Get Me Views!

A Producer's Perspective on What Makes a Good Internet Video
by Sean O'Grady

A few weeks ago, in the middle of a busy workday, an experienced video producer Skyped me with a question that's been turning in my mind ever since.

"What is an Internet Video, and what makes one good?"

At first, I assumed the inquiry was a setup. My admiration for the producer's talents combined with her penchant for quick wit had me staring at the cursor waiting for a punchline. It never came.

After ten quiet, skeptical seconds I realized the question was legit. That acknowledgment created a new problem. I was humbly stumped and feeling dumber with each passing moment.

"Hold on," I responded. Then my brain took flight.

Is it Views?
My first mental stop was views. YouTube is the world's largest video hosting platform and the world's second most used search engine after Google. If view counts are the measure of a "Good Internet Video" then the evidence plays a clear tune -  create a music video with an A-List performer.

To date, the Top 5 most viewed videos on YouTube are:

1. "Gangnam Style" by PSY with 1.79 Billion views
2. "Baby" by Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris with 913 million views
3. "On the Floor" by Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull with 698 million views
4. "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem featuring Rihanna with 606 million views
5. "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock at 579 million views

But is a music video really an Internet Video? My producer's brain wasn't convinced.

Is it Viral?

My second cerebral pit stop brought me to Google where I plopped this into the search bar: "Best Online Videos Ever." The result was a Who's Who assortment of videos any Internet browser or casual pop culture commando might recognize. Perhaps you've seen these poetic titles:

1. Fat Star Wars Kid with 12.3 million views
2. Stupid Grape Reporter Falls with 14.4 million views
3. Leave Britney Alone with 46 million views

Funny? Perhaps, depending upon your tastes. One could contrive a number of adjectives about any of these three examples, but the word that accutely applies to each is unintentional. The inescapable truth, that none of these multimillion-viewed viral sensations was effectively planned, poses another problem. To date, no network, organization or client has hired me to standby with a camera and film life's unexpected quirks.

Does it Tell a Story?
My third and final brain-stop brought me to a non-digital source. The book, Tell Me a Story, written by the late Don Hewitt of CBS News. The tome is a treasure trove of advice for news junkies and aspirant producers. It ultimately helped me frame my response to my colleague which I'll share now.

There's No Such Thing as a Good Internet Video...Just Good Storytelling:

I Skyped the URL to Nike's Warhawk Matt Scott video (2.7 million views) to my colleague and then paraphrased the following advice from Mr. Hewitt:

A good online video tells a good story
It's brief (2 minutes or less)
Has a single message
Is visually interesting
And is written and produced well

I feel Nike's Warhawk "No Excuses" commercial embodies each of those points and therefore I'm not surprised it continues to resonate with online audiences.

The media format: TV, Radio, Online or Print matters little. The above listed fundamentals of good storytelling are what drive engagement.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.