Nothing To Do

In late 2011, Comcast issued an RFP to the creative community in Fresno. Fresnans were asked to make a proposal that would achieve a number of goals in relation to a new hyper local video web site that would launch in late January 2012 in Fresno. They were looking to issue three contracts to local bidders in an effort to highlight the content on the site and drive traffic. A chance to do something creative that wasn’t 100% commercial. Isn’t that why Windsong was born?

After kicking some ideas around the office, we quickly realized we were being asked to bid on a project to highlight content that would be a mystery to us until contracts were already signed, if we got the project at all. How do you plan a highlight show without knowing the content you might be highlighting?

So, we changed tack. We decided the best way to highlight content AND drive traffic was to create a show with topical content that people would want to check in with every week. Packaged within that weekly show dealing with current issues and events, we would highlight the best content on the site. In addition, we proposed interviewing interesting Fresnans and posting a clip of the interview in the show and a longer cut as a separate video on our video channel. And so…we got the contract.

The website is GottaLoveFresno.com, so we decided we wanted to stay away from anything with Fresno in the title. However, we still wanted to make it feel like a local show. Because it is. Looking at the format of the show: local news, local web content, interesting interview with a local person, local events from Mike Oz and funny segments based on local phenomena (chupacabra sightings and dramatic readings of online local restaurant reviews) we thought it seemed silly that people are saying there is nothing to do in Fresno. And so…it stuck. Nothing To Do was born. We agreed that I would be the host. Partially to save money on talent, partially because I really wanted to, partially so we wouldn’t have to worry about someone not being available on shooting days, and partially because I really do love Fresno and feel I can be a good advocate for the cool stuff going on in town. We also connected with a local musician, Sahab, who created our theme song. I dare you to watch our intro and NOT rock out.

The site went live last week and as of today, we already have three episodes posted. Our show is competing against two other shows from local content providers to win the contract for the rest of the year. The contest runs through April. We’d love to win, but right now we’re just happy to be making a show that we all believe in, we all have creative input in and we all believe addresses the pervading feeling in Fresno that there is…Nothing To Do.

Go to www.gottalovefresno.com/NothingToDo to see the latest episode of our first foray into a weekly web video series.