What is mariposaHD?

It is completely new.  It has never been done before.  It is the future of video entertainment.

mariposaHD is the world's first High Definition TV show distributed directly on the Internet.  It is made by four ordinary guys, with consumer-grade equipment, in our living room.  It's TV, 21st century-style.

 

What is mariposaHD about?

mariposaHD is about four guys. mike, jeff, and dominic grew tired of their ordinary lives in the United States.  They quit their jobs, sold their possessions, and moved to Argentina. tamir was the host of a television program in Buenos Aires and was eager to push the creative boundaries of video entertainment.  Together, we formed Motamorfosis Productions.

mariposaHD is our first production.  It is a show designed to take advantage of new technologies for video production and distribution.  It’s also a show about following one’s dreams.

What would you do if you could just walk away from your life, start over, and do whatever you want?  What would four creative people (with lots of time on their hands) do if given the tools to produce Hollywood-caliber entertainment and distribute it to a global audience?  What would you create to demonstrate the latest advanced technologies in HDTV, video compression, digital video editing, P2P file sharing, and broadband Internet?  It's mariposaHD!

 

What kind of show is mariposaHD?

In a way, mariposaHD is a show about making a new kind of TV show. Each episode is approximately 25-35 minutes and is split into 3-4 segments. The subjects of the segments revolve around our reoccurring themes of beauty, style, and adventure.  About two thirds of each segment is backstage "making of" footage of us actually producing the show. The other third consists of video clips that we feel best takes advantage of the unmatched clarity of High Definition Television.

Our show includes aspects of a reality show, a fashion show, a travel/adventure show, and a music video.  But we believe the new technologies that make mariposaHD possible open up a whole new genre of video entertainment, so our show doesn't fit into one of the existing 'sitcom', 'reality show', 'variety show' formats of traditional television.

 

What makes mariposaHD so new?

Lots of stuff:

• We made it ourselves.  In the future, ordinary people will create TV programs and movies that compete with the best from the Hollywood entertainment conglomerates.  That future has just arrived.  We made everything ourselves, in our living room, just the four of us.

• It's in High Definition.  mariposaHD is the first IPTV program in HD.  It's filmed, edited, and distributed in 1080i, the highest resolution format of the HDTV specification.

• We're using P2P distribution.  We're using the BitTorrent Peer-to-Peer protocol to distribute mariposaHD.  This is the first free and legal HDTV show available on a Peer-to-Peer network.

• We're broadcasting it.  Unlike 99% of the online video content we've ever seen, we're actually embracing the concept of broad, unrestricted, free distribution of our work.  And we definitely won't sue you if you want to give a copy to your friend.  BitTorrent changes the economics of distributing video content on the Internet and our business model depends on lots of viewers.  One day, Hollywood will realize the power of free, organic, viral distribution and promotion made possible by P2P networks and perhaps all entertainment will work this way.

• It's global.  mariposaHD is designed for a global audience.  We are available anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for free.  Our content is based on images and sounds that appeal to a wide audience.  We plan to translate our web site and subtitle our show into multiple languages.

• You watch when you want.  No specific time to tune in.  No programming the TiVo.  No commercials to skip.  You download it when YOU want and watch it when YOU want, anytime, anyplace.  You can keep our videos forever and give a copy to whoever you want.

• It's creative.  When was the last time you saw something truly new or different on old analog television?  Something obscure, abstract, surprising, bold, confusing, or unusual?  That something is mariposaHD. Any sufficiently advanced technology necessarily expands the possibilities for artists to explore.  HDTV and Internet distribution open up whole new avenues for artistic expression.

• It's free. Yes, free as in beer.  There is no charge or subscription fee to download and watch mariposaHD and you can keep it forever.  There aren't even any annoying commercials.  And you can redistribute it to whoever you like.