Digital Dish

Talent Pool: Top Tips for A Successful Marriage of the Talent Business and Web Talent, Part II

August 1, 2008 1:18 PM

In my last post, I talked about the new digital talent pool available on the Internet and how Web talent can make the move into traditional entertainment business.

With the exception of a handful of people (Perez, Tila), few Web talents have truly panned out for entertainment executives (music industry excluded).

However, I still think the Web can be a viable source for tapping talent depending on how you use it. My tips:

Look Beyond YouTube: Talent 2.0 has moved beyond rough clips on YouTube to their own produced shows, either hosted on their own sites or those of more network-esque distribution channels like Revision3. This crop of smart performers usually has at least somewhat of an established brand, following, etc. (Bonus! I’ve included a list of my favorite Web talent picks below.)

Do your homework: Verizon recently signed a Web show only to be met by angry, public protest from several African American groups due to something the show produced in the past. Verizon instantly dropped the show, but the damage to its brand was done. Go beyond what a talent tells/provides and do Google searches to search blogs, other social networks, comments on articles, etc. before you sign.

Know they need to grow: A lot of Web talent are raw and new to the business, but can quickly grow and adapt with even the slightest guidance. I know many great web talent that have moved over (as I know tons of entertainment people who have successfully transitioned to web). A lot of the new crop of performers, writers and producers online are savvier than ever before.

(Bonus feature: My top picks online right now include TechSoup’s Alison McNeill, CNET’s Natali Del Conte, and Veronica Belmont, who are each very professional and making some important moves.)