Million Dollar Idea: Videotape Stuff!

Full disclosure: As I’ve posted numerous times, I believe that most ideas people have, including my own, have already been thought of or are mere modifications and improvements of existing ideas (i.e. building a better mousetrap). This idea is no exception, as the basis is something told to me and I used brainstorming to think of other possibilities.

If you have a camera and a little bit of internet sense, you can make good money! How? Find an event that could be videotaped and streamed live on the internet for people who can’t be there. Then, charge them substantially for your time. The more events you film, the more cameras and staff you have, the more you make.

A few years ago I looked into real estate opportunities in Costa Rica. I had big plans to fly there, find a property, and have a house built for a fraction of what it would cost in the US. I changed my mind, deciding that it was too much of a gamble since I had so few days available to travel. While discussing possibilities, however, a major concern I had was construction oversight. My dad mentioned the possibility of a construction camera, which is nothing more than a camera running 24/7, streaming a live feed to some website. It would allow me to monitor the progress somewhat.

You’ve undoubtedly seen websites with live feeds of famous landmarks, such as this one of Times Square. Any person with some basic video and computer equipment can do the exact same thing. Certain privacy laws would have to be considered if you video social events, but that is the only restriction I can imagine. Private individuals could do this themselves, but many people don’t have the know how, and would just as soon shell out a few bucks to a pro.

Yesterday, I happened to read an article on ksl.com about a Weber State University who took this basic idea of streaming video of an event, and used it to build a business around filming funerals! Brilliant. He didn’t stop with being a one-man local business, though. According to the article, he works with 200 funeral homes and has recorded 10,000 funerals. Nice!

Where else is this idea marketable? EVERYWHERE. I have missed many weddings, many family parties, my brother’s commissioning, and several other events because work precluded my being there. If live feeds were used, I definitely would have watched all of them! Here are some obvious companies you could start locally:

-Weddings. Many people have professional photographers and videographers, but how many show a live internet feed that friends and family can watch from different states and countries?

-Birthdays and other parties. You don’t have to miss grandma’s 80th birthday party if you can watch it live online!

-Office and work events. Why not let the relatives watch you get an award or promotion?

-Athletic games. With so many parents working odd hours or in far-away locations, it would be great to “be there,” even if not in person.

-Babysitting and dogwatching. Right now, I’m house sitting and taking care of two dogs. How comforting would it be for the owners to be able to watch their dogs sleeping, eating, and returning from walks?

These are the obvious events, but anything could be filmed. Other companies and people are doing this type of work, but the market has low barriers to entry, is inexpensive, and is without dominant players.

Want to really go over the top? Use model airplanes with cameras taped to them! This is what the military uses for low-level reconnaissance, and as long as you abide by FAA regulations, there is no reason you can’t construct a similar platform.

What do you think? Is videotaping stuff really a path to becoming a millionaire?