Last week, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel at Showbiz Cafe LA on the future of live online networks with Susan Johnston of New Media Film Festival, Michael Davis of The Room Live, and Stephanie Piche of Mingle Media TV. It was a fascinating evening talking about the successes and challenges of running an online network, and of course, monetization. It was also a huge thrill to learn that we had over 22,000 viewers watching on Stickam that evening. So, thank you all for a great panel and thanks for watching! If you missed the panel, you can check it out below:
I am finally back and ready to hit LA again. I was stuck in a virtual internet blackout because my hotel in Miami thought it was okay to charge $12.95/day for internet service. Regardless, I am thrilled to be moderating a terrific panel on Wednesday, November 17th. I hope you can join me in person in LA or via the live stream on Stickam. All of the details are below:
Join us for an evening of networking and live discussion about Long Form Web Broadcasts with the New Media Innovators Panel.
The focus of the discussion will be on the growth of the industry of Live formatted series and the successes that on-line web TV networks like The Room Live and Mingle Media TV Network are seeing.
Kristyn Burtt Red Carpet Closet Host/Show Creator of online entertainment show, The Web Files, and Author of Red Carpet Closet.
Award-winning new media, web TV show host and producer, Kristyn Burtt, talks and writes about the world of Celebrity Red Carpets, from Awards Shows to Photo Ops, stylists, designers, caterers, event planners and more. She also works as a host for Mattel, Toyota and other brands and is as fluent in tech-speak as she is in fashion-speak.
Panelists:
Pamela Day CEO Stickam.com Pamela Day, preeminent businesswoman and a favored contestant on NBC's "The Apprentice," recently joined Stickam as the company's Chairman and President. With over 7 million registered users, Stickam.com is first and largest Web site dedicated to live interactive video streaming. Pamela was selected from nearly a million applicants to appear on The Apprentice, where she entertained audiences with her no-nonsense business style. A Harvard MBA with an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, she has served as an investment banker on Wall Street and founded two successful companies from the ground up. In addition to Stickam, she is currently managing partner of Crimson Fund Advisors, the private investment firm she founded in 2002. Her commitment to upstanding business practices, no-excuses approach and tell-it-like-it-is style that made her instant favorite has extended beyond the realm of television into her businesses, philanthropy and writing. Together, Pamela's business acumen, accomplishments and style have established her as one of the most respected business leaders today.
Stephanie Piche Founder of Mingle Media TV Network;http://www.minglemediatv.com/ Stephanie is serial entrepreneur, marketing strategist and new media producer. She is the founder and Executive Producer of Mingle Media TV, an online media and live, interactive web TV network company producing and curating an average of 40 hours of video content weekly for a largely female audience. Piche has been producing long-form video content since early 2009 with a previous network she created and now focuses on both live, and produced web shows on over 20 different lifestyle topics. Mingle Media TV is also a sponsor of the Audience Choice Awards category in the New Media Film Festival for web series creators. Stephanie has over 20 years sales and marketing experience and has led over 35 successful new media, ecommerce and mobile technology product launches. She has received the Presidents Club award from IBM, Under the Radar Audience Choice Award, Mom's Choice Award 2009, Listed in the Top 50 Tweeples on Twitter; founder/president of a NY National Association of Female Executives (NAFE) chapter, founder/president of the itSMF Portland chapter; and industry speaker: WITI, Silicon Valley Marketing Group, Int'l Newspaper conferences, Digital Hollywood,140Conf, Web TV Workshop, Web Series Network Summit as well as contributor to MediaPost online and other industry related publications.
Michael Davis Co-Founder and Executive Producer of The Room Live online network.http://www.theroomlive.com/ Davis spent his time representing top talent for a decade at CAA, then producing films & TV including the Jason Statham action-franchise 'Crank' and more recently in the tech world having just launched Mindopia, a video-based career discovery website. The Room Live is an online network that produces original series in a live interactive format. All content is traditional length programming in 30 & 60 minute blocks, and produced out of The Room Live's studio in Hollywood, CA. The content is focused in 5 main area's Music, Talk, Game Shows, Cooking and Comedy. The talent is generally well known or celebrity talent that is Los Angeles based. All the content is executive produced by The Room Live team, while enabling the talent to produce and have a larger control over their shows as well --- allowing the content to be original and pure. All the programming is broadcast free via theroomlive.com website, as well as distributed throughout the web.
