Everything Entertainment: U.S. and Beyond

The Power of Viral Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:37:00 +0000

Want to be talked about? An element of surprise is a sure fire way to do it. Oh, and made sure you have the cameras ready! Please take a look at the following video below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=316AzLYfAzw You may not have realized it at first, but this was in fact a recent advertisement for the launch of TNT in Belgium. Although their audience wasn’t huge at the scene, it became much bigger after the video was uploaded on Youtube. It is definitely something people all over the world are talking about. Along those lines, here is another one put on by Body By Vi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXSb9BDenjk It is amazing how an audience of possibly twenty people can turn to millions in a matter of hours by the power of the Internet. Although the audience of the event is obviously important, the larger virtual audience is much more of a difference. According to an article from VA4Business, “These contents evoke a chain reaction between the users of the social networking services and because of their interesting content gets the users to share it on and on which actually makes them go viral and bring a lot of visitors.” The thing that is great about this form of advertising is that it is one of the most inexpensive ways of getting positive attention. In order to be successful all you really need is a rehearsed plan of action, a location, and someone recording it. I believe the only con of this type of marketing is the risk of something going wrong and the potential for any sort of intellectual property infringement. If your company decides to take this route, it will be important to do your research and fully prepare in order to avoid these risks. Otherwise, the benefits can be better than ever expected, as it is a hugely growing trend. Even if you aren’t necessarily trying to sell something, it is important to create awareness. If your business is talked about, it is almost guaranteed that in turn, your sales and web traffic will go up. The goal is simple: shock and awe.

New Funding Options For Your Business

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:58:00 +0000

One ever-evolving area of the entertainment industry that I believe deserves a
further look – is the often overlooked area of finance. As artists and entertainers are
more concerned with ‘creating’ the end result, they can often run into a number of
hurdles when the time comes to finance the final production or product.

Finance and accounting has historically had a number of negative stigmas attached
to it - it is often considered to be boring, lacking creativity and more hassle then it is
worth. This has changed dramatically since the utilization of the Internet for sharing
ideas, videos, products and collaborations.

Not only is the birth of Social Funding creating a new avenue for artists to gain
support and much needed funding, but it is also helping to keep alive many lost
arts. One of my personal favorite examples of this is a phenomenal website
www.kickstarter.com. One of the pioneers of collective social funding, it’s a site
where you create a pitch for a product/design/art/production etc and you decide
how much you need to complete the project. Then you wait and see if people
gravitate to your idea and want to help support your idea. If you get 100% funding
then you get it all, if you don’t get 100% of it – then you don’t get any of it, but you
get a chance to try again. Even if you fail to get financing – you still get access to
much needed feedback and of course publicity.

Kickstarter Project

Check this page out! It is a perfect example of how over 2,000 ordinary people got
together to support a mixed media project that may not have seen the light of day
if it wasn’t for social funding. Not only are they creating a piece of art, they are also
keeping vinyl alive. The project needed $6,500 to be successful, and ended up with a
staggering $61,218!

This new avenue that is available for artists and entertainers alike has the potential
to bring so much more undervalued and under appreciated work to the masses. This
can only be a good thing! Personally speaking, I love the idea that I can have an idea
for a show and I can get it off the ground a lot faster with the likes of Kickstarter
and other social funding resources. The funding provided can help provide a higher
caliber of work to the end user.

It’s an exciting time to be graduating from college with an eagerness to create!
When I graduated from my Drama Degree from the University of Washington, I
remember discussing an article discussing the impact an economic recession has on
the art’s organizations. It went on to discuss the decrease in funding to help keep the
doors open, the potential decrease in quality and the decrease in attendance. While
this scared and saddened me to hear, the new finance avenues available to budding
artists and entertainers really excite me.

Bob Dylan said it best – “ The Times They Are a-Changin’ ” (Jan 1964).

Related Links:

http://www.arts.wa.gov/projects/documents/Arts-And-Recession.pdf&pli=1

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCWdCKPtnYE

Taking Advice From The Experts

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 09:47:00 +0000

The first business plan expert that I took advice from was Paul Grant, who is the founder of The Funding Game and NextMentor in the Mentoring Program. He mentioned that the most important piece of a business plan is the executive summary. He stated that it is important to make the executive summary easy to read and not too lengthy. This is because of the fact that investors take a first look at the executive summary to decide if they want to read on or meet with you in person. Investors look at an executive summary like an employer looks at a cover letter or resume.

When developing my business plan, I put a lot of thought into the executive summary based on Grant’s recommendations. This not only made the summary more concise and to the point, but it really helped me prioritize the points of the company that I needed to get across in a short amount of time. It helped me weed out sentences based on what the investor needs to know, before getting bored and running out of time. It really helped me define what makes my company unique and something worth investing in.

The second business plan expert that I took advice from was from Greg Alexander, the CEO of Atlanta Family Fun Centers. He stresses the importance of reducing the risk for an investor, and to show that you take your competition seriously. It’s recommended that you leave room for unexpected changes in your business plan.

While developing my plan, when I needed to adjust numbers or budgets at all, I at first started getting really frustrated. One number change in my budget could make me have rerun and rethink the entire plan. After doing this a couple of times, I started to realize that although I did have to do my work over again in order to make a small change, it was probably a good sign. It is important to be confident with a business plan, but it definitely needs to be something that you are able to alter due to conditions, sales, competition etc. It definitely helped me assess lots of different possibilities and changes and how to go about altering them.

The third business plan expert that I took advice from was Sean Christiansen, the Chief Technology Officer at the University of Central Florida Venture Lab. He stated that one of the most important parts of a business plan is pointing out potential competitors’ barriers to entry. He mentioned that it is extremely important to point out to investors how you will prevent competitors from gaining control of your market.

I felt like I learned a lot during the development of this part of the business plan because it not only helped me realize what advantages my company would have over competitors, but helped me realize what the company would have to do to in order keep our customers and make it more difficult for competitors to come into the market. Before, I honestly was only thinking about competitive advantages and gaining new customers, but Christiansen’s words made me realize that I not only have to be proactive towards what my company can offer, but also reactive when thinking about other business looking for my target market as well.

