“The way children consume content is changing rapidly,” explained Pat Ellingson, Creative Head Children’s Media at TVO. “Traditional television continues to be a powerful draw. We are not decreasing our focus on providing a unique broadcast offering. However, the tastes and wants of the “kid” audience are changing and web-based entertainment is part of this change. Our research shows that kids 2-11 years old and their parents are spending more and more time online. We wanted to stay ahead of the curve and not just keep up with what others are doing but anticipate what kids will need and be there first.

Read the full article at nextMEDIA-source.

“After the media financing doldrums of 2009, this money and leap of faith towards digital audiences couldn’t come at a better time,” said FanTrust president Catherine Warren. FanTrust provides funding strategy and business development for companies interested in this opportunity and other multiplatform financing. “This is a boost for next-gen producers as well as traditional TV producers looking for ways to finance novel digital video formats. Our entertainment clients need funders willing to take new risks and help them serve new fans.”

The IPF is inviting proposals for online drama series at its application deadline of March 31, 2010. Regulations for applicants will be minimal in order to encourage maximum innovation and experimentation. Projects must be webcast on Canadian-owned websites as a “first window” to ensure more Canadian content for Canadian portals. Some of these projects may serve as pilots for traditional television drama, while others may develop their own dedicated online communities and audiences.

As the sources of financing for web video without a broadcast license are very limited, the IPF support is intended to stimulate the growth of new forms of content. This unique contribution to independent producers will help them to explore the potential for high quality, story driven drama with new and innovative narrative forms. “Our ultimate goal is innovation,” said IPF Executive Director Andra Sheffer. “We want to be there as part of the scene – not replace TV, just add to the mix.”

As a leading supporter of Canadian drama, the IPF will experiment in partnership with web content developers to determine how good story-telling translates to other platforms. “We will help develop best practices to take advantage of the opportunities that the digital platforms provide for new production styles, processes, formats and business models,” said Charles Ohayon, Chair of the Board of the IPF.

The Independent Production Fund was established in 1991 and has invested over $50M in 229 television drama series and over 300 professional development projects.

View the application guidelines

View the IPF news release

Until then, here are FanTrust’s picks and pans for screens large and small. The rationale not so much to answer: “can we cross-purpose our content?” (yes we can) or “does anyone really want to watch long shows on small screens?” (yes they do). But rather to respond to the question: “can we create ideal content for a specific viewing experience?”

On an iTouch there is nothing more compelling than a close-up of a human face. The tone and texture of the skin seems real and the eyes appear to connect with our own. The screen’s lush colors and soaring resolution bring the device to life in our hands. Couple that with a direct gaze and an intimate conversational delivery and you have tiny screen magic. As an example, take Aubrey’s Make-up Tips.  Downloaded from the Poptiq mobile app onto your smartphone, they are strangely addictive. By comparison, the same Aubrey videos on Youtube seem lost, floating in a sea of background pink and streaming choppily from frame to frame. Anecdotally, you can even mesmerize a 6 year old boy with Aubrey’s show on the iTouch, getting him to shriek for “more make-up tips” – although why you’d do this is another matter.

On the other hand, Hot for Words would be outré for my hand held (and obviously for my little boy) but rocks on Youtube, pulling in 10.5M channel views and counting. Content this in-your-face needs a little distance. So viewing this combination of titillating-accented philology, bustiers, and body bling is best done at arms length, making the laptop screen perfect for the experience.

Moving up the food chain, from Web to TV, Barely Political’s Obama Girl would be an excellent crossover candidate. First launched on Youtube in 2007 when Obama himself was polling 11 percent, the skits have achieved 75M views on computers around the world. Featuring the alluring Amber Lee Ettinger, snappy music and sardonic wit, it makes sense that this type of sketch comedy jumped to living room screens on a Saturday Night Live sketch.  (Check out FanTrust’s live interview with Obama Girl!)

For major motion pictures, nothing beats sweeping landscapes and epic themes. That’s why it’s always sad when movies like Kung Fu Panda inevitably get downsized to DVD and Blu-ray. Animation this good begs for the silver screen and goes down best with a tub of popcorn in a crowded theater. Physicists have a great term for it: “action at a distance,” which is just what I love from a breathtaking cinematic experience.

