Like most brilliant ideas, Doogtoons was born from a bunch of dudes hanging out and drinking 40s.  Doog – or Doug Bresler – is an actor, filmmaker, artist, and musician, who recorded a conversation between his two UCSB college buddies, Nick Lejeune and Haig Ourishian, created an animation to accompany the recording, and submitted the piece to a digital film festival in 2002. Bressler then created a podcast of the Nick and Haig cartoons in 2005, and the Doogtoons website followed. The site is now a production company focusing on short films and web series that feature interviews of real people who Bresler transforms into animated characters in interesting situations.  

The Doogtoons philosophy, “cartoons of the people, by the people, and for the people,” means that animation can be an outlet for the everyman. Not only does Bressler encourage everyone to create digital animation, the Doogtoons cartoons themselves are about ordinary people saying and doing ordinary things in absurd ways. “Nick and Haig” episodes accentuate the absurdity of their stories, while drawing the viewer into the characters’ personalities, making them rather endearing. Episodes are generally less than a minute long, and are all created by Bresler himself. In addition to the Nick and Haig series, there is a collection of strangely heartwarming dirty jokes, as well as interviews with an unlikely ninja, Weird Al Yankovic and Tommy Chong. The site also includes a “pick of the day,” a moderated discussion board where viewers can leave video clips from anywhere on the internet about anything they want, as well as a forum for people to discuss ideas or frustrations concerning Doogtoons, and to post more random video clips. A gallery of animation stills, a Myspace music page for Bresler’s experimental music projects, and a news blog are also featured.

Bresler choses exceptionally revealing images to illustrate his interviews, like his drawing of Weird Al as a child wearing a pink tutu and lipstick in order to demonstrate his need for attention (actually not much weirder than how Weird Al actually looks).

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Kate Dundon
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The first season of the Canadian online soap opera, Victoria & King, aired in 2005 and quickly built up a small cult following. It is the work of three producers, Eric McKenzie, Laura Oliver, and Mark Oliver, and the entire production is intentionally, and delightfully amateurish. McKenzie is a produce farmer, Mark Oliver auditioned for, but was not offered, a small part in the American soap, Guiding Light, and Laura Oliver was quite simply, a great fan of the genre. The anticipated second season was slated to begin September 2006, but after delays and other commitments, was postponed for good. 

The first ten lengthy episodes of campy, satirical action are set in the small town of Hartley and its denizens have all the trappings that make television soap operas the phenomena they so often are. There’s the “blowhard” Mayor Edward Hartley, a scheming bakery owner, Mr. Havelock, and, naturally, a local nurse, Emma Charles, who may or may not have stolen organs from the dead to save an ailing brother. If this sounds a little over the top, and possibly inane, that is exactly the point. Though the town in the series will not be found on any map, it seems to have been inspired by the locals hometown of Brockville, Ontario, on the border of New York state.

Any reader who has ever attempted to pick up a soap opera midseason (or mid-episode) will know that it rarely takes long to get acquainted with the characters, and that once that familiarity is established, something unexpected and bizarre will probably shake that trust. Victoria & King is no exception. Still, though episodes are long – roughly 30 minutes – viewers will get the most enjoyment out of following the series from beginning to end so that they can fully appreciate all the obligatory cliffhangers and unexplained mysteries. 

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Nicholas Mosquera
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As a site made by physicians for physicians, The Doctor’s Channel understands just how busy life in medicine can be. When company president David Best, MD, MBA, and Michael Banks, MD, launched the site in beta form in August 2007, they wanted to provide a one-stop, time-saving resource that would allow doctors to exchange ideas, information, and news with each other using the latest Internet TV technology.

Says Best, who has worked in healthcare advertising, marketing and education for 25 years, “We started the Doctor’s Channel because it’s apparent that the traditional system of medical education isn’t working as well as it could. The physician, who really does have precious few minutes a day, is the perfect audience for short, succinct educational streaming videos. Our goal is to provide an engaging, interesting way for doctors to learn that quickly gets to the point.”

