Jun 19, 2006 04:42 PM
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Wed Feb 10
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Among the many conceits of the Valley elite is, "This new technology will change everything." It happened to blogging, podcasting, and now video blogging. Vlogging's a worthy medium, but a crippled one, as the vlogging in-crowd fiercely protects the weaknesses of the medium as it starts becoming profitable. But don't worry — the money will change them.
Vloggers are self-obsessed
Earlier this month, for example, the self-styled leaders of vlogging met at Vloggercon, a San Fran conference where vloggers could escape the burden of actually videotaping the real world and safely videotape each other (.mov file). They had more fun than ever.
Vloggers are self-righteous
If the first motto of vloggers is "It's all about us," the second is "We're better than you." This indier-than-thou attitude is directed at mass media, news shows, everything with polish and a real budget. It's not menacing, just cute — like the guy whose bike, with its "one less car" sign, is now in your trunk as you give him a ride home.
After the jump: Why selling out will save vlogging.
Vloggers are awkward
It's not the sloppy cuts or tinny sound that make vlogs unbearable — it's the posed, unfunny delivery these "entertainers" cultivate. We're talking about an industry where the top star, Rocketboom anchor Amanda Congdon, still performs like a junior high talent show host.
Vloggers will sell out
But the industry will get over itself the way all industries do — by selling out. The vow of poverty taken by most vloggers is less than voluntary. Rocketboom, the undisputed champion of video blogs, is now available on Tivo — with ads. The deal earns Congdon and Rocketboom producer Andrew Baron $85,000 a week. Not so indie any more. So why is Andy still appearing on shows like This Week in Tech to preach the vlogging gospel, when he's just another TV producer?
But it's getting better all the time
Case in point: Ze Frank's The Show. Ze is a designer with the energy and imagination of a ten-year-old sucking down Pixie Sticks for breakfast. His daily show (The Show) is five minutes of pure awesome, like the lovechild of The Daily Show and an ecstasy trip. He largely ignores the vlog community, he deadpans like a pro, and of course he sold out — this Saturday, one day before the New York Times wrote about his show, Ze slapped an ad onto every episode.
Now that's a vlogger role model. Scratch the trend talk, scratch the righteousness, and gun for the money.
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