Long or short, there are some things I’d watch on any size screen. I’ve been rapt over The Tudors on television, laptop and iPod. And I’ve loved HBO’s John Adams on all of my home multiplatforms. Great content is still great content. And large or small, we’ll be hitting that forever.

VANCOUVER, November 4, 2008 – For the first time, a number of United Ways across Canada have combined forces to produce a new video campaign and to tap new digital audiences. United Ways in Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax and Toronto, along with support from Winnipeg and United Way Canada collaborated on the mission and the results are two compelling video shorts intended to open the eyes of more Canadians and support fundraising efforts.

“The Web is changing the worlds of both fundraising and community involvement,” said Catherine Warren, president of FanTrust Entertainment Strategies, who spearheaded the campaign’s digital roll-out. “It makes sense today for the United Way to broadcast its appeal online, reaching out to connected and caring citizens, combining the power of its message with the reach of the Internet,” said Warren, who is also a board member of the United Way Lower Mainland.

The new video shorts campaign, entitled “A Way Out”, portrays vulnerable groups of people – such as youth and the homeless in Canada – and connects donors to the positive impact their donations can have in transforming lives. Publicis Toronto, the United Way’s pro-bono ad agency created the videos specifically to ignite the emotional driver of donor behaviour – the ability to enable change in our communities. With innovative special effects, these new video shorts show and tell a story of metamorphosis, providing the heartfelt motivation to donate to United Way.

FanTrust, a leader in digital media business development, chose YouTube’s top Canadian partner BroadbandTV to implement its strategy, driving audiences to Canada’s leading YouTube channels to view the United Way videos. “We are pleased to help the United Way execute its digital strategy,” said BroadbandTV CEO Shahrzad Rafati, whose company also ranks globally among YouTube’s 20 most-viewed entertainment partners, together with CBS, BBC and FOX.

“BroadbandTV will leverage its ‘Opti-Find’ technology to ensure that YouTube users easily connect with the United Way’s videos by leveraging the search function. BroadbandTV will also drive traffic and awareness for the United Way by building an audience with its own meaningful viewership,” she said.

Canadians can now view the United Way videos at http://www.youtube.com/broadbandtvhub.

“Canada ranks high in both wealth and broadband penetration – and with its FanTrust digital strategy the United Way intends to trigger help for our neediest at this crossroads,” said Warren.

About The United Way
The United Way movement (and its predecessors Red Feather, Community Chest, United Appeal) has existed in Canada since 1917 when it first extended the philosophy of the “community collective” – raising and distributing funds to support the broader community. United Way-Centraide is a leading community building organization in Canada. United Ways-Centraides are led and supported by more than 200,000 volunteers all dedicated to improving the lives of individuals in their community. Each of the 120 United Way-Centraides is responsible to its own community, raising the resources and distributing it back to their community. Each year, United Ways-Centraides raise upwards of $480 million, the vast majority of which is reinvested in local communities to support programs and services directed at improving the social conditions of Canadians.

About FanTrust Entertainment Strategies
FanTrust provides the entertainment, education and non-profit sectors with strategies and tactics for digital media growth, including raising capital, distribution deal-making, revenue generation and cross-platform production and partnerships. FanTrust also helps technology distribution companies to package and provision for the media and entertainment industries. In essence, FanTrust serves as digital matchmakers, helping bridge different media and build innovative organizations and intellectual property. With a laser focus on the Fans, FanTrust helps clients capitalize on the digital audiences and committed consumers that interact with multi-platform content. www.FanTrust.com

About BroadbandTV
BBTV is a media and technology company that brings together content owners, network operators and advertisers to create economically sustainable Video over IP business models. BroadbandTV specializes in the aggregation, tracking, optimization, sales, marketing, distribution and monetization of video content via Internet Protocol (IP) and Wireless Networks. BroadbandTV’s leading edge ‘Opti-Find’ technology ensures that all uploaded video assets are fully optimized and meta-tagged such that they can be elegantly indexed and discovered by consumers who use search functions to connect with their content. For more information visit www.broadbandtv.ca

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To set up a media interview or for more information, please contact:
Brandi Sundby
FanTrust Entertainment Strategies Consultant
Tel: 778-896-0570 (Pacific Time Zone)
bsundby@fantrust.com

This week, FanTrust tracks a surge of fun, quality women’s content and relevant brand messaging proliferating the web. And we’ve got the numbers to prove it. A recent New York Times article, “Woman to Woman, Online”, reported that

Sites aimed primarily at women, from “mommy blogs” to makeup and fashion sites, grew 35 percent last year — faster than every other category on the Web except politics, according to comScore, an Internet traffic measurement company. Women’s sites had 84 million visitors in July, 27 percent more than the same month last year, comScore said.

