Short Review: Inseparable

I'm not all that familiar with Benjamin Cumberbatch and his acting skills, though I heard great reviews about his show "Sherlock" and his performance in "Star Trek into Darkness" was extremely compelling. But, after watching this short that he starred in, which was released earlier this year, I have to say that I should been on the lookout for this British bombshell of an actor. Not only did he manage to portray twins, but the emotion that he put into the story made it emotional and amazing.

It couldn't even imagine how hard it must be to hear life-threatening news, and the fact that this man had a plan to assure his passing by using the loyalty of his brother was remarkable. I know there have been roles in other movies where one actor/actress has played two separate roles, but Cumberbatch did a good job portraying each character. I'll definitely be looking out for more of his work in the future.

-Video Vix[o]n

Everyday I'm Vloggin'

Last month, I decided to do something new and take on the task of doing daily vlogs on my other channel "Vidvixvlogs" for the whole month, which I respectfully called "Vlog All May." On Youtube, there are many channels whose main focus is to post daily vlogs of themselves talking about their awesome day or something new in their lives. When I thought of doing this, I first thought of what would I talk about. I don't exactly describe my life as eventful; nonetheless, on May 1st, I posted my first day of this month long series.

DAY 1


Before I started this, I would hardly vlog, mostly due to me forgetting or not having anything to talk about. As the month went on, I found that it was easy to just pick up my phone and just talk about what was on my mind. I discovered that I had more to talk about then I had thought. Thirty days, and a scruffy beard later, I got through the month, happy with completing my goal.

DAY 31


It amazing what you can find out about yourself when you share each day with an audience. You go through the good and the bad and everyone hears about it. It's a modern day version of "The Truman Show," except you know when the cameras are rolling and there's no 24/7 loop. I don't know if I will be doing something like this again, but I do know now that each day is unique and worth sharing.  Life is never really boring, it's just a matter of seeing it through a different lens.

-Video Vix[o]n

Would You Pay for Youtube?

When I first heard about Youtube introducing paid subscriptions for certain channels, I was initially surprised and confused about how Youtube can charge people to watch content on their site. After thinking about it, I had to consider that Youtube (ultimately Google) is a business and their main goal is to make money, so testing out a subscription based model for channels on their site isn't a bad idea for them. A lot of people, however, don't feel the same.

Youtube has always been a platform for people to watch and share videos for free, so many people don't like the idea for paying for free stuff, respectfully. For me, I had to really think about would I really pay for Youtube. From the amazing things I have seen from some creators on Youtube, I feel guilty that I'm not paying for some of the content. According to the article, certain channels are going to be a part of this paid subscription program, charging $1-$5 per month for a subscription to the channel. For me, as "economically aware" that I am, I wouldn't mind paying for a Youtube channel, but it really depends on what content the channel is offering.

For example, if a Youtube channel was going to show old television shows that can't be found online (such as Netflix, Hulu Plus) or high quality content from independent creators (I honestly feel YOMYOMF is worth a paid subscription based), I wouldn't mind paying a small low-end fee a month. This system is going to be implemented this Spring 2013, so we'll have to see what channels have the paid-sub model and who will be willing to subscribe and pay. In the end, I will be upset if certain channels receive this model that I feel don't deserve it, but then again, I don't have to sub to pay; the magic of Youtube. At least we still have the power of choice.

What do you think? Would you pay for Youtube?

-Video Vix[o]n

FullScreen: The bigger picture

Being a part of a Youtube network hasn't changed anything for me so far (except having a banner on my YT page and a few more opportunities), but it's the small things about being in this new community that count; such as having the opportunity to meet up with new people. Luckily for me, after a few messages and emails later, I had the chance to meet with two cool Youtubers that lived in the NYC area, Janice (left) and Samore Love (right).



After hanging out with them for the afternoon, I realized that, even though our content is different, we share similar feelings about Youtube and how we interact with our audiences. The best part about Youtube is being able to meet people outside of the screen and knowing them for who they are. We talked about who we are, to what videos we like to make, some of our Youtube experiences, and what videos we can possibly collab on. For me, that was the major reason for wanting to meet up with new Tubers, to work together and help  promote each other to keep growing. Of course, we all have our strengths and weaknesses, but as long as we keep consistent, everything will work out great.

