E.i. Geek

The 6 Best Free and Low-Cost Design Sites to Make Your Products Irresistible

2015-02-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

So you’ve got a killer product coming out, and to save money, you’re designing and marketing it yourself, but you want to create irresistible, un-ignorable marketing content. You want the kind of imagery that’s clean, memorable, and simplistically expresses your brand...without killing your wallet.

(Especially since the ‘trep life is all about feast or famine.)

As such, the Geek’s got you covered with websites that offer some of the highest quality design tools on the web for free or affordable prices.

Your Portal to Create Drool-worthy Designs

Fonts

Font Squirrel doesn’t just offer fonts that are “free with a catch” (you know, the “only free for personal use” trick), but incredible, head-turning fonts that are free under commercial license, meaning you can use it for your business without paying a dime.

Graphics (Templates, Icons, Mockups, Buttons, Themes, etc.)

Creative Market offers professional graphic elements for decent prices, and weekly freebie packages. However, you’ll have to set up an account with them (including a Facebook login option for your convenience).

A word of caution: Though Creative Market has wonderful photos, they licenses are not cost-effective. For great photo sites, keep reading.

Best PSD Freebies is much like Creative Market, but offers Photoshop-specific files and doesn’t require you to set up an account.

Photos

PublicDomainPictures.net is a public domain image database. Translation: free, no-attribution-necessary, commercially available high quality images. However, if you want to download the images formally, the site prompts you to set up an account. (However, you can download the image by clicking its thumbnail to view the full-sized version, then right-clicking it and selecting “Save image.”)

Pixabay one-ups PublicDomainPictures.net by not requiring you to set up an account. Both sites offer fantastic photos with a clean website design that makes you feel comfortable using its photos.

There are plenty of public domain image sites out there, but their designs are so basic, the experience is almost cautionary.

The Creative Commons Search image search aggregator lets you to type a keyword and allows you to search photos on various sites, including Flickr, Google Web and Google Images, Wikimedia Commons, and several others. CC Search is fantastic in that its inherent search criteria yields images with free commercial licenses (as long as you attribute and don’t sell the photo yourself).

So whether you’re designing your own business cards, slideshows, infographics, tip-o-graphics, videos, or your book cover, these sites are a great place to start to find professionally designed graphics for free or almost free. But be warned: The sheer coolness might suck you in!

Mellissa Thomas is a Jamaica-born author, award-winning screenwriter, poet, freelance writer and manuscript editor currently available for hire. She has been published in Caribbean Today, Orlando Fashion Magazine and several others; and has posted on popular blogs, including Men with Pens and Successful Blogging.

She has also published six books: including the newly released Crooked Beauty: Words on Our Imperfect Life, and In the Rough, all available on Amazon.com and major online bookstores. For more information, visit mellissathomas.com.

Amanda Palmer’s ‘The Art of Asking’ TED Talk: The Digital Music Debate Continues

2015-02-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

Imagine you’re crowdfunding your big project on Kickstarter and you ask the masses to help meet your initial $200,000 goal, and instead end up raising nearly $1.2 million, donated by 25,000 strong. You’re probably thinking: That’s a lot of money.

And a whole lot of asking.

Well, that’s exactly what punk rock and cabaret music revolutionary Amanda Palmer did recently, and in her TED Talk she shares her perfectly good reason for opening her hand to fans, and why they willingly give.

Now, while this was a 2013 TED Talk, the debate still rages on, thanks to recent outrage with the little revenue some artists have made despite their heavy Spotify and Pandora rotations and the continued existence of bit torrents.

What are your thoughts on the digital music download debate? Should digital music be free in exchange for commodities, or should listeners always be charged for their music? Share your thoughts in a comment below.

Mellissa Thomas is a Jamaica-born author, award-winning screenwriter, poet, freelance writer and manuscript editor currently available for hire. She has been published in Caribbean Today, Orlando Fashion Magazine and several others; and has posted on popular blogs, including Men with Pens and Successful Blogging.

She has also published six books: including the newly released Crooked Beauty: Words on Our Imperfect Life, and In the Rough, all available on Amazon.com and major online bookstores. For more information, visit mellissathomas.com.

Everyday Entrepreneur Feature: Emerging Designer Dwayne Allen's Diehard Movement Makes His Street Wear Unforgettable

2013-09-24T14:46:00.000-04:00

Dwayne T. Allen modeling skate gear for Vu’ Skateboard Shop in Baltimore, MD

Imagine you're born and raised in a very crowded city that's no stranger to struggle. You're in such a weird location, your hometown is called the forgotten city. You bust your tail to outshine everyone, but still get overlooked, manipulated, or both, losing to someone you know did less than you to get what you were after. (Sound familiar?)

So how do you make an imprint in a forgotten place where nearly everyone is clamoring for attention?

You start an evocative movement, building a brand around one of the most visceral impulses universal to all of us: the power of persistence.

Take Respect. Defy Adversity.

Baltimore native and resident Dwayne T. Allen's clothing brand slogan echoes the "natural toughness" his hometown has taught him. The city, considered "up north" by southerners and "down south" by northerners, is the inspiration behind everything he does. "I was never given anything, not even the things I deserved," he told Downtown Orlando Fashion Week in a phone interview August 29, 2013. "I always had to fight for [them]. I rise above the naysayers."

He described his "forgotten city" as crowded and dog-eat-dog competitive. "Everyone pulls themselves up from their own bootstraps," he explained, adding that as a result, collaboration is very limited. He revealed that though he worked hard, he still got "screwed over and looked over," but has never given up. He goes beyond his duty to demand respect, which, according to him, means defying adversity.

Defying Adversity with Recon

After playing basketball for five years, Allen became a bouncer at a lounge to make ends meet during tough financial straits, which sounds almost glamorous...until he added that he wasn't well paid. He'd lost faith in the college degree and the system, but also gradually lost sight of who he was.

Fortunately, during his bouncer tenure, he rubbed elbows with entrepreneurs, clothing designers, and promoters, and he realized he could do better than the other successful designers, using his struggle as a constant muse for excellence, which fueled him to return to his core: he loved fashion and street skateboarding, and determined he would pursue a career that harnessed both.

During Allen's studies at Morgan University, he had the change to network with even more fashion designers, models, and entrepreneurs, learning seasonal trends and collegiate fashions, which he incorporated into his clothing line. He challenged himself as his brand concepts expanded, doing deep research (which he continues on his personal blog).

To that end, he has positioned himself for success in Baltimore's fashion market. He told DOFW that the city's fashion used to be regional: people would shop at the nearest boutique or retailer to them, so it was easy to tell by their clothes which part of town they're from. However, since Baltimore's fashion evolves with the major trends, it's hard to tell who's from where anymore.

Despite that, he currently has an advantage because most Baltimore-based brands that grow to become successful usually leave the state, constantly making room for new designers like him, which is why he chose to attach his brand to a movement. "People buy what you stand for," he said.

Though his line has a wide appeal, he separates himself by staying focused on the brand. "I'm not sold out for fashion," he explained. "I don't adapt to all trends."

To bring his point home, he released a personal brand logo on September 20, 2013 establishing his identity.

Here's how he explained it on his website:

"…the DA stands for Dwayne Allen and the number 24 is a number that I incorporate in almost everything I do with my name. The number "24" usually comes after "DA" or my name Dwayne Allen because it represents me being myself 24-hours a day. I'm myself at all times, I'm never being phony or have different versions of myself in different settings. I'm The Real Dwayne Allen 24-hours a day, 365 days a year."

So What is TRDA?

TRDA, an acronym that doubles as the first initials for Allen's slogan, "Take Respect Defy Adversity," and the first letters of Allen's personal brand, "The Real Dwayne Allen," is a street wear clothing line that carries the swagger of both Hip Hop and skater cultures in a stylish and athletic way. TRDA Brand Clothing, LLC. was born August 2010 (which he's embellished on some of his clothing in the Roman numerals MMX).

Allen's logos reach a broad crowd: military/vets (left), sports (center and below), and college students (right and below). There are many more logo variations on his website.

Allen's been skating since the age of nine, so he has intimate knowledge of the styles skaters like and plans to offer them more of what they want. According to him, some of the big brands don't really know.

His line promises to be a menswear candy store, offering tees, crew necks, hoodies, varsity jackets, baseball jackets, ratline tees, fitted caps, accessories, tanks, and eventually skateboard decks.

Allen's standard TRDA Brand tee at left, and the TRDA "Always Grindin' " gears tee at right

Though the TRDA line isn't available for order yet, Allen's prototype designs will be ready to premiere in his 2014 catalog, all of which you'll find at his blog, therealdwayneallen.com.

Bringing TRDA to the Masses

Like most post-2000 entrepreneurs, Allen's taking a DIY approach to marketing his brand. He's a mostly self-taught graphic designer in Adobe CS software and CAD, and with his very recent degree in television and video production from Morgan University, he's a skilled videographer and show producer as well.

In fact, he's using video to build a buzz around TRDA already. He initially created a promo video series of him building a skateboard. The completed process is now in one seamless video on his YouTube page.

Furthermore, he's already building a following through a video series and podcast he co-produces, "The Wrestling Wrealm."

Dwayne Allen (right) and Brian Waters on their show, "The Wrestling Wrealm."

Between "The Wrestling Wrealm," the promo skateboard video, shareable image quotes he attaches the TRDA brand to (like the one near top), and prototype "sneek peeks" that he releases exclusively to his blog, his presence has expanded and people are already asking him where they can buy his stuff.

Considering how many other clothing designers he's already met in the tightly crowded and highly competitive Baltimore, that's saying something.

And, of course, he milks every drop of influence out of social media. He's on Facebook, Twitter (@dwayneallen24, @TRDAbrand), Instagram, and LinkedIn; and uses both WordPress (for his professional website) and Blogger (for his personal site).

In the Meantime…

Also like most 'treps, Allen isn't putting all his eggs in one basket -- at least not yet. While his brand gains popularity, he offers his services as a freelance graphic designer, videographer, and video editor.

His next challenge is photography. Thanks to his degree, he's skilled with the Canon Rebel T3i 600D and Nikon D700. So we asked the trick question: which side is he on?

Though he's a Canon fan, he wisely explained each has its purpose. The professional photographers he met use Nikons, so he may use one for his official clothing line photo shoots, but he finds Canon is better for recording videos, so he plans to purchase a 60D and find someone to learn from.

Check out Allen's upcoming designs here, and be among the first cool kids to buy his clothes when they release by following @TRDAbrand on Twitter.

_{Article reposted from Downtown Orlando Fashion Week online magazine with permission. All images belong to Dwayne T. Allen. Used by permission.}

About the Author: Mellissa Thomas is a freelance writer, blogger, web content writer, copyeditor, proofreader, and authors three blogs: E.i. Geek (Blogger), her inspirational blog Growin' Narrow (WP), and The Tenderfoot Files, the online platform for her 5-ebook suspense series (WP).

She has also published three books: a weekly devotional entitled From a Babe: A Weekly Devotional, From a Babe: A Weekly Devotional Small Group Bible Study Workbook, and the first ebook of her 5-ebook suspense series, Abstracted: Episode 1 of the Tenderfoot Series.

Kodak's 6-Studio Deal Averts the Bleak Doom of Motion Picture Film...and Itself

2013-06-04T10:37:00.001-04:00

In the world of business, self-preservation is top priority, which has become all-too-urgent for embattled film manufacturer Kodak. However, its recent distribution deal with the big film studios could avert the seemingly inevitable (and unfortunate) end of all film, and give film purists the world over a glimmer of hope.

