Fun Picture and New Channel

I'm working far ahead on the heels of a busy weekend and Jury Duty next week. I keep videos live much longer than I used to. I just finished editing another one which has an Unsuspecting Co-Host. It should be live by mid week.

Here is a shot of me I took for me for Daily Booth. I'm taping my hosting part of the latest video. The script stand usually isn't there, but with a co-host it's nice to have their words there to reference.


Another piece of news is...I opened a second YouTube channel. I participated in Chartjackers and didn't want to have the videos on my main channel. BillTvMacon2 (or as I call it, the Blue Channel) will probably feature some short videos relating to videos on the main channel. I'm testing to see if old videos are being deleted from the original Bill Tv video tapes. YouTube has adopted a policy where they put an Amazon/ iTunes banner if copyrighted music is used. I really like this idea.

More Info

I am a big believer in the More Info area of the new YouTube design. I consider it the most underused but critical tool of the experience. Friends joke about me having so many links in it but it is a helpful way to inform, cross reference or direct viewers to requested information.

In my "2000 Subs" video I had a request as to where they could get a t-shirt I as wearing. It so happens that I had a link to Captain Wilhelm's 80's Hero Shirts (and US store) in the "More Info" area. In my video I made a comment about how his video mirrored the 1000 Subs video and a link to it is there. You get the idea.

The Total YouTube Experience

YouTube deserves to make money. I hope they are making money. Their focus is clearly on showing movie and television content and featuring their partners. But an incredible thing has happened. Those that "have" are reaching out to those who "have not." When Youtube stopped "Featuring" regular videos and only paid and professional content, other YouTube partners with some big numbers took over and started doing the same. YouTubers (hehe..that word Tuber again) like Crabstickz, Conawillvlog, Dan2Shambles, Blade376, Barry Aldridge and, most recently, Vlogbrothers have been so kind to promote my channel.

I try to do the same in my own small way with Shoutouts. I think that the "vlogging community" of YouTube will always find ways to help the backbone of the site no mater what corporate Google chooses to do. With the new channel redesign YouTube did listen and respond to requests from the vloggers. They still are today. My experience is just as great as it was when I first joined. In fact, it has gone way beyond my expectations. When you include Twitter, Skype and DailyBooth into the experience you find yourself making real friends.

What is happening is our world is getting smaller and there's no going back. Thankfully!

Bill Tv Shirts UK

I am very excited that now BillTvMacon.Spreadshirt.net offers colour shirts for Bill Tv in the UK.
This means that all my friends can now get the same adult shirts that have been available in the USA. There are still some limitations in that there are no children's or ladies colours yet. I hope that will change soon. And, as with the USA shirts, I make no commission as to keep the costs down for you.

(note the nifty drop down menu that lets you chose your colour!)

Epic Skype Call

ACB (AliChrisBill) is one of the YouTube joys of my life. It combines three YouTube Vloggers into one video with no timetable. Better yet, we're now on three different continents. I owe a lot to RougueBluejay (Alasdair or Ali) who has been an internet friend for just about as long as I have been posting new videos. MyNameIsChrisYeah (Chris) and I found each other when he asked to interview me for his first Chinwag feature. Ali commented how great great Chris was to be able to hold your attention for 10 minutes. Chris and I were watching one of Ali's BlogTv broadcasts and we all decided to try a video together.

One of my most asked questions is about how we make them. It's absolutely equal partners. We all edit the videos and most people can't tell who edits what. I love that. We always send to each other more footage than expected. Whatever you need you're always going to get more. We each have different styles and much the same sense of humour. (I use the UK spelling because I'm out numbered.)

It happened one day when I was on Skype call with Chris, JamFozz and WaffleSam. It's the first time I had ever spoken to Chris. We have Jammy (JamFozz) to thank because he saw that Ali was online added him to the chat and called him. The funny thing was it was 6AM in Australia. lol Ali took it well and the conversation became hysterical. I really wished I could have taped it. Needless to say, I hope we'll be doing a live type video sometime.

This is a case where people who share a common sense of humour (out numbered X 2) have found each other. When Ali moved from the UK to Australia he took us with him on his laptop. To me, this is what the internet does and good news for the world. We are all "literally" connected. I have made lifelong friends and laughter is, truly, the best medicine.

YouTube's Great Community

I recently put a mission statement on my YouTube channel.
Mission Statement: To be funny, creative and encouraging to all who post.
That pretty much is why I'm here. I like to think about the people I've met and how this happened. I'll try to explain.

One day I just started posting videos. I can't tell you who my first subscriber was, but I can tell you that I remember hitting seven and being amazed. Then I started getting to know people and really caring about them. Now, I've been all over YouTube and I can attest that there IS an underbelly of the beast.

My question is this. How did I get so many nice and kind people? Every now and again I'll get the occasional "turd in the punch bowl" but that has not been my experience in general. And, I do have friends that pretend to be asses and I know they're really not. (Actually, I can only think of one example) They act that way to keep people from taking advantage of them.

I was watching a SITC (Summer In The City) gathering video and the lady was saying that she didn't know who most of these people were. I'm here at home screaming their names. "Don't you know? That's Pixonu or Conawillvlog!" lol
YouTube is like a city. But the most important thing that it does is to allow people to be who they really are or to try being someone else without judgment.

I know the internet gets a bad rap for being dangerous. But, people need to know that it can also be an incredible place.

People Leaving YouTube

A show of hands of people who did not see this coming? Any time you turn your back on the people who made you popular you're going to see this. It's like radio turning its backs on the listeners. They've all found other things to listen to. And, surely, something else will come along to fill the void.

Youtube is very much like radio. You have to motivate yourself to stay fresh. In my mind I only have one viewer. It's nice to be popular but you can't associate your self worth with subscribers who can come and go at will. I make the same videos I did a year ago when I had 100 subscribers. If you let others choose the way you see yourself you will always lose. Don't let sub counts or views effect your opinion on your videos.

Everyone has a story. Because of different skills and various editing software we can make videos from "professional" content to just plugging in a camera and recording. To me the best ones are those who are being themselves. One of my favorite vloggers is Berehed. He's a unicyclist who loves what he does. Just fun videos that are real and honest. He has 30 subscribers and loves showing his latest accomplishment. I never miss watching video and I always comment.

The internet and those who use it is always changing. My experience is that you get out of the internet what you put into it. Make it what you want it to be.

(Barry Aldridge comments on this article and has some great thoughts.

Bill Tv Stuff

Years ago I had the Bill Tv logo (from the original tapes and DVD's) put on a t-shirt that I gave to all my friends that got the tapes. I still see them around today.

Recently I was asking local printers about making some to sell. There are two web sites with the shirts made in two places.
BillTvMacon.Spreadshirt.net (uk)
BillTvMacon.Spreadshirt.com (usa)
and for more products, there's
CafePress.com/BillTvMacon for stuff. I mean stuff. Seriously, you'd have to be rich or crazy...or both to get some of this stuff.

I made a transparent logo and began setting up a site to offer these to my YouTube viewers. Two of my favorite offerings is the STAFF shirt and Unsuspecting Co-Host shirts. Please know that I will not make a dime from the sale of the shirts. And, I wish I could give one to everyone. I'm not really sure about the quality. I think I'm going to have to order one to wear on camera. This is crazy, isn't it?

The UK also now offers colour shirts! To read about that, go here.

Less Videos....Really?

Just as I say I'm cutting back several things have come up. I believe that the primary responsibility of active YouTubers (hehe...I typed Tuber again) is to help when asked. A couple of great projects got my attention. I was asked by Myles Dyer (Blade376) to make a 5 minute video for one of the breaks for Stickaid2009 coming up August 15th. That's been done and delivered. Then, Hank Green asked for videos for Global Geek Week. Seemed like a good idea. Criss Crass (OneLittleTuber) had a sensational idea for a series of videos for us to do. And, I still have the Chris Somers (MyNameIsChrisYeah) impersonation video to make.

I'd like to make a YouTube suggestion. If you could make a way for us to post videos to our account that are not sent to our subscribers, that would be very helpful.

Cutting Back On YouTube Videos

This Friday is my one year anniversary with YouTube. Actually, I didn't really start posting until late September with original content. A year is a nice marker to reassess what has happened and what I'll be doing.

I'll be cutting back on the number of YouTube videos I'll be doing. The bottom line is that the number of views don't represent but a third of the people subscribed to me. This number hasn't changed. It shows that most of my subs are there not because they enjoy what I do but because someone with more subs has shouted me out and they sub from some sort of obligation. For that I am very appreciative.

But the views for someone with 1,300 subscribers should be 1,300 or above! That's what successful YouTubing looks like.

OnleLittleTuber Birthday

I am always amazed at the response that the Birthday videos get. There have only been three. The first one being for Barry Aldridge because he is filled to the brim with Awesome, if I may use a Vlogbrothers/nerdfighters term. But for the most part applied to people who are musicians or really into music. The "Beeker" appearances started with Captain Wilhelm's "Take On Me Challenge" video and is a running gag. It is really one of my favorite videos that I've made.

Are they difficult or time consuming to make? No. Making one takes about two to three hours. The most difficult part is the audio. The current one is about 10 tracks. I wish I could play multiple instruments and read sheet music like a bandit, but I can only sing and work out the harmonies for myself. Filming the video parts is easy. All I have to have are enough clean shirts to use on all of the singers. (Please remember that referring to yourself in the "third person" is a form of mental illness.) Editing with Final Cut Express is effortless. Stack the parts and the "non destructive" editing features take over!

I never sing live. It's all lip synced. If you see me wearing headphones, then it's real.

Here's the latest for Criss Crass. He's a multi-talented guy who sings, produces his own videos and has a real intuition for marketing himself. He comes from a performing background and also is into Marshall Arts and his friends. I got to know him when we did a collab on a video together.



Here is Criss' video response!



He's the real singer! It was awesome of him to do that.


Other Birthday Videos:
Hexachordal
Barry Aldridge

Vlogbrothers

Everyone knows John and Hank Green of YouTube. Their yearly "Project For Awesome" brings awareness and money to some fantastic charities on a global scale. Not only are they entertaining but they represent the best of what YouTube can become in its purest form, people coming together to help others.

I was reading comments on my video "Rule of Three" and one appeared from Vlogbrothers.

"I have no idea what just happened...but it was AWESOME"

I freaked out.

So I waited a day, expecting to hear their site had been hacked which was how I got the comment. But, no, it was really the vlogbrothers.

So, I wrote a note thanking them for the comment and rating the videos. John wrote back and said it was Hank who commented but he had just watched a few and subbed because he liked my style and was looking forward to what was next.

It's like life. Everybody begins YouTube with 0 subscribers and 0 videos. The experience is what you make of it. I am most fortunate to have people who view and comment and great lifelong friends I have made all over the country and world. John and Hank continue to show us what can be done if you take it to the next level.

Independance Day Gathering

RogueBluejay had his gathering in London this past Saturday. There are a couple of great videos about it. Enjoy!

ACB Tagged

One of the many great things I enjoy about YouTube is the collab with Ali (RogueBluejay) and Chris (MyNameIsChrisYeah), YouTube.com/AliChrisBill. In my humble, unprofessional opinion, here is why this works. We all make entertaining videos individually, and we can all edit. It's just so easy creating with them. I had edited the first two and when Ali said he wanted to do this one, that was great news. Also, Chris has said he'd like to edit as well. The reason this is important is that it makes it an equal partnership with everyone being capable of doing whatever needs to be done. I dare say that someone watching an ACB video would have a difficult time telling which one of us edited which video.

Ali had stated he wanted to script the videos. The way we work it works either way. My idea is that genuinely funny content will always yield a funny video if properly edited. But, a good script gives you plenty of room to negotiate into ad lib territory.

I'm going to push for Chris to do the next one just because I love having all of us make our mark on the collab. There are no rules on how this kind of collab should be done, so we're making it up as we go. What I do know is that I've never had so much fun.

RogueBluejay's Video Comments

YouTube Partner Rejection

I have weird ideas about things. I guess this mind set helped me navigate my way through radio so I pay attention to them. The bottom line is that anything that doesn't bring me an income I consider a hobby. Now, I have actually gotten some paid voiceover work from my YouTube account so it's more than paid for itself. (It's free.)

Recently, I applied for partnership on YouTube. Ali and I were on a chat and I decided to just do it. I was interested in seeing how they would reject me, not thinking that I ever had a chance. Conawillvlog had told me I would be denied because I had too few views for the amount of subscribers. Simply put, less than half of the people who subscribe actually watch my videos.

You wanna see a rejection notice? Here it is!

Dear billtvmacon,

Thank you for your interest in the YouTube Partner Program. Our goal is to extend invitations to as many partners as we can. Unfortunately we are unable to accept your application at this time. The current level of viewership of your account has not met our threshold for acceptance.

Applications are reviewed for a variety of criteria, including but not limited to the size of your audience, country of residence, quality of content, and consistency with our Community Guidelines and Terms of Use. Please review the program qualifications (http://www.youtube.com/partners) for a complete list of our criteria.

As we continue to expand we hope to be able to accept a broader group of partners. We have registered your interest in the program and will continue to monitor your account for potential future acceptance into the program.

Thank you for your understanding.

Q: Will I apply again?
A: NO

Even if YouTube asked me to join I would refuse. That's just me. They've not made things better for partners except the ones that were popular two years ago. It's like having a car wreck. I'm glad to have experienced what it felt like, but don't want to do it again.

Bunk Beds

Out of all of the things in my videos, the "Bunk Beds" get lots of comments. Most want to know why I have them. I believe that these people actually think that is where I sleep. It is not. I have my own bedroom and the bunk beds are in the guest room. I say guest room very sparingly because no one ever stays here. The front room is kind of my memorabilia room.

Those are the same beds I had as a boy in my room at my parents house. When I first moved in this house they were on the floor as single beds. But I began using the front room to play my guitar, work on computers and just hang out on cold winter days.

Lots To Cover

As of 1AM Friday morning, the USA is all digital TV. Wow. Larry King was being interviewed on the Craig Ferguson"s "Wow It's Really Late, Late, Late After The Letterman Show, Show" when it happened. My friend, Pete Konenkamp's grandfather helped put WMAZ Tv on the air. For the first time that analog transmitter is no longer needed. Funny all of this is going on when these days most young people are getting all of their entertainment from the internet.

----------------
Yesterday, President Obama wrote a note for a little girl to miss school. Her father was commenting that his daughter was missing her last day of school to be there. The President responded with, "Oh no, does she need a note?" Obama assured he was not kidding and wrote this note:

To Kennedy's teacher-

Please excuse Kennedy's absence...she's with me.

Barrack Obama

Wow.

----------------
My friend and collab partner, MyNameIsChrisYeah, made, yet, another hysterical video.




And I made this Video Response:

Some Catching Up To Do

Things have been busy around here. AliChrisBill is on hold until 19 June. Not a problem with me except that it makes me officially the dumbest person in the collab. Exams going on now and massive "revising"stalling any new videos. Here's my theory. I like working with people who have full lives outside of the internet. That way you always have experiences and stories that draw people in. Plus, there are no pressures to have a video every week. That's why it's important to subscribe.

The first video we posted on BillTvMacon went beyond our expectations. It had 597 views on my channel and 119 on the new AliChrisBill site. You can view it below. Plus, this effort is a collaboration in every sense of the word. We all share the responsibility of posting responses and handling site maintenance.

The channel has already received some honors.
#76 - Most Subscribed (This Week)
#8 - Most Subscribed (This Week) - Comedians
#83 - Most Subscribed (This Month) - Comedians
and then:
#79 - Most Subscribed (This Month) - Comedians

Thank you from all of us!

1,000 Subscribers

It has been quite a day. I put a new video up this morning and the closer I got to 1,000 the louder the chatter began. It was incredible the way everyone was encouraging others to subscribe. And then it happened. One Thousand subscribers. I actually never saw it. I refreshed and I was on 1,001.

First of all, I feel unworthy of so many viewers. But, I am so grateful for those who have subscribed. Even if you subbed and found later that I was more of an "acquired taste," I'm grateful for that too.

So, it's onward and upward. More videos to come and a real Thank You video on the way.

MyNameIsChrisYeah Reaches 300

Congratulations to MyNameIsChrisYeah for getting 300 subscribers today.
These are incredible gains in a very short time. Chris does many things right. His videos are well thought out and extremely entertaining. His sense of comedy timing is his greatest advantage, not to mention his incredible editing skills. He doesn't take himself seriously and always has a "payoff" for the video.

So, a big "Well Done!" Chris on this occasion. Onward and upward from here.

DelaneWazHere's BillTv Video

A bit of history. After Alasdair (RogueBlueJay) I found DelaneWazHere and Crabstickz. Yesterday I was on a Skype chat with Delane and he asked for a copy of the end logo on my videos. I didn't really know why but was happy to send it his way.

Moments ago I checked my subscriptions and Delane had posted! Yay! It had been a while because of exams and I was thrilled. But, I read the title. It was about me. (LOL) Uh ooooh!

The video was brilliant as they all are. If anyone deserves 1,000 subs it's him! In fact, I'd like to suggest to YouTube a subscriber transfer addition system whereby I can add my subscribers to him knowing how much they will all love his videos!

Until that happens, you can watch this incredible video below, and more, and subscribe. After exams he'll be back and I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.

New Channel Design

I want to go on record as saying that I really don't like the new channel design. No, not at all. It's slow to load and awkward to navigate. But no one asked me...actually they did. Thousands of replies have been made as YouTube has attempted to include the posters in making suggestions on design. So, I've decided to test this new design and see what it looks like. Tinker under the hood and see what it will do. So far, I'm not impressed, but we'll see. YouTube isn't playing here. Everyone is going to have to change to this new design. I just thought I'd get used to it now instead of later.

Emergency Videos Only

It seems my refurbished Mac Mini has bad RAM, a bad connector or both. So it's gone to Fayetteville, GA to get fixed. So, I'm back to my Pentium III 800Mhz PC to make videos for YouTube. I've done two so far. One was a favor and the other was the video for Chris since his battery charger has gone bad on his camcorder. I had forgotten that this PC has a habit of corrupting files if you're working on more than one project.

So my video posting will be limited for now. I hope I'm not out for more than a week. I'm expecting to have it back here by the first dew days of next week. I'll have to wait until the Mac is back home for another Unsuspecting Co-Host to be included. But I am planning to make another video in the next few days.

The one video I'm really looking forward to making is another version of RogueBluejay's "Kidnapped." I thought I'd to the first one straight, but in the next one my reactions will all be funny ones. It's all coming soon.

-------------------------

UPDATE: Turns out it was a bad hard drive in the Mini. Not the RAM at all. It's Memorial Day Weekend (of course) so it'll probably be the end of next week before the Mini gets returned. This has not been the introduction to the "cult-like" product that I had anticipated. It's a great computer, but I expected more than this. Again, this is why I don't play the lottery.

You've Blocked How Many?

Someone asked me the other day if I had ever blocked any users. The surprising answer is that I have 14 blocked from my channel. I won't get into the details here but there is one blocked user that I call my "Blockage of Mercy."

Mickeleh, who I am sure is a great guy and beloved by many, once posted in my comment section that my videos were so confusing that they were painful to watch. I blocked him. Reason? I do videos for fun and couldn't live with myself if I thought he had suffered any mental or physical damage due to the poor craftsmanship of my videos.

Which brings me to my point. Why would you post anything bad about any one's videos if there is nothing illegal or immoral about them? A person doesn't go to the trouble to post a bad video and YouTube covers so many levels of skill. Some are more adept than others. But, I like to 5* people who I feel are sincerely giving it a great effort and are being themselves. If you don't like their posts, don't watch them.

And, that's why you'll never see any negative post or comment of mine on any video.

Co-Host

I'm not sure how the idea came to me. I had mentioned to Wally (IdiotFest101) that I wanted to feature him, but wasn't sure how to do it. The idea is to draw more people to great YouTube vloggers who deserve to be seen. It is a much more difficult way to make videos since you're using content from others without their expressed consent. LOL Oops...wonder if I should be doing that? hehe I guess that's half the fun. Everyone is surprised!

YouTube and My Dad

My dad would have been 90 yesterday, May 12. Everyone tells me I'm like my mother and they're right. We have the same disposition, coloring, and general outlook on things. I do have my fathers blue eyes. Dad was the techno geek. He was the first person I know to have an online computer to make insurance quotes from a master database. It used a modem that was a phone cradle. I have both of these briefcase sized interfaces in the basement.

I say this to tell you that his love of technology and things new has always been a part of my genetic makeup. Mom could care less about geeky stuff. But dad and I were all into the things that technology could do to make things easier and bring people together. He would have been all over what I'm doing on YouTube now. He died in 1986 so he never lived to see Bill Tv. He would have loved it, tho. But, when I was building a radio station in my basement in the 60's he was always there to help. Fathers Day in America isn't until June, but I had my own little celebration yesterday.

"Evil Clone" Is A Win!

I just watched a great video featuring three of my favourite YouTubers. (Hehe...I said "Tubers" yet again...don't know why I get such a chuckle out of that...wait where am I?) It has everything you need in a video. It's very entertaining and brilliantly acted and edited. If you're not subscribed to Wally, Chris or Rob, then you're missing out. Enjoy their great work, then rate, comment and subscribe. They are everything that's good about YouTube.

Every Time I Swear I Will....I Don't

I keep thinking about how I'm going to cut down on making videos. Frankly, I post way too many. Recently, within a day of each other, I re-posted an older video followed by a Radio story. I have taped all but one segment for a new video hopefully up the first of the week. (translated...Saturday) It will directly answer Myles' question (Blade376) about my answering yes to the question "Have you ever milked a cow?" Details forthcoming.

Another reason to slow the pace is to allow the subscribers to settle. Thank goodness I've never been featured. I mean that. I saw how tough it was on Conor and it isn't pretty. Too much like radio where everyone shares their opinion whether you want it or not. The difference is that I'm not paid anything to make videos for YouTube and your subscriptions cost nothing...for the moment. hehe
Shhhhhhhhh, Bill! Don't give YouTube any ideas!

I'm Yours Cover

I was in hysterics watching MyNameIsChrisYeah and his latest video, "I'm Yours." It's not long but is it funny. In case you missed it, then you should subscribe to him and you won't miss any more videos. His expressions at the end are perfect.

ACB Brings New Collab

Something exciting is going on. Every now and then the stars align and things happen.

At first we were going to call it "Vlog Three Days In June." (mouth noise) baaaahhhhhhh

It's a new series with Alisdair (RogueBluejay) Chris (MyNameIsChrisYeah) and Bill (BillTvMacon). We post when we have a topic we want to discuss. We are each on every video so there won't be any punishments and no challenges. That's because the format won't let it happen. The now famous "Sorry this video is crap because I don't have a topic" situation can't happen either.

Voom Voom and Barry

Recently I posted videos almost back to back. When I do a video response I like to have a traditional BillTvMacon video ready in case new visitors come to the channel. Voom Voom went better than I thought it would. The nice thing about posting when I have three topics is that you may have to apologize for the content, but never for the lack of content. lol A couple of hysterical replies to the video. One from TheLOLCamel named The Swine Flu Is Coming.

And, I'm really glad to see Barry Aldridge posting his Questions again. He is so good at encouraging participation from others. Thanks, as always, Barry!

MyNameIsChrisYeah

There have seen so many great YouTube posters of late. I happened on a channel of Mr. Chris Somers, MyNameIsChrisYeah. He is a 15 year old YouTube poster who recently asked if he could do an interview with me. I had been interviewed by Barry Aldridge who is the industry standard for this sort of thing. Barry sent a list of questions in Barry's style which is fun and informational.

What set Chris apart is that he included comedy ideas. I have to add that Chris Somers edited everything. I offered no suggestions or comments. This was, after all, his video. When I read, "hands Bill a piece of toast" he knew I knew exactly what to do. I'm thinking, "this guy is amazing!" Chris also included other things and left me the opportunity to do whatever I wanted at the end, which was to give him back a peanut butter sandwich. Chris even crammed the sandwich in his mouth which was improvisational. This dude is really advanced. Even his reactions to my replies, like almost eating the chocolate treat, were hysterically funny. And, don't miss the smiley face he does at the end.

So I was on a chat with Ali (RogueBluejay) and Chris at the same time. Alasdair thought I had something to do with the comedy bits. When I explained that Chris did it all he was amazed as well. Bottom line is I hooked them up and Ali did a Tweet on Chris' channel to draw more subs.

The idea is that there is so many channels with great videos that deserve so many more subscriptions. The problem is that people don't know about them. I am truly glad that a great guy is getting the recognition he deserves. Well done, Chris! Yeah!

Take On Me Challange

I love the "personal" part of YouTube. I have made many great and talented friends, like Will and Matt.

CaptainWilhelm (Will) is one awesome dude. He's the one who started this whole "Take On Me" Challenge. I invite you to join if you haven't. Also mmmStaley (Matt) did a video response which didn't work as he had hoped because of technical reasons. He is an incredible musician as well.

About my response. I couldn't use the backtrack Will left to be downloaded because the pitch was too high for my Beaker impression. My background includes 12 voices and a 2 liter fizzy drink bottle and a plastic cup of computer screws. Wish I could play guitar worth crap. Anyway, The entire video is lip synced. If you want a copy, there's a remix MP3 of the song.

Thanks for all of the attention the video has gotten. I love YouTube!

RADIO Contests

I get more comments from some Radio Vlogs on YouTube than almost anything. Viewers my age remember those days fondly, and younger enjoy the nostalgia. We live in an interesting time when those 12 to 15 love the Eagles, Hendrix and John Lennon as much as me. I love that about the way things are now.

We did lots of television, print and billboard advertising. The two television commercials were both done by companies out of Nashville. "Sister" was filmed at someone's home the studio had rented for the day. I don't remember the name of the guy who played Sister but he knew every script to the Andy Griffith Show by memory. Unreal.

The studio commercials were actually produced and edited by Filmhouse in Nashville, TN and filmed in our Macon television studios. It's a fake radio set. We did 12 commercials in 12 hours that day. I have to bring 6 changes of clothes. Things I didn't know about filming this type of commercial is they also put makeup on your hands.

The one thing people want to know is how did they do the money drop and was it real money. Nope. It was "showbiz" fake money and it was a guy on a ladder above us. There was a Styrofoam cover put over the counter with two holes. One for me and one for Donna. So what looks like money filling the area we're in is just some money covering the counter. The down side to that commercial was that when we'd screw up, they had to pick up money and drop it again. lol

When I finished the shoot, I went home and got ready to go to Atlanta. The indoor soccer team I was helping with had a playoff game at 9:30 that night. That was a long day!

YouTube New Chanel Design

I tried the new YouTube channel design for a day and went back to the original template. Beta testing isn't supposed to be ready for everyone and, indeed, it is not. We'll all have to be patient as YouTube tries to "find itself" again. The good news is that they are allowing people to test it and comment. That's a great sign.

Bill Elder And The Blue Dukes

I love music and it's no wonder I'm drawn to musicians and what they do. Matt, who is a fellow YouTube poster and friend, plays trombone. So when his signature picture had him playing trombone this story came flooding back. It's one that I'll probably never do a video about so I thought it would be fun to post it here.

My uncle passed this along after my dad died in 1986. William Elder Jr. had to leave Duke University to serve in World War II as a pilot. While he was at Duke, he had a band. You see, he played trombone. His band was pretty popular they tell me. It seems dad had assembled some great musicians. When he left to fly his former band was needing a new leader. An underclassman took them on. According to my uncle, his name was Les Brown. And that was the band that became the "Band of Renown." That's right. Les Brown And His Band Of Renown who played for Bob Hope for almost 50 years. I have to admit I get a lump in my throat when I see this video.

BTW, my nephew, Chris, also played that same trombone in his high school band and still has it today.

Thanks, Matt, for reminding me of this. Keep playing, dude!

Russian Gymnastics Team

I've gotten many messages about my Youtube post on the Russian Gymnasts. Since this blog is for further information about my videos, I thought I'd post some excerpts from an Archive page on my web site.

They spoke hardly any English (although they knew more words than they would let us know) and we didn't know Russian. That night we just were with them watching them watch TV, play ping pong, and Nintendo. Aleksei at Coliseum The night at the Coliseum was magic. They were incredible.
A gymnast named Aleksei Grigoriev wowed the crowd with his "one arm" move on the high bar. Another gymnast, Aleksei Nemov did a magnificent "Floor Exercise". Randy asked me to emcee the event, and I readily accepted. The evening of the exhibition I could hardly believe my eyes. Macon had never seen gymnastics like that. It was very close to the last night of Gymnastics at the Olympics. Very fun, very upbeat. Naturally, the crowd was won over by their talent and charm. The next day we were on a bus to Atlanta to the Georgia Dome to get a first look at the site of the Olympic Gymnastics events.

On the way home we stopped at a K-Mart to shop. Imagine, non-English speaking Russians and Americans shopping til you drop in two different languages! (I almost got my new friends in deep trouble when we were five minutes late to the bus.) The athletes were to be back at the bus at 4pm exactly. After about an hour and a half of shopping it was time to go to meet the bus. My watch was apparently five minutes behind the Coaches watch. We were five minutes late and she was not pleased. The guys were laughing about the expression on my face when she shook her finger in it. When we arrived back at the dorm, Aleksei Gregoriev walked toward the door of the dorm, stopped, and turned around. Making a "steering wheel" motion with his hands, he pointed to my car. He wanted to drive it ! There was an empty field behind the dorm. I had a world class athlete in my car teaching him to drive a five speed.

Lots of stories to tell, but I'll spare you. We can't keep in touch like we used to do. But the place they hold in my life will not diminish.

365Project

I got a message from Lamarr (wilsontech1) that a couple of people were unable to do a video for the 365 Project channel on YouTube and could I come up with something Friday to be sent in no later than Saturday. So, I did the video that I was going to post on my channel to them. A big "thank you" to everyone who has subscribed. About 40 so far. You're only on the channel for a day. I also love how Maggie's picture from the day before was on the page while my video was up. I'm thinking that's really why I got the subs. lol



Sidebar note: The video that's up now, "Do You Tweet?" was done in two hours. I wanted something original to be there when new folks stopped by to check out the channel.

Thanks to all who subscribed and to The 365 Project for just being awesome!

April Fools On YouTube

It's interesting what YouTube did last night. Many videos are upside down today on this April Fools Day. I don't pay anything for the service so I can't say much about it. But you can opt out via a link on the right so videos will appear normal.

LOST (The Explanation)

First off, you need to know that I love having subscribers. I don't make videos to get subscribers but it's fantastic to know that people are watching. The next thing is a bit about how I actually recorded the video. This next section will give a bit more detail about how I record and edit these videos.

1. I never try to force one topic to work with another. They are all recorded mostly at different times and at different hours. There have been times when I've recorded two segments in a day, but that was after finding a topic I wanted to use. I say as much as I can think of on a topic and usually only use about 1/4 of it in the end. I'm getting better now that I'm figuring out that most of the videos should clock in at about 2:30 on average.

2. It's all in the editing. It comes together after I load it and start putting it on a timeline. (I use Final Cut Express 4) Each feature is a different clip. I select parts from that feature and start piecing things together. More often than not it surprises even me. Unexpected funny placement of clips and quick edits just seem to come together. For instance, in the Grandma video it was while editing that I decided to let the moans go through the Shoutouts section and to through the final logo drop. I never know until I start piecing things together.

Have I ever gone back and changed something? Yes, but not often.

Joekins89 Video

There is a YouTuber named Joekins89. I love that term, Youtuber. Sounds like a musical instrument. Joe has made a video about me that I think is amazing. It is a very effective visual way to remember the channel name and is very creative. He did both the video editing and created the song. It's posted below. It's difficult for me to put into words how flattered I am that I am even noticed. So, Joe, thanks for this. For those of you that haven't enjoyed it yet, you may view it below. Also, go by Joe's channel and subscribe.



A side note. I really miss Ali on YouTube. I deeply admire what he's doing, but I can't help but hope he's taking notes on events and will comment on them when he returns in June. I'll give you a sneak peek. He's in my April Fools Video coming up in a few days.

Crossover BillTvMacon Subscribers

I was having a chat with Sebastian who I've known for about 9 years. As we were speaking of YouTube and videos it hit me. He is one of the folks who got the original Bill Tv videos and now watches the new ones on YouTube. I asked him if he still had his Bill Tv shirt. (I sent one to everyone on the list one year.) He said he did. It made me wonder of how many of the old viewers of the video tape/DVD are now subbed to the channel? I can think of four more right now. The thought put a big smile on my face. I feel kind of silly sitting here typing and grinning.

700 Subs Today

Stephen of 3sixty5days is really the one responsible for this. I did a voiceover for his video and he told his (over 11,000) subscribers to sub to me. The guy is brilliant and a great person as well.



Like me it's short and too the point.

Ali And 600

I was pleased to see that Roguebluejay is still watching videos on YouTube. He's more than likely seen his unauthorized appearances on Bill Tv as he spends these days readying himself for exams. I'm really glad to hear he's having some fun.

Also, looks like Englishous (Rhys) is doing the same. He's taking an undisclosed amount of time off. Life happens, folks. Sometimes you have to prioritize, and I'm proud of those who take their future seriously.

Thank you, everyone for 600 subscribers. It's awesome and I'm humbled and grateful.

Copying Video Style

My nephew was asking how it made me feel to have people copy my style? Fist off, I don't consider it mine. Sitcoms have been using three topics for years. But I am very flattered and honored when I can help someone find their voice. Isn't that what Youtube is all about? To me, it's the highest form of flattery.

Interesting to me that the most negative comments from viewers is also about the editing style. I understand that too. Sometimes it is difficult to keep up. So far the positive comments out number the negative, but I'm keeping a close eye on that.

Here's the video where I was honored by people doing the Bill Tv style.

Rethinking Shoutouts

When I first began doing Shoutouts they were for people like Jardine 64 (now Roguebluejay) Crabstickz, Delanewazhere, Stewze and others. I enjoyed their videos and thought others might too. These days I am loaded with requests and suggestions to put at the end of each video. To be honest I was considering dropping the Shoutouts at the end. But instead, I'll start selecting each one again.

Many state that they'd like more subscribers. Here's the flaw in the thought. I can draw them to your channel, but your videos have to interest the viewer and motivate them to subscribe.

Here's how I got more subscribers. I became involved in other channels by commenting and rating. You'll need to be positive in your comments and video reply making sure your video relates to the topic. YouTube is all about community. And, don't forget to be yourself. We all love to watch people being who they really are.

Good luck!

RogueBlueJay on Hiatus

There's one thing you want to see happening in your future. You want to move out of your parents house and be on your own. This doesn't happen if you don't have a skill, or an education. Alasdair, my good friend from YouTube, has this well under control. He's taking some time off from YouTube to study for his final exams. He's thinking ahead. Believe me, YouTube will be there when he's ready.

But, what he doesn't know is that I've been planning on reading fake letters from him that have him turning up at all kinds of celebrity events. God bless photoshop. Here is his goodbye video. Don't cry, kiddies, it's only temporary.



I wish I had a shirt for everyone. I literally found it while looking in a closet and knew I was going to send it to him. He was the first to tell me to post original material. Ali is my closest YouTube friend who has always been encouraging me. The man is truly brilliant. His videos inspired me to find my style. But, the most important thing is he tells me what he truly thinks. I know we'll keep in touch and YouTube will be a better place when he returns. But for now, he has important things to do.

The Process

I'm always interested in how other people create their videos. My worst enemy is time. Too often I don't take enough time between videos to let the current one "sink in" or be viewed by the most people. The way subscriptions work is the latest video is the one on the subscribers list. So, if a subscriber only checks in every couple of days they could very well miss a video created a day earlier.

You can't force comedy. Most times the best comments are the ones I ad lib. I can find humor in most things so finding material isn't difficult. But, putting it together is. I wonder sometimes if just telling one story would be better. The way the three stories blend is, at times, completely unexpected.

This really isn't a new idea. Television shows often have a plot and two sub plots. Jokes often use the rule of three for setups. My greatest fault is in not telling the setup or premise well enough. I am always amazed at how some people get the idea right away. Thanks so much for the kind and encouraging comments.

Either way, enjoyment and laughter is what I'm after.

Back To Posting

I've posted a couple of videos since my rant below about leaving. I was really serious about moving on. Actually, even if I had stopped posting I still would have remained to follow my favorite posters. I did discover Vimeo and MySpace Videos for posting. YouTube still has the people and the traffic.

Why I May Be Leaving YouTube

I woke this morning to find that YouTube had disabled the audio on one of my song parody videos. I removed over 65 videos on my own from the old Bill Tv tapes that really did use copyright music. It was my understanding that songs could be used when used in comedy lip syncs, but that may be incorrect.

The claim has been disputed and I'll more than likely go back and delete the song parodies too. Whether I want to continue to draw people to YouTube is a decision I'll have to make. I won't ever get featured (not young, talented or cute enough) or made a partner (even at over 550 subscribers that's nothing by YTube standards) so it may be time to severely limit my participation or go altogether.

My creativity is all about me. I know that sounds selfish. But I truly enjoy making videos. But, this part isn't fun or encouraging.

BillTvMacon HD

Thanks to Final Cut Express, Bill Tv is now in High Def. Back in December, YouTube introduced the idea of posting in widescreen. I resisted for a while and then found a way to fake widescreen.

Today I posted my first HD video by discovering that it is simply uploading a video with screen size of 1280 X 720. This is where YouTube wanted to go with this. Because, now you click on HD and a new view page opens and you get a larger screen. The load time is faster and it is a beautiful picture.

So, even though my face deserves to be seen in the lowest resolution possible, my videos will be High Def. I hope it enhances your viewing pleasure. ALso, I couldn't have been happier to have the first HD as a video to promote Comic Relief in the UK. Yay!

Final Cut Express

My current "Lent" video is the first to be edited on my Mac with Final Cut Express. I still have lots to learn, especially with fonts and titles, but it is a pleasure to use. It's just close enough to Adobe Premiere to be very familiar. A powerful piece of software for the hobbyist.

Thankfully, any roadblock with the software is being helped by the internet and Youtube. I love learning new things. That's how I learned how to matt a green screen graphic. Lots of drop and drag with this program. Thankfully, Roguebluejay has FC Pro and can, hopefully, help.

This video work horse has let me know that I'll be learning for quite a while.

When Old Is New

Several things are in the works. Most importantly is that Final Cut Express is on its way. That's a big "yay" from E-Bay as it will allow me to edit video much like I did when I was using Adobe Premiere. iMovie 09 is nice for drop and drag features but I really need a traditional timeline.

I also want to start showing some footage from the old (original) Bill Tv. Much of it I removed for copyrighted music. So, now that it's wrong, I have a "cleared for broadcast" production library I can use for that if needed.

Also, some UK footage from my travels there are on the way. And, if you see someone who looks like they might be my son in the videos, that's me. lol

Mac Mini

The video, "Hot Pockets" was the first video edited on my new Mac Mini using iMovie. I told Sam Caplat it was like scratching your nose by way of your butt. But, I figured it out enough to make a seamless transition from one to the other. Final Cut Express is in my future. It is more like my former program, Adobe Premiere, used to be. More traditional timelines to give me more control.

I will share that the key part of my videos is actually audio. That was the most difficult part. The picture really isn't as important as what's being said. You'll notice that there's hardly a silent part of the video from start to finish. That being said, that makes a silent pause even more effective.

All I can say is that I am lovin' the Mac. Wished I hadn't waited this long.

Just To Let You Know

The most fantastic stories always come out of real life. It is the best entertainment and sometimes the most unbelievable. Youtube continues to amaze me.

First of all, Barry Aldridge is back posting videos and doing Blog Tv again. Fantastic for those fans like me that are glad to have him return. He has been so fantastically kind to me and things I've posted.

I am also amazed at the musical offerings of YouTube. Several finds that I want you shout about. First is Tom Milsom. Hexachordal is huge on Youtube so this is pretty much old news for anyone that's been watching videos for a while. But, if you haven't heard him, you're really missing a treat. His genius lyrics and always catchy tunes just make me feel good. A true artist in so many respects.

The next is Will Williamson, or CaptainWilhelm on YTube. I've always loved Ska and this guy can knock it out. He got me when he included the trombone in the mix one day. Soooo Mighty Mighty Bosstone! Yay! Go check out his channel and music.

BlogTV Today

Today at 3PM GMT (1500) and 10AM EST I will be on BlogTv.
BillTv's BlogTv Channel
For one hour I'll be interacting with my fellow YouTubers and playing clips from the old radio show. I'm really looking forward to talking with folks who regularly view my YouTube Channel. OK. I'll post back here when it's all over. lol And, it may, indeed, be all over.

I Am Overwhelmed

At first that sounds like a personal statement. But if I finish the sentence I mean to say that I am overwhelmed by the talented and thoughtful posters in my group of friends on YouTube. On a daily basis we are in touch all over the world. Throughout the day I watch these creative and expressive people. They make me laugh and sometimes cry. I favorite them all the time and for the very best I download the video on my Nokia internet tablet to have forever.

In a strange way we have created the world we want. People of all kinds of backgrounds, ages and socioeconomic levels are putting personal events and feeling online for the world to see. The community comes through comments and the occasional "get together" through on Blog Tv.

Incredible.

Sheffield Gathering

I've always loved seeing videos and hearing about gatherings. Today, one was held at Sheffield. As I write this it is almost midnight in the United Kingdom. Today some YouTube participants got together to meet, play and fellowship. Familiar faces, all.

Hopefully, we'll get to see posts of the event and hear commentary from those that attended. Check my channel for favorited videos on the event.

I did a video about having my own gathering. Hope you enjoy it if you haven't seen it.

A Better Way To Post

Ten years ago I couldn't have done this. You may have read my earlier post about what it takes to get my vlogs on YouTube. But, thanks to the internet, I now have a better way to get my videos online. Sam Caplat and I were on a chat one morning and I discovered he was a Adobe Premiere editor as well. I was mentioning what I had to do to create a 16:9 video (all the rage these days) and he mentions a converter program to help. I know they existed and he recommended the perfect one. Save the day Sam!

This takes about half an hour off of my editing time and allows me to export from one computer and right on to YouTube. Brilliant stuff! The program I use in named Prism from NCH Software.

Now..what to do with all this extra time!?!

Barry Aldridge

There is a popular poster named Barry Aldridge on YouTube. I hope you non-tube types can follow this story. When you post on YouTube people can make word replies or video replies. Video is much more fun. One day Barry, who has way over 2,426 subscribers, was asking for our favorite Walt Disney movie. Great question since every one on earth knows about Uncle Walt. I answered with a video response. You can read about it on his blog here.

I didn't know he had posted my video on his site. So when I saw that I thought there must have been some mistake and posted another reply video. You may read about that here.

I can't say enough about his generosity and kindness toward my posts. I truly do this for fun. It's a nice release for me and I have truly enjoyed my circle of friends who have been connected by our common love of making videos. Be sure to read his blog and watch his videos.

Thank you Barry!

Thank You for 200

Thank you for 200 subscriptions! When I first started making videos for Youtube I never dreamed that my 8 subscribers would eventually become 200. I know that to many of you that 200 is not a lot. But to me it is more than I ever thought I'd get. As I type this it's actually 208. Pinch me. Thank you and please know there's more to come.

There have been some great people who have been very kind in promoting my videos and encouraging their subscribers to sub me.

Happy New Year

It's been amazing watching all of the New Year's Eve videos. With the click of a mouse you're connected with friends all over the world. I never really thought much about YouTube and what it was. I enjoyed watching old clips from television shows and the occasional personal posting.

What I was missing was the community. I have enjoyed videos from some amazing people who have encouraged me and been extremely helpful. I just wanted to say how grateful I am for all of those who have lead by examples with great, creative original content. You continue to inspire.