Griswold Video!

Here is the Griswold video released off of Old Navy's YouTube page. Enjoy!

Griswold Christmas

With the holiday season in full swing, companies are doing their best to win the hearts of consumers everywhere. The trick that one company is using is to bring a holiday classic back to life.

It has been told many times that a great movie to make is a holiday one as it will ring promises of being played at least once a year, every year. When thinking of Christmas, many think of the film Christmas Vacation. That is what the company Old Navy is hoping for at least. They have created 5 commercials bringing back the family from the classic movie.

"We have a strategy this season to be doing it all the way, larger than life. Gifts all the way; Cheer all the way," said Michelle Wlazlo, global senior VP-adult merchandising and licensing

The thought of bringing in these characters is said to hit home within their direct target market of consumers.

           

Having been released only 2 days ago in the Ad Age site, there are many hopes that these commercials will make many for the company. If it does, I suspect that it will be just a start to using holiday classics for promotions once again.

It is said that the first ad that will be released will be the re-enacting of Griswold plugging in all the lights. It is one of the most memorable scenes and will raise the bar on what other goodies the company can bring to the table. It will be one of the most remembered Christmas ads of the season.

Dates on when the ads will be released have not been disclosed yet but I feel that they will be coming within the next two weeks to bring in the spirit of Christmas shopping to all around.

Here's hoping for the best with the Griswold's this holiday season. 

General Petraeus TV Mini Series?

With all the hype about the recent affair that has rocked not only the White House but many more instead, the ever infamous General Petraeus affair with Paula Broadwell. What does this have to do with a film company you may ask? Well everything that has happened within the case thus far has seemed so sure real, that I had to make a visual prediction of how this situation could go 1 of 2 ways.

I think there is a potential in making a movie about this situation, maybe not with the actual names of Petraeus or Broadwell but of the story itself; a higher general falls in love with the woman writing his book. The love will make them betray their families and their country while the hymns to pull on the strands of lust that lie within the air are just too great.

Sounds pretty catchy...however I always feel that as great of a story as it could be, with some alterations to the plot of course, I also think the government would not approve and it would cause a bigger uproar.

Although, I do believe timing is everything. I also feel there could be a good chance of having a try after things simmer down and General Petraeus makes his speech at Libya, as was previously planned (although that is still being tossed around).

For those that are overwhelmed by what I just wrote because you have no idea about the Patreaus situation, here is a video describing what has happened thus far.

As I said earlier, the potential of this situation being created into even just a TV mini serious could make a dramatic exit to General Patraeus' life and could have him portrayed in a different light than what he has been thrust into within the past week or so. With it being 2012, society as a whole has gotten much more open about things that were considered sinful in the 1950's such as birth control and same sex marriage. A TV mini series exploring the life of a general swooned by a manipulative writer could catch the eye of the generation of today.

To find out more on my thoughts on what has been happening in the world of film prospects, subscribe to my blog! =)

Taxing Your Kickstarter!

Being a part of a small production company or setting one up on your own as an indie filmmaker can be a rough spot to be in. However with the Internet, anything is possible, right? Yes, but not without a catch I am afraid.

Many know of the site Kick Starter and how it works. For those of you that don't, here is a simple picture pulled from Kick Starter itself, explaining it.

Seems too good to be true! The only downside is that you may not reach your goal of money and not get your project funded. But then there is that magically 'what if' you get above your goal. I'm talking $100,000 above your goal, do you have a plan for what to do with all that money? It may seem as a shock but projects get overfunded all the time on Kick Starter and similar sites. Kick Starter even has a page devoted to those who recently got over funded. 

I got the idea to do more research after having a great class discussion about what could happen once you go way over your initial price and the answer is simple...IRS will get you. I know it may sound scary and unreasonable since you didn't ask for all that money.

Here is a great article written from Forbes magazine describing just how something so good can bite you in the end. The article includes great tips and advice to help you if you get into that situation.

The most important thing I have ever been told and will certainly put to use within my company, is always have an attorney by your side. They can always help you or answer any questions that you may have. There are too many resources out there to help you find a great, legitimate one if the idea of searching for one is just too scary.

