Open Letter from the Executive Producers
What a night.
Congratulations to all of the Streamy Award winners and nominees who
were honored this past week for their inspiring work. Hundreds of
thousands of viewers tuned in online, some on their iPhones, to watch
this year’s show. Smiles and hugs filled the stage with award winners
so proud to be recognized by their peers for excellence in Web TV.
There were many wonderful funny moments, sincere acceptance speeches
and rousing musical performances.
We also realize that we failed to capture the unique spirit of the
growing independent Web TV community, as we did last year at the first
annual Streamy Awards. There were moments in this year’s show that
were unplanned and unexpected, but there was also content that was
planned, that in retrospect was not appropriate for an evening
honoring this incredibly talented community. We offer our sincere
apologies to guests, viewers, our partners and sponsors for elements
of the show that were in bad taste or disparaging to the hard work
and incredible talent of our peers. As producers, we accept full
responsibility for these mistakes. We are truly sorry.
To the generous sponsors of this year’s Streamy Awards, thank you for
believing in this young and talented creative community. Your support
of the online arts in its early stages is greatly valued and essential
to the ongoing growth of the global digital entertainment industry.
We were excited to have the Streamy Awards serve as a rallying venue
for the Web TV community’s “white ribbon” campaign to support net
neutrality. This grassroots activity is a testament to the passionate
and motivated individuals that make up the community.
We have learned much from the mistakes of this year and look forward
to returning to our roots for next year’s show and to accurately
reflect the professionalism, pride, quality and spirit of this amazing
community. We want you to feel proud, and we will not give up on
making that happen.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Brady, Drew, Jamison, Joshua, Marc
The Executive Producers of the Streamy Awards
Hi Execs of the Streamy Awards,
As Craft Awards winner of Fearnet’s Fear Clinic, I greatly appreciate and proudly accept your sincere apology of what had occurred during the 2nd annual Streamy Awards. You’ll always have my support of what you all represent. Best of luck in the future, can’t wait to see what you guys bring next year and beyond.
David Dang
Thanks for the apology.
I’ll put one suggestion here that I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere else. Next year you really should live stream the other award presentation with the “sub” categories. I understand the need to split up the categories into two nights but by not streaming half the categories you are really doing a lot of nominees a disservice. Streaming that event doesn’t have to be big and complicated. Lock a camera on the stage and go. As they say, if there’s no video, then it didn’t happen.
One really needs to wonder who thought this would go over well?
We have long called for more transparency in terms of how the @IAWTV is run and how it makes decisions. The IAWTV needs to engage in an active dialogue moving forward. The organization needs to open itself up to a frank discussion with the entire web series community.
The @IAWTV cannot or should not continue to act as a closed “society” because in the end it is accountable to the entire web series community and we have just seen what happens if we just let those in power “run with the ball”. Like it? No? Then we need to see a total change in the way the @IAWTV is run.
I think we can be pretty sure that the majority of the members and possibly even some on the Board of Directors of the IAWTV had little knowledge of what was going to happen. That does not make them any less accountable.
Those who did not like what happened need to step forward and work with the community at large to foster the change that is needed. We can move forward and we can make things better but only if there are substantial changes in how the IAWTV is set up and operates.
An apology is only as good as how well the person making it understands and articulates exactly what they did wrong. So far there has been little more than lip service. We need accountability and that begins with those responsible stepping forward and telling us how things went SO far wrong.
Then there needs to be changes. BIG changes. The day of brushing things under the IAWTV carpet is over. We are a world wide community and we need to take our genre back and make sure that this organization aligns itself with the entire community… not just an insider faction.
The question is: when are there going to be substantial changes to the make up of the Board of Directors of the IAWTV. This group has a fiduciary duty to make sure the Streamys stay on track and given that most of the producers are also on the board clearly that is a major problem going forward given what happened this year.
I hope the ‘roots’ you return to are those of web video, not those of an old media style awards show.
Don’t beat yourselves up over this. Life is a learning experience. Whomever it was who streaked is definitely not a friend. Yes, some of the scripted remarks were lame – but that is the hallmark of awards shows. Haven’t you ever watched the Oscars? You guys are visionaries! Glory in your vision and the courage you demonstrate daily in pursuing that vision. This too will pass and when looked back at through the hoary mists of time you’ll see it for what it was a learning experience, perhaps a bit painful, but nonetheless necessary. Anyone who expects you to absolutely perfect from the git-go is a moron.
OK, now, onward and upward (and maybe get some new writers,eh?).
It is not just the writers. This goes right to the core of who set up the Streamys and what their agenda is vs the web series community at large.
If this was the Apprentice, Donald would not only fire all the executive producers but probably the entire Board of the IAWTV. This is not a joke. There needs to be change and hopefully Felicia Day, one of the Board of the IAWTV, and one of the most trusted community members will ensure that happens swiftly.
