Thanks, Steve!
A little more than a year ago, Steve Safran, of Lost Remote fame (and now I hear heading out on his own), suggested that I start a blog.
I had no idea how to do this, so he showed me the wordpress site. Later, when I had problems, he became my unpaid site administrator, helping me out.
There is a little function on WordPress that allows you to see how many visitors your blog gets in a day, a week and a month. Slowly but surely the numbers have been climbing upward.
Yesterday we broke 1,000 unique visitors in one day.
1,030 to be accurate.
I realize that in the world of the web, this is really nothing.
But never the less, I have a parent’s pride.
And as well, we have a kind of family.
(It may have a few dysfunctional members, but what family doesn’t).
In any event, I want to thank all of you who take the time to stop by and read this each day.
33 Comments
Nino February 12, 2008
Cliff, do you have some sort of reading or comprehension disability? Did I just write this above?
“The only sites that are succeeding are those affiliated with name recognition and those who blend several media that might include television, newspapers, magazines, etc.”
Or what I write doesn’t count? Understand this, we live this business day in and day out, 24/7. When we talk is from live experience not from theories, projections or dreams.
$ February 11, 2008
Cliff,
For quite some time now, many of us here who actually have jobs with broadcast television have been telling you our work is going both places.
Apparently you need an additional article to understand that fact.
It’s nothing new and exactly the reason all these one man band VJs, working by themselves with no real company to multipurpose their work after it’s shot and edited, are going to continue life with no paycheck.
But, you know that already.
Cliff Etzel February 11, 2008
It seems some TV stations are finally realizing the Web is as important, if not more so, than the traditional broadcast venue – Read the article here
Anyone denying the fact that internet broadcast/content distribution doesn’t exist/isn’t a critical factor is living in denial.
Cliff Etzel February 11, 2008
Nino – Your attempts at derogatory comments about what I do are rather trite. My work is posted – it’s not the best, but at least I’m working at it. As for you – what work have you posted for others to see and determine for themselves the merit of your claims??? Nothing.
Michael has given you examples of those working in the new VJ paradigm who are making good money – but you persist and denying it.
Why is that?
Michael – I look forward to reading your posts about DNA2008 – and thanks for your continued thinking outside the box 🙂
Nino February 11, 2008
Michael, I really believe you crossed the boundaries of reality with this one.
“I will have to tell them all that the great Nino is not coming. I am sure they will be devastated…having lost the chance to learn from you how dumb they really are”.
You are the one that got all the conversation going about this DNA thing, you’ve been having a two way conversation all by yourself and keep throwing my name in it for some strange reason.
The proof is in the pudding, you can talk all you want but the fact remains that those videos from Europe that you’ve been showing are really really bad. All you clever adjectives and your playground name calling will not change that. If you can’t see it then there are two problems.
With all due respect to my European colleagues, the fact remain that they are in EUROPE and this is the US. Whatever is happening there is not effecting me a bit.
I believe everything that you said about your European VJs, however I do about two jobs a month for the the BBC, producers and talent fly-in directly from London to Orlando and everything is shot with the Sony HDCam F900, and with a full blown equipment package, no demand for toy cameras or substandard skills, first class all the way and they always send me a DVD of the finished product and trust me it doesn’t look anything like those samples of VJ video demos that you’ve been showing. So maybe Europeans come here when they need good work done, they sure aren’t getting it out of your VJs.
rosenblumtv February 11, 2008
Dear nino
Well, I have to admit that I found your last posting a bit sad, actually:
“I was sent to 19 countries”. (Did you really take the time to count them? Who in this business does not have a passport that looks like an atlas?
I did not invite you to Brussels to escape provincial Tampa. I invited you so that you could hear about the vj movement in europe from people like the editor in chief of die telegraff of the head of bbc news, or more than 60 other european media leaders who are coming to speak.
You are always asking where the online vj jobs are and here is your answer.
But you don’t want to come and you don’t want to hear. You already have all the answers. You are much smarter than all these people, I guess.
I will have to tell them all that the great Nino is not coming. I am sure they will be devastated…having lost the chance to learn from you how dumb they really are.
Too bad!
Nino February 11, 2008
You are absolutely right Michael, I’m not an IT expert and I don’t pretend to be one, all I know is what Paypal shows me everyday about people who are subscribing to my EFPlighting.com
The are subscribing because they are learning, bottom line is all I need and care to know. And BTW, I just got a commitment letter from a large regional bank for my new site fromtampa.com, they want to be the exclusive sponsor.