Staggering growth, to say the least.

Almost overnight, Glam Media, a network of 650 women’s sites, has become an online media darling with media buyers and investors alike, drawing more visitors than its rivals and raising $114 million from backers to date.

Brands are getting into the game – big time. Beyond banner advertising, many brands are working directly with women’s sites to create sponsored content. Glam Media, which promotes its “custom content creation” to advertisers, recently wrote a quiz to promote Wal Mart’s new steak selection. “What’s Your Steak Style?” promised to help readers determine whether her “palate personality” is casual, healthy, decadent or gourmet.

Here in Canada, brands and online destinations are also getting into the action. In late spring, Canoe announced that it hoped to have 400 web series (English and French) with product placement and brand integration online by the end of 2008. Canoe is working with agencies and producers on a variety of concepts – but seem to have found a viable niche with cooking and home décor.

Other growth areas we’ve been tracking in women’s online content:

Professional online video

A study in February 2008 found that twice as many women as men watched professional content online; while men were twice as likely as women to watch user generated content online.

Entertainment/humour

In the New York Times article, the chief executive on a women’s website suggested “Women love to reach out and talk”. But women also like to laugh – and laugh they do, watching online series like The Jeannie Tate Show (video below), about a soccer mom who hosts a talk show live from her minivan, and Imaginary Bitches, about a single gal with some naughty imaginary friends. Seems women are funny, Vanity Fair.

Learning

MIT’s OpenCourseWare lets both genders take any and all MIT classes online for free, including Women’s Studies. For lighter fare, women are going online for tips and tricks to make our day-to-day lives richer, easier, less stressful, more fulfilling and stylish. Check out the bite-sized cooking, shopping, fashion and money tips served up on Wnetwork.com’s video player, from its well-spring of lifestyle programming; to the extensive online video workshops centred around career and spirituality on Oprah.com.

Earning revenue from YouTube videos just got easier

We’d like to let you know about two recent improvements to video units that make them more easy and appealing to place on your sites. First, we’ve partnered with some new content providers that we’d like to highlight. These partners have signed on to let AdSense publishers embed their videos and share in the ad revenue.

• Broadbandtv: “Broadbandtv is partnering with YouTube to bring the very best video program lineup to a growing and engaged online audience. Broadbandtv shows include hits from Fashion, Celebrity News, Sports, Technology, Comedy and Travel to top notch Spanish-language TV series like Somos Tu y Yo.”
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: “CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. CBC/Radio-Canada is available how, where, and when Canadians want it.”
• The Orchard: “A global leader in digital music, video, new media and brand services, The Orchard offers family content like Gumby, Mr. Bill, My Favorite Martian, and other categories of content like music and comedy.”

To give you a better idea of the videos that are available for syndication to your site, we’ve also created a gallery of some featured video units content partners. Note that to choose any of these content providers for your video unit, you should get their YouTube username by visiting their YouTube channel, and then put this username into the “Channel” field when choosing content for your unit.

Second, we’re happy to announce that video units now support 728×90 and 160×600 formats to more easily fit into your site. These two new formats will feature five video thumbnails – when a user clicks on one of the thumbnails, a full sized video unit will appear, along with accompanying ads:

• 728×90 video unit
• 728×90 video unit, expanded
• 160×600 video unit, expanded

You’ll generate earnings for valid clicks or impressions on the ads which appear. To use the new formats, you’ll need to create new video units by visiting your AdSense Setup tab. To choose the new content for your video units, you can edit any of your players or set up new video units dedicated to this new content.
Read the blog post announcement in its entirety

We’re encouraging television fans from around the world to riff on their favorite TV shows, by submitting videos that creatively interpret shows past and present — and answer that age-old fan question: “What the %&*! did these characters do all summer?”

