Foxy Cole Productions

The Power of Storytelling: Trends in Business

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 21:34:00 +0000

From the dawn of mankind, storytelling has been a powerful tool connecting human beings with each other, as well as history documentation. Much of what we know about our past has to do with storytelling.

One of the reasons for this phenomenon is that story can be expressed in a multitude of ways, via art, oral tradition, music, and the written word. Story is what connects us on a human level to each other, to the planet, and to the universe. We have always sought to find meaning, connection, and harmony to our existence and each other.

What does story have to do with business? The short answer is: everything.

Do any amount of research on great businesses and you will find that they all have a great "story" behind them. In fact, in the research itself that we do, we are actually looking for the story of the business. That is what excites us, thrills us, and inspires us the most. Think about it.

This seemingly new phenomenon called "branding" is all about storytelling. Both the founding members as well as the business itself must have a compelling story that brings in customers who relate to the story. A powerful story builds trust. Trust is the key element in long-term business relationships.

This article from Video Industry News talks about storytelling trends in branding. It does a good job of breaking down that a great story comes across as human, authentic, and personalize the business, which closes the gap between the corporate identity and the human being on the other end.

A fascinating book by Peter Guber called Tell to Win, sheds even more light on the power of story. This brief video wonderfully demonstrates this idea.

"Story isn't the icing on the cake; it's the cake!"

Storytelling is critical for the new world of "relationship marketing." The digital revolution has leveled the playing field by allowing many different types of media content to tell an ongoing story and create not only a one-time experience, but also a long-term relationship with customers.

So, when thinking about your business, think about the story behind your business. Think about your own personal story behind the story of the business. Don't be afraid to be vulnerable and talk about your challenges and how you overcame them. All great stories have a conflict that is ultimately overcome. We all relate to the fool's journey to wisdom.

What is YOUR story?

Alternative Funding Sources for your Business: The Money Is Out There!

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 21:15:00 +0000

Many people with a fantastic business idea simply cannot get it off the ground due to lack of funding. However, funds are available in many ways depending on the type of business idea.

Most for-profit businesses start out seeking private investors, small business loans, or even grants. These sources may provide some, but not all of the funding needed.

Additional resources are available for not-for-profit ventures, as well as businesses that somehow help the community in some way. Native Americans have additional funding sources available. This funding for non-profits is well known. However, what about for-profit businesses? Are investors and small business loans the only options? Not necessarily, as for-profit businesses can receive alternate funding if they highlight certain key elements.

Will your business add jobs? Does it serve a certain community? Does it add value to the community in some way? If so, you may be very surprised at how much funding is available, beyond the traditional business loan route.

Some of these resources are listed on fantastic sites like these listed below:
The Opportunity Finance Network
Association For Enterprise Opportunity
Coalition of Community Development Financial Institutions

However, for-profit businesses have challenges getting funding. But it is not impossible, if somehow it can be demonstrated that jobs can be created or somehow the community is served. Find ways to show these particular values in your business plans and presentations, follow whatever guidelines are required for the application process, and you may find yourself getting the crucial funding that you need.

These alternative sources require patience and a substantial amount of research, with no guarantees of success. However, the potential for funding outweighs the time spent. The important thing is never to give up, if you have what you think is a great business idea, for-profit or otherwise. Develop a solid business plan, hone your elevator pitch, and seek out any and all possibilities for making your dream come true.

Elements of a Good Business Plan: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 20:44:00 +0000

In the last post, I reviewed two expert articles on business plans were reviewed: Guy Kawasaki and Peter S. Cohan.
http://foxycoleproductions.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-elements-of-good-business-plan-two.html

Both men agreed that a straightforward, no-hype approach was best. They also agreed about the importance of the Executive Summary, and how it should be written last.

As I move through the creation of my business plan, I made sure to incorporate these elements throughout my plan. All I had to do was put myself in the place of the investor, who is reading through it. The things I would want to know, these experts have addressed. Remembering that is actual human beings on the other side of the document, reading and absorbing it, is key. I liked the two articles, which I reviewed in depth in my last post, because they do focus on the human part, as well as what investors truly would like to see.

So far, I have done my best to follow their advice and keep the plan straightforward, and back it up with solid research. The challenge, however, has been that my company will be first to market. So the task for me was to demonstrate the niche. This challenge lead me to research a bit deeper into the unique approaches to use in a business plan for a startup that is also looking to establish a new brand and market.

I discovered that this is called "disruptive innovation" for some companies, depending on the company. My new company does fit the definition, according to a recent article on Brinq:

"The disruptive-innovation theory explains why new firms armed with relatively simple, straightforward technological solutions can beat powerful incumbents, often creating entirely new markets and business models."

It just so happens that another expert in the field of business plans, Carl Schramm, talks about the Characteristics of the Entrepreneur in the article below. He says that he rarely reads the business plan, but looks for the persona to come through. Of the characteristics he listed, I meet them all. The ones in particular that caught my attention were:

They are an outsider, they ask the hard questions, and press leaders on the “why” around status quo.

Read more: http://steinvox.com/blog/2012/04/17/carl-schramm-straight-talk-on-entrepreneurship-why-we-need-it/#ixzz2CbnRdKyP

"They think in terms of disruption, and are often thought to be disruptive by the change-averse.
They see things differently, considering untraditional forces that others didn't see."

Understanding that my new company (which is still confidential until trademarks and copyrights are in place) could be considered disruptive technology or disruptive innovation adds a whole new level to how I will approach the rest of my business plan, including the all important Executive Summary.

They are an outsider, they ask the hard questions, and press leaders on the “why” around status quo.

They think in terms of disruption, and are often thought to be disruptive by the change-averse.

They see things differently, considering untraditional forces that others didn’t see.

Resources:
http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2012/01/how-to-create-an-enchanting-business-plan-officeandguyk.htm l
http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/blog/6-key-elements-of-a-good-business-plan/
http://www.brinq.com/workshop/archives/2005/01/08/what-is-disruptive-innovation
http://steinvox.com/2012/04/17/carl-schramm-straight-talk-on-entrepreneurship-why-we-need-it/

The Elements of a Good Business Plan: Two Expert Viewpoints

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 23:43:00 +0000

Guy Kawasaki is a well-known entrepreneur, venture capitalist, best-selling author, and was the chief technology evangelist for Apple for many years. He has gone on to become a widely successful blogger, because of his practical tips on how to create business plans, start new businesses, and “enchant” customers.

In Guy’s blog article from January 2012, called “How to Create An Enchanting Business Plan,” he goes over six elements that he believes are crucial for any successful business plan. Below is a summary of these elements.

