The nearly infinite supply of videos at Web sites like YouTube is enabling consumers to discover, and repeatedly enjoy, content that might only rarely be available on television. Some of it might never be found on TV. One inspiring example was first revealed at the 2007 TED (Technology-Entertainment-Design) Conference.

Historically - and in the days of the Internet I mean in the past several years - the process of conceptualizing and producing original video content for the web was largely separated from the distribution process. Studios would come up with a concept and use their balance sheet to finance production. Distribution strategy basically involved posting content to YouTube. But over the past couple of years, studios have fled deficit financing for the relative safety of securing brand dollars up front to pay for production.