Kodak's Latest Deal

Over the past year, Kodak has formed film distribution deals with Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, NBC-Universal, and Disney.

20th Century Fox was the sixth major studio to join the ranks June 3, 2013. Andrew Evenski, President of Kodak's Entertainment and Commercial Films Division, explained that the exclusive deal meets Fox's "content creation, film distribution, and archival needs" for its film and television productions.

Film's Bleak Holding Pattern

Technology presses mercilessly forward, sometimes abandoning decent innovations that many of us are still content with or even prefer. Variety reports that to this day black-and-white film in a climate-controlled vault is still the best archival medium for moving images, despite today's advances in digital imaging.

However, the digital tsunami forced Kodak's hand. The company filed for bankruptcy protection back in January 2012 and had to eliminate its consumer film manufacturing arm as well as much of its other departments.

And Kodak wasn't alone. Its main competitor Fuji officially shut down its motion picture film manufacturing in March 2013 according to Doddle, which largely deflated all hope for film's survival.

Furthermore, most movie theaters have ditched their film projectors in favor of digital projection. In fact, Doddle reports that the National Association of Theater Owners predicts that 85% of movie theaters will be using digital projectors by the end of 2013.

That makes deflation number two, especially with the advent of 4K and 5K digital resolution cameras and video projection (which is still in its infancy).

Thankfully Kodak decided not to go down without a fighting chance.

Kodak's alliance with the major studios not only guarantees further demand for film, but it ensures its own long-term success, especially now that it's a much leaner business-to-business (B2B) firm. It can focus far more keenly on manufacturing motion picture film than juggling the other printing and consumer film services that have already fallen victim to the digital revolution.

Are you a film purist or prefer film to digital? Share this great news with your networks.

Flickr photo of Coca Cola filmstrip taken by Bart Everson.

About the Author: Mellissa Thomas is a freelance writer, blogger, web content writer, copyeditor, proofreader, and authors three blogs: E.i. Geek (Blogger), her inspirational blog Growin' Narrow (WP), and The Tenderfoot Files, the online platform for her 5-ebook suspense series (WP).

She has also published three books: From a Babe: A Weekly Devotional, From a Babe: A Weekly Devotional Small Group Bible Study Workbook, and the first ebook of her 5-ebook suspense series, Abstracted: Episode 1 of the Tenderfoot Series.

The One and Only Positive Use of Unpaid/Low-Paying Internships

2013-05-21T14:27:00.001-04:00

What's your opinion of unpaid and low-paying internships?

There's a bitter ongoing debate about whether these internships serve any purpose at all when there are companies and entrepreneurs (though rare) willing to pay for your services.

You've probably heard a slew of nightmare stories from graduates and industry newbies with piling bills who are forced to settle for them, or perhaps even have a story of your own.

Some of the more vocal detractors go so far as to say unpaid and low-paying internships are even unethical.

No matter what side of the argument you're on, here's the truth about them: they're not all unethical. Unpaid and low-paying internships do serve a purpose, but the key is in the timing.

Here's an unfortunate reality you must face first.

Unpaid and low-paying internships are far more common than the paid variety.

According to author and linguist Ross Perlin, "an estimated quarter or third of all internships are unpaid, many more are low-paid as well."

And Perlin would know -- he was an intern himself. In fact he published his first book Intern Nation: How to Earn Nothing and Learn Little in the Brave New Economy back in 2011 and appeared on MSNBC and NPR in 2012 about the subject.

The argument's gone national, too.

According to NPR's article and radio interview with Perlin, there are five landmark intern lawsuits against major for-profit corporations, including Hearst Corporation (media/magazine company), the famous Charlie Rose TV talk show on PBS, and even Fox Searchlight, producer and distributor of Hollywood box office smash Black Swan. There were hundreds of interns on the film's crew in very key fundamental roles (including on the production team), who were completely unpaid.

In the radio interview, Perlin mentions the Charlie Rose show made a settlement for a quarter-million dollars with the interns who sued.

The Hearst Corporation case didn't have such a happy ending. NPR reports that a New York judged ruled against a class action lawsuit of 3,000 interns versus Hearst in early May. They'll instead have to sue the company individually.

Here's when unpaid and low-paying internships are useful.

Don't graduate from college and transition into an internship. That's the worst time because at that point, you'll be desperate for work, stuck in a crowded market, and forced to settle.

Instead, start interning while you're still in school, and early. Perlin says some college students have to intern as often as four times while they're in school. The earlier you start your internships in school, the more time you'll have to choose carefully and weed out the unprofitable companies.

Here are at least two criteria you can use to weed them out.

Perlin explains you should be leery of any for-profit company that:

requires a slew of skills from you then turns around and says they won't pay, or
offer credits

In the latter case, your school assigns the credits, so the only way a for-profit can make that offer is if it truly has a solid working relationship with your school.

If you find this post useful, share it with your networks. Thanks for reading!

Flickr photo by stuartpilbrow.

About the Author: Mellissa Thomas is a freelance writer, blogger, web content writer, copyeditor, proofreader, and authors three blogs: E.i. Geek (Blogger), her writing blog Mellifluity Inc. (WP), and The Tenderfoot Files, the online platform for her 5-ebook suspense series (WP).

She has also self-published two books: a weekly devotional entitled From a Babe: A Weekly Devotional, and the first ebook of her 5-ebook suspense series, Abstracted: Episode 1 of the Tenderfoot Series.

Did You Miss These? The 5 Most Buzzworthy Entertainment News Articles from Cinco de Mayo Weekend

2013-05-07T12:58:00.002-04:00

If you're still coming down from your Cinco de Mayo celebration (or your weekend plans in general, if you didn't celebrate), you may have missed some eyebrow-raising news. While you were playing hard, the entertainment biz was moving hard, too.

Check these articles out from around the web and get caught up. :)

The 5 Most Eyebrow-Raising Entertainment News Articles You May Have Missed

1. Viacom CEO: 'We're Still in Discussions With Netflix' - Streaming pact is set to expire in May (TheWrap.com)

Bonus article: Netflix Will Lose Almost 2,000 Movies Wednesday (Mashable)

But before you freak out and start illegally downloading movies and shows, there's hope. You can still get your fix here.

2. DreamWorks Animation Buys AwesomenessTV (TheWrap.com)

3. A&E Orders Reality Series ‘Modern Dads’ (Variety)

4. 'Vogue,' 'Wired' to Launch Online TV Channels This Month (Mashable)

5. Spotify acquires music discovery & playlist app Tunigo (VentureBeat.com)

If you know your network needs this news, share it with your people! Thanks for reading.

Flickr photo by Enrique López-Tamayo Biosca.

Amazon's 14-Pilot Experiment Blazes a New Path in VOD Marketing

2013-04-23T18:09:00.002-04:00

How many Hollywood movies and big studio TV shows have you seen and been tempted to yawn at? You recognized the plot within the first five minutes, you could tell what would happen before it did, or worse, you could dictate an entire plot based solely on the trailer.

Hollywood and big studios' risk-averse culture, though once justified, has now become irreverently obvious, and while people still eat what they feed them, they're starting to look elsewhere for their entertainment thanks to video-on-demand (VOD) services like Hulu and Netflix offering original series content.

On Friday, April 20, 2013, Amazon Instant Streaming locked arms with Hulu and Netflix to shift moviegoers from big theaters to home theaters and mobile devices with original content of its own.

The Path Hulu and Netflix Created

Netflix was the first public corporation to revolutionize the film and TV industry with instant streaming at a convenient price. Hulu's lure was its niche as an Internet hub for TV's most popular series. Two network giants own it as it is: Fox Broadcasting Company (NewsCorp) and Disney (though it's now leaning towards a 2013 IPO).

Here's how Amazon Instant Video's spinning things.

Hulu offers original content, and the success of Netflix's original series House of Cards solidified the viability of such a gamble. Its next original series, Eli Roth's Hemlock Grove, is generating some buzz as well.

Now Amazon's spinning the original series model on its ear using the power of customer engagement. It's placed 14 different series pilots on its Amazon Instant Video site for you to watch free: 6 children's shows, 8 comedies. As the site boasts, you "call the shots" by completing a brief survey after each pilot you watch. According to Reuters, Amazon Studios will then decide which shows to produce based on viewers' feedback.

Mashable reports once the voted series are produced, they'll be available for streaming to Amazon Prime subscribers (who pay $79/year) at no extra charge.

Amazon also made sure to market the shows on other sites in its network: AmazonMP3 offers free downloadable songs from the shows, and you can click the IMDb link to learn more about the cast and crew for each.

The Hidden Value of the 'New' Approach

Amazon's using a key principle Dale Carnegie left decades ago in influencing people: value the opinions of others. Let's face it, we're self-centered. Make us feel important, and we'll give you the time of day.

Marrying that tradition with the now ubiquitous VOD model could lead to two major and so far elusive milestones: fewer viewer complaints (since they choose what they want to see) and lower costs for the studios (Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu).

The big studios (CBS, NBC, FOX, and the major cable networks) still walk the tightrope every year in producing pilots and starting a show's first season based on the pilot's Nielsen ratings, only to pull it midseason or after only a handful of episodes due to low viewership. It's a costly gamble.

Amazon's viewer-voted model not only makes elimination plain, it takes much of the process off its hands, which reduces the studio's costs and risks.

And that's every business' ambition, isn't it?

Given the now common crowdsourcing trend, more networks will most likely follow Amazon's approach and make their own niche tweaks where necessary.

What are your thoughts on Amazon's campaign? Leave a comment below.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com.

About the Author: Mellissa Thomas is a freelance writer, blogger, web content writer, copyeditor, proofreader, and authors three blogs: E.i. Geek (Blogger), her writing blog Mellifluity Inc. (WP), and The Tenderfoot Files, the online platform for her 5-ebook suspense series (WP).

She has also self-published two books: a weekly devotional entitled From a Babe: A Weekly Devotional, and the first ebook of her 5-ebook series, Abstracted: Episode 1 of the Tenderfoot Series.

Participant Media's New Cable Network 'Pivot' Affects Your Entertainment Career -- Here's How

2013-04-16T15:39:00.001-04:00

Participant Media's cable network pivot, which launches August 1, 2013, aims to spark a tide of global activism, and even aims to revolutionize cable network versatility.

It's aimed at the coveted millenials (18-34 years old) and wants to inspire groundbreaking social change through them. They're the perfect market since they're immersed in entertainment culture and will soon enter the entertainment business themselves.

"We wanted to design a next-generation channel for the next generation of consumers and leaders," said pivot President Evan Shapiro, former head of AMC Networks' Sundance and IFC channels.

What does all that have to do with you? Well, consider the prospect: a new wave of conscientious youth armed with tools to be more expressive than any preceding generation and fired with the impetus to be socially responsible.

That promises the potential for more online videos, indie films and music to be produced. Perhaps thought-provoking material will actually return to the mainstream (gasp!).

Furthermore, pivot is a nascent cable network, which is an opportunity you should jump on now. Why?

4 Reasons Why You Should Care about pivot

1. This your chance to influence culture. Most entertainment industry entrepreneurs tend to be indie, but up to now, indie's still considered something of a delicacy. Most people favor the familiar comfort of the mainstream.

Pivot, with its goal to be "credible, brave, disruptive", offers you a chance to create the provocative content you always make anyway, and attach it to their projects, which widens your audience.

