Teens Know Web 2.0: iHCPL for Teens is a self-paced discovery learning program designed to help teens make the most of free Web 2.0 technologies, such as photo editing sites, productivity tools, online videos, social networking and sites for sharing music.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Online Video: The Next Generation of Entertainment

Are you dying to learn Dice Stacking? Ever seen a Library Musical performed in a real library in front of unsuspecting patrons? Do you think you are tough enough to join Chess Club? If you haven't discovered YouTube yet, log on and take a look at the next generation of entertainment and media. YouTube is certainly the most popular video site, but there are others you might want to check out including: Hulu for watching TV shows and movies, blip.tv for user created shows, or the Internet Archive which has thousands of mostly open-access videos.

Founded in 2005, YouTube combines video sharing with social networking. Three years later, YouTube's influence is so wide that questions from YouTube vloggers were featured in the presidential debates. It has also turned a college student like Tay Zonday from an oddity to internet celebrity Dr. Pepper spokesperson. Back in 1968, Andy Warhol stated, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." Thanks to YouTube, the future is here.

In these iHCPL posts, we will explore YouTube and learn how to create videos to dazzle your friends, family, and, hopefully, the whole internet.

You Can Be a Star: Vlogging

One of the most popular features of YouTube is Vlogging or Video Blogging. If you have a webcam or a camera that can capture videos, you can create a Vlog. Vlogs are a great way to express your ideas, document your life, or send a message out to the world.

So, who vlogs? YA authors Cecil Castellucci and Meg Cabot vlog. Kenzie the Wheaten Terrier vlogs. Even Ninjas vlog. One of the most infamous vloggers on YouTube wasn't actually a vlogger at all. In June 2006, vlogs from lonelygirl15 (aka Bree) began appearing on the site. She seemed like a typical teen but as the vlogs progressed, people began to worry about her strange, restrictive home life. Finally, it was revealed that lonelygirl15 was actually an actress from New Zealand and the whole thing was a "virtual" series. In spite of that revelation, Lonelygirl15 is still running on YouTube and will wrap up it's storyline this August.

If you want to start your own vlog, here are some helpful hints:



Also, make sure that any music you use in your vlog is either covered by the Creative Commons license or is from the Warner Music Group. You don't want your vlog pulled for copyright violations.

Discovery Exercises:

1. If you aren't already signed up for YouTube, sign up today!

2. Explore all the videos that YouTube offers.

3. Create a vlog or, if you are camera shy, blog about your favorites.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

another rule - you shouldn't say things that might offend others such as "retarded".

iSTAR said...

We absolutely agree. This comment was part of the section: Privacy & Discretion - Anything you put on the Internet, may stay on the Internet. This section of the video ended with "Don't say something you will regret later."

The teens were giving examples of things NOT to do on the Internet.