Alexandria Reynolds

Final Post:

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:18:00 +0000

As I complete my final assignment for my Entertainment Business Masters Degree, I think about the new career opportunities I am sure to find. In order to successfully and competitively have an advantage, I have to explore the changing technologies in this industry. The new technology offers new ways of distribution. It also offers new ways for consumers to purchase and rent movies. There are many movie fans that are stepping away from the traditional theater experience. This may be because of the current economic times and the rising ticket prices, or maybe because of the different options that technology provides. With services like Netflix, lots of movies are available to be viewed for a small monthly price. Also with Red Box, people are able to rent movies for one dollar, compared to spending over twenty dollars for a date night at the movies. Also with 3D, blu-ray, and new better quality personal televisions, people are getting a quality experience at home.

As an aspiring filmmaker I think about these different changes over the years and see how my distribution methods can change. Will it be in the future, that movies will be purchased online with the click of a button as soon as they are released? Will televisions become the size of walls in normal middle class homes? And how do these possible changes affect my marketing strategies? All of these things must be considered and thought through, because there will be a period of time before I am releasing my movies and more and more changes are rapidly occurring. Staying on top of the game and observing future trends is very important in order to earn the most profit. As I continue on throughout my career I know that I will have to do careful evaluations of this ever-changing industry.

Obtaining Funding for a Business

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:48:00 +0000

Believe it or not, there are lots of people with a lot of money who are looking for a good place to invest it. Depending on the culture, wealth, background, and industry of that person, they choose which opportunities are most relevant to them. Someone seeking funds to start a profitable business may have more opportunities than they realize. It takes a good business plan to attract these investors, but doing a little research about who they are could better your chances of getting capital. Here are a few businesses that focus on specific elements when deciding who to fund:

An organization called First Nations Development Institute “provides both financial and technical resources to tribes and Native nonprofit organizations to support asset-based development efforts that are culturally appropriate.” http://www.firstnations.org/ Their subsidiary is http://www.oweesta.org/.

Another organization that has a unique mission is the CDFI Coalition. “The CDFI Coalition is the unified national voice of community development financial institutions (CDFIs). (Their) mission is to encourage fair access to financial resources for America's underserved people and communities.” http://www.cdfi.org/

Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) is another place one may receive funding. “AEO is the national member organization and voice of microbusiness in the United States.” www.microenterpriseworks.org/ A microbusiness (or micro-enterprise) is a small business having five or less employees, seeking startup capital of $35,000 or less. This is the place to look if your business falls into this category.

There are advantages to aquiring money from an investor. You can begin working on your company immediately instead of having to save up money. There is a chance that it may take several years to save up enough money to start the company. Another benefit is avoiding the risk of losing all the money that you’ve saved if your business doesn’t work out as expected. The investors now take that risk in exchange for a percentage of the company. This is the disadvantage. You will always have to give the investor his cut of the money. If he owns 40% of the company, you will always have to give him 40% of the profit. It’s similar with taking out a loan with a bank. The interest that comes with the loan usually ends up doubling the amount you borrowed. So consider the benefits and disadvantages when seeking alternate funding.

Preparation for my business plan

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:59:00 +0000

When I am presenting my business plan to investors I have to think like an investor. Mark Cuban and Daymond John both determine if there is a need for the product or service. I will explain to them why my services are needed and show them the huge market. Like Cuban and John, all investors are looking for ROI. I have to prepare my financials and show them how their money will multiply. Having a thorough lists of start up costs and beginning salaries will show them that I have thought the money aspect out completely. Using web tools like Google Analytics that show who my target market is will also help my business plan. There will also be a list of potential marketing campaigns and the cost of each in the business plan. Investors also look at past financial records of the business owner. I probably will not have any financial records for them to review other than my personal history. I have to make sure that this is all in order, so they can trust me with large sums of money to run a business.

As well as making sure the business and the financials are well explained, I have to prove my product. I will have examples of production work and a demo reel that shows why customers will be interested in my company. These investors also see if there is potential growth for the company. Because of the nature of production, there is always room for growth. Wether it is more advanced technology, or employing more staff in order to tackle more projects, production companies can always expand and even franchise.

John and Cuban also look for how they can contribute to the partnership. When i target investors I will target those who have built companies from ground up. I will also target investors who are familiar with video production work.

Shark Tank Investors Mark Cuban and Daymond John

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:27:00 +0000

Mark Cuban is a self-made billionaire from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's hard to believe that he sold garbage bags door-to-door when he was 12 years old. He obtained a business administration degree from Indiana University. He founded HDNet, MicroSolutions, and Broadcast.com. He now owns the Dallas Mavericks and Landmark Theaters. His extreme success came from his pursuit of business ideas that he developed throughout his career. He lets his money work for him by making investments.

Daymond John is a wealthy entrepreneur from New York City who is best known for is fashion label FUBU. His started out by selling tie-top hats in New York. He designed the FUBU logo and began sewing it onto other clothing and making a great deal of money. He and his mother mortgaged their home in order to get $100,000 start up capital. With the guidance of Daymond, FUBU obtained 350,000 million dollars in revenue in 1998.

Both of these investors look for similar key components when deciding whether or not to make an investment. First, they determine if there is a need for the service or product. If there isn't a need for the product then they will not invest because their goal is to obtain the best ROI. They also decide wether there is a target market for this business idea. This is a key component because knowing who would be interested in this product helps to make projections of future income. The next thing they look at is the history of the person seeking investment money, and if there is a financial record of the business they take that into consideration as well. If the entrepreneur hasn't done well in the past, then the Sharks will not trust them with their money. After they determine if there is potential growth for the business, they then consider there own personal expertise to see how they can financially contribute to the idea. Preparation is also a key element in determining whether they will invest. They most likely will not invest if there are no type of financial projections. The main difference in Mark and Daymond's investment decisions deal with their specific area of expertise. Depending on the knowledge and connections they have in a specific industry, they decide whether they will be able to contribute and control a portion of the company.

