Internet-based amateur video delivery: the users and their requirements

New technologies and inexpensive gear are about to create an explosion in the number of amateurs creating digital video content. In this paper we identify and discuss factors that affect the perceived goodness of video delivery platforms for amateur video distribution. The work is based on an analysis of amateur video producer categories and the types of videos that are created. We first discuss people´s skills and motives to shoot and consume videos and categorize the amateur video producers accordingly. Once their work is done, people wish to present their video to some audience, either small or big. We discuss what characteristics are needed from a good Internet-based delivery platform in order to satisfy different categories of amateur video producers. The characteristics include technological, sociological, and marketing aspects. We stress the importance of creating a sense of community in a delivery platform. This would compensate for the loss of a physical meeting and learning space that has happened due to the proliferation of inexpensive video creation tools that enable people to work on their own at their homes. Finally, we discuss the mobile future of the delivery platforms.