Just in case Brady, Drew, Jamison, Joshua, or Marc think I am being overly harsh here read what other people had to say on this subject:
http://www.webseriestoday.com/.....-2010.html
Trying to brush this under the table will not make up for what you did. Words will not make up for this. We need change at the highest level of the IAWTV and those accountable should do the right thing. I think you know what that is. Right?
Technical difficulties aside, it is appreciated that you recognize this show was a complete fail. What a disservice to net neutrality… the vulgarity of this show reminded me why big media works – there’s a much greater respect for the audience. Taking IKEA on a sponsor and giving the prize to an IKEA show left a very bad taste. There is very little good to say about the honorees, nothing original was evoked from them. Please, don’t bother with an awards show next year.
Hey guys-
Cool letter, and point well-taken. You gave it a hell of a go, and there were definitely some solid moments. And you definitely picked a great host. It’s all a learning experience…so thanks for putting it all together. Without you guys it wouldn’t have happened at all. That’s a gigantic undertaking…
A learning experience? What exactly did we learn? If you read the reviews from around the world it is stated over and over that this thing became a “trainwreck” and that is by far the most mild description of what happened. Clearly there is an orchestrated attempt to gloss this over but the web series community is simply not going to forget this or those who are responsible.
I am all for learning. I am all for giving people a chance. However the time comes when enough is enough and there needs to be clear and decisive changes with the Streamys and the IAWTV. I am not saying that running the Streamys is easy. It is not. But we are not talking about difficulty here. We are talking about clear errors in judgement that simply defy logic. That is just not acceptable no matter how nice the people involved are.
I have read most of the stories written and am shocked to here how many people walked out in disgust. That is how far this thing went off the rails. And it was not just one error. It was multiple errors that led to a catastrophic “fail” as it is being described over and over on twitter.
Yes we learned something here but what we learned is that change is imperative.
Sad & low class. Mostly sad for the blemish this puts on the great work many people did to get nominated for the awards. Ironic that the award show did more to hurt concepts rather than support & award them – independent production, internet TV, writing…
modelmotion has it right – another person pointed out, “A lot has been said about how immature the humor was. But it was not immature. It was deliberate, crafted, written by pros, and terrible. In a weird way, It felt like sabotage. Now I am not one to go all conspiracy theorist on ya but it was almost like some brass from tv and movie land decided to pay off some local scrub actors. “Here’s 10 grand. What I need you to do is make the whole notion of web television into a joke. They want credibility? We’ll give them vulgarity! Remind em that “the internet is for porn and amateurs”.
Thanks Mike. I agree something is very very very wrong here. Someone had to think this would actually go over well. The producers cannot pretend they did not know what they were doing. As you say this was crafted the way it was because someone thought it would be well received.
So Brady, Drew, Jamison, Joshua, and Marc, please explain your logic. You deserve an opportunity to explain yourself. We are listening. You have our undivided attention. So lets hear what you have to say…
“Anyone who expects you to absolutely perfect from the git-go is a moron.”
Nice of you to set up a straw man argument to knock down. No one has been outraged that there wasn’t absolute perfection. Rather, the web series community as a whole — with a remarkaby consistent voice despite their differences and distinctions — has levied sincere criticism at an event which has positioned itself to reflect and celebrate that community.
I trust the point of your counter-”argument” was not to suggest that the web series community as a whole is populated by morons.
To be honest, I think it’s important the Producers don’t get into an extended argument with people online. It won’t accomplish anything.
They need to go away, and watch a recording of the online stream from start to finish – separately – and take notes. Then meet up collectively and talk about it.
I accept your apology guys. To be honest, I was disappointed. I didn’t like the joking around that much – mainly because I wanted the speakers to get on with it and just give people their awards.
I wish the Streamys had been held on a Saturday because Sunday night I had to go to bed early because I had school the next day. I’m sure some people had the same problem. If they had been held on Saturday I would likely have been able to watch the whole thing, or at least up to the point where Shane received his award.
I applaud that you guys have decided to apologize, and again, I accept your apology. Hopefully the Streamys will be better next year. :)
A simple apology is not enough, and I’m pretty sure you know that.
The show was an unmitigated disaster.
Even if the technical aspects had gone off without a single glitch, you still would have wound up with half the audience walking out because of the content.
The problem isn’t with what wasn’t planned, it’s with what was planned.
You say you made mistakes.
Those were not mistakes. A mistake is when you change lanes without signaling when you’re in a hurry. A mistake is when you press the wrong button on the vending machine when you’re hungry. They are momentary lapses in judgment that happen in the heat of the moment. What happened on Sunday was not a mistake. This was a series of incredibly bad choices, all discussed and approved beforehand, by you. They were planned, and you actually thought they were a good idea going in. That is the difference.
In my Facebook blog I suggested you all be barred from future shows. I stand by that. I’m angry with you, not just disappointed.
