5 ms·

Y Combinator Applicant Video Collection

34 points by citizenkeys 16y ago

citizenkeys 16y ago
This began in the node.js chatroom last night. But it just proves my own ycombinator application was a good idea (WikiTorrents): a website where you can list downloadable videos that you can get on other websites.
- endlessvoid94 16y ago
  So why haven't you started building it?
  - citizenkeys 16y ago
    Umm... the link IS WikiTorrents.org . I've been working on this project for a year. Check it out: http://wikitorrents.org/wiki/ycombinator_applicants http://wikitorrents.org/wiki/ycombinator_applicants
    - wehriam 16y ago
      Just a heads up, I'm getting a 403.
      - citizenkeys 16y ago
        Hmm... we have a somewhat zealous firewall tool on our servers, but I modified it. Try again and let me know. Thanks!
    - endlessvoid94 16y ago
      Oh, I didn't realize that. Good job!
JoeAltmaier 16y ago
Very cool! Nice idea - customizable lists, context but not content. { ouch - hard to watch myself }
- citizenkeys 16y ago
  The wiki has its benefits, the best being that I can revert to previous versions if somebody messes up a page edit or does graffiti on a page. The wiki is not very granular, though. Nor is it easy to edit. The current setup is going an overhaul and being replaced with a "much better" version that I'm still testing. I hope to have it implemented publicly within a month.
davidu 16y ago
I'm surprised at how poorly planned and filmed most of these videos are. Is that the point? Is it supposed to be so rough? (Note: I've never applied to YC or looked at the application)
- citizenkeys 16y ago
  Here's the official instructions for making a video: http://ycombinator.com/video.html http://ycombinator.com/video.html The instructions say: The video should contain nothing except the founders talking. No screenshots or postproduction wizardry please; we don't want this to turn into a video making contest. If you're going to spend time making something cool, put it into your demo/product. However, I agree with you. I think people should strive to make a good first impression. Beyond the bad quality of some of the videos, I was surprised how many people submitted videos saying words to the effect of "I have another co-founder but he couldn't be here for this video." If I were watching those and heard that, I'd automatically reject the applicant. If you can't even get your alleged co-founder together for a simple one minute video then things are obviously already falling apart.
  - jamesteow 16y ago
    "If you can't even get your alleged co-founder together for a simple one minute video then things are obviously already falling apart." I've actually heard of people applying a few hours before the deadline. So if they are geographically distant from one another, they just use webcams.
    - jeffwidman 16y ago
      I was on my honeymoon in Hawaii and we didn't put together the application until after I got married, so we used two webcams and spliced 'em together...
      - citizenkeys 16y ago
        My comment wasn't about videos of co-founders spliced together. My comment was about people that just basically said, in so many words, "I have a co-founder but he refused to show up even for a one-minute video."
AlexPD 16y ago
I'm in no way intending to be rude, but the standard set in those videos isn't at all as high as I would have expected. Even without post-production editing, surely there should at least be adequate lighting conditions and camera alignment. I think clearing breaking the pitch into parts would be a good idea also. Such as an intro, about the founders, about the problem, about revenue, etc. I would make specific comments per video but that wouldn't be a nice thing to do. Just my 2c guys, good luck to you all!
- citizenkeys 16y ago
  The worst video I was with really choppy webcam video and it also had a several second delay between the audio and the video. I mean, if you can't even operate the webcam, why bother labeling yourself a "hacker" and applying for start-up funding? Second worst I saw was some stoned guy going on about how much he hated seeing "all the genitalia" on chatroulette. Seriously. This was a real video. The best two I personally saw were a video of several founders for a question and answer site and a new-age guy with an idea for personal metaphysical space. Both videos were very engaging given their short length.
  - livejake 16y ago
    Hahahaha. Stoned guy here. You just need to chill out and recognize the problem of the penis... man. It's giving the internet bad karma. Seriously, I was a little tired, but I was not stoned. Could I have made an awesome polished video? Sure. But they said talk spontaneously as I would to a friend, and I took their instructions literally. Any feedback on the concept?
    - citizenkeys 16y ago
      oh man, you kick ass! thanks for being a good sport about it. For those just joining us, here's the video: http://livejake.posterous.com/application-video http://livejake.posterous.com/application-video My recommendation would have been to seem more enthusiastic and professional. The idea seemed kind of, umm, unique. But if you had presented it more professionally and with serious facts and data, I think it would have made a better impression Also, maybe some ideas about who you will market the idea and how it could make money. You could've offered specifics about maybe marketing it to parents somehow. Or connecting your idea to some sort of succesful product that involves internet safety.
robryan 16y ago
Interesting that most people haven't put a nice shirt/ suit jacket on. I know it probably has little impact but it gives a good initial impression.
photon_off 16y ago
It was really an eye-opening experience to go through a big list of these videos. Thank you to everyone who has participated. It definitely gives me a new perspective. I once thought it inconsiderate that YC didn't even click the demo link in my application, but now it's obvious that it's a necessary evil in sifting through so much of this. One thing that stood out to me was how late all the videos were in the application process. About 75% of the videos were submitted within 48 hours of the deadline. It seems that submitting just a week earlier than the deadline would gain a huge advantage in terms of how much time the YC folks are able to commit to your application. If I had to sift through this many videos in a short amount of time, I wouldn't even finish most of them. Whereas, if I received a video for the first time in a few days, I'd probably watch the whole thing regardless, and even try out the demo.
- citizenkeys 16y ago
  Did you submit a video with your application? If so, where is it? :-)
  - photon_off 16y ago
    I didn't apply this time around, for several reasons which aren't really important. Otherwise, I'd have definitely included it... you know, to show others how it's done.