Write to solidify the “who, what, where, when, and how” of the business, and not to attract investors.
Have only one person write the business plan, ideally the CEO.
It should match the PowerPoint pitch, addressing the same issues (Executive Summary, Problems/Opportunity, Competitive Advantages, Sales/Marketing, Competitive Analysis, Business Model Structure, Financial Forecasting, Team Structure, and Projected Milestones.
Spend 80% of your time writing the Executive Summary and 20% on the rest of the plan, as this part is more crucial than any other.
Keep the flash out of it, and write a tight, clean, shorter plan that will get read more easily.
Write in a very deliberate, assumptive manner.

Resources:

http://www.guykawasaki.com/about/

http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2012/01/how-to-create-an-enchanting-business-plan-officeandguyk.html#axzz2AXknUYPa

Peter Cohan is also a venture capitalist, strategy consultant, best-selling author, and startup investor. He has invested in six startups, three of which were sold for a total of $2 billion. All of his books are about investing and how startups can gain funding.

In Peter’s Young Entrepreneur article from August 2012, called “6 Key Elements of a Good Business Plan,” he also narrows down six crucial steps. We will see how the two experts match up, or disagree. Below is a summary of Peter’s six elements.

Focus on the Executive Summary. If you only have two minutes in an elevator or escalator, it is the elements from the Executive Summary that the investor is looking for.
Have a clear Business/Product Description, especially the competitive advantages.
Know exactly who the target market is, and provide the research to back it up.
Create a clear section about Market Goals, and how the company will grab the market share from the competition.
Create strong biographies of the Management Team that show how each person is a winner and dedicated to the business.
Have a realistic financial forecast, based upon sound research.

Resources:

http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/blog/6-key-elements-of-a-good-business-plan/

http://petercohan.com/page6

Augmented Reality: The Storyteller's Tool of the Future...Today

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Augmented reality has been a fascination of mine for some time now, ever since I saw the magical Ted Talk (posted below) from the world-class magician, Marco Tempest. Take a look at his supernatural tour of augmented reality in this entertaining clip. (video source: TedTalks Youtube channel). Marco weaves a fascinating tale about how augmented reality can supplement a storyteller's vision. He equates a magician with a storyteller. The video left me reeling with the happy possibilities with this new realm of media enhancement. As I looked more deeply into augmented reality, I discovered that new apps (for mobile devices and computers) are becoming more readily available to the public. Application developers are jumping on the bandwagon, to create new stories to entertain users via augmented reality. Check out this Youtube video of one of these apps in action, using a simple U.S. dollar bill.

The app only does the augmented reality trick for the 20 dollar bill. There are several apps that do this function, but the Youtube video poster did not indicate which app he or she used. The experience is surreal when it is first viewed in real life, right from one's mobile device. It makes the 20 dollar bill come to live and tell a story that leaves most people breathless. As television producers are scrambling for more digital episodic content development, advertisers are beginning to hop on the bandwagon of how to make their print ads come alive via augmented reality. The ramifications are endless. However, as a recent Digital Trends article by Simon Hill points out, augmented reality does not come without some substantial risks. It has a potential for darker storytelling, by incorporating violent and/or pornographic imaging into the augmented reality stories from even normal looking pictures. Also, augmented reality apps are limited by the intentions of the particular storyteller's vision. The stories don't change from person to person. The potential for abuse of this kind is exponential. Once ways can be found to harness the potential of augmented reality, it can be guaranteed that it will become a way of life for all of us, both light and dark sides.

Picture depicting one of the many uses of Augmented Reality from the Digital Trends full article "The Untapped Potential of Augmented Reality," by Simon Hill.

Augmented reality can be a storyteller's dream brought to life, and will most certainly create superstars overnight. Imagine being able to place an augmented reality viewer (when they become affordable) in with a screenplay pitch. The producer is reading the script, and suddenly the highlights of the story come to life, right from the script!

Also, it features a whole new skillset for creative people to create new businesses from, and new avenues of income for themselves.

For now, augmented reality remains in the realm of the mystical and magical. Soon, however, the storyteller will have a new avenue to make his or her visions come to life in new ways like never before.

Digital Marketing in the Entertainment Industry, De-Mystified

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 19:39:00 +0000

"Digital Spreads Wings: HITS Digital Marketing Summit 2012," is an article focusing on how digital marketing has impacted the entertainment business. It is written in all block text, but is still a quick read. Read the full article here.

Digital marketing is the new buzzword of the marketing industry. It can be confusing when words like mobile platform, user generated curation, and the blanket term, social media," all get thrown around in every day conversation. The entertainment industry is no exception to the digital revolution. This blog post seeks to simply a few of the basic ideas.

A recent article focusing on the power of digital content delves into the smash success of the film, the Hunger Games. The tantalizing article is titled, "Did Hunger Games Create a New Digital Marketing Template for Hollywood?"

The film did become a mega blockbuster success, largely due to fans sharing across all social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter. The article indicates that Lionsgate (the producer of the film) put an immense amount of its marketing resources into digital media content, and made it readily available and accessible for sharing.

The content, called "rich media," is any content that has a dynamic quality to it, that enables it to be shared across the various social media platforms. Understanding this concept is the key to demystifying digital marketing for any industry. Marketing is all about content, and getting that content in front of the eyes, ears, and wallets of buyers.

The marketing department at Lionsgate had a strong foundation to start from, with a healthy fan base for the already successful novel from which the film was adapted. Therefore, they created fantastic, high quality rich media based on the novel and aimed it towards the fan base. The marketing campaign grew organically from there. Social media is the ultimate word of mouth marketing.

Many companies think that all they must do is put up a fan page on a site like Facebook, for example, and then get as many "Likes" as they can. However, most well-seasoned digital marketers understand that "Likes" are rather meaningless to the bottom line, and can actually be purchased.

The article nails the one thing that every marketer of any industry should focus upon: CONTENT.

It is that simple. And, for the entertainment industry, this idea should be even simpler. Create compelling content that is in the form of rich media that can be shared. Those who appreciate it will find it, share it, and buy it.

The advent of digital marketing is a boon for anyone who wants to get his or her film, music, or television show noticed by more crowds than ever before. Create great content around your project that engages people. Once the content is created, and in the correct digital format, then it simply needs to be tagged with the right keywords, and submitted to the relevant sites. Put the content in front of those who want to see it. Thanks for setting the stage for the rest of us, Hunger Games.

Read the full article, "Did Hunger Games Create a New Digital Marketing Template for Hollywood?" here.

Movie Cloud: New Facebook Page Is a Goldmine for Aspiring Filmmakers

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 23:00:00 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of being involved in a collaboration assignment for my classmates who were also aspiring filmmakers. Through the assignment, a goldmine of valuable information has been unearthed. This post will discuss one of the resources I located and shared with my classmates.

