Next New Networks' New Network

Next New Networks added a new network to its list of sites today called Indy Mogul.

It’s a little unclear as to what the channel will be about since there’s only one show that’s live so far and the site’s description is vague. Citing anyone who wants “to do more with their camera than just shoot home movies” as an “Indy Mogul,” the network asks viewers to send in their own videos, saying, “Send in your comments, upload your footage, an original special effect, or simply record your thoughts on a webcam. Whatever it is, we want to see it, hear it, and put it on the site!”

The first show, “Backyard FX,” is a DIY with new episodes each Monday. Host Erik Beck shows viewers how to make low-budget special effects for their videos. His first show is chock full of whimsical shots of Erik jetpacking into a greenscreened sky, which is because his first show is an explanation of how to create a jetpack special effect, how to greenscreen, and how to do both without spending a lot of money.

The site says that even the premiere episode of the network’s premiere series has viewer-submitted content, so it seems clear that the largest component about this network will be it’s interactive elements. But it’s still unclear where the creators will be drawing the line between who in their desired audience is an amateur and who is an auteur, how much they’ll focus on user-generated content (which has a tendency to overwhelm original content), and in what context that content will be relayed to viewers.

Learn about greenscreens and jetpacks in the first episode of Indy Mogul‘s “Backyard FX.”