This image recently appeared in my inbox. It came from Jamie Jean, an Elastic Lab filmmaker from Nashville, who explained that the photo (of Jamie, his dog and our t-shirt) would be appearing in the credits of a soon-to-be-released book by Guy Gilchrist called The Best of Today’s Dogg. Turns out, Jamie is Guy’s videographer. I had seen a music video they produced together so knew Guy was a musician, but a little research revealed a bigger story.

Guy Gilchrist is an internationally syndicated cartoonist and children’s book author. His work includes classic comic strips like Nancy, Sluggo and Jim Henson’s Muppets. He’s authored 48 children’s books. He’s designed characters for Tom & Jerry, Pink Panther, Looney Tunes and Disney. His work hangs in the White House and the Smithsonian. Today’s Dogg™, an online comic strip, is his latest project.

Guy is a singer-songwriter. After an early brush with Billboard’s Top 100, Guy put his music aspirations on hold for a couple of decades to pursue illustration. Now he’s in Nashville putting his poetry to music and sharing the stage with the likes of Charlie Daniels, The Marshall Tucker Band, Wet Willie and Tommy Cash.

Guy is a philanthropist. Through his artwork (including the Today’s Dogg website) and personal appearances, he has helped raise money for any number of great causes including Boys Town, The Angelus and animal rescue groups.

Guy calls Jamie “one of the kindest people I’ve ever known.” Considering the source, that’s a really nice compliment. Thanks for letting us share in this.

• Find out more about Guy.
• Read Today’s Dogg.
• Watch for the book.

Check out FastPencil. Guy just signed on with FastPencil to publish his new book. Like music, film production, photography, advertising and a lot of other industries,  publishing is facing fundamental changes in how they do business in a digital world. For all you multi-talented creatives, FastPencil offers a collaborative self-publishing solution from manuscript through distribution. Formats: Kindle, iPad, ePUB, PDF, hardcover, paperback.

Much has been written in regard to the value of video within the online shopping cycle. Recent studies have shown that when product video is added to online retail sites it can lift conversion rates for product information requests and purchase. It certainly makes sense–if you can’t interact with the product in person, get a sense for what that is like by watching video–it’s the next best thing to being there.

Understanding how video can support the shopping cycle is critical to determining what type of information to include in that format. As an industry leading automotive portal, Vehix has integrated digital video as one of their core information pillars, delivering content like crash tests, reviews and test drives. Video has the advantage of being able to communicate a lot of detailed information in an engaging format. And, with cars, there is an endless stream of data that can be evaluated to help make an informed decision.

However, based on years of consumer site usage, Vehix has observed that it’s not just data that consumers are looking for. During the automotive shopping process, which is typically three to six months, and even after a purchase, consumers go online to learn about maintenance, technology advancements, events and road trips. Based on consumer need, Elastic Lab worked with Vehix to create several series of videos ranging from shopping tips, consumer video reviews, automotive adventures and how-tos. And, proving once again that “content is king”, the more video that Vehix posted, the more video consumers viewed. Over the course of the past eight months, and the integration of nearly one hundred new videos, video pages per visitor increased by 56%, generating more engagement with the site and garnering increased revenue from advertisers.

As Vehix continues to expand their video library, they remain focused on their goal to provide targeted video episodes that meet specific needs of niche audiences–first time buyers, used buyers, families, and more–in order to make the content as relevant as possible to both consumers and advertisers alike.

– Krista Nicholson

The funny series “Leaving Bliss,” from director Steve Yager and actor/writer Shanna Micko, is a finalist in the comedy pilot category at the New York Television Festival. If you’re in the city this week, check out one of their FREE screenings at the New World Stages at 340 West 50th Street, New York, NY.

• Thursday, September 24, at 7:30 (stage 3)
• Friday, September 25, at 6:15 (stage 2)

Good luck!

Level 26: Dark Origins will be released on September 8 and tells the story of forensic operative, Steve Dark. I’ll let you find out more about the premise on your own, but suffice it to say, it’s grisly stuff. Level26.com launched Thursday and includes a social community where readers can connect. The entire experience is being showcased today at Comic-Con.

This week’s coverage has generated a lot of comments about Hollywood egos and the sad state of traditional media, but surprisingly few about embracing innovation as a way to help shape the future of our respective industries. As a book lover, I don’t know if I’ll like the digi-novel experience. As a video producer, I’m intrigued. So in spite of my aversion to extreme grisliness, my copy of Level 26 is on pre-order.

- Julie Morey

Kevin Railsback’s short film, The River, recently won a Gold Eddy at the 2009 Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival (CRIFF). A skilled cinematographer with a deep devotion to the outdoors, Kevin has created a moving tribute to the fragile nature of our rivers. CRIFF is dedicated to showcasing films from Iowa and around the country that demonstrate a strong connection to the state.

Blogging, social networks, mobile video and photo capabilities offer me many ways to more accurately express myself. These new tools also give artists and filmmakers new media for their creative arsenal. With one independent film festival (Sundance) just behind us, and another just ahead (SXSW), it is interesting to see how technology blurs the lines and changes the categories within film. The South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) is a three-pronged event that features music, film, and interactive conferences in Austin, TX. Although each category is separate, the fact that each of these events occur simultaneously shows how all of these expressions influence each other.  SXSW also sponsors an online and mobile film fest called SXSWClick!. As our media experiences intertwine video, audio, photography, interactive tools, and text, the categories of traditional festivals may fail to reflect the myriad of genres in the digital world. Where do concepts like this, or even this fit? Will there ever be category that could include real time mobile video performance via Qik?

While in Spain last year I noticed that film festivals were beginning to include categories that challenged our thoughts about the moving image. At the Punto de Vista International Documentary Film Festival in Pamplona, seven Spanish filmmakers were selected to create experimental documentary films with footage captured only on a cell phone. Europe seems to embrace the interaction of media with the proliferation of AudioVisual festivals. These events highlight anything from web design, mobile videos, animation, machinima, transmission art, to audio installations. As you attend festivals and conferences over the next few months let us know what new work stands out as pushing the boundaries of the moving image beyond the big screen. Which events acknowledge the importance of creativity accessed through mobile phones as well as the big screen?

Kate Dawson

Our blog has a new home, a shiny new RSS feed and several new contributors to keep us more current. We hope you’ll check in from time to time. Besides updates on our own commercial projects and experimental films, we’ll share our thoughts on issues that affect anyone interested in original video and new media. Some of the topics we find ourselves musing about almost daily are keeping up with new technologies and digital legislation, understanding the emotional realities of industries in flux (like advertising, film production, music and publishing), and finding excitement in forging new ground. We look forward to spirited conversations with all of you.

Julie Morey