Is not about the web Michael, is all about the content.
rosenblumtv February 11, 2008
Dear Nino,
If you think the internet is a mature industry then you know even less about the web than I think you do. (And that was next to nothing to begin with). Once again I invite you to Belgiun where you can hear from leaders of dozens of newspapers, magazines and broadcasters just beginning to grapple with how to deal with video on the web (and you can be sure it won’t be by hiring you!)
As for vjs who are working, you might talk to three of the five new VJs hired by the LA Times (at salaries close to 6 figures) who are all grads of my training. (As I said, you don’t know much about the world of the internet at all).
Nino February 11, 2008
“Why don’t you come to Brussels for the DNA2008 conference. You might learn something, and see that there is a big and changing world beyond Tampa.”
Puberty again Michael? Just for your information, last year I was sent to do assignments in 19 countries. My passport looks like an Atlas.
I would love to go to any place that has quality to show, but I don’t need to travel to see lousy, you have shown plenty right here of what VJs do in Europe. I also like to make a living from my work, you haven’t show that either.
Nino February 11, 2008
Cliff, it all boils down to a very simple question, after so many years are you making any money. People become doctors and lawyers in less time.
“And my question to you and Michael still remain: with millions of web sites the web is a mature industry, what will happen in the next two years that hasn’t happen already? And, you or Michael, show me any “paying†web site that runs VJ video as a profitable business or show me any “paying†web site that you or other VJ are being hired regularly to produce video projects. The day that you or Michael will answer these questions with real examples and not fantasies you will then have real facts, until then it’s only wishful thinking, but that will not buy you groceries.”
Cliff Etzel February 11, 2008
$ – your adolescent comments only show your continued lack of forward thinking and why I don’t read past the first sentence of any of your responses – it’s the same diatribe, different day.
Nino – Again, the amount of energy expended in your somewhat heated response hit closer to home than I even imagined.
It’s very simple – Michael has suggested you to go to Brussels and see VJ’ism outside of your bubble – I’m sure you could write off the trip as a business expense. Who knows – you might learn something – then again, you might show that your position is correct and what you have been saying about Michael was correct – but of course you already know everything without even going to personally experience the opposing viewpoint.
That’s the problem with the detractors – they refuse to see things from the other perspective to make sure their position is an accurate one. That’s why none of the detractors opinions hold any credibility. Since they’re unwilling to experience things differently, their opinions are tainted with a singular perspective – one which is more than likely inaccurate. No examples of work shown, nothing to prove their position – only a bunch of rants that border on slander in many instances – hence why they hide behind names like $ and ! – no balls to be up front and out in the open for all to see. What are you so afraid of? Probably each of you knows you don’t have a leg to stand on in your position.
And of course the adolescent negative responses precludes me (or just about anyone else I would venture to guess) from ever considering any of them being so called professionals in their fields for that very reason.
Nino, $ and the rest of the detractors – You all have your own agenda so quit being so hypocritical in your responses.
I don’t know Michael other than from some email exchanges – but his forward thinking vision of VJ’ism is one I and others believe in.
Get use to it.
rosenblumtv February 10, 2008
Wow Nino
I mean, seriously, it never ceases to amaze me how much free time you have on your hands. Is this your only hobby, or do you do other stuff as well?
Why don’t you come to Brussels for the DNA2008 conference. You might learn something, and see that there is a big and changing world beyond Tampa.
Nino February 10, 2008
Cliff, hostility aside, let me tell you why you are putting your future on an elusive dream. First look at the real facts. No new web ventures that you are banking on have succeeded in years, most have failed. Look at Michael’s own indication of success, his Citizen video site was supposed to be the Ebay for VJ got nowhere, you haven’t heard much of the Morning After web site, look at the clients they have, they are the same that they had months ago. New web sites get lost in the millions of other sites and will never get the traffic necessary to generate any revenue necessary to even hire the cheapest VJ. The only sites that are succeeding are those affiliated with name recognition and those who blend several media that might include television, newspapers, magazines, etc. ESPN, my major client, has all these plus more. They integrate talents and labor, meaning that a writer will write for several of these media, video crews will shoot for all the medias and now we are even taking stills for their magazine thus demanding one more diversified skill from us and more equipment, and of course we are compensated accordingly (meaning more money for us). Because the cost of a “real crew†is now being divided among several media and not only for television broadcasting, we are becoming considerably more affordable to each of these media. Most of the work I do appears in several places, some that I don’t even know. In few words, success on the web is derived from sharing resources and costs. Revenue is derived by offering saturation packages to their client by combining all their media. It’s a win win situation for them and a night mare for anyone investing in any new web venture. Add to this the popularity of low quality video such as the Youtube site and you see good clients running away from that type of low quality.