For example, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's variety show "HitRECord on TV!" will be crowdsourced. According to TheWrap, he "invites and encourages anybody with an Internet connection to join him and contribute."

And since Participant Media's content actually creates social change, you'll be involved in making that happen. (North Country led to laws against women's abuse on the job; An Inconvenient Truth sparked worldwide conversation on climate change and earned former Vice President Al Gore a Nobel Peace Prize.)

2. Pivot's not kidding about reaching the millenials. Unlike the doomed OWN Network and Current TV, which both tried their hand at this, pivot's already packing cultural firepower in its alliance with the venerable Rolling Stone to produce cross-platform content.

According to Participant Media's March 27, 2013 press release, the network plans to feature Rolling Stone writers and editors on its shows and collaborate on a special research study of their young market. Likewise, Rolling Stone plans to do a 3-issue special feature celebrating millenials in the fall, which pivot's execs and creative talent will supplement with videos.

3. The network comes with a built-in audience. Variety and TheWrap report that parent company Participant Media acquired the Documentary Channel and Halogen TV last year, scoring 40 million+ viewers in the process.

4. A new network needs new content, especially with millenials in the crosshairs. They're the most coveted audience because they're also the hardest to reach, and that's because their minds are insatiable. They're constantly searching for the next new fun thing to do, consume, or talk about.

Here's a small taste of pivot's programming, according to IndieWire and The Hollywood Reporter:

Participant Media's documentaries (including A Place at the Table and 99% -- The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film)

Latin-centric documentaries through its alliance with Univision News and Latin World Entertainment

Gordon-Levitt's "HitRECord on TV!"

The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge writer Craig Pearce's "WILL," a fictional modern-day period mashup about William Shakespeare (co-produced by A Game of Thrones' Vince Gerardis)

Participant Media's 1-hour nightly activism talk show TakePart Live

syndicated shows "Friday Night Lights" and "Little Mosque on the Prairie" (a Canadian sitcom that never aired in the U.S.)

So while pivot has its first year in the bag with over 300 hours of programming, that leaves years two and three open to you now.

If it wants to stay relevant, pivot will need what you make.

For starters, it'll need filmmakers. Since social change is the name of pivot's game, indie filmmakers and documentarians will shine. And then there's TV shows. As you see from the 2013 lineup, fiction and nonfiction are welcome.

That means every member of any production crew, from pre- to post-production, has a job in his future, down to the production assistant.

It'll need great music. Every video project, from TV shows, to movies, to documentaries, to YouTube videos, needs good source music and good score. That means you, awesome vocalist, or rapper, or songwriter, or musician, or producer.

It'll need great writers. Without words, there's no show, no movie, no lyrics. Without you, there's no network. And ultimately, without you, there's no ads. A new cable network equals a new advertising market for big companies, who will need stellar copywriters to craft culturally stimulating ads to run on the network. Make those words sing!

It'll need web designers. Every show pivot produces will need its own website and/or blog, as well as corresponding social network pages. That's where you come in, WordPress/Joomla!/Drupal/HTML/CSS wizard and Adobe mastermind. ;)

It'll need digital designers. Pivot's TV shows will need eye-popping graphics; all their movies and documentaries will need exciting posters in print and online; and books will always be included as media tie-ins, so they'll need you to wow the world with those as well.

It'll need software developers. Reuters reports pivot already has a standalone subscription-based streaming app for those who don't have cable TV, but it'll want apps for the more popular shows and social action campaigns.

How will you see the fruits of your labor?

Any way you want to, according to Shapiro. In addition to its streaming app, pivot will be available through traditional cable and satellite networks, so you'll be able to watch from any device you want anywhere in the world.

Pivot is the first to be available as both a traditional channel and standalone paid-streaming network, boasting the romantic promise I mentioned at the start: the potential to revolutionize cable network versatility. It actually beat HBO Go to the punch. HBO CEO Richard Plepler was considering making his network available to non-HBO cable subscribers, but has taken no action yet.

Here's a Little About Participant Media

eBay co-founder Jeff Skoll founded Participant Media in 2004 (then called Participant Productions), and announced his plans to create the then-unnamed network in December 2012.

Over the past five years, Participant Media's social action arm TakePart.com has garnered a massive community of culture-minded thinkers and doers with up-to-the minute news and action campaigns (including one for the April 15th Boston Marathon bombings). TakePart even has its own YouTube channel, TakePartTV, streaming original content 24/7.

For more info on Participant Media and pivot, you can visit the website.

If you enjoyed this article, share it with your networks and start brainstorming ways to get your foot in pivot's door. As its slogan goes, it's your turn.

pivot logo courtesy of Participant Media.

About the Author: Mellissa Thomas is a freelance writer, blogger, web content writer, copyeditor, proofreader, and authors three blogs: E.i. Geek (Blogger), her writing blog Mellifluity Inc. (WP), and The Tenderfoot Files, the online platform for her 5-ebook suspense series (WP).

She has also self-published two books: a weekly devotional entitled From a Babe: A Weekly Devotional, and the first ebook of her 5-ebook series, Abstracted: Episode 1 of the Tenderfoot Series.

What Roger Ebert's Life Can Teach Even the Greenest Entertainment Business Newbie

2013-04-09T11:31:00.000-04:00

Roger Ebert and his wife Chaz Hammelsmith

"Work for a cause, not for applause;
Live life to express, not to impress;
Don't strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt." -Unknown

Iconic film critic Roger Ebert certainly fulfilled the quote, down to the final statement, as the nation demonstrated at his funeral yesterday. Hollywood elite and politicos braved the cold and rain to join local Chicagoans to celebrate the industry veteran's life.

Whether you're an entertainment industry vet or a total newbie, Ebert's life and the celebration of it leaves an indelible challenge for you.

Ebert's Prolific Footprint

Ebert's entertainment career spanned print, television, film, and the web for more than 40 years. He even recently added blogging on politics and religion to his repertoire, despite fighting thyroid cancer (which spread to his salivary glands and jaw). His wife Chaz Hammelsmith said he was a "soldier for social justice," adding "he had a heart big enough to accept and loved all."

According to TheWrap, Ebert stayed busy. His numbers stacked high:

did 7,202 movie reviews
produced 3 screenplays
produced 5 different review shows over the years
published 38 books
sent over 31,000 tweets
won a Pulitzer Prize in 1975 (currently the only film critic in history to do so)

What impact do you plan to make?

There's only one you. No one like you has ever existed, and there will never be another you after you're gone. So how will you make your mark?

Of course, each person's different, so your legacy may be smaller than Ebert's (or even greater, depending on your ambition and actions), but his life lays down an inexorable gauntlet.

The challenge may seem daunting when using his life as a reference point, but the good news is it doesn't take much to leave an impression. As in all areas of life, little things add up in the entertainment industry: you can start with doing social good (volunteering, mentoring, sharing your knowledge) and/or provide quality content (blogging, curation, podcasting, videos, interviews, etc.).

Your ultimate takeaway: You are no accident.

Neither is your choice to work in the entertainment business. Don't just slog through your work in this expansive microcosm. There are plenty of people who already crowd the space with their banality.

Work for a cause, as the quote says, and do your job so well that your absence is felt, even if you're replaced.

How do you make your mark on this industry? Leave a comment below.

Photo source: Getty Images.

About the Author: Mellissa Thomas is a freelance writer, blogger, web content writer, copyeditor, proofreader, and authors three blogs: E.i. Geek (Blogger), her writing blog Mellifluity Inc. (WP), and The Tenderfoot Files, the online platform for her 5-ebook suspense series (WP).

She has also self-published two books: a weekly devotional entitled From a Babe: A Weekly Devotional, and the first ebook of her 5-ebook series, Abstracted: Episode 1 of the Tenderfoot Series.

19 of the Most Popular Video-on-Demand Sites for Film and TV Addicts [Slideshow]

2013-04-02T17:15:00.003-04:00

Back in the late nineties and early 2000's, Netflix ruled the video rental domain, with its groundbreaking convenience of postage-paid return envelopes, deadline-free DVD rentals, and online streaming, successfully knocking Blockbuster Video out of the water.

However, in the 16 years Netflix has been around, a plethora (yes, an excessive amount) of online streaming and VOD services have surfaced -- some with a specific niche, some just for the sake of competition. The selection can prove almost overwhelming.

You can take a deep breath now -- the Geek's got a resource that distills the mass to the 19 most popular services.

19 of the Most Popular VOD Sites for Film and TV Addicts

Thanks to the advent of home theater systems, the convenience of VOD services, and Internet-enabled TV devices (Roku, Boxee, Xbox Live, PS3), more and more people are skipping the film theater nuisances (ringing phones, texters, crying babies, talkers) and creating their own experiences at home.

As a result, video-on-demand has permanently shaken the film distribution model (mainstream and indie alike), causing a trend of simultaneous VOD-theatrical releases to expand filmmakers' reach.

And viewers have spoken.

According to the Washington Post, All Good Things (starring Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst) made $6 million via VOD compared to its meager $600,000 theater run. Wall Street thriller Margin Call was about even: it earned roughly $5M each via VOD and in theaters.

While some film purists (including the Geek) prefer the theater experience, it's impossible to deny that money talks -- people favor convenience, and quite frankly, they also favor cost effectiveness. $9.99 is much cheaper than $15 (not including concession snacks).

So which sites matter in the sea of noise? This slideshow will help you out.

19 of the Most Popular VOD Sites for Film and TV Addicts from Mellissa Thomas

So which service do you use? Have you switched services before? Let's chat in the comments below.

Flickr photo by Marcus Kwan.

Did Hollywood Secretly Want the Current VFX Dilemma?

2013-03-19T14:03:00.002-04:00

The bankruptcy of visual effects behemoths Digital Domain in September 2012 and the ironic Rhythm & Hues in February this year (they went bankrupt despite their BAFTA and Oscar wins for The Life of Pi) have left both the VFX industry and the movie-going public scratching their heads wondering what happened.

And the convenient microphone snub against R+H's Bill Westenhofer for bringing up the company's financial woes during the Oscars didn't help.

In fact it sparked a firestorm of protest -- not only outside the building that night, but also across social media, with people changing their avatars to the simple green chromakey color (which is used to create the visual effects in most movies) in honor of an industry that's been silently suffering behind the scenes for years now.

Those closely involved in the VFX industry have blamed the big production companies' gluttony of film subsidies (a.k.a. government funding) and forcing VFX companies to "race to the bottom" by undercutting each other, which begs the question: has Hollywood secretly wanted this all along?

The green avatar was the rallying cry that woke the neighborhood.

Thursday, March 14, 2013 was "Pi Day," a solidarity movement in which VFX employees held town halls in Vancouver and the Bay Area, as well as Wellington, New Zealand and in the U.K. to discuss the state of the industry and what needs to change.

The movement successfully raised awareness of the industry's financial challenges. Most of the major entertainment news outlets have been closely following the events of bankruptcies (The Hollywood Reporter, TheWrap, Los Angeles Times, Doddle.com, Variety), bringing even the most clueless layman up to speed.

And things look dire from here.

The industry is scrambling to empower itself.

According to TheWrap's article, the VFX community is divided three ways on a solution: start a trade organization, unionize, or boost subsidies to lure the bigwigs back to California.

Some of the larger companies like DDMG and R+H had to build satellite offices in other countries to remain competitive, especially with places like British Columbia budgeting $423 million in subsidies for 2012-2013, according to anonymous industry insider VFX Soldier.

