A few days ago, I asked a bunch of thoughtful people I know to post 7 second video predictions for 2009.  Not everyone kept to the 7 seconds (I didn't), but that was fine.  The whole process was made a lot easier using two web services.  First, I used drop.io to create a private dropbox where people could upload their videos, but not see the others that were posted.  I have this debate with Sam, but I still think that drop.io needs to brand itself as X for Y... whatever they want to be.  I don't think they can get big enough if they're just this really flexible platform that solves random-ass geek problems, like mass uploading videos from a group of people.  They need a simpler value prop.  Still, it was perfect for what I needed.

Then, Motionbox the *only* video site I could find that would not only take all of the various video formats that were posted, but also allow easy trimming and splicing.  I was expecting to use Kaltura, but I guess they changed their model into an editing tool for other communities--and have since dropped their consumer offering.  One True Media didn't recognize a couple of the files either.  Motionbox had an easy uploader, making the whole thing a snap--but one feature request is definitely titles. It would have been nice to type titles into the video as overlays.  Still, pretty slick.

So here it is...

Embed code: <embed pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://www.motionbox.com/external/player/id=0a98d6b81c1ee7c787" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="375" width="425">

...and here are the participants, in order of appearance...   

Bryce Roberts - Managing Director, O'Reilly AlphaTech (@bryce)

Chris Fralic - Partner, First Round Capital (@chrisfralic)

Jim Robinson - Managing Partner, RRE Ventures (@jdrive)

Brady Forrest - Technical Evangelist, O'Reilly Media (@brady)

Charlie O'Donnell - Co-Founder & CEO, Path 101 (@ceonyc)

Whitney Hess - User Experience Designer (@whitneyhess)

Howard Lindzon - Partner, Knight's Bridge Capital Partners (@howardlindzon)

Pete Hershberg - Managing Partner, Reprise Media (@hershberg)

Hunter Walk - Director of Product Management, Google (@hunterwalk)

Howard Morgan - Partner, First Round Capital (@hlmorgan)

Josh Stylman - Managing Director, Reprise Media (@jstylman)

Sam Lessin - Co-Founder & CEO, drop.io (@lessin)

Sarah Tavel - Associate at Bessemer Venture Partners (@adventurista)

Darren Herman - Head of Digital Media, Group Director at The Media Kitchen (@dherman76)

Andy Weissman - Founder, Chief Operating Officer at betaworks (@aweissman)

Brian Harniman - EVP, Marketing & Distribution at Kayak.com

Beth Ferreira - VP, Finance and Operations, Etsy (@bethferreira)

Nate Westheimer - EIR, RoseTech Ventures (@innonate)

Janetti Chon - Community Manager, Web 2.0 Expo (@janerri)

Laurel Touby - Founder & Senior VP, Media Bistro (@laureltouby)

Fred Wilson - Managing Partner, Union Square Ventures (@fredwilson)

Kristin Maverick - Director of Communications, Carrot Creative (@kmaverick)

and...

Josh Wilson, Ladies Man