I don’t know what it is with video sites lately, maybe it’s just a phase, but I’ve been enthralled with them.
The first site most people think of when pondering the relatively recent fad of internet video sites, would almost assuredly be YouTube. The sheer quantity of user submitted video at YouTube could easily keep your typical streaming video viewer busy for inordinate amounts of time. However, with popularity and ease-of-use comes saturation, which is the main reason I’ve shyed away. Unless there’s something very particular I’m looking for, I try avoid the waste of bandwidth that YouTube is predominantly comprised of.
In my quest (if you can even call it that) to find alternatives to the obvious, I’ve stumbled upon some amazing sites featuring everything from internet television (Revision3) to the video centric social networking site Vimeo which even has streaming HD content. After spending a little too much time at the latter I decided to post a few of my favorites from the first twenty pages of the “Staff Picks” section.
Video 001 | What Matters To You // Me
This video was the winner of a recent Vancouver Film School / YouTube Competition and is a wonderful example of “Digital Design”
What Matters to You // Me? from Jr.canest on Vimeo
Video 002 | Davey Dance Blog | Dublin
I don’t know why I enjoyed this one so much. Maybe it’s the lack of acknowledgment from the people walking past, or perhaps it’s Davey’s slick moves, or maybe it’s the fact that I love the Talking Heads. Whatever the case it’s well worth checking out.
“Davey Dance-BLOG. A project started while traveling Europe during Spring 2007. Armed only with an ipod and a Canon PowerShot, Davey picks a location and a pop song. Then Davey records an improvised dance.”
Davey Dance Blog -47- DUBLIN – Talking Heads “Houses in Motion” from Pheasant Plucker on Vimeo
Video 003 | Ghislain Poirier | Hit & Red
An animated music video for Ghislain Poirier’s song Hit & Red from the album No Ground Under on Ninja Tune.
Ghislain Poirier – Hit & Red (official) from departement on Vimeo
Video 004 | MUTO A Wall-Painted Animation
An ambiguous animation painted on public walls.
MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo
Video 005 | Regarding the Nature of Luminance in Ubiquitous Darkness
Finally, even if this video was as bad as some of the mobile phone uploads found on YouTube (which it is most definitely not) I think I’d have to include it strictly because of the uniqueness of the aspect ratio used (6950 X 720).
Regarding the Nature of Luminance in Ubiquitous Darkness from Karen Abad loves Dinosaurs. on Vimeo
On a final note, I don’t really hate YouTube that much, I just think that variety is the spice of life, so a few alternatives won’t hurt anyone. I think I’ll cancel my cable now.