For years, the vast majority of online videos were shot by amateurs...and looked like it. Most of these movies were either 2-minute clips of cats and dogs, or teenagers doing stupid things trying to be funny (admittedly I had been guilty of that second one in my younger days).
However, the trend that's been emerging lately has been for professionally-produced, original online content. Just think about how much more common phrases like webisodes and web series have become. There's even a Webby Awards recognizing original online content.
But as with any emerging media, the focus needs to be on content. You need innovative creators to make it. Web video platform Blip.tv has recognized this, and are planning to increase payouts to content creators by 77% between Q1 and Q2 of this year, after already having increased the payouts by 119% from last year.
I like where this trend is going, and hopefully Blip.tv's move will provide more incentive for both content creators and video hosting companies to get quality videos on the Internet.
