We just want to celebrate the fact that as of today we have 51 followers! Thank you, world! Now that we have some followers, what videos would you like to see on www.biglive.com and chat about? We’ll post a question, and whoever makes a suggestion might—just might—get their wish (as long as it’s decent).
If you have an idea, tell us what it is—it could be a favorite tv show, or a youtube playlist you like (we can embed most videos from Hulu, YouTube, and Livestream).
So keep an eye out for the question we’ll be posting, or leave your idea in the comments section.
Every Thursday we present to you one of Big Live’s cool features, so you can use it and tell us how cool it is (or uncool, if that’s how you feel). This week, we want to show you how Video On Demand can combine with Pay Per View on our site to make content providers some actual money.
There are millions of awesome, creative Indie artists out there on the Internet, trying to find ways to maximize the distribution of their content without losing all possibility of getting paid for it.
On Big Live, these artists have flexible options for special shows that will actually make them money. Here are two ways to do that:
1. Paywall on Video Experience
Content Providers can choose an amount that they think is appropriate to ask viewers to pay before they can watch the provider’s content. In this example, the band The RAH RAHs is asking viewers to pay 99 cents to watch the video of their latest concert.
Viewers use Paypal to pay the amount requested, and then they can start their video. While they are chatting in real time with the other viewers in the crowd about the content, the video only begins after the viewer has paid the amount, and it starts from the beginning so they don’t miss any of the awesome content they just paid to see.
2. Paywall on Host Experience
One of the coolest things that Big Live offers audiences is the chance to interact with Content Providers in real time (if providers want to interact). Providers can act as hosts, which means they log on at the same time as their audience and talk to everyone, but their comments appear in the box above the chatbox so that their audience can see everything they have to say.
In the example picture above, Amy Martino and Dana Slokos are the hosts of the event.
Content Providers can then offer fans the option of viewing the video for free, or viewing the video with their commentary for an appropriate price. Then the paywall covers only the host area of the chat, but not the video.
And there you have it! How all the fabulous artists out there can get a little something back from their audiences, and how fans can help buy their artists dinner with just a click, and get something back, too.
If you want to see this system in action, we’ll be working with a very big site and a hosted showing of one of their films on October 27th. Stay tuned for more info!
“A substantial percentage of programming will have on demand, time shifted and interactive capabilities. New formats of programming with embedded interactive applications will emerge, and social TV will take off.”
We think that while on demand viewing is great (we offer on demand and broadcasted shows), it takes the social experience away from the viewer. When you can watch a video any time, the incentive to watch it at the same time as someone else is substantially diminished.
Big Live puts the social back into the viewing experience by allowing you to see who else is watching whenever you decide to watch, allowing you to chat with that person (of course), and to do so whether you’re watching an on demand or broadcast show.
On Big Live, when you show up to a broadcast show, you are automatically synchronized with everyone watching, so you can make relevant real-time comments about the video that’s playing. If, however, you want to watch a show on demand, from start to finish, you can still chat with anyone who shows up, even if they have just clicked play at the beginning of the video.