Even here in the U.S., California's still hurt city. TheWrap reported New York offers $420 million in production tax breaks compared to California's $100 million in annual tax credits.

One visual effects executive explained: "If we didn’t have an office in Canada, we'd be out of business. Los Angeles is a ghost town for visual effects. So few movies shoot in town anymore and studios would rather give work to a foreign company and get a credit -- even if the finished product is lower quality."

The push for trade organizations and unionization stems from Hollywood's love of free labor. Like the film industry in other states (including here in Florida), free labor from college interns beats even cheap labor. Former Digital Domain CEO John Textor said as much in April 2012.

But if it can't score free labor, Hollywood has already made it clear that it'll keep it cheap.

So in the name of efficiency, VFX contracts inward and goes east.

Both Digital Domain Media Group and Rhythm & Hues share one thing in common in the wake of their bankruptcies: Asian buyers.

And we've learned from the outsourcing business world that the East offers much cheaper labor, which means greater profits.

Los Angeles Times reported that Reliance MediaWorks, part of an India-based conglomerate, and Galloping Horse America, an arm of a Beijing-based media company, purchased DDMG. JS Communications of South Korea is currently the most likely bidder for R+H, according to Variety, and will file an asset purchase agreement by March 19, 2013.

As for contraction, the most notable gasp-inducing merge was Disney's ILM acquisition. George Lucas' monolith VFX house was its own staple, so his choice to sell it raised eyebrows -- and blood pressure.

Mergers inevitably equal layoffs...

and many VFX workers from ILM, F+H, and DD now find themselves adrift as freelancers, which complicates things further. Variety reports that independent contractors working for DD who received payments as far out as 90 days before the bankruptcy have to actually repay the company's unsecured creditors under pain of litigation.

The VFX industry is hemorrhaging, and Hollywood is watching.

Time is on the bigwigs' side.

They're clearly aware of the scrambling act in the industry and know it will take some time for the workers to calm down long enough to come up with a solution, and even more time to implement it.

In the meantime, they'll continue to leverage the college interns and cheaper eastern labor, reap the profits and box office prestige, while silencing the people who try to shine any light on the gritty details (just ask Westenhofer, or anonymous industry law blogger VFX Law, whose boss found out about his/her blog and had it shut down completely).

So with Hollywood as risk-averse as it already was, is this the break it's been waiting for?

And if it is, how long does it expect this to last before enough VFX employees say "enough" and force them back into the pre-VFX ages?

What direction do you think the VFX industry should move in? Leave a comment below.

Image taken from VFX Soldier blog.

Want Your Indie Movie on Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes? Here's How

2013-03-12T13:40:00.001-04:00

So your independent movie's finally made! You've planned it, shot it, and after months of meticulous editing, your baby's ready to share with the world.

But now what? How exactly do you get it out to the world besides burning DVDs and selling it the old-fashioned way?

If that question just blindsided you, don't worry. There's hope. Read on to find out how you can get wide online distribution through the more familiar stores including Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand (VOD), iTunes, Hulu, and even Cable VOD.

The Current Digital Movie Market

We now have online distribution platforms -- the new, more merciful version of aggregators (aka middlemen). Aggregators previously charged filmmakers a processing fee for coding their movies and used revenue sharing, with some rates as high as 50%, and that's before calculating the net revenue from the online retailers.

Lights Online Film School breaks the online retailer revenues down:

iTunes pays 70%, so if your movie is $9.99, your online distributor gets $7.

Amazon VOD and Hulu splits it 50/50, so your $9.99 movie yields about $5.

Netflix, on the other hand, purchases a license to show your film for 1-2 years, so it doesn't pay "per turn", so the payment is different.

With the old 50/50 revenue sharing model, only about $3.50 trickles down to you from iTunes sales, and only about $2.50 from Amazon.

You have 2 online distribution options (and one on the way):

Distribber (2009): now an IndieGoGo company, Distribber charges a $1,295 (or $1,595 for HD) up-front fee for encoding, quality control (QC) (reviewing your film for cinematic, entertainment, and audio quality), and iTunes placement, which takes an average of 90 days.

However, if you want distribution to the other online retailers, they're ad-hoc costs. For Amazon VOD + iTunes, they're currently offering a free waiver, but otherwise costs $95. Hulu + iTunes = $399 ($750 by itself).

Netflix Watch Instantly + iTunes = $250 (SD) or $395 (HD); $595 (SD) or $795 (HD) (by itself).

Cable/Satellite VOD: $249 submission fee (which is currently waived, so free), then $5,000 for placement in 80% of nationwide VOD households. Read more here.

If your movie's approved by the retailers, you keep 100% of the movie's revenue from retailers, then you pay Distribber an annual $79 processing fee to receive sales reports and payments (via check or PayPal). You can receive payments monthly or quarterly.

If iTunes rejects your movie, Distribber refunds your submission fee minus $39 for processing.

DiGi Distribution (2012): though started in 1999 as a traditional distributor, DiGi Distribution's current incarnation was born in 2012, still following the old aggregator revenue-share model (it takes 30%), but is still cost-effective.

You pay a $35 submission fee for encoding, QC, and online store placement. Furthermore, the Company markets your film for you (a movie website and trailer are required; they can build a website for you).

DiGi Distributor pays you 70% of your movie's revenue from Amazon, iTunes, and Hulu. With Cable VOD, DiGi Distribution pays you "close to 50%" since each cable/satellite operator pays differently. You receive payments monthly, via check or PayPal.

Broadcast-X (coming soon): Lights Online Film School's "one-stop-shop" platform will offer standard and HD video hosting services, and a CMS for you to build your responsive (mobile and computer-friendly) website, embed your videos, and offer e-commerce functionality.

Basically, Broadcast-X will give you a self-contained home for your movie. You'll be able to direct consumers to your Broadcast-X site, where they can watch the trailer, learn more about the movie, and if they want to download it, they'll be able to right there on the site.

Have you successfully distributed an indie film online before? What was your experience? Let us know in a comment below.

Flickr photo by Shardayyy.

About the Author: Mellissa Thomas is a freelance writer, blogger, web copywriter, copyeditor, proofreader; and authors three blogs: E.i. Geek (Blogger), her writing blog Mellifluity Inc. (WP), and The Tenderfoot Files, the online platform for her five-ebook suspense series (WP).

She has also self-published two books: a weekly devotional entitled From a Babe: A Weekly Devotional, and the first ebook of her 5-ebook suspense series, Abstracted: Episode 1 of the Tenderfoot Series, both available on Amazon.

Yearning for Customer Loyalty? Here's How to Get It

2013-01-08T10:01:00.001-05:00

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." - Dr. John C. Maxwell

You hear about customers shelling out ridiculous money for a brand or company and wonder why when they can purchase the same thing for cheaper. You see people lining up for hours on end for the latest product a popular brand is launching (like the iPhone 5, or the new Jordans, for example) and, again, wonder why.

As an entrepreneur, they make your eyes turn green for a split second, don't they? (Don't be shy -- you can admit it.) You want the die-hard customer loyalty these companies have. Well, the good news is it is possible for you and your business.

Before we dive in, let's clear something up first -- something that might have been hindering you until now.

Most customers don't care about the company itself.

If you ask anyone why they're willing to spend such insane money on the iPhone, they won't tell you they're crazy about Apple. They'll tell you about the phone's features they find the most convenient or fun.

Even the Apple addicts (the ones who exclusively buy Apple tech) aren't doggedly loyal because they love the company. They're loyal because of the value the company's devices add to their lives.

People don't cough up hundreds of dollars for Jays because they like Jordan's company. They do it for the pride they feel in owning sneakers that carry the name of one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Here's how to earn your customers' loyalty.

According to the CEB's research survey, over 64% of consumers are loyal to a company or brand based on "shared values".

Translation: they're loyal based on what the company stands for.

Nielsen's Global Corporate Citizenship Survey concluded that 46% of global consumers are willing to pay extra for a socially conscious product or brand.

Here are some practical examples:

TOMS Shoes and Eyewear, though infamous for overpricing, follows the one-for-one model: for every shoe or pair of glasses purchased, the company gives a pair of shoes or glasses to people in need in developing countries around the world.

The Body Shop was born from a resolution to never test its products on animals, uses biodegradable chemicals in its products, and even established its own foundation to support human and civil rights, having donated $2 million to combat child sex trafficking.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters supports energy conservation, eliminating poverty and hunger in their bean suppliers' communities, reducing waste (their biodegradable cups are produced from corn); and was one of the first major coffee companies to use Fair Trade-certified coffee beans.

So, what does your business stand for? And will your customers get behind it?

If you haven't considered a social initiative for your business yet, now's the best time to choose one and pursue it.

According to Nielsen's survey, some of the top social causes customers follow include:

environmental stability
eradicating poverty
removing hunger
science, technology, engineering, and math education innovation

Of course, don't fall into the "greenwashing" trap and only espouse a social cause for marketing's sake. Our generation can smell a marketing campaign from a mile away and will avoid your brand like the plague if they sense your social activism is fake.

By the way, it helps to know a little about the socially conscious market: most of that 46% willing to spend more on socially conscious brands are actually outside the U.S. according to Nielsen (a vast majority of which are in the Philippines), and of that group, over 50% were between the ages of 15 and 39 years old; 37% were over 40 years old.

There's a common unspoken thread here that is also very powerful: exclusivity.

We're all hard-wired with a desire to belong, and people like knowing they're part of a specific group. Knowing that they're grouped with you in making a difference in the world gives them a more gratifying reason to stay with you.

In the wise words of Dr. Maya Angelou: "people will forget what you said, they'll even forget what you did, but they'll never forget how you made them feel."

So, what does your company or brand stand for? Tell me about it in a comment below.

Flickr photo by Jesslee Cuizon.

Why There's Hope for Short Films and Where to Submit Yours

2013-01-01T14:10:00.002-05:00

As recently as a couple years ago, short films were a dubious way to get your foot in the film industry's door. They weren't particularly promising, and certainly not lucrative (in fact, it was usually all cost and no gain).

However, thanks to the smartphone and mobile age, more shorts are seeing the light of day in more promising ways, and yours can be one of them.

It all began with video sharing.

YouTube set the stage for indie filmmakers to share their projects; then Vimeo stepped it up with its focus on hosting high quality (HD) videos (YouTube does the same, but HQ videos are Vimeo's niche). These sites gave short films a new safe haven, a place to belong and be shared, and still build a solid audience.

Thanks to their example, other sites have taken notice and are joining the fold.

Yahoo! has established its own entertainment network of sorts, now offering miniseries (including the recent success "Cybergeddon", starring Olivier Martinez); and Netflix is seeking to produce its own movies, as is Amazon, according to TheWrap.com. Furthermore, YouTube offers its own exclusive shorts and miniseries now, including Julia Stiles' "Blue".

Now there's greater hope for your shorts, and film festivals just for them.

With these avenues now available, more producers are attending short film festivals in search of great web content to buy, because shorts currently still trump features for mobile device viewing.

If this sounds interesting to you, here's where you can submit yours.

Raindance.org, the site for one of England's many short film festivals, lists the top 5 film festivals the world over that you "must submit" your short for:

Sundance (U.S.)
Cannes (France)(for shorts under 15 minutes only)
Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films (U.S.)
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (France)
Aspen Shortsfest (U.S.)

