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