Official Blog
Davos: Your Last Chance to Attend!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
It's not often you're offered the opportunity to receive an all-expense-paid trip to meet with the world's top leaders and thinkers, just for speaking your mind. But thanks to the World Economic Forum and YouTube, you are. However, time is running out for the chance to attend this year's World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
Check out the Davos Debates
YouTube channel
now - and weigh in on the four key questions posed there. Then upload your video response to the question you find most interesting. WEF will choose the most compelling video submitted and then fly the maker of that video all the way to Davos to participate in forums with the heads of state, CEOs, and thought leaders from around the world. There are just 5 DAYS LEFT to submit your video - so
enter today
. The deadline is January 20th.
In addition to awarding a trip to the maker of the best video, WEF will play a selection of other videos submitted to the Davos Question channel at panel sessions throughout the Forum, where world leaders will listen to your thoughts and opinions as they debate these issues. So tell them your personal stories: how are the world's new challenges affecting your life, and what do you want to see your leaders do to make the world a better place?
The world economy may be in crisis, but it is collaboration and fresh thinking from diverse sources that will move us towards the right solutions. Have your say today.
Yours,
Steve G.
YouTube News & Politics
The United States Congress is In Session on YouTube
Monday, January 12, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. and SAN BRUNO, CA – (January 12, 2009) – The 111th United States Congress and YouTube today announced the launch of official Congressional YouTube channels. Each Member of the House and Senate will have the opportunity to create and control their own YouTube channel that citizens can locate on a Google Map interface on two new platforms - The House Hub (http://youtube.com/househub) and The Senate Hub (http://youtube.com/senatehub) - making it easy for people to interact with videos that offer an inside look at their elected officials in action on Capitol Hill.
“These channels will allow people to get an inside look at the work that their elected representatives are doing in Washington,” said Steve Grove, YouTube’s head of news and politics. “They also enable citizens and their leaders to have a direct dialogue about the issues facing the country.”
Recently, both houses of Congress adjusted rules regarding posting content to third party websites, permitting the same access pioneered during the election season to carry over to government. As a result all members of Congress can create, manage and control their own individual YouTube channels. Several Representatives and Senators, who can be found at the House and Senate Hub on YouTube, have already created YouTube channels where they post videos of floor speeches, committee hearings, behind-the-scenes footage and more to YouTube.
The Democratic and Republican leadership of both the House and Senate announced the initiative today in a YouTube video featured on YouTube’s homepage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avch-fRFmbw.
“Americans, now more than ever, turn to the web to get their news – our YouTube channels serve as a direct line to what's happening in Congress,” said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) added, “Through my YouTube channel I can address the most important issues our country and my state faces, and hear suggestions from people about how to solve our most pressing problems.”
“The Internet presents the biggest communications opportunity on Capitol Hill since television and the rise of political cable channels,” said Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, (R-KY). House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) added, “YouTube and other popular new media tools help to provide a level of access and transparency that has never been seen before in government, while helping us to solicit feedback directly from the American people.”
About YouTube
YouTube is the world's most popular online video community allowing millions of people to discover, watch and share originally created videos. YouTube provides a forum for people to connect, inform and inspire others across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small. YouTube, LLC is based in San Bruno, Calif., and is a subsidiary of Google Inc.
Contact:
YouTube Communications
Aaron Ferstman
press@youtube.com
Office of the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
Drew Hammill
202-226-7616
Office of the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Rodell Mollineau
Rodell_Mollineau@reid.senate.gov
Office of John Boehner
Nick Schaper
Nick.Schaper@mail.house.gov
Office of Mitch McConnell
Moon Sulfab
Moon_Sulfab@mcconnell.senate.gov
Fall in Love in the YouTube Screening Room
Friday, January 9, 2009
Valentine's Day may be a month away, but we're already talking amore in the
YouTube Screening Room
. For the next two weeks, we're featuring a collection of films that tackles the most ubiquitous of human emotions…love. But don't be fooled: these aren't your grandma's love stories. These films deal with love in all its glory and all its disappointment.
First up, we're proud to present Dan Klores' award-winning feature documentary,
Crazy Love
, in advance of its television premiere this Saturday at 10pm on The Sundance Channel.
Crazy Love
explores the true and astonishing story of Burt and Linda Pugach, who married after Burt spent 14 years in prison for his violent and psychologically complex display of affection for Linda.
