nicefishfilms

Moving On - A New Page

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:34:11 -0700

A New Chapter - I am, by default, a loyalist. My friends have been with me on this journey through the best and not so bright times. Even those who occasionally fall out have a place around my campfire anytime they wish. When I began blogging back before the iPod, BluRay, Facebook and WordPress I decided on using NucleusCMS. We've had some fun times together but it is time to make the move on over to WP. I love watching code grow and blossom, fork off into unexpected directions to be applied in ways we couldn't have imagined. This is innovation, this is the promise of open source.

This blog space will remain intact, but the new home is simply nicefishfilms.com We've made our main site fully iPhone and Android compatible, installed some robust plugins for our films and photo's. Hope you enjoy the clean layout. I'll be moving the RSS feeds over to the main site so if you've already subscribed, worry not, we'll keep feeding.

If you've landed here for the first time, please make a note that all new posts and developments will be at nicefishfilms.com I'll be porting some of the past posts from the last few years as they serve as a pretty neat trail guide of our journey so far.

Thank you for reading, subscribing and being so supportive over the years, here's to a new souped up ride!

msw

LIVE from SXSW - Tricasting - The CUBE

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:59:27 -0800

Watch live video from The Cube LIVE from Austin on Justin.tv

follow us on Twitter for updates and visit the pitchengine page for details.

Thanks to TexasCoworking, NewTek Powered, Justin.tv

Building a Live Studio with Robert Scoble

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:08:41 -0800

CES was a cacophony of sights and sounds but Marc Ostrick, Robert Scoble and I made it out of Vegas filled with great options for Scoble's studio. We hunted for the tech that we could implement almost immediately. We met with engineers and technicians from some of the biggest consumer electronic manufactures in an attempt to select a mix of gear that provides the best options for a streaming studio.

In Part 4 of The Spark Series we tour CES with Scoble:

We will be announcing final gear selections soon.

msw

To CES - On a Mission

Tue, 5 Jan 2010 11:40:15 -0800

The many miles of CES -Marc Ostrick and I are going to CES, the world�s largest consumer technology tradeshow. CES is miles of companies showcasing anything and everything for our wired experience. From TV's to in-car electronics, one can get lost in all of the options but we have to stay focused. We are filming with Robert Scoble with the specific task of building his live streaming studio. We've done our research, looking for the cutting edge gear that will give us the look and speed we require. Our shopping list continues to shift with each new press release announcing the unveiling of new gear at CES. A moving target rich with possibilities. This is the year of streaming video and we need to select the gear that will grow with us.

We're attempting to build out this studio within a budget frame work that is within reach of podcasters. The switch from audio to quality video streaming can be tricky especially when considering the migration to viewing web content via TV. The top live independent studio is of course, TWiTtv but for most of us, that level of investment is not feasible. Beyond a simple 'studio-in-a-box' concept, we're looking for gear that builds outward and is scalable.

We're examining our camera options with a mix of pro-sumer and HD webcams and those options are expanding rapidly. Of particular note is Sykpe's announcement of HD streaming. The tight integration of Skype with TV monitoring might have an impact on our broadcasts almost immediately.

Beyond our camera needs, we are selecting mics, switches, cables, mounts and software for the studio. In the past, CES seemed to be a glimpse towards the gear of the next year, but we're looking for the tech that is going to power us now. The process of selecting the gear and set-up will be filmed and streamed so we can go through this experience together. We're starting with an empty space and filling it with the ideas and tech from the miles of options at CES. We look forward to sharing this journey with you.

msw

Team mKIND - Call for DATA

Fri, 1 Jan 2010 17:54:11 -0800

Ending Poverty by 2015It's now 20-10, time to get serious about progress. Time to see some real results in the effort to once and for all end extreme poverty for all mankind. I've spent years working with and monitoring some incredible NGO's and feel a great momentum in the right direction. The idea of Social Innovation, once foreign to most, is becoming a standard practice within my network of professional colleagues and friends. Every week we're reading of successes within ORG's that didn't even exist a few years ago. Did you see that Charity Water grew over 40% in a tough economy and raised more than $8.5 million for water projects and operations? How about The Millennium Development Goals Report from the UN that those living in extreme poverty dropped by a quarter from 1990 - 2005? Chances are, you're not aware of the progress being made in the fight for a better life around the globe. We are far from done but within striking distance. That's why I'm proposing a different way of looking at extreme problems facing Mankind. Perhaps it's time to adopt a new way of digesting the data, creating a score card and seeing this fight as a battle between two teams. Team 1 is Team mKind � all of us. The opposition is the forces that if left unchecked will run us out of existence.

