What is a Webisode?

When I think about the future of entertainment and the type of entertainment that I enjoy the most, I think of webisodes.  The word "webisode" stands for episodes that are released on the web.  Webisodes are short episodes that are posted on internet sites such as YouTube.  They are often no longer than one to five minutes in length.  Webisodes often tend to be of a comedic nature, including a joke within every thirty seconds of the video.  I enjoy watching YouTube videos released by Ryan Higa (Nigahiga), Kevin Wu (KevJumba), Freddie Wong, Julian Smith,  Wong Fu Productions, and The Guild.  These are just a few YouTubers that I enjoy watching that take the business of creating webisodes seriously.

I love to watch and to personally make webisodes because I find a sense of challenge and accomplishment when telling a story within a few minutes' time frame.  Webisodes are shorter than a short film, yet just long enough to keep viewers hooked and to tell a story.  There is almost a requirement to keep webisodes fast passed in order to keep the attention span of the viewers for every second of the video.  This fast pastness helps to keep the creative juices running and keeps everyone on their toes.  The popularity of YouTube and other similar sites has grown in recent years and I enjoy the idea entertaining viewers with my own webisodes in the future.

Like I previously stated, I also think that webisodes are becoming the future of entertainment.  The number of online viewers continues to grow as the popularity and accessibility of the internet continues to increase.  YouTube is no longer a place just for young, inexperienced people making videos and post them up, though these types of videos remain to exist.  People are now taking YouTube a lot more seriously.  Now YouTube is filled with talented filmmakers who are full of new and exciting ideas.  

Money can also be made in creating webisodes.  Through monetizing the videos, YouTube partners are able to make a career out of creating webisodes if they become popular enough, earning six figures or more a year.  Due to the increased popularity of webisodes, filmmakers are becoming aware that this is the direction that entertainment is heading.  Webisodes are becoming a potential threat to filmmakers in the entertainment industry.