I’m betting on video podcasts. In a big way. I’m forming a production company whose initial sole method of distribution will be via internet. And the easiest way to watch a video podcast nowadays is via the iTunes Music Store, which means video podcasts. There are the gigantic media corporations with whom my meager company cannot compete: the huge broadcast and cable TV networks with production budgets in the millions. But producing a video podcast, or vodcast, can cost next to nothing. The only thing is, with a budget of next-to-nothing comes a product quality of next-to-nothing, as is evidenced by the current offerings of video podcasts. Oh sure there are the occasional gems, but making a good product requires time, effort, and resources. There’s the good/fast/cheap triangle. And in my beginning ventures I must omit the fast because I will not settle for less than good and I cannot afford more than cheap.

My quandary is this: will the product be able to self-sustain? I would need to generate revenues enough to pay my rent, bills, student loans, and have enough left over to invest 10% for retirement and buy tape stock for the next episode. If I could do that I would be a happy camper. But will the advertisers pay? Or would the viewers pay to download an eposide? I truly believe the future of video media is via the net: on demand, 24/7, what you want, when and where you want it. Apple makes it so easy to do. But so long as there is no way to make money from the product the product itself will remain unworthy of revenues. Would I pay to watch an episode of “Ask a Ninja,” which is arguably better written and edited than some TV shows? That’s the businessman in me talking. The creative filmmaker in me says screw the business, make it for art’s sake. That’s the approach I must take when embarking on this adventure. However my creditors may make me to think otherwise….

Below is a link to a FeedBurner blog entry inspiring some of the above commentary:

http://blogs.feedburner.com/feedburner/archives/001755.html (link dead)