Interview with For Your Imagination CEO Paul Kontonis

I first met Paul Kontonis when he let me use his video studio to host the first CN mixer in September. Paul runs a video company called For Your Imagination in NYC and currently CN is a sponsor of the nextNYers show which For Your Imagination produces. To find out a bit more about Paul and the studio, below is the transcript of an interview I conducted with Paul.

Allen: Can we start with a brief bio?

Paul: Here’s my official bio and you can also check out my Linkedin profile. Paul Kontonis is the Chief Executive and a co-founder of For Your Imagination. Paul’s interactive experience began as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at SenseNet, a Web application development agency, and as the Director of Business Development for Silver Shock, a boutique interactive agency. He appears in a number of marketing publications, digital media books including the Documentary Filmmakers Handbook, and is a speaker at several industry conferences and seminars annually.

Allen: What’s For Your Imagination?

Paul: For Your Imagination is an online media company that produces and markets high-quality original Internet TV and web video series, turning concept into reality for brands and content creators. The company works with creative individuals and brands to develop their show, offering them the opportunity to reach a targeted advertiser-friendly audience effectively and monetizing quickly.

Allen: What shows do you produce?

Paul: The following shows are active:

• The Patrice Oneal Show
• Break a Leg
• DadLabs
• nextNYers
• Bschooltalk
• The Shirtless Apprentice

Allen: Where did the idea come up for nextNYers?

Paul: From conversations with some of the active members of nextNY and the our own discussions. We are silicon alley veterans that have always done our best to promote the start-ups and talent of NYC.

Allen: What does the For Your Imagination team look like?

Paul: We are not too bad looking. :) We are made of up interactive marketing and agency veterans and TV production folks.

Allen: How do you generate revenue from the shows you produce?

Paul: Through advertising (blip, revver, etc), sponsorships (direct to brands and agencies), merchandise (Patrice DVD is the best example) and licensing (mobile, satellite, etc)

Allen: Are there other Internet studios that you would consider competition?

Paul: The top 3 in this industry are NextNewNetworks, ON Networks and us. Not necessarily in that order :)

Allen: What do you think about the NY tech scene?

Paul: I have been a part of it since 1993 and it just keeps going and moving, although it does feels like a lot of the same faces at times, it is innovative and accessible.

Allen: Why did you choose NY over California to create FYI?

Paul: New York City is where the ad dollars are and that is important to our business. And I am a born and raised NYer, would not want to start anywhere else.

Allen: Where do you see online video going in 2008?

Paul: I am looking forward to the true meeting of brands and original content. Overlays, pre-roll and product placement are a nice start but true brand integration with original content is what is so very exciting and possible!

Allen: Which video bloggers are you watching these days?

Paul: I am very fortunate to be able to say that I watch what we produce because I love them! So it would be The Patrice Oneal Show, DadLabs, Break a Leg and The shirtless apprentice.