If you truly take responsibility for your actions, then you need to do the right thing and resign and let adults run the show, assuming there’s a next one.
You managed to take something I as a nominee and we as a community were proud of and turn it into an embarrassment for the community. That’s not something you gloss over with a simple statement. Actions speak louder than words – and right now this statement can’t drown out the chorus of “fail” from Sunday’s actions.
While your statement is appreciated, it’s not enough.
This “mistake” of yours could cost many hard working web content creators financing, due to sponsors not wanting to see their names attached to the kind of show you put on. I can’t imagine your sponsors being very happy either.
The point is, it’s not just your faces that are covered with egg – it’s all our faces.
No one expected them to be perfect. In fact, of the numerous articles I’ve read about the event, while people mention them, no one blames them for the tech miscues. What people are complaining about are the things, which were planned, the choice of presenters, the various segments and bits, and the overall tone of the show. In Brady’s NTV apology he mentioned that the failing was a lack of cohesiveness, I’d argue that the show was very cohesive, it had one central theme repeated throughout the night: web series are a joke.
The failing wasn’t that they weren’t ‘perfect’ the things people are upset about were executed perfectly.
As one who was in the theater — and paid $100 for tickets — the problems started from the opening note of the song and dance number…
Then there was no technical consideration of those who were in the theater — skits were planned that took place in the orchestra — so that those in the Mezzanine and Balcony had no idea what was going on. And there were no video screens to capture the video for the theater attendees…
I also think you suffered from ‘high expectations’ — always a danger…and many of us borught friends and family who aren’t as immersed in the fledgling medium as those who participate in it — and were not ’sold’ to say the least.
I totally appreciate the lofty ambitions (maybe too lofty at this stage of your development) and tireless hard work that must have gone into trying to put this thing together — but from a media show biz event those who made the decisions were way over their heads. I firmly agree a man’s reach should exceed his grasp — but not by this much. (:-
It’ll be interesting to assess the damage done to potential sponsors — and how the Streamy/web content itself was devalued — none of it irreparable — but it will take time and proving you can do better — and you will. Just reach out for help!
As a creative mentor of mine always said — “Your best work lies ahead of you and that’s the way it should always be!”
Time to move on — you can do the post mortems internally — but do do them.
Bill Taub
I am writing to the IAWTV Secretary George Ruiz to see if he will rep me so next year I will be sure to win. Dirty Pool – (Conduct that is unfair, unethical or illegal. Being deceitful or deceptive for unfair advantage)
Also, treating the craft nominees like they are not part of the show. Not cool. No clips shown from our shows after asking for them. When 40 minutes of padding would have fit the entire craft show right in the “important show” instead of an unrelated “dance number or bit” Not cool.
Not very nice. Not being in the retrospective of the year when the nominees were supposed to be the best of the year makes you wonder why you came to this. No carpet, no clip? Makes you feel like if you got craft you weren’t anything.
We were told even as craft nominees we weren’t supposed to walk the Red Carpet. How does that make you feel when the only level higher than nominee is winner of the awards? Isn’t that the only “bone” we get thrown is the chance to talk about out show to press for once as nominees?
Finally. being put up in the top of the balcony away from the nominees instead on ensuring nominated people got to sit together whether they were craft or “real” would go a long way to the shabby “general public” feeling you gave us as nominees. No after party tickets because after all we were just craft nominees was the final insult to a pointless appearance by our cast, friends and celebrity guests.
They show made me ashamed. How could you go up after that abortion and say it meant anything to you or anyone when you were in a vulgar roast of what you do? We went into a business meeting before the Sunday show and said we are a Streamy nominated series and got a pitch meeting. We had a meeting Monday after and when we mentioned we were a Streamy nominee the conversation turned to “oh my god you are part of that??” which went on to a 30 minute dissection of errors and embarrassment and then no real meeting for us.
Next time I guess it will be best if we omit the part about our show being Streamy nominated if we want to have a sponsors meeting for the next season. How upside down is that?
I thought the show was great! Not perfect… but neither is about 98% of the web content out there today. If you don’t like how these wonderful and extremely dedicated people are honoring these people and this wonderful new art form… then go someplace else… oh yeah… there is no where else. I LOVED THE SHOW! I LOVE EVERYONE INVOLVED! I LOVED THE AFTER PARTY! AND I LOVE ZOE BELL FOR ORDERING DOMINOES! Embrace the love and stop the hate…
I think it is very admirable that you guys are allowing these unfiltered comments on your site. I can only imagine how stressed you must be. It’s like you threw a massive party that got way out of control and now it’s the next morning and you are looking around your parent’s house and there are helium filled blow-up dolls on the ceiling, The carpet has been removed, the detached garage has been burned to the ground, and there are some dead people face-down in the whirlpool tub.
So as Buffy asked, “Where do we go from here?”
