"Video - we just wanna watch it...

...or do we?"

The clue to the quality of this session was in its title.

Speakers from Grouper ("Watch, share, create"), Jumpcut ("Make Amazing Movies Online"), BrightRoll (couldn't find a slogan) all did big pushes for their product. Even the moderator was promoting – her company’s called Dabble ("Search, organise, collect"), which is a community around video from other hosts.

One thing which they all latched on to – which is interesting – is having users creating ads, in spaces sponsored by big-name brands. So Jumpcut (in bed with Yahoo) partnered with Doritos to have users create ads for the Superbowl - some of which are actually quite funny.

(Note to self – must check out the Apple/imploding battery situation for my powerbook. I think I’m getting third degree burns on my thighs typing in this session…)

And now we’re at the nub. What MAKES people create video? Although the guy asking this question used the verb ‘incents’. I don’t think that’s a word…

Eepybird ("Entertainment for the Curious Mind") was used as an example about why folk do this. Tends to be around money. Mmm…

Other speaker says it’s about social networking OR getting famous. Considered that getting famous is a whole different kind of product. Yes, that's right. Generally, a slicker one.

Question from the floor – where does the panel see online video going in light of the You Tube acquisition? Not unsurprisingly, the view was that there is room for lots of players, not just one channel. But each site needs to choose its focus and USP. Another speaker said that sometimes people don’t even have enough time to view 5 or 10 videos each day on You tube, Good grief – where on earth does THAT kind of behaviour leave conventional TV?

Anyhoo, moved on to next session. In the biggest meeting room in the hotel where, ironically, there’s no wireless access as its walls are marble. Web 0.25 stuff now…