An idea. A story. A feeling conveyed in 30 seconds that won't have people reaching for a remote or bouncing out. Something to grab them, maybe even shock them, but designed to keep their attention. Whoever said the :30 second spot is dead was trying to convince you to open a virtual storefront in SecondLife or talk you into creating a MySpace page. Good luck getting any sales there. Yes, the podcast and vidcast have their place, and I can do those, too, but the traditional commerical is not finished yet.

But truly, the art of production is lost. Have a look at too many TV commercials or see what passes for "funny" viral video these days.

Certainly advertising is about sales. It always will be. But your audience is much smarter than most people give them credit for. You don't need to shout at them. They don't want to see flashing colors and phone numbers in their faces. Tell them a story and they'll remember you. It can be funny, sad, romantic or just plain off-the-wall. Respect them and they'll end up respecting you. Shout at them, and they'll plug their ears and avert their eyes. Assault and ambush them where they play, be it SecondLife or MySpace, and they'll run off and create a new playground.

Be it audio or video production, I believe in collaboration, which differs greatly from "production by committee." As a writer and producer, I respect the director and the editor and believe they bring just as much experience and insight to a project as I do. A good final product is usually a team effort. Everyone in this business has a big ego. That's fine. Control freaks, on the other hand, aren't.