Information From:

http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/2011/03/march-new-experts.html

http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/bio/daymond-john/276281

http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/bio/mark-cuban/727229

Successful Social Media Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 05:11:00 +0000

There are lots of companies that use social media in their marketing strategies. Because there are more people than ever that are using social media sites, it is wise for companies to have a strong presence not only on their websites, but where they can be can have conversations and receive feedback. Social media gives companies the opportunity to analyze and converse with their target markets and receive valuable feedback.

Edge Factory is a successful video production company in Orlando, Florida. This company takes advantages of the perks that social media offers in their marketing strategy. They have widgets to their Facebook, Twitter and Youtube pages on their website. They use Facebook and Twitter to post information on their new projects. They also have a YouTube page, which contains several examples of work that they have done. So if someone is on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube searching for an Orlando production company they can be found on each site. The thing to take note of is that each of their social media pages contains the link to their website.

There is a benefit to having a Facebook and Twitter account. It shows that they are connected with other professionals in the industry. It also allows them to establish relationships with the media world.

The benefit of having a YouTube account is that they can easily embed their videos on any site. And even though they have reels and examples of production on their site, having a YouTube channel allows them to get feedback from those interested in their services or other professionals.

Even though they have posts from other professionals and people interested in video production, they could improve their marketing strategy by posting more often and gaining more of a following. They could use more friends and more followers on Twitter. If they had more friends then they would look better if someone would happen to cross their page. It would seem like they are a credible company. It’s also important that they establish relationships with the people that they make friends with.

The problem with personalized digital marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:20:00 +0000

Several websites and search engines are storing information about the users. You are probably thinking, “Okay, what else is new?” Well, you may not know to what extent this is happening. Let’s take Facebook for example. You may notice that the same friends are appearing in your news feed and on your page. This is because they keep track of who you interact with the most. This is not too much of a big deal. How about the fact that they use your personal information to collect money from advertisers? Your status updates, information in your profile, and even things you share with your friends are all recorded and used to target you specifically for advertising. This is the digital form of traditional surveying methods, except it’s done without your permission and willing participation. Maybe they consider you a willing participant for using the services provided by the site. But is it still okay when they take information from other sites you’ve visited? Even if you are logged out of Facebook, they can still track different sites that you’ve visited, and content that you download. I believe that if this is going to be done, we should have the option of selling our web history to places like Facebook, so they could then use it to gain profit from advertisers.

Another point that was brought up in the Ted Speech by Eli Pariser titled Beware online “filter bubbles” (http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles.html) was that this type of customization and personalization separates us in a sense. Google also customizes the results of the users. Based on previous searches, web history, where you are geographically located, the type of computer you are using, etc. Google will customize your search results based on what they think you are most likely to click on. This helps them to keep advertisers happy.

Huffington Post, Yahoo News, and New York times are all using personalization in various ways. The problem with this new system of customizing results on the web to each person is the user no longer decides what content they will choose to consume. You no longer control the web and decide what your web experience will be like; the web controls you and chooses how your web experience will be. It’s like if you were going to a buffet. And based on what you ate last time, you only have access to specific kinds of food. The restaurant says, “Based on what you ate throughout the week, and what you ate last time you came to our buffet, we have customized a new buffet just for you. We have excluded all seafood and desert items. We realize that you didn’t eat any fried food yesterday, so those will not be available to you either. Please enjoy your personalized meal.” I don’t know about you guys, but I would like to experience the whole buffet.

Marketing a Self Published Film

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Fri, 27 May 2011 00:31:00 +0000

So now that you’ve decided to go the route of self-publishing, how will anyone know about your product? Because you are an independent filmmaker, you probably wont have the biggest budget to work with. That’s okay! Use the resources that the internet and modern technology has provided. Here are some ways to market your film with a minimum budget:

Tell Everybody! Before you get all worked up about not affording TV or radio time, start by just telling the people you know. You have way more connections than you think you have. Email everyone in your contacts!

Make a Trailer! If you are distributing a film that you produced, creating a trailer for it shouldn’t cost much at all. Once the trailer is created, you can then put it on sites like Vimeo and YouTube. Once the trailer is posted to YouTube, it’s now easier than ever to share. In just about every place you post the link, a video box will appear and people can watch it from whatever site they are on.

Social Networking! Use the power of Facebook. Yes, I said power. There will be groups with similar interests as you. Find out who’s all in your demographics. Since you have created a trailer you can post it in all the groups with similar interests. You can also post the link of where your DVD or download can be purchased.

Demographics! If you are making a documentary on inner city injustice, then you may think you only have one specific target audience. If you really break your topic down then more people will be on your consumer list. With inner city injustice, you can target the minority races, people from inner city environments, people involved in the justice system which includes, lawyers, police officers, politicians etc. You can also target minority activist groups who have a similar passion. This kind of break down can be done with any topic if you just take the time to think about it!

Create a Website! The great thing about your own website is you can put whatever you want on it! Need I say more?

Magazines and Blogs! Have industry experts review your work. Send them a copy of it and a letter asking for a review. The worst they can do is say, “No.” If they do comply, you’ve just opened the door to all their readers, and anyone who may stumble across what they are doing. (Make sure your content is good, and do your best to choose people who will give a review in your favor so this wont backfire.)

