We are going to enter into a golden age of video production which is going to be revolutionised by cheap and easy to use video software.

Video Sampling is here. Basically working like audio sampling it is the art of using existing footage, either photo stills or stock video clips as building blocks for your own production. You can then cut it with footage of your act singing your song.

Savvy producers can introduce 3D or 2D animation into it. The footage can be beautiful, the procedure similar to audio sampling and cost tumble down to reasonable fees. Good bye to $1m videos and bloated producers/directors. Welcome to the future.

Ps: Watch out for my own test production coming in the next week or 2.

Well KZ - as you have seen, although mine may not be works of art (I think The Silver Stoat one is, but that's Nathan, not me!) I'm doing exactly that which gives me YouTube, MySpace etc animation for exposure and the response so far (in just 5 days) has been phenomenal.
If you check out The Silver Stoat on Google you'll see the hundreds - literally - of Internet Video online sites which have picked up on it.

2007 will see a total change in this world of entertainment.

I just hope my music is good enough to justify the exposure.

I understand that and i have seen it. I have spent the entire Xmas period looking into this very thing and I dont have the biggest budget in the world but i do have the time to look into and develop i have found that there are a few cheap programmes one can use to create this.

1. Poser. This is 3D modelling and animation. Amazing stuff and is not as complex as others.

2. Koolmoves is a flash style animation programme and is very cheap and can be used to animate 2D characters.

3. www.cartoonsolutions.com they have backdrops, characters etc. We all know that if you hire a star they look the same in whatever movie they are in. Same principle. why spend hours and dollars making your own. Use existing worlds and modify.

4. Swishmx is a poor man's flash but don't be deceived by it's price. Stunning. www.swishzone.com

5. Vegas Video. Ok this is pricey but any other video editing software will do. Make sure you can create motion where it will move your object according to keyframes. Can make a world of difference for the use of photos.

By the way always use widescreen or academy picture ratio. Looks so much better than standard video and makes your video look expensive.

Check out on ebay the guy who made his music video using his mobile phone. Stunning absolutely stunning.

"Silver Stoat"is classic video and song, fear not.Nath`s work is genius on it. The last scene cracks me up every time.
Tell you what KZ, you would not believe the pile of videos we went through last night.
I`m in a situation in which we can put a whole album online with video, I wasn`t expecting change at quite that rate twelve months back.
Of course a lot of works are on the cheap, and of course a lot will not be used, but in many cases it works and is still eye candy.
I predict (uh oh..)that everybody will expect to be seen and heard this year to get anywhere, but only for a while.
If I can subtley hint that I have no video made for you guys will I get away with it?

haha Martin yes certainly im on the case. Video is something i have come to lately even though i have got film and video skills. I shall be onto that asap.