Overall, the idea of Kick Starter and IndieGoGo and similar sites may seem like a dream come true to most creative, starving artists but in reality can actually put you in a worse position if you are not aware of how the system works.

World of Law

Within the world of film, the production company needs to be surrounded with attorneys and a constant update on the world in the industry. A great place to find some of these updates is in podcasts by Gordon P. Firemark or Article 3.

The first that they talk about within episode 35 is the talk with James Taylor suing Warner Brothers Records. A big part of this is the fact that with a previous case with Universal, it was decided that digital downloading is to be treated like a license that should be treated with royalties, etc. How does this affect the film world? I feel that you download much more than just music these days between TV shows and movies that that court decision could heavily affect how much money production companies should be getting from the downloads themselves.

Within episode 30, the first thing they discussed is how the JOBS Act has affected crowdfunding. Crowdfunding will play a huge part in any start up production company using sights such as Kickstarter, IndieGoGo and other sites. It is suppose to help make it easier for regular people along with professional entrepreneurs however discussed in this podcast is that there are predictions that as it is implemented there will be lots of changes. How has this affected these websites however? The money is seen as being donated but the bill is officially saying it is ok to be doing that and have expectations to have returns and won't be affected very much at all. This leaves the platform open for production companies as long as the sites just follow regulations. However a special regulation has been adjusted to take out the solicitation where you could only go to those you knew (friends and family) for film productions. You can actually put an ad on the Internet and get money from it.  Bad news is, if you get up to 1/2 a million dollars, you must have an audited financial statement.

 

On another website, Article 3, there was a discussion of the film The Decedents within episode 46. The film surrounds legalities of real estate and a good tip that could help in writing the script and in pre-production is doing what the producers did; they consulted a law professor to help make sure everything they were talking about was true to point. This was a big step with going outside of their own legal team in order to make sure where they were was also being told in a true light.

Overall, attorneys can be a lifesaver whether it is to help solve problems the film has stirred up, current laws that may affect funding your project or just getting legal advice to make your movie true. 

In Other News...

Being in the entertainment industry, surprises are always around the corner and as being a producer, you must be prepared for anything that can and will happen. Some things include artist fraud, employee issues, breach of contracts and many more things.

One of the things that have recently happened through the industry is Aronson vs. Dog Eat Dog Films. This case is a perfect example of copyright infringement and what is really right in the world of the film industry. A man had sent in a video to the company after hearing that the company was going to do a film about the United States healthcare system. Dog Eat Dog used part of the video in their film and the Aronson said it was against his privacy rights. The federal judge claimed that Moore was in the right as the emailed waived rights and he had the First Amendment on his side.

Another good law case is that of the actress Cindy LeeGarcia more recently known for her performance in Innocence of Muslims. She is currently suing the creators and YouTube after the film rocked riots in the Middle East and North Africa. At first, she simply wanted to film removed legally from YouTube. She feels fraud has ruined her career and now wants copyright ownership so that she can have the rights to who sees the film. Something that is even worse is that the actress is suing everyone on YouTube that has reposted the video; a little excessive for an actress.

Lastly, a case that has hurt television shows, TV spots and publishers is fraud stories. It is nothing new that someone makes up a story for money but a recent story that could have an affect on future movie deals is companies like Penguin Group have obtained a copy of breach of contract demanding their advancements to authors back. This is devastating in many ways considering one of the authors in the mix has already had a movie deal for previous novels and was in light of making more.

Things like this as a produce affect many different areas of production. Whether it is in pre-production like with the author movie deals, after the film has been released and the actors aren't happy or even when a bystander of sorts wants claim to your film because of an image he sent you. When things like this occur, it is always handy to always have lawyers present before, during and after your productions to make sure precautions have been put in place for any time. 

Cruise as a luxury, as a service

Entertainment is a broad topic that could mean very different things to many people. For some, it's a trip to the movies or to others it is a night at their favorite club. In the world of luxury however, cruise lines is the competitive market. Today I got the chance to meet a manager of the cruise line Seabourn and also a past representative for HollandAmerica.

Within the world of cruising and being part of the staff, he explained that everything is an experience and essentially a show for the guest. Coming to Full Sail, he had a very clear mind of what type of people he was looking to hire along with what needed to be said about the ships.

The main difference between the two companies is not the service they provide but in the manner they provide it. Holland America, being a bigger ship based company, is determined to put on bigger and better shows simply because they have the space too. Seabourn however is all about intimacy and the feel being on the sea brings to the guest.

A big service that pulls the two companies apart from so many other cruise lines is the fact that they pay immense about of detail to everything. The crew is very spot on, the plates are just the right placement and nothing goes unturned without someone knowing about it.

The same goes for the ships technical crew, as the manager explained. Since the Seabourn is so much smaller, it only has 2 tech members while the Holland has at least 6.

Another service they provide the guests is the promise of a safe voyage. Every technical crew goes through days of training from everything to putting out fires to tying knots properly. They also perform drug tests on the crew to make sure another cruise ship accident does not occur.

Overall, the manager brought with him the same poise and manner that is resembled within the ships and I feel it would be a great experience for anyone to work on whether it be as a technical member or as a waiter. The ships are beauty gliding across the sea. 

Artist Manager

Being in the film industry, artist management tends to occur more within the actor realm. There are two types of actors in the industry, those who can direct themselves and those who need direction. The more professional ones know how to direct themselves and do it correctly. The others are more inexperienced and require a better manager or director to help push their limits.

Not all inexperienced actors are bad however. There is the classic story of how Marilyn Monroe who was too shy to become the sexy idol we know today. To help her, managers pushed her to show more emotion, more sex appeal and to block the audience overall. Blocking is a big part of an actors life because it gives them cues where to go and mentally blocking allows them the time to become the character themselves.

The manager’s job is to fully understand that actors are on a different planet emotionally. Some managers’ baby their actors while others push hard to get what they want. A good example of a pushy manager is from the recent movie 'Rock of Ages' where Tom Cruise has a manager that is in it for himself. Granted this is a music manager but in a sense they fill the same kind of emotional role for their client. 

Overall it is important as a manager to embrace the talent that you have in front of you. If you help and guide them to their potential, you will always be successful. If you take away their pride, you will only dig a whole for yourself.

As an artist, you must be willing and confident in your art and pushing it to the limits. People will criticize no matter what your profession so you stick your head up high and listen to your gut. If you have chosen the right manager, they will make the decision that they know will help you and make you happy. 

Negotiation Station

Negotiations are apart of everyday life and within a producer's job, negotiations are the main reason for your job. Producers approach or are approached by potential clients that have an idea and want it made into something. Together, they come up with a solution that will give both parties what they want. How do you know what techniques to use in a negotiation? Going to our friend YouTube and Google, there are some great videos that can help.

The first video that I have found that I really enjoy is actually a webinar, something that is being used more and more everyday to communicate with more people at a 'real' time basis. To get to the goods, please for to the time 5:48 as the speakers take time introducing themselves first. The video uses the example of the bank system and how contracts are used within a bank, however these concepts can easily be substituted for anything. I find it really interesting within the video that they break down the meaning of contracts and how to effectively use vendors.

Within this next video that is from Ted helps show how to take the personal aspects out of a conflict. You should go to the balcony of the discussion and keep your focus on the prize. This speaker has traveled around the world to help solve conflicts and brings together stories of everyone's culture showing that our stories guide our emotions and our reasoning for our negotiations. He describes that we need to become mediators in everything we do to understand others and calls it the third side to life. This is a powerful speech that can change the way negotiations are conducted, the way humans see one another.

In this last video, it is set in a classroom where the professor discuss how good cop, bad cop works within a negotiation chamber. He starts out by saying that in the police handbook, it is said to use this technique in interrogations because it worked every time. Like in a negotiation however, it caused confusion with the other party and caused them to break down. When it goes to 23 minutes, he starts to talk about how to make it better for both parties instead of one party being short changed and how to react if someone is doing it to you.

Overall, I learned a few different techniques to how to handle negotiations from a 3rd party or mediator. Also I feel that when someone tries to play good cop, bad cop to play it back to them and tell them you know what is going on. I think the best think I have taken away from these videos is always being on the balcony and being calm and honest with who is in front of me. No matter what kind of negotiation I am in, to be cheerful and kind and optimistic.

