Congrats on wrapping production of your web series. I’ll be sure to check it out.

With regard to a web series directory, there are already a few in existence ranging from simple listings to full reviews.

+ http://www.Clicker.com :: The online equivalent of TV Guide with listings of TV and original web programming.

+ http://www.slebisodes.com :: Comprehensive listing of web series across genres.

+ http://www.epiguide.com :: Forum-based listing of online entertainment.

+ http://www.visioweb.tv :: Curates and reviews the top web series.

+ http://www.93Studios.com :: Their ‘Screening Room’ offers complete reviews of the most popular web series, as well as uncovers some gems you might not have heard of.

+ http://www.scifinal.com :: User-submitted listing of sci-fi web series.

Additionally, http://www.Tubefilter.tv is the premiere resource for web television to keep you current on web series deals and emerging trends in digital entertainment, where I am also a contributing writer: http://news.tubefilter.tv/author/gennefers/ And, http://www.eguiders.com is comprised of folks like myself who are immersed in the web TV space and hand-select the best video content across the Internet. You should also join the Web Series Network to interact with fellow content creators and help drive exposure for your show: http://www.webseriesnetwork.com.

There are a few others out there, too, but these are the best destinations to get you acclimated to the world of web TV.

Good luck!

Gennefer
http://www.twitter.com/Gennefer

Great exploration on Web TV, and one that I’ve been pondering myself for a while now. I think you can drill it down to two main issues that need to be addressed to bring online programming into the mainstream:

1) Discovery – Unless you’re immersed in web video and digital entertainment, the average user is unaware of the wealth of online programming that is available. So, vehicles that allow users to connect with web shows is critical. And not just a directory or static listing, but a comprehensive recommendation engine that filters by genre and interests to help users discover relevant shows. Eguiders (www.eguiders.com) has an interesting approach where they hand select ‘guiders’ from the entertainment space (screenwriters, producers etc.) to make recommendations, and viewers can actually watch the video directly on their site, which they aggregate from sources like Hulu, Vimeo and YouTube. So, it’s a hybrid discovery/delivery model that is definitely a step in the right direction, but is obviously limited in scope as it is more of an ad hoc viewing engagement than an all-encompassing channel where users can ‘tune in’ as they would their traditional TV. Tubefilter (www.tubefilter.tv) also does a phenomenal job of scouring the net for the best in web TV, and helps users sift through an oversaturated space to find programs they might like, but again, it needs to be more interactive to blanket the entire online video market, which currently exists in fragments across multiple, disconnected locations.

2) Delivery – Obviously, there are many players already vying for leadership in the VOD space, and each of them are doing a piece of it well, but again, there is no overarching destination or hub where all online programming is accessible. I agree that there needs to be the equivalent of a ‘network’ channel (sans the politics and bureaucracy, of course) with scheduled, as well as on demand, programming across genres. In that manner, it would mimic a cable viewing experience with scheduled shows every day of the week, but also like cable, those programs could also be accessed on demand. And with the interactive nature of the web, a destination like that would also allow for immersive, cooperative engagements that more substantively connect users to shows and extend the viewing experience in compelling and memorable ways (that cable networks like Showtime and HBO are trying to do with online extensions such as ‘University of Andy’ for Weeds and HappinessConsultant.com for ‘Hung.’). The possibilities of those branded entertainment experiences also lends itself well to monetization opportunities and ongoing revenue streams, where brands can forge meaningful relationships with consumers by delivering lifestyle-centric experiences.

But while those are what I see to be the two important factors to address as video consumption continues to increase, each require partnerships between content creators, publishers/distributors, studios and brands, which is a tall order. But the market is primed, and users are seeking alternatives to traditional cable and network programming. The key is to connect them with those alternatives, deliver the content seamlessly and consistently [on THEIR terms], and offer added value engagements that bring them into a storyworld that they help define vs studio execs pushing static programs that are tailored to suit advertising dollars instead of viewer participation.

Look forward to keeping the discussion going, and watch this explosive market unfold.

Best,

Gennefer

Principal and Branded Entertainment Specialist
Space Truffles Entertainment
http://www.spacetruffles.com
Twitter: @Gennefer