However, if you're curious for more options, here some others for your consideration:

U.S.:
AFI Fest
L.A. Film Festival
SXSW: South By Southwest Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
Slamdance Film Festival
Woodstock Film Festival
Florida Film Festival

Canada:
Montreal International Festival of New Cinema
Canadian Film Centre's Worldwide Short Film Festival (this one's accredited by the AMPAS, so submit your best work)
Montreal World Film Festival

U.K.:
Raindance Film Festival
London Short Film Festival
Manchester International Film Festival

Australia:
Melbourne International Film Festival
Sydney Film Festival

Brazil:
Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival
Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival

South Africa:
Durban International Film Festival

Ever submitted a short to a film festival before? What was your experience? Share it in a comment below.

Flickr photo by Bart Everson.

Hey, Hollywood: We've Adapted to Your Adaptations - By Growing Sick of Them

2012-11-20T15:26:00.004-05:00

Anybody else sick of seeing Hollywood adaptations? They're common -- even necessary -- practice at this point, and 2012 saw more of them than we viewers care to admit anymore.

(By the way, we're only in November, so we still have one whole month left of the year for the studios to squeeze more in, like Silver Linings Playbook and Jack Reacher, for example.)

With the recently insane success of The Hunger Games (which made $152.5 million opening weekend), and the inevitable demand for Fifty Shades of Grey (the film rights for which Universal Pictures and Focus Features purchased March 26, 2012), what's not to like about adaptations, right?

Audiences will drop upwards of fifteen bucks to see something they've already paid the same cost to read, right? No problem.

There are plenty of box office figures to back up that assumption, but did Hollywood ever factor in the possibility of filmgoers growing tired of adaptations?

From the looks of things, they didn't and never will, and there's a simple (albeit sad) reason why.

The big studios are afraid of box office bombs.

And rightly so, since they drop millions of dollars to produce movies for us to watch; as such, they expect a payoff. For all intents and purposes, they're investing in a "startup" and expect a solid ROI, so they're highly displeased (and set back) when they don't get it -- and wax gun-shy.

They weigh their entire investment on that opening weekend. They'd prefer to profit, but if they don't at least recoup their costs that first weekend, then that project is essentially a failure.

Therefore, they look outside their realm for already successful franchises or books and adapt them, hoping to ride the fandom wave and reap big. For them, that approach is less risky because they can produce something the audience is already attached to.

But isn't that still a big risk for the Hollywood studios to take?

Sure, according to Box Office Mojo and IMDb, 2012 saw a good share of box office successes:

The Help ($25 million budget, $26 million opening weekend)
The Hunger Games ($78 million budget, $152.5 million opening weekend)
The Lorax ($70 million budget, $70.2 million opening weekend)
The Avengers ($220 million budget, $207.4 million opening weekend, profited by 2nd weekend)
Dark Knight Rises ($250 million budget, $160.8 million opening weekend, profited by 2nd weekend)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 ($120 million budget, $141 million opening weekend)

However, not all adaptations have the bounce Hollywood expected. In fact, the studios have eaten more loss in 2012 than success:

Mirror Mirror ($85 million budget, $18.1 million opening weekend)(never recouped)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days ($22 million budget, $14.6 million opening weekend)
John Carter ($250 million budget, $30.1 million opening weekend)
Total Recall ($125 million budget, $25.5 million opening weekend)
The Bourne Legacy ($125 million budget, $38 million opening weekend)
Battleship ($209 million budget, $25.5 million opening weekend)
One for the Money ($40 million budget, $11.5 million opening weekend)
The Raven ($26 million budget, $7.3 million opening weekend)(never recouped)
Savages ($45 million budget, $16 million opening weekend)
The Amazing Spider-Man ($230 million budget, $62 million opening weekend, finally earned double by the end of opening month)
Snow White and the Huntsman ($170 million budget, $52 million opening weekend, finally profited by the end of opening month)
Silver Linings Playbook (limited release, $20 million budget, approx. $443,000 opening weekend, and still in theaters)

Not very promising.

So with that in mind, why not take a risk on an original story?

It's not like the studios are starved of them. They purchase screenplays from hungry writers in option deals all the time. Why not dust those scripts off the shelves they're sitting on and produce them? The studios would never have wasted their time buying the scripts if they weren't worth making (or so we would hope -- they don't have that kind of money to waste).

Filmgoers across the country see the now obvious and very desperate trend, and all have the same complaint: get original, Hollywood!

Don't make us pay another $10-$15 for something we've already paid to read or play. Give us something fresh and new. We know you have material. Stop cowering at the thought that we might not watch it. Try us. We're not as mean as you think we are. Seriously.

If you bring us something new -- not a sequel, not a remake, not an adaptation, but new -- we'll come see it on that merit alone. Try us, and stop being so scared. The money will come.

What do you think about this trend? Do you still bother to go to the movies despite the studios’ laziness? I’d love to hear your thoughts in a comment below.

Flickr photo bdearth.

Top Conferences Series: 10 Comic Conferences That'll Make Your Inner Geek Scream

2012-11-06T21:40:00.004-05:00

Here's where our top 10 conferences lists go niche, starting with one of the most fun categories in the entertainment industry: comic conventions.

The beauty of these cons is that they typically include comics, anime, sci-fi (Star Wars/Star Trek, etc.), card games (Magic, Yugi-Oh, Pokemon, and many others), and some even include D&D tournaments. The cosplayers come out in full force as well, boasting some very well crafted costumes and makeup work.

These conventions usually bring out prominent actors from geek-favorite shows, like Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine from Star Trek: Voyager), Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap, Star Trek Voyager), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca in Star Wars), Jason David Frank (the Green, White, and Red Ranger in Power Rangers), and many others. Some current celebs guest at these conferences as well (hence the huge notoriety of San Diego Comic-Con International).

Comic cons are also a great place to meet some of the biggest names in comics -- award-winning writers, artists, and publishers alike, such as Grant Morrison, Jeph Loeb, Bill Willingham (Fables), Jim Lee, Neal Adams, Stan Lee (the king of Marvel himself), and many others.

If you've never been to a comic convention before, here are the 10 best cons to start with.

10 Comic Cons That'll Make Your Inner Geek Scream

Geek Fest Florida: Do you relish the bragging rights of being the first to do something? If so, here's a golden chance. Geek Fest Florida launches its inaugural comic book, sci-fi, fantasy, and pop culture convention in South Florida in the next 12 days.  

When: November 18, 2012  
Where: The Grand Palm Room at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL

Wizard World Comic Convention: Wizard World Comic Cons are no joke. This is one of the largest multi-location convention companies out there.

Expect a bevy of everything I described in the intro above: celebrities from popular geek shows (including the entire Star Trek: The Next Generation cast, cast members from The Walking Dead, Gillian Anderson, and much more), and heavy comic industry hitters including Stan Lee, Eisner Award Hall of Famer Neal Adams, "Zombie King" Arthur Suydam, and many others.

The next con is happening November 30 - December 2, 2012 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.

There are other great WWCCs coming up:

Wizard World Portland Comic Con: February 22-24, 2013 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR

Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con: May 30 - June 2, 2013 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con: August 8-11, 2013 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago, IL

Wizard World Ohio Comic Con: September 20-22, 2013 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH

Wizard World Austin Comic Con: November 22-24, 2013 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, TX

Wizard World Toronto Comic Con: [date TBD] at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, ON

You don't want to miss these. Check out Wizard World's massive site for more details about each convention and their killer guest lists.

Emerald City Comicon: the Washington state comic con offers an overwhelming list of great comic and graphic novel artists and award winning writers for 2013, including Neal Adams (yes, he's everywhere), Charlie Adlard (artist of The Walking Dead graphic novels), Bill Willingham (Fables), Denny O'Neill (Batman writer), and Mike Mignola (Hellboy creator).

The celebrity guests include Gillian Anderson, Patrick Stewart, Adam West, Chandler Riggs (Carl Grimes on The Walking Dead), and Billy Dee Williams.

When: March 1-3, 2013  
Where: the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, WA

MegaCon: this is Orlando's biggest annual comic convention. 2013's guests include the entire Star Trek: TNG cast, Billy West (Frye from Futurama), and Neal Adams. Exhibitor spaces are already sold out, but attendee tickets aren't. Make sure you order yours in advance online -- it's cheaper than paying at the door.

When: March 15-17, 2013  
Where: Hall D at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL

WonderCon 2013: another Cali comic con favorite, and part of the San Diego Comic-Con International network. If you're itching to attend a con before going to the big Comic-Con in July, you can start here.

When: March 29-31, 2013  
Where: the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA

Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2): So far, Kevin Smith (Clerks) is a confirmed guest for 2013, but stay tuned for more updates, because this comic con draws some pretty big names as well.

Last year's guest roster included Val Kilmer, Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Goonies), Shia Lebouf; and acclaimed comic industry figures Jeph Loeb, Gail Simone, Geoff Johns, Brian Azzarello, and Dan DiDio (SVP - Senior Editor, DC Universe).

When: April 26-28, 2013  
Where: the West Building at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL

San Diego Comic-Con International (aka Comic-Con): if you attend no other comic con in your entire life, attend this one. All the major production studios provide sneak peeks of their latest film projects prior to release, and many actors do press conferences (The Avengers cast was at last year's); everybody who's anybody in the comic industry attends as well.

It's the largest comic convention in the U.S., and since it's an international convention, you'll have to handle your logistics way in advance. Keep checking the site for more details and buy your five-day passes as soon as possible; secure your accommodations as early as possible as well, because nearby hotels will fill up quickly.

By the way, if you can only afford to attend one day of the con, purchase the Preview Night pass -- that's when you can preview the new films and media, and see the celebs.

When: Preview Night - Wednesday July 17, 2013 Convention - July 18-21, 2013  
Where: the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA

Dragon*Con: D*C's 26-year run alone cements its credibility (2013 makes 27). Like most of the cons listed here, they'll be boasting award-winning writers as well, with more guests to come. Bookmark their site and keep checking for updates.

When: August 30 - September 2, 2013  
Where: Atlanta, GA (venue TBD)

New York Comic Con: dubbed "the largest pop culture event on the east coast," and who can argue that? NYCC is sponsored by DC Comics, IGN, Marvel Entertainment, and Midtown Comics, and is part of the ReedPop event network, which also brings you C2E2 each year.

There are no 2013 details yet, but keep your thumb on the pulse.

When: October 10-13, 2013  
Where: the Javits Center in New York City, NY

Comikaze Comic, Anime, Gaming, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Expo: Comikaze is co-presented by Stan Lee (yes, the Stan Lee) and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, so you pretty much know what to expect in 2013: the best and most iconic of the comic and film industries.

2012's Comikaze included Todd McFarlane (Spawn creator), Kevin Smith, Adam West, Burt Ward (Adam West's "Robin"), Thomas Jane (The Punisher, Hung), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), Zak Penn (co-writer, The Avengers), Lou Ferrigno, and Neal Adams.

When: November 1-3, 2013  
Where: the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA

If you want to research even more cons for yourself, check out these sites:

conventionscene.com
TechRepublic.com's blog

And if you find this info useful, pass it on, would ya? ;)

Flickr photo by Parka81.

RED's First Ever Film Festival Offers Its Winner a Scarlet-X Camera

2012-10-29T17:31:00.001-04:00

If you've shot a short or feature film using any of RED's cutting edge cameras, but have been frustrated with the playback limitations that come with RED's more advanced 4K and 5K resolution, RED now offers you the golden chance to present your project the way it's meant to be seen with its first ever Shot on RED Film Festival.

Shot on RED Film Festival Details

The free film festival happens in Hollywood, CA December 4 and 5, 2012, and according to Joe Marine of nofilmschool.com, you can submit RED projects that you've submitted to other film festivals, which is a huge help considering the tight submission window.

Submissions began Thursday, October 25, 2012 and end Friday, November 9. Finalists will be notified November 16 in two categories: 20 shorts, and 5 features. Finalist projects will be projected in 4K at the festival.

According to the Shot on RED Film Festival site, 10 shorts will be screened on December 4, and all 5 feature film finalists will be screened December 5.

Projects can be submitted in DCP, ProRes 422/444, and DNxHD formats.

If your short film is less than 15 minutes, you can upload your project to the RED's secure FTP server, the info for which is provided on the festival site. If yours is that short, you have until the deadline to upload your project.

However, if your project's longer than 15 minutes, you have less time because you'll need to save it on a USB 3.0 external drive and ship it in a self-addressed package the address provided on the site (so they can send your drive back to you after the festival is over).

All entrants must complete the email submission form provided on the site and provide a digital press kit (included in the downloadable submission package PDF).

So what's in all this for you?

The grand prize winner receives the RED Scarlet-X camera, which is valued at five figures.

All 25 finalists will receive the latest gear from the Shot on RED Film Festival sponsors, which include Adobe, Intel, HP Workstations, and AJA Video Systems.

Lastly, you're getting the chance to go to Hollywood and network with professional filmmakers and screen your RED footage in its full 4K glory.

Sounds pretty sweet for a free film festival, wouldn't you say?

If you're interested, the clock's ticking.

Again, the submission deadline is November 9, 2012, which is right around the corner, so if you've already shot something with the RED and think it's worthy, get it in. If you think you can shoot something new in time for festival, best of luck to you - I hope you make it.

However, if you're mad about the tight window and won't make it this time, don't worry - this is RED's first film fest, so it'll be back next year, which gives you plenty of time to prepare from now.

For more information, check out the news article on doddle.com, the nofilmschool.com article, or go straight to the Shot on RED Film Festival site.

What are your thoughts on this move on RED's part? Are you interested in participating?

Banner image provided by Red.com.

Top Schools Series: The 5 Powerhouse Game Design Schools

2012-10-23T15:09:00.002-04:00

Do you want to break into the multi-billion-dollar video game industry? Have you had that "aha" moment while you were playing your favorite game and thought, "...I can make something like this."

If you want to design video and computer games, but have no clue where to start hunting the right school, I've researched and provide you a powerhouse list below in three categories: the 5 best undergrad, graduate, and online game design schools.

The Top 5 Video Game Design Undergraduate Schools

On March 1, 2012, The Princeton Review, touted as one of America's best-known education services companies, released its list of the top 50 video game design schools for 2012, crowning the University of Southern California at #1.

USC's School of Cinematic Arts offers students a game design program that includes courses in sound and design for games, game development, experiential games, and business management of games.

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): MIT's Comparative Media Studies (CMS) program features the art, science and business of games; creating video games, writing for video games, and more.

The Princeton Review Senior VP/Publisher Robert Franek hails, "we highly recommend MIT as one of the best and most innovate institutions to study and succeed in this exciting field."

3. University of Utah: the U.'s Entertainment Arts and Engineering program, an interdisciplinary cross between the School of Computing and the Department of Film and Media Arts programs, lets you learn what you need to know to design the killer game.

4. DigiPen Institute of Technology: this college is strictly a gaming school, offering programs that each teach specific skills important to game design: computer engineering, computer science in real-time interactive simulation, engineering and sound design, and offers both undergrad and graduate degrees.

5. The Art Institute of Vancouver: make a beeline for this school's Media Arts curriculum to access their 5 gaming degrees: Game Programming, 3D Modeling for Animation and Games, Game Art and Design, Visual and Game Programming, and Animation Art and Design.

The Top 5 Video Game Design Graduate Schools

1. University of Southern California: USC made quite a sweep this year - education-portal.com ranks USC as the #1 video game school as well, so you'll earn massive bragging rights with a USC Masters degree. Oh, and the program's really good, too.

2. Rochester Institute of Technology: the school's Game Design & Development Master of Science program offers computer graphics design, human-computer interaction, interactive narrative, and game design.

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): this one's a no-brainer, right? If you already have a Bachelors degree in gaming and want to cap it off in style, MIT's one of the premier tech schools in which to do it.

4. University of Central Florida (UCF): UCF's Master of Science in Interactive Entertainment is offered through its Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA). According to the site, students learn "game design, creative collaboration, rapid prototyping, 3-D animation and modeling, documentation, software engineering, legal and ethical issues, preproduction, and postmortems", all in the heart of downtown Orlando, FL.

5. Southern Methodist University (SMU): the Master of Interactive Technology (MIT) in Digital Game Development program takes you through the game design from start to finish: level design, software design, production, and more. According to the site, students team together to create three gaming projects.

The Top 5 Online Video Game Design Schools

On a tight schedule or have a family? Bestcolleges.org provides this helpful list of the top accredited online video game design schools for 2011-2012:

1. International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT): this school readies students for the industry with courses that include asset development and integration, team collaboration (can't pull off a game without a team), game play, and business operations. You'll walk away with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Design & Production.

2. DeVry University: DeVry's program not only readies you for the gaming industry, but also the equally promising world of electronic simulation.

According to BestColleges.com, "Students will learn the coding languages, visual design principles, and software methods used in everything from the development of video games, to crime scene reconstruction, to corporate training software and more."

3. Post University: this school offers an Online Certificate in Game Design & Animation, so its program is far more brief. It'll teach you what you need to know to create video games in 15 credit hours, and can be taken as part of another major, or on its own.

4. University of Advancing Technology: this Bachelor's program cumulatively builds your game design skills and knowledge with each new class, building on the previous course as you progress. You learn key skills such as game balance and play-testing, interactive storytelling, game documentation, and interface design.

5. Westwood College: as with most gaming degrees, Westwood's Bachelors program empowers you to create a game prototype, and you'll showcase your final game in the school's annual 2D Game Development Competition, judged by industry professionals.

Sound inviting? Come on down.

If video game development is your dream, jump on it. All these schools offer you the skills to create one from start to finish. And who knows - you might find you excel in one specific skill and can sharpen your focus on that once you graduate.

This post offers schools that suit every living situation, so let nothing stop you, especially something as easily accessible as knowledge. Make your greatness happen.

Find this post useful or know someone who will? Share it with your networks and make someone's day. ;)

Flickr photo by Marco Arment.

Top Conferences Series: 10 Entertainment Industry Cons You’ll Want to Attend

2012-10-16T20:48:00.003-04:00

Any entrepreneur worth his salt will tell you that attending conferences is one of the most effective ways to find clients and make new connections. However, with so many conferences out there, your head is probably spinning trying to pick one to attend.

No worries – I’ve done some of the hunting for you and distilled the 10 essential entertainment industry cons you want to attend to rub elbows with the best in the business.

By the way, you may notice some of the more popular cons aren’t listed here, but that’s because this is a series. I’ll be giving you the lists of niche cons in later posts, okay? So definitely stick around for them.

For now, let’s get down to the industry cons.

The Top 10 Entertainment Industry Conferences You’ll Definitely Want to Attend

LDI (Live Design International): Live Design Magazine’s annual conference brings together live entertainment and technology. If you’re involved in any live event venues (theaters, worship halls, nightclubs, stadiums, etc.), this is your conference.

When: October 15 -21, 2012
Where: Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV

Digital Hollywood: a convergence of the technology and entertainment, this conference runs several times a year in different locations (including in Europe), and sometimes as a joint venture with other conference (including Variety’s Entertainment and Technology Summit and CES each year).

When: October 15-18, 2012; November 15-16, 2012
Where: the Ritz Carlton in Marina del Rey, CA; and the McGraw-Hill Building in New York City (respectively)

Advertising Age’s Social Engagement/Social TV LA Conference 2012: this brand new conference (its very first event happened in April 2012 in NY) is a unique combination of social media, marketing, branding, technology, and entertainment industries, all putting their heads together to revolutionize the TV experience. The next one happens tomorrow, but rest assured, there will be many more opportunities for you to attend.

When: October 17, 2012
Where: Beverly Wilshire, Los Angeles in Beverly Hills, CA

Showbiz Expo: the site claims it’s “the largest trade show and networking event for the entertainment industry”, drawing attendees from all areas of the business, from filmmakers and production assistants to publicists and accountants, to anyone involved in live production.

A huge plus is that its varying event registration access also includes a limited free pass (which may be why it draws such a large audience).

The date and venue aren’t up yet, but I still recommend you see the site for yourself and keep an eye out for updates.

When: TBD
Where: TBD

International CES (Consumer Electronics Show): if you want to be on the forefront of innovation, this show is a must-attend. Tech companies the world over will be marketing the latest in consumer electronics – new shiny toys we laymen will get a year or two later – and you can be the first to know about them; information you can leverage for your own business. Riding the first wave is the most effective way to stay relevant.

When: January 8-11, 2013
Where: Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV

Tour Link 2013: simply put, it’s a 3-day conference for anyone in the touring industry (and related industries, as the site points out). So if you’re in the music, live entertainment, or touring worlds, or even the videography world (concerts always need to be recorded), come on down.

When: January 24-26, 2013
Where: the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, AZ

NAB Show (National Association of Broadcasters): the ultimate multimedia conference, offering 500+ skill-building sessions, and featuring the largest, most well known media and technology companies worldwide. Even if you’re not specifically in the broadcasting industry, you won’t want to miss this conference.

When: April 6-11, 2013
Where: Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV

PromaxBDA Conference: according to the site, this conference is where you’ll find “the world’s most innovative creatives, marketers, strategists, designers and thought leaders”. In short, they not only combine media, entertainment, and technology, but they also focus on business, which is especially useful for a tenacious entrepreneur like you.

By the way, don’t let the 2013 date discourage you. They have a few conferences happening much sooner, including one on October 23, 2012 and one in November. Check (http://www.promaxbda.org/events) their site for more details.

When: June 18, 2013
Where: J.W. Marriott at L.A. Live in Los Angeles, CA

IBC 2013 (International Broadcasting Convention): per the website, this conference is for anyone involved in “the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and news content worldwide.” It’s another conference that marries entertainment with technology, but on an international scale. Imagine the networking opportunities in that setting.

When: September 2013
Where: RAI, Amsterdam

MultiScreen Summit (formerly LA Mobile Entertainment Summit): as the name implies, this conference will help you make your business accessible from all devices – from the television to the smartphone and tablet. Considering our increasingly mobile world, the info you’ll learn at this conference is very necessary. The bigwigs of media will be there, too. Check out the site to see who attended the 2012 conference.

When: September 2013
Where: Hollywood, CA

If you’re new to conferences, this list is a good starting point.

Feel free to check out the websites above for more details. Again, this is the first post in a series of conference list posts coming up, categorized by relevant niche, so don’t worry – if you haven’t seen one you’re interested in here, you’re sure to see in the coming weeks. Stick around, would ya? ;)

If you found this article helpful or know someone who will, please share it with your networks. Thanks for reading!

Flickr photo by Cornerhouse Manchester.

College: Why You Should Stay the Course in the New Dropout Age [Infographic]

2012-10-09T13:59:00.000-04:00

Thanks to brilliant billionaires like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, dropping out of college to start a business is becoming a glamorous proposition, and coupled with our current economy, is even promising to become a new norm, since tuition rates keep rising and student loans aren’t so inviting anymore.

PayPal founder Peter Thiel (a college grad himself, ironically) is helping the dynamic shift along, having awarded 24 students $100K to drop out of school and start their new businesses. However, is that really the message we should be sending to college students?

Southern New Hampshire University’s college dropout infographic sheds an interesting light on the debate.

4 Reasons Not to Jump Ship Just Yet

1. Remember the college student unemployment stats? According to the USBLS, the college graduate unemployment rate is 4.1%, but the college dropout unemployment rate is 7.7%. Not very promising.

Furthermore, SNHU’s infographic shows that college student demand is at 13.5% among employers, and college student starting salaries are up 3.5% this year from 2011.

2. You’re already financially committed, so you might as well finish. If you started with student loans, and the semester (or whatever pay period your school uses) isn’t over yet, hunt doggedly for scholarships and grants and apply for as many of them as possible. Do this for the duration of your time in school.

It’s easier said than done, of course, but before you tell me it’s impossible, I promise you it’s not – a family friend did this for the duration of her University of Florida attendance. She didn’t pay a dime out of pocket or in loans her whole four years there.

3. The most obvious reason: entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. Some may want their own businesses, but they’re not necessarily equipped to build it themselves. It takes a certain level of discipline and tenacity to start and run a business.

4. To reason #3, the infographic demonstrates the greatest irony of all: even those brilliant college dropouts surround(ed) themselves with college grads to help them sustain their businesses, proving that college grads are still highly valuable.

So if you’re vacillating between staying or dropping out…

…weigh your options carefully. As long as you’re studying what you truly desire to do in the outside world, then you’re better off staying the course. However, if you’re a more experiential learner (the traditional lecture method isn’t suitable for everyone, of course), then diving headfirst into your field may the better choice. No matter which you choose, keep the four reasons above in mind.

Presented By SNHU.EDU Online College

Do you think college students should drop out to start their own businesses, or stick around and graduate first? Sound off in a comment below.

If you enjoyed the post, share it in your networks and keep the conversation going.

29 Business Networking Sites You'll Need to Grow Your Business

2012-10-02T11:57:00.001-04:00

In case you’re growing bored of the “big three” social networks (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn), take comfort in knowing that there are plenty of other networking sites that can help you and your business succeed.

While the big three are indeed important, it’s sometimes more refreshing to enter uncharted territory and find fellow entrepreneurs, and even widen your prospect or audience net.

If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur hungry for more clients or more knowledge (or both), print this list out and visit these business network sites. They're the success boost you’re looking for.

Here are 29 business networking sites that can expand your network:

APSense: a self-proclaimed “web 2.0 enabled social network” designed to help entrepreneurs discover each other’s businesses. You can create your own content, create a private network, and create business partnerships.

Biznik: the site name means “fellow business person,” and it’s a haven for solopreneurs to support each other, collaborate, and network. According to the site, “if your business is an extension of your self-expression, then you’ve found the right home.”

The site has three subscription options: Basic (search-optimized profile and light participation), PRO (professional profile, full participation access, and create your own content), and ProVIP (an enhanced professional profile, search-optimized participation, and editorial support for created content).

Care2: if you or your business focus(es) on making a difference in the community or world at large (e.g. going green), this network is for you.

Cofoundr: a global network site dedicated to startup entrepreneurs, offering exclusive deals to help ‘treps save money and make valued connections to facilitate startup success.

Company.com: a site that not only provides intra-company networking services, but also aims to increase your company’s Google PageRank as well. Company.com offers to use its PageRank 8 (PR8) status to help get your site on Page 1 in Google search.

DOOSTANG: the “Ladders” for grads from top colleges, minus the “$100K+” minimum, it appears more a job site than a business network site.

Ecademy: a British business network site with global reach and accessibility, fostering connections online that can meet in person at various networking events worldwide.

The site has three subscription options: Free (view others’ content and establish connections), PowerNetworker (establish connections and create your own content), and BlackStar (the exclusive club that gives you the ability to meet offline at events).

EFactor (EFactor Corp.): claims to be the world’s largest entrepreneurial community, with over one million members (competition for LinkedIn’s 175 million, I suppose). EFactor’s unique selling proposition (USP) is its algorithm leading you to the connections your business needs instead of just connecting you to people you might know.

Entrepreneur Connect (site currently closed for redesign): business magazine Entrepreneur’s online community where ‘treps can connect, collaborate, and communicate with each other.

FledgeWing: a network for new entrepreneurs and students to build their business ideas and bounce them off the community to develop them into viable, pitch-able businesses, or collaborate on an already-existing project. The home page even has an ideas section in which anyone can post business ideas.

JASEzone: a network site that follows LinkedIn’s premise, but is a much smaller community.

Konnects: if you’re in the media or journalism fields, Konnects is a good network for you, and is especially helpful for promotion. The site states it’s “the only social media platform designed for local newspapers.”

LinkedIn (of course): perhaps the most important platform of the “big three”, LI is the most renowned global business network around, and its Premium membership is well worth the monthly payment, facilitating cold prospecting (via InMail) and leveraging existing connections to turn cold prospects into clients through introductions, recommendations, and now skill endorsements.

NetParty: this network arranges after-hours networking parties/functions at stylish clubs and venues for young ‘treps.

Networking for Professionals: a well-rounded (and slightly older) business network that fosters communication, connections, and partnerships, even providing a place for members to post resumes. Membership is mostly paid (with a few free exceptions in some states).

PartnerUp: the site’s description sums it up nicely: “the social network for small business.” Connect, find opportunities, partner with other business owners to expand yours, offer support, and even find real estate for your business if you’re brick-n-mortar.

PerfectBusiness: according to the site, “Our[s] is a network of entrepreneurs, investors and business experts. Everyone on our site is here to encourage entrepreneurship and mutual success.”

Plaxo: put simply, Plaxo is the address book on steroids, automatically updating your contacts’ info for you when they move, get a new job, or join a new social network.

PROskore (formerly Fast Pitch): the business network that measures your professional influence and ability as a business. As the TechCrunch article calls it, it’s “LinkedIn + Klout + Leads Generation”.

Ryze: Founded in 2001 by Adrian Scott, founding investor for Napster, Ryze is an elder (I’m using that respectfully) among social network sites, helping members to organize themselves by location, employment history, and interests.

The site looks simplistic, but is home to many big thinkers in the tech and business worlds, as you’ll see from the testimonials on its home page. The network offers free and gold member (only $9.99/month) options.

Socialcast: enterprise network software aimed to streamline intra-business communication and workflow; it also facilitates an intra-business social network.

Spoke: a business content curation site that connects people through information exchange and facilitates your growth as an authority in your industry.

StartupNation: as the name implies, the network site fosters brand new ‘treps to establish their startups with loads of resources, and of course offers the chance to network with other ‘treps.

TalkBizNow: an online business network that’s determined to help professionals glean information and form a community for free, even including its own internal contact and chat system in additional to all of its other business resources.

Upspring: this site is less a business network site and more a social media marketing and all-around promotional booster for your business.

Xing: though a European business network, it has global accessibility and offers not only networking, but includes job search, events, groups, and, like LinkedIn, industry news.

Yammer: helps companies form internal social networks and communicate/collaborate remotely as well across the web.

Young Entrepreneur: YE is part of Entrepreneur’s media network and has become one of the most venerable online communities for young ‘treps, startup CEOs, mentors and investors.

Ziggs: an online network that offers all the trappings of a business network, but specializes in helping you manage your company’s personal brand; and now offers a jobs board.

What Do You Do With All of This?

That list may seem exhaustive, but here’s how you can keep it simple: find three sites in the list that suit your needs and research them, narrowing down to one choice to add to your “big three” accounts that you feel will augment your business network or experience.

For More Information

I extracted this list from these informative sites:

About.com’s Web Trends article

SitePoint

Wikipedia’s social network sites list

InsideCRM

Like this article? Please share it across your networks and get the word out. Thanks for reading!

Flickr photo by thetaxhaven.

4 Things You Can Learn from Losing Our Most Beloved Celebrities

2012-09-18T12:17:00.000-04:00

Death can be jarring: it knocks us when we hear of a shootout or drive-by on the local news, when we hear of war casualties or riot deaths, when our family members pass away; but a celebrity death is a far more feral gut punch than most, isn’t it?

We all know death is inevitable, and it always shakes us to remember our fleeting existence, but there’s something harrowing about seeing the wealthiest, most successful people we’ve grown to love – or at least warm up to – have their lives taken from them, and even more so when they choose to take it themselves.

A celebrity death also reminds us that the grass isn’t any greener on the other side than it is on ours – it’s perhaps just a different type of grass.

I spent almost a week researching the notable celebrity deaths of 2012 and compiled a daunting list 88 names (which you can view on my Wordpress blog in detail if you’re interested), but there were some common threads throughout the list worth noting – some key takeaways you can apply to your life now.

Here are the 4 things you can learn from the dearly departed greats…

1. Take care of your body. 28.4% of the 88 souls died from some form of cancer, 18% died from heart disease (not counting those who died in their sleep or from natural causes), and 4.5% died from a stroke. Your body is your temple, and you only get one. Feed it healthy food and work it out.

2. If you’re struggling and feel alone, get help. 6.8% of the deaths were suicides, which is perhaps the most heartbreaking way to leave this world. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in your problems, but trust me – there’s always at least one other person going through the same thing you’re struggling with. You’re never alone.

3. Just say “No.” That sounds awfully simplistic, and perhaps you’ve already crossed that threshold, but as long as you draw breath, there’s hope for you. If you’ve never taken drugs, don’t start.

Whitney Houston, Rodney King, and Joey Kovar all lost their struggle with the some of the most menacing substances out there. Back away from drugs (including the legal ones) and run screaming.

And again, get help if you need it.

4. Cherish the small stuff, but don’t stress over them. The one common thread among some of our longest-living citizens is low stress: lots of laughter, optimism, and a grateful attitude.

Life’s too short to let the everyday minutiae rob you of your ability to live it. Enjoy every moment you have, for each one is a gift.

Which celebrity death shocked you most this year? Let me know your thoughts in a comment below.

Public domain image by Petr Kratochvil.

Top 5 Schools Series: Want to Sharpen Your Inner Artist? Start Here

2012-09-04T23:29:00.000-04:00

Have you been hearing the rumblings lately about art degrees being meaningless in the current economy? You haven’t been taking them seriously, have you?

If not, great. If you are, stop it – especially if you’re considering art school yourself. Nothing could be further from the truth.

There is always a need for art in our society.

Graphic designers will always be needed for corporations, entrepreneurs, musicians, and politicians who need branding (or rebranding), as well as filmmakers (for movie posters).

Digital media artists and web designers will always be necessary – the Internet will forever grow as long as new servers are being built; and entrepreneurs, corporations, schools, etc. will always need blogs and websites built, new social media accounts branded, and CMS (content management systems) built.

Also, thanks to our very vain culture, digital artists will always been in demand for photomanipulation for print publications (gotta have that “beautiful” cover shot). Vanity aside, they’ll also be needed thanks to our ever-growing self-publishing industry: indie authors need professional book covers to compete with the traditional market.

Traditional artists also have incredible value.

