Web series

A web series called serial on the Internet presented video content that has been produced for the Internet. Individual episodes are referred to by the portmanteau word webisode. It is usually fictional stories of different genres. Characteristic are short sequences and ways of interacting with the producer, or the protagonists of the story. The retrieval of episodes by download or video stream ( webcast ) are independent of time via the Internet.

Commercial web series serve different purposes. In many cases, companies use the stories as a platform to promote their products and services, for example through product placement or advertising. However, the producers Increasingly, on a promotional financing.

Features

History

The first webisode produced Bullseye type 1995. The only produced for the Internet animated series, however, was soon abandoned it again. Also thespot.com became known for its interaction early attention from 1995 to 1997, the webseries partially over 100,000 views a day. Nevertheless webseries were exceptions.

The increasing number of broadband Internet connections allowed in the early 2000s the sending of media files over the Internet. With the establishment of the first video portals like Vimeo (2004), Dailymotion and YouTube (both 2005) won webseries popularity. The video portals were initially perceived as a self-presentation platforms. One of the first web series on YouTube was lonelygirl15, in Bree, a 15- year-old girl from 2006 told of her life. The series was released as a normal vlog, with the time it was learned that Bree was involved in a religious cult. After lonelygirl15 had become the most subscribed channel of YouTube and had already gained great notoriety, the YouTube community found out that lonelygirl15 is a fake and Bree in reality the actress Jessica Lee Rose was. The producers put the webseries nevertheless continued for several more years.

Around since the late 2000s, the importance of web series. First festival to be organized web series, webseries established television awards take into account (see section Festivals and Awards ). Meanwhile, working -known directors such as Bryan Singer and actor like Julia Stiles, Jennifer Garner and Tom Hanks at webseries. Large companies produce web series with bigger budgets, such as 2012, the six million -US-dollar webseries Cybergeddon or Halo 4 - Forward unto Dawn, which was produced for nearly 10 million U.S. dollars. Some web series managed the leap into television. TV shows use webisodes to keep viewers interested about charisma breaks. The differences in cost-intensive television series webseries lose more and more. Since 2011, the video-on -demand service Netflix offers its subscribers to online productions, which also contribute more the characteristics of television series.

Financing

Advertising and marketing

Commercial webisodes are available free of charge to internet users in general. A part of the operator is trying to earn with advertising before or after the episodes as well as product placement in the show money. Another Kommerzialisierungsmöglichkeit is the marketing of products. This has been practiced around the widespread Bild.de series at Deer Lucy: users were able to order the dress of the actor online at Otto-Versand, which occurred as a cooperation partner.

Little is known about the commercial success of advertising-financed webisodes. Observers assume that the series so far - if at all - only achieved low sales with advertising. " The newly discovered sector lack of clear business models and standardized formats. And so far, it lacks even the audience, "the New York Times wrote in August 2008. Due to the low production price of the webisodes but it should be possible to operate profitably for a special audience with individual niche productions.

Several factors complicate the monetization through advertising so far:

  • There is a lack of reliable measurement instruments for quotas.
  • Many viewers have lack of program guide no overview of the offer.
  • Many operators do little or no advertising to increase awareness.

Sponsoring

Especially in the United States have some company produce series with which they advertise their products. For example, the California company invested eHealth Inc. 500,000 U.S. dollars in series Am I covered? In Germany, the Otto-Versand and the record company Warner Music participate in unspecified way on the show Deer Lucy.

Market situation internationally

Especially in the USA, the trend has reached the mainstream. Michael Eisner, the former head of Walt Disney Company (1984-2005), founded his company Tornante on 12 March 2007, the production company Vuguru that produces content for the Internet. From his Produktionsschmiede come hit series such as " Prom Queen ", a web series that has America already generated more than 20 million views, and The All -For- Nots. Other companies that have dedicated themselves to the potential of new media, are Katalyst Media, a production company of Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg. Her most recent project is the comic web series Blahgirls.

Market situation nationally

Those usually long between two and five minutes videos are also produced in Germany by now. Among the most widely used formats in Germany include Tiger - The claw Kreuzberg ( Desire Media Filmproduktion ), Moabit Vice made ​​by Vice Productions GbR, They call us Candy Girls ( MME) and the web - documentary Bubble Universe ( fullscrn film- UG).

Further productions are Deer Lucy, a collaboration between Bild.de and the Otto mail order, produced by MME, Pietshow ( Grundy UFA & StudiVz ) and Prussian Gangstar, a spin-off of the movie, MySpace & MME production.

Platforms for web series in the network

In May 2009 3min.de was the first German Webserienportal launched. The portal was produced in Berlin and was a product of Deutsche Telekom. Unlike other video portals 3min.de deliberately avoided user-generated content, all formats have been professionally produced, high-resolution available. With an average length of three minutes per episode web series and other short content offered on channels series, comedy, lifestyle, sports, music, games, movies and short films. 3min.de was free of charge for users. It was financed solely by advertising. End of May 2011, the offer was set.

Websites that show webseries

Festivals and Awards

Since the late 2000's first festival being organized on web series and web series considered even in established television awards. 2009, the International Academy of Web Television ( IAWTV ) was established, which awards Streamy Awards in several categories for web series. Since 2010 there is the Los Angeles Web Series Festival, since 2012 the HolyWeb Web Series Festival. 2013 was followed by the London Web Festival and the Melbourne Web Fest. The Chicago Comedy Film Festival has since 2013 a separate category for web series.

The Producers Guild of America, founded in 2001, considered by the New Media council in awarding the PGA Awards producers of new media. The Daytime Emmy Awards 2006 first with the Broadband Awards Awards for Internet broadcasts were awarded. The Writers Guild of America included since 2008 "New Media " in the award of the Writers Guild of America Awards.

Examples

  • Battlestar Galactica - The Resistance
  • Enchufe.TV
  • Jabhook ( sport1.de )
  • Nina's world
  • Sanctuary - Keeper Of The Creatures
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