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Have you ever dreamed of running your own television channel? Do you have the vague sense that it would be awesome to show friends all the videos you love, in one concentrated place? Or do you just like sitting in front of your computer watching videos mindlessly?
New website ShortForm will let you indulge in all these fantasies by giving you a platform to curate your very own online video stream.
What it is: Shortform is a site that lets anyone create an online playlist of videos they love, a place for those who find YouTube disjointed and want to control their digital video flow.
"We turn anyone into a VJ and make it easy for anyone to tell stories," said ShortForm founder Nader Ghaffari. "People start curating this stuff and you can see a lot of awesome stuff thats getting curated by the world. Everyone can have a channel."
How it works: While users can be either watchers or creators, ShortForm is most notable for its enabling anyone to control content on a dedicated channel.
"We focus on just two things: you can either be a viewer a VJ or both," said Ghaffari. "For viewers we make it really easy to find channels of interest, or VJs or subjects. You can follow or subscribe to channels, scan the channels you're following, see new videos. We make it really easy to consume videos by providing a leaned back and interactive viewing space."
Channels include music, sports and more, and videos are presented in a continuous stream, much like television. An embeddable widget lets publishers create their own video player to put curated webstreams on their sites should they so choose, so that ShortForm channels can be viewed on any site. For VJs, the site provides a way to see how well they're doing with their audience. Users can subscribe to the channels they like best.
Why you’d use it: ShortForm is enjoyable as a viewing experience, but even more rewarding as a creative experience.
"Your ShortForm channel becomes a way to communicate," Ghaffari said.
Aside from making it easy to watch an uninterrupted flow of video, ShortForm gives mix-minded geniuses the freedom to create channels that could be dedicated to their favorite prog-rock bands or their favorite sports commentary. Imagine a channel dedicated to robots that could consist of Japanese android demos, robot-themed music, and clips from The Iron Giant.
"It’s a powerful viewing experience and an awesome curation experience," said Ghaffari. "I see a world where you're kicking back on your couch watching curated channels by your friends on your TV."
How to get it:To use ShortForm, just visit its website.
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