I read this book called ‘Eat that Frog’ by Brian Tracy. It’s a book about stopping procrastinating but I have sorta applied its primary principal to everything. The premise is to survey where you are, find the biggest hurdle, or frog, and eat that one first. Once you have eaten the big heinous toad, everything else on your plate seems easier to tolerate.
Writing an apology to the guests, sponsors, and viewers was certainly a large frog, maybe the biggest. The private emails to sponsors and partners will certainly be rough going down, but you’ll get through them. Planning the 2011 Streamy Awards will prove to be a large frog. I would love to be a fly on the wall at the meeting where you guys try to redefine exactly who you are…although frogs tend to eat flies so maybe I don’t want to be there. No, I do.
Thanks for the apology. Get the blow-up dolls down with a pellet gun. You needed to dump that carpet anyway so go with stained concrete. Very hip. The garage is going to require a contractor so be choosy…remember, you get what you pay for. Don’t try to save a buck with some cheap guy you find in the Greensheet but don’t book the most expensive architect just to show off. The two dead bodies are going to be tough. I know a guy, though. We call him the Wolf. Email me and I’ll try to set up a meeting.
We are still honored to have been nominated, despite, well, everything.
I attended the first year of this show, everyone I talked to on the red carpet was thrilled to be part of this. It was the web show’s coming out party – showing that web series were serious, professional forms of creative media.
I didn’t attend this year, but it seems the equivalent of photocopying your butt in the office and your boss walking in on you.
Appreciate the apology, but I’m not sure I can trust the level of taste and sophistication this group has. It’s really not about the technical problems – it’s about the presentation problems. The Streamys does hold some of the reputation of the web series profession in it’s hand and it did much to ruin it this year.
Yes, I know the humor level of the shows was reflective of some of the web series out there and some of it mirrored big media award shows, but we’re not “dad” yet – we can’t play the big boy world. We need to establish and prove ourselves first.
Also, yes we can expect things to be perfect. The world can hold the Streamys accountable because you hold the world’s attention.
The love it or leave it attitude is uncalled for and childish.
The point is, this is the only awards show for the web right now, so why destroy it if its goal is to promote web production and to lend an air of legitimacy to new media? I seriously question the judgment of anyone who thinks this train wreck was “great.”
They weren’t honoring us, they basically put on a bad show and proclaimed produced web content a joke. The message sent was that web video equals crappy home video. Why else would they include keyboard cat in a montage but leave out several nominated shows?
The entire tone and feel of the show was insulting and embarrassing.
Semmel, if you truly “love” everyone involved, then you probably shouldn’t embrace their passions and their work being ridiculed by the very group that claims to promote it.
What was the idea behind all the glam? My god, if you want to recognize and establish web media as something other than the established, big-budget, glitzy, pay-per-access Hollywood walled garden, why in the world did you basically attempt to ape the Oscars,? What a turn off! I think the event generated the appropriate reaction: disgust. There are thousands of talented artists anxious to express themselves in this NEW MEDIUM because they can – finally – have access to their viewers. The last thing they want is to have their collective image shaped by this kind of amateurish Hollywood event. I’m not angry that you screwed it up: I am angry that somehow you thought the right thing to do was to impose this vision on the industry.
As a composer of multiple webseries, I am glad nothing I worked on was nominated this year. I was at the Streamys, and it was a horrible debacle of an awards show. I can understand some of the technical difficulties, those things happen. But the low-brow humor and poorly written skits that went on way too long were inexcusable. I felt ashamed for the web community.
Also, as a composer, the Streamys aren’t big or prestigious enough to have a separate, untelevised Craft Award segment. The Craft nominees needed to be included in the show, and the number of categories needs to come down.
I love working in web TV; I love the people, the medium, and the excitement of pioneering a new way of viewing and filming. I also think The Streamys need to be canceled permanently, and we need to start over with an awards show that give content creators the class and respect they deserve.
Thanks very much for the apology guys. There’s still a lot of damage control to be done, to ensure that the awards don’t adversely affect anyone associated with this year’s ceremony, but this is a good start.
I hope that moving forward, we can keep the open conversation that all started after the FYC mess. For my part, I’d really like to have everyone take a step back and think about what would be the best way to move forward honoring the medium and the creators.
My own two cents can be summed up by saying make things transparent, and rethink the whole flashy awards show. It seemed unnecessary last year, and it honestly feels like a liability now.
More of my thoughts, more fully detailed on my blog: http://wp.me/puLXg-2S
Where is the apology for the nominees/winners whose categories you failed to announce? How about some acknowledgment to those who waited patiently through the debacle that was the Streamy Awards, only to hear the last category award announced without a word about those categories left out due to the mismanaged, ill-produced, badly timed show? Have the show’s producers ever produced a live event before?
