Logo

Webby Has Winning Ways

Jun 1, 2008  •  Post A Comment

Donnie Hoyle, the main character in MyDamnChannel.com’s popular Web series “You Suck at Photoshop,” helped pull in more than 8 million views. And three Webby Awards.
And he’ll be back.
Donnie, otherwise known as Angry Photoshop Guy, vanished in the last episode of the 10-part series. The popularity and critical acclaim the Web series gained helped motivate MyDamnChannel to bring the show back.
It’s becoming a pattern for quality Web enterprises: Win a Webby, get acclaim, build on success. MyDamnChannel.com is among those that will be collecting Webbys on June 9 in New York at New York University. Judah Friedlander of “30 Rock” will serve as emcee for the event.
MyDamnChannel CEO Rob Barnett hinted that the show’s creators might announce their return date during the Webby Awards ceremony.
The Webby Awards was established in 1996 to honor excellence on the Internet for Web sites, interactive advertising, online film and video and mobile Web sites. The awards have been referred to by the New York Times as “the Internet’s highest honor.” The Webbys, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences, each year receive about 10,000 entries from all 50 states and more than 60 countries.
The Webby Awards event caps off Internet Week in New York, which runs June 3-10 and features breakfasts, panels and mixers centered around the Internet business.
MyDamnChannel is among a handful of recipients going home with more than one award. The big winners include NYTimes.com with eight, TheOnion.com with seven, the Web series “Hometown Baghdad” with three and “You Suck at Photoshop” with three.
MyDamnChannel.com received another award for its show “My Wainy Days.”
Here’s a closer look at some of the winners:
MyDamnChannel
MyDamnChannel launched in July and focuses mostly on running comic Web series. The site generates about 1 million unique visitors per month across its various distribution partners. Company CEO Rob Barnett discovered “You Suck at Photoshop” online last year and quickly struck a deal with the show’s creators, comedians Troy Hitch and Matt Bledsoe.
The show’s main character, Donny, never appears on-screen. The character, voiced by Mr. Hitch, conducts mock tutorials on Photoshop while the cursor moves on the screen, showing how he’s using the software.
The series received a Webby Award and a People’s Choice Webby Award for how-to and DIY series and a People’s Choice Webby Award for comedy series.
MyDamnChannel’s “Wainy Days” received the Webby Award for comedy series. That show stars comedian David Wain in a fictionalized account of his life and pursuit of women.
The Onion News Network
The Onion News Network is another relative newcomer in the field of online video, having introduced video on its site about a year ago. It won seven Webby Awards this year, including the Webby and the People’s Choice Webby both for writing and episode of individual comedy.
The latter is for a news report that’s a spoof on country singers crooning patriotic songs. The site also received a People’s Choice Webby Award for ongoing news and political series.
The Onion News Network currently produces about 15 satirical news reports each month, said Sean Mills, president of the Onion. Each piece runs about two to three minutes and the site releases two to three reports a week. The publication launched video on its site because advertisers asked for video content, Mr. Mills said.
“From a business standpoint, there was an ad model, and we felt the demand was there where we could do it, finance it and make it profitable out of the gate,” he said.
The Onion’s video advertisers include Bank of America, BMW, LG, Dewar’s and several movie studios.
“We sell it on an exclusive basis for one advertiser to own the entire week,” said Mr. Mills, who declined to provide ad pricing information.
Video views for Onion News Network have jumped from 300,000 to 400,000 video plays per week last year to 1.5 million-2 million per week now.
“The same creative process that has made the Onion consistently funny is applied to video. A lot of it has to do with getting really good people in a collaborative process and being highly selective,” Mr. Mills said.
Hometown Baghdad
“Hometown Baghdad” is another big winner this year, with Webby Awards for news and political series as well as public service and activism. “Hometown Baghdad” is an online Web series about the lives of three young Iraqis in Baghdad.
Other winners include Current. com, the Web site for cable channel Current TV; Web series “LonelyGirl15”; and G4tv.com, the Web site for the cable network G4.

35 Comments

  1. First let me say thanks for your great information. thanks for being willing to share – i know it must be a lot of work, and ppl like me just soak it all up! thank you.

  2. Thank you for a great post

  3. There are some great tips and tutorials here. I bookmarked a few. Thanks.

  4. In related news, a cheetah wouldn’t cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood.

  5. If you’re still on the fence: grab your favorite earphones, head down to a Best Buy and ask to plug them into a Zune then an iPod and see which one sounds better to you, and which interface makes you smile more. Then you’ll know which is right for you.

  6. I mean, I could see all this fuss over the guy if he’d led Jersey to the Finals

  7. Neat blog layout! Very easy on the eyes.. i like the colors you picked out

  8. Neat blog layout! Very easy on the eyes.. i like the colors you picked out

  9. Thanks for your insight for the great posting. I am glad I have taken the time to see this.

  10. I agree with your thoughts here and I really love your blog! I’ve bookmarked it so that I can come back & read more in the future.

  11. Interesting layout on your blog. I really enjoyed reading it and also I will be back to read more in the future.

  12. Dreamin. I love blogging. You all express your feelings the right way, because they are your feeling, focus on your blog it is great.

  13. Keep focusing on your blog. I love how we can all express our feelings. This is an extremely nice blog here 🙂

  14. You made certain good points there. I did a search on the subject matter and found nearly all people will consent with your blog.

  15. Way to focus and straight to your point, i love it. Keep up the work people. Dont let anyone stop us bloggers.

  16. Kudos for the great piece of writing. I am glad I have taken the time to read this.

  17. Thanks much for the great document. I am glad I’ve taken the time to learn this.

  18. Thanks for your insight for the great written piece. I am glad I have taken the time to read this.

  19. Kudos for the great piece of writing. I am glad I have taken the time to read this.

  20. Thanks much for the great document. I am glad I’ve taken the time to learn this.

  21. Thanks much for the great document. I am glad I’ve taken the time to learn this.

  22. This is good info! Where else can if ind out more?? Who runs this joint too? Keep up the good work 🙂

  23. Thanks for your insight for the great posting. I am glad I have taken the time to see this.

  24. Kudos for the great piece of writing. I am glad I have taken the time to read this.

  25. Thanks for your insight for the great written piece. I am glad I have taken the time to read this.

  26. Kudos for the great piece of writing. I am glad I have taken the time to read this.

  27. Thanks much for the great document. I am glad I’ve taken the time to learn this.

  28. Thanks for your insight for the great posting. I am glad I have taken the time to see this.

  29. Kudos for the great article. I am glad I have taken the time to learn this.

  30. You make blogging look like a walk in the park! I’ve been trying to blog daily but I just cant find writing material.. you’re an inspiration to me and i’m sure many others!

  31. Thanks much for the great document. I am glad I’ve taken the time to learn this.

  32. Thanks much for the great document. I am glad I’ve taken the time to learn this.

  33. Many thanks for the great posting. I am glad I have taken the time to see this.

  34. Thank you for the great content. I am glad I have taken the time to see this.

  35. I would like to start my own blog one day. This was a really nice blog that you made here. Keep up the success 😛

Leave a Reply to Alda Blewitt Cancel Reply

Email (will not be published)