At the Banff World Television Festival this year, an army of digitally savvy, forward-looking producers was on hand as part of the nextMedia, which ran simultaneously. But when it came to webisodes and digital media in general, the buzz word at Banff Springs was "monetize." Yes, there's advantages to producing shows directly for the web. They're cheaper and more flexible, plot lines can turn on a dime and creative control is easier to maintain. But how do you pay for it? How does it make money?

More viewers turn to Web to watch TV shows when they want, for free
Mekeisha Madden Toby / Detroit News Television Writer
July 3, 2010

While shows like "American Idol" still bind us culturally -- Mom can watch it live on TV, Dad can catch the digital video recorder (DVR) version and Junior can download it days later online -- the desire to go to the Web for programming is driving a cultural shift.

The mouse will never replace the remote control as everyone's favorite clicker, but Web-based entertainment has improved and expanded so greatly that some people have begun canceling their cable subscriptions to watch original and recast programming online.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Producing Web Entertainment
June 16, 2010

On Monday, June 21st at 7:30 PM, filmmakers, actors and others will have an opportunity to learn from professionals involved in creating web entertainment at a panel discussion focused on how to produce for the web, how to get your work seen, how to market your web series and best practices for interacting with with the major sites that stream web series and more.

How to Build Buzz For a Web Series

by Mathieas McNaughton on June 14th, 2010

Very few web series attract any pre-launch attention, those that do begin with a distinct advantage, an audience that is already aware of its existence. One of the biggest challenges a new series faces, is the ever increasingly daunting task of cutting through the clutter of online video. Furthermore, not only do web series need to compete with other shows, vloggers, and keyboard playing kids and kittens, they are also in competition with social media sites, other websites, games, and occasionally, real life. The competition for viewer attention has never been greater. Simply releasing a series and hoping that it will find an audience is not an option. Therefore, in order to be competitive, in order to build an audience, a series needs to begin generating buzz even before the show launches.

‘The Bannen Way:’ A Comedy on HBO?
by Drew Baldwin on June 2nd, 2010

From July 10 to July 31, HBO Canada will be airing the full 93 minutes (a feature-length version of the web series) in HD on The Movie Network and available on demand starting July 13, according to TMN’s online schedule. The listing describes The Bannen Way as an “action comedy,” which at first appears to be a listing error and not an attempt to re-market like in Tommy Wiseau’s The Room, the failed low budget indie drama successfully rebranded as an intentional “quirky new black comedy.”

Celebrating the Web and Stepping Back From the Ledge

by Guest Author on April 16th, 2010

Tonight, though, we’re paying our Respect Tax. To the web, to ourselves, to each other.

I’m not going to get sappy – partially because as I write this a raging of a hangover is on the horizon (look for that as a metaphor later in this piece!). However, in her acceptance speech at the Celebrate the Web, post-Streamys gathering, Felicia Day said, “We want to be authentic to ourselves,” as why we work on the web. So I’m going to pound a Red Bull and write this with the honesty it deserves.

14th Annual Webby Awards Nominees
April 14, 2010

The Bannen Way nominated for Best Drama & Best Editing while Vanessa Marcil Honoree for Best Female Actress

Online Film & Video

If the Web 2.0 revolution has shown us anything, it's that the Internet is a proven star-making invention. While Hollywood still produces it's fair share of blockbusters, the Internet is an increasingly reliable source of quality online content. All of the Online Film & Video Winners, Nominees and Honorees have premiered their work online and are one step closer to stardom.