Along with Klores' documentary, we're featuring 3 outstanding shorts:
In Michelle Lehman's "Marry Me," which won the 2008 Tropfest Festival, a young girl who has a crush on her next door neighbor learns the all-too-truthful lesson that, sometimes, the chase is better than the catch.
And in Hayley Stuart and Francesca Sophia's "How To Say I Love You," we witness the struggle for intimacy among a generation that has replaced personal interaction with online communication.
This collection of love stories has something for the lovers and the fighters, so we hope all of you
enjoy watching
.
With love,
Sara P.
YouTube Film
Last Chance to Vote for the Winner!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Since the launch of
Project: Report
back in September, aspiring journalists have been working hard to report on important stories in their communities. Our five finalists have prevailed through three rounds of competition and are within touching distance from the grand prize: a $10,000 fellowship with the
Pulitzer Center
to report on a story abroad.
Now is your last chance to vote on their third and final videos to decide who you think deserves the opportunity to travel the world and become a global correspondent. There are some great stories here - check them out:
Voting ends tomorrow, January 9, at midnight PST. So don't waste any time -- visit the
Project: Report
channel to watch the finalists' Round 3 submissions and then vote for the videos you find the most compelling.
The winner will be announced on Monday January 12, 2009, so stay tuned!
Happy Voting,
Olivia M
YouTube News & Politics
And The Trip to Sundance Goes To...
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
From scores of submissions, the programming team at the Sundance Film Festival whittled down
YouTube's Project: Direct
competition to 10 finalists, to be voted on by you, the YouTube community. At stake: a trip to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival to meet with the Festival's director of programming, a special industry screening, and invaluable exposure that will help one worthy filmmaker turn their hobby into a career.
Now, after a week of voting, the ballots have been counted, and without further ado, we're pleased to announce this year's winner...
Congratulations to the talented writing and directing team behind
Perfecto
. In this upbeat tale of true love amidst hidden identities, nothing can stop the romance between a small-town thief and her mysterious Latin fiancé... not even the police. A hilarious and heart-warming film, we're excited to see it make the jump from the YouTube small screen to the Festival big screen.
A hearty congratulations, as well, to the runners-up:
White Collar Criminals
and
Good Deeds and the Damage Done
. Last, but certainly not least, we want to thank and congratulate everyone who submitted films to the competition: your hard work is proof positive of the fantastic film talent that lives on YouTube. We can't wait to see your future masterpieces.
To check out the winners and other finalists, just visit the
Project: Direct channel
.
Happy filmmaking,
Sara P.
YouTube Film
Last Chance To Vote
Friday, January 2, 2009
While we're all wishing for health, happiness and love in 2009, the 10 finalists in YouTube's
Project Direct
short film competition are likely hoping the New Year will bring something entirely different: a chance to attend the 2009 Sundance Film Festival as the winner of Project Direct!
Their fate will be sealed in approximately 24 hours after all of you cast your final ballots at youtube.com/projectdirect.
To make your last chance to vote easy, we've featured all of the top 10 entries, which come from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Brazil, on the home page today. Watch them all and then visit the
contest channel
to vote for your favorites.
The winning entry and the top two runners-up will also receive cash prizes and DVD distribution to top Hollywood executives attending the Sundance Film Festival.
So make a filmmaker's New Year's wish come true and vote now!
Happy Voting,
Sara P.
YouTube Film
24 Hours, 24 Videos: Welcome to 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
So here it is: 2009. And after our 24-video marathon run through 2008’s memorable moments, hopefully you’re feeling suitably entertained and fired with enthusiasm for the year ahead.
But before we move on into the unknown, let’s take closer look at some of the videos we have featured through the day – be it for the sake of Auld Lang Syne, or just for kicks. Because here at YouTube there is nothing we like more than a bit of backstory to place a video in context.
Weezer: Pork and Beans
Weezer's video hit YouTube on May 23. Drawing on 24 of the biggest viral hits the site has seen to date -- from "Dramatic Chipmunk" to "Miss Teen USA 2007 South Carolina" to Tay Zonday's "Chocolate Rain" -- the video salutes some of the most memorable moments and people in YouTube's history, generating more than 15,500,000 clicks in the process and creating (dare we say it) a video that transcended the sum of its estimable parts.