The Doctor’s Channel is broken up into several sections, each offering different perspectives into medical issues but all sharing one thing in common: videos that can fit into an MD’s hectic workday in less than two minutes. A great deal of the site is devoted to 35 therapeutic specialties, ranging from allergy and clinical immunology to women’s health, that will each feature videos in which doctors impart advice for dealing with various aspects of patient care or discuss research involving particular medical conditions.

In I Could Care Les, surgeon Dr. Les Edrich sounds off on medical controversies, ethics, and other sensitive topics, such as how to talk to women who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer. In Wireless Mike, Dr. Banks provides two-minute roundups from the world of medical news and research. One sample paper discussed: A study of sexuality and health of older adults. The most light-hearted section is MD Tips, in which both founders Best and Banks introduce fellow doctors to charming eateries, shops, hotels, and other recreational points of interest “because being a doctor isn’t all work and no fun.” This section is noteworthy for being easily accessible to even those not in the medical community.

For further interactivity, doctors are also invited to submit their own videos, participate in a Dueling Doctors video forum, and get their clinical questions answered by an expert in Curbside Consult.

You may not agree with his advocacy, but you gotta give Dr. Les Edrich credit for helping us understand the controversial two-tiered medical system with this airline analogy.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Pearl Chen
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The philosophy over at Vette Dogs is simple: Corvettes are meant to be driven. The car aficionado show, launched by Next New Networks in June 2007, operates on the premise that Corvettes “can only look so good in the artificial light of a garage or museum. There’s just got to be more to it, otherwise they wouldn’t have given us eight overachieving cylinders wrapped in a sleek, light-weight body.” So, to break the mold, Vette Dogs celebrates owners who aren’t afraid to enjoy their Corvettes out on the road and get them more than a little dirty.

The show is an offshoot of DigitalCorvettes.com, a 30,000-member Web site that has been attracting racing fanatics since 2003. Patrick Gramm, the creator of the site, is also the featured driver in many of the episodes.

Remember those arcade games that let you “drive” cars on a racetrack? Watching Vette Dogs is kind of like that. An overwhelming majority of the episodes take place right on the tarmacs, and you’ve got the driver’s point of view as these Vettes burn some rubber on tracks like the O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indiana, the Pueblo Motorsports Park in Colorado, and the Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. Digital Corvette “bruisers” travel all over the country, interviewing racers and providing a glimpse into the life of a true Vette Dog.

An accompanying blog, written by Daniel Bowler, provides follow-ups to several episodes, and of course, Corvette owners are invited to submit their own videos showcasing their babies in action. If you’re still feeling the need for more speed, you’ll be glad to know that Vette Dogs episodes have been lengthened to at least 10 minutes long since July 2007.

In episode 7, one viewer commented to Patrick Gramm: “Well, you didn’t kill yourself like we all banked on.” To which Patrick replies on the same page: “If I killed myself it would have been one hell of a final Vette Dogs episode!”

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Pearl Chen
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Since October 2005, Lab Rats has regularly produced its instructional videos on a weekly basis, with much fanfare from techie fans and techie sponsors. Hosts Andy Walker and Sean Carruthers are both technology journalists that came to the show with a fine pedigree of related experience. Besides writing for almost every publication, from the New York Times to a Chilean in-flight airline magazine, Walker began the popular Cyberwalker tech site, started Dig_iT magazine with PC World founder David Bunnell, and he also wrote a book called Absolute Beginners Guide to Security, Spam, Spyware, and Viruses. Carruthers has been in the tech journalism business since 1997 and can currently be found on Call For Help as a behind-the-scenes researcher and the on-air tech monkey Gadget Guy.

