Woolworths Closure and Video Content.

Its just a week since I posted my Woolworths video on Youtube, and it has been the most successful film documenting the closure of the store over the past week EXCEPT for one other film which uses copyrighted pictures and audio. Its been even more popular than the broadcast reports from ITV and Associated Press.

Firstly, I've got to say the quality of my film is accepted as pretty average. I already talked about what I used and how fast it was turned round in a previous post, but considering its popularity I feel far better videos capturing the closure of Woolworths are worthy of mentioning. And as its been a quiet week for work as everyone is either still off, or slowly getting back into work routine, I've had a chance to follow the progress of my Woolworths film and compare it to the many other videos on the same theme of the store closures.

They mainly fall into the categories of:

A- 'Mash-ups' of mainly copyrighted images to a commercial music track- Like this
B- Members of the public filming on their camera phones with a running commentary- Like here
C- Staff photo montages- there are many of these, like this and this.

So now to my favourites. These films deserve special mention and many more hits.

Pole Dancing- suggested as a future career for this Woolworths staff member!

Desperate measures to sell the last bargains in Somerset.

Crash, bang, wallop in Loughborough

Staff party in a closed store caught on camera by the public!

Before and After in Worthing

Waltz of Woolworths in Malvern

2nd favourite Cha Cha Slide in Didcot. I love it how the store still appears to be full of customers

My favourite- Super Troupers at the Pallasades in Birmingham- a very well done. Where were you lot when I was looking for members fo the public to sing when I was filming in Birmingham for ITV's 'Who Dares, Sings'?

This film by Mike Probert really captures the emotion well in Newquay, and really deserves more views- its exactly how I would have executed my Woolworths film if it wasn't a spur of the moment decision to film it. (And I had permission to actually film in the store!)

Whilst the above film by Mike used 'Greatest Day' by Take That, this brings me to the final point in todays blog. Copyright.

Youtube have also started introducing audio-disable for films with copyrighted music. Videos with commercial audio will end up like this one. This will possibly have the biggest impact for amateur video makers in the history of Youtube! For example imagine Mike's film above silent.

Basically on Youtube a copyright holder can either decide to do nothing, allow you to keep the music but a link is added to itunes to buy the track, and they also get any ad clicks from the video featuring the music. Or the worst option they can have the music removed!

That's all from me, thank you to all of the above Woolworths staff and customers for amusing us- and good luck to the staff for finding future work.

We will see more events like the Woolworths closure covered in every perspective on video over the coming years, the trick is making sure the effort put into making the video content gets rewarded!

Back to work!

Yesterday was the first day back in the office and it was very cold indeed, it will take the old mill where I work a few days to warm up again I expect.

The 'Woolworths' film I knocked up on Youtube is doing well. Now the top film when you type in 'Woolworths last day' in search. I changed the thumbnail and added details from the Woolworths Wikipedia page and that seemed to make a difference to visitor numbers.

I have had a few nice responses from staff who have captured the atmosphere within the stores on video phones very well, from their photo montages where you get a real sense of community, to video clips just showing staff messing around and having a laugh, doing stuff like the 'Cha Cha Slide' and racing round in trollies despite the stores still being open to customers.

I suppose its a final two fingers up to the Woolworths managers who let the business get in such a state. It is weird to think that 800 different parts of the UK over the past week the exact same scene has been repeated- staff looking dazed and confused surrounded by empty shelves (all with 'sold' stickers on them- yep even the shelves and baskets have been sold off).

Its the redundant staff I feel sorry for more than the end of a much recognised brand.