Many people in the entertainment industry (specifically filmmaking) can easily recognize Dov Simens, pictured below, who is famous for his 2-day Film School Course.


Learn more about Dov Simens and his famous Film School here.

Dov has outdone himself with his recent Facebook page called Movie Cloud. The fan page, which is generating thousands of likes in a short time, is geared towards tips for helping independent filmmakers get their scripts sold, acquire agents, and ultimately, get their films made.

One post in particular was quite powerful. On September 5, 2012, Dov posted an information packed article about how many A-list actors have their own production studios, and will often buy scripts. He then listed ten of them, complete with addresses and contact liaison information. He said there are over 250 of these similar boutique agencies owned by big stars. Many stars, of course, are interested in scripts that have them in mind for a fantastic role.

Another eye-opening post is from August 29, 2012, where Dov talks about the reality of how many films are made, how many TV shows are made, and how many independent works are made. He talks about the odds of getting one of the 50,000 independent and 150 studio produced films into the only 200 slots available for films of any nature. He breaks down that TV has better, but still relatively scarce odds with hundreds of thousands filmed per year, with close to that many slots available. Dov then plants a seed to go for IPTV. That is all he said, IPTV. He does not go into the definition, but IPTV stands for "internet protocol television." And, if recent trends in the popularity of streaming digital episodic content are any indication, his prediction is spot on the money.

These are just a couple of the meaty tips that Dov provides via his Movie Cloud Facebook page. It is interesting to note that more and more, people who simply love to make films are going to find new and innovative ways to do them technically, as well as fund them financially. Dov is using social media in a very powerful way, to encourage aspiring filmmakers to go in with eyes wide open to the realities, possibilities, and potential pitfalls that come with the entertainment industry.

The Movie Cloud Facebook Page, loaded with invaluable filmmaking and industry tips, can be located here.

Reality Check: Literary Agent's Attacker Found Her Via Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 22:04:00 +0000

A recent article from Huffington Post has captured the attention of many about the dangers of sharing too much information, especially "real time," via social media outlets like Foursquare.

The victim, Literary Agent Pam van Hylckama Vlieg. Read the rest of the Huffington Post article here.

We have all heard of and perhaps experienced the rejection letters from literary agents. People have long commiserated about the dreaded rejection letters. Most normal people just take it in stride until they find that one agent who does have a match for their work. Most people do not seek out revenge upon the literary agent or publisher who issued the rejection letter. However, for one well liked literary agent, she did not encounter a normal person.

Pam was shocked, while waiting at her daughter's school, to experience a man reaching into her car and slamming her head into the steering wheel several times. If not for her little Jack Russell terrier, that bit the man, allowing her to get away...things might have turned out much differently.

When police searched Pam's professional emails, they isolated a man who had been sending her unpleasant emails for a couple of weeks. They found his address in the database, and went to his home to question him. He had marks that looked like a dog bite on his arm.

While everyone is glad that Pam is on the mend, and she and her family are safe, a new set of concerns arise from the incident.

Pam believes that the suspect was able to find her location so accurately and in real time because she frequently posted in her professional and personal social media outlets like Foursquare. Sites like Foursquare tell friends, friends of friends, or everyone (depending on the settings) exactly where a person is or was.

The victim often shared her locations in "real-time."

While social media is a wonderful connection for authors, storytellers, songwriters, musicians, filmmakers, and anyone who seeks to build a network, there are downsides to consider.

The article essentially talks about safety precautions to consider when using location-based social media. These tips are common sense, but can sometimes be forgotten that they also can apply via the internet.

Even people who sometimes have an unpleasant nature to their jobs like literary agents, food critics, film critics, book reviewers, or even editors, need to consider taking precautions about sharing too freely where they are, or are not (like home, for instance). Expanding beyond these, the every day person also should be aware of what he or she is sharing publicly, "online friends" or not. Online friends may not actually translate to friends in real life.

A smart philosophy is to never share real time location ever. If you choose to share, do it long after you are gone. Also, it is wise not to share the exact locations of places you might frequent. Finally, it is always a good idea not to alert people when you are not home, in real time.

Details of the case are unfolding. The important thing to take from the case is to make sure to not share information that could be detrimental to yourself, your friends, or your family. It is the dark side of social media. However, there are more stories that extol the virtues of social media, like lost people and animals being found, crimes being solved, and long time friends and family being re-united. Also, social media is a wonderful way to expand your career. With some simple steps of precaution, you can enjoy the many benefits of having a strong social media network.

Reviews: Three Epic Entertainment Industry Podcasts

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 21:33:00 +0000

Make sure to bookmark Gordon's site, to stay abreast of the latest industry news

Entering the entertainment industry can be a daunting prospect, if one isn't prepared legally. So finding a fantastic podcast site and blog about the legal aspects of the entertainment industry is like having a mentor and storyteller available all the time. The site is called Entertainment Law Update Podcast, run by Gordon P. Firemark, Esq. Gordon eloquently reviews in layman's terms (and a pleasant voice) various cases that have been brought in the industry. Through his reviews and guest interviews, the legal jungle is a bit more demystified. Furthermore, on his site he leaves links to each of the cases he talks about, for further reviewing. I will briefly review three of his excellent podcasts in this post.

Podcast Review: Episode 33- Cease and Desist, but nicely
This podcast is over an hour long, but packed with fantastic information about trademark disputes, and story concept disputes. The case that stood out to me the most that is directly applicable to my own business plan was the case called Forest Park Pictures, et al v. Universal Television Network, Inc. This case captured quite a bit of attention because it involved actor Hayden Christensen, who had pitched a show idea to Universal in 2005, with an implied contract that there would be compensation if the idea were ever to be used. Less than 4 years later, the USA Network (owned by Universal) came out with a nearly identical series called Royal Pains, which did not credit nor compensate Christensen or Forest Park Pictures for the using idea.

This case is especially important for storytellers who wish to get their screenplays produced. Often studios want to see a screenplay treatment first. The screenplay treatment is copyrightable. Therefore it is important to take that step to protect the work, which will in turn, protect the story idea. Forest Park Pictures essentially won the case, because the screenplay treatment is protected and therefore the court ruled that they can move forward with their pursuit for compensation from the implied contract with Universal. At Foxy Cole Productions, all stories must be verified as being protected by copyright and more than just an "idea." Ideas are not generally protected. Forest Park Pictures did it legally right from the beginning.

The entire episode podcast "360 deals, rights of publicity, and more" can be found here.

