EVENT
49th Edition – Ghetto Film School Screening
DATE:
TODAY!!! – Tuesday, April 27th
LOCATION:
The Globe
158 East. 23rd St btw. 3rd and Lexington
In the back
TIME:
8pm and on (SCREENING AT 9PMish)
PURPOSE:
Come hang out. Stop by. Have a drink. Meet and greet. Learn about the Ghetto Film School.
A couple things stand out to me about this article. First, is Netflix continuing to find new businesses that incorporate into their company. They realize that the DVD business is slowly becoming extinct and they are preparing themselves by diversifying. Very smart. Also, very smart is the field in which they are venturing. Pretty much text books are dead. Soon all our students will have tablets that teach their lessons. The most fascinating part is that teaching will no longer be a one size fits all scenario. These interactive games will cater to each students learning patterns and provide the ideal learning scenario for that student. If you are a more visual learner that’s how your lessons will be conveyed. If you are an aural learner then that will be your learning process. Customized learning. Love it – well done Netflix.
Our innovation does not always come from the morally superior. Innovation has become this buzz word for all that is good and pure about business. But let’s not kid ourselves – there are plenty of areas (porn, gambling etc) where the massive fortunes create some of the largest investors in research and innovation this side of Apple. Porn has always been a front runner when it comes to new technologies and there is no reason to think that trend won’t continue. So let us celebrate for a moment – the contributions of the porn industry to our collective pursuit of exploring new technologies. Progress tends not to care what your reasoning or cause is – it’s just a relentless push to see what is possible and what is next.
Will.I.AM reminds me of Ashton Kutcher. They have huge followings and realize the importance of courting the favor of heavy corporate hitters. Instead of shrinking into the label of ‘artist’ they are becoming their own captains of their brands and business. And they realize how important it can be to be an early adopter for technology. The Black Eyed Peas conceived a song (I Gotta Feeling)that will play at every major function forever and have woven their sponsors into their day to day business. Hopefully they will be able to pull a little Bono action and leverage their connections for big change. The Black Eyed Peas are building an empire. Get out of the way or join in. This article gives a great look into their business deals.
Why do our online players mimic our TV screens? It makes no sense. It’s a totally different experience and should reflect that. Why not tap into the plethora of information conveyed on screen by supping up the video player? Oh wait, someone else thought of that!
Media/And’s Smart Bar is just another tool in helping monetize online behavior and encourage consumers to purchase items they see in shows. They key to any of these technologies is ease. If I am watching a program online and see a piece of clothing I like – I am most likely not going to go through the trouble of tracking it down and purchasing it. But if that information popped up next to my online viewer and I could buy it right there? Well, that might be an impulse buy. And maybe I will buy that wok in the kitchen scene.
The key is ‘Teeball Economics’ – where buying decisions are made based on how easy and set up the interaction is.
Nine to five is an arbitrary time frame for work. Our internal clocks are all different and we all get work done in different ways. An office culture is important but there is no doubt that it has been over- valued. Just us consumers are looking for customized everything – we not apply the same patterns for work flow? If my results are solid and I am not hurting anybody then why can’t I work 4 days a week for longer hours? Also, who says being busy means you are being effective? The amount of hours you put in does not always dictate the quality of your work. Rather, it’s the focus and creativity that propels great work. I think I will take an early lunch…
As one of Silicon Valley’s most famous entrepreneurs, Dennis Crowley also has made his online brand presence transparent by using the technology that he fosters. As founder of Foursquare, Crowley regularly gives glimpses into his life and all the interesting people and places that it takes him. More and more – you are your company. And when your company is on top like Mr. Crowley – well then you are your own Where’s Waldo.
Getting brands integrated into films or TV shows can be done thoughtfully and without distraction. The key is to get the brands involved in the creative process at an earlier entry point. This gives the principal creatives time to figure out how to incorporate it. The worst is when a brand gets shoved down the throats of the creative team and then the integration is unsightly and distracting. Most brands only want to get involved in ‘winners’ and are afraid to get involved in the messy creative process because it involves loosening the grip on their brands. Brands should take some more chances and understand that failing is part of the process of getting that perfect integration. Because when someone cool in a movie or TV show uses your product – that can be worth a generation of advertising budgets.
You can have every gadget, every bit of proper schooling and all the proper protocols – but nothing trumps connections.
Jerry Weintraub is the type of mogul who looked for opportunities in whatever field – Broadway, music, film, TV etc. He found John Denver, produced the Oceans movies, and booked Led Zeppelin and a million other things – this is a guy you want to share a steak and martini with. He works the phones – trading favors for favors and getting stuff made.
Your relationships are your currency.
Foster them, nurture them and build off them.
Never mind the feat or the impressive vertical leap. Let’s look at the timeline. 2 days ago in a gym in Arkansas a 16 year old kid did something cool. There is no such thing as local anymore. Local just means – not big/crazy/superlative enough for national. If something is really good it cannot stay hidden. If you write an amazing pop song, and emailed it to your 100 closest friends. If it was really good, and I mean really good – you would be discovered within the week. This begs the questions – how do we handle development? Many people and ideas need development and time and refinement and trial and error. If we take our most promising and thrust them into the spotlight – it won’t work. I have no answers. Get your reps, don’t be afraid to fail and quality rises to the top.