What Would An Agent Do? Online Video Stars

Posted by: Heather Green on October 25, 2006

I enjoyed reading the story in the NYTimes today about the talent agency that’s scouting video stars online. But I also had fun riding in on the bus just imagining the initial conversations these folks must have.

Most of the “online talent” I know has been through a steep learning curve. They know firsthand the issues around copyright, distribution, the business model approaches—and just how up in the air all of this is.

Imagine a talent agent new to all this, used to making matches between actors and movie studios, talking with Ze Frank .

AGENT: “Ze Baby, your show is great. We need to blow it out, get some big buzz. Let’s put it on YouTube.”
ZE : (Pause. Inhales big breath slowly. Pauses again, cocks head.)”No.”
AGENT: “C’mon. YouTube’s big. It’s hot.”
ZE: “You saw those words in big letters on my site, right? Next to the video you like so much. ‘Please DO NOT upload these movies to youtube or any video hosting site.’”

Actually, I am sure that the agents know a lot more about this. I would bet that initially, they can help a lot in bringing in sponsors to help establish the business model. That right now is the biggest hurdle online video stars who want to make money online have to overcome.

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