References:
http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/

The Importance Of Knowing The Business

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:26:00 +0000

After graduating at the University of Washington with a degree in Drama, I was a little unsure where to go from there. I had completed a few internships in the television industry (which I loved) but was also involved in theatre productions as well. My mind was all over the place. What did I want to do? Acting, stage production, television production, writing, casting, journalism? I wanted it all!

There was so much that I wanted to do in the industry and it was hard facing the pressure that I had to decide on something. That is precisely when I decided to get my Masters in Entertainment Business. Throughout the program I have definitely realized certain aspects of the industry that I enjoy more than others, but I wanted to have a solid foundation in the industry as a whole.

At first I let it bother me when people asked me what I wanted to do with my degree and I didn’t exactly have an answer. Don’t get me wrong. I think it is extremely important to set goals and have a plan of action in mind, but I have come to the realization that knowing the industry as a whole, makes you extremely marketable and versatile in the industry and you won’t be limited as to what you can accomplish.

Let’s take actress Octavia Spencer for example. If you missed the Oscars, click here to see her win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. I did some research online and actually found out that she started her career in casting, but was asked to audition by the director of A Time To Kill and landed a role in her first movie. She has been landing acting roles ever since. I have no doubt that her experience casting has helped her acting ability as well. She isn’t the only one who has followed this pattern. There are several actors on SNL that started out as writers who continue to both write and act.

These may be lucky coincidences but I have a feeling that a huge part of these entertainment professionals being so versatile, is their knowledge of the industry and experience. Even if you start out at the bottom, you never know when an opportunity might arise and getting as much experience in the industry in general, will help your credibility. Although I intend to create goals for myself, I just want to get involved in the industry in any way possible, whether it’s taking tickets, interning, working as a production assistant, etc. There will be a lot to learn and it will help me out greatly in the long run! I am officially inspired!

It's Just Business!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:53:00 +0000

I think it is a great quality to be able to separate business decisions from personal ones and ultimately do what is best for your company. It is often very hard to let the boundaries collide and let hurt feelings get in the way of putting the company's best interests first. One of the business people whom I greatly admire for this is Simon Cowell.

Simon's recent season of the US X Factor did not meet viewer expectations at all although the show was widely anticipated. He created a ton of hype over something that ultimately did not produce the results he had hoped for. His solution? Evaluate what was done well and what was done wrong and make adjustments for next season. Simple as that. Like it was nothing, he fired the host of the show, and two of the other judges. Here is an article that discusses the sudden announcement. Simon Cowell obviously had a friendship with Paula Abdul and had worked with both Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones before. For whatever reason, he decided the show would be better off without them. It had to be difficult taking these colleagues feelings into consideration! The bottom line is that you and your business will be more successful if you are thinking about the brand first and foremost, whether or not it affects those personal relationships. Rumor has it, that Steve Jobs was a major jerk who didn't care about hurting anyone's feelings. He created several enemies on his way to the top! Having the ability to separate the two is a unique quality, but the thing I admire about Simon Cowell is that he somehow makes these decisions the right way without creating a backlash from his coworkers. If you read the article, you can see that the people fired did not have one bad thing to say about Simon or the way that they were let go from the show. Paula actually looks forward to working with him again! I want to know what his secret is! It is one thing to be successful by knocking down others along the way, but anyone that has an opportunity to work with him still jumps at the chance (even if they have been burned before). I would love to see how the makes his decisions and how these decisions are handled once made by Simon. He's definitely taught me that it is okay to put your brand first, but proves that a little tact goes a long way!

Blogging Success

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:18:00 +0000

It is resolution time! This week I will be focusing on one of the blogs that I currently follow and inspire to be like! In the first month of school I learned about professional learning networks and how important they are when connecting with people. One of the blogs that I choose to follow called Producer's Perspective
and it seems to have done everything right! Please feel free to take a look around. Ken Davenport is the author and he is currently a Broadway and off-Broadway Producer. He has written several books and heads workshops related to getting a show off the ground. He really has created quite the online community and is considered an expert in the industry. As you can see by his blog, there aren’t direct ads, but he is frequently holding contests to give out show tickets and other freebies for promoting those shows and he currently has quite a few blog followers. There are several things that I think have contributed to the blog’s success. I’m going to try and break them down and then take my own advice and give my blog a little makeover!

First of all, Ken never creates blog posts just to create content. For every one of his posts, he has something to say and the content is interesting. I’ve never read a boring post. He always has an idea and opinion, which he backs up very well!

He also has a very specific niche that he is targeting. Broadway. He focuses on Broadway as it’s own industry and although his posts aren’t always focused on a specific show or actor, they are focused on innovative ideas in order to make the business of Broadway better as a whole. He doesn’t stray of subject and his blog followers know that he is one to trust in the industry.

He has a market. Although a niche is very important, having a market that is interested in that niche is just as important. Ken is located in New York City and has marketed his blog to people in the industry and interested in the industry!

He is a real person. I’ve noticed that he relates to people and opens up in his blog posts. It is in no way pretentious and it shows that although an expert in his field, he shows he is a human being. He is also always asking for input and reaching out to his fellow blog followers.

He has really created a brand with his blog. Producer’s Prospective is now a brand of his own and goes hand in hand with his books and stage workshops that he offers.

He updates regularly. I’ve been told being inconsistent with blog posts can make you seem unreliable and can actually devalue your blog. Ken updates his blogs almost daily. Every once in a while he will miss a day here or there, but never a week.

It is marketed well! You can tell he knows the ins and outs of social media, as there are links to post content on Facebook, Twitter, and even your own blog! This not only helps get the word out about his blog, but will also help his search engine optimization. This is my main resolution. Although I know a lot about Facebook, there is still so much to learn about ways to share this type of information. Twitter and Pinterest are the two I definitely need to brush up on. This can be difficult, but it isn’t something that you just learn. It’s constantly changing and evolving so it’s extremely important to stay updated! Ken’s done a great job of this!