The site began as a video how-to guide to technology which most people already own, with episodes explaining how to maximize the Windows start-up function and how to set up security functions for wireless networks. Within a few short months it had progressed into new technology discussions and previews, as major convention invitations and corporate sponsorships knocked on the Lab Rats’ door. It still retains its initial mission statement with episodes about understanding your registry and instructional vids on how to clean your computer, but it has vastly diversified since its early days. The high quality episodes last anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes, with minimal banter. They’re often shot in one take, mostly near a brightly-lit countertop with the discussed technology on display. Although Carruthers provides some light entertainment to offset Walker’s straightforward style, it’s a very dry show – which can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on what you prefer as a viewer.

These are qualified professionals who know what they are talking about. If you’re curious, every episode is worth watching, no matter how much you think you might know or how simplistic that week’s topic may seem. Even the episode on how to buy a Mac was informative.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Zach Jones
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The multimedia component of the U.S. Air Force’s well-designed site, Do Something Amazing is a promotional multiplex of exciting videos designed to show prospective recruits what it’s like to be a pilot, from takeoff to air raids. Launched September 18, 2006, the site is part of a new media campaign to boost awareness and numbers in the ranks of this unit of the Armed Forces. 

The tagline says it best: “You want explosions? We deliver.” There is nothing on this site but extremely well-shot videos of the Air Force in action, whether its clips of Thunderbirds, the bomb squad, the Raptor, in-flight refueling, air drops, special ops, security forces, or explosions.

Some sections have Airmen Profiles, giving the viewer insight into who exactly they’re watching in action. Others have interactive bonus features with videos that show you what it’s like to go on a mission in normal lighting, thermal vision, and night vision, teach you how to operate a bomb robot, and allow you to refuel a plane in mid-air at different heights. All of these short videos (few are longer than 30 seconds) are displayed on a stylized, extraordinarily fast-loading page that elevates the website from cool to very cool.

Despite the moral implications about creating a promotional website which appeals to potential recruits with videos of nameless fake enemy bunkers getting obliterated under the pressure of explosion after explosion, operating a bomb robot with your mouse is really fun.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Zach Jones
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Very Funny Ads launched on August 23, 2006 in tandem with the TBS special World’s Funniest Commercials, hosted by Kevin Nealon and his wife Susan Yeager. 

The one-hour television program featured funny television ads from several countries, some of which were never before aired in the US. The online endeavor originally presented many of the same ads and a few too racy for television.  Since then, however, the site has amassed much more content and is now being touted by TBS as the leading source for funny commercials online.

Be careful, as you can easily spend far more time than you initially anticipated on this site. Viewers browse commercials by brand, country, and category (featured, top rated, most watched, sexy, and international). Each commercial comes with a display providing its title, a descriptive blurb, its country and brand, and the year it aired.

The ads are hilarious, mostly because our neighbors on the other hemisphere don’t have to adhere to strict FCC regulations (FCC withstanding, even commercials from the States have their brilliant moments). It’s evident that sex sells in the international market considering how many sexy ads there are on the site, like the one for Ann Summers Lingerie, which shows off just how hot their undergarments can get. However, there are also times when you wish these countries had a more conservative governing communications body to guide them.  And considering that this is a TBS site, don’t be surprised that a decent chunk of the content promotes things Turner. 

Why is it an international truth that condom ads are always so funny? (If you’re looking for something a little more work safe, the same truism seems to work for insurance advertising.)

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Rebecca Halpin
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In December 1999, Paul Kulak gathered some fellow music-loving friends to create a folky, speak-easy performance space that would seek to bring good acoustic music to audiences, both live and virtual. It is funded by patrons, operated by volunteers, and it consists of several cameras, positioned throughout the space that help show off both the talented singer-songwriters and the room’s eccentric décor. The performance calendar touts upcoming events, but what’s more impressive is the wide variety of artists who have preformed there – from emerging singers to Grammy winners. Due to LA zoning restrictions, members to the club pay a mere one-time fee of $5 and can bring up to five guests to see live performances in the 40-person capacity, 850 square foot space.

