A brilliant post and great feedback, as always. This is why I miss having forums to hang out with you on.

David,
My only concern with posting videos throughout the year is that videos that post (and are watched) early may be forgotten by the time the final round gets in, much the same as web presence waxes and wanes as shows release and go dormant. I’m all for creators getting to load shows and manage their portfolios whenever they want, but I’m not sure if watching should occur all year.

Darn you for tugging at my heartstrings a little with that description of The Streamys. I’m supposed to be angry and you’re making it more difficult.

On the one hand, I understand that something that came off as really indie (and cheap) wouldn’t have a lot of appeal to the viewers and advertisers that we’re trying to get interested in the medium. On the other hand, I wish The Streamys had more of an indie feel and a bit less Hollywood glitz and glamour, but I have a rather low threshold of tolerance for those things in general, so I guess that’s more of a problem with me.

While I do like seeing folks get recognized for their hard work, I’m much more interested in the conversation that’s developing around the awards and the IAWTV. I think it’s really strengthening the community and I’m glad to see so many big names actively participating in the discussion. Within the past week or so I’ve gone from screaming my head off and plotting an East Coast uprising to being really hopeful for the future of this industry and this community.

There’s a lot of good ideas here, particularly in the way that voters can watch the series. It’s an evolving process — last year all the voters had were links out to the shows’ sites. This year there was a carousel with all of the videos that could be embedded through it. For the most part, it worked well. Some video players just wouldn’t allow for embedding in that system. Not perfect, but definitely improving. I know I was able to watch several series I had never seen before.

The Streamys is in many ways a scrappy, indie web show itself. It has people working for little or no money and relies on the favors of companies and talented people who can lend a hand. Resources are tight and we make the best of what we have to work with. We all believe in this space and want to see it grow and for creators of all kinds to make a living off of their creative online works.

Here’s to a bright 2010 for web series and online video. We’re all in this together.

Marc Hustvedt

Thank you for offering such thoughtful feedback. Of course, many of your concerns — like the optimal format for an in-person screening and the shortcomings of the voting mechanism — have been considered exhaustively. All decisions have tradeoffs and, as a startup organization with significant resource constraints, growing pangs are inevitable. Honest feedback and earnest community support will help us improve. I have to say, despite a few hiccups, I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished so far this season.

So, thanks, and please realize that we, like you, are devoted creators doing our best to build an engaging entertainment experience that supports and highlights an open ecosystem.

Jamison Tilsner
The Streamys

1. I think there’s a lot of great work that wasn’t nominated.

2. I think there’s a lot of great work that WAS nominated.

3. I think I don’t envy the tough choices ahead of you and the other IAWTV members that have to vote, although I am jealous of them (I procrastinated and didn’t apply in time to vote this year).

4. I think most of the FYC issues will be forgotten by Apr 11, though I’m encouraged by the progress the dialog has taken and the IAWTV’s quick response and willingness to adapt.

5. I think if we want to be here when the networks and studios move into this industry full force, we have to keep our priorities straight. Mistakes were made, yes, and are being addressed, but a broken system is still better than no system, or worse, a system where we’re once again the outsiders looking in.

6. I think that the Streamys represent the culmination of OUR work, OUR sweat, OUR efforts to mold original content for the web into something legitimate and recognizable. For every independent creator that’s worked to turn this from a hobby or a curiosity to an industry, the Streamys are an important validation of what we’ve collectively accomplished. We may have our disagreements, but at the end of the day we have to stand shoulder to shoulder, protect and promote each other like family, and never let our disagreements ultimately divide us. We’re building a multi-billion dollar industry from scratch. We won’t always agree on how to do that, but we are all doing it together.

Jeff Koenig
Broadcast Assassin
FilmSnobbery