References:

Image from: http://wjlta.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/rss-logo.jpg
http://www.theproducersperspective.com/
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-57333218/7-rules-of-successful-bloggers/

An Interview with Trudy Ludwig!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:33:00 +0000

Considering that this month is focused on publishing, I thought it would be a great opportunity to interview a published author, who I am proud to say is my aunt! Trudy Ludwig is a published Children's author specializing in issues related to the subject of Bullying. Although her books are intended for children, both the parent and the child can learn from her material. Feel free to check out her website here! Hope you enjoy the interview and comments are appreciated!

Was the passion that you had for writing always something you were eager to pursue or did you notice a lack of literature covering this topic which inspired you to write about it?

It was a combination of both. I’ve been a writer by profession for many years. Throughout my earlier career as an advertising / marketing copywriter, I never quite felt passionate about my craft. I knew I loved to write. I just didn’t love what I was writing.
My creative life turned around when my daughter, who was seven at the time, became the target of bullying friends. As a parent, I have often read to my own children stories that help instill moral values, provide positive role models, and address social/emotional issues. But in my search for age-appropriate books to address the very real and rampant problem of social cruelty among peers, I came up empty-handed. Frustrated with this resource gap, I decided to write my first picture book, My Secret Bully, to help empower my daughter and many children like her to make healthier friendship choices. It was such a rewarding and energizing experience for me that I quit my freelance copywriting career to focus on making a difference in kids’ lives, one book at a time.

Once you knew that writing was something that you wanted to pursue, what were the first steps that you took to get started? Did you shop around for agents/publishers or did you start by self-publishing?

After I had written the manuscript, I approached some organizations and experts and asked for their review and, if they liked what they read, endorsement. Once I had professional endorsements, I went to the library to research literary agents and publishing houses to come up with my target list for submissions. I also networked with other published authors and one of my contacts gave me the name of a small press in Oregon who ended up publishing My Secret Bully.

Once you signed on with a publishing company, did you stick with a one-piece deal or did you agree on a multiple book agreement?

I didn’t sign a multiple book agreement. I wanted my relationship to be based on a book-by-book basis. My first publisher, with my approval, sold my first contract to another publisher, as he had to sell his business due to health reasons, and he made sure I was in good hands with my new publisher, Tricycle Press. I loved working with Tricycle and they had been so very supportive of my books that I constantly kept coming back to them with subsequent manuscripts, which they published. Recently Random House Children’s Books took over Tricycle and I’m now with their imprint, Alfred A. Knopf.

Where can we find your books now?

They are available wherever books are sold (e.g., independent bookstores and national chains, online, and through Random House Children’s Books).

What other outlets have these books provided for you to share your message? What is next for Trudy Ludwig?

I’ve been able to present at schools and conferences around the U.S., educating students, parents, and teachers on these important topics. I also collaborate with leading experts and organizations and have been profiled on national / regional television and radio and in newsprint.
What advice would you have for someone just starting out, who has a great idea for a piece or maybe has even drafted one? It’s important to understand that every writer’s path toward publishing is as different and unique as the story he/she writes. Research the publishing avenues available to you and weigh their advantages and disadvantages with your personal and professional strengths and weaknesses to determine which avenue is the right fit for you.
Write your story. Edit it. Then edit it again. Keep editing your work until you feel that it’s the best it can be. Then have other people read it and critique it. If you’ve written a children’s story, have kids of different ages read your story and give you feedback on the plot, vocabulary usage, etc. Then make further edits, where necessary. Do all this BEFORE you submit your manuscript to a publisher or literary agent.
Research other published books related to your manuscript’s subject matter. Those publishers may be interested in your book, as well. Also check out the author’s dedication page to see if there is any mention of his/her literary agent’s name. That agent may be worth contacting to see if he/she is interested in representing your book.
Network. Network. Network! Join writers groups and associations in your region and around the nation to connect with others in the writing profession. For example, if you want to be a children’s author, check out the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Search the Internet for listings of those groups you may want to consider joining. Last, but not least, don’t let fear of rejection get in the way of your dreams to become a published author. Perseverance is crucial!

SOPA

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:23:00 +0000

This past Wednesday, I was getting ready to start my discussion post for class. This particular discussion post was about POD (print on demand) websites for writers interested in self-publishing. Knowing little about the subject, I decided to check out Wikipedia to get a basic overview of what these sites were and how they worked. This was the page I found:

First of all, I felt extremely out of the loop for not having heard of SOPA or PIPA before. It is a major issue in the entertainment industry, yet I hadn’t heard anything of it until that day! What I can tell you is that if all these sites were on a 24-hour blackout to raise awareness, I would say their mission has been accomplished. I took the time to do my research a little bit and here is what I was able to find as a general overview.

SOPA (Stop Online Privacy Act) is an act that will be voted on by congress on January 24. The act is meant to curb online piracy and its main supporters are powerhouses in the entertainment industry. If the act passes, it will give the government the power to block access to websites with infringing material or the potential of having infringing material. This will affect numerous websites and will have a major impact on specifically websites that have user-generated material. It will also give corporations power to sue search engines that provide links to the sites with infringing material. This act will also force advertisers to cut off funds completely from websites accused of infringing material. Piracy and the infringement of Intellectual Property has been a major problem since the startup of the Internet and I do agree it is a problem in need of a solution. Coming from a background in the entertainment industry, I do realize how important it is to protect those rights. After looking over the potential cons of this act though, has mad me come to the opinion that there has got to be a better way of trying to curb piracy than the actions proposed by SOPA.

According to some of the research that I have done, putting this act into place won’t necessarily stop down loaders. Although these sites won’t be easily found in search engines, the down loaders will still be able to access these sites simply by putting in a complete web address instead of the website’s name. If the act passes there is a strong likelihood that user based websites will not exist anymore: Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, etc. If one of their users were to post infringing material, their whole business could be shut down completely! One of the main problems I see if this act passes is the potential for abuse. SOPA could make it possible for companies that feel infringed upon to get the suspected infringers shut down without even a court hearing. I definitely respect the entertainment industry, but I do feel that there has to be a better way to protect this intellectual property other than having the web completely censored! It violates our freedom of speech and from what I’ve found, it may make the web less secure. I just feel that it is a very slippery slope as to how far this can go. Feel free to check out some of the websites below and stay tuned!

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/283781/20120118/sopa-blackout-jan-18-bill-supporters-protesters.htm#page2

http://socialtimes.com/a-quick-overview-of-sopa-will-it-pass_b87740

http://americancensorship.org/

Legal Liability Podcasts

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:20:00 +0000

Industry Liabilities- Intellectual Property

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:36:00 +0000

It seems that every other day in the entertainment industry that there is some sort of headline regarding an intellectual property lawsuit. It makes me realize how important it is to protect yourself and your business from potential legal threats. It could be something completely unintentional, yet you are still responsible for it! After going through some of these articles, there are many that I find legitimate, and others that I find ridiculous. Regardless, it definitely has made me realize how easy it is to at least file a lawsuit and put another company in jeopardy.

The first article I would like to bring up is an intellectual property lawsuit that may have been years overdue. Here is the article relating to the story. Apparently Disney and Sony Pictures are on the receiving end of this lawsuit in regards to the movies and current running stage musical of Sister Act. Delois Blakely is on the other end of the lawsuit claiming that these companies used material from her autobiography to create the films and stage pieces of work. She also claims that she originally submitted potential synopses to a producer at Tri Star Picures and that they sounded interested, but ran with it without her permission. My thoughts?
1. If you are going to file a lawsuit like the one mentioned above, why not do it immeditaley when you feel that you have been infringed upon? Why wait almost 20 years? Is there a time limit on when you can file these claims or is it fair game at any point?
2. Fair enough if Delois Blakey is saying that Disney and Sony Pictures stole material from her autobiography, but what would happen had she not written the autobiography? Would she have any recourse if this was something that they just based her life story after?
3. What about in situations like the Amanda Knox case where Lifetime made film about the trial? They not only used her life to create a story, but they also may have falsified actual events. This was a story about her life that was made without her permission, with possible falsified information, and portrayed her in a negative light. What kind of recourse does she have if any in that situation?

The second lawsuit that I would like to bring up is one regarding Spiderman the musical. Here is the article. Julie Taymor who originally co-wrote the book and directed the show ended up being fired in March of 2011. She is claiming that the production owes her money in royalty fees from April of 2011 up until currently. She is also upset at the fact that the producers continue to change and revise her original script, which according to her contracts, had to be approved by her in order to do so. The producers have continued to use her name on the Playbills and promotional material but have discontinued paying her royalties. The producers don’t feel they have to pay her royalties, because the book and production value has significantly changed since Taymor’s departure from the production. My thoughts:
1. I think it's an extremely difficult situation when it comes to taking someone’s work and revising it. I think this is something that only the previous contract with Taymor and her co-writer will be able to settle. It makes it more difficult because of the fact that one fourth of the current script is still verbatim from Julie Taymor's original version. The fact that the show isn’t using the entirety of her original work makes it seem like a grey area.
2. I feel that if the producer’s are failing to pay Julie Taymore her royalty fees after she got fired from the production because of the fact that the show had changed significantly, then I feel like they shouldn’t be continuing to use her name on advertisements and promotional material.

The third lawsuit that I would like to bring up is in relation to a trademark. I honestly can’t believe that this is going to court, but it definitely has opened my eyes. Here is a small article. Reality star of Storage Wars, Dave Hester is suing rapper Trey Songz over his trademark phrase “ YUUUP”. Apparently Trey Songz has been using the phrase for years, but hadn’t trademarked it, whereas Dave Hester decided to officially trademark it as his own earlier this year. My thoughts:

1) Is it actually possible that although Trey Songz may have been using the phrase longer, that because he didn’t register it he could actually have to pay for these allegations? What about the protection of Common Law?
2) How is it actually possible to trademark a one word phrase as in “YUUUP”? I’m just baffled at the thought that he has actually clamed something like this and how he is actually protecting others from using it.

Legal Liabilities

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 02:05:00 +0000

The first legal liability in regards to my business plan is liabilities in regards to safety. This one in particular is from an article about Broadway's Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark. Although this legal battle happened earlier in the year, it made industry news as well as national news. Back in December of last year, it seemed like every week there was a new story about how one of the actors got seriously hurt attempting to perform one of the shows spectacular stunts. After several of theses issues taking place, the show was struck with two safety violations from the New York State Department of Labor. Although, these violations did not cost the show any money, it could have cost them some of their stunts which made the show so noteworthy. After the violations were put in place, the safety officials would continue to perform unannounced inspections. During these inspections, if any of the safety measures put in place in December weren't followed, "the inspectors were authorized to withdraw variances issued last year allowing aerial sequences of actors playing Spider-Man and the villains Green Goblin and Arachne flying over the audience" (New York Times News Service, 2011). In this case, I completely agree with the state. There were special safety measures put in place after a serious fall in December by cast member Christopher Tierney. Obviously the producers of Spiderman had been in the right by getting permission to execute these stunts, but they couldn't continue to violate safety protocol in order to get them done. People couldn't continue to get seriously hurt. Since then, Spiderman seems to be doing a lot better and have altered much of their material.

The second legal liability in regards to my business plan is that of copyright infringement. One notable battle that recently took place was between the Broadway production of Fela!, and the author who wrote a biography on the real person Fela Anikulapo-Kuti himeself. Here is an interesting article about the issue. The author, Carlos Moore claimed that the stage version stole bits and pieces of his book and that these were word for word. The one thing that I find odd about this is that Stephen Hendel, the producer of the Broadway show stated that Moore had been completely supportive of the show from the beginning and had sat in on off-Broadway performances. He even appeared in a video supporting the production that you can see here. I guess I just remain a little confused. I would have to have read to biography and seen the show to determine how similar they really were and if in fact the show took exerpts from the book. Either way it just seems odd how Carlos Moore came out long after the show had been in production. Was he just waiting to claim a lawsuit?

