Trial and Error

Last week month SoapNet rolled out its first ever user-generated content contest that gives college students the chance to win $20,000 to produce broadband content for the network.

The Web site SoapU.com is the starting point for the contest, so I go there. A small video plays in the center of the page from Northwestern University’s “University Place” soap opera. It’s only about 1:30 long but there’s a link underneath “get more inspiration.” One can always use a bit of inspiration, I figure, even though I’m not in college anymore.

That brings me to several links for SoapNet shows, including current daytime soaps. I opt for “As The World Turns,” the soap I watched in high school. I don’t see any videos from that show, but then a promo begins in a tiny embedded player for the return of “Luke and Laura,” daytime’s most famous couple, on “General Hospital.” It makes me want to watch the show. I click around to test some other clips, but the site could use a little clarity as to what links lead to video. I click on “recaps” and “spoilers,” but there’s only text there.

Then somehow I wind up on the main page for the SoapNet video player itself. It’s a much bigger player and quite easy to use. The player also includes lists of videos—behind-the-scenes clips, originals and special. I click through several and they all load instantly.

For good measure, I go to the main site for SoapNet and lo and behold, the videos are actually neatly organized there. So here’s the lesson—sometimes the front door works better than the back door.