Doogie Howser Did It, So Why Not Me?

I couldn’t agree more Andrew. Its fascinating to hear a view from the inside and I feel really disappointed for those who slog their guts out in this new line of media. I think there could have been a lot more research into more appropriate skits, presenters and format.

They also failed the viewers and fans. As people on youtube have said, why didn’t the Streamys have their own site with its own stream? Relying on Ustream for a large volume of traffic is commonly known to be bad news. Also, theres a real lack of recorded footage from the show on the entire internet. Shocking for awards based on web entertainment!

But I’m glad you picked up on the most important point. This is a small and growing area of entertainment and its community needs to rally around in these sorts of times. I emplore people to blog and tweet any constructive criticisms they have. I’ve tweeted mine so wont bore people with them again.

Superbly written article. Thanks.

This is definitely one of the better written pieces I’ve read on what happened. You’ve hit on a very important point that hasn’t been commented on much with the whole trying to be what we are not theme. Since the awards show devolved into something having nothing to do with the awards, the fact that the majority of the shows who won had major backers and established celebrity talent. I think, as you seem to, that the tone and the structure of the show was symptomatic of the IATWV’s overarching view that the only way for us to gain legitimacy is to work our way into the traditional corporate structure of television when the whole reason we have gotten recognition at all is because we are not TV.

I don’t fully agree with your gripe about Youtubers. There are some really creative people on there who work just as hard as we do. They weren’t the ones who won, but they do exist, and they are part of the same community you speak of. They are just from a different part of town. Youtube is also facing the same challenge the rest of us are, with the Partner Program providing money for the people who got in at the ground level but making it near impossible for new talent to gain a foothold. There’s a lot we can learn from them.

In any case, good blog. There definitely needs to be a period of annoyance and outrage, but if people honestly listen to feedback like this, it will only serve to make the online landscape better.

I thought it was an interesting take on the Streamy events. More insightful than most of the others I’ve read. Definitely worthy addition to what has already been said.

Good review, Andrew, and I completely agree that the show did not reflect or celebrate the real and vibrant community of web producers. Hopefully things will change for next year.

Well put, sir! I especially like your ‘coming of age’ analogy. One day, someone aught to put together a John Hughes-esque dramatic telling of the history of New Media.

~j

This post definitely took into consideration all of the parts that need to be focused on and highlighted at [hopefully] next year’s awards ceremony.

Being part of a Streamys nominated web-series, I was so excited to finally have all of my time, effort, and hard work be recognized. I have always compared our show to the little engine that could, changing formatting, direction, and production quality, all in efforts to prove to individuals outside of this industry that we are a veritable force. The Streamys, in essence, mocked all the hard work that we have invested and jeopardized the [minimal] funding we receive; not only is future sponsorship going to be more difficult to secure, but even ongoing funding might be up for review, strictly due to that night.

People I know both personally and professionally, have had to apologize profusely to all their fans and followers [and even some of their clients!], all for something that was completely out of their control. Who knows who watched from my friends and family?? My parents? My cousins [who have small children]? Those who have put this together will have a few weeks of uncomfortable clean up, but there are people out there who will be attempting to gain control of our image and regain that trust of our supporters, well past next year’s Awards.

Now, I’m not sure where the rift in product-backed sponsorship shows and the YouTuber’s is coming from; regardless, we need to support all areas of this industry and not knock down what others are attempting to create. If we work as one we can finally gain the recognition of the world that this is a viable medium, and an amazing platform; if we’re pitted against each other, we will never be bestowed with that acceptance. Yes, we may be working on two separate areas within the same field, and possibly we should entertain the idea of having a more specific awards ceremony for each category; ultimately, though? This is what we got! We, as whole, need to make this ceremony focus on the hard work, efforts, monies, talent, and sacrifices that have gone into creating content that, if it were not present, the Streamys itself would not exist!

I know [through degrees of separation] the sponsors that were involved in the Streamys; they a not happy. If someone sneezes, their legal department has to review the kleenex. Unfortunately, I also know that the transparency of the content of that evening was not there. If you KNOW that there are companies, JUST warming up to the idea of how this area is growing, and how important it is to have this medium be recognized, WHY ON EARTH would you not go over the scripts with a fine-toothed comb to ensure that some level of decorum was maintained. I’m not asking for censorship, since the web-world is based off the idea of free speech, but that was absolutely sophomoric. Also, how are we going to gain any sort of respect, when the individuals that were supposed to be highlighting our work, were basically reconfirming the believe [that some have] that we are just the red-headed stepchild of TV/Film. They did us a disservice, and it was a slap in the face.

…The biggest let down, was that even those who won were not even celebrated!

[...] If the shoe doesn’t fit… (Andrew Seely) [...]

@Markus – Thank you for your kind words. And as you said this is all about community, and I’ve heard lots from the community about how they want to make sure we think hard about how we go forward from here.

@Joey – I know I may sound a bit harsh towards the youtubers, i do respect what they do, yet i still hold (most) of them in a different light, and they do have their own awards and own community, which I feel mostly doesn’t overlap with our community. So for them to have as much of a presence at the awards felt out of place.

@keith, @jay, @higlet – thank you.

@m – Do you mind if I ask which series you are a part of? Just out of curiosity. I do empathize with your statements and others like yours who had invited others to watch and then later had to go back and apologize for what had transpired. And your last point about those who won not being recognized was truly something that was missing from what the heart of the show should have been…