Podcast Review: Episode 29- 360 deals, rights of publicity, and more
Another meaty and enjoyable podcast with Gordon involves the interesting concept of 360 degree deals and various rights to publicity. Especially interesting was the discussion of the artists (music) who are filing lawsuits to claim royalties to the digital aspect of their music (uploads). Numerous famous musicians are filing class action lawsuits regarding sales versus license royalties. The digital download issue is a huge one for all artists including musicians and filmmakers. All storytellers who use a digital media (which is the norm now) must become very clear about how royalties are distributed. At first Foxy Cole Productions will primarily produce short video "trailers" for individuals to use to promote their screenplays or novels. Eventually Foxy Cole Productions will expand into unique short digital movies and possibly feature length digital movies that will be available for purchase by a large continual audience. Therefore, an awareness of digital sales and licensing royalties is mandatory.

Picture courtesy SportsIllustrated.com. The entire episode podcast "Terminations, Taxes, and Takedowns" cane be found here.

Podcast Review: Episode 031- Terminations, Taxes, and Takedowns

The third podcast involves takedown orders and tax credits. In particular they mention how Rep. Howard Berman is seeking more tax credits to filmmakers who film at least 75% or more in the United States. This issue goes beyond individual state credits to lure filmmakers out of Hollywood. The tax credit is a federal one, on top of individual state credits that give more incentives to film in the U.S. This is potentially exciting news for new and emerging filmmakers like Foxy Cole Productions, who are based out of the U.S.

Now is an exciting time to be a storyteller. With the rush of new technologies, the digital revolution, and possible federal as well as more state incentives, filmmakers have a wide open road to explore like never before. However, it is important to always stay ahead of the legal curve, and ensure all rights are protected.

With sites like Gordon Firemark's, a smart person can stay aware of what is happening in the entertainment industry, and how to protect his or her business, right out of the gate. It also may be worth it to always have counsel on retainer, to advise every step of the way.

Legal Controversies Surrounding Storytelling in the Modern World

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 16:33:00 +0000

Today’s digital world can be both a blessing and a legal nightmare for the storyteller. Like no other time in history, it is easier than ever to get a story created, told, and shared via the world-wide-web and social media sites. Many stars are created practically overnight by even one video or article that went “viral.” However, this digital blessing also has a dark side, riddled in controversy. Any storyteller of all varieties (songwriter, screenwriter, movie producer) must be aware of this dark side, and the controversies that surround it, in order to stay one step ahead in the game. This post will delve into three different controversies surrounding screenwriting.

1. Leaked Scripts.

The web is rife with “leaked” scripts of films in production, especially the much anticipated ones. One famous recent example, among many, is the leaked script for 2012 Avengers film, by Joss Whedon. The leak happened around April of 2011. This leaked script in particular caused a huge controversy, because the source of the leak actually had the nerve to try to SELL the script. It even had Samuel L. Jackson’s watermark on it, as well as Joss Whedon’s writing influences, making it appear legitimate. The whole idea made many folks quite nervous.

I have been unable to find out exactly who it was that leaked it, and what made that person think they could sell it. My opinion is purely that. My sense is that this instance might have been an “inside job.” Controversy can be a huge boon to a project. In the internet marketing world (in which I lived for some time), we called this phenomenon “link bait.” My second thought is that this leaked screenplay was legitimately leaked, and was actually Samuel L. Jackson’s attempt at the script, throwing his hat in the ring, so to speak. Unfortunately there is no more mention of it, and it controversy as well as the investigation just went cold. The end result of the Avengers script was that it went a different direction than the “leaked” screenplay, and is attributed to Joss Whedon, not Samuel L. Jackson.

2. Stolen Scripts.

Many new screenwriters are told this idea of having your screenplay stolen is just a myth and not to be so sensitive. Tell that to the many people who have won cases over the years by proving that script theft not only exists, but can also happen even to the most seasoned writers. (See Buchwald VS Paramount).

As late as this 2006 CNBC TV article, Hollywood finally admitted to script piracy being not only a controversy, but also a huge problem in the entertainment industry. Scripts are intellectual capital, and Hollywood studios are well known for blurring the lines of writers’ rights in the past. However, in the digital age, where people can find out more easily if their ideas are being used, controversies and lawsuits abound.

From the article "Hollywood's new piracy problem: stolen scripts"

3. Script “Sharing.”

Not all scriptwriters are guilty of outright piracy as they view it. They do not go to piracy sites and download scripts. However, a newer controversial area still being regulated is script sharing. These sites (such as Scribd.com), many of which are not labeled as piracy sites as of August 2012, allow users to read, view, download, and even share already produced screenplays, among other written works.

In 2010, screenwriters looking to learn from successful screenplays to help them with their craft were rattled when Fox became one of the first to lay down the gauntlet, and brought a $15 million lawsuit against a kindly Grandma who uploaded a number of these scripts. In fact, Fox was trying to use that suit as a precedent to shut down all script sharing websites, calling it stealing. The suit ignited a controversy that expanded to sites like Google, Comcast, and Netflix, and is still unsettled as the big moneymakers now battle with the originators of the intellectual capital for who gets their fair share of the pie.

From the article: "Fox tries to shut down script-sharing websites."

All three of these controversies are complex and way more intricate than can be shared in a brief blog post. However, it is always a smart idea to think about how to protect your intellectual capital, right out of the gate. Your story ideas, screenplay treatments, scripts, and complete screenplays are your intellectual capital. It pays off in the end to make sure that you are covered legally, and that you understand what you are getting into before uploading any other person’s intellectual capital for free, possibly without permission, other than material already in the public domain. Even then, it also pays to stay abreast of all legalities regarding works of any kind.

A Tale of Two Fathers: New 2013 Superman Movie Teasers

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 22:51:00 +0000

Read the rest of the article here.

The best trailers tell a brief part of the story, with enough excitement to generate a feeling of "I have got to see this" for the viewers. Teasers are even shorter than trailers, and tend to come out a year or more before the film release.

The newest version of Superman, called Man of Steel, is being released June 2013. I read an article on the entertainment site Ace Showbiz that piqued my interest. The two teaser trailers released by Warner Bros. have done something fascinating.

They have created two teasers with exactly the same video components, but with two different narrators. One is from the viewpoint of Superman's biological father, Jor El (played and narrated by Russell Crowe), and the other is from the viewpoint of Clark Kent's earthly adopted father, Jonathan Kent (played and narrated by Kevin Costner).

Not only did the revelation of the casting excite me, but these two teasers put such an interesting spin on the Man of Steel. It left me wondering about how these two influences will be shaping the Man of Steel in the actual movie storyline.

I loved the take each father had on how he saw his "son," and the kind of man he envisions him to grow up to be. This was fantastic marketing in the part of Warner Bros.

I never thought I would love a Superman movie more than the 1980's version, (and a Superman more than Christopher Reeve), but these teasers now have me intrigued. They did the exact job a teaser or trailer is supposed to do.