And my question to you and Michael still remain: with millions of web sites the web is a mature industry, what will happen in the next two years that hasn’t happen already? And, you or Michael, show me any “paying†web site that runs VJ video as a profitable business or show me any “paying†web site that you or other VJ are being hired regularly to produce video projects. The day that you or Michael will answer these questions with real examples and not fantasies you will then have real facts, until then it’s only wishful thinking, but that will not buy you groceries.
Michael has an agenda, and that is to convince people who don’t know anything about this business that there’s potential and his motive is strictly to separate fools from their money. HE is not better than those guys on TV that tell you how to become a millionaire. Without audiences like yourself he doesn’t have a job. Note that for several years he keeps talking about the future and anytime he talks the future keeps getting further and further away. According to his projections five years ago the present was supposed to be here NOW, but hasn’t arrived yet so he keeps extending it; he is like a lawyer that doesn’t have a case and keep asking the judge for extensions. His window of opportunities is long gone.
$ February 10, 2008
Cliff,
Your blinders are off and, as usual, you are seeing a “profession” from the outside.
Someday you might even have one of your own!
You, Cliff, were the one acting like you knew more about web design, and yet, Nino’s site draws more views than yours!
Seems to me if someone really knows so much about web design, they’d be able to draw more views than others. So, if Nino draws more than you, it sure seems to me he knows more about the web than you.
Tom Guarriello February 10, 2008
…does that include those of us who just lurk on RSS readers? Congrats. Enjoying your blog and videos.
Cliff Etzel February 10, 2008
$ – Difference between my stats and Nino’s – I never claimed to have high traffic stats unlike Nino’s claims – so your comment holds about as much water as a sieve.
Nino – I have a diverse, fulfilling life. Yours appears to be spent writing the volumes of long winded rants you post here – all basically eluding to that you are great, everyone else isn’t. Difference between you and I is I also choose to take the blinders off and see the world including the VJ profession from a different perspective – unlike the regular detractors living in denial about the changes coming in areas like Internet Broadcasting, IPTV, The Solo VJ Paradigm, Social Networking, multimedia journalism, et al – things you evidently choose not be aware of.
I’ve read both sides of the argument – reality is – the detractors have yet to prove their position as being a better one. Rant all you want about having drank the kool-aid or whatever. Reality is – we’re not going away – so get over it.
And lastly – when are you guys going to start acting like the so called adult professionals you claim to be? So far all I’ve seen is the behavior of adolescents who aren’t getting their way – and the comments from these so called professionals proves that point.
Nino February 09, 2008
“You keep making all these claims about your work and your website, yet no one here has seen any proof of your claims – why is that Nino???”
You have no idea what your approval means to me and how much better my business would do with your support.
Cliff, I promise that from now on I will dedicate all my free time in making sure that I can show you positive proofs, YOU are now one of my priority in life.
Get a life would you?
$ February 09, 2008
And if one wants a real laugh. Compare the rank between Cliff’s site and Nino’s site.
Light years apart. Which translates on so many levels. Including the substantially higher ranking for Nino than Cliff.
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/bluprojekt.com
But, no surprise either.
Keeping in mind Nino has additional sites for his work.
Nino February 09, 2008
Sorry about any mistypes, I’m getting use to the little touch screen keyboard on the Iphone.
Nino February 09, 2008
“I don’t think Nino is very web savvy”.
You damn right I’m not, and very proud of it too. I’m a user. I’m actually posting these from my new Iphone that my kids bought me because they got tired of hearing me complain that my Treo’s fonts were getting smaller and smaller every passing day.
Don’t forget that when and where I was born the biggest high tech we had was electricity, and that twas rare treat. In my lifetime I’ve implemented of technology that no other generation has in the history of civilization, and I doubt that there will ever be another that will experience such changes. My 18 years old is my computer IT expert, unfortunately he is too busy with school right now.