I think you, the Executive Producers, are being far too easy on yourselves about how badly the show went off, and you trying to put a positive spin on what occurred is insulting. I did not feel proud to be a part of the online community that night, and there was nothing that occurred night that warrants you suggesting that pride is a justifiable emotion that anyone should have walked away with. Your “apology” letter seeps of arrogance and a misconstrued sense of accomplishment, some humility would go a long way.
I could go on and on about how thoughtless it was to put nominees in the balcony without after-party tickets, and how stupid it was to force people to sit through a 4-hour event and refuse to serve food and maintain a cash bar at the after party, but I won’t.
What’s most important to convey is that the Streamy Awards show was an embarrassment and a set back to the hard work of all of those creative/technical folks who work tirelessly to legitimize and monetize the web and web content for this and future generations. Worse yet, The Streamy Awards were a squandered moment…there was an opportunity for taking the web and its community to the next level and you blew it.
A brief word about Paul Scheer doing a great job of trying to salvage the train wreck and a congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the night. Too bad some of us had to wait 24 hours after the show to find out whether we won or not. Bad form.
Rather than being canceled, I think The Streamys should quietly and in as dignified a way as possible, slink away so that something else, something more appropriate, can emerge to actually recognize talent. What that will be remains to be seen, but methinks it ain’t this. Maybe there is no need for An Awards Show like this anyway. Really, it excludes so many more than it includes…and isn’t access one of the nice things about the web? Why impose this vision of recognition over others? There are plenty of events that recognize achievement without all this expensive and pointless fanfare that, ultimately, preaches to the choir. Maybe success in the market as measured by viewers will be the true recognition, and we can lose the gowns and tuxedos, limos and ballrooms? Is that too much to ask?
What Thor said…
I watched the Streamy Awards. Never again. What a bunch of raunchy, immature, teenager-like jerks. Low, low, low class all the way.
When you buy your way in, I guess you have to sell yourself out.
The apology takes balls, kudos for that.
Also, some people found the show entertaining for its faults. Just because you have a webseries doesn’t make you complicit. There was an uncomfortable charm to the snips of the show I have seen that may make it a cult classic. And it got far more press and attention than it probably would have.
my suggestion: next year, let FRED host.
I’m really not sure what more to add. Everyone has already said it all. I was offended at the content of the program (and agree with the above comment about it not being a mistake, but a series of bad choices) and I feel this may damage my ability to get sponsors for my programs.
I have opened a PayPal dispute, asking for my $100 back. I have at least one MAJOR webseries gearing up and I was hoping to use the red carpet to officially announce it publicly (which would have been good for both organizations; future releases would refer to this event as where announced); but that slap-in-the-face, secret, back-alley red carpet further proves that it is more than just technical issues. Allow me to segway to my next talking point…
I am also hearing stories about the IAWTV membership process, which I am currently no longer interested in pursuing without major change to how it operates. I know of two key players–one of whom was nominated for a Streamy this year–who were rejected for IAWTV membership. Combine this with what we saw at the Streamys (especially with the Craft nominees and winners) and it reeks of elitism and a closed-off sandbox. If you aren’t in the club, you aren’t invited to play. Bull. Shit.
I, too, would like to call for a change in more than just the Streamy Awards programming. That is the first step. Bring in someone with class and actual leadership ability to organize them. Someone that can take what everyone is saying about wanting a new type of award show and mix it in with the elegance of what you TRIED to do this weekend. Only better. Much, much better. After that, there needs to be a major shakeup in how people get accepted to the IAWTV. Right now, this is not an organization that I wish to be a part of. And if I did find myself on the inside, you better believe that I would be doing some major house cleaning.
In His Service,
[ Aaron Matthew Kaiser ]
AntiKaiser Productions
[...] An open letter from the executive producers of the streamys falls short [...]
There’s really not much to say concerning the 2010 Streamy Awards that haven’t already been said thusfar by the new media community itself. Perhaps the Streamy’s were proppelled to high, notably by Vanity Fair with their mention; “The Streamy awards are the Oscars of the web.” Then again perhaps the ‘tried and true’ award presentation of envelope opening, winner announcing and award giving ideal doesn’t work with new media.
Mayhaps it should be done like the Golden Globes, dinner with your crew and cast mates and in the midst of it all a handful of your entire communities talent are going to be single handedly recognized with an award. But by the end of their acceptance speech they’ll return to their table and finish out their chicken with their work family while negotiating another idea with the creators,actors or crew of another show at the adjoining table.
Regardless I know I’ll have more to add on this ordeal, and I will add because as Liz Shannon Miller pointed out in a panel at SXSW; “creators, producers and everyone involved are not kittens.. ” In other words, if you want a product, be it a web series, an awards ceremony, a tone, etc etc, for new media to remain as it is then by all means praise it and move on or better yet keep silent.