Historically, some of the best product management and marketing angles have been relatively simple, and played on just ONE emotional or human angle. I learned a big lesson from this article and from finding the videos on Youtube. We all know there is a monster big budget blockbuster behind these teasers. And yet, Warner Bros. chose a calmer, more elegant and simple approach. Yes, the trailers that show more of the effects will probably come out a bit closer to the film's release, but for now, these teasers weave a fantastic story of two fathers wanting the best for their son.

An interesting side note is that the movie itself will be released around Father's Day in 2013. So people will be thinking in these terms around that time.

"You're not just anyone. One day you're gonna have to make a choice. You have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be. Whoever that man is, good character or bad, it's going to change the world" (Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent's narration).

"You will give the people an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun. In time you will help them accomplish wonders"(Russel Crowe as Jor El's narration).

With two dads who love him this much, is it any wonder that Kal El went on to become Superman, the Man of Steel?

With Costner's Voice Over:
With Russel Crowe's Voice Over:

Interesting Story, Interesting Deal: KISS and Family Guy Merchandising Mashup

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 22:16:00 +0000

Read the rest of the CNN article here.

I recently read an interesting article, first on CNN as quoted by Rolling Stone Magazine, then in several other places. The article talks about a fascinating merchandising deal between the heavyweight rock and roll band, KISS, and the mainstream animated hit, Family Guy. I noticed the article does not mention Seth MacFarlane (the creator of Family Guy), just that the deal is with Family Guy.

It is well known that merchandising is nothing new to KISS. They have established themselves over the last forty years as a powerhouse of product placement and merchandising, unlike many other bands from the seventies. Their ingenuity is to be admired. They were way ahead of their time in understanding and implementing this valuable skill. Many artists, even if they don't like KISS's music, admit they admire their business acumen. Up until recently, most of the merchandising has been completely relevant to KISS itself, as a brand. But...why add in Family Guy? I'm left wondering about this one.

KISS has made three appearances on the adult-themed cartoon over the years. Yet, I still wonder what kind of story can be told with this merger? What kind of merchandising is expected to come out of this merger? The article mentions bobbleheads. Okay, what kind of bobbleheads? And, what else? I shudder to think a deal this big is made over the hunch that people are willing to shell out their hard earned bucks for the latest "must have" KISS/Family Guy bobbleheads. Surely there must be more to the story that has not yet been revealed.

They seem very excited about it, but I think this will be a KISS merchandising failure. I noticed the article involves LiveNation, a huge combination of distribution, concert promotion, and merchandising. LiveNation is famous for its 360-degree deals like the ones with Madonna, U2, and Jay-Z, to name a few. All of their deals seemed understandable, as they related to music and the merchandising that goes along with it. However, this deal is merging a music group with a prime time cartoon. I am not sure how this is going to turn out. My mind is open. I am just not sure what kind of "story" this merger is going to end up conveying.

That said, I do not see myself buying a Family Guy/KISS inspired bobblehead any time soon. Besides, my Darth Vader bobblehead simply won't stand for it.

One of the three KISS cameos on the Family Guy.

Bill Hibbler Interview: Negotiation Power Tool -Learn The Other Person's Story

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 19:31:00 +0000

Learn more about Getting to Yes from William Ury's official website.

Learn more about Roger Fisher and this book also from The Harvard Negotiation Project.

I recently read two excellent books on negotiation by Roger Fisher called Getting to YES: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, and Beyond Reason: Using Emotions as You Negotiate.

The books were quite interesting, but I wanted to see how or if the concepts translated well in the "real world." The opportunity to test those concepts came in the form of an enlightening interview.

I had the pleasure to interview Bill Hibbler recently. Bill has been in the entertainment industry in a management and deal making capacity since 1975. He is currently in negotiations to manage a Grammy award-winning producer, as well as forming his own video production company. He started out as a roadie and went on to manage some of the biggest names in the rock and roll world, including Steve Marriott, Humble Pie, and Glenn Hughes. Oh the stories Bill can tell! In this enlightening interview, Bill gives real-world examples about how several of the above book concepts have and continue to play out in his career (two in particular: leverage and mutual benefit).

Bill talked about leverage as he weaved it into his real life experience. He began by reminiscing about being a tour manager of a cover band in his early days. At that point, he, his role, the band and their status had virtually no leverage when playing in clubs. They were as yet unknown. In one instance, a bartender was exceptionally condescending. There wasn't much he and the band could do, because the club had all of the power and leverage. None of them would get paid until they performed. He remembered how it felt to be on that end of things.

Fast forward several years later, and Bill is now the manager (backed by an agency) for a band. The way the contracts were designed was almost a complete reverse, ensuring that the band gets paid half up front, and the other half before unloading even one microphone stand. In one instance in particular, another bartender tried to act in a similar fashion towards Bill and the band as from years earlier. This time, with all of the leverage, Bill's reaction was much different. The owner had to come out and settle things down, realizing that Bill and the band could pull out of there and leave if they wanted to. Now, Bill said he never would have done that, because the fans had paid and were looking forward to seeing the band play. The two experiences stuck out in his mind as he recalled how it felt to be on one side of having leverage versus having none.

It is also important to remember that circumstances can change on a dime in the entertainment world. One day you might hold the cards, and the next day someone else does. So it is important to still maintain understanding relationships that focus on win-win, even when you seem to have all the leverage in that moment. This sentiment segues into the second part of Bill's story.

Bill Hibbler, and the rest of his entertaining Shark's Hat Story

The second story Bill told me in our interview tied in leverage with the concept of "mutual benefit," or win-win as he likes to call it. The link below Bill's picture takes you to the entire story. In a nutshell, Bill remembered a passing comment that one of Japan's most powerful players in the music industry made at a dinner. The mogul mentioned his love for the hockey team called the San Jose Sharks. At that time, Bill was not a major part of the conversation. His role was tour manager, and did not give him much leverage.

However, a few months later, Bill had been hired to take on an active role as the manager. He now had major leverage. As luck would have it, he had intuitively purchased a Sharks baseball cap and forgotten all about it. A year from the first meeting, Bill found himself back in Japan with this mogul in a much different capacity. He handed the startled man the Sharks cap as a gift. As it turned out, the mogul had been looking for that cap (exact color) for months, unsuccessfully! And now, Bill simply handed it to him. From then on, deals went smoothly, his act (Glenn Hughes) produced a great album, and Bill and the mogul became good friends.

This is the power of story. Get to know what the story is for the other side. You never know when something very small could turn out to change your entire life. Never forget the "human" element of any negotiation. Everyone has a story. Learn theirs, and negotiate around that for mutual benefit.

Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:49:00 +0000

See Larry Smith's Ted Talk directly on the main site.

Who says economists don't understand human nature? Below is a delightful, poignant, provocative TED Talk from Economics Professor Larry Smith from the University of Waterloo in Canada (who happens to also be a master storyteller). He has also mentored many of his students through the often scary world of forming a start up business.

Through an eloquent weaving of storytelling, along with that dry sense of humor that we all love from people of more mathematical, scientific, or engineering minds, Larry takes the listener on a journey to understand what it takes to succeed. Hint: It's not money!

Larry starts out by saying point blank that he is going to explain why you are going to fail to have a great career. That pulled me (and the audience) right in. This fifteen minute Ted Talk will fly right by. I don't want to give too much away, but he breaks things down into the difference between a good career and a great career. He then talks about why those things were different fifty years ago versus in today's world.

See, nowadays, it just doesn't suffice to have a good career anymore. We need more. Larry talks about the difference between pursuing things that merely interest us versus things that awaken the most passion in us.

Now, that sounds easy enough to distinguish between those two. However, in my own life I have had to look deeply at this crucial difference to determine what among my many interests I am the most passionate about. So think in your mind for a moment. What are your biggest interests? And of those interests, which ONE brings out the most passion and energy from you?

That place of passion is the place to start. That's it, right? Wrong! Larry then goes on to talk about why we will fail because we are afraid to pursue it. The build up that he weaves is incredible.

He talks about the many excuses that we then make for not having a great career pursuing our passion. We make "human excuses," as he calls them. We then make more excuses on top of those. He makes a strong case as to why we will fail to have a great career. And he is right on the money the whole time.

Finally, he goes for the jugular by describing the TWO most death-dealing words that we utter that destroy any chances of success. What are those two little words? Should I tell you?

And then, he goes on to end with the ONE word that you can say to turn it all around. It's a magic word indeed. Should I tell you?

I just can't do it justice like Larry does. I'm sorry but you are just going to have to listen to it yourself. If you don't, then you can spend the rest of your life wondering, "if only." Well, that is, "unless..." :-)

The Death of Google and Facebook by 2017?

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Thu, 03 May 2012 22:01:00 +0000

I recently read a provocative article in the Forbes investment section called Here's Why Google and Facebook Might Completely Disappear in the Next 5 Years, by Eric Jackson.

The article made some aggressive yet also believable assumptions about the social media and web search giants, mostly involving their alleged inability to keep up with the ever-increasing threat called mobile. The author makes it seem viable that if they don't keep up with the evolution of the web, and how consumers buy, then they could disappear in a puff of smoke within 5 years.

Read this fascinating article on Forbes.

I have talked about mobile before, and how important it is to make sure to have your website and stories in digital formats that can be seen on both traditional computers and mobile devices, as well as usability across multiple social platforms. Ultimately, if you remember those two things there is not much reason to fear.

The article makes the assertion that Google, whose market share is 76% direct web searches, might eventually lost a huge chunk to new competitors like Siri, which is a mobile application that allows searching the internet via voice commands. The author then goes on to explain how Google's late-entry into the social market via the ailing Google+, was an even bigger hit to the now reigning king of the web. I think he might have some valid points with these arguments. It is definitely something to think about.

He talks about how Facebook has been extremely slow to enter into the mobile arena, with a relatively rudimentary app that has very few of the functions of the main application itself. Facebook recently bought Instagram for a whopping $1.8 billion, in order to compete in the mobile market. I'm not so sure that Facebook will be gone in five years. I think they have some more tricks up their sleeves.

Unmentioned in the title but discussed in the article was Amazon, and how it could even take a hit because it lacks social presence. I, like many reviewers of the article, somewhat disagree with that statement. Many consumers, including myself, use the Amazon reviews extensively. And Amazon has purchasing ability on mobile applications. Also, Amazon with its Kindle has revolutionized the book publishing industry. I think Amazon will be around for many years to come. It has earned massive brand loyalty. So, friends, if your desire is to tell your stories via digital median on Amazon's digital publishing platform...go for it!

Are you still dragging your feet about getting a smartphone and going mobile? The article has a great quote from Apple's CEO Tim Cook, that puts everything into perspective:

"Through the last quarter, I should say, which is just 2 years after we shipped the initial iPad, we’ve sold 67 million. And to put that in some context, it took us 24 years to sell that many Macs and 5 years for that many iPods and over 3 years for that many iPhones. And we were extremely happy with the trajectory on all of those products. And so I think iPad, it’s a profound product."

Click here to read the rest of Tim's article call transcript, from April 2012, discussing Q2 2012 earnings. Apple, as the original article points out, has done things right. Pay attention to what they have done. Simply make sure your rich media is viewable and usable on social media platforms as well as on mobile devices and you will be just fine, regardless of Facebook and Google's uncertain future. However, I wouldn't count them out just yet. This has definitely been some great food for thought.

Steve Jobs: Stories of Dots, Love, Loss, Death, and Life

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 20:32:00 +0000

Steve Jobs' video on the TED site, entitled How to Live Before You Die

TED.com is an incredible source for great stories across all media, walks of life, and businesses. One of my favorite TED stories is from the iconic master storyteller Steve Jobs. He gave this presentation to a graduating class at Stanford University. He broke the presentation down into three stories that overall blended into one compelling story. The video is below (from the official Stanford University Youtube channel).

Story 1: About Connecting the Dots.

This was a fantastic story about how he turned around a college experience to suit his personal interests, instead of merely going to college, by taking courses that he loved. At first they did not seem to relate to anything. However, years later, those early courses (including typography and calligraphy) ended up having a significant influence in developing the beautiful typology for the Mac.

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. “

Story 2: About Love and Loss.

This story focused on his very public ousting from his own company that he started (Apple). After many months, he realized he was still in love with what he did, so he started over. He enjoyed the excitement of being a “beginner” again, fell in love, and created Pixar, the most successful animation studio in the world.

“I’m convinced the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. Don’t settle.”

Story 3: About Death.

Steve finishes this fantastic talk with a compelling story about his brush at that time with pancreatic cancer, and his facing of his own mortality. Many people have quoted several of Jobs’ statements from this very speech after he died in 2011. He talks about following your heart and intuition, and choosing not to follow the voices of others over your own. I loved how this story actually tied together his initial story about connecting the dots, where he ultimately followed his own dreams instead of those of the young woman who gave him up for adoption.

“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today? And whenever the answer has been no for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something”.

I just love how Jobs blended three important areas that directly related to his life, but also to college. Remembering his audience, he started out with the story of how his biological mother, who gave him up for adoption, had specific wishes for her baby to be raised by college graduates, and for him to go to college himself. He tied that later into realizing that it had no meaning for him, so he dropped out but dropped back in, taking only classes he loved.