As we continue to have meetups in the future, we hope that we can reach out to new people and make the network in NYC become more active. Nothing great is built overnight, so it may take some time for this movement to pick up steam. But, as long as I'm able to work with others for the sake of creation, my job will never be done.

-Video Vix[o]n

The Internet Goes Black

*UPDATE: THE SOPA/PIPA BILL HAS BEEN POSTPONED FROM VOTE!!!
(Visit Sopa Countdown for more information)

The only time people look forward to countdowns are their birthdays, Christmas or vacation time off of work. The countdown above, however, is for none of these celebratory dates. 

The countdown represents the day after January 24th, 2012, when Senate will be voting to pass the SOPA bill. For those who aren't up to speed, the SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) or the PIPA (Protect IP Act) bill was introduced to House of Representatives as a means in preventing sites on the Internet from facilitating and hosting copyrighted materials on the web. The idea of this bill has good intentions; prevent sites from promoting the piracy of intellectual property by others and hold those sites accountable legally with jail time and fines. The main effects of the bill would be to fine pirate-affiliated sites, block search engines from directing to the site, ban online advertisements related to the pirate site and ultimately, forcing ISP (Internet Service Providers) to prevent any access to said sites. Though I agree with protecting one's intellectual property more than the next person, from my research, the ripple effects of this bill can cause greater issues than stopping a few Internet pirates; it can cause the censorship of the whole Internet.

Let's take Youtube, for example (considering I make Youtube videos and all). Let's say, under the SOPA bill, "Youtuber A" uploads a video that contains copyrighted materials, such as a clip from "Company B", as a way of sharing with their audience their views on a topic. "Company B" comes across "Youtuber A's" video and discovers their IP (intellectual property) has been used unfairly. Under the act, "Company B" can decide to take legal action and report "Youtuber A," which would lead to Youtube being reprimanded for hosting pirated property and eventually being blocked by internet searches, then... Armageddon, right on schedule.

For the sake of Youtube, and other sites out there that are threatened by this bill, I'm using January 18th, 2012, dubbed Internet Protest Day, to voice my opinion about this bill and stand up for the Internet. The Senate needs to understand the snowball effects this bill can have on the rest of the internet. Become a good Internet citizen and go to this site (after January 18th, 2012) and send a letter to your Senators, telling them NOT to pass SOPA. As Captain Planet would say "The Power is Yours!" Don't let the Internet become "All Black Everything."

-Video Vix[o]n

Sh!t Everyone Says

It all started with a short 1 minute video by creators Kyle Humphrey and Graydon Sheppard almost a month ago. Weeks later, it has become of the most popular and re-created videos on Youtube. The concept was so simple, but genius: A guy in a wig, mocking what girls would typically say or do on a regular basis. From this video, Billy Sorrells took the ball and rolled with it a few days later, creating the color counterpart called "Shit Black Girls Say," which also became a hit.




From that moment, other video makers on Youtube took it upon themselves to add to the snowball of this new viral meme of "Shit ___ Say" and, safe to say, a lot of people were going viral simultaneously. I've dubbed this Internet trend "Chain Viral." From the original link that became popular, other links were added that received the same stream of popularity as the first one. Though some links may be smaller or weaker than others, the chain itself became longer with each video made based and inspired by the original.

It's no surprise to see why these, and other "Shit, Say" videos are blowing up on Youtube. Everyday, we say things and do things that we don't notice to be comedic, but when they are brought to light, they become funny to us because they're familiar. Take for instance, when the two girlfriends met in each video, they screamed in excitement to see each other. In real life, it seems like a normal thing, but the video creators realized that it happens so often where most can relate to it and laugh at its accuracy. In essence, these videos help us to laugh at ourselves and realize we all are the same, whether a white girl or black girl (or any other type of person a video has been made for). Even my video partner, Joshen, jumped on the "Shit, Say" coaster and made a video about Shit Poor People Say, which came out pretty funny.

I'm just glad that I was able to witness a new Internet viral meme be born. Hopefully, one day, I can become the creator of a viral hit and have everyone saying shit about it. Until that day, you'll have to stay tuned.

-Video Vix[o]n

D-I-Y before you BUY

During this content drought that Ive been suffering (mainly due to time restraints), Ive been thinking of ways to improve my equipment for whenever I do make a video again, as well as in the future. Sometimes, I slip into the immature mentality of getting better equipment, which I think would make my videos better, but it's never how good the tool is; it's the wielder that uses it. In the meanwhile, I figure that a good wielder should build their arsenal to be prepared for any situation. This lead to me deciding to do it on my own. Ive always been a little hesitant when it came to DIY projects because I always thought I wouldnt be able to get the right supplies or I wasn't that handy, but after watching a few videos like this one from Indy Mogul's Backyard FX, I think I got this down packed.