Those not in the LA area can catch the daily live shows from Kulak’s Woodshed at 8-10pm PST online through the live stream. If you miss the shows, catch clips from previous sets and particular artists in the archives, which contain music from the entire 5 years in which the club has been open. Interesting camera angles and artistic editing make for more entertaining video than would a stationary single camera, and artists like Kate Higgins, Lady Luck, John Andrew Parks, and many more, come to life on video like they never could on the radio. Besides the stream and archives, fans can check out the weekly Museletter (which highlights upcoming performers) and can even purchase the first compilation DVD. Those planning to visit the club should know that it is an alcohol-free joint and that various other beverages are located in the back and are served via the honor system. The site’s motto is “A Labor of Love,” and that’s the attraction for most of its patrons: good music brought to its audience without frills or exorbitant cost.  

It’s videos like Maia Sharp singing “A Home” that show the limitations of the internet. If you’re into it, you’re going to want to be there. Maybe it’s the nature of folk music or maybe it’s the vibe of the venue, but the single-song videos are like teasing samples to those of us who don’t live in the Los Angeles area and can’t drive over to one of these uniquely intimate performances.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Rebecca Halpin
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From the company that brought you Cranky Geeks and The 1up Show comes Digital Life TV, a 50-minute tech talk show hosted by Patrick Norton and Robert Heron. Fans of the show liken it to TechTV’s The Screen Savers, which was also hosted by Patrick Norton. The show airs live, online from San Francisco every Tuesday and Thursday at 4pm PST and is subsequently available for download. With no press or marketing, the first episode aired in August 2005 and developed a large following of loyal fans, who contribute to the show via their tech-savvy questions.

Airing live the day of broadcast and available for download the next day, the episodes range from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the topics covered. Topics are tagged and searchable for easy use, whether you’re looking for something general or for specific information about the latest Dell and Apple battery recalls. The show proclaims it’s “for tech fans by tech fans,” but although the language is fairly complex and tech-specific, the hosts often break down concepts and vocabulary for the layman viewer. Norton, Heron, and their guests explore new products and other current events in the tech industry. The boys have a quirky hosting style, on display as Episode 89 opens with a moment of silence for Pluto after it was downgraded from planet status or when they answer a viewer’s question about using laptop locks while in the loo at Starbucks. Though the holds a wealth of information and is useful to tech fans and average consumers alike.

Product and software demonstrations are notably thorough, as you would expect on such a lengthy tech show. An in depth look at the Image Modeler software used by Pixel Corps’s Alex Lindsay gives a super-cool step-by-step demonstration, taking four pictures of a man’s head and converting it into a rotating digital 3D image.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Rebecca Halpin
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Vernissage TV was Founded in September 2005 and broadcast from Basel (the art capital of Switzerland with noteworthy locales like Messe Schweiz and events like the annual Swiss celebration Art Basel). Vernissage, which is French for an exhibition or event opening, is a non-profit network that gives those of us incapable of jet-setting around Europe the opportunity to view art galleries and festivals around the world in streaming video.

Vernisasage TV’s global correspondents take viewers into galleries, museums, and festival openings, sharing the experience of the art world’s social side through video clips and interviews with gallery owners and curators.

The videos, which average about 40mb each and are posted about 10-30 times a month, each focus on one exhibit and make viewers feel as though they were experiencing openings at venues like Chile’s Telefónica Foundation and Germany’s Klosterfelde Gallery in person. A sense of cinema verité is also present in the clips, due aided by the videos’ lack of narration.

While the various hosts interview artists, curators, and gallery owners, the camera zooms on discussed pieces as gallery-goers mill about, talking art, enjoying cocktails, and texting on their cell phones. A clip filmed during Oliver Ross’s opening at the White Trash Contemporary (WTC) in Hamburg highlights his brightly colored paintings and sculptures. Though most of the tours are filmed in Europe, the interviews are conducted in English and the site’s coverage of the 2006 Armory Show in New York City is just one example of their global interests. There’s also a newsletter, which can be viewed in PDF format.