34 points by citizenkeys 16y ago

This began in the node.js chatroom last night. But it just proves my own ycombinator application was a good idea (WikiTorrents): a website where you can list downloadable videos that you can get on other websites.

endlessvoid94 16y ago
So why haven't you started building it?
- citizenkeys 16y ago
  Umm... the link IS WikiTorrents.org . I've been working on this project for a year. Check it out: http://wikitorrents.org/wiki/ycombinator_applicants http://wikitorrents.org/wiki/ycombinator_applicants
  - wehriam 16y ago
    Just a heads up, I'm getting a 403.
    - citizenkeys 16y ago
      Hmm... we have a somewhat zealous firewall tool on our servers, but I modified it. Try again and let me know. Thanks!
  - endlessvoid94 16y ago
    Oh, I didn't realize that. Good job!

JoeAltmaier 16y ago

Very cool! Nice idea - customizable lists, context but not content. { ouch - hard to watch myself }

citizenkeys 16y ago
The wiki has its benefits, the best being that I can revert to previous versions if somebody messes up a page edit or does graffiti on a page. The wiki is not very granular, though. Nor is it easy to edit. The current setup is going an overhaul and being replaced with a "much better" version that I'm still testing. I hope to have it implemented publicly within a month.

davidu 16y ago

I'm surprised at how poorly planned and filmed most of these videos are. Is that the point? Is it supposed to be so rough? (Note: I've never applied to YC or looked at the application)

citizenkeys 16y ago
Here's the official instructions for making a video: http://ycombinator.com/video.html http://ycombinator.com/video.html The instructions say: The video should contain nothing except the founders talking. No screenshots or postproduction wizardry please; we don't want this to turn into a video making contest. If you're going to spend time making something cool, put it into your demo/product. However, I agree with you. I think people should strive to make a good first impression. Beyond the bad quality of some of the videos, I was surprised how many people submitted videos saying words to the effect of "I have another co-founder but he couldn't be here for this video." If I were watching those and heard that, I'd automatically reject the applicant. If you can't even get your alleged co-founder together for a simple one minute video then things are obviously already falling apart.
- jamesteow 16y ago
  "If you can't even get your alleged co-founder together for a simple one minute video then things are obviously already falling apart." I've actually heard of people applying a few hours before the deadline. So if they are geographically distant from one another, they just use webcams.
  - jeffwidman 16y ago
    I was on my honeymoon in Hawaii and we didn't put together the application until after I got married, so we used two webcams and spliced 'em together...
    - citizenkeys 16y ago
      My comment wasn't about videos of co-founders spliced together. My comment was about people that just basically said, in so many words, "I have a co-founder but he refused to show up even for a one-minute video."

AlexPD 16y ago

I'm in no way intending to be rude, but the standard set in those videos isn't at all as high as I would have expected. Even without post-production editing, surely there should at least be adequate lighting conditions and camera alignment. I think clearing breaking the pitch into parts would be a good idea also. Such as an intro, about the founders, about the problem, about revenue, etc. I would make specific comments per video but that wouldn't be a nice thing to do. Just my 2c guys, good luck to you all!

citizenkeys 16y ago
The worst video I was with really choppy webcam video and it also had a several second delay between the audio and the video. I mean, if you can't even operate the webcam, why bother labeling yourself a "hacker" and applying for start-up funding? Second worst I saw was some stoned guy going on about how much he hated seeing "all the genitalia" on chatroulette. Seriously. This was a real video. The best two I personally saw were a video of several founders for a question and answer site and a new-age guy with an idea for personal metaphysical space. Both videos were very engaging given their short length.
- livejake 16y ago
  Hahahaha. Stoned guy here. You just need to chill out and recognize the problem of the penis... man. It's giving the internet bad karma. Seriously, I was a little tired, but I was not stoned. Could I have made an awesome polished video? Sure. But they said talk spontaneously as I would to a friend, and I took their instructions literally. Any feedback on the concept?
  - citizenkeys 16y ago
    oh man, you kick ass! thanks for being a good sport about it. For those just joining us, here's the video: http://livejake.posterous.com/application-video http://livejake.posterous.com/application-video My recommendation would have been to seem more enthusiastic and professional. The idea seemed kind of, umm, unique. But if you had presented it more professionally and with serious facts and data, I think it would have made a better impression Also, maybe some ideas about who you will market the idea and how it could make money. You could've offered specifics about maybe marketing it to parents somehow. Or connecting your idea to some sort of succesful product that involves internet safety.

robryan 16y ago

Interesting that most people haven't put a nice shirt/ suit jacket on. I know it probably has little impact but it gives a good initial impression.

photon_off 16y ago

It was really an eye-opening experience to go through a big list of these videos. Thank you to everyone who has participated. It definitely gives me a new perspective. I once thought it inconsiderate that YC didn't even click the demo link in my application, but now it's obvious that it's a necessary evil in sifting through so much of this. One thing that stood out to me was how late all the videos were in the application process. About 75% of the videos were submitted within 48 hours of the deadline. It seems that submitting just a week earlier than the deadline would gain a huge advantage in terms of how much time the YC folks are able to commit to your application. If I had to sift through this many videos in a short amount of time, I wouldn't even finish most of them. Whereas, if I received a video for the first time in a few days, I'd probably watch the whole thing regardless, and even try out the demo.

citizenkeys 16y ago
Did you submit a video with your application? If so, where is it? :-)
- photon_off 16y ago
  I didn't apply this time around, for several reasons which aren't really important. Otherwise, I'd have definitely included it... you know, to show others how it's done.