There are other opportunities out there if you just think about it. Contact people who are involved in similar projects and they may sell your product for you for a small commission. If people admire your work then they will spread the word and start to market for you! There are so many things you can do spread the word and get people interested in your product even with a small budget. So get out there and find opportunities to market and network!

Self Publishing Video Production

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Fri, 27 May 2011 00:30:00 +0000

As the years go by, we are having more and more access to technology. Because of this, there is more opportunity to create. This is not just true for those who create films and documentaries, but in every creative genre. It is now easier to write books, produce music, games, and useful applications than it ever was. Most of us who are serious in our industry have figured out ways to create our content, but most of us are still struggling because we don’t know how to distribute our content.

Until recently, it would have been easier for me to figure out how I would create my content as a filmmaker, and get all the equipment and resources for it, then it would be for me to figure out what I would do once it was created. First thought, “Uh… put it on YouTube.” Yes, and make zero money. Thanks to my current Full Sail professor Kimberly Craft, I now know better ways to monetize my product without traditional distribution channels.

The first thing anyone should do is to obtain a copyright for their work. Do this by registering with the copyright office on copyright.gov. If anyone infringes your work, you will then be able to sue them. If you do not register your work, anyone who has access to it can do whatever they want with it. They may even use it to get money for it themselves. After you obtain a copyright for you product, you must then get the correct codes to sell it in retail locations. The codes needed for DVDs are ISBN (International Standard Book Number) and the UPC (Universal Product Code).

There are several ways to distribute a film, video, or documentary. The way I am suggesting is self publishing with the use of a POD (print on demand). The way this works is that you submit your product to one of the POD sites, such as createspace.com. Then, when a customer chooses to purchase your product, they will send them a newly published copy of the DVD. You may have the option to package it however you would like, depending on the POD, and send it directly to the customer. These PODs make your product available in several different places. For example, if you put it on CreateSpace, your product is automatically put on Amazon and eStore. You may even be able to set it up where someone can pay you to download the entire film. Once you have set this up, you have to market the product so that it will be easy for potential customers to find it.

IP Law Podcast Series from Suffolk University

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:55:00 +0000

After listening to several interesting podcasts concerning intellectual property by various professionals, I am giving a brief synopsis of each subject.

1. An Overview of Intellectual Property, by Stanley W Sokoloff.

They explain that IP breaks down into three different categories. The first category is trademarks. They are known as words and slogans that identify the source of origin. The second category is copyright. Copyright protects literary and artistic expressions. The last category is patent protection. There are two types of patents. A functional patent protects processes and composition of matter. A design patent focuses on the ornamental features of the matter.

The function of a trademark is to stop confusion. Copyrights protect against copying. Patents exclude other people from making and selling an invention.

The example that they give in this podcast is breaks down the components of a television. The trademark of the television would be the brand. Let's say it's Sony. The programs being viewed on the Sony television will be copyrighted. Things like plays and various scripts would be copyrighted. The wiring and electronics that make the Sony television work would be covered by a utility patent. The ornamental configuration of the display case that the TV is in could be protected with design patent.

2. Design Patent Infringement: Gorham v. White, by Christopher Corony

Corony gives a timeline of what was going on in the US leading up into the time of the Gorham v. White case.

1861 to 1865 the Civil War was taking place. After the Civil War, Corony explains that America was in the Reconstruction Era. During this era Americans wanted to forget about the war and move on with their lives. During this time they became interested in art, as the Europeans were. They then entered into the Impressionism Period in 1872.

John Gorham became very popular because of the various house wares that he made. He was known for his Victorian style plate ware. Once he was very successful with that, he then came out with the cottage design plate ware. Because this cottage design plate ware was very successful, he got a patent for it.

Leroy S. White made Gothic design from plated silver. There were several similarities between White's design and Gorham's design. There were also several differences. When Gorham brought this to trial, the court had to make a decision whether the similarities in the ware would be tested from someone versed in the trade, or just an ordinary observer. They concluded that someone versed in the trade would be the criterion for deciding if they are too similar. The ruled in the favor of the defendant and Gorham then took the case to the Supreme Court.

This is the only Supreme Court case for design patent in history. The Supreme Court thought it was wrong to base the test for similarities on someone who is versed in the trade. There will be more ordinary observers who will purchase the ware. The court ruled in favor of the Plaintiff. They decided that it is the overall impression, not the little differences that determine if two things are substantially similar.

There are 3 important things to take away from this case:

1. This case confirms the merit of design patents. These patents are meant to be a service to the public, warranting protection, and enforced.

2. They again questioned whose eyes should the similarities be viewed through. Instead of someone who specializes in the art, they decided that it would be more appropriate to have an ordinary observer be the standard.

3. They came up with the term "substantial similarity." This is the degree that is still used today to decide whether or not two items are too similar. They didn't want people to be confused between two different products.

These are the standards used now to tell the difference between two similar works, when it is concerning design patents.

3. Consumer Law in Second Life, by Dr. Christine Riefa

Second Life is a virtual Internet environment where users are able to create businesses and sell property. Christine Riefa is wondering if they should enforce consumer rights in Second Life. Second Life uses auctions to sell land and property. She points out that, unlike other virtual environment games, Second Life doesn't have a goal. When they are making various purchases, such as a handbag for the Avatar, the game is basically selling code. The things that are bought and sold with a currency called Linden Dollars. These dollars can actually be exchanged for real money. This makes Dr. Riefa wonder if normal consumer rights should be enforced. Is it fair for Second Life to shut down several accounts, or to not reimburse users if their purchases aren't what they should be? She is saying that they need software protection for the goods within Second Life; the same way there is protection for consumers in the real world.

