“The View From the Phlipside” is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY. It can be heard Monday through Friday around 7:30 AM. The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program. Mostly because the host may suddenly choose to add or subtract words at a moment’s notice. WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed. You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com. Copyright 2013-16 by Jay Phillippi. All Rights Reserved. You like what you see? Drop me a line and we can talk.
Programs from week of October 31, 2016
This Week’s Podcast:
My name is Jay Phillippi and I’ve spent my life in and around the media. TV, radio, the movies and more. I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion. Call this the View from the Phlipside.
Vine Withers
Things
happen so quickly in the media. It seems like Vine was only here
for, like six seconds and now it’s gone. As part of a larger
financial readjustment at parent company Twitter, the short form
video sharing service is being closed down.
happen so quickly in the media. It seems like Vine was only here
for, like six seconds and now it’s gone. As part of a larger
financial readjustment at parent company Twitter, the short form
video sharing service is being closed down.
Vine
was created in mid-2012 and sold almost immediately to the folks at
Twitter. They saw the short video concept as the perfect partner to
their micro-blogging platform. With the push from their new
corporate parent behind them Vine took off. The six second time
limitation forced people to think differently about how to approach
video. The problem was, that while the competition began to gather
and innovate, Vine remained pretty much the same. Reports as early
as the beginning of 2015 said that top users were bailing on the
service because they found more opportunities on other platforms like
Instagram and Mobli. By the end of that year, advertisers were
leaving as well. In the end, what made the service unique, the six
second limit, also was its greatest challenge.
was created in mid-2012 and sold almost immediately to the folks at
Twitter. They saw the short video concept as the perfect partner to
their micro-blogging platform. With the push from their new
corporate parent behind them Vine took off. The six second time
limitation forced people to think differently about how to approach
video. The problem was, that while the competition began to gather
and innovate, Vine remained pretty much the same. Reports as early
as the beginning of 2015 said that top users were bailing on the
service because they found more opportunities on other platforms like
Instagram and Mobli. By the end of that year, advertisers were
leaving as well. In the end, what made the service unique, the six
second limit, also was its greatest challenge.
Video
has become a huge part of our media lives. I will admit that I was
never a big fan of Vine. So little time to tell a story, and way too
many one liner joke videos.
has become a huge part of our media lives. I will admit that I was
never a big fan of Vine. So little time to tell a story, and way too
many one liner joke videos.
None
of that is my real issue with most video out there these days. The
problems is that too many people believe that just because they have
a video camera on their smartphone, they are suddenly great
filmmakers. What they fail to realize is just how much hard work
goes into creating even a great short video. The most irritating
shortcoming of many videos I see is the person trying to shoot the
video and watch the event at the same time. What they don’t realize
is that great photographers and videographers are totally focused in
what they see on the screen or through the lens. How many videos
have you seen where suddenly the subject disappears out of the
picture because the camera is pointed the wrong way? Ninety nine
times out of a hundred it’s because they took their eyes off the
camera. Add in poor concepts, no plan, and bad lighting, and the
vast majority of videos are simply lame. And yet people keep
cranking them out, positive that this will be the one that goes
viral. Sure, there are plenty of poorly shot videos that get a
moment in the sun.
of that is my real issue with most video out there these days. The
problems is that too many people believe that just because they have
a video camera on their smartphone, they are suddenly great
filmmakers. What they fail to realize is just how much hard work
goes into creating even a great short video. The most irritating
shortcoming of many videos I see is the person trying to shoot the
video and watch the event at the same time. What they don’t realize
is that great photographers and videographers are totally focused in
what they see on the screen or through the lens. How many videos
have you seen where suddenly the subject disappears out of the
picture because the camera is pointed the wrong way? Ninety nine
times out of a hundred it’s because they took their eyes off the
camera. Add in poor concepts, no plan, and bad lighting, and the
vast majority of videos are simply lame. And yet people keep
cranking them out, positive that this will be the one that goes
viral. Sure, there are plenty of poorly shot videos that get a
moment in the sun.
I’m
just not sure we need to be encouraging them.
just not sure we need to be encouraging them.
Vine
was originally envisioned as a quick way to record a brief moment of
your life. While some its users grew beyond that concept, the
platform never did. While there is hope for the folks who used Vine,
the time for the service itself has come and gone.
was originally envisioned as a quick way to record a brief moment of
your life. While some its users grew beyond that concept, the
platform never did. While there is hope for the folks who used Vine,
the time for the service itself has come and gone.
