OMGRICK: An open letter to reviewers of web shows and online video
drewolanoff
· 1 month ago
Your shows suck.
There.
Ok I'm lying. But great post.
mrmattenlow
· 1 month ago
Great post Rick, I feel the same way. I blogged similar sentiments a while ago, but we haven't seen much of a change since then. (http://mrmattenlow.com/2009/01/30/web-series-cr...) I think it's important to highlight great series, but too often praise is dolled out to too many and is therefore diluted. Here's to getting turned on to great series outside our bubble!
Rick Rey
· 1 month ago
Hey Matt, yes I remember reading your post back in January! Here's a quote from it that I especially like: "I’m not saying you have to be negative to be taken seriously, but if you only focus on shows that are successful, then the medium will never progress."
Brian
· 1 month ago
Um...My show got a terrible review once from a well regarded and highly influential Web video entity. Why isn't my ass being kissed!?
marchustvedt
· 1 month ago
Good letter Rick - I generally agree here.
I push our reviewers at Tubefilter to get specific about what's working and what isn't in a series. And I'm getting pickier about who is allowed to review series, which is clearly different than covering the 'news' of a series.
But yes, we are selective about which shows we review. We get inbound somewhere around 5-10 new series links/pitches a day and to be honest, most of them are pretty terrible. So we filter and try to only review series that have some merit to them.
I've taken the approach that I'd rather not spend the resources to rip apart a piece of crap series that no one is watching anyway.
With traditional film and TV reviewing - there's often a clear line between what's "on air" or in theaters, and what's not. Online there's no clear line.
If it has major online distribution, that's a different story, and is usually worth a closer look since there's a big push behind the project.
To your point - "If you announce something and hype it up, your readership will expect a review on it. Don’t back down on that. You will command a much more loyal and committed readership if you do this." -- point taken. We'll get better at this.
We also want to know what shows you as a reader like/dislike. Our regular readers are informed and experienced in watching just as much content as we do. So we want to hear from you ---
Thanks for starting the convo Rick!
Marc Editor-in-Chief, Tubefilter News
DanWMartin
· 1 month ago
Marc-
In regards to your point "So we filter and try to only review series that have some merit to them", I think it's key to remember that reviewing a show and explaining why it doesn't work is just as important as reviewing and explaining why one does.
Tubefilter is a great resource! But it needs more balance. Be fair, but be unmerciful!
Hey Marc, thanks for chiming in here! Definitely understand your point about limited resources. I think we can all agree no publication is expected to review everything that comes across its desk. My point is simply that, from a reader's perspective, it's strange to see a show promoted before its launch, and then never reviewed. Especially when the show isn't very good, and the parties involved are friendly with the reviewing entity. While it may be completely innocent and coincidental, from the outside it just seems too convenient. Again.. "from the outside" - which is why your contributions to this discussion are appreciated.
And your point about "no clear line" in deciding which shows to review is loud and clear.
Also just want to say, I totally agree with Dan about Tubefilter being an incredible resource, and more importantly, you guys are doing an amazing job of promoting web TV, building out the community, and legitimizing the industry. Thank you for that!
Taiwan Brown
· 1 month ago
You go boy! about someone talked about this!
mike1630
· 1 month ago
Loved this post :)
Tom Konkle
· 1 month ago
Be careful what you wish for though.
modelmotion
· 1 month ago
Clearly you have not met "anon".
:):):)
Milowent
· 1 month ago
90% of all webseries suck, that's internet fact.
lizlet
· 1 month ago
I definitely agree with the sentiments of this post, and it's fantastic that everyone else is on board. But while we reviewer folk do what we can, allow me to make a humble suggestion to those who also agree -- join in. Everyone is talking all day long -- and if we're going to make honest critique a real part of this industry, then everyone, not just those of us writing our reviews, should feel free to say publicly when a show does or doesn't work for them. Twitter, Tumblr, blog comments -- everyone in this space has the tools and the right to share their opinion. Not just us. :)
Rick Rey
· 1 month ago
Liz, first of all thank you for writing reviews that aren't always good. This post was partly inspired by your Occulterers review.
You raise an interesting point about all of us, including creators, publicly saying what we think. Personally, I agree with Bernie (below) about having no qualms with sharing my criticisms in private with fellow creators. But going public is a different beast for people like me. It's one thing when a reviewer gives criticism and a whole 'nother thing when a peer does it. The system is set up so reviewers have the luxury of working outside the incestuous nature of the business. I actually envy you in that regard. But I agree it shouldn't ALL be on your shoulders, so I'll be more vocal. Thanks for contributing to this discussion!
Mathieas
· 1 month ago
Clearly ya'll have never visited Anchor Cove or LG15Today, 'Fan's there are brutal with their criticism.
BernieSu
· 1 month ago
From a creator's standpoint, it's tough to review openly. Granted I'll freely and honestly critique a show to it's creator privately, I find it very hard to do it openly in a forum or in a discussion thread much like this one. - But I do agree with Rick, Matt, Marc, everyone in this thread. We aren't going to get any better with coddling. We need to be challenged and pushed continuously.
EricSusch
· 1 month ago
Agree. The worst thing for our emerging industry is when those new viewers who aren't clued into our world read a glowing review of something and then watch the video and realize it's total dreck. It just confirms the "Wayne's World" stereotype.
On a related note. I think as creators we need to manage expectations in our viewers. Hyping your show as the next "Battlestar Galactica" doesn't help. The only one you are fooling is yourself. Everyone else just watches the video and gets the real scoop. Any reality gap becomes a judgment of you as the creator AKA "that guy is totally untalented and conceited." (Web creators can't blame the marketing department for the hype.)
Promote your show for what it is. If it's a guy in a Ninja suit sitting in a chair telling jokes, then that's all it is. If that's not enough to keep people interested then your show stinks and no amount of hype will make people watch it anyway.
All Comments
There.
Ok I'm lying. But great post.
I feel the same way. I blogged similar sentiments a while ago, but we haven't seen much of a change since then.
(http://mrmattenlow.com/2009/01/30/web-series-cr...)
I think it's important to highlight great series, but too often praise is dolled out to too many and is therefore diluted.
Here's to getting turned on to great series outside our bubble!
I push our reviewers at Tubefilter to get specific about what's working and what isn't in a series. And I'm getting pickier about who is allowed to review series, which is clearly different than covering the 'news' of a series.
But yes, we are selective about which shows we review. We get inbound somewhere around 5-10 new series links/pitches a day and to be honest, most of them are pretty terrible. So we filter and try to only review series that have some merit to them.
I've taken the approach that I'd rather not spend the resources to rip apart a piece of crap series that no one is watching anyway.
With traditional film and TV reviewing - there's often a clear line between what's "on air" or in theaters, and what's not. Online there's no clear line.
If it has major online distribution, that's a different story, and is usually worth a closer look since there's a big push behind the project.
To your point - "If you announce something and hype it up, your readership will expect a review on it. Don’t back down on that. You will command a much more loyal and committed readership if you do this." -- point taken. We'll get better at this.
We also want to know what shows you as a reader like/dislike. Our regular readers are informed and experienced in watching just as much content as we do. So we want to hear from you ---
Thanks for starting the convo Rick!
Marc
Editor-in-Chief, Tubefilter News
In regards to your point "So we filter and try to only review series that have some merit to them", I think it's key to remember that reviewing a show and explaining why it doesn't work is just as important as reviewing and explaining why one does.
Tubefilter is a great resource! But it needs more balance. Be fair, but be unmerciful!
Dan Martin
www.twitter.com/danwmartin
And your point about "no clear line" in deciding which shows to review is loud and clear.
Also just want to say, I totally agree with Dan about Tubefilter being an incredible resource, and more importantly, you guys are doing an amazing job of promoting web TV, building out the community, and legitimizing the industry. Thank you for that!
:):):)
You raise an interesting point about all of us, including creators, publicly saying what we think. Personally, I agree with Bernie (below) about having no qualms with sharing my criticisms in private with fellow creators. But going public is a different beast for people like me. It's one thing when a reviewer gives criticism and a whole 'nother thing when a peer does it. The system is set up so reviewers have the luxury of working outside the incestuous nature of the business. I actually envy you in that regard. But I agree it shouldn't ALL be on your shoulders, so I'll be more vocal. Thanks for contributing to this discussion!
Granted I'll freely and honestly critique a show to it's creator privately, I find it very hard to do it openly in a forum or in a discussion thread much like this one. -
But I do agree with Rick, Matt, Marc, everyone in this thread. We aren't going to get any better with coddling. We need to be challenged and pushed continuously.
On a related note. I think as creators we need to manage expectations in our viewers. Hyping your show as the next "Battlestar Galactica" doesn't help. The only one you are fooling is yourself. Everyone else just watches the video and gets the real scoop. Any reality gap becomes a judgment of you as the creator AKA "that guy is totally untalented and conceited." (Web creators can't blame the marketing department for the hype.)
Promote your show for what it is. If it's a guy in a Ninja suit sitting in a chair telling jokes, then that's all it is. If that's not enough to keep people interested then your show stinks and no amount of hype will make people watch it anyway.