JULY 4, 2008

Seth McFarlane Takes A Crack At Internet Video

Ars Technica reports that Google and Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane have teamed up to run a series of short animated videos over Google’s AdSense network, leading to pickups by thousands of websites and the hopes of a whole new model of video distribution:

Dubbed the “Google Content Network,” this service will run 50 short episodes of Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy across thousands of web sites known to be hangouts for his target audience, comprised mostly of young men. Episodes won’t last longer than two minutes, according to The New York Times, with one cited episode called “Mac Cow Disease” clocking in at 38 seconds. Advertising may appear in the form of preroll spots or “lower third” banners during the episode.

Each time a viewer clicks on a “Cavalcade” video or ad, advertisers will pay a fee that gets split between MacFarlane, Google, Media Rights, and the site hosting the video.

McFarlane has been blazing trails since he got into the entertainment business. After successfully pitching the idea of Family Guy to Fox straight out of college, McFarlane guided the show through two cancellations to become a major franchise worth over one billion dollars. He also emerged from last year’s writer’s strike with a new contract with 20th Century Fox that made him the highest paid TV writer/producer in the business.

Content producers are in desperate need of this combination of skill and good fortune as they seek to understand how to make the new Internet paradigm work for them in an environment where free video sites glean millions of eyeballs and advertising models are still experimental.

Maybe McFarlane is just the guy to lead the way.