Blogumentary [chuck olsen]

CHUCK IN PIONEER PRESS

Podcast People
Julio Ojeda-Zapata

'VLOG' OR 'PODCAST'?

But, despite this increased exposure for digital-video auteurs, one author has resisted the phrase "video podcast," used by Apple and others. Chuck Olsen of Minneapolis, author of the iTunes-listed "Secret Vlog Injection" video show and creator of the collaborative "Minnesota Stories" daily-clip anthology, prefers the terms "video blog" or "vlog."

"Apple is invested in the term 'pod' anything," said Olsen, also known for his "Blogumentary" documentary about Weblogs. "But it doesn't make any sense to call (a vlog) a 'video podcast.' It's like calling television a 'video radiocast.' "

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, ROCKETBOOM!

ROCKETBOOM YEA! Happy Anniversary Andrew and Amanda. I totally love you guys. I'm not even kidding. I aspire to what you've achieved. Don't stop believin' - Journey, baby.

Here are some behind-the-scenes video stills from when I got stranded in NYC back in January and ended up in this episode of Rocketboom.

Amanda in front of the camera, Andrew behind. Together, they're unstoppable.

My man with the map, and the plan, Andrew Baron.

Amanda contemplates the copy, and secret actress thoughts.

Not what it looks like. Unless it looks like I'm adjusting Amanda's lav microphone.

Just for fun, here's Amanda kissing Homestar Runner.

I'M BACK!

I mean, my email is back: waltmink [at] mac.com. Damn you, Apple!

Today I'm lecturing and showing Blogumentary excerpts to Jeremy Igger's class at the University of Minnesota: Is Journalism Dead? Objectivity, Bias, and the Future of the News. You may know Jeremy as the Strib's food critic, but he's written books on journalism ethics and is deeply immersed in the world of civic journalism.

Jeremy helped launch the best new web site in town since MNspeak.com. I'm talking about Twin Cities Daily Planet. They're looking for contributors. Ali-kazam! You are now a citizen journalist and commentator - pay a visit and be a participant in local media. I'm hoping to establish some sort of relationship between Minnesota Stories and Daily Planet. And the Walker. And MPR. And TPT. And... anybody with a camera.

OOPS

My .Mac email account expired. It's like $100 to renew - totally not worth it, but I'll probably have to since that's my primary email. But if you're trying to get ahold of me right now, please use chuckolsen (at) gmail-dot-com.

Times is crazy. Will Chuck be able to keep up Minnesota Stories while holding down a sweet full-time gig? Let's all hold hands and pray it's true. Also, today/tonight I did a 3-camera (!) shoot of Polara's Fitzgerald Theater show for The Current. It was a bit of work but lots of fun, and a fine hootenany. Watch for a MN Stories banner ad on mpr.org in the month of November.

MY PLAYBOY INTERVIEW

A small sampling of my arsenal of gestures.

The Blogumentary screening went pretty well in spite of a low turnout. A couple of comforting factors: (1) Bryant-Lake Bowl has apparently had a really hard time getting anyone to show up for film events other than Cinema Lounge. (2) I probably had twice as many people as the Phillip Glass documentary at Sound Unseen.

Fortunately, the crowd was enthusiastic and had lots of great questions. I finally got to meet Matt Thompson (Snarkmarket, Epic 2015). Also, I got a free drink. The value of free drinks cannot possibly be underestimated.

Meanwhile, I'm about to deliver Minnesota Stories press screener DVDs to Rob Nelson for the City Pages Get Real filmfest. From vlog to the big screen - weird!

CHUCK HAS A NEW JOB!

Things have been good since quitting my job almost a year ago. Minnesota Stories is going strong and branching out in many new directions. I've done a lot of traveling for both Blogumentary and MN Stories, not to mention some sweet media mentions and all that jazz. Okay, this isn't meant to be a nostalgic trip or anything. Somehow we've kept afloat with web freelance gigs and Lori's credit cards. I even delivered papers for awhile, thinking it would be good excercise for extra dough. Yeah, that pretty much sucked.

So, I put myself back on the job market. For the first time in my life I had to decide which job not to take. I was terribly torn between various combinations of money, work culture, flexibility, location, and job specifics. I think I made a really excellent choice hooking up with Clockwork. My dear blog-pal Sharyn recommended me, and they "know who I am" which is always a nice ego boost. They're super funny and cool, and about to move into a sweet warehouse space right here in Northeast Minneapolis. Plus I'll be working with cool peeps like local design/geek legend Chuck Hermes of Bitstream Underground fame. What's not to like?

I start Monday. Going to work is a very weird concept. Wish me luck!

LOCAL VLOG FEATURED IN ITUNES

Conrats to Minnesota's own Green Green Water documentary vlog -- now a featured "video podcast" in the iTunes podcast directory.

MSNBC VIDEO PLAYER SUCKS ASS

After reading this humorous account of President Bush's fidgety NBC appearance yesterday, I went in search of the video. Here's the MSNBC story with video. And here's the message I get:

To use MSN Video, you need to install free software
MSN Video works with Microsoft© Internet Explorer 6, Microsoft© Media Player 10, and Macromedia Flash 7. To download these free software applications, click the links below and follow the on-screen instructions.

Are you fucking kidding me? Three new pieces of software to watch video of the president? And even then completely inaccessible on a Mac? Shame on you, MSNBC, for this miserable failure to make your content accessible. In fact, you seem to have gone to great lengths to make your content inaccessible. In short, you suck ass.

UPDATE: Crooks & Liars has video

APPLE IS VLOG-FRIENDLY

Finally! As pretty much everyone predicted, the Video iPod is here. I know the rest of the blogosphere has already commented on this, but I think it's pretty exciting in spite of the long slow buildup to this moment. Now I actually want one. I don't think it's going to have quite the revolutionary effect on video as the original did for music and audio, but it's certainly going to help bring video podcasts* video blogs into the mainstream. No longer the shameful retarded younger brother of podcasts, VIDEO has it's own spot on the iTunes sidebar. And lookee there - Steve Jobs has Rocketboom and Tiki Bar TV cued up!

HOWTO Rip DVD Movies To Your iPod Using Free Software

Good observations on today's Apple announcements

* Please, Apple and the rest of the world: STOP USING THE TERM "VIDEO PODCAST." That's as stupid as calling television a "video radiocast." Of course Apple is invested in pod-anything, but we don't have to swallow it.

October 12, 2005 at 11:55 PM in Videoblogging | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack

YAHOO IS SMART

Yahoo puts news, blogs side by side on the Web
(Except they put a picture of Google with this story. Oops.)

October 11, 2005 at 01:07 AM in Media, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack