MetaMovies

November 10, 2008 11:34 AM

The Future of MeFiMusic: Video?

Hello there. I'm inquiring into the possibility of incorporating video into MeFiMusic at some point in the foreseeable future. I understand video files are substantially larger than mp3s, and excuse my utter lack of computer knowledge, but is there a way to process them down the way YouTube does? I know MetaFilter's bandwith resources are significantly limited to that of an interweb empire like YouTube's, but it'd be neat to put moving faces to the moving music of our recording mefites. I can see this working with AskMeFi as well, allowing members to record little videos of themselves asking questions and demonstrating their queries with additional visual support.

"Can I make a wedding ring from this?"
"Should I wear this red dress or this green dress to my dreaded High School reunion?"
"What the hell is this weird rash on my ass?"

Reading through the questions on AskMeFi, I can see that many of them would benefit from a feature of this sort. Be that as it may, I see the contra argument as well, for who in their right mind wants to see an assrash. Regardless, am I in the realm of MeFantasy here? If it's impossible to actualize today, is this something we may see in say, three years from now?

posted by ageispolis to Feature Requests at 11:34 AM (23 comments total)

This is like the very party-pooperist response possible, but is there any reason not to just upload videos to youtube and link them into an askme thread or a music post?

I love the idea of seeing mefite-produced videos—whether entertainment and informational—but I don't think the main thing standing between people here and amateur video production is lack of local upload/transcode/hosting/embedding mechanisms. That's pretty much a solved problem thanks to Youtube et al; the first thing I think we'd need to see to be motivated toward a serious discussion about this sort of thing is mefites using those existing tools a whole lot for metafilter-y purposes, you know?
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:00 PM on November 10, 2008

Leave it to the new full time mod to poop on the party.
posted by Sailormom at 12:05 PM on November 10, 2008

What about extending the YouTube pop/embedding option to all subsites?
posted by carsonb at 12:18 PM on November 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

It would annoy the crap out of me to see videos in AskMe.
posted by desjardins at 12:19 PM on November 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

I propose the following 21st-century change to Zawinski's Law:

"Every program website attempts to expand until it can read mail users can post video. Those programs websites which cannot so expand are replaced by ones which can."
posted by Plutor at 12:48 PM on November 10, 2008

who in their right mind wants to see an assrash [?]

Probably this guy. Also, I don't think cortex is being party pooperish at all, as it's much easier to just link your video that you uploaded to your favorite hosting site rather than have them recreate all that in-house.

Now, can this thread get any more scatological?
posted by Burhanistan at 12:50 PM on November 10, 2008

Yeah I can see the rare case where it would be useful but moderating a video site would be a big leap up in "things to pay attention to" over what we have now. We do a lot of tech support as it stands -- well, some -- for the music part of the site and I expect that would get more difficult with a video aspect. Right now the music part of the site attracts people who are, most of the time, already making and recording music with the occasional n00b (like myself) to make it interesting. More to the point, we can't improve upon YouTube and YT content is already embeddable and linkable. I think the fac tthat we've almost never seen anyone doing this so far in AskMe indicates that maybe the need for this really isn't there.

is this something we may see in say, three years from now?

I can't envision three months from now, let alone years, but I don't see it as one of the many things that we currently bat around as "in the hopper" I can also see it as a fun little MeFite side project moreso than an actual site feature, but I always say that. I mean heck, even using a distinct tag on YT like metafilter would do some of this.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:53 PM on November 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

It would annoy the crap out of me to see videos in AskMe.

Amen x 1000.

Here's the thing- by restricting AskMe to the written word, you're forced to distill your question down, because you actually have to take the time to write it. Yes, there are some rambling questions (usually about relationships), but most of them are readable in about 5-10 seconds. Video, on the other hand, is a license for you to lazily ramble on and on before getting to the actual question. And btw, your mic makes you sound like you're in the far end of a tunnel. And that light? Not very flattering.
posted by mkultra at 1:27 PM on November 10, 2008

Those example questions are much better served with images, I think.

It might be easier to phrase a question in video - maybe - but it would suck up a lot more time & attention in answering a question.
posted by Pronoiac at 2:08 PM on November 10, 2008

I for one and disturbed by these fecal parties. I liked Metafilter better when pooping was not a part of anyone's party.
posted by blue_beetle at 2:37 PM on November 10, 2008

Is this where the party is? It smells kind of poopy in here.
posted by Grangousier at 3:35 PM on November 10, 2008

Those example questions are much better served with images, I think.

You know what the problem with that is though.. :)
posted by Chuckles at 5:29 PM on November 10, 2008

"What the hell is this weird rash on my ass?"

Seriously, just upload it whereever and link. Your ISP probably gives you webspace for free.
posted by pompomtom at 7:03 PM on November 10, 2008

Just put it up on Flickr.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:23 PM on November 10, 2008

Leave it to the new full time mod to poop on the party.

*Begins whisper campaign on how "He's changed, man."*
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:54 PM on November 10, 2008

I think embedded video would work just fine for MefiMusic, but nowhere else, provided the video is produced by the composer/musician. There is no bandwidth expense. And as far as I know, embedding a YT video (and only YT) poses no security risk. The videos, in general, would be no more amateurish or less professional than the music recorded. Because visual art and music compliment each other so well, ageispolis's suggestion is, imho, a good one.
posted by sluglicker at 10:56 PM on November 10, 2008

Just chiming in to give my support for embedded video on MeMu. It would make me both record more music and post to MeMu more.

Please please please.
posted by armoured-ant at 7:34 AM on November 11, 2008

Post your video on your own site and link to it in projects. Or start a site for Mefites who want to produce videos.

I would guess that the majority of Mefites read Mefi at work at least some of the time, and I do not watch videos at work. I could, but I'm too lazy to unplug my headphones from my iPod and into my computer, and it's distracting for people who walk by my cube. If someone forgets a NSFW tag, I could be in deep shit.

Also, wouldn't this open up potential copyright issues? mattjesstex don't really need that stress.
posted by desjardins at 9:52 AM on November 11, 2008 [1 favorite]

cortex: This is like the very party-pooperist response possible

I'd like to see videos of mods' explanations of why a thread was deleted or a pony denied.

(I also think that linking elsewhere from a Music or an AskMe post is totally acceptable and keeps with the linky nature of MeFi.)
posted by not_on_display at 5:32 PM on November 11, 2008

jessamyn: I mean heck, even using a distinct tag on YT like metafilter would do some of this.

"You cannot--cannot--stop the power of an idea." (I about shit my pants watching this.)
posted by not_on_display at 5:42 PM on November 11, 2008

I have made this helpful video in the spirit of Meatbomb.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:14 PM on November 11, 2008 [3 favorites]

You look like the most understanding and considerate burglar EVAR.

"Hey, I, uh, noticed you guys have a computer with a cam over by the nook where your silverware was, and, I understand if you aren't cool with it and this may be kinda awkward, but if I could just use it for a sec, that'd be awesome, 'kay? That cool? It's sorta for work, and it would really help me out a lot, guys. Guys...? -oh sorry, I forgot about the gags, heh, just nod if it's okay!"
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:25 PM on November 11, 2008

Sorry to pick this apart, but it was a really weak response:

Post your video on your own site and link to it in projects. Or start a site for Mefites who want to produce videos.

This would mean the videos aren't on MeFi Music, therefore defeating the object of the exercise entirely.

I would guess that the majority of Mefites read Mefi at work at least some of the time, and I do not watch videos at work.

Your sample size of 'one' doesn't really speak to me. In the various places I've worked, folk have listened to (and, on occasion, watched) YouTube videos while working. The main reason being that they can listen to whatever song they want; almost anything you can think of is on there. My point being that of the percentage that wouldn't necessarily watch the videos, there's a number that would still listen to them. Then there's the whole other group of users who are reading MetaFilter in their own time, rather than at work.

I could, but I'm too lazy to unplug my headphones from my iPod and into my computer.

You are, clearly, not the target audience for MetaFilter Music at all.

If someone forgets a NSFW tag, I could be in deep shit.

Same goes for everything else on MeFi - and the internet, for that matter.

Also, wouldn't this open up potential copyright issues? mattjesstex don't really need that stress.

They'd be no more vulnerable than they already are (as they're currently permitting the submission of cover songs, mashups and the like), unless someone gets seriously lazy, and outright steals a published music video. This is seriously unlikely, and exactly the sort of thing we have flagging for.

To reiterate; I think the way forward here would be to allow the submission of a YouTube URL instead of an MP3 upload. The embedded YouTube player would then take the place of the Flash MP3 player on the song's post page. Artists would have to concede that their song would not be playable from the homepage, nor would it be playlistable like the MP3 tracks on the site.
posted by armoured-ant at 4:16 AM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite]