2 Months ago I got the chance to sit down with upcoming director, Gregg Helvey. We talked about message, social media in film, and personal branding. He struck me as a talented guy getting ready to launch his thesis film, a lot happening and a very bright future. Last month I got a chance to see Gregg’s work at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles and was absolutely floored. His film, Kavi, is an incredible snapshot into the life of a boy and his family at the brick kilns of India. This 19 minute piece is full of great camera movement, believable characters and fantastic pacing on this narrative film.

After watching the film, (It won the audience award at the IFFLA) myself and the Media Group partners (specifically Outthink Group) were quick to snap into work to make sure that as many people as possible could hear about this movie. Using social media to augment the film impact and using the gorgeous design of Blue Ember to enhance the web presence of www.kavithemovie.com

The journey of collaboration only got sweeter as we got word that Kavi had been nominated and then won the Academy Award for Best Student film. Huge Congratulations go to Gregg Helvey and his crew for such a tremendous win!
You can also see Director of Photography John Harrison’s work in Deidox )

Check out the Trailer below

Join me May 15th at the Pasadena Convention Center for a time of problem solving for non-profits.

It’s important to get your story out there, and the marketing world is consistently being turned on it’s ear.

This will be a great seminar for you and/or your team if these phrases keep coming up in your meetings.

What’s Twitter?
How do we better connect with our donor base?

Or if these thoughts cross your mind:

We need a social media presence but don’t have the manpower/resources to devote to it.
It seems like social media experts and snake oil salesmen have a lot in common.

Portnoy Media Group has a track record of increasing online donations and engaging new donors for organizations, even in a down economy - come get the info for FREE

Why FREE??!?!?

Honestly, because it’s the right thing to do. At Portnoy Media Group, we’re big on abundance thinking and we know that we can help your organization. With all that’s happening on the non-profit front right now through layoffs, pay decreases, and over stretched resources. There really isn’t a better time to share ideas and refresh your development team than to remove some hurdles from your path.

Our goal is to help you with small incremental changes that you can put into practice 30 minutes after the meeting or roll out on Monday. Going further than theory we’ll give you a step by step map to improve your organizations communication. Bring your questions, we’ll be looking for some real world examples.

We look forward to meeting you.

In February, (2/25) I got to join forces with Social Media/PR Guru’s Jessica Hasson, Jeremy Pepper and Serena Erlich for a panel on using social media as a Public Relations/PR tool at Pepperdine’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)

So then I thought, If I were 18 and enrolled at a University or City College today what would I do?

Use Twitter to expand my network:

I thought that most college students had a facebook page and by the show of hands at the PRSSA that was true but the Twitter numbers were far less. As a college student this is a great, easy and fast way to reach out to “thought leaders”, social media people, or whoever is an expert in the field you’d like to catapult into. The funny thing is - I do this now. If I were in college - I’d have such a jump on others in my graduating class, and others as I’m applying for my first major job.

Caveat - be careful how open you’re broadcasting. Just because you have a thought doesn’t mean you should tell everyone, like this woman.How to Tweet Yourself out of a Job

You’ve Got More Time Than You Think

Most college students don’t feel like they have a lot of time - sadly neither does anyone else. The truth is life doesn’t slow down after college - it speeds up. If it were me, I’d be sponging up all that I could form those around me and news sources. I’d be checking The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and topics I enjoy (technology, movies, music). (Quick Note: this continues after school, I’ve never stopped)

Network, Network, Network

Playing well with others is an absolute must. As a college student you’re surrounded by future captains of industry, do your best to get to know those around you. That means hearing what moves people to action and how their passion plays out. Join a civic club or a organization on campus - then I’d look to see how my skill set works into that organization and find my niche. This is done through trial and error.

Set up your Accounts

There are a few sandboxes you need to make sure that you’re represented in. I’d set up a Twitter account, Linked In profile, friend feed, YouTube and one of several social media outlets: Facebook, Virb.com, and/or Myspace. You may not use all of these accounts seamlessly but it’s important to have a presence. Next, make sure your name is the same across the web. Ex: The easiest is your actual name but if your name is John Smith (you’ve got a tougher time) choose something that is quasi professional. (I still laugh when I get an email address like Butterflies_And_Unicorns@hotmail.com from someone) This is very helpful when an employer searches for you in Google and THEY WILL! Make their life (and yours) easier, besides it’s brownie points.

Start Something

As an entrepreneur, I’m a big fan of starting something new. It gives insight, sharpens your skill set and causes me to appreciate people who have a totally different skill set than my own. Each new challenge has it’s own set of problems. With each of them you can outspend your competition or outthink them. As a poor college student, there’s only one option and it’s the better one.

Volunteer

Especially as a PR student - nonprofits are in need of you more than they know. The reality is that just because you show up to a non profit and tell them you’d like to help, they may say not need what you’re offering. Be tenacious and try a few places, especially if your into social media - send an email or start a facebook fanpage. Be creative.

Try New Things

After you’ve started something, risk it. Failure is part of the equation and a fantastic teacher. However, to fail correctly means learning. In my own life, I’ve risked big and lost big money and spent years paying it off. The losing required me to alter my thought process, attitudes and plenty of time to strategize. After one extremely big loss a successful friend of mine told me, “Dan, it’s only a mistake if you don’t learn from it.” Strategies for success can work through failure.

Stay Humble, Hungry and Smart

I’ve met more than a few people who come out of school and have a sense of entitlement. In today’s market, there is no room for this attitude. Learn this lesson early and solve a lot of your headaches later on.

Read this (e)Book

Hugh MacLeod in his eBook - How to Be Creative. Listening to his advice will save a lot of headaches and help keep the main thing - the main thing.
Download it here

It was a great time to interact with bright minds at Pepperdine University, a lot of really great questions on how the web moves. A Big Thank You to Dr. Emily Kinsky for the invite.

Today’s a big day in the world of Ramit Sethi. His new book I Will Teach You to Be Rich just reached the top slot on Amazon.com

He’s giving away Free Kindle’s and thousands of dollars as promo when you buy the book at Amazon or from Barnes and Noble.com (Currently #13) I personally bought the book this morning because Ramit knows what’s going on financially.

I did some searching through the Portnoy Media archives and found an interview with Ramit from 2006 before he was the big dog he is today. This was taken from the Biz-Ops Podcast and also features Tim Grahl of Out:think Group. The biz ops podcast was a show I got to co-host for Dane Carlson and his Business-Opportunities web network which has been a giant leader as the largest business website.

I get a kick out of it because it was 3 years ago and although trends change and our financial climate has changed drastically - Ramit still gives solid advice. Give it a listen, click the play button below.

I meet a lot of interesting people in my travels and I thought it would be great to share that with you. The quick interviews will be from professionals in all areas of media. From authors and musicians to new media professionals and filmmakers - hear what they’re doing and why it matters, all with a distinct “Portnoy” flavor. First episode launches March 17th.