Steve Rubel made some comments in his Across The Sound podcast recently
that made us think about the impact of the video iPod. Steve was, as
they say, waxing lyrically about his purchase of a video iPod. He said
it was going to change his relationship with TV in a big way.
If we look back at the original iPod and iTunes – they changed music
completely through the democratization of digital music. For many of
us, it re-engaged us with music, made it easy to discover and buy music
to meet our tastes. iPod allowed us to overcome a system created by
record companies that forced music upon us. We even started buying
singles again. Labels like Warner are now leaving the format of the LP
behind to give us EP-esque formats to fit out lifestyle.
But what will the video iPod do? Unlike music, the TV industry is
enjoying a renaissance with series like 24, Deadwood, House and
so-many-more engaging the audience with rich drama. Budding film
screenplay writers are now changing format and pitching TV series ideas
to TV studios. We actually like what the TV industry (or at least HBO)
is generating.
Some very intelligent people question if you could watch a 90 minute
feature film on a screen – and maybe they’re right. But what about all the great TV
shows? They’re only 23 mins long without commercials (or less!). We’re
going to lap all this content up. In fact, the kids are already
watching this content on the PSP and iPod. There’s no going back – maybe Sir Del Boy might even make a comeback?! ;)
Like
music, the iPod could democratize video content and let us choose the
content we want rather than be governed by the length and style
produced by Hollywood.
Won’t happen? That’s what they said about theater. And the public’s
perception of theater today could be their perception of feature films
tomorrow: An important cultural product, unloved and unwanted by the
masses.
Your thoughts? Leave a ‘comment’.
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Refreshing iPod Content
Anime For The iPod
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That’s a really interesting point! I had a discussion about that with my flatmates yesterday. We talked about the PSP, iPod Video Content, watching Films on the laptop when you’re travelling etc.
The surprising thing was that we had three total different opinions. One was totally against watching esp. fimls on a small screen, the other was like to game but not to watch film on the small screen, and the last was watch films an game on the small screen.
I personally don’t like watching any film content on a smallscreen. I appreciate all the detail in film, the big screen, cinemascope, hdtv and all that. But on the other hand I also see the kids using all that videocontent, mobiles etc. totally different and then my attitude feels like some old-fashioned crap.
So, my resumé would be, yes the whole minivideo is going to change everything just like the ipod did. But my guess is that it won’t be the video ipod leading the pack but the broadband mobilephone technology.
as long as ipods remain a offline thing they won’t remain being the leader. And the mobile industrie is catching up very very quickly with ipod features (sony walkman mobiles, streaming video content etc..)
Greez,
M.
December 2nd, 2005 at 11:05 am
Some thought provoking stuff P. This is definitely the way things are going and Sony’s announcement today that they are going to have their own TV service for the PSP underlines this.
http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/sony/sony-launches-tv-network-service-for-psp-140606.php
December 2nd, 2005 at 12:43 pm
Hm I had a bit more time now to think and post.
From a european/german perspective:
I remember Piers Post about the decreasing classical media sales. So why is that? Because the major entertainment companies have been too afraid and slow to develop genuine, new concepts and formats.
Esp. European TV-Stations have minimized their budgets on developing own formats in comparison to their budgets for US-developed-and-produced formats.
Now, with the rise of minivideo- maybe even TV- more probably brand new tailor-made formats for the smallest of all screens have to be made.
At this point the industry or some newcomers who learned from the misstakes made in european tv-production can foster innovation again!
But someone has to do it! Get back on the track!
There will be niche formats for your tuberide (or even elevator ride remembering the elevator podcast-pitching issue!), when you’re wating for a friend.. Just Snipplets, Maybe entertainment concepts for Fractions of Time. Totally new concepts of soaps, follow-ups, games whatsoever!
My guess still is, even when my last posting sounded a bit old-school or something, that esp. the video ipod is not going to do the same deal with feature film as it did for music!
The big deal about the whole mobile-content thing for me is the huge mobile-cultural gap between the continents. Agreed that Japan IS the Nr. 1 Trendsetter next to Scandinavia for Mobile Services. But the acceptance and use of mobileservices varies so much from Country to Country that it’s hard to make a big trend prediction. I would be really curious for studies about that if you know any.
So good night/good morning..
M.
December 3rd, 2005 at 12:07 am
Henry & M – great thoughts and ideas from you both. I personally don’t see a growth in cell tv without an increase in screen size.
December 3rd, 2005 at 12:43 am
I don’t know if the Video iPod will kill the feature film but I do think it could have a huge impact on television providers. I pay about $80 a month for about 400 channels. If each channel has continuous content for 24 hours a day that would be 9,600 hours of contents a month. I am probably only interested in having 10-20 channels and watching 30-60 hours of content a month. I know most people probably watch a lot more tv than I do but I still think there will come a time when Apple will be offering almost all major tv content through the iTunes store and it will be much more efficient and maybe cheaper than having the typical cable package.
December 3rd, 2005 at 7:33 am
I was thinking of the opening of the Tate Gallery in London a few years back, and how its massive size seemed to cause artists to start creating larger works – the same could work in reverse here – people adapt to the scale of the medium they’re working on.
December 3rd, 2005 at 8:53 am
Nice thoughts Ryan and Daryl. Thank you. iPod to kill cable, eh?
I just write this over on Phil’s blog (Millionaire Socialite – see Link below) where I am so happy he’s joining the debate and adding ideas.
****
Phil, Great reaction and commentary. I would argue with you about your assumption
“People like being entertained for hours on end.” The popular theatre in the 19th century lasted for hours – and was very popular. Then the moving pictures cames along and folk opted for a more convenient format. Do we all really have a lifestyle that allows 90 minutes or more gap in our schedule.
Alternatively – look at book readership 19th century and eary 20th centruty – and then bookreadership after the advent of TV.
Having been a film maker, I’d like to add: Just because film is beautiful, it doesn’t mean it will last forever.
December 3rd, 2005 at 9:10 am
This discussion reminds me of Web TV. It languished because you lean into the web on your computer screen and engage with the experience. With TV, you lean back and relax with the experience. Never understood why someone would want to mix them.
It makes sense why folks want downloadable/portable video. But I am a typical male who likes the big screen TV. Flat, sleek and thin, thank you very much, but a wide picture and surround sound. Mobile TV will find a niche, but I do not see it displacing technology like HD anytime soon…..especially if cable goes a la carte. But even more so because I personally see less of a connection between mobile small and picture/sound big.
December 9th, 2005 at 1:21 am