Christian the Lion
This story of an unbreakable bond between man and beast was one of the most talked about videos of 2008. It briefly chronicles the true story of a lion being reunited with the two men who raised him, years after he'd been released back into the wild and become the leader of his own pride. The actual reunion took place in 1972, but this archive footage was rediscovered and posted to YouTube earlier this year. If one video saw tears stain the leathery cheeks of the battle-hardened YouTube Team over the past 12 months, this was it…
Frozen Grand Central
The New York-based collective Improv Everywhere have become firm favorites on YouTube, thanks to their unique public hijinks. Videos like "No Pants Subway Ride" and "Food Court Musical" offer good examples of their large-scale pranks, but the elaborate public performance "Frozen Grand Central Station" was especially popular. The video features more than 200 people simultaneously freezing in place at Grand Central Station in New York City; the reactions of onlookers are as striking as the stunt itself. They claim to ‘cause scenes’ – they don’t lie.
Where The Hell Is Matt?
Matt Harding is best known as the goofy guy who danced his way around the world. But Harding's frankly risible grooving has brought inspiration and joy to millions of people -- over 14 million have viewed it on YouTube alone. As one observant user said: "It shows that no matter how different we are on the outside, inside we all just want to dance, laugh, and have fun."
Rick Astley: Never Gonna Give You Up
Chances are that at some point in 2008, you or someone you know experienced a "Rick Roll": a bait-and-switch prank that dupes you into watching the video for Rick Astley's 1980s hit "Never Gonna Give You Up." The joke even transcended the Internet with organizers of football games, parades and rallies "Rick Rolling" unsuspecting attendees. But perhaps the ultimate "Rick Roll" occurred on April Fool's Day, when YouTube rigged up every feature to the video. Then he was pronounced Best Act Ever by MTV Europe after – you guessed it – an internet poll. You naughty, naughty people.
Will.i.am: Yes We Can Obama Song
When Barack Obama delivered his concession speech after the New Hampshire primary, little did he know he was providing the script -- and the inspiration -- for the most-watched political video of 2008. Will.i.am's "Yes We Can" music video, a celebrity-studded mash-up of Obama's speech, became an instant viral sensation upon its release in early February, and arguably had a massive influence on Election '08 and popular culture. Seen over six million times just on Will.i.am's official YouTube channel, the video has inspired voters, young people, and satirists alike.
Fred Loses His Meds
Who says you can't become an overnight success on YouTube? Not 15-year-old Lucas Cruikshank, or Fred Figglehorn as he is known to fans, who created a Web series in which he plays a hyperactive six-year-old with anger management issues. Fred's hyper-kinetic videos quickly caught people's attention and helped make him the fastest-rising star in YouTube history. The above video (his second) was Fred's first to break a million views, jump-starting his meteoric rise to his current position as the No. 1 Most Subscribed user on YouTube.
Star Wars according to a three-year-old
This sweet-faced little lady became a YouTube sensation with her retelling of the original Star Wars movie. Fans of the film can go on for hours discussing the plot, but this three-year-old sums it up in less than two minutes. If not the most detailed description of Star Wars ever, it's arguably the most adorable. Warning: Spoiler Alert.
The Miley Cyrus Story
Not only did Miley release a hit song (and video) this year with
7 Things
, which inspired several user-generated
parodies
(some of them nearly as popular as the original), but the Hannah Montana star also launched her own YouTube channel,
MileyMandy
with best friend Mandy Jiroux. The girls have used their channel to vlog and generally horse around for their audience of over 292,000 subscribers, and it's also where they post their
M&M Cru
dance battle videos, which together have notched nearly 15 million views and took the world's "biggest online dance battle" to a whole new level.
Super Mario Rescues The Princess: Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade
As the creator of Family Guy and American Dad, Seth MacFarlane has had a tremendous impact on animated entertainment. This year, MacFarlane opted to launch
Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
exclusively on Google and YouTube. Not only was this a groundbreaking event for online video, it also showcased the financial opportunities that online advertising can offer film-makers (not that this comes as much surprise to members of the YouTube Partner Program).
Now we’ve had our say, we’d love to hear what you made of our end-of-year round up. Leave your comments below – it wouldn’t be YouTube without a little back and forth now, would it?
Here’s to a video-rich 2009,
The YouTube Team
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