Why the 36 Hour Obama Web Video Project?

Because we are passionate about our support for Barack Obama.  Because two Supreme Court appointments are at stake.  Because civil rights are in jeopardy.  Because the basic tenets of our constitution are under fire.  Because the compressed 36 hour time frame promotes creativity, community and excitement.  Because as web video producers we have a unique perspective on what kinds of videos the online community responds to and are well practiced in creating our videos, from inception to upload, with very little money and time.  Because our voices are unique and the reach of our audiences potentially powerful.  

What is a 36 hour web video project anyway?

Based on the 24 hour play festival and 48 hour film project models, the 36 hour Obama Web Video Project is a weekend long virtual gathering of web video creators from all over the country, wherein video production teams will conceptualize, shoot, edit, score and upload pro-Obama/Biden videos on a surprise pre-assigned topic. 

Mission

To unite pro Obama/Biden web video producers from across the United States over a weekend in early October, and together to build a powerful body of work that will help support the Obama/Biden Presidential campaign in the best way we know how — via online video.  To further grow our community of video makers and Obama supporters.  To stretch our creativity to its limits and to have a ton of fun.

When 

On October 4th 2008 at 12 noon EST, video creators from all over the country will gather for a virtual kick-off, at which time each team will be assigned their video topic (topics will span numerous Obama platforms, and may also include rebuttals against incorrect GOP assertions).  Each team will then have 30 hours to create their videos, which must be uploaded to the 36hourOBAMAproject page on youTube by 6 PM  the next evening.

Rules

There aren’t a whole lot of em...

1. Each group must stick with their assigned topic, allthough there will be time for groups to swap if they wish. Why not just let each group choose thier own topic?  Because much of the fun and creative power of the compressed festival is dependent upon the creative spontaneity born of unknown parameters.  The greater the challenge, the stronger the community building and the farther our creativity is forced to stretch.

2. All creativity must occur within the 36 hours of the festival.  This includes conceptualizing, shooting, editing, uploading and annotating.

3. All factual assertions within your video must be backed up by a major news source, annotated within your youTube upload, and linked to directly in your show notes.

4. Videos that do not include both annotations and links, and/or which are not pro-Obama will be disqualified.

Who are we?

Right now, we’re just me, Kathryn Jones, founder of Synchronis.tv, the first online video company to stream a scripted web drama live to the internet, and passionate Obama supporter.  It is my hope that soon we will be web video creators from all over the country united in our effort to make a difference in the outcome of this election.

And we are you!  I encourage you to form teams, work with people, either in your physical community or virtually whom you’ve never worked with before.  Teams can be any size from 1 to 100.  What’s important is that the project, is fun, powerful and helps to build our community!

Seeking

Any help I can get. 

I would love someone to join me as co-producer, because I, like you, am juggling a lot of responsibilities.

If you consider yourself an expert at anything web 2.0 related from coding to wordpress to wiki’s to PR to marketing to graphics, I would love your help.  

Nothing written here is set in stone.  It’s all pretty much been born out of my head, and if you have an idea or suggestion that can make this project more productive or powerful I want to hear it!  The more involved the community, the stronger the project.

It would also be great to culminate the weekend with a viewing of all the submitted videos.   Would love someone to take the reigns on that one...