You Tube is only three years old and one of many Video on Demand (VOD) channels that have changed the face of TV forever. Audiences demand interactivity, and conversations are no longer just taking place in walled off forum spaces, but in comments and feedback.

Managing your internet footprint by posting regular content can be very time consuming.   Luckily there are new media tools for creatives who don't have the spare time of teenagers. The youngsters and oldsters of Generation C can now upload content to a network of video hosting services with just a few clicks. You Tube is only three years old and one of many Video on Demand (VOD) channels that have changed the face of TV forever. Audiences demand interactivity, and conversations are no longer just taking place in walled off forum spaces, but in comments and feedback.

Managing your internet footprint by posting regular content can be very time consuming.   Luckily there are new media tools for creatives who don't have the spare time of teenagers. The youngsters and oldsters of Generation C can now upload content to a network of video hosting services with just a few clicks.If you're into Indie Music or making Indie TV then there has never been a better time to join 'Gen C', a term used to describe creatives who consume and produce digital media. No longer a generation defined by age, this creative generation have a shared DIY attitude. It's not just funksters in the San Francisco Bay area that are driving this trend. The Looksy crew in New Zealand are running a global project capturing the voices of Generation C, and are about to start a show on New Zealand indie station Alt TV. The Wikipedia listing on Generation C says that:

"The American Press Association's Media Center describes Gen C as "creating, producing and participating in news in a connected, informed society." Unlike previous generations, Generation C appears to be defined more by behavior and psychographics as opposed to common demographics. Generation C was first documented in detail on Trendwatching.com in March 2004. Then and subsequently, Trendwatching.com has identified C as standing for creativity, content, celebrity and control. Generation C could be said to comprise the people who use Web 2.0, create user-generated content and participate in the co-creation
of products and services.

Issuu is the tool to look at if magazine publishing is your thing, and you want to graduate from tweeting or blogging but stay with text and image.
Issuu let's you find and design the funkiest looking style bibles with no trees involved. It creates a classy PDF reader from your file that you can embed into your own blog or website. Readers can view your text, or illustrations online or from within their own Facebook profiles.

If you want to join Gen C as a music or media mogul but are not sure where to start, then Make Internet TV has step-by-step instructions for shooting, editing, and publishing online videos. Jamglue is an online tool that allows easy remixing for the masses, to get your audio files and music out to the world without having to have a powerful studio machine or expensive audio software. Jumpcut is a similar tool that allows you to easily mashup video and audio and share it online. A.viary is a suite of web-based applications for people who create. They are still in private beta invite mode, and you can apply for early bird invitations at their site.

I think this is the future of creativity, of mixing up, mashing up and making media on the web top, through simple applications that are exactly what you need whatever your level of experience.

So that's the making it side dealt with, but you still need to publish your work online as widely as possible.

Tube Mogul allows indie directors to upload their opus to a number of video hosting sites and also track a global audience. The free account lets you publish up to 150 video deployments a month, with the basic paid for business service with increased metrics and 500 deployments starts at $500 US a month. Marketers need metrics to be parted with their money, and online services like Tube Mogul can show where your eyeballs are coming, neatly divided into a geographic and demographic breakdown.

The best thing about Generation C is that you can join at any time. It's never too late to get creative and be a new media mogul!

21/02/08

As well as being TBI's strategist, Helen Baxter a.k.a. MsBehaviour runs dance-music label TMet Recordings, 3D animation company Mohawk Media and has a fortnightly slot on National Radio called 'Virtual World'.