Monday, February 6, 2012

Video Virtualisation

I have been monitoring the market movements over the last week or so analysing the current market trends from a media and 
technology viewpoint. and have been involved in the building or commercialising software that addresses the workflow, packaging and distribution of digital content for over a decade.

There is so much movement in the IP video marketplace that as the worlds of broadcast, IT and advertising converge so does the realisation
that the processes, systems, resources in some cases functions each industry has had for decades is smashing head on into another process that does not talk the same language.
In the video ecosystem there are no standards. No standard player, bitrate, codec, device, transport protocol. etc...
The list goes on and on.
The fragmentation in the video ecosystem is the major headache as the workflow and management of content is the bottleneck.
In some cases a vendor requires 20 versions of the same file for delivery to a multitude of devices, now take a vendor with 20 properties all with different OVP (online Video Platforms)
its a nightmare to say the least

Todays Consumer

Today's consumers are more informed than ever and consumers demand services that cater to their ever changing consumption habits.
Consumers want everything now, with things that are relevant to then
In reality what consumers have now is a sea of content that is only available on certain devices, content this is mostly irrelevant.
Yet most businesses in the video ecosystem throw around terms like, tv everywhere, any screen, instant etc.... the thing that these people don't realise is
the delivery... is not the issue, 
To deliver a movie via Netflix costs cents but the other parts of the workflow (processing storage and management of the content) can cost thousands of dollars per title depending on
varying factors.
The important questions are,  what does it cost money and time wise to get content to any screen?, how do i monetise my content?
who is building technology that enhances and expands the capability of the system i have spent millions on?, how does it upscale ARPU in the future? how do i deliver TV personalised to every individual viewer
how do i make money, how do I expand markets?

So now to the big question: Why is the content irrelevant to TV viewers?
In my op[inion It's because the Logistics involved in acquiring, preparing and delivering personalised content is too expensive and time consuming using the current workflow of video.
Hyper Niche content costs money to prepare for delivery and unless there is a model of demand that is recognised upfront for this content the financial matrix often prioritises other types of content for ingestion.
If you have ever turned a home made dvd to a internet movie on your computer you would realise this process is a huge one, well  Imagine having to acquire, store  and prepare billions of files to suit millions of customers not to mention the addition of thousands of pieces of content per day then repurpose in a multitude of formats that in the end may or may not be viewed and by the way, no real way to easily  find advertisers for this content.

I believe in a very short time the realisation that the virtualisation of video is the key to the future of video.

TV in the US and Kelly Cutrone

Hi all

It's Wednesday Night here in the US. 
Weather is not as bad as the last couple of days
 I'm bunkered into bed now getting an early sleep because it's a Big day tomorrow in meetings most of the day 
Interestingly enough one of my meetings is with Kelly Cutrone.
Kelly is the lady who wrote the book that I read recently Normal gets you nowhere and a person 3 people said to me in Australia I should meet. I had never heard of her.
The universe works in strange ways as now we are connecting

It's interesting that I have no idea why I want to meet her but I know that i am supposed to.
I always make an effort to try to follow my spirit, intuition, heart , instincts call it what you will
I'll let you know tomorrow night how the meeting was.

On another topic, why does anyone in the USA watch Television unless it's fast forward TV, Netflix or some sort of on demand viewing experience
Yes it's our business but I have travelled the world and I have never in my life seen such an assembly of mind numbing rubbish in my life.


I switched on the TV today for about 10 minutes and I was reminded how bad it is.
I have time warner cable here in new york and the amount of channels seem endless with channels numbering into the 400's
Granted I am basing my judgement on this experience and any hotel i have spent my time in over the last 20 years in America
what gives me advantage is the fact I can compare the tv experience in the US to the UK and Australia.
 
For those that don't live in the US on this daily blog let me paint you a picture
Imagine you have 30 door to door salesmen all screaming at the same time about nothing behind one door but if you close that door and open another one its full of people crying again about nothing.
For example a girl broke her fingernail on this one show i watched and she was going in a modelling pageant, because of the nail she could not stop crying.
behind the next  door is breaking news, so breaking that it is a constant repeat of something that happened 3 days ago repeated every 15 minutes

Of course this is my opinion and the reason i don't watch TV.
If I had my way and content was relevant to me, there would be only content with inspirational messages, good news
education not obliteration. full of documentaries that provoke thought not program it.

The beauty here is we all have our own unique DNA and our own view of life.
Why is it that TV is so revolting to me here in the USA and I seem to only have Netflix's Documentaries to keep me entertained.
Why is it I cannot buy a good BBC series on DVD in any retailer in NEW York (one of the capitals of the world) but i can in any good australian DVD shop

Why, because there is no demand I guess, I am obviously not the typical consumer I am different, I don't accept things that don't feel right to me.
With that being said I wonder how many people are there in the world like me, not exactly like me but want content relevant to them to stop endless channel surfing to give up and go to bed. I would think a lot
If that is the case and consumption of video keeps skyrocketing the future is bright for all of us.



until tomorrow

A Fulfilled life

Hi All 

I Just landed in Los Angeles and had a fantastic day
Its late and I am a little tired but i had to get this out to switch my brain into sleep mode.
As you know by now my blogs contain all sorts of things including business and trips inside my head to see how my brain works.
Well Today I want to bring up something that i keep getting asked about in one form or another


How do I do what I do? and more importantly what do I do?
Am I a technology guy , a CEO, musician, music producer, teacher, ?
Well yes i suppose I am but to be honest I am everything, and By Everything I am who myself wants me to be.
But to do tis you have to find out who you are and trust me this is not easy and I am not even sure if I have fully 
But I know one thing I lead a fulfilled life and because of it magical things happen.
Sounds like a fairytale but it's totally true
I mix with the biggest celebs in the world and they are my friends not on a party level but on a creative level.
If I try and explain who I am  people they do not understand because people are programmed to associate people with their image and put that person in a box.
That's the advantage I am who I am and true to myself.

I believe deep down we all want something to believe in, something that inspires us, but I also believe a lot of people don't know who they are.
We seem to be programmed to believe the most important things in life are owning a house, having a great job with a big title, being rich what car you drive 
not to mention what school and brands you wear.

If you are really interested in this stuff check this documentary out. Its on youtube free and is totally amazing
great food for the brain "the century of self" 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyPzGUsYyKM

How do we find something to believe in something that inspires us. how do we become fulfilled
Well Fulfilled is a great word but the trouble is  finding it. By finding it I mean, moving beyond a dictionary and finding the source of that fulfilment within.

I am not a doctor, scientist or anything really but people continually ask me where i get my energy from? 
If I honestly had an answer it would be because I am inspired.
Work is not a word I totally understand because I always do what i want to and love to.

We are so programmed that we believe
We have to go to college to get a great job (that is not true at all, my friend Bam Margera left high school to follow his dream of being a pro skateboarder
he did that and much much more.
I never went past high school but I spent all my time, through my whole life doing what I like and not compromising that.
Funny thing is I have always been happy.
I have had really low time like everyone else but at least I am responsible for my own life and I strive to make sure I empower those around me.

My formula 

1: Drive comes from 2:  inspiration which leads to a 3: a fulfilled life

I often get asked how do i find inspiration
Its a hard one to answer but here goes
Inspiration comes about because of change or seeing the possibility of change.  
If you always do the same things, this will be either minimal or non-existent.  
You must search out and have new experiences in order to find inspiration.  
This works by seeing new places or people that can inspire you.  

3 Tips that I use to get inspiration

A For one week Do not watch any television except documentaries, no reality tv, news nothing (Documentaries are great brain food and expand you mind)
  
B This week, any time you have a problem (with anything) regardless of the size of the disaster, don't complain, try to think of the positive effect of the problem ( even if its wrong)
   you are training your mind to challenge your programming, to grow, expand and be positive.
Here is a good question how do you know something is wrong? is it because someone told you maybe everyone told you it was wrong.
Does that make it wrong that people have told you it was wrong. If you said i know it was wrong. Well how do you know.
Everything we know is based on history. History is wrong all the time.
 
C Wake up and first thing think of 20 things you are grateful for. Start your day in a good mindset
  how often do we hear about the importance of breakfast. How often do we hear about starting the day in a good headspace.
  A lot of people wake up rush around, start worrying about their upcoming day, what clothes to wear, who's dropping off the kids
  they turn on the news ( which is all bad news) then eat either (a healthy breakfast because it is good for you) or rush or skip breakfast because there is not time.

This is not the way to be inspired and fulfilled.  It is 12:19 am in LA 3:19 new york and I have to be up in a few hours But i love it i am inspired.

I could go on and on but even inspiration needs sleep.
2 new submissions in today from yesterdays blog will pos them on the
finbarohanlon.com website tomorrow

The Chemistry of Connected People The Chemistry of Connected People

The Chemistry of Connected People

I wanted to share my thoughts on something that happened today.


Q: Have any of you ever been around a group of people, whether you know them or not and notice that some of these people are much easier to connect or get along with than others. I believe this could be determined by the chemistry you have with a specific person you're communicating with.
Have you ever met someone briefly but they left an impression or mark on you, the breed of chemistry that tells your instincts that there is a reason you need to communicate with this person.
As someone who trusts their instincts I go out of my way to make sure that I follow through and connect when my heart tells me this.
It happens all the time to me. It's like there are a select tribe of people on this planet I belong to, yet often these people don't even know they belong to this tribe and it's as if it's my job to let them know i feel a connection to them.
Funny thing is when i feel this chemistry I have to date never been wrong in connecting with these people it's what some people call trusting their gut and it has happened on many occasions.
Anyway another instance of this happened today. Someone whom i met briefly over a year ago left this impression on me and I wanted to 
make sure I connected with this person. 
I could see a lot of myself in this person and I wanted to make sure I fulfilled my contract by connecting and letting them know who I am and why i feel compelled to engage with them.
I already started this conversation via email and i was gifted beyond words by what happened tonight.
As i was directed by "my gut" this person was revealed to be the person I imagined and much much more.
I believe everyone has chemistry and can feel the attraction and danger signs of people who they will or will not work together well with.
It takes practice I am still a novice but one thing I can tell you its like a magnetometer which measures the strength or direction of a magnetic field.
If you feel nothing (90% of the time) this is normal, but when you feel the hit of chemistry depending on the strength of the hit, this is a direct message on how much you should make sure you connect with that person. 
For today to that person thank you, you gave me such an amazing gift and it was worth the wait,

This day was an amazing re enforcement of understanding to me that we need social connections to those we feel chemistry to.

We lead complicated lives with many distractions, distractions that change our emotions, take away our power
We want to lead stronger, better lives, why not do it with people that you like and can co create with,.people who will not bind you but help empower you I know because I have these people around me, without them I would be nowhere.

I believe the secret is (Drum roll) 

To act upon chemistry immediately with the intensity it hits you and most importantly
once connected you have have to make sure you don't abuse the chemistry,
i.e that there is reciprocal benefit or chemistry flowing 

Sounds simple, but i believe unless there is mutuality in the relationship it is not a relationship and will not survive.

Ba aware of this, it s so easy in todays western world to be self consumed in our busy lives.
The best case i can put forward to support this fact is my amazing relationship with my partner for over 22 years Jackie Cernoy
she is still my best friend my lover, my soulmate

until tomorrow

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Finbar's Challenge Submission #7

By Finbar O'Hanlon ( Melbourne Australia) Fri Feb 3rd of Feb PST 4:38:10 PM

Super Highway


Another analogy for Linius is a Highway Superhighway or Freeway.

Linius simplifies the workflow and Management of content and removes processes in getting content from the content owner to the consumers device
Just like a Highway removes the need to travel on multip[le roads to get to a certain destination.
In this case Linius could be described as a Highway or Freeway

Let me explain

The workflow of online digital video is very complicated and requires a lot of steps in getting the content from the origin (source) to your device
one such scenario of workflow follows

Asset Creation



Capture -> Edit -> Grade -> Output -> Recompress

Ingestion
Present to Catalog -> Tag the content -> File Conversion -> Transcoding

Management
Multi upload -> Content Management System ->User Moderation -> Channel Creation -> Ad Serving ->Permission Settings ->Billing and Accounts Setting

Delivery
Browser Video Players -> Podcast ->RSS Feeds ->Download Manager ->Media Players

Now think of all these workflow items as Major roads (bold ) and streets in normal highlighting
e.g. Asset Creation (Major Road) capture (street)

If I were a GPS and I wanted to plot a route from Asset Creation to Delivery it would look something like


  • Asset Creation 10 miles
  • Capture 2 miles
  • Edit 4 miles
  • Grade 2 miles
  • Output 1 mile
  • Recompress 2 Miles
  • Ingestion 3 miles
  • Present to catalog 4 miles
  • Tag Content 2 miles
  • File Conversion 3 miles
  • Transcoding 3 miles
  • Management 2 miles
etc………


Well Linius simplifies the workflow of content it would look something like

Finbar's Challenge Submission #6

By Peter Budd ( Melbourne Australia) Fri Feb 3rd of Feb PST 1:20:21 PM

Swiss Army Knife


" Just as the company behind the versatile Swiss Army Knife simplifies and enables the lives of millions of people in many different occupations and markets
around the world so too Linius helps different people in different markets simplify and enable the optimisation of the work flow and management
systems behind the world-wide video eco system"

Finbar's Challenge Submission #5

By Dan Thompson ( Melbourne Australia) Mon 30th of Jan PST 12:12:08 PM

Genetics



As an analogy for Linius, I think of myself as a consumer of food.
I have an appetite for all food (
videos and advertisements that are relevant to me).
Accordingly I can eat some food but not all food due to various growing conditions, environmental factors, availability
(players, proprietary software, platforms, device incompatibility etc) and so on.
If I want a specific type of food and cannot have that then I become frustrated especially if there are all sorts of foods around me but nothing I want to eat
(loads of TV channels or content types but nothing to watch)
 
So from that perspective. I think of a video as a silo full of one type food/seed. As with all seeds they have specific farming conditions required for growth.
 
Linius extracts the DNA of one of the seeds in the silo and stores this DNA information in our DNA repository.
 
When a farmer wants to grow a crop or any combination of crops based on my food needs, Linius provides the DNA to the farmer and builds a new super seed. The Super seed could be one type of crop or multiple types of crops from many silos all in the one seed.
 
This super seed grows any crop as requested by me in any farming conditions. Linius plants the super seed and it instantaneously turns into super crop in any conditions as opposed to planting an entire silo of seeds to grow a crop or planting silos of seeds that wont grow in certain growing conditions thereby feeding me with whatever food I want, whenever I want and in real time.