The three-part interview series with Ambra Medda of Design Miami/Basel helps explain why Basel has become an art mecca in Europe and gives reasons for her choice to host an exhibit there.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Rebecca Halpin
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Before there was Galacticast, Montreal-based sultry sci-fi geek Casey McKinnon had another passion. Under the alter ego of Miss Kitka, McKinnon started KITKAST in October 2005 – her news-style vlog devoted to all things sex. The show quickly garnered a lot of publicity – including mentions in Rolling Stone and Gawker Media’s Fleshbot. That level of ubiquity, coupled with McKinnon’s attempts to make her show as provocative as possible, made her one of the first breakout personalities of the vlogosphere. When KitKcast came to an end in April 2006 and McKinnon began full-time work on Galacticast, she was able to bring a significant amount of experience and her fan base with her.

The 10-minute weekly update posts feature McKinnon dressed only in lingerie, introducing the latest word in the world of sex, strippers, and pornography – all with ironic news anchor intonation. Each time the camera cuts back to her, she’s in a different, highly suggestive pose, in keeping with the content of the post. She makes no secret of the fact that an erotic dance class inspired her to become braver in front of the camera, and certainly she could never be accused of being shy. The season finale covered such topics as a St. Louis area strip club owner running for the local school board, rapper Lil’ John’s porno deals, and a recent study warning of the dangers of increased sexual activity during college students’ alcohol-fueled spring breaks. These topics are typical, and they allow for McKinnon to interject her trademark snarkiness. Despite the fact that they were part of a weekly newscast, past episodes seem to stand the test of time and are worth checking out.

In the week leading up to her Galacticast announcement, McKinnon posted short clips daily for a week in April 2006. They’re more personal than the newscasts, and no doubt this helped her carry some of her loyal audience to her new URL.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Nicholas Mosquera
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Veracifier is an independent, internet-age news network started in April 2007. It comes complete with all the blogs, webisodes, and content  that one would expect from any self-respecting 21^st century web source. Part of the Next New Networks community, Veracifier is quickly gaining a following with videos from Joshua Micah Marshall of Talking Points Memo Media – an independent news media bulletin board of sorts curated by Marshall – and appearances by citizen journalist Brian Conley and others whom have already impacted the news on a national level. 

Next New Networks’ aim is “micro-television networks over the internet for targeted communities, bringing together elements of tv programming and internet philosophy to allow viewers to contribute, share and distribute content.” Fitting into that template, Veracifier has a couple main web shows it broadcasts. The first, “TPM TV”, airs Monday to Thursday. Headed by Joshua Micah Marshall, a widely published journalist, it features interviews and commentary as well as news clips and on-site content, such as reports from the Personal Democracy Forum.  Marshall’s politics are left-leaning, and Marshall’s interviews with such guests as Lower Manhattan’s Representative Jerrold Nadler (D) and Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken illustrate his political leanings.

Veracifier’s Fridays were given to hosting “Alive in Baghdad: A New Look”, a revisiting of the original episodes with commentary by director by Brian Conley, which go beyond the mainstream media’s filtered view to the streets of Iraq with American and Iraqi civilian correspondents.  But after a short-lived stint, “A New Look” was replaced by shows highlighting a broader ranger of political topics, including the “’08 Roundup” and “Sunday Showdown Roundup.”

Finally, in the good democratic tradition of the web, readers can post comments and video, opinions and independent reports.

The desperate need of Iraqis to get their message to the larger world is conveyed by Conley as he describes the dangerous and hostile environment facing those who work on Alive in Baghdad and Iraqi journalists in general. He explains how they must brave kidnappings, gunfire and other threats in this episode.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Nathan Bock
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