The ‘how to’ video phenomenon
Thursday, April 24th, 2008
I was pointed to Howcast.com today. I find it fascinating how people are finding different business models for on-line video, but particularly in this area, where the subject matter can be just about anything at all. As they say on their homepage “Howcast shows you fun, informative how-to videos and guides” Video Jug paved the way here with their “Life explained on Film” website.
What I want to know is do people really go to these sites for genuine advice or is it just an entertaining distraction; a kind of more defined YouTube? And why would a producer produce a ‘How to’ video and upload it to one of these sites rather than a generic UGC site? Howcast does offer the princely sum of $50 to Directors making programmes on their behalf. Budding Spielberg’s would have to make a lot of programmes to get into a higher tax bracket going down that route!