Monday, April 21, 2008

Poorly Paid Web Video Dude: I'm Happy YouTube Gives Me Anything

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/273115440/producer_web_video_economics_not_youtube_s_fault

breakaleg.jpgYuri Baranovsky, creator of the Web series "Break A Leg," caused a stir recently when he revealed in a Gawker post that his show, which had generated 2 million views on YouTube (GOOG), netted him a princely sum of $1,600. But Yuri wants you to know he doesn't think YouTube is a villian here -- in fact, compared to the rest of the Web video world, YouTube is a saint. Says Baranovsky:

This has nothing to do with YouTube. It has to do with the current Internet model. If anything, YouTube is the only company that has at all helped us pay off some of our costs, as I say in the article -- YouTube is the only game in town.

Good thing the only game in town deigns to pay people for the work it sells advertising against. The bottom line is there are a handful of people can make money on the Web with crude sketches, one-man "Ask A Ninja"-type shows and the like. But Web economics simply don't support a TV-style productions, with a full cast, scripts, etc -- like the ones Yuri makes.

Earlier: Google Is Saved! YouTube Money Machine Mints $1 CPMs
Being A YouTube Star Doesn't Pay (Obviously)