If, however, you would like the advancement and improvement of new media and especially web series entertainment to become a mainstream element; to in turn promote the actual mission statement of the streamys:
“The Streamy Awards is the first and most prestigious awards ceremony devoted to honoring excellence in original web television programming and those who create it. The annual cere mony, and its live online broadcast, brings together top talent, decision-makers and influencers shaping the online entertainment industry. Awards are presented for the past years’ finest achievements in a variety of categories spanning multiple disciplines, including Performance, Directing, Writing, Editing, Visual Effects, Sound, and more.“
Then the absolute last thing one should do is keep their respective opinions to themselves. I commend those that have stepped forward, despite having to apologize to family, friend, sponsor, producer and fan, and stood up for the belief that our community is built on dialogue, integrity, and honesty and hope to see that last nights awards ceremony never falls below that ever again.
“It is well for a man to respect his own vocation whatever it is and to think himself bound to uphold it and to claim for it the respect it deserves” – Charles Dickens
[...] executive producers of the awards have also posted an open letter apologizing for the event on the Streamys site. Unlike the Chairman of the IAWTV, these individuals appear to have been the [...]
I agree with the above comments suggesting your apology does not go far enough. And typing this on a BB is, less than ideal; so I’ll be brief.
I volunteered to work this event and was happy to do so. After showing for 7am call and doing tasks for you all, I was still thrilled to be there. UNTIL the show. Those were my friends, both old and new in the big seats. I’m so glad I couldn’t see their faces from the balcony while you subjected them, some of whom travelled very far to be here, to a live show of how the internet is all about your penises.
Your internet is, obviously. But theirs, and mine, is not. The people you subjected to that “show” spend countless hours making sure that there is something on the web that is NOT your penis. And I love them for it. They’re all so friendly and sweet. Everyone I met. (The Craft Awards were GREAT!)
Here is a TIP for you: PUT a grownup woman in the room from the start, if you’re every lucky enough to produce another show.
That said. I stayed for breakdown. Because … That’s how I roll.
[...] night of the show the executive producers released a statement via blog post. They apologized for the event’s mishaps, but also said “We have learned much from the [...]
If I wanted elitism and cliques and penis jokes, I would hang out at my high school.There was more class in my prom king and queen voting then this mess of an awards show, where academy members voted their own shows and mocked an entire community just because they could. Throw a party amongst yourselves and leave the rest of the web community to itself because people are doing innovative work and would like to be respected.
Suggestions for next year:
1. Keep the show PG. Assume it’s on television. It maintains the prestige of the event as well as allowing friends and family to watch. I would not invite my little sisters or grandparents to watch the show if that level of obscenity were to be on display.
2. Keep it short. Cut out 60% of the unfunny jokes. Take a page out of the Craft Awards ceremony. Brisk and to the point.
3. On that note – combine the Craft awards with the main awards. I know a lot of Craft Award nominees and winners feel shafted with their treatment. So on that note:
4. Invite the Craft Award winners to the photo call, invite them on stage or at least have the highlight reel working. All Streamys are made equally!
5. Finally please have a tech rehearsal.
I have an idea. Keep ShayCarl AWAY from cameras or computers.
His behavior was truly boorish, immature and offensive.
It’s amazing that his brain can generate enough power to keep his legs moving.
If that is how he is every time he gets in front of a camera, we just don’t need that kind of crap at all.
In regard to the way that Lisa Donavan and her fellow presenter were groped and molested, I think charges should be filed.
If you do get another chance and there isn’t one, and hopefully several, grown women with knowledge of the industry (THE WEBSERIES INDUTRY) in power (WITH THE POWER TO TELL YOU NO) from the get-go … I will have to assume the worst. And will, in fact, encourage evryone else to as well. And do it loudly, in public, eveywhere you try to promote the show.
If you get the chance, and make this change, I’ll be on your team, and rooting for you to do a great job. I’d even Volunteer again.
But adult supervision is the price you need to pay to win trust back.
[...] to celebrate the best in web video, but this year they did so with a crude, juvenile ceremony, for which they soon apologized. More to the point, the entire exercise heralded web series done by B-list celebrities and wannabe [...]
What is Streamys, LLC?
http://www.webseriestoday.com/.....s-llc.html
Guys, this is so hard for me to say because I consider you all my friends. But this apology is simply not enough. I really tried to come to peace with all that went down, but ultimately the problems are too great and stem from a total disregard for the purpose of the Streamys and the IAWTV, at least in regard to how I was sold on it.
I’m all for crass humor, but this wasn’t the right venue for it. There were CHILDREN at the show, and parents watching across the world. I make a pretty crass show myself, so it’s hard for me to attack the humor, but at least we have warnings on our show and people know what to expect going into it. There is a reason I don’t let my nieces watch my show, but I would have invited them to your show based upon last year’s show.