We seem to comprehend sport scores pretty well. We understand that when it's Third with 5 yards to go you adjust the play. I think it's time that we put up the score, the push towards the goal of halving extreme poverty by 2015. In searching for this comprehensive data, I've come up short. Are we afraid if we showed the progress this will cause us to decrease the sense of urgency? I'd like to think that if we put this in a different perspective we can cause those on the sidelines to join a winning team. If you knew that your efforts, time and money wasn't getting lost in a losing cause you'd keep the pressure on, right? What if we stopped thinking of this as a part-time initiative and made it the way we live?

A whole new generation is coming up through the ranks thinking about, acting and innovating the ways we approach the issue of extreme poverty. It's time to visualize the goal. This is where I need your help. Do you receive updates from your causes? I'd like to put as much information into a data base and link them to scoreboard for all to see. Are you aware of any global info tracking services that contain data sets like the one I'm talking about? Please send me the links.

I'm committing to reaching out at least once a month to the large network of blogs, media and producers to highlight progress we're making. I want us to put the data up for all to see� we can, we must win this (and we're getting closer.)

20100101-MDG__progresschart33.jpg

Today we have more tech, more funding, more concentrated actions by a widening group of really big-thinkers fighting this good fight. Let's see where we are, let's push this to the goal line. Far from a rah rah chant, I want to see us move down the field and share the playbook. Time to measure where we're at this time.

So I'm calling out to all the smart nodes� feed me data when you come across it. Push for progress reports and help us visualize it better.

msw

Still OPEN

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:34:07 -0800

As the year comes to a close, I'm doing the normal reflecting on what's been and more importantly, looking forward to what's next. We've tried to concentrate on film to express what we are seeing in the moving net. This space has taken the short end of the clock as I cut down on the posts. Hope to rectify that in '10.

Caught a few big waves this year- I'm grateful for the journey and for the fellow surfers who I've met along the stream of '09.

It was a year ago today that I wrote of 'the story of the year' being Leo Laporte's 24 hour live coverage of the iPhone. So it seems fitting that as we say farewell to another year I share with you the 'big story' of my year, as I see I.T.

As Marc Ostrick and I thought about visiting with Leo in Petaluma- we thought about his impact on Tech, Media and Distribution. It's good to know that good guys sometimes win. Read the full post on eGuiders.

We've uploaded the full interview with Leo for OPEN remixing - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

Thank you to the thousands of people who took time to watch our mini-docs this year. Thank you for showing us that the humanity behind Tech matters most.

msw

Tune into TWITtv Today

Sun, 6 Dec 2009 13:37:23 -0800

Marc Ostrick and I are honored to premier our next mini documentary 'OPEN' on TWITtv today at 2pm PDT. Immediately after the showing we will make the film available at eGuiders. We look forward to connecting with you and discussing what emerging tech and community means to us.

If you are coming here via the showing, welcome and we hope you take the time to explore the blog and follow us on Twitter, FriendFeed or Facebook. Chances are, if you're on a social network you can find us via the user name - nicefishfilms.

msw

not another twitter conference - Why We Do IT

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:47:17 -0800

We continue our journey through the tools of connection. For me, IT provides the rails for voice to be carried around the world- instantly. I jumped into Twitter early and introduced the service to a wide array of friends. We see the mainstream media jump all over Twitter like it's new. This was called BBS and then SMS but this time the package is slick enough for the general marketplace to understand. I embrace what we can do together using the latest shiny object to send out signals. It's important not to let the tool become the focus. The reason we're seeking connection remains constant - we NEED each other in order to be human. The code of the rails carrying our voices will change - may our melody of conversation continue to be the goal.

Fellow filmmaker and friend Marc Ostrick and I visted the #140 Conference in LA to converse with a great collection of molecules.

For more information about the film, please visit eGuiders.

Could There Be a Bigger Issue Than The Open Net?

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 16:40:59 -0800

Do you want the future to be controlled by the fine folks at the cable company? How about losing your rights to info to the Gov't? The following video gives a good overview of what's at stake. The big co's have a commercial interest in preventing us from accessing the net / content in the open. We can make a difference - but only if we care about the free flow of information.

Filed Under: Couldn't be more important.

msw

more: Save The Internet

The New Dial Tone

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:49:09 -0700

I enjoy watching things change. Visting the BlowWorld Expo with Marc Ostrick was pretty darn exciting. We are seeing the great democratization of info flow. We are banding together to find the tools that help us express.

Thank you for watching and sharing our mini documentary.

Click To Play

More information about the film can be found at eGuiders

msw

Scoble Gets a Science Lesson - Hollywood Style VIDEO

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:50:36 -0700

Upon hearing that Building 43's Robert Scoble was visiting the Southland, we immediately thought of arranging a sit-down at the National Academy's Science and Entertainment Exchange. The Exchange is the ultimate Rolodex for Directors and Producers seeking to connect with top scientists. The organization strives to bring science into the everyday conversation through the mediums of film and television.

Camera and Editing: Rocky Barbanica

msw

Time Launches Online Video Pages

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:08:12 -0700

So what does a classic news brand do to compete in the streaming world? For Time Magazine, the answer to the grow or go equation is to launch a new video service complete with classic and current news features. First published in 1923, the magazine is countering declining ad sales for the print version with a play into the digital field. The site is well done with plenty of social options for sharing including the ubiquitous Twitter and Facebook tools.

The classic videos are sure to be popular as Time has plenty of archives to keep you busy for a few decades. Impressive HD versions are available and they are smart to include links to their official YouTube channel.

msw

EveryBlock Goes to MSNBC

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:44:07 -0700

Ten Months ago I predicted that the future is local. Today EveryBlock has announced that they have been acquired by MSNBC.

The neighborhood data rich site EveryBlock is an interesting play for MSNBC as it puts a focus on what people are actually interested in- their world. Billed as a microlocal site, EveryBlock has only been active for a year and a half but in that short time built a strong network of data points.

As stated on their blog, EveryBlock will remain intact (would be nice if FriendFeed follows suit) and continue to operate from Chicago.

msw

The Original Mad Man - Clark Gable

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:11:51 -0700

Tonight, AMC kicks off Season Three of Mad Men but you have to go back to the 40's to get the first glimpse of a Mad Man in action. In 1947 MGM released The Hucksters with Clark Gable and Deborah Kerr, a look inside the steamy underbelly of the advertising world. Gable plays Vic Norman, a war vet struggling with the moral quandary of an advertising pitchman. It's a world complete with style, hard drinking and romantic pursuits.

Unfortunately, the film is not available on any of the streaming services like Hulu or Sling and hasn't been released on DVD yet. I found a link on YouTube for the film (in 13 parts) that you can watch here.

The art of advertising is the fine line between clever and offensive. Vic warns his boss that someday, 'we just might get sick of it all and turn off our radios.' -

Play

If you're a fan of Mad Men, do yourself a favor and seek out The Hucksters for a look back at the Ad World of the 40's.

AMC has gone social with their promotion of the new season - 'Mad Men Yourself'

Mad Men - Michael

msw

Thinking Out Loud - The FriendFeed Sell-Off Fall-Out

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:29:48 -0700

Along our curious path we have the occasion to converse with some really BIG thinkers. Thinking Out Loud is the stream from some of these encounters.

The news of the FriendFeed acquisition by Facebook has created strong reactions by the FriendFeed Community. We explore the story with some of the biggest users and supporters of the real-time service. Included in this conversation is Robert Scoble, Louis Gray, Bwana, Michelle Greer and Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins.

Play Show

To subscribe via iTunes - click here
Want the show via RSS? click here

msw

FriendFeed Accepts Facebook Friend Request - What Now?

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:06:05 -0700

I'm a firm supporter, user, evangelist of FriendFeed and today they got called up to the 'Majors.' FriendFeed Co-Founder Bret Taylor confirmed the TechCrunch report of the Facebook acquisition in a blog post:

The FriendFeed team is extremely excited to become a part of the talented Facebook team. We've always been great admirers of Facebook, and our companies share a common vision. Now we have the opportunity to bring many of the innovations we've developed at FriendFeed to Facebook's 250 million users around the world and to work alongside Facebook's passionate engineers to create even more ways for you to easily share with your friends online.

I see this a giant win for innovation- others are not so sure. Since the world 'gets' Facebook it seems that another major player in social net would have to fight hard with a ton of money to try and catch up with FB. By joining forces you possibly get a testing/ proving ground - FriendFeed is behind some of the best innovations in the real-time web. Do you enjoy the real-time updates from your friends? A FriendFeed first. Like the 'like' feature in Facebook? That was a FriendFeed innovation.

What does this mean for the service and for the users?

For right now- not much. Wild speculation on my part here but ... before rolling out a huge change to FaceBook, doesn't it make sense to let the community of early adopters, techies and uber-geeks test out features first on FriendFeed? One of the most applauded services of FriendFeed is the open API and strong relationship with the developer community - Facebook has a tremendous value to be gained here if they let the FriendFeed team take the lead here.

You can track the reaction in real-time in several conversation threads on FriendFeed:

Scoble is talking about the deal here Within minutes of the announcement, Scoble gathered the folks from Facebook and Friend feed and recorded this conversation His in-depth collected thoughts here

Bret Taylor's thread here

Thomas Hawk (where I first saw the news) has his thread here

Louis Gray who was moderated a panel with Bret Taylor just last week has this to say "This relationship? It's complicated."

TechCrunch has posted more details of the deal here
To my fellow FriendFeeders - the sky isn't falling, the sky is the limit. Stay cool, take pride that the service you helped bring to the limelight is all grown up and ready for prime-time!

I will continue to add links and sources to this developing story as the week progresses.

msw