Human Law has just launched its first video blog (or vlog or video casting).
In this post, I give some background on what video blogging is.
What is video blogging?
According to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia "A vlog or video blog is a blog (short for weblog) which uses video as the primary content; the video is linked to within a video blog post and usually accompanied by supporting text, image, and additional meta data to provide context."
Blogs often take advantage of RSS for syndication to other web sites and aggregator software (RSS readers).
Video blogging continues to gain in popularity with each passing month, especially since the release of the new Apple Video iPod and the availability of iTunes Store's video content. iTunes uses the term video podcast to describe a video blog.
Why is video blogging gaining in popularity?
The main reason why video blogging is gaining in popularity is that video is set to become more mainstream in what we do. The latest iPod now offers a video facility as well as the best selling PSP (Portable Play Station) have the capacity to store video. More significantly, we are seeing digital camcorders continue to decline in price as well as some mobile phone handsets now offering the chance to take and edit images. In addition, the telecommunications company, Skype which was recently purchased by E-Bay now offer free video calls over the internet.
What are the benefits of video blogging?
The main benefit is that it provides a different medium in which to communicate with the outer world and can have particular appeal to a younger audience. With the inclusion of RSS Enclosures, which provides the ability to attach media files to a feed item/blog post, it is possible to bypass the mainstream intermediaries and openly distribute media to the masses via the Internet.
What equipment do you need to set up a video blog?
You will need to use a camcorder, webcam or advanced mobile telephone. Also you may need a external microphone to take the sound. Thereafter you will need to edit the movie and use some software to get it on the internet and to find a company to host it.
Is the Human Law blog going to become an exclusively video blog?
No. Video is just one medium that I will be using on this blog. The weblog will continue to use written form of communication, audio(via podcasting) and on occasions, video. From my perspective the key is to experiment with a variety of different of mediums and see what is the most effective to communicate to the wider world.
Will Human Law promote its practice on the weblog?
From time to time, I will use the weblog to promote my practice and in particular the seminars that I do. Nevertheless the weblog will continue to mainly explore the themes of technology, people and law in a more general way without reference to my firm. Indeed such is the way that the legal blogging has emerged is that often law weblogs promote other law weblogs.
Further to one my posts yesterday about my work with the Legal Practitioner, I am pleased to say that a taster mediation video are up here and here for the mediation video in Quicktime or Windows format. 