The Passing of Dinosaurs
Turns
out the changes in the media world are turning a wide range of
industries and people into dinosaurs. When they fail to adapt, they
will perish.
out the changes in the media world are turning a wide range of
industries and people into dinosaurs. When they fail to adapt, they
will perish.
I’ve
said repeatedly this can be a golden age for media because the entry
hurdles are, in many ways, much lower than ever before. Many of the
middle men can be eliminated, allowing almost direct access from
content creator to audience. For the independent artist there has
never been time riper with potential.
said repeatedly this can be a golden age for media because the entry
hurdles are, in many ways, much lower than ever before. Many of the
middle men can be eliminated, allowing almost direct access from
content creator to audience. For the independent artist there has
never been time riper with potential.
So
what do you do when you’re an independent movie maker who can’t get
your movie made?
what do you do when you’re an independent movie maker who can’t get
your movie made?
German
indie director Uwe Boll finds himself in that very situation, and
he’s not at all happy about it. Don’t feel bad if you’ve never heard
of Boll. His movies never get massive release. Oh, and they
generally get awful reviews. Let me give you just a taste of how his
movies have largely been received. Following the release of 2005’s
“Alone in the Dark” one reviewer said that other bad movie
directors could console themselves that at least they had made THIS
movie. Boll moved into rarely achieved depths when he received a
“Worst Career Achievement” award at the 29th
Golden Raspbery Awards. When he attempted to obtain the rights to
direct the movie version of “Warcraft” he was informed that the
rightsholder would not sell them to him, saying “We will not
sell the movie rights, not to you…especially not to you.”
Ouch.
indie director Uwe Boll finds himself in that very situation, and
he’s not at all happy about it. Don’t feel bad if you’ve never heard
of Boll. His movies never get massive release. Oh, and they
generally get awful reviews. Let me give you just a taste of how his
movies have largely been received. Following the release of 2005’s
“Alone in the Dark” one reviewer said that other bad movie
directors could console themselves that at least they had made THIS
movie. Boll moved into rarely achieved depths when he received a
“Worst Career Achievement” award at the 29th
Golden Raspbery Awards. When he attempted to obtain the rights to
direct the movie version of “Warcraft” he was informed that the
rightsholder would not sell them to him, saying “We will not
sell the movie rights, not to you…especially not to you.”
Ouch.
Boll,
meanwhile, seems to think that the downturn to his career is pretty
much everyone else’s fault. None of the usual financial sources are
willing to give him any money to make a new movie. So, taking
advantage of the new business model, he decided to crowdsource the
financing. Given the amazing amounts of money that has been raised
for other projects, it seemed like a no brainer.
meanwhile, seems to think that the downturn to his career is pretty
much everyone else’s fault. None of the usual financial sources are
willing to give him any money to make a new movie. So, taking
advantage of the new business model, he decided to crowdsource the
financing. Given the amazing amounts of money that has been raised
for other projects, it seemed like a no brainer.
And
it failed.
it failed.
Uwe
Boll can claim that movie viewers are being turned into zombies by
too many superhero movies and that movie executives are morons, but
here’s the real lesson he’s overlooking.
Boll can claim that movie viewers are being turned into zombies by
too many superhero movies and that movie executives are morons, but
here’s the real lesson he’s overlooking.
You
have to be at least a little bit good to succeed under any business
model. That’s the one thing that remains constant. Quality is
important. Those superhero movies may not be the most profound or
intellectually deep movies of all time. But they are generally well
made and thought out.
have to be at least a little bit good to succeed under any business
model. That’s the one thing that remains constant. Quality is
important. Those superhero movies may not be the most profound or
intellectually deep movies of all time. But they are generally well
made and thought out.
Some
folks are mourning the threat by Boll to retire. I would say that
he’s just another member of the old line media who hasn’t figured out
what it takes to succeed in the new world of media. We shouldn’t
mourn the passing of any of these dinosaurs.
folks are mourning the threat by Boll to retire. I would say that
he’s just another member of the old line media who hasn’t figured out
what it takes to succeed in the new world of media. We shouldn’t
mourn the passing of any of these dinosaurs.