It's a shame I didnt discover BFX earlier considering they recently stopped the series. Their series finale was a homage to the amazing advice they were able to give to their audience for the past couple of years with making cheap and useful video equipment and props for amateur filmmakers to utilize. The amazing thing is, even though the series is over, thanks to them, I have a free library of cheap film techniques at my exposure to explore and learn.

I think the concept of DIY was popularized by crafty people who didnt have the financial means to afford the high end versions to the products they desired. Becoming a DIY noobie would be a good experience for me to become more independent in my filmmaking ventures, as well as save some pennies, which I need to do tremendously. I also think that creating something on your own is one of the most fulfilling feelings anyone can experience, on top of putting ones personal touch on their creations. Of course, I will keep you all up to speed with my DIY endeavors, along with the trial and errors, and soon have something to show off and use in upcoming videos. Cheers to self creation; the fuel to innovation.

-Video Vix[o]n

Gorilla V-I-X-O-N

*This post has nothing to do with the Biggie-esque type rapper, but when I think Gorilla, he was my first thought.

I was recently watching my Youtube subs and watch one of my new subscriptions, David Bolen. An aspiring filmmaker from California, he has a channel where he makes daily videos about his film experiences, going to school and making a name for himself. In his video, he does a review of a book called "Guerilla Filmmaking."



He makes some valid points; reading is fundamental to becoming a filmmaker and the two routes to becoming a recognized filmmaker have their upsides and downsides. If I had to choose which style of filmmaker I am, between independent or commercial, independent would fit the bill. Though I see Bolen as a little of both (after seeing some of his work), I can tell he has an independent way of approaching his passion. I, on the other hand, am a bit more guerilla in style.

Like James Cameron, I never went to film school and have a lack of film experience. But unlike James, I didnt read a few books over the span of years and gain the knowledge and resources to make world renowned movies. I'd like to say that I'm still at square one when it comes to filmmaking; almost to say I haven't produced a real good film that i can be proud of. Dont get me wrong, I have made/been a part of some productions that have been shared, by a small audience (my college friends). I've never experience the casting process, actual producing, having a defined role and sticking to it, etc. I, one day, wish to produce a successful feature/short series and be proud(er) of what I've done.

The opportunity has presented itself to me recently by being invited to b a director for a short pilot of a story adapted to film by a writer I knew from the blog-sphere a while ago. This would be my first time directing anything this organized, so im a little nervous. The usual doubts come to mind; what if im not strong enough? What if I'm not good at directing? Will my colleagues take me seriously? All of these doubts may still linger one the project begins, but I know I wont be alone and there no better way to gain experience than to experience. As one of my favorite T-shirts states, it's time to become "fiercely independent."

Mistakes and Out-takes

Throughout my time on Youtube, I've been showing everyone my videos and they have enjoyed them for their comedic, serious or informative messages. I'm always striving for perfection, so when people see what I have done, they can say that it was well carried out and executed nicely. I've know more these days that I'm not perfect, and the video making process is not perfect either. I mess up; in videos I mess up, which leads to some interesting and funny content.

While watching all of my videos to find some blooper-worthy material, I notice that the best way I got over a blooper was by growling or making a loud noise. Don't know why that is probably, but it just happened. Also, I noticed that I didn't have that much bloopers than I thought. That's because whenever I make a mistake, I usually delete the footage and only keep the "good" takes, so editing can be easier. I learned now, after making this blooper reel, that it was a big mistake.

Messing up is apart of life, and it should be no different in the "video" game. We mess up on words, we say things wrong, we trip, fall and get messy. That's what makes up who we are. I'm not perfect and the footage that I capture should reflect that. To me, a blooper is more natural than any sort of acting because its a piece of imperfection that we have in all of us. Joshen actually wrote a post about bloopers being a good tool in building an audience, and I think I will start incorporating them on my Youtube channel as things progress.

Also, it was nice looking back on all the videos I've done (or at least had access to) and seeing how I evolved during the past year and a half. It's a good feeling. I've been through so much and I'm grateful to have my friends and family around to support me and give me criticism on my work, as I strive to make better content in the future. Expect to see more bloopers in the future.