I totally understand technical difficulties, and generally I’d be ok with giving a pass on that, but ultimately you are a show that’s about awarding the best in web television, and thus shouldn’t streaming the show correctly been a much higher on the priority list? It was billed as a LIVE STREAMING event to legitimize web television. The tech should’ve been paramount! All contingencies should’ve been thought about, pre-planned. Ultimately you had one shot to make it go right, and that’s why you’ve got to bring on a competent crew. Unfortunately it’s an A/Fail system, and it was a HUGE fail. In business, when things go that awry, whoever was in charge generally gets canned. But, hey, that’s easy to say in retrospect and as someone who didn’t deal with it, but still it’s embarrassing across the board.
But those issues aside what disappoints me the most is hearing how people were treated. Your own nominees. The whole SPIRIT of this show was COMPLETELY OFF and that I’m having a REAL hard time forgiving. Nominees unable to walk the carpet but tv celebrities CAN? Nominees stuck in depths of the balcony, unsure that they were going to even get tickets? Was it ever in question that Patrick Duffy could get a ticket? I think his show is pretty damn funny, but it wasn’t nominated. So if it wasn’t a question for him, it should never have been a question for Chase of Horrible Turn and yet he was on “standby?” Then there were people who built your set pieces being LIED to about their compensation. There are just too many issues that I’ve heard that are just too offensive and plain MEAN to ignore. The Horrible Turn creator’s blog was literally one of the saddest pieces I’ve read, and you guys need to read it and REALLY TAKE IT TO HEART. http://horribleturn.tumblr.com/
It just felt wrong all across the board. Even Nick Thune ripping on every Audience Choice award video was the wrong tone. I get it, it’s humor, self-depracating, but we’re trying to trumpet what we do as something important and noteworthy. Why do we have to rip on ourselves at EVERY single turn? We make no money? Really, because I’m paying rent with something and web content creation is my full time job. It’s not TV money to be sure and I still have to pinch every penny, but hell it’s a living– a living that I built for myself with the POWER of the web.
No one knows us? Really, because of our meaningless web shows, I’ve been mauled at conventions, asked for my autograph countless times, even asked to sign someone’s baby (which I didn’t do)! I had Joss Whedon come up to me last year and quote my own show to my face (a highlight of my life), and had my comedy heroes Phil Lamarr and David Wain tell me that they really enjoy my stuff. I had a guy come up to me during the Emerald City Con in Seattle tell me that The Guild cheered him up so much when he was going through chemotherapy that he associates his recovery from cancer with our show! All these things are more than I’ve EVER DREAMED in my life. All due to the power of the web and the hard work of every single cast and crew member on The Guild and The Legend of Neil.
Lastly, someone needs to take some responsibility for this debacle and that person has to go. HAS TO. Who made the call that NOMINEES couldn’t walk the red carpet but TV stars could? Who was THAT PERSON?! Someone made that call, it wasn’t an accident and that person HAS TO GO. Who made the call that a 10 minute sketch about vagina reconstruction was more important to be in the show than having the craft awards in the main show? That person needs to be fired. Who was the person that didn’t communicate with the sponsors about the content of the show thus leading to Trident walking out half way through? That person needs to be fired. Who was the person that couldn’t figure out how to stop the host’s microphone being transmitted through the oft-broken stream when he was off stage? That person needs to be fired. Who thought to not have security such that a streaker can run across the stage TWICE and allow Chris Hardwick to be sexually assaulted? Fired. Someone’s got to step up and take responsibility. All of these gaffes did not happen in a vacuum.
Maybe “fired” is the wrong word. But someone needs to issue a public apology and step down otherwise the Streamy name is meaningless. The Streamys were built to mean something to help legitimize all of our shows. We SOLD Trident and our sponsors on the concept that people CARE about what we do, that there’s an audience. And right now the Streamys brand is completely tainted. And because of that trainwreck of a show all our associated shows share some of that taint. It might not yet be AIG bad, but it’s bad enough that I’m not sure I want to be involved anymore.
I’ve enjoyed the past few years and our growing friendship. And I have faith that you guys will find a way to do the right thing. But someone just has to STEP FORWARD and be honest with us. This isn’t just going away.
Ok, now lastly lastly, I just have to respond Aaron Kaiser regarding the membership or voting process. I’m an IAWTV member and frankly I have no idea how all of it is handled. We are just as in the dark as you are with regard to the mechanisms of the membership and voting process. All I know is we’re not allowed to vote on our own shows. I don’t know who gets rejected to membership or why. This is probably my own fault for not being more involved, but I want to assure you that most of the membership is just as befuddled and frustrated as you are. And frankly I’m not sure its a sandbox I want to be associated with at this juncture.
Oh and I also want to be constructive in my criticism but I think Barrett and Mashable did a great job with that, so I’d just be rehashing their ideas. Here are their links: http://www.barrettgarese.com/p.....episode-17 and http://bit.ly/aVPwcQ
Thanks,
Sandeep
[...] Open Letter from the Executive Producers (The Streamy Awards) [...]
Ultimately it comes down to professional production and content class. Enuff said.