Voice Actors – 1 Year Later
I
try very hard not to repeat stories on this program. Obviously,
there are topics that come up over and over, but specific topics are
things I try to do once and move on. I can go back through my files
and find almost every script of every show I’ve ever done. Which is
how I know I talked about this very story almost exactly one year
ago.
try very hard not to repeat stories on this program. Obviously,
there are topics that come up over and over, but specific topics are
things I try to do once and move on. I can go back through my files
and find almost every script of every show I’ve ever done. Which is
how I know I talked about this very story almost exactly one year
ago.
One
year ago I noted that the voice over actors who work in video games
had authorized their union, the Screen Actors Guild/American
Federation of Television and Radio Actors (henceforth known as
SAG-AFTRA), to go on strike if negotiations with the industry didn’t
move forward. In the middle of August this year, the union finally
pushed the button on that strike. After some nineteen months of
negotiations, the union is now on strike against nine of the largest
video gaming companies in the world, including EA, Disney, WB, and
Activision.
year ago I noted that the voice over actors who work in video games
had authorized their union, the Screen Actors Guild/American
Federation of Television and Radio Actors (henceforth known as
SAG-AFTRA), to go on strike if negotiations with the industry didn’t
move forward. In the middle of August this year, the union finally
pushed the button on that strike. After some nineteen months of
negotiations, the union is now on strike against nine of the largest
video gaming companies in the world, including EA, Disney, WB, and
Activision.
In
the program a year ago, I noted that I had a strong connection with
the actors. I’ve done voice acting, and voice over work of a variety
of kinds over the years. I know the skill it takes to do it well,
and how hard it is.
the program a year ago, I noted that I had a strong connection with
the actors. I’ve done voice acting, and voice over work of a variety
of kinds over the years. I know the skill it takes to do it well,
and how hard it is.
There
are a lot of things that make me crazy about how the industry is
choosing to deal with these actors. Remember, this is the industry
that brought in some twenty five billion dollars last year. The
industry maintains that the unions demands, which include things like
higher wages, additional fees for difficult recording sessions and
royalties for the small percentage of games that become
mega-successes, are simply incompatible with their business. They
also dismiss the voice actors as essentially unimportant parts of the
game experience.
are a lot of things that make me crazy about how the industry is
choosing to deal with these actors. Remember, this is the industry
that brought in some twenty five billion dollars last year. The
industry maintains that the unions demands, which include things like
higher wages, additional fees for difficult recording sessions and
royalties for the small percentage of games that become
mega-successes, are simply incompatible with their business. They
also dismiss the voice actors as essentially unimportant parts of the
game experience.
Consider
this, if you’re a game voice actor, the standard rate is about $200
an hour. If you do the voice over for a TV commercial the standard
rate is around $300 an hour. Work that rarely requires the kind of
strenuous vocal work that a combat video game does. And the
commercial actor will probably get royalties if the ad goes national.
this, if you’re a game voice actor, the standard rate is about $200
an hour. If you do the voice over for a TV commercial the standard
rate is around $300 an hour. Work that rarely requires the kind of
strenuous vocal work that a combat video game does. And the
commercial actor will probably get royalties if the ad goes national.
I’ve
had days when just the grind of commercials for the Christmas season
left me with little more than a croak for a voice. The requests for
better working conditions particularly when it comes to work that at
best can limit your ability to work in the short run, and at worst
could end a career strikes me as something a TWENTY FIVE BILLION
DOLLAR industry could figure out how to fund.
had days when just the grind of commercials for the Christmas season
left me with little more than a croak for a voice. The requests for
better working conditions particularly when it comes to work that at
best can limit your ability to work in the short run, and at worst
could end a career strikes me as something a TWENTY FIVE BILLION
DOLLAR industry could figure out how to fund.
The
recording industry, movie industry and TV industry have acknowledged
an ongoing financial interest for the folks who put the voice to
their product. Let’s hope enough voices are raised in support of the
voice over actors so it doesn’t take another 19 months to resolve
this issue.
recording industry, movie industry and TV industry have acknowledged
an ongoing financial interest for the folks who put the voice to
their product. Let’s hope enough voices are raised in support of the
voice over actors so it doesn’t take another 19 months to resolve
this issue.
Call that the View From the Phlipside
Copyright Jay Phillippi, 2016
Theme music for “The View From the Phlipside” and “TVFTP – Podcast” is “Hustle”
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Stories Are My Life 
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