The third liability in relation to my business plan both deals with copyright issues and issues of defamatory statements. This is a somewhat recent controversy regarding a Chicago production of Urinetown. Here is the article. It all started when The Broadway Team's Lawyer, Ronald H. Shechtman accused the Chicago production of plagerising major aspects of the original Broadway production. He was convinced that although the Chicago production had licensing to the script and songs, it shouldn't allow them to use direction, coreography, and design. After Shechtman's accusation, it was proven that the Chicago production did in fact have licensing for all aspects of the production. The Chicago production's lawyer, David M. Adler went on to pursue legal action in regards to defamatory statements said about the Chicago production that weren't true. Apparently the cast, crew, and production team were very worried about their reputation after these statements were made. I think this goes to show that before you accuse someone of plagerism, it is extremely important to make sure that you have done your research as well, or you could land in a lawsuit of your own!

Fear No More!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 03:42:00 +0000

The last class I had to take to fulfill my credits for my Drama degree at the University of Washington was Senior Seminar. It was basically a weekly lecture from people working in the business and they would tell their story and give real world advice. There was one piece of advice that I remember word for word. I can’t recall who it was that said it, or what she did for a living, but it definitely had an impact on me. “Don’t wait for opportunities in theatre. Create them.” It really is all about finding a way to do what you love.

This post is dedicated to my old roommate in New York City, who has been very successful in doing just that. She has led her life fearlessly! In just about a year after graduation from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she and her friend/business partner have started their own company which has grown tremendously in just over the year that it has been around. It is called Fundamental Theatre Project and their tagline is “Creating The Opportunities For Artists To Work…”. When I asked her how she decided to start her company her answer was simple. She said she and a colleague that she had met through the industry had similar ideas and just took a leap of faith. It really was as simple as that! Since then, Fundamental Theatre Project has worked with artists like Alec Baldwin, Kate Mulgrew, and Michael Emerson in their shows. Next month they will be headed to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with their show 3D Hamlet: A Lost Generation. It is amazing what they have accomplished in only one year!

When thinking about it, I honestly think their key their success so far was not being afraid. They had a goal and they went for it, into the unknown. Nicola doesn’t have any sort of business degree or experience and that obviously scared her, but it absolutely hasn’t stopped her! She is learning as she goes, and has altered her plan as she learns. I truly think so many amazing things are left undone, because of the fear of failure. I know it is my biggest downfall. A few months ago I waited in line for two days to try out for the X Factor, just to bail at the last minute because I got too nervous. I hated myself for days after that. I really felt that I would be better off leaving without being rejected, than leaving because I was rejected. It is a horrible way of thinking and I am working on it everyday. I think it is why people get stuck in dead end jobs and don’t truly like the life they live. I’m so very proud of Nicola and I am using her as a role model to try and turn my attitude around. I think this is a great lesson for business and life.

If anyone has any good resources on how to overcome this obstacle, please let me know!

Avoiding The Scam

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:16:00 +0000

What did N*Sync, The Backstreet Boys, Take 5, and O-Town have in common? Other than being very popular boy bands in the 90s, they only had one thing: Lou Pearlman.

Does that name sound familiar? You probably remember him from a few years back when there were news headlines of Pearlman’s inappropriate sexual conduct towards band members. It turns out that he was also sued by almost every single band he ever represented for charges relating to fraud or misrepresentation. Pearlman never won against the bands in court. Suspicions begun to arise when Backstreet Boy member Brian Littrell hired a lawyer to investigate where all their earnings were going. Apparently Pearlman had the budget set up to receive funds as if he was a sixth Backstreet Boy, as well as making a ton of money from the commission he was charging them.

He didn’t stop with the Boy Bands! In 2008, Lou Pearlman was sentenced to prison for 25 years for allegedly swindling $300 million from investors and banks since the 80’s. Here is an article mentioning his sentence. This just goes to show that even managers that have brought their clients lots of success can still be frauds. Obviously Pearlman did want his bands to succeed, but for the wrong reasons. This case has mad me realize how important it is to have a good lawyer initially look at the contract regarding compensation and to have an accountant that you trust be able to look at the books! I think Pearlman took advantage of managing young kids, thinking that they might be too naïve to know what he was up to. It is so unfortunate that there are these types of con artists out there and just reemphasizes the point that any artist needs to be very careful when choosing a manager, even if the manager has a proven track record!

Interview with Nicola Murphy

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 08:20:00 +0000

When I was interning for Letterman in New York City, I stayed in a dorm in Brooklyn reserved for students going to school in the area and students that were currently doing internships. We were randomly assigned roommates and I think it is safe to say that both my roommate Nicola Murphy and I felt very lucky to have gotten assigned to each other, and have become great friends since. Nicola came to New York in 2008 to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts from Dublin, Ireland where she enjoyed doing local theatre. With us both having great interests in Drama, we got along quite well. We even moved in together for a bit after our dorm life, and remain great friends today. Although I came back to Seattle to finish school, Nicola has been in New York since 2008 and has since become the Producing Director of a new theatre company called Fundamental Theatre Project. Although just only over a year old, the company has produced works with the talent of Alec Baldwin, Anthony Rapp, and Kate Mulgrew and will be producing a work for the first time at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer!

Although I talk to Nicola pretty frequently, I recently sat down with her to have a chat specifically about how she handles many negotiation situations that she finds herself in on a day-to-day basis. As a Producing Director, she is responsible for the production of all shows and events related to the Fundamental Theatre Project. What does this consist of? The list is quite extensive. It involves hiring of designers/crew/director etc, and coordinating schedules among the team. She also responsible for creating and working with budgets and dealing with actor/director unions. She mentioned to me that all productions involve a high level of negotiation. She is constantly negotiating rental and space fees with designers and directors and quite frequently negotiates schedules with the entire casts and crews.

After hearing about the types of things she deals with on a day-to-day basis, there were two major things that Nicola mentioned that have helped her in her career so far. The first one is respecting status. In the entertainment industry there will always be a ton of egos that one has to deal with. She states, “Dealing with a whole team of people from cast to crew to director to press & marketing can become tricky, but it is part of my job to ensure everyone feels empowered, and secure in what we are trying to accomplish so they can best do their job, and we can have a successful show.” I think “empowered” is a great word that she used. Things will always run a lot more smoothly when whomever you negotiate with feels appreciated and respected. After that respect is established, you are able to move forward in working together on a common goal. The second piece of advice she gave me was to always try to see where the other person is coming from before going into a negotiation. It will help you be able to come to a more realistic agreement and will keep you and the person you are negotiating with from becoming unreasonably defensive. Nicola states that it is very important to, “approach the situation with a great level of understanding, and openness. It is all about trying to make the situation work for the good of the show which is more important than any single individual contributing to make it happen.” For only having her job for just over a year, Nicola has some great advice that I will take with me to my adventures in the entertainment industry! Feel free to check out her website here along with a New York Times article.

Secrets Sell!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Wed, 25 May 2011 03:44:00 +0000

There is a new blog I've been frequenting called "Producer's Perspective", written by Broadway and Off-Broadway Producer Ken DavenPort. It has definitely become one of my favorites since I have started the Entertainment Business Masters Program. He mainly covers topics directly about the the theatre industry, but also writes about every day occurrences that can relate the the industry and business in general.

One of his more recent posts is titled "Why I Love In-N-Out Burger...And It's Not The Fries." The article talks about how there has always been a "secret" menu for the popular burger joint, that anyone can order of of, but only the the most exclusive of people know about. He states "You wouldn't know any of these items existed if you just looked at the menu that hangs above the 17 year old's head at any of their 250+ locations. To know about these "special" items, you'd have to be in-the-know, you'd have to be a "real" fan . . . you'd have to be cool." He's right! He goes on to discuss how consumers respond to anything that makes them feel like they are part of something exclusive.

The more I have thought about it, I've realized I can't even count how many instances where I have probably purchased something due to the fact that it was considered exclusive, or for special members only. Whether it was a promotional code, first seats available to a show, or like in the example, something that wasn't on the menu (Thank you Starbucks for your amazing blended Strawberry Lemonade!), I am definitely a testament to this ploy. I really do think Mr. Davenport has a huge point when it comes to marketing. Customer's want to feel special, and they want to take advantage of something that isn't available to everyone. There are several department stores that have yearly events for "Friends and Family Only" where the entire store is discounted and reserved for only those invited to the event. I'm sure night clubs do well, by considering some of their guests as VIPs for the night. What other examples can you think of where companies use selectivity in order to gain profit?

So…What Could Possibly Be Different About This Singing Reality Show?!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 09 May 2011 03:49:00 +0000

I hate to say it, but I think this could be the last successful year for American Idol. With only the first few episodes out, The Voice has proven to have something completely new to offer audiences in the singing competition genre. And how can we forget the new highly anticipated X Factor coming this fall from Idol producer Simon Cowell?! What new element could the producers possibly add to excite the audience? Aren’t people getting bored with the same premise for most of these reality shows? It is possible, but I’ll tell you one thing I know for sure: twists (no matter how large or small) work for these audiences.

I was over in Ireland when the last season of the U.K.’s X Factor was airing its final episodes. I thought it was so odd that they aired on Saturday and Sunday nights instead of I night where people would more likely be home to watch it. I was amazed that the show got the viewers that it did. I’m still not sure if the air date and time choice was due to culture differences or what the reasoning was. Regardles,s the viewers were there EVERY single night without question. Here are the twists that make X Factor “unique” and may draw in the viewers as well:

- The initial auditions are in front of arenas full of thousands instead of a sound stage.
- The contestants may audition as a solo or group.
- Even if the contestant auditions as a solo act, during the “Boot Camp” phase of the show, the judges have the ability to put them into duos or groups if they feel that the contestants would be successful.
- Each judge mentors a category, and ultimately mentors one of the four finalists for the show.
- From what I saw in Ireland, the artist development is much better than what I have seen on American Idol. Each one of the contestant’s performances felt like a mini concert with light design, specific arrangement of the song, and dancers.

Also from observing in Ireland, the show did have a different feel to it than American Idol did. It is a lot less about singing than it is about preparing the contestants for the real world and developing their own unique style that is marketable to the public. I have no doubt that America will eat this up like they have everything else that Simon Cowell has attached his name to!

Ric Elias Speaks for Ted.com

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 03:02:00 +0000

The speech that I watched on Ted.com was Ric Elias: Three Things I Learned While My Plane Crashed. Although Ric Elias is a very successful businessman, he did not mention his career once in this speech. He talked about three things he learned about his life, when it was almost taken from him.

On January 15th 2009, Ric Elias was on board US Airways flight 1549, which was successfully ditched into the Hudson River, after the engine was affected by birds. In his speech, Elias talks about his experience and how it has affected his life. He states while enduring that terrible ordeal, three things came to mind that greatly altered how he would live the rest of his life. The lessons he learned were very powerful because they are principles that can be applied to both life and business. Here were the lessons Elias learned:

1. It all changes in an instant. As the plane was crashing, Elias thought about all the things that he had meant to do and experiences that he had meant to have, but had postponed. He stated that he never wants to postpone anything again. He lives his life with a sense of urgency. He feels extremely lucky that his life didn’t end when it could have, and has realized how short it is. When his time does come, he wants to make sure he took advantage of everything that he wanted to do in his life.

2. He had let his ego get in the way. He realized how many times he really had wasted time on things that don’t matter with people that do matter, because of his ego. He now doesn’t sweat the less important things in life. He also mentioned that he hadn’t gotten in a fight with his wife in two years. He stated, “I no longer choose to be right. I choose to be happy”.

3. He learned what was important to him. He said the one thing that he really thought about right before he hit the water was that he wished he would be able to see his kids grow up. That moment really taught him that the one thing in life that he wanted was to be the best dad possible. Every day he reminds himself of this and lives to be a great dad, above all.

The main thing that I thought was so amazing about this speech was that the speaker said so much in such little time. He learned those lessons in just over five minutes while on that plane, and inspired the audience with his words in roughly the same amount of time. As, I mentioned before, I believe these lessons can be applied to both life and business. I have truly taken his words to heart and want to be able to think of those three lessons in every aspect in life.

The Broadway League: An Overview

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:14:00 +0000

The Broadway League is an association to Broadway theatre and has been around since 1930, with the original objective of theatrical operators to meet with unions and guilds to negotiate agreements. It then became a place to serve the needs of producers and Broadway shows that were on Broadway or touring nationally. Now however, the trade association completely dedicated to creating interest in Broadway and helping to create successful productions. The company really caters to anyone who is at all involved in making the success of Broadway. The members include: theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers of Broadway and Touring Broadway productions, as well as theatrical suppliers, restauranteurs, shipping and freight companies, booking agents, travel agents, designers, ticketing agents, and hotel managers. It really also strives to increase interest in commercial theatre in America and help to convey Broadway as a great entertainment medium.

On the site you are able to navigate to several different areas. I have realized there is a ton of information out there and you can spend hours on the website. There is the typical “About” section, which gives you the history, board of directors, etc. Then there is the “Programs and Services” which includes links to buying Broadway tickets, a Broadway fan club, and a link to where you can order Broadway stars for corporate entertainment! There “Research and Education” section is great. They have the current grosses of each of the productions and have seasonal in-depth statistical studies for both the productions and the audience demographics.

The “Professional Development” section had a community open to the public called, “New Producers Alliance” that has several events throughout the year. The community is aimed at giving a home to new producers, allowing them to network, seek advice, and discuss areas of mutual interest. They have several panel discussions with successful producers about how to be successful when starting up. Some of their recent panel discussions were: Presenting Readings and Workshops and Getting Exposure: The Relationships between Producers, Press Representatives and Members of the Press. I thought this was such a cool thing, being free to the public. I know there are lots of producers out there willing to give workshops, but they usually ask for a pretty high price. It is great to know that there are people that truly want to help others succeed, whether the people they are helping out are seasoned professionals or have little to no experience!

Charlie Sheen vs. Warner Bros. Planning Oversight?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 04:07:00 +0000

I have to say, I would hate to be the person who had to draw up a contract in any situation. I would guess it takes a lot of a TON of attention to detail. There are so many elements that can be manipulated based on the simple wording of the document, which is what Charlie Sheen and Warner Bros. are dealing with right now.

Well, after a great deal of public ranting and drunken episodes, it sounds like Charlie Sheen has been officially fired from the show he stars in, Two and a Half Men. Production has also been completely cancelled for the last eight episodes of this season. After fighting through media, twitter, and now even webisodes, Charlie Sheen is now taking Warner Bros to court. Does Charlie Sheen even have a case? Could this have been a simple planning oversight on Warner Bros. part when drawing up his contract?

Here are the facts as I have come to know them:

- Apparently, when Charlie Sheen replaced Michael J. Fox on Spin City, there had been a clause in Fox’s contract stating that he would get paid as long as the show was in production, even if he left.

- After cancelling the production of the last eight shows of the season, Charlie Sheen demands that he get paid for these episodes, along with any shows in production for future seasons because of the clause in his contract.

- Warner Bros. has come back saying that they were able to nullify the contract because Sheen was fired for reasons involving the legal term “moral turpitude”.

First of all, what exactly is moral turpitude? According to Wikipedia it is “a legal concept in the United States that refers to ‘conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty or good morals’”. Where was this in the contract? Since Charlie Sheen is in fact taking Warner Bros. to court over it, he doesn’t seem to think it is valid. It seems like the term is a bit ambiguous and doesn't clearly define what is considered as "moral turpitude". Whether or not the “moral turpitude” reasoning is valid for Warner Bros. to nullify the contract with Sheen, it just goes to show that with dealing with legal contracts and documents, every scenario really has to be examined and the risks involved need to be thoroughly weighed and determined! I’m very curious to see where this case will go.

Who REALLY had control of the Golden Globes?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 23:57:00 +0000

Although I am currently out of the country, I still get an earful from the internet, friends, and family about current events going on back home. One of the most current topics surrounding my gossip-loving mother’s phone calls is the Golden Globes and the controversial hosting of Ricky Gervais.

I went on to Youtube and tried to get an idea of what was said and what everyone was so fired up about. I looked up news articles and reviews of his performance as well and ran across articles saying that he has been banned from the Golden Globes and will not ever be asked back to host again. In an article from BannedInHollywood.com, it states “an anonymous member of HFPA tells Popeater, “Ricky will not be invited back to host the show next year, for sure… For sure any movie he makes he can forget about getting nominated. He humiliated the organization last night and went too far with several celebrities whose representatives have already called to complain”. Here is the article in full for those of you who wish to read it.

So, is HFPA saying that they had no control over what Ricky Gervais was going to say on national television? I have a feeling that HFPA had a little more project control then they are leading us to believe. When I was an intern at the Creative Arts Emmys in New York a couple of years ago, we stood in for the presenters during rehearsal and although this award show wasn’t televised, EVERYTHING was scripted and on a teleprompter. I’m not saying that Ricky Gervais’ hosting was as specific as being on a teleprompter the whole time, but I’ve learned that in any major projects, the details will make or break you. I find it very hard to believe that HFPA wouldn’t have made Ricky rehearse or submit some kind of preliminary script for the evening.

In my opinion, they were well aware of what he was capable of, which is why they chose him to host for a second year. It seems a lot more companies are using the concept that any publicity is good publicity lately. They claim that they didn’t have project control, and apologized to make the company look good, when they are still winning and getting the publicity they want. After all, it has been almost a month since the golden globes and we are all still talking about it! Here’s another interesting article where Ricky defends his comments for those that are interested!