Anyway, here’s my latest, I just got this one started as a fun project with no intention of turning it into a business, but my oldest son (the banker) told his PR dept. about it and now they want to sponsor it in preparation for next year Superbowl. http://www.fromtampa.com
rosenblumtv February 09, 2008
Thanks Cliff
Nice research.
I don’t think Nino is very web savvy.
Cliff Etzel February 09, 2008
That speaks volumes – So how many were unique visits, what was the retention time for the site, what was the referring IP address – oh, wait – you don’t care. (You really should if you’re running a website)
I did a Google search – you show up #37 for the search term “Video Lighting Techniques” – I seriously doubt you have had the number of hits you claim if you’re showing up that low in the search engine rankings.
Alexa says Efplighting.com has a traffic rank of: 3,778,447 – Graph clearly shows you not having that kind of traffic – but you don’t care about that.
I doubt your stats are accurate. Maybe you should find another host provider who will give you detailed traffic stats that are accurate – or better yet – install one on your high traffic web server since with your supposed traffic, you would need a dedicated server to handle that kind of bandwidth.
You keep making all these claims about your work and your website, yet no one here has seen any proof of your claims – why is that Nino???
Nino February 08, 2008
Michael, you got to put this puberty thing of yours under control. You must have been the kid that everybody pick-on in school and now you try to get even.
Remember when I said destructively or constructively, you are a text book example, think about that for a little? I know in your mind you perceived my post as I was bragging but trust me, I don’t give crap about how many people log in my web sites, it’s a hobby and even thou I charge $20 for a 2 months access I also have given out over 2000 free access passwords to students that are studying film, video productions or photography.
What I was saying if you would have bothered to put your hostility in park was that when you give information that everybody can use ALL people will listen. When you are one sided as you have been only the Cliffs of this world will tune in.
And I have no clue who or what Alexa is and really don’t care. I get a twice a day report from my server provider.
rosenblumtv February 08, 2008
Dear Nino!
Wow! EFPlighting.com got 4 million (million!) visitors in just seven months!
That would give you, oh, about 500,000 visitors a month or 20,000 a day, give or take.
You know, the funny thing is that you don’t even show up on Alexa.com (They are the Nielsen Ratings of the web, by the way. (but I am sure you knew that))
They list the hits for every web site over 20,000 a month. A month. And you get that EVERY DAY!
You better call ’em.
Among the many millions who have visited EFPlighting… it seems Alexa.com has missed you.
Nino February 08, 2008
I stand correct
“Michael knew well that the only way to generate traffic, lot of publicity and exposure was to make whatever he was doing controversial, and he succeeded. You see, he could delete all my posts but he is too smart to do that, just look at the responses, when we don’t get into any shouting matches nobody reply to his posts, but when we do he generate traffic, just look at the number of responses with any controversial posts, believe me, he loves it.”
Also this was the only thread that I’ve seen on this blog that actually has several useful tip on productions (for those who see criticism as “constructive” and not “destructive” ).
Cheerleading, flag waving and boring analogies to history is good for cocktail parties but useless to get ahead in this business.
EFPlighting.com got 4 millions visitors in the first seven months, no politic or controversial crap there, just plain learning.
Give’em what they want and they’ll come.
rosenblumtv February 08, 2008
Ha ha. That was funny! Looking forward to seeing you in brussels!
Mike February 08, 2008
You need a sign out front: One Thousand served daily.
pencilgod February 07, 2008
Congratulations Michael… that’s more than the TJ’s get viewing their online video in two months!!! Maybe you should just teach them to blog instead of make video? 😉
rosenblumtv February 07, 2008
all thanks to you man.
I wanted to put in a link to your new blogsite. Is it up yet?
Steve February 07, 2008
Congrats, Michael. A pleasure to help. Whether people agree or disagree with you, they always come back for more. And that’s the wonderful part of blogs – they are true conversations.
Cliff Etzel February 07, 2008
Hey Pete – it’s been awhile – how are things in the Bay Area???
Pete Liebengood February 07, 2008
Congratulations on hitting a thousand. Clearly more and more people are coming to believe in your vision of the future of video journalism.
Malcolm Thomson February 07, 2008
Congratulations! But in truth I never realized that as a daily reader I belonged to such a relatively tiny elite. Anyhow, I re-blog bits of the Rosenblum wisdom regularly whcih probably results in an additional three-point-five readers, even if they’re not counted as your visitors.
May the two thousand mark fall soonest.!