Interest in the "show" was pretty good by all accounts. As I write this my opening segment has 240 views and the clips that follow range from around 70 to 180 - not including views they already had previous to joining the playlist. Demand, it seems, is there for this everyone's-welcome style of comedy show.
I plan to put out another one of these on April 23rd and am happy to receive Youtube links as of now. Before you submit though, here's some feedback based on video hits, comments received from various viewers and my own personal opinion.
Presentation
The online format works best when acts perform either as if they were blogging (eg. talking directly to camera) or as if the clip was part of a TV sketch show - where the audience isn't part of the performance. Jack's segment is personalised to the audience and delivered in the context of a man talking to a camera in his spare room. Marty's clips could work on a BBC3 sketch show. Ciaran's on Channel 4. Marie's has a real blog feel. Mark's also. Peeb's is deliberately detached but keeps the lockdown context as it's shot in the garden. Si has gone as far as to build a "covid bunker" in his. Tom's travelogue from inside his house gives you an insight into his whole Youtube series targeted squarely at an online audience.
What works less well (not to say it doesn't work at all - they all have views) is video footage from gigs. It feels slightly out of place in the online format. If that's all you have then I'll include it but a workable alternative would be to take some of the material and perform directly to camera in your living room.
On the subject of taking just some of the material...
Length
Less is more. With the exception of Jack, the longer your video the less likely viewers are going to view all of it. This is not the fault of the performers. This is the reality of viewing video on the internet, the home of short attention spans. 3-5 minutes is more than enough in most cases. 30 second and minute-long clips are great at splitting up the longer ones in a playlist. If you want to perform 6 minutes of material, and it won't interrupt the flow, consider uploading three 2 minute clips that can be sprinkled about the playlist - much like on a TV sketch show.
Purpose
What do you want to get out of broadcasting your clip given there's no money involved? If it's just to get an idea out there and see if people like it then cool. If creating something in the knowledge that people will watch it works for you then great. However, there are more avenues you can explore. Youtube allows you to add buttons and links in-screen. Tom links various other videos of his during his piece and also gives viewers the opportunity to subscribe to his channel. I do the same. If you've got an online paid gig coming up or you're going to livestream your last Edinburgh show then this playlist gives you an opportunity to promote it. That's the good thing about Anything Goes. Because you upload the video you have total creative and commercial control of its contents.
But, for the love of god, don't spend half your clip promoting other content as viewers will probably just skip it. Best to have it in onscreen boxes and your video description.
Now Watch The First Show
If you haven't already, now is the time to have a look. Hit "play all" rather than skip around though to get the most out of it as you'll get a feel for the flow. When show two comes out new content will be added to the same playlist from the top - headed with a new intro. This ensures that once people have seen the new show they'll go straight into the one that preceded it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHoIr6jOfWg&list=PLTKnY0qjJalDOsQQ6A-wbRtpEvFuc0V_u&index=1
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