Remember, I'm not perfect.

-Video Vix[o]n

We Are Not Musicians

My latest video was inspired by well-known Youtuber, Mystery Guitar Man. The idea just came to me and the song was inspired by the rain, just a way to make sense of it all. Granted, I'm not musical prodigy, but in some ways, music has had a small, but intricate part in my life.

Most of you don't know this, but I had a small rap career back in my freshman year of college. My roommate and I formed the rap group, "New Playas," and to us, we were a hit (well to us, at least)

My rap name was simply "V-Jay." Me and him came out with a rap demo and everything. We were proud of our success rapping off of my microphone and laptop. My biggest musical inspiration at that time was Kanye West. I was all Kanye everything when I started college and I tried to emulate that through raps and poetry. I even tried going solo and tried making my own album. After some more episodes of rapping glory with some other friends, I put up my musical boots and got more involved with my passion of video-making. I knew my days of my amateur rap career was over.

Fast forwarding to last year, when I started making videos on Youtube, I realized that in order to make my channel more interesting, I would act as my favorite artist. By throwing on some shades and a cardigan, I became Kanye West, which lead to creating my first music video ever.



After working with Joshen, we realized that making music was the way to go in order to go viral on the internet. Parodies were the name of the game and that lead to other hits such as "Ball In A Cup" and the "H.A.M." parody





With these musical pieces out in the universe and more to come, I realize that my early rap career may never be relived, but through Youtube, there may be a way to live up to my musical roots and make them flourish. Until I pick up the mic again, you'll have to stay tuned.

-Video Vix[o]n

Switching It Up

It comes a time in every person's life when change is mandatory. For me, hopefully, that time is approaching soon. I am currently unemployed and that equals not having any money. On Tuesday, I had an interview for a Video Producer position at a business technology company and I hope that works out. Ironically, I don't like working because it takes away from my video-making process, but I need money in order to produce better videos. Outside of that, when it comes to Youtube, I'm constantly thinking of ways to optimize my content and gain more subscribers. It isn't easy because it involves reaching out to multiple avenues and sharing what I produce. Thanks to Google+, I have another medium to share my content (If you're not on Google+, let me know and I can send you an invite with your email).

In the spirit of switching things up, I made a new segment on my channel called "Vdeo Clips."



I thought that a weekly show should keep people watching my channel and hopefully, I can gain more subscribers and exposure. A good Youtube buddy of mine advises to be active in the community and that's what I plan to do. I have a new weekly schedule of content production that I followed this week and it seemed to be a good work flow. I know it's a slow road to success, but I have no intentions of getting off at any exit anytime soon. These days, I have no other choice but to make it and organization is key to making that happen. Things have been at a low point and they're gradually coming up. I just hope that momentum keeps going.

-Video Vixon

Inspired By You[tube]

In my many journeys of being on "the tubes," there are a couple of people that have different functions in my internet viewing; to entertain and inform. Recently, I have been making videos that have been inspired by some of my favorite Youtubers. My first video was inspired by a cool Tuber named Onision.

Onision (or Greg, for those who feel more comfortable with him) is known for his crazy, psychotic and sometimes genius-like videos. He's funny, emotional, serious and down to earth. I thought this video would be a small ode to his randomness. Another Youtuber who I am informed and entertained by is Philip DeFranco (aka Sxephil). You may notice in some of my vlogs that I mention Phil a couple of times because, to me, Phil represents a voice on Youtube, a standard of success, in my opinion. I have made videos in response to Phil before, but this one was definitely his style and was successful, for the job that I did.

I'm hoping that either one of these two got to see what I did and the main goal was to get some recognition for it. Even if they saw it and kept it moving, it's better than nothing. As I continue creating content online, I have to give credit where credit is due and find other people that I can be inspired by (and no, it's not copying, lol) and try to match close to their awesomeness. In the meanwhile, I'll just be...

-Video Vix[o]n

Viral Never Dies

What does this video mean to me? It meant four weeks of animation, gathering voice-overs, compiling footage together, and avoiding any way necessary to give GoAnimate.com my money. To date, this is the longest video on my channel. After watching it, I want to do more with animation and possibly have a series with me and my animated persona.