Susan Johnston New Media Film Festival Directorhttp://www.newmediafilmfestival.com/ The New Media Film Festival (NMFF) spotlights stories worth telling. The festival celebrates innovative and imaginative visual work that can make audiences laugh, cry, think, and go beyond the ordinary. In its second year, NMFF will exhibit a selection of both short and long-form works that exhibit a strong personal vision combined with the highest standards of creative excellence and technical achievement. With a satellite event in November in San Francisco, the growth of the festival has also added a group of distinguished judges from the industry and an award of $10,000 grand prize of goods and services. All finalists also will be viewed by distributors for possible online, theatrical, or broadcast distribution. For more info visit www.newmediafilmfestival.com. Susan has also worked with the Providence & Rhode Island Film Commissions to build the infrastructure used by the Farrelly brothers, Dir. Michael Corrente, NBC's hit TV series "Providence" & Context Media Studios for their Int'l productions & implementing a 25% tax incentive for investors of RI films. Upon relocating to L.A. CA, expanded services included Int'l co-producing, talent producing, TV Dev. & innovative projects such as: The first series ever produced for cell phones, Mini-Bikers, Developing with SAG their Internet contract,The Hidden Realm, one of the first HD TV Pilots. Shooting some of the first music videos to use the DVX100.
Last Tuesday, I had the opportunity to go and check out the online game show, Celebrity Liar. The show is broadcast from a studio hidden in a building just off of Hollywood Boulevard. I rang the buzzer, told them I was here for Celebrity Liar, and I was ushered down the hall to the secret studio where the online network, The Room Live, broadcasts their shows. The Room Live, is the brainchild of Robin Ruzan and Michael Davis, who have worked on A-list projects and with top talent throughout their careers. They are promoting the production of quality independent television without the constraints of a big corporate network.
Inside I found the studio audience area made up of comfy couches with the talent, executive producers, and the audience all mixing and mingling before the show began. A giant bowl of candy was offered up to anyone who needed a sugar fix to amp up before the night's proceedings. I grabbed a handful of Gobstoppers just as the fun was about to begin! The premise of Celebrity Liar is pretty simple: "Two celebrities tell the same story as if it happened to each of them. In truth, it only happened to one of them, and the chat room decides.... Who's the Liar!!" The show is hosted by the affable Andrew Hill Newman and co-hosted by the ridiculously fashionable Louise Roe who is the link between the studio and the chat room.
The night I was there, Jon Tenney and Tony Denison of TNT's The Closer stopped by to spin a yarn, lie, and win. The stories are all told to the executive producers ahead of time in a sealed room. The stars hear each other's story and so everyone is on the same page before the show begins. We could hear the boisterous laughter from behind closed doors, so I knew I was in for a treat. Round one began with a "Knock Yourself Out" story from college. Jon began to tell the tale of his days at Vassar. This is where my interactivity with the show began. My ex-boyfriend is a Vassar grad and I figured he would be in the same age group as Jon. I texted him, confirmed that Jon was a year ahead of him in school, and score.....I knew who was telling the truth. Tony tried really hard to make that story his own, but I just didn't believe him. Andrew, the host, also voted with Tony, but the audience at home was fooled and voted Jon as the liar. Round one goes to Tony.
Round two begins, the story is randomly fished out of a bowl and it's entitled "Dying to Go to Mexico". Tony is up first and he stumbles his way through the story. Jon takes his turn and smoothly recants the tale of his unfortunate trip south of the border. The audience votes, Andrew votes, and an unprecedented 100% thinks Tony is lying, lying, lying,. The truth is.....it was Tony's story! "I told the story exactly the way it happened. I didn't even embellish it!", Tony exclaims. We all burst out into uproarious laughter. Yep, round two goes to Jon.
To break the tie, we hit the Lightning Round with True or Lie. Tony and Jon have to guess whether certain statements are true or complete falsehoods about their opponent. This is where the fun really peaks. We learned the Jon not only had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, but that he got completely naked in front of Mary Tyler Moore and Vanessa Redgrave in a play eight times a week. Tony divulged that he predicts earthquakes and he loses his balance when emergency vehicles with large sirens actually pass him on the street. (Um, wow, Tony!) Jon manages to eek out a win by beating Tony five points to four points. Phew, close game. Each contestant is handed Lotto tickets for the charity of their choice with five chances given to the winner and one chance for the runner-up. Celebrity Liar - Tony Denison VS Jon Tenney from The Room Live on Vimeo. What a fun night! A simple premise that promises laughter, creativity, and interactivity each week. The best part is that you never know who is going to show up. Prior guests have included heavy hitters like Matthew Perry, Kevin Pollak, Ed Begley, Jr., and Hank Azaria. Each guest brings their own energy and personality to the room, so it plays like live theatre, you never know what type of show you are going to get. The best part for me is that I went back and watched the posted show almost a week later. It still played as fresh and hilarious as when I watched it live.
Be sure to check out Celebrity Liar each Tuesday at 7PM PST/10PM EST at The Room Live. Tonight's show features Jamie Kaler and Reid Scott of TBS' My Boys.
