What if the next big internet show already exists, and just needs a little boost to find its legion of fans?
That’s the scenario Martin Sargent, director of acquisitions at Revision3, is betting on for the online media company’s latest venture: Revision3 Beta.
The new web venture is a virtual studio to test-drive shows before they hit Revision3’s main site.
"The new media landscape is getting more and more crowded," said Sargent, who hosts Revision3’s hit web show, Internet Superstar. "As it gets easier to make these shows, it gets harder to corral audiences."
As more digital media studios experiment with new content, the trick isn’t always coming up with viable ideas — it’s connecting solid shows with a sizable audience.
Revision3’s game plan might sound like just another web venture offshoot, but the project makes sense: It’s a low-cost and low-risk way for Revision3 to expand its line of programming while offering up-and-coming creators a platform that isn’t overrun with music videos and amateur clips.
Revision3 kicked off the project with seven original ideas submitted by budding video producers, and gave the directors tools to take their series to the next level.
Revision3 Beta’s lineup includes HackCollege, a lifehacking show aimed at the university set; Your Weekly Music Lesson With Walt by Walt Ribeiro (aka "the internet’s music teacher"); and Bottles, Brews and Blends, a drink review show (embedded).
"We were getting a staggering number of e-mails from people with show ideas," said Sargent. "And while they weren’t quite ready for our main site, they were good enough for promotion."
Sargent sifted through the submissions and hand-picked several candidates, then supplied each team with seed money to cover production costs, studio time with green screens, tech advisers and equipment. The show producers also get a portion of ad revenue earned by Revision3 Beta.
The media site, which is already home to Epic Fu, Wine Library TV and Kevin Rose’s Diggnation, tallied 6.5 million pageviews in August, according to Sargent.
Not all of the beta shows are guaranteed to graduate to the big leagues.
"Ideally, every one one of these shows will become a successful moneymaker for us," said Sargent. "But just like regular TV pilots, not everyone will make it."
Still, he says, he’s accepting submissions and will continue to introduce new players into the Beta lineup.
And submissions aren’t restricted to technology or educational shows. "There’s no limit on what we would accept — animated, scripted entertainment — as long as we can make it work on the budget," Sargent said.
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