Yahoo! Video Blog

Can’t Sing? Prove it!

Administrator — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:22:02 +0000

Every month, the Butterfinger Comedy Network sets up a video upload challenge. Last month they asked you to submit your best pranks. This time, they want you to sing. No talent? No problem! Butterfinger wants to see—and hear—you at your song-singing worst. Just remember they want to hear you sing, so no celebrity uploads, unless you are that celebrity (in which case, Scarlett, please send it without delay).

If your video is good, by which, we suppose, that means bad, you’ll be added to a special playlist proudly displaying your vocal virtuosity. When you’re ready, head on over to the Butterfinger Comedy Network and click the ‘Can’t Sing? Prove It!’ link in the upper right corner. Or, you can go directly here.

-Kent, Yahoo! Video Team

Fringe Fridays: Too Much Good Stuff

Administrator — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:11:54 +0000

This has been a week like no other in the Fringe Fridays department here at Yahoo! Video. Maybe it has something to do with Yahoo! Video launching in Germany, France, Italy, and the UK on Wednesday. Yes, now our friends in the EU are enjoying our awesome widescreen player, embeddable playlists, and network experience. And we are enjoying some startling and amazing work in the most universal of video genres: animation.

So, willkommen, bienvenue, benvenuto, cead mile failte, and welcome! Check out this sampling of remarkable work. A word of warning, some of it is not for the feint of heart:

For more of our good fortune, check out the animation network.

-Kent, Yahoo! Video Team

The Onion News Network Wins Webbys

Administrator — Wed, 07 May 2008 16:56:38 +0000

Apparently we’re not the only ones to think that the Onion News Network is a stalwart of journalistic excellence. They picked up literally oodles of Webby Awards. Though I think there’s a misunderstanding. They won in a comedy category. C’mon, this is news people. Just check out today’s top story.

-Kent, Yahoo! Video Team

Fringe Fridays: State of Origin

Administrator — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:16:33 +0000

In the olden days, we didn’t have digital cameras. Everything was shot on film. But even in today’s high-tech wonderland of CCDs, DLPs, and DVDs, some people still do things the old fashioned way. Among these proud anachronists is one Dunc c. He used a Super 8 camera to show “the contrasts of a home in the north of Australia & one in Sydney with Mt. Warning in between.” The result is a beautiful hyper-speed journey in colours and textures you just can’t get from digital.

State of Origin: Think of a Circle

-Kent, Yahoo! Video Team

Scarlett Johansson Sings! Oh, Yes.

Administrator — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:48:16 +0000

This video, and its criticism, have been on every blog in the ’sphere. If it has no other virtue, it at least demonstrates how Hollywood makeup artists cover up tattoos. See, it’s educational. It’s not, however, a rockin’ summer tune; it’s more like a fever dream from her Lost in Translation character.

Is it the worst thing ever? Solid gold? Post your analysis below.

-Kent, Yahoo! Video Team

Weird News Roundup

Administrator — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:09:59 +0000

This week’s weird news roundup brings us a spattering of interesting and cute animal stories: A movie star bear turned on his trainers and a little bear could ‘bearly’ keep his head up. In Florida, an alligator paid a visit to a Florida kitchen and in the canine world, a dog nursed motherless kittens while another one fell in love with a sheep.

We also saw some amazing people, including a man who is riding his bike backwards, another who was struck by lightning twice, and a 106-year-old pool shark.

One of the most popular stories of the week involved the hapless man trapped in an elevator for 41 hours (and if you ever wondered what cats do when trapped for 41 hours, take a look at this spoof).

Bethany, Yahoo! Video Team

Fringe Fridays: Freaky But True

Administrator — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:57:25 +0000

Welcome, once again, to the off-kilter virtual curiosity shop I like to call Fringe Fridays, our nearly weekly look at animation and experimental web video. I’m excited to see the second episode of Freaky But True’s The Silent But Deadly Service has made its way to our port. There’s just something I like about the flat sitcom-like jokes in conjunction with the crew’s blasé acceptance of their strange underwater existence. And this episode ups both of those factors. If you haven’t seen episode one, you’ll want to click on the second video in the playlist and watch that one first.

Everything from these guys is pretty darn good, just check out the Diabolical Experiments series.

-Kent, Yahoo! Video Team

South Park Crawl: The Next Day

Administrator — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:51:47 +0000

I had a great time at last night’s South Park Crawl. I’m glad I could meet so many people and talk up the wonders of our new features like our 16:9 player and our embeddable playlist. And speaking of that embeddable playlist, if you’re curious about the videos we were projecting on the wall, here’s that playlist:

Thanks to everyone who stopped by! Here’s a link to some flickr photos of the event.

-Kent, Yahoo! Video Team

Web 2.0 Expo: See Us There

Administrator — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:00:22 +0000

If you’re attending the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco, make sure to stop by and see us tonight at the South Park Crawl. We’ll be showing off some video stuff along with all the other Brickhouse goings-on. I’ll be giving out some Yahoo! Video schwagg too, so make sure to say hi. More info on the party is on upcoming. More info on the Web 2.0 Expo is here. Admission is limited to conference attendees only.

-Kent, Yahoo! Video Team

Saluting Green Video

Administrator — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 05:13:06 +0000

Environmentally oriented videos have been popping up like, well, pesticide-free asparagus growing in 100% organic fertilizer. Which is to say, there’s a lot of them. Since it’s Earth Day, I thought today should be devoted to harvesting up that delicious, healthy green goodness:

First up, our friends at Zap Root. Every week, Jessica Williamson brings you green lifestyle news with plenty of sass and verve:

River Wired creates short documentaries about everything from greening your home, to the history of bicycling.

The Nau Collective is a project of the the clothing company of the same name. Their videos showcase their commitment to the environment, even outside the world of eco couture.

-Kent, Yahoo! Video Team