An award-winning interactive web video is being used as the key plank of a new Metropolitan Police anti-weapons initiative, with the semi-beleaguered law enforcement body doubtless hoping that its first-person perspective will help it to hook in a target audience of London teens.

Plenty of criticism in the last few days for the Metropolitan Police, as a high-profile study by the London School of Economics and The Guardian into the possible causes of this summer’s riots in London (and other cities) found that resentment against the police was cited as a significant motivating factor by those who took part.   

The Met will therefore be hoping for a timely boost via its long-running campaign to discourage teens from becoming involved in gun and knife crime – with it having just launched a fresh, month-long initiative aimed at educating a target audience of 13-15 year-olds.

And to bolster this campaign, which is running display ads across a host of online platforms including Spotify and Facebook, the Met has chosen to redeploy its Choose a Different Ending series of web videos.

Making use of on-screen hotspots to facilitate an element of viewer choice, the films – which play through a possible knife-fight scenario with a number of possible outcomes – were a big hit on their original launch in 2009, scoring praise, awards and YouTube hits in equally copious measure. Watch the first in the series below (sadly, sans interactive element).  

Want to keep up with the latest developments in the world of web video? Then be sure to keep our blog bookmarked.

 

British video production is left twisted in dire straits today, as last week’s debacle involving The Beeb, some union workers and the curly-haired charisma-vacuum known as Jeremy Clarkson continues to provoke controversy.

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said: "Clarkson's comments on the One Show cannot be tolerated. We are seeking urgent legal advice about what further action we can take against him and the BBC”

"An apology is not enough - we are calling on the BBC to sack Jeremy Clarkson immediately. Such disgusting statements have no place on our TV screens.”

Though I loathe Clarkson as much as the next sentient being, I cannot help but take issue with the controversy. Panging of the hollow, scapegoating herd-cries of the Brand/Sachs affair, this public outrage is, as always, ill-founded, malnourished and entirely counterproductive to their cause.

As legal action is sought and complaints are received; Clarkson’s book and DVD sales will skyrocket, just in time for Christmas. This is a proven-method for creatively impotent celebrities to maintain some kind of warped longevity. As with every case of censorship in the history of the televisual phenomenon, this event is nothing but publicity-juice dripping down the mouth of Clarkson’s wallet.

Beneath his artificially-contrived persona, Clarkson’s true crime lies in being a satirical journalist who isn’t particularly satirical or journalistic. In light of this, a fitting punishment would be the slow degrading of ratings, culminating in complete public disinterest, rather than a pantomime dismissal which would allow him to leave like some kind of drone-voiced, leathery-jowled rock-star.

He would be better served in his comeuppance if we simply tuned out when he came on the screen. That is the true death of the soul for a broadcaster like Clarkson, provided he has a soul in the first place.

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If you want to go viral with your video production it’s going to be a struggle. With millions of videos uploaded and shared every day, how is yours going to break through and receive the global adoration that some of the top virals have gone on to receive? The answer, as bleak as it sounds is; it won’t.

Succeeding in online video and creating viral content are not mutually exclusive though, so don’t worry if your clip isn’t watched millions of times the world over, gaining meme status, notoriety and a spot on a TV show presented by one of the most odious characters in entertainment.

Just because it is hard, doesn’t mean it isn’t worth taking a shot at a viral with your video production. Here is an infographic containing some tips on who to aim at with your clip, what buttons to push and what factors you need to consider during the creative process.

If you want help with your video production why not get in touch

Music video production is the field in which director David Wilson has built his reputation, he having previously worked with artists such as the Maccabees, Metronomy and Little Boots. However his new project finds him dealing with something altogether greater than any individual band or singer, as he attempts to breathe fresh life into the advent calendar.

Wilson’s advent takes the form of an episodic video production, he having tasked himself with the job of creating a new film for each of the 25 days up to and including Xmas day itself. These micro-films are constituted of both existing footage and freshly-shot stuff, and feature music from artists who Wilson has invited to take part on the project.

Day two has yielded what is likely the most intriguing of the clips so far (music comes via We Have Band), and you can check that out at Wilson’s Tumblr page. However at just five days down, there is ample time for a new winner to emerge. See make sure you stay tuned all the way up to the Big Day.   

If you’ve interested in video production, then why don’t you find out what Spectrecom could do for you and your company?     

 

The filmmaking talents of Paddy Considine have been confirmed thrice over, as Tyrannosaur beats some stiff competition at the British Independent Film Awards 2011.

Tyrannosaur won best British independent film, best debut director for Paddy Considine, and best actress for Olivia Colman. Some staggering results for a first-time helmsman sailing the capricious tides of the British film industry.

The annual awards celebrate a kind of independent spirit which is wholly outside of the mainstream film studio sausage factory machine, and was held at Old Billingsgate, London.

The film production stars Peter Mullan as a violent man living on a Leeds housing estate, tormented by a violent rage that is driving him to self-destruction.

A chance of redemption appears in the form of Hannah (Colman), a Christian charity shop worker, who is hiding a dark secret within her own marriage to James (Eddie Marsan).

Colman said: "I've had a lucky time doing wonderful comedies, and I've loved it, but when a script like that comes through the post, you're not going to say no to it."

Considine said: "It's been an overwhelming night - to get the best film was the real shocker for me."

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