Skilled sketch artists are always in demand for storyboarding films and games, as well as helping our criminal justice system in identifying culprits.

And don’t forget the comic world. Pencilers, colorists, and line artists make comics the fantastic medium it is – they give the story its immersive body. The proliferation of web comics has increased that demand as well.

Painters are equally necessary in the film and gaming industry for matte backdrops, character design and prototype modeling, world/realm designs, and much more (just ask Yoshitaka Amano, official artist for the Final Fantasy series).

If you’re looking for a good art school, here are the 5 best art schools in the U.S.

1. Yale University: Yale goes way back (as in 1701), so its presence on this list is no surprise. It’s actually in close competition with #2 for best art school. According to education-portal.com, Yale’s painting and photography degrees ranked #1, while its art and design degrees were ranked #2 in the nation, per U.S. News and World Report in 2010.

Here you can learn graphic design, painting, sculpture, printmaking, acting, and more (of course). Yale’s School of Art offers undergraduate studies, while its Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers, well, MFA’s.

2. Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): One of the oldest art schools in the nation (founded in 1877), RISD offers both undergrad and graduate degrees in the fine arts (graphic design, interior design, photography, ceramics, film, glass, illustration, and more). It’s located in Providence, which is near New York and Boston in case you want to travel on your weekends or holidays. You’ll be happy to know its alumni include Seth McFarlane.

3. School of Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC): Located with AIC (Art Institute of Chicago), the SAIC is one of the largest accredited independent art schools in the U.S., according to uscollegeranking.org. In addition to what #1 and #2 offer, SAIC also offers animation, new media, art therapy, sound, writing, and a slew of other great studies (undergrad and graduate). Walt Disney is one of SAIC’s many alumni.

4. Cranbrook Academy of Art: This Michigan grad school offers 2D and 3D art design, print media, sculpture, architecture, photography and painting (like the others above), and even metalsmithing. According to the Cranbrook Academy website, students are given their own art studio. Pretty cool.

5. Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts: Between U.S. News and World Report, uscollegeranking.org, and education-portal.com, the fourth and fifth spots were a battle between VCU, Carnegie Mellon University, and Maryland Institute College of Art, but VCU was the most consistent, so I have it here.

Like the others above, VCU School of Arts offers undergrad and graduate programs, including sculpture (for which it’s ranked #1 by U.S. News and World Report), painting and drawing, film, music, theater, fashion design and merchandising, interior design, dancing and choreography, and photography (read more about their studies here).

There are more schools where that came from…

…and my point is those who discredit art and art degree programs aren’t looking at the big picture – they’re only looking at what can give someone a sustainable living right now. It’s true that the art world is less financially stable due to its insanely competitive market, but that shouldn’t stop you. At this economic point, every market is competitive.

Do what most creatives do: go to the school of your dreams, work a job the whole time you’re there, and be sure to work full time while honing your passion on the side after graduation. Once your passion starts to generate income, dig deeper into it until it can sustain you, then, if you want to, you can cut the corporate cord.

No matter what you decide, never give up on art if that’s what you want to do or feel you’re meant to do.

For more information

Check out these informative sites that I used for this article:

The 10 Most Popular Arts Schools article on collegetimes.us

Education-Portal.com’s list of top art schools in the U.S.

uscollegeranking.org’s list of top 2010 U.S. art schools

U.S. News and World Report’s top art schools list

internationalstudent.com’s list of top U.S. art schools

Flickr photo by Chris P.

Who’s Their Daddy? A Hot List of Which Media Companies are Buying Which

2012-08-28T15:31:00.001-04:00

Mergers are always afoot among media companies – the top brass are always looking to expand their companies by buying others that are already doing great work.

Facebook’s groundbreaking $1B Instagram buy-up was only one of over 23 acquisitions that have happened so far in 2012 – and we’re only at the end of August.

While these acquisitions don’t always have an abrupt effect on your personal world or business, it’s always best to stay abreast of the industry’s big moves – because sometimes the mergers can affect you indirectly.

Besides, ‘fess up: you’ve been curious to know who owns what, but haven’t had enough time to research it yourself. No worries, I’ve done your work for you. Read on for some eye-opening mergers.

16 Major Media Mergers So Far in 2012

1. About.com
Bought by: InterActiveCorp (Ask.com)
Acquisition date: August 27, 2012
Price: $300M

2. Getty Images
Bought by: personal equity firm Carlyle Group
Acquisition date: August 15, 2012
Price: $3.3B

3. Variety (entertainment magazine)
Bought by: Avenue Capital Group
Acquisition date: August 13, 2012
Price: $40M

4. The Bleacher Report (sports blog)
Bought by: Turner Broadcasting
Acquisition date: August 6, 2012
Price: $300M

5. Yammer (an intra-company social network service)
Bought by: Microsoft
Acquisition date: July 25, 2012
Price: $1.2B

6. Nerdist Industries (original geeky web videos, blog, etc.)
Bought by: Legendary Entertainment
Acquisition date: July 10, 2012
Price: Not disclosed

7. Spin Magazine
Bought by: blog conglomerate Buzz Media
Acquisition date: July 10, 2012
Price: Not disclosed

8. Face.com (facial recognition app company)
Bought by: Facebook
Acquisition date: June 18, 2012
Price: $100M

9. Motorola Mobility
Bought by: Google
Acquisition date: May 19, 2012
Price: $12.5B

10. Slideshare
Bought by: LinkedIn
Acquisition date: May 3, 2012
Price: $119M

11. TagTile (company recommendation hardware/software)
Bought by: Facebook
Acquisition date: April 13, 2012
Price: Not disclosed

12. Instagram
Bought by: Facebook
Acquisition date: April 9, 2012
Price: $1B

13. Travel Channel International
Bought by: Scripps Networks (HGTV, Food Channel, etc.)
Acquisition date: March 22, 2012
Price: $103M

14. Mashable
Bought by: CNN
Acquisition date: March 12, 2012
Price: $200M

15. The New Republic (political magazine)
Bought by: Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes
Acquisition date: March 9, 2012
Price: $100M

16. NCR (Blockbuster) video kiosks
Bought by: Redbox (owned by Coinstar)
Acquisition date: February 6, 2012
Price: $100M

Curious for more?

There are more buy-ups where these came from, and you can check out TheWrap.com (click "Media") or VentureBeat (click “Deals”, then “Acquisitions”) to stay on top of the industry’s major moves.

Flickr photo by artistindoingnothing.

Got Strangers in Your LinkedIn Network? Here’s the Simplest Way to Leverage Those Connections

2012-08-21T11:39:00.000-04:00

Have you ever accepted LinkedIn invites from total strangers based on mutual connections (2nd or 3rd degree)? Do you have an “all invites accepted” policy, perhaps?

Well here’s a high five to you for your entrepreneurial spirit. (Seriously. My hand’s up.)

However, what do you do with all those extra connections once you have them? Do they just sit and stagnate on your Connections list? Do they stay strangers?

If you’re guilty of that sin (raises hand), I present you with the easiest solution ever. You may smack your forehead for this, it’s so uncomplicated.

The Simple Solution: Meet ‘Em Online!

Successful freelance writer Carol Tice suggests having “Skype lunches.” Since she lives on an island in Washington state, she meets new people and has clients she can’t immediately access, so she has a lunch meet via Skype for 15 minutes daily with them. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?

Set up [insert IM service here, if you don’t have Skype] lunches (or phone lunches) with the unknowns in your network and get to know them. Or, if they’re local, set up an in-person meeting. Find out their needs and let them know how you can meet them – it’s the first step in developing a relationship with them.

Cool bonus: the solution actually works two-fold for raging introverts (myself included).

If you’re terrified of networking events and large social gatherings, meeting your LinkedIn connections one-on-one accomplishes the same networking goal without overwhelming you. You get to expand your career horizons on your own terms.

Now your entire LinkedIn Connections list can have a purpose.

I challenge you to set up a “Skype lunch” with a new stranger from your list twice a week, or even once a week to start; you can keep it as brief as Tice’s 15 minutes. However, if you’re meeting this person for the first time, the conversation will likely stretch longer, since you’re getting to know each other (which is good).

These meetings can lead to new clientele, and a new business relationship gets you a new advocate.

You can always use more of those, yes? ;)

Happy meeting!

Flickr photo by nan palmero.

E.i. Geek

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Amanda Palmer’s ‘The Art of Asking’ TED Talk: The Digital Music Debate Continues

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Defying Adversity with Recon

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Bringing TRDA to the Masses

In the Meantime…

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Kodak's 6-Studio Deal Averts the Bleak Doom of Motion Picture Film...and Itself

Kodak's Latest Deal

Film's Bleak Holding Pattern

Thankfully Kodak decided not to go down without a fighting chance.

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The One and Only Positive Use of Unpaid/Low-Paying Internships

Here's an unfortunate reality you must face first.

The argument's gone national, too.

Here's when unpaid and low-paying internships are useful.

Here are at least two criteria you can use to weed them out.

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Did You Miss These? The 5 Most Buzzworthy Entertainment News Articles from Cinco de Mayo Weekend

The 5 Most Eyebrow-Raising Entertainment News Articles You May Have Missed

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Amazon's 14-Pilot Experiment Blazes a New Path in VOD Marketing

The Path Hulu and Netflix Created

Here's how Amazon Instant Video's spinning things.

The Hidden Value of the 'New' Approach

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Participant Media's New Cable Network 'Pivot' Affects Your Entertainment Career -- Here's How

4 Reasons Why You Should Care about pivot

If it wants to stay relevant, pivot will need what you make.

How will you see the fruits of your labor?

Here's a Little About Participant Media

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What Roger Ebert's Life Can Teach Even the Greenest Entertainment Business Newbie

Ebert's Prolific Footprint

What impact do you plan to make?

Your ultimate takeaway: You are no accident.

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19 of the Most Popular Video-on-Demand Sites for Film and TV Addicts [Slideshow]

19 of the Most Popular VOD Sites for Film and TV Addicts

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Did Hollywood Secretly Want the Current VFX Dilemma?

The green avatar was the rallying cry that woke the neighborhood.

The industry is scrambling to empower itself.

So in the name of efficiency, VFX contracts inward and goes east.

Mergers inevitably equal layoffs...

Time is on the bigwigs' side.

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Want Your Indie Movie on Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes? Here's How

The Current Digital Movie Market

You have 2 online distribution options (and one on the way):

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Yearning for Customer Loyalty? Here's How to Get It

Most customers don't care about the company itself.

Here's how to earn your customers' loyalty.

So, what does your business stand for? And will your customers get behind it?

There's a common unspoken thread here that is also very powerful: exclusivity.

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Why There's Hope for Short Films and Where to Submit Yours

It all began with video sharing.

Thanks to their example, other sites have taken notice and are joining the fold.

Now there's greater hope for your shorts, and film festivals just for them.

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Hey, Hollywood: We've Adapted to Your Adaptations - By Growing Sick of Them

The big studios are afraid of box office bombs.

So with that in mind, why not take a risk on an original story?

Filmgoers across the country see the now obvious and very desperate trend, and all have the same complaint: get original, Hollywood!

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Top Conferences Series: 10 Comic Conferences That'll Make Your Inner Geek Scream

10 Comic Cons That'll Make Your Inner Geek Scream

If you want to research even more cons for yourself, check out these sites:

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RED's First Ever Film Festival Offers Its Winner a Scarlet-X Camera

Shot on RED Film Festival Details