I'm undergoing some personal changes and starting to make decision to better myself. Granted, I should be doing that everyday, but I'll be doing some more and adjusting as I see fit. I don't have much more to write about. I'll get more in depth next time. Til' then...

-Video Vix[o]n

NEW VIDEOS: "How To" Be Racist

Reading the title, you're probably wondering "is Vixon going to teach us raceology?" No, of course not, but I will show you all my latest videos on the Tube.

First off, Howcast, the website you go to find out how to do everything, is looking for their next vlogger host for their channel. It's a part-time job in NYC and all you had to do to apply was to make a video (aka best job application EVER!) So the idea automatically came to me and I produced this video for the running. Now I need all of you, after you watch this video, to go on the Youtube page with the video and hit the "LIKE" button. More likes = more chances of me getting accepted. So help a brotha out, lol.



My latest video I thought up in college. Imagine Facebook, but the premise was based on race. You get Racebook. Extremely racist, over the top and ready to keep people connected. Would you join Racebook? I would, just to see how annoyed I'd get before deactivating my account.



That's all I have for you guys today. Stay tuned and, please, don't be racist. It just doesn't look good on you.

-Video Vix[o]n

Really Video Vix[o]n? Really?

[<<] REWIND TAPE [<<]

If I were to look at myself into the mirror and ask why I haven't blogged in a while, I would set my side eye on auto.

Let's rewind back to Mid-July. After my last post, I became entwined in my video work and other ventures. Youtube has taken up much of my time, including Video Reborn and life in general. But the beauty of blogging is it's like ridding a bike; if you fall off, you have to get back on and ride.

In Video Reborn news, we've been working on branding our name, so what better way to make that happen then to make some T-Shirts...

(Video by Ms. Cintrine Dreams)

We've also started working with another filmmaker, Elroy, on a short film concept that I can't disclose now, but I promise you that it will be amazing...

Recently, Reborn and I were invited to a photo shoot for a comic, Colin Kane, where we were apart of an angry mob. I was told I was particularly angry looking.

While Reborn and I are constantly on the grind for stardom, I have made a couple of more videos, reaching my 10th video on my new Youtube channel, so I wanted to thank all of my subscribers for watching.

You can see the other videos on my tube. There a lot more things for me to do and it's not going to be easy. I'm still jobless and I'm scrambling for work, but I figured as long as keep making videos, I be happy. Unlike other people who talk about riding the bike, I'm just going to climb back on and ride. Show and Prove.

[>] RESUME PLAY [>]

-Video Vix[o]n

Same Ol' News at 11

Every time I watch the news, there's really nothing new. There's always a killing, shooting, a lot of people dying and then there's the stupid "studies" that talk about obvious things that scientists are now discovering. Then, there's the weather forecasts... why use numbers when you can just say that it's going to be hot or cold? And I'm not a fan of sports either, so it's just blah-blah-blah to me. So how do you condense a 30-minutes broadcast into a small segment that gets to the point? Join Jim Scott and his news team for Same Ol' News...



-Video Vix[o]n

Hey Kidz, We R Criminals!

Every good hero needs a villian, and who better to challenge Dead-Ass and Paper Bag Man, then their respectful criminals, Random Crime Boss and Plastic Bagger.



Thanks to Joshen for handling the camera. It was my first time "cloning" myself and I liked it. I mean, I think I look good, so why not see double of me? I'm curious to see how what more Joshen and I can do to advance the Dead-Ass/Paper Bag Man storyline (To see more of what Video Reborn has been up to, check out Joshen's post on our work and more work)

EXTRAS

-I would also like to give a shout-out to my Blog TV community. I almost forgot how much I enjoyed talking to random people all over, from the racists to the weird people who have everything random to say. I've always wanted to host a show and that show is my own, so I will treat it as such.

-Shout-out to my new subscribers on Youtube. The more subscribers I make, the more videos I want to make. My mind is spewing with ideas and as long as it can be captured on video, it's definitely uploadable. When it comes to Youtube, I have decided it's not just about getting people to subscribe to my channel, but it's finding people who look at what I do and decide to subscribe because they like what they see. That's called being a Truetuber and I would rather have a lot of Truetubers subscribed to my channel than just Youtubers. Thanks to you all. As usual, stay tuned.

I Need to go Viral... Now!

I'm back on Youtube. Let the madness ensue!

Play. Watch. Replay. My new motto. It's only fitting since that's what you do with videos that you like. Enjoy.

-Video Vix[o]n