When is it time for a project to be cancelled?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 04:35:00 +0000

Having a huge interest in musical theater, I couldn't help but miss all of negative attention Spider-Man the Musical has been getting lately. First of all, it is the most expensive musical in Broadway history with $65 million in production costs. It is supposed to go beyond the measures of an ordinary musical, adding in spectacle elements including an aerial battle that takes place over the audience. The idea sounds great. It sounds like it would add a new element to theater entirely, and has been the talk of Broadway, since production was announced. With huge expectations, it's opening preview on Broadway fell flat. Many audience members described the show as "visually stunning", but remarked that it seemed that the show was still in stages of dress rehearsal rather than performance mode. It seemed that the show was constantly getting mixed reviews that the show had potential, but needed to sort out many flaws in order to be successful...and then came the injuries. There were several setbacks for the show during it's previews: an actress suffering a concussion, two other actors hurt by a sling-shot technique meant to propel them across the stage, and then a final actor suffering broken ribs and internal bleeding after falling from a platform.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/more-trouble-for-the-spider-man-musical-74267
The show has finally decided to postpone it's opening date until February 7th in order to make creative changes to the show. My questions is, why didn't they stop and do this sooner?! I guess I have this idea of a Broadway having such a high standard. It should be polished. It should be almost flawless by the time they start doing previews and Spider-man seemed nowhere near that point! I understand that the show requires a lot of stunts and technical elements, but so does Cirque Du Solei and they don't seem to have many problems. I truly would like to see this show succeed, I just think they should have postponed it after the first injury. With all the money spent on it, it really would be a shame for it to be a failure, but in again with that amount of money spent on it, it should be spectacular!

How Do Viewers Get Hooked On Reality Television?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsey Long) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:36:00 +0000

The Cast of Jersey Shore, a reality show following the lives of housemates living in Jersey Shore
Retrieved December 6, 2010, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jan/03/mtv-jersey-shore-guidos-italian

After spending about three weeks here in Dublin, Ireland, I have noticed several similarities and differences to the U.S in regards to the entertainment world. The one thing that took me by surprise the most though, was the simple common addiction to reality television. For some reason, I had it in my mind that it was only America that had their televisions dominated by unscripted drama. Little did I know that if I'm not able to find the American version of a show on TV over here, it is almost guaranteed that I'll find a similar UK version. I was actually amazed at how much more was out there that I wasn't even aware of!

In fact, I've learned that a lot of our shows were originals from the UK! They developed X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, and Pop Idol. These three reality shows virtually have the same concept, yet all have been extremely successful here. X Factor finale controversy is all over the news right now. And guess what? We've had American Idol, America's Got Talent, and next year Simon Cowell will be heading over to the states to launch his successful X Factor.

Since the times of Survivor, reality television has taken off without much sign of stopping. I wanted to explore why it started and why many of the shows are still so successful today. According to an article in the Kansas City Star, the cut of costs is still one of the main attractions for producers. Star's Aaron Barnhart states that "It’s not unusual for an hour of scripted, primetime entertainment on NBC to exceed $3 million per hour. An unscripted show such as The Biggest Loser costs NBC less than $1 million per hour." The shows involve much smaller crews than a scripted show, and they don't have to hire actors or writers. From the producer's aspect, I can't see why you wouldn't want to go the reality television route if the ratings are good, and they have proven to be so! After reading some of the show synopses, its puzzling how they are.

I'm still perplexed at how pitches of some reality shows got approved! Dance Your Ass Off? Cupcake Wars? Pawn Stars? Ice Road Truckers?! Please take a look of this list that I found of just American Reality Television Shows that have been produced. Any of them sound ridiculous to you? The list is unbelievable. You know what though? I have found myself way too often skimming through channels, landing across something I find unbelievably stupid, yet unable to pry myself from the TV. There seem to be two equally appealing types of reality shows that I've noticed. There are the ones that are based on some sort of competition, and there are those that seemingly just follow the lives of any and all different types of people. I'm guilty of watching both.

Dance Your Ass Off contestants compete in a competition hoping to simultaneously lose weight and gain dancing ability.

Retrieved December 6, 2010, from http://www.examiner.com/celebrity-fitness-and-health-in-national/casting-call-for-dance-your-ass-off-kicks-off-show-renewal-on-oxygen

At the time I had started watching the History Channel's Top Shot, I knew nothing about guns, and really didn't have any desire to learn. I was amazed that they were able to make an entire reality show based on a shooting competition and truly thought the idea was awful. Yet, every week where did I end up?....On the couch with my father and boyfriend, practically making them watch the show! I couldn't believe how addicted I had gotten. I also cannot count the times one of my family members have walked in on me, fully engrossed in an episode of The Kardashians. Needless to say, I was embarrassed every time and felt like I had to give some sort of explanation. How did I get sucked in so easily to a show that seemed to virtually be about nothing?

Top Shot contestants compete in a battle of marksmanship.

Retrieved December 6, 2010, from http://pupista.blogspot.com

I read further into the article, hoping to find a reason for what was so easily hooking audiences from the start. I think I found my answer. Even though the theme of all of these shows are completely varied, whether it's a competition or a camera crew living with the cast, they all have one thing in common: you get attached to the subjects! It is about the people. Although I didn't care one bit about marksmanship, I still HAD to know who would get eliminated from Top Shot next. After my favorite got the boot, I can honestly say I was sad! Reality shows have made it so that the producers can take any subject matter, and make it entertaining for all sorts of audiences. We become invested in the people and the drama, in a way that is different from scripted television shows. According to the article, "Reality also allow[s] for surprisingly rich character development as viewers f[ind] the real people cast on these shows [are] often more entertaining than the stock characters of prime time." So, it's not necessarily always the icy roads that draw us into the History Channels Ice Road Truckers, it is the people that drive on them. Other than the fact that in reality television it seems like everything has been done and pitched, the phenomenon doesn't seem to be going anywhere for now.

History Channel's Ice Road Truckers follows drivers as they make their way through treacherous territory.

Retrieved December 6, 2010 from http://sharetv.org/shows/ice_road_truckers

Barnhart, Aaron (2010, December 5). Reality TV shows find success with small budgets, strong personalities. The Kansas City Star. Retrieved from http://www.kansascity.com/2010/12/05/2499791/biggest-loser-other-reality-shows.html

Reality TV World. Retrieved December 6, 2010, from http://www.realitytvworld.com/realitytvworld/allshows.shtml