4. The problem of Overprotection of IP, by Andrew Beckerman Rodau

A short explanation of what Mr. Rodau is saying is that the problematic over lapse of IP protection is caused by guidelines that are too broad. The problem that he is addressing is that creativity and innovation can be protected by more than one body of law at the same time. He believes that it undermines the balance that was initially set in place. "People are looking at how they can expand what they can protect, but they give little consideration to how it affects other bodies of law."

He describes how each area of IP protection has changed over time. At first copyright law covered maps, charts and books. It now covers everything from choreography to software. He mentions that anything with a method can be patented. Anything with any function can is eligible for patent. He gives an example of an outrageous hat that was patented because it's function was to "draw attention." Trademark law has expanded as well. Trademarks originally protected words, short phrases, and designs. Now anything that creates any mental associated is potentially a trademark, according to Rodau.

Google has a copyright and a design patent on the same work. He sees this as a problem. The design patent statute talks about the exterior appearance of something. Is the Google design ornamentation? Is it ornamentation of the computer monitor?

So he’s saying, if I paint a painting, and I copyright it, I can also get a design patent on it because it can be digitized and shown on a computer screen just like the Google image. So they get the benefits of the design patent, and when it expires after 14 years, they continue getting protection because of their copyright. Maybe they should be made to choose.

And sounds that cause mental associations can serve as a trademark, such as 20^th Century Fox’s opening music, but that song can also be copyrighted. The balance that was built to encourage people to keep creating is burdened.

5. Patrick Cariou v. Richard Prince, by Jessica Silbey

Appropriation art is an art form that uses the artwork of others and makes collages. Because it uses other people’s work, the artists may be in danger of getting sued for copyright infringement.

The plaintiff, Patrick Cariou, in this case is a photographer who is not famous like the defendant, Richard Prince. Patrick made a book of photographs from his time in Jamaica that he called Yes, Rasta.

Prince took these images and encouraged and made collages in a show called Canal Zone. The case was brought up before the court questioning whether the reconstruction of the photographs was infringement or fair use. The judge decided in favor or Cariou.

There are several rights that citizens get with copyright protection. Cariou infringed on two of them. With a copyright you have the right to control reproduction, which stops other people from reproducing without your consent. It also gives the right to control the making of derivative works.

So the court's decision is "changing the culture of innovation." Copyright law has a purpose to encourage others to be creative, but in a sense because of this case it could actually be doing the opposite and restrict creativity. She is suggesting that some of these appropriation artists can’t afford to pay the licensing, so this will make it more difficult for them to do this type of art.

She explains that fair use allows people to express creativity by making secondary works. Transformation is a very important term in fair use. It means that it took something old and gave it new meaning. They are saying that Prince did not do this. The court concluded that the works that Prince did were unrelated to Cariou's photographs, but not transformative. If there would have been some type of purposeful referral to the original work, then Prince may have won the case.

Infringement of Intellectual Property-Screenplays

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:25:00 +0000

Intellectual Property (IP) refers to "creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce," according to www.wipo.int. IP is what's considered in court cases involving infringement. This blog post focuses on court cases in which the intellectual property in question are screenplays.

In the case Benay v. Warner Bros. Entm’t Inc., the brothers Aaron and Matthew Benay sued Warner Bros. for copyright infringement and breach of contract. They claim that they wrote and copyrighted a screenplay entitled The Last Samurai that has striking similarities to the Warner Bros. version of The Last Samurai. The Benays argued that filmmakers copied this screenplay without consent. The claims were granted in favor of the defendants but the Benay brothers won the breach of contract claim when they appealed.

http://iplaw.hllaw.com/2010/06/articles/copyright/breach-of-contract-claim-for-alleged-use-of-screenplay-without-permission-survives-despite-dismissal-of-copyright-infringement-claim/

A similar case, A Slice of Pie Productions, LLC v. Wayans Brothers Entertainment was a suit filed against Wayans Brothers in regards to the movie White Chicks. A Slice of Pie Productions, LLC wrote a screenplay called Johnny Bronx where an African American FBI agent uses modern technology to become a white Italian in order to infiltrate the mob. The lawsuit alleges that the movie White Chicks is substantially similar to the screenplay Johnny Bronx which was submitted to a Wayans Brothers Entertainment agent.

http://ct.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.%2FFDCT%2FDCT%2F2006%2F20060728_0000378.DCT.htm/qx

The last example is a case between Sophia Stewart and the creators of The Matrix. Although it’s believed that she won her case against the Wachowski Brothers, Joel Silver and Warner Bros., there are several articles stating that she didn’t win anything. There is little information about this case, because of the small amount of publicity and the large amount of inaccurate details that were published. What is known is that she sued them for copyright infringement stating that the movie The Matrix and it’s sequels were based off of her work called The Third Eye.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/matrix.asp

One thing that I noticed from researching each of these cases is the use of the phrase "substantial similarity." This is the standard used by the court system to determine wether or not intellectual property was an original piece of work or a copy. It seems to me that this would be difficult to determine in most instances. It is easier for a plaintiff to prove their case if there is some type of evidence that the accused party received or viewed a copy of the work. There was proof in the case against Wayans Brothers that a copy of Johnny Bronx had been sent to them. In these cases it's easier to prove infringement. There may be cases in which two people just so happen to come up with very similar ideas. It's not unlikely, especially in the horror genre of movies. So kids, the moral of the story is 1. Always copyright your work, 2. Keep records to prove where you sent it, and 3. Don't send it to Warner Bros. or Wayans Brothers because they'll steal it!

Media Troubles: Rap Music

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:57:00 +0000

Today's media is God. What I mean by this is that the people in positions of influence are put on a pedistal and young fans worship them. They hang pictures on the wall and quote lines of songs like they were bible verses. The amount of influence that certain industry individuals has is not only tremendous, it is dangerous. I will give a few examples of how the negative influence in the industry has become common place and acceptable.

Everyone knows that the genre of hip hop is controversial, because it started out that way from the very beginning. Originally being from an urban or "ghetto" environment if you will, has allowed me to see first hand the type of behavior that is encouraged because of this music. I am originally from New Orleans, Louisiana. Growing up, some of the mainstream rappers from New Orleans were Lil Wayne, the rest of the Hot Boys, Mystical, and those of No Limit Records. These people encouraged criminal activity not only in music but in interviews and other media as well. As New Orleans rappers made their way to the top of the charts so did the crime rate. From the drugs to the murder, crime in New Orleans became so commonplace that it wasn't even a big deal. Before I reached the age of 21, I knew several people who were dead or in jail. This is because this type of behavior is encouraged and expected. Another trend, on a less negative level, that emerged from the popular hip hop culture in New Orleans was the term bling-bling. It came from a song called Bling Bling that was done by the Hot Boys. It's said that young Lil Wayne was the one who created the term.

I decided to give this example in New Orleans because that's where I experience the culture that goes along with hip hop first hand. It's true that the media industry cannot be fully blamed for the crime that goes on, but to say that rap music and the criminal activities of these urban environments are not intertwined would be foolish. The murders dress like the rappers, respect the rappers, and pretty much worship the rappers. Everyone that I knew personally that was involved in criminal activity including drug dealers, murders, and robbers were living representations of what rap music is all about.

Another thing that has become acceptable, especially in black communities, is the use of the degrading terminology when referring to females. The b-word has become almost equivalent to a synonym for the world "female." Girl, woman, female, and b**** all mean the same thing to most of the youth. I can't tell you how many times I've been called the b-word and it wasn't even being used as an insult. I've heard, "That b**** is fine!" and "What's that b**** over there doing?" It's crazy, and I'm more insulted when it's used by a complete stranger or someone who it just specifying my gender, than when the person is calling me that out of anger or because they don't like me.

The rap genre is responsible for some of the self-esteem issues that young black women deal with. There is pressure on women to dress and act in a degrading way. There is also pressure on how we should look, and which females are most attractive. If a young preteen girl turns on BET everyday and sees the same type of slutty, half-dressed female gaining male attention then she is going to want to replicate that. This is because humans have a natural need of acceptance, and let's face it, every female wants to feel attractive. I believe this is true for females of all races, in all forms of media, but rap coincides more specifically with black girls.

There are many other issues that can be addressed when it comes to the rap culture and the influence of media in general. The statement that I would like to leave readers with today is, "Media has become the new God." If not media in general, then the people put in positions of influence. If not, then why do people chant Hova (short for Jehovah) at Jay-Z concerts with hands raised in the air?

Software Review: After Effects

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:49:00 +0000

Many of you talented filmmakers have all kinds of cool postproduction techniques. As a postproduction/motion graphics editor, I understand how it can be difficult sometimes as a filmmaker to find and learn how to use the best software out there. I've had to work on projects using Final Cut Pro, Avid, Live Type, After Effects, and even iMovie for those last minute edits. Even though experimenting with new software can be intimidating at times, I want to encourage you guys to try some simple techniques with After Effects that can really improve your quality of work.

One simple technique that can be easily learned in After Effects is to use the background presets as intros and outros for videos. With a few adjustments in the effects panel, you can customize the preset to make it unique and original. By changing the color, speed of movement, and the other options they offer based on which preset you select, you can have a brand new background for a title opening or wherever you may need it.

Another simple technique that's really fun and impressive is a track matte. This is when footage or a background is only shown inside of a particular shape. For example, I usually use the track matte technique with text. I may have the words "Destiny Summer Camp" and footage of children playing at the camp will appear only inside of the letters. To do this in After Effects put the footage layer underneath the text layer. You may have to press the toggle switches button at the bottom if you do not see the track matte option next to the layer name. Then on the footage layer, select the track matte technique that you would like to use and it will track matte the layer directly above it.

The last technique I will discuss is called a freeze frame. This is one of my favorite techniques to use. To have footage playing and have it suddenly "pause" can be pretty exciting for an audience to watch if it's done correctly. In order to do this successfully, pick the frame on the time line that you want your footage to freeze. Use the keyframes adjust the opacity by hitting the stopwatch with the Current Time Indicator (the red line) on the frame right before you want it to freeze. Then put a key frame (press the little yellow diamond next to the stopwatch) on the frame where you want it to freeze. Double click the key frame and change the opacity to zero. Then bring the same footage to a layer right beneath it, select it, and select Layer > Time > Freeze Frame. Make sure your Current Time Indicator is on the frame where you want it to freeze (The same frame where the opacity of the footage is zero). Now when you preview your composition the footage will suddenly stop on the selected frame! It will continue to be frozen until the end of the footage time or the end of the time line so make sure to adjust the length. Hope you guys can use these fun effects!

Interview with James Hunter

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 02:46:00 +0000

My interview with James Hunter was very insightful. He recently produced a short film called “Juxed” with a budget of about 50,000 dollars. This film featured the big name actors Sean Nelson and Duane Finley. They appeared together in the movie The Wood. He also used music from Babs from Making the Band 2. I learned a lot from my interview with him. One of the most important aspects of getting a film accomplished is networking. He conveyed that having important connections is crucial in this business. He actually was able to get the actors Sean Nelson and Duane Finley to participate in this film because Sean Nelson was a friend of a friend.

Sean Nelson proposed that he should become a coproducer of this movie with him. James asked him, “Well what do you have to bring to the table?” Because of all the industry connections and funding sources that Sean Nelson had, James agreed. I asked him how a film like this typically gets funded. He said the way to do it is to contact investors. The people who will typically invest are those who know you and will do it as a favor. He also discussed the importance of having a thorough prospectus.

In order for James to get the publicity he needs for this story to be turned into a feature film, he plans on entering it into the American Black Film Festival and the Peachtree Village International Film Festival. Entering into these contests allows people in the industry to see the film, including Samuel Jackson. If the person wins, they may get the funding to turn their project into a feature film.

There are two main challenges that James described to me in any type of project likes this. The challenges are scheduling and budgeting. He said that it is very difficult to have all the crew and cast that’s needed to be there at the same time. Just this issue alone causes production to cost more money. He said that all movies go over budget. Advertising for a feature film is usually 1.5 million at least.

James has a lot of ambition and more importantly he has confidence. He said he wasn’t intimidated to be working with and directing big name actors. He also understood, however, that now that he’s in this position that he has to do everything in his power to take full advantage of the opportunity. For him to come right out of college and begin to take steps this big was very inspiring to me. I feel like I can do the same thing because I have the same resources available.

Daddy Warbucks?

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:57:00 +0000

Some people may think that it takes talent, hard work, and determination to become a successful movie star. This is true. In some cases however, all it takes is the right connections and cold, hard cash. Will Smith is buying the movie Annie, so that he may remake it with little Willow Smith in the leading roll as Annie. When most parents buy a movie for their kids, they make a trip to Wal-Mart and pick up a DVD. That’s not how it works Smith-style. I must say that just because her father is Will Smith and is pretty much giving her the “hook-up,” that doesn’t necessarily mean that she is not hard working and talented. As many of you know, Willow was recently signed as a musical artist to Roc-A-Fella Records, which was founded by Jay-Z. Most young people are familiar with her hit single Whip My Hair. There are also rumors that multi-millionaire Jay-Z may have something to do with the musical score in the movie.

Will Smith is hoping to work with Sony for Willow’s movie. The Sony film Karate Kid was a great success with her brother Jaden Smith as the star. Willow is definitely someone to watch out for in the film industry as a potential up and coming movie star. We’ll see how far her first leading role performance takes her. My guess is that with Jada and Will blood running through her veins, she will probably present a great performance. Her brother Jaden Smith has proven himself as a talented actor in multiple films. The pressure is on for little Willow. She has a lot to live up to, with 3 of her family members being successful movie stars. I know the world is waiting to see what she has to offer as Annie on the big screen.

Budgeting for Filmmaking

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:05:00 +0000

The budget for a film is usually divided into four sections. The first section is the above-the-line costs, which refers to the people who guide the creative flow of the film. Such people are the screenwriter, the producer, the director, the casting director and the actors. The second section is the below the line costs. These are the direct production costs. Examples are the cost of location, travel expenses, and technical expenses. The third section in a typical film budget is post-production costs. Post-production is anything that is done after the scenes have been shot. Examples are editing, 3-d and motion graphics, Foley and audio mixing. The last section is Other. This could be anything that doesn’t fall into the first 3 categories, from insurance to unforeseen expenses.

There are several specific elements to be considered when budgeting for a film. The first thing, and one of the most expensive, is the script. If a movie isn’t from an original idea the story rights to replicate that which was already created in some form (novel, play, ect.) may be very expensive. Purchasing story rights can cost over 10 million dollars. The best screenwriters are paid over 1 million dollars to write the first three drafts of the script. Some are even offered a percentage of the gross profits upon the completion and release of the movie.

You can see that before production costs are even included, developing a major motion picture is extremely expensive. There are many tactics that filmmakers use to minimize the costs of a movie. One strategy they use is to eliminate night scenes so there will be no need of expensive lighting equipment. They often avoid commercial areas, or film action scenes on early Sunday morning, when traffic is the lightest. There are several things to consider when budgeting for a film. This is just an idea of what filmmakers take into consideration.

Motion Picture Association of America reviews Marketing Material

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 01:59:00 +0000

You may know that the Motion Picture Association of America is responsible for the motion picture rating system that parents use to make sure content is age appropriate. Most of us don’t know that they are also responsible for making sure that marketing material that is used to promote the movies is age appropriate as well. What’s the sense of taking a child to a G rated movie about horses, if the previews are going to be about passionate lovemaking?

The Motion Picture Association of America reviews the marketing material that’s used to promote every film that is rated by the Classification and Rating Administration. This is over 60,000 different pieces of marketing every year. Some of the promotional material included is print ads, radio and TV spots, billboards, press kits, bus shelters, posters, and trailers.

Their goal is to make sure all of the material is appropriate for whatever audience views it. They intend to allow filmmakers to reach their target markets with these while making sure parents have piece of mind. If a parent takes a child to a PG rated movie, then the MPAA makes sure that all the trailers are suitable for that audience. They are not going to have a preview for Chain Saw Massacre in Shrek.

This has an effect on the film industry as a whole. Filmmakers have to be careful and specific in their marketing techniques. If the movie trailer, billboard, or marketing item isn’t acceptable for the venue they are trying to present it, then the time that they put into it will be lost. Even some websites for movies are restricted. In a way, it can be useful. By the MPAA not allowing them to present R rated previews in G rated movies, it helps them to pinpoint their target audience. Once the MPAA decides that the ad is acceptable, then filmmakers can reach their potential viewers with the marketing item.

Youtube Copyright Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:32:00 +0000

As leaders and experts in our industries, we must obtain the skills to inspire and influence an audience. TED.com has hundreds of speeches that people can view. Because of my interest in film and video production, I checked out some of the speeches listed under entertainment. The speech given by Margaret Gould Steward was relevant to my interests. The name of the speech was How YouTube Thinks About Copyright.

Before I discuss her skills as a speaker, I’ll bring up a few of the great points that she made. First of all, if you're like me and you’re an aspiring director or videographer you may want to show off some of your projects on YouTube. I know how this can be frustrating because of copyright issues. Some of my videos were deleted because of the songs that I used. But this doesn't just pertain to songs. Pictures and video footage can also be traced on YouTube. The problem for me is that I have no musical talent whatsoever, and I needed audio to make my videos come to life. And every great filmmaker knows how much the audio affects the video. Don’t believe me? Watch one of your favorite actions scenes without the music score.

Margaret discusses some of the same points from a different standpoint. Her audience is the people who want to upload their own copyrighted material to YouTube. She uses her skills as a speaker to influence people not to be so strict on their copyrighting policies when uploading. Or better yet, to consider what the best option is for the purposes of your video. She explains that fans uploading copyrighted material can serve as free advertising for the product or company. The example she gave was of Chris Browns Forever song. Because of a wedding video that got millions of views, the song reached number 4 on the charts when it was 18 months old. So it depends on how it will service you if you are going to have strict policies. Some policies will just remove the audio file from the content, others will have the whole video deleted. A personal example is when I used the song Swagga Like Us, they removed the video. But when I used the song Cell Therapy the policy holders used my video as advertisement and put a link to iTunes where the song can be purchased.

As a speaker she used storytelling to make her speech interesting and to capture the audience attention. It’s easy to just spit out facts, but she used the Chris Brown example in a way that was relevant to people and it was also amusing. She used her knowledge of how YouTube detects copyrighted material through advanced technology. By being informative and making the speech relatable, she was able to deliver useful information about a confusing topic, that many people have issues with. As an expert in the film industry, I can use this speech as well as others on TED.com as a way to sharpen my skills and strategy as a speaker.

Planning a Film

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:55:00 +0000

The filmmaking process consists of preproduction, production, and postproduction. Planning must be done in all three of these stages, but the preproduction stage consists of the most planning. The steps taken in the preproduction stage save time and money in the filmmaking process.

There needs to be a script before almost anything can begin. Without a script and an idea of the characters personalities, there can be no appropriate casting. If there's no casting, there's no shooting. If no shooting, then no editing. The next thing that is needed once filmmakers have a script is a storyboard. Most filmmakers find them very useful. This is another planning method inside of the preproduction process. A storyboard consists of drawings that explain the framing for each camera shot in the movie. This saves time and money during the production and the postproduction process. Because all the shots are drawn out, shooting the scenes are done much faster. The director and cinematographer don't have to struggle to figure out how each shot should be framed as they go along. They frame the shots according to the storyboard and have more time concentrate on the actors and the content in the scene. It also helps when editing the movie. It takes longer for an editor to examine and cut 10 different shots of the same scene than it is for him to edit with 5. Storyboarding eliminates some of the trials and errors that come with framing, so the editor has to deal with a smaller amount of footage. Storyboarding is an example of how the preproduction process saves time in both the production and postproduction processes. Everyone knows that time is money.

The amount of necessary planning and the budget are directly related. Movies with big budgets actually have more freedom and don't have to plan as much. One example of a movie like this is The Fugitive. Several of the scenes that were done were not planned. One of these spur of the moment scenes was the chase in the St. Patrick's Day parade. Many of the shots for the train scene were not planned out in specific detail either. This is because the filmmakers had a huge budget that gave them the freedom to experiment, and even change the script as they went along. In movies with a tighter budgets, this can never happen. There's a specific amount that can be spent for each scene, so all the equipment, props, and shots must be calculated beforehand. Planning will always save time and money when it comes to film even though filmmakers with a larger budget can sometimes get around it.

This article explains film planning in 10 easy steps.

http://www.cd-writer.com/10steps.html

Team Work as it Relates to Film

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 10:21:00 +0000

Team work is important in every area of entertainment. Whether it is music, television, or film, it is impossible to deliver a professional product without the help of others. I learned this very quickly in my undergraduate courses. I was required to deliver several film projects. When producing a short film or anything like that there are a few people that you simply must have. There are the actors of course, the director, the cameraman, the sound operator, and then editors.
The obvious statement would be, "You must get along with team members." The problem sometimes isn't getting along with team members, it's just getting team members. I remember my frustration senior year when I was required to do a program excerpt for senior project. I was the writer, the director, the main character, and the sound and video editor. My problem wasn't getting along with team members. I got along fine with my non-media buddies who volunteered to hold the camera steady and act.
I cannot stress how important it is to constantly network and find people who have similar interests. Jim Collins explains that disciplined people, "First ask who, then ask what." If I would have been able to collaborate with others, I wouldn't have spent countless hours trying to piece my project all together. It would have been executed better as well. Having people who want to work with you before a project even comes up is the ideal situation.
Now the question may be, "How can I find people to work with before I even get a project?" Network and build relationships! Volunteer and get involved in projects that others are working on. You'll be surprised at how many people feel obligated to return favors. Once you start working with the right people, you will eventually find the ones that work the best together and have similar interests, visions, and messages to convey.

Collins, J. (n.d.). Jim Collins - Articles - Good to Great. Jim Collins - Home. Retrieved November 2, 2010, from http://www.jimcollins.com/article_topics/articles/good-to-great.html

Website Review: Film Industry Bloggers

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 01:13:00 +0000

Website Review: Film Industry Bloggers

http://filmindustrybloggers.com/

I learned all about readers and feeds last month in my Media Literacy and Research Methodologies class at Full Sail University in the Entertainment Business Masters Program. At first I was thinking, "I'm never going to use this." However, I had no choice based on the assignments. I was really surprised that I actually liked the sites that I subscribed to. My favorite site that I subscribed to using Google Reader is Film Industry Bloggers. I ran across this site while trying to find articles that were relevant to my carreer interests.

Let me explain exactly what the site is. Film Industry Bloggers has a variety of Bloggers whose blogs are about their current job position. Their position is also listed in the title of every post on the homepage. Some examples are, The Standby Painter - A Miraculous Return, A Future Film and The Hollywood Career Coach - WHAT’S YOUR CAREER OBJECTIVE? I really like that you are able to choose a blogger, such as The Manager, and review his posts. Based on my interests, I may choose to read posts by The Director or The Screenwriter. If someone has a Google Reader account, or any other reader account, they may want to subscribe via RSS to one of these bloggers. I prefer, however, to subscribe to the homepage where I can see every new post that is published by the site.

Film Industry Bloggers isn't a blogger site like www.blogger.com, where anyone can join. It seems to be a group of professionals that must qualify to blog on this site. There is a contact page with a 'request to blog' option. I doubt anyone who is not 'among the elite' will be granted this privilege. Overall, I would rate this site 9 out of 10 as far as information and examples are concerned. I would encourage aspiring filmmakers to check this site out and tap into information from real professionals.

Article Review 1: Creative Executive

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:35:00 +0000

Review of the post: The Manager- What’s a creative executive to Do in Hollywood these Days? on Film Industry Bloggers website.

http://filmindustrybloggers.com/blog/2010/10/04/the-manager-what’s-a-creative-executive-to-do-in-hollywood-these-days/

This article discusses what a Creative Executive (CE) should do to find scripts that can be potential motion pictures. A CE (especially in the context of this article) is someone who has to find scripts and other material that can be turned into motion pictures. They are also responsible for establishing relationships with producers, scriptwriters, and directors in some cases.

As an aspiring successful screenwriter, I need to know how to get the most money for my scripts. What could be better than understanding the position of the person looking for the script? Based on the information in this article, CE’s shouldn’t just sit around waiting for scripts to come to their offices. They are encouraged to go out and hustle. It may be wise for a screenwriter to get an agent that they can trust so they wont get "hustled." Agents are often targeted by CE’s, and they have knowledge on the legal aspects of this business.

If a screenwriter is going around showing their spec to CE’s and other’s interested in it, there is a possibility that their idea will be stolen. It happens too often. The idea is taken and turned into a successful movie and the author doesn’t see a penny. The worst part about it is that in some cases there isn’t a thing they can do about it legally. Often times the screenwriter is too intimated to take legal action because of threats to be blackballed from the market.

Although it can be dangerous, a screenwriter can’t be too cautious or their script will go to waste altogether. The author of this article encourages CE’s to meet writers in the beginning stages of their career. This way, the CE’s can see the script before anyone else. As a new writer I would take advantage of this. I would go to a CE with my copyrighted script before putting it on the open market. This way he may feel more compelled to take advantage of the opportunity. Then everyone would get paid!

The author of this article gives some general advice to CE’s, writers, managers, and agents, “Go out and start meeting people! Create your own destiny; don’t let it pass you by” (Miller, 2010). These are words that we should all take heed to.

References

Miller, R. (2010, October 4). Whatâ€™s a Creative Executive to Do in Hollywood These Days? : The Manager. Film Industry Bloggers. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://filmindustrybloggers.com/themanager/2010/10/04/whats-a-creative-executive-to-do-in-hollywood-these-days/

Interview with Carla Alleyne

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 21:16:00 +0000

Carla Debbie Alleyne is a talented screenwriter and director. She wrote the original draft for the movie Honey, which was released in 2003 by Universal Studios. She also directed and produced a public access show called Keep It Real where she conducted the first interview ever with NOTORIOUS B.I.G. I had the pleasure of meeting her at Oral Roberts University. We became friends and she was able to tell me several things about the industry during our time together. These are the interview questions that I emailed to her and her responses.

1. Who are some of the most prominent people that you’ve worked with, and what was your position when working with them?

Debbie Allen, Damon Dash/JZ and Jermaine Dupree. I worked for them as a screenwriter.

2. What are some of the challenges to being a director and/or scriptwriter?

You have to continually encourage yourself through rejection.... and keep pressing because it is a process.

3. What other advice would you give to aspiring directors/scriptwriters?

Don't stop training and practicing your craft daily. You will get better and better, until you are great!

4. What are some steps that I should take professionally in order to become a successful director? How should I begin my climb to the top?

Find people you like to work with. Build a team. Be a loyal team member. Learn how to serve each other. Eliminate competition and jealousy. Work on projects that will touch the world.

5. What are you doing now in the industry?

I am still writing screenplays.

6. Anything else you would like to add…

Never, ever, ever, ever, give up.... William Churchill

Those who are new to the film industry, especially screenwriters, can learn a lot from Carla. Although she has been successful through her own hard work, she knows the importance of teamwork. Production is always a team effort; No one can complete any type of professional film production alone. Therefore, it is imperative that you surround yourself with people you enjoy being around and that you work well with.

Job Interest

noreply@blogger.com (Alexandria Reynolds) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 02:41:00 +0000

My name is Alexandria Reynolds. I am new to the film industry. I am interested in a job in post production. My skills are editing with avid and graphics with After Effects. I have done several projects using these two programs. I am a quick learner and can learn other programs quickly. I understand how certain visual elements psychologically affect viewers. I would be a great asset to any production team.