Open video project aims to spur independent TV

Free and open source software has already opened up a world of opportunity for users unable or unwilling to pay the comparatively high costs associated with proprietary packages. Such benefits haven’t yet come to the world of TV, however, which is why the Novacut project was formed. Traditionally, the equipment needed to make a broadcast-quality TV show has been so expensive that only the big TV networks could afford it. That, in turn, made those networks the effective gatekeepers of the content. With new, lower-cost HDSLR cameras, however, are coming new opportunities for TV independence. So, Novacut aims to seize this opportunity to build a platform that allows artists to create, promote, distribute and fund independent TV shows and other video entertainment. Toward that end, it’s writing a free, open source video editor aimed specifically at producing off-network TV shows using HDSLR cameras like the 5D Mark II, and it’s also creating a like-minded video player through which fans can easily find, watch and support the results. Along the way, it hopes to enable a learning community through which aspiring TV makers can learn, teach and collaborate using a distributed workflow and cloud-based storage. Colorado-based Novacut is currently seeking USD 25,000 in funding through Kickstarter by Oct. 1. Independent-minded media entrepreneurs: one to get involved in? (Related: Open source phone service for off-grid areas — No secret recipes at open source restaurant — Crowdsourced dream cars inspired by destinations — An open-source 3D printer for the masses — Bands funded by their fans.) Spotted by: Jeffrey Ballagh