Here fans can celebrate TV, make great stuff that other fans want to watch and maybe even demonstrate that user generated content and television can happily coexist.

Winners get free cable to make sure they stay on top of next season’s best television.

FanTrust’s “I Know What TV Did This Summer” contest is powered by memelabs, making it easy for us and the fans to upload, view, vote on, and virally distribute UGC videos.

Ninja, of viral video “Ask a Ninja” fame, shares his thoughts on online video audiences, content and monetization below. Enjoy!

Two Web 2.0 tools that I couldn’t imagine living without – RSS and social bookmarking. Both are easy to use and boost productivity, but sound complex. Sachi LeFever and Lee LeFever understand that these tools aren’t difficult to use – techies and insiders often just do a bad job of explaining the tools “in plain English”. Connecting the dots a step further, the LeFevers realize that these tools would break into the mainstream more quickly if people understood just how easy the tools were to adopt.

Since I’m posting to a blog, I thought it was only fitting to include the “RSS in Plain English” video below. And the great news – if after watching the video, you’re so inclined – you can add the FanTrust blog to your RSS reader. The orange RSS button can be found at the top right hand corner of this page.

And, if FanTrust’s recent blog on Facebook apps piqued your interest, you’ll want to check out CommonCraft’s “Zombies in Plain English,” which walks viewers through the popular and ubiquitous Facebook game application.

If you ever wondered about social bookmarking, Wikis or Twitter, visit The CommonCraft Show. And, because the videos are under Creative Commons, you’re free to share the videos on your own website, or with your corporate team. Pass it on!

According to the Wall Street Journal, “You Tube has spent months testing different ad formats to figure out which models don’t alienate viewers. It found that viewers abandon videos that include pre-roll ads at a rate of more than 70%, so it ditched pre-roll commercials.”

YouTube’s next phase of testing: overlaid advertisements – semi-transparent ads that run on the bottom 20% of the video window. Ads appear 15 seconds into the clip and remain present, unless eliminated by the viewer, for 10 seconds.

If viewers click on these ads, the videos they are watching will pause, and the ad will launch.

YouTube is testing these ad models, and their rev-share terms, with 50 content partners, including Ford Models and Warner Group Corp. The CPM is said to be $20.

Why am I a fan of this latest ad model?

In a word: unobtrusive.

Overlaid ads are common on television – this is not a new promotions model for either viewers or advertisers to wrap their heads around.

Conversely, many advertisers are struggling with the constraints of making a compelling pre-roll commercial. It’s difficult to tell a story, relay a message and convey emotions or humour in a 30-second spot. All the more difficult in 10-15 seconds.

An uncompelling pre-roll commercial can be deadly not only for the advertiser, but also for the content partner.

What online video does best for entertainment brands:

(a) Gets your content in front of newbies, not just loyal fans. Online video is an easy, low-commitment way for a viewer to determine whether they want to park themselves in seats for your premiere.

Case in point: a friend of mine, recently visiting me from NYC, could not stop talking about her favorite new show, “Flight of the Concords”. Rather than download an entire episode or TiVo the show, I went to YouTube and watched an 8-minute clip of the first episode… then I watched the second 8-minute clip … then the third. I’m not yet completely hooked, but I’m willing to watch the second episode – off of YouTube.

(b) Takes your content viral.
Embedded code and “forward to a friend” buttons allow viewers to easily get your content in front of new eyeballs.

Friends don’t send friends pre-roll.

I, for one, have never forwarded content that included a pre-roll ad.

A recipient’s commitment level to viewing a forwarded video is often low. Remember, the recipient did not seek out the content – rather, he or she is watching the video on the recommendation of a friend.

If I don’t know whether I’ll like a video, why would I sit through an advertisement before the video? And why would I post an ad-laden video to my blog, let alone send it to a friend? If the value of the video is unknown, the likelihood of a viewer sitting through a pre-roll ad is low.

Which is why I’m betting on the success of overlaid advertisements – they unobtrusively spread their message without inhibiting either the viewing experience or the viral strength of online video.