The blame game will get sorted out in next year’s contracts. With the level of production available, doubtless next year will be a success.
My humble advice to the IAWTV is use your best talent to produce the work. Kallisti.
I suppost web-based film stars 110%, and i supported my favorite stars, such as youtube’s Shane Dawson, WhatTheBuck, and others. I enjoy their content. They can make you laugh. I had never heard of the Streamys until this year, and watched 90% of the show. Whoever put together the award show, wanted to make you laugh, but not in the way that web-based actors do. They were immature, jerk-ish teenagers, as mentioned above. It was unbearable to watch, and those that won awards seemed as if they were ashamed to even accept them after the show started going downhill. The few jokes in the beginning were alright for icebreakers, but about a half hour into the show, i wanted to turn it off! I was embarrassed for having watched it, i couldn’t even imagine being there. I’m upset for having watched it, i’m upset for the winners and nominees, and i’m upset for everyone who had attended. The sponsors are a whole different story. Good luck getting those names again Streamys. You really didn’t think this one through. Just because it wasn’t on tv, you should have RESPECTED the audience, nominees, guests, and VIEWERS as if it would have been aired on national television. It comes down to one thing, the Streamys and all those involved in putting it together have NO RESPECT for online media, viewers, or others alike. You cannot tell me they do, after have presented the show in the way that the did.
I laugh at the fact that they started this ‘letter’ with “what a night”. More like what a disaster. (SEE, they’re laughing at us!) They didn’t need any guts to apologize, it was pretty much mandatory with messing up in the way that they did. I’m laughing at the apology, it’s not very professional at all. They only did this to save their own hides. I’m completely disgusted.
Who made “The Streamys” the official voice of web TV makers, anyway? I would like to know who is behind “The Streamy Awards”, the IAWT or whatever it is called, and how they are related financially. I smell a rat and web TV makers deserve better than to this mockery.
someone needs to up to ante and have an awards show that’s not like all the rest, what’s the point any longer? even at the oscars and golden globes, celebs look uncomfortable for being there nowadays. they know they could be doing something worthwhile rather than sitting in cushiony chairs, wearing vivian westwood and christian lacroix while people starve and natural disasters rock the globe. let’s change it up, plant a tree, feed a village, do something productive. the whole thing is a disgusting waste of time and energy. give awards outdoors during the day, forbid vehicles that aren’t electric or hybrid, actually honor the participants in a new way. when you TRY SO HARD, it never works. even if you try so hard to be different, it apparently is worse, especially if you’re trying to get outside the box while you’re still in it… you’re just in a box being ridiculous.
I am not a web content creator, but I am a fan. I think the awards show needs to go away. The awards may not need to go away but the awards show definitely needs to. I think it would be a better idea to have events planned in several different locations across the country (or even the world). The Streamys are given out by the International Academy of Web Television but it seems awfully American. By having the Streamys in Los Angeles reinforces LA as the center of entertainment which it is not thanks to the world wide web. I’ve seen a lot of comments about people having to travel far to come to the Streamys which seems unnecessary. If you planned events that were spread out, you could also open admission to fans. Something that is very important to web shows is the relationship with the fans. This would be a nice opportunity to honor the creators of web videos and show appreciation to the loyal fans.
Whatever you decide to do, serious changes need to be made.
Wait, that was it?
I don’t think it’s realistic to think the Streamys can recover from that night. This is social media — if you drop the ball that hard in only the second event, you kill the brand. What company would trust the producers enough to sponsor the event next year?
I know I wouldn’t. This event is about promoting online programming, not preserving the mismanaged Streamys brand. Time to pass the baton.
One more thing (to quote Steve Jobs). Is there any truth to the allegation that blacklists have been used to bully people around? I would hope that no one associated with Streamys LLC would have any part in such an alleged blacklist.
If the porn industry had an awards show, it would surely not have been this tasteless and raunchy. The entire event was disrespectful of the web video community and the audience.
It was like intentional sabotage.
I wrote a long post on my blog about the broadcast. Rather than repeat myself, here is an abbreviated version:
As someone who has been working very hard for four years to try and bring credibility to web video, I’m extremely disappointed in what I saw on the Streamy Awards Sunday night. I can’t fathom what the producers of the show were thinking during the months preparing for this broadcast. How could they get it so wrong, insult their own membership, and frankly tarnish their own brand on purpose like this. I don’t think simply trying harder is going to resolve the issue if they intend to move forward with another event next year. The problem goes to the basic core values of the IAWTV. What kind of organization do they want to be? Do they represent all types of web video? …or only those that try to mimic broadcast television? Do they truly support all web video creators? …or are they only interested in getting the attention of a few large studios? Are they going to be inclusive and truly international as their name suggests? …or only cater to the superficial stereotype of Elitist Hollywood v. Web Show Wanabe.
My full post is here:
http://ericsusch.com/2010/04/1.....o-clothes/