"MPEG1 seems to be the lowest common denominator in terms of support. "You know, it's been years since I've messed with MPEG1, but I thought I'd give it a test. I rendered a short clip using the MainConcept MPEG1 encoder and it played in VLC & Quicktime Player, but would not play in WMP.


...Jerry

Let's move these comments to this thread and not hijack this one any further.

just as an addendum....

the short doco i made of the 'undertow' projectthat has 122K hits on vimeo has just received a prestigious national award (the project itself)

4th April 2011 - Maitland Regional Art Gallery received the National Trust Heritage Award for Interpretation and Presentation, Corporate/Government, for Undertow - the Maitland Jewish Cemetery Project (http://www.nationaltrust.com.au/events/festival/heritageawards/)

Here are the judges' comment:

Judges’ Comments – National Trust Heritage Awards: Interpretation and Planning, Corporate/Government Category:

A remarkable and visionary project, which sought to revive interest in the small forgotten 1840s cemetery of some fifty graves. The outcomes have encompassed an exhibition of artworks inspired by the Cemetery, with interpreting catalogues and education program, a wonderful published history, and similar projects that have been initiated within other regional and rural communities. A truly remarkable outcome for the modest resources invested, demonstrating the discoverable relevance and importance of heritage places, and how the celebration can inspire other communities.

of course the video was only part of it, but apparently an important factor in the overall award....

Congratulations!

thanks jd - much appreciated.

I've yet to post a video with the aim of having it go viral (my most popular youtube video is currently only pushing the 100K mark), but from having seen a fair number of videos online that people have sent me links to, this would be my quick summary:

1. Real things always appeal more than set up scenarios. Real people failing in a big way is a sure fire hit. The blonde Miss Teen USA clip, for example, is a cracker. People want to see a beautiful person failing like that, because it makes them feel better about themselves (see? I may not look like her, but at least I have brains!). It helps also that she fulfilled a stereotype and failed spectacularly. It would make for bad fiction or comedy, but because it's a real person doing it, it works.

2. Animals doing funny things are okay. Animals doing funny things with a clever voice over rocks. Add an accent (Scottish or Irish) and you're in with an even better chance. It can't be forced or too clever, though. The video of the cats playing 'patty cake' with the laconic voiceover was a hit because of the voiceover. It's perfect.

3. Accidents, animal attacks - those are always a hit. Everyone loves a snuff movie. Animals attacking each other with a happy ending (lions/buffalo/crocodile, for example, if you've seen that video) works.

4. Really clever ads. Old Spice Man -classic!



Points to keep in mind: To go viral, the video needn't be beautifully edited or have excellent production values (unless it's an ad). The general public don't notice that - the most important thing is what's actually happening in the clip.

As someone else mentioned, use as many keywords as possible. Post a video of your grandmother trimming her roses and put 'giant crocodile eats Tokyo' in the keywords and see how you go. Better yet 'the nude video of _____(insert famous actress' name) they tried to ban'.

"Now i'm late for work, couldnt stop watching Larry's vid, lol. Love that guitar playing!" - referring to:

http://www.torealize.net/2physics.html

(from a thread on another forum 4 days ago - http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/what-happens-vegas/494169-website-hosting-video.html

But since I put it on YouTube 3 days ago,

()

the first part has received only 7 views. Going viral? Fat chance.

So does that mean I've wasted over a year of my life creating that video and the accompanying .PDF?
---------------------------------------------------
My back was usually covered in dried blood and scabs as a child. But when I was 7 or 8, I was playing on the playground one Saturday morning when I again noticed a couple of little black boys walking briskly by the school. Suddenly, someone across the street shouted "now" and out streamed 5 teenage boys. Running full tilt, they quickly began pounding the little black boys. Identifying the bullying with my parents' beatings, I charged into the fray, shouting at the teenagers, "stop! stop! They have a right to walk on the sidewak. It says so in the constitution"! - while the even more enraged boys focused on pounding me.

After a brief discussion on constitutional law, the white boys slunk back home, much to my astonishment. That incident gave me the idea the world didn't have to be terrible - one could change it.

Then, at age 12, after practicing Kriya Yoga for about a year, I freed myself from the beatings.

(http://www.torealize.net/3nightmareVideo.html)

I went 100% into fundamentalist religion for 11 years, then atheism for 14 as a psychologist. At first, each produced euphoria. But eventually I was forced to conclude that both swung a pretty light hammer.

Finally, in 1973 I found something that worked.

If I could help even one person avoid all the unnecessary pain, confusion, and frustration that I experienced, I would consider my effort of 5 years (and counting) to be worthwhile.

If it did help just one person, would that be equal to a viral video of a guy playing a sax badly? Dunno. That such a video went viral means that many must have found it entertaining. That's worth a lot.

Last night my wife, daughter, and I watched Nanny McPhee Returns. Even my jaded daughter - who recently got promoted to Producer at the Santa Monica post-production house where she works - loved it. It was the best movie that I'd seen in a long while.

So, yes, of course - light entertainment - whether Nanny McPhee or a YouTube cat playing the piano - can be valuable; and I certainly don't want to make boring videos.

I'd feel better about all the effort I'd spent if one of my YT postings were to go viral. And I certainly am grateful for the above hints. But perhaps sometimes it's also useful to make videos that few watch?

When we have the choice to choose what we do (not possible for my daughter, at the moment), it seems to me that our first question should not be, "will this go viral"? But rather, when I look back on my life from death's door, will I feel that it was a waste?

Sorry about the long rant; but now I'm in a reflective mood after coming face-to-face with the probability that few will ever watch my work.

The following now has almost 16 million views, and certainly deserves its "viral" status. While this appears to be easy to produce techncially, I just wish I had this kind of creativity!



...Jerry