I personally relate heavily to that story because my initial go at college was on a full ride academic scholarship to go into the ministry, with an eventual Masters of Divinity followed by a three-year seminary school (yes, that adds up to eight years of college). One day, one of my professors was kind enough to tell me that even though the institution would take my money for eight years, I would never be allowed “in the pulpit” because I am a woman. This realization caused me to completely re-set my values. I wondered why I was going to college in the first place. So, like Steve, I dropped out. I did go back later, only to have to pay student loans, and achieved a quite useful four-year business degree. I have excelled for many years with the knowledge I gained from that degree. Connecting the dots later, I realize that it all played out perfectly.

Jobs did the same in his second and third stories, by letting the graduating class know as one who came before, that their lives will have many ups and downs. He stressed to always keep checking in with yourself if you are doing what you love, and being with whom you love. And finally, he summed it up with the ultimate reality of mortality as a huge motivator to remember the first two stories.

This story is a huge inspiration to me personally, to remember to connect my dots, use my intuition, keep doing what I love, and remember that life is meant to be inspiring and enjoyable. Thank you so much Mr. Jobs; rest in peace our dear friend and inspiration. Your story and who you were has left a true legacy on this world.

Quote is from a set of Apple's "Think Different" commercial campaigns originally recorded by Steve Jobs. For fun, check out the video here. Enjoy!

SXSW: A Storyteller’s Treasure Chest for Music, Film and Interactive Media

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 19:20:00 +0000

Learn more about SXSW and the exciting possibilities for entertainment industry professionals in today's world.

Many people hear about this huge festival called South by Southwest (SXSW) where tens of thousands converge every March in the city of Austin, Texas. But most think that it is merely a fun music festival and days-long party. While that is certainly part of the appeal, SXSW has grown to so much more.

The festival/organization was started in 1987, and did, in fact start out as a music festival. The eclectic music scene brought in 700 or so registrants.

Since then, SXSW is has eloquently, masterfully evolved to incorporate a film aspect (added in 1994), closely followed by a high-tech aspect (use of technology in film and music, as well as the distribution of both). These three elements have combined to attract nearly 32,000 registrants a year from all over the world.

SXSW now has offices in Ireland, Germany, Australia, and even Japan. The seamless integration of these three aspects of the entertainment industry has had a massive effect on how people make and distribute movies and music.

How has SXSW effected the entertainment industry? Hollywood had better take note. The SXSW festival levels the playing field by bringing together talent, ideas, and technology from all over the world to enable high quality productions on a limited budget, and from any place in the world. Let that concept sink in for a moment….

This video below of the recent SXSW with Austin-based director Robert Rodriguez clearly demonstrates the spirit of the festival, and the possibilities that open for new creative ideas. He even goes on to talk about how he is able to direct, produce music, and tell stories better than ever before, just like the big production studios do, right from beside his bed!

It’s a whole new world of possibility out there for the creative person who loves to tell stories across multiple media, to distribute it, and to be discovered. Find a way to attend the SXSW festival every year, and get continually connected in to a perfect demonstration of the wonderful, exciting evolution of the entertainment industry.

Jenji Kohan: Masterful Showrunner, Storyteller Takes on Digital Episodic TV

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 01:53:00 +0000

A brief Variety news article from March 15, 2012, presents an interesting combination of facts on the new project of highly sought after Showrunner and master storyteller Jenji Kohan (The genius behind the smash hit television show Weeds).

Jenji Kohan, from the recent Variety article.

The article mentions several things like Lionsgate, Netflix, episodic digital content, and how she was the ultimate choice, citing her as a "superb showrunner," and her dark sense of humor and "fearless approach to storytelling."

Jenji is an incredible role model for anyone who wants to become a showrunner and example of someone who is "doing it right." Jenji understands the entertainment industry, picks innovative projects, and ultimately everything she touches turns to gold. This new project is quite a big deal.

However, the Variety article doesn't really fully relay the magnitude of this deal, and all of the exacting planning components that went into it. It is really a thing of beauty how it all came together.

So let's break it down:

Digital Episodic Content: The area is still ever expanding, but digital episodic content is being embraced by many TV companies that make streaming content available to people. For example, people can watch full episodes of the hugely popular prime time show Fringe directly on Fox TV's website, along with many others. Netflix allows for streaming content, although until recently, has not produced the content itself. People can buy and watch many of their favorite TV episodes right from iTunes or MacTV. Even Amazon has gotten into the digital streaming content game. People will pay for episodic content. All media producers are trying to find ways to cash in on the episodic content cash cow.

Netflix: The streaming content and DVD distribution giant is seeking to redeem itself in the marketplace by putting up its own digital streaming content, and original TV programming. They found a compelling story to do just that, according to this recent Entertainment Weekly article, detailing the 13 episode selection for this series based on the book Orange is the New Black, by Piper Kerman (chronicling the author's stay in a federal prison). Netflix is going for provocative stories. They will need a provocative showrunner who knows how to weave a good story across many episodes and a large story arc.

Lionsgate: The huge production company is also seeking a piece of the digital episodic TV pie, and made the agreement to produce, while Netflix will stream the series Orange is the New Black. Already having a successful relationship with her in the past, Lionsgate knew exactly whom they wanted to be showrunner and storyteller for their new foray into episodic TV with Netflix. Jenji Kohan was the ultimate choice.

And finally, there has to be...
The Ultimate Showrunner: A great recent industry article by Tim Nargi breaks down the difference between director and showrunner responsibilities in episodic TV. In movies, the director pretty much calls all the shots. But, in TV, it is the showrunner (who is most often also the writer, like Jenji) has final authority on the project. After her experience as the creative producer, writer, and successful showrunner for Weeds (going into its 8th season), Jenji has demonstrated that she can take on highly provocative, often dark content and leave viewers clamoring for more. So that is the first step, getting the right showrunner. The ultimate showrunner has got to be a masterful storyteller.

Speaking of Fringe, watch this fantastic brief video a documentary of the showrunners talking about, well...showrunning.

Lionsgate, Netlfix, and Kerman's story are all in the most capable hands of Jenji Kohan. It's a wonderful hat trick and Jenji's wearing the hat, and holding all the cards. This project has all the makings to be a great series, and is a perfect demonstration of how effective planning and project control, right from the outset, can make all the difference in the world.

How Nelson Mandela Leveraged the Power of Storytelling

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:25:00 +0000

One of my favorite sites, Big Think, did a fantastic interview series with the author of the power of storytelling in all areas of life, Tell to Win, by the outspokenly brilliant Peter Gruber.

One of the videos really stood out to me. In this little over three minutes video, Gruber relays his experience with the amazing Nelson Mandela. It was interesting to hear an account of a person who teaches the power of storytelling talk about how masterfully, eloquently, and powerfully Mandela's story about all the time he spent in prison caused him and many others to act, and to act exactly the way Mandela instructed them to.

Nelson Mandela, Prolific former President of South Africa, Magnanimous Reformer, Long-term Political Prisoner, and Master Storyteller

Most people think of storytelling as only being in novels, screenplays, or even songs. But Gruber contends that story is how we evolved as human beings, and I tend to agree with him. All anyone has to do is research ancient hieroglyphs. Humans have been telling stories in every arena of life, for as long as recorded history. Every single person's life is a story, complete with acts, characters, scenes, and chapters. Story knows no bounds, not even a 29-year prison cell. Inside of each of us is at least one incredibly great and potent story: the story of life itself.

The advent of technology has now created an unprecedented arena for storytellers across all genres to express themselves, their ideas, and possibly even revolutionary stories that affect an entire country, a continent, or even the world, like Nelson Mandela.

Social media, digital content (rich media), mobile media, gaming technology, ease in developing mobile applications, advances in music creation and distribution, advances in screenwriting, and in getting novels digitally published...all have one thing in common: they are roads to convey powerful storytelling, and to get those stories in front of the exact people who would love them.

Story begins in the human experience. It begins in the heart.

What is in your heart to tell?

We're all waiting for YOUR story...

Ah...the Possibilites...

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie Foxy Cole) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:38:00 +0000

Welcome to the blog for Foxy Cole Productions, your one-stop shop for all things storytelling related across all media.

QUESTIONS:

Do you have a great story to tell, but have no idea in which media to tell it, or even how to get it known?
Have you always dreamed of being in the entertainment industry, but were discouraged by the traditional "move to Hollywood, get an agent, starving artist" dilemma?
Did you know that storytelling is one skill that crosses any and all forms of media?
Did you know that you can tell great stories in ways other than by writing books? Stories can be told via music, images, animation, advertising campaigns, and even video games.

Well this is your lucky day!

Because now, more than ever, exciting possibilities exist for all creatives of any kind of media to digitally express themselves, get seen, get known, and even get paid. Superstars are created every day.

Even Wikipedia has a massive page of ever-evolving list of internet phenomena, across all media, including advertising, animation, e-mail, films, games, images, music, trading, videos, and more.

Why? Because people will FIND a way to tell and share their stories with each other! And the digital age combined with the wide word web, are making success stories every single day.

Source: Wikipedia Search for Internet Phenomen a

From the Wikipedia article: This is a list of phenomena specific to the Internet, such as popular themes and catchphrases, images, viral videos and more. Such fads and sensations grow rapidly on the Internet because its instant communication facilitates word of mouth. In the early days of the Internet, phenomena were primarily spread via email or Usenet discussion communities. Today, many of these phenomena are also spread via popular, user-based or social networking web sites, including (but not limited to) 4chan, Newgrounds, Reddit, Facebook, Fark, Flickr, Myspace, Slashdot, Something Awful, YouTube, or YTMND. Search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing may also amplify the propagation of these phenomena.

Fascinating, isn't it? Every day people are experiencing the joy of creating and sharing their stories, regardless of where they live, what their financial situation is, if they have agents or not, or what side of the tracks they come from.

This list link above encompasses nearly all forms of media. Many internet personalities have been created overnight.

In today's digital world, the possibilities are endless. Social media sites like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn have played a huge role in these phenomena, as well as the human desire to connect.

Do you have a novel in you? Now is your time to shine! Novel writers of all flavors now have unprecedented ways to market themselves, even completely eliminating the need for a publisher, and keeping all the profits!

For example, check out Amanda Hocking, a young writer who could not seem to get her books moved by her publisher. She took her rights back and published them herself on Amazon, Kindle, and Nook, and nearly became a millionaire her very first year!

Amanda's story is now one of countless similar success stories that are pouring in every single month, with the revolution of digital self publishing. From the Huffington Post article:

Unknown, living paycheck to paycheck in Austin, Minnesota, rejected by publishers all over New York, Amanda Hocking decided to self-publish on ebook platforms only. She sold 100,000 of her works in December, and over 10 months she's more than 900,000. She's 26 and is now making enough money to quit her day job and become a full time writer, in fact she's a millionaire.

Source: 2011 Article on Amanda Hocking from Huffington Post

New, completely digital film studios are opening all the time, giving creatives of all kinds of abilities to produce great projects on limited budgets, even without a Hollywood set.

Yes, times are changing, and for the best. And Foxy Cole Productions, and Stacie "Foxy" Cole will be right in the thick of it, seizing opportunities to create and collaborate on new and exciting ventures that keep people entertained for years to come.

It all begins with authenticity. Each of us has a vivid imagination, unique experiences, education, and wonderful stories to tell. However, many of us have forgotten about that, or gotten lost in a fog of too many conflicting interests. There is a way to stabilize all of your interests into who you really are.

Highly suggested is our sister site, also created by Stacie "Foxy" Cole, as a means to help people get in touch with themselves, the earth, each other, and their own inner superstar...with compassion and authenticity. You will discover the greatest story you have to tell...is your own.

Becoming a Master Storyteller increases a person's confidence in the world, in interacting with others, as well as building critical mental skills. You can tie pretty much anything into a great story, for whatever purposes you desire. Now, tapping into stories that people WANT to hear is important as well, so it's important to use your new found abilities with common sense and intuition, and BAM...you've got Star quality!

Source: srcole.com

FoxyColeProductions will explore these themes in great detail, and the possibilities and promise that can come about when people join forces to create powerful stories that the world can enjoy. This blog will explore themes like:

Types of emerging Digital Media, and how some or all of them can be used to express an idea
Storytelling in different types of digital media
Storytelling basics, tips, and advanced techniques
Social Media sites and how to use them to spread word of your creations
How people are succeeding in various Digital Media forms
What educational institutions offer in these emerging fields
Resources to explore and research
Up and coming new Production Studios (even if they are 1 person with a computer)!
Producing great media on a budget
Success Stories of everyday people, complete with resource links

The FoxyColeProductions blog will be your one-stop-shop for all things storytelling related. The Entertainment Industry is evolving in leaps and bounds, and now like no other time in history are incredibly unique opportunities for creative people at every level to make a difference in the world, to share stories, even to create...a legacy.

It's your turn now...finally. :-)

Ready, set, go...let's DO this!

Sources: (links open in a new, separate window)

Massive list of Internet Phenomena on Wikipedia
2011 Article on Amanda Hocking from Huffington Post
Complete lists of related blog posts on our Sister Site srcole.com