Light that Yeti!

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!

How many times have we as a whole heard this saying. Way too many in my opinion but it does hold that sense of real movie making. Within this blog, I've already covered camera although I'm sure I will quite a few more times as new things develop. But lets take a second and talk about lights. I know it's not the most fascinating to most of you but you'd be surprised what you can get out of your money.

Lets talk packages; Kino Flos vs. Arri Kits. The easiest way to tell the difference between these lights is that a Kino Flo has those grim bulbs that probably remind you of your high school days or your bad cooking experience in the kitchen. Incase you didn't have one of these, here is a picture.

What a beauty, right? Not so much. However the one thing that I love about Kino Flos that give them a second glance in my book is that the bulbs come in different colors. So if you wanted to go for a Matrix look, you could do that, granted you would need a lot of Kinos. It will cost roughly $600 for a nice yellow glow package (which includes 4 bulbs) only lasting 5,000 hours. That is $0.12 an hour! You may think that is a smoking deal but 5,000 hours on a film set will go by quickly. Will you be prepared for that?

Another one of my favorites is the Arri Kit. Unlike the 1 ballasts deal with kinos, Arri comes with a lot more tools. An Arri Compact HMI 200W Fresenel Light includes compact 200W Head, 125/200W AC Ballast, Filter Frame and Barndor- 200 Total Watts. What did I just say? Let me break it down...small light, lots of power. It even comes with its own power box to help you out. Arri is a great company that provides well crafted lights. However it is only one light that you get. The picture below has different sizes for you to build your own kit with if need be. 

Are you sitting down? I hope so for when I tell you the price. The price for this simple kit is $3,056.95. Yes, you read that right. You could buy a new car for that price but being part of a production company you have to understand that price is something you have to work for and with.

Eco-Yeti

Being an eco-friendly business maybe a tough call for most owners; either they have already started their business and it's too difficult to switch or they are scared of the price of going green. Granted, Baby Yeti Productions is still a home production company but that doesn't mean I'm not looking out into the future.

 One thing that I would enjoy having within the work place once owning an office with employees is a garden that will supply the kitchens with the fresh ingredients that is needed. A great example of this in the workplace is at Google Headquarters. Having a large garden such as this requires people to harvest, train employees and also a chef to prepare the food. As Google has not released an exact price for what it cost, one can only imagine. However I do give them props for having such a great space and helping the environment. I would like to have a community garden with the employees at Baby Yeti so that it is everyone's garden rather than just mine. This video is of one of the main men leading the Growing Connection Gardens at Google.

 Another way that Baby Yeti wants to be eco-friendly is with the packaging in which we deliver to clients. We have recycled old DVD cases and also started using recycled paper as sleeves to house the films. When buying small quantities of the paper, it may seem to be more on the expensive side. However if we shop knowing we will need lots more in the future, the more the merrier and the price tends to be cheaper that way. Adobe was big on making sure it's packing for all their software was also going green.

 One thing I have personally noticed while being on movie sets myself is the amount of plastic bottles lying around everywhere. I would like to give every crewmember their own reusable water bottle with our logo on it so that they can bring it to work everyday. Something like this would be costly being about five dollars a pop. However, that would reduce the amount of trash and recycling that would be needed, the amount of water needed to be bought each production.

 There are some more great production tips that have been released by the Producer's Guild of America.

Groups to follow

There are many ways to network within the film industry and I have there are new groups almost daily that form and start picking up more people.

One of the film groups that I follow is Women in Film and Television. Now of course you'd think this is only open to women however men are allowed. This is a great community that brings strong women and men together to network and plan future creativity. On the website, there is an events calendar that lists all of the WIFT gatherings which has easily been made at the same time every month (4th Wednesday of every month).

However this is not a woman's casual book club. This group does have memberships and different levels that include benefits starting as low as $40. Some great benefits that are included in all packages are discounts on products/services and the ability to attend all events and also participate in programs that WIFT provide.

As a producer, I tend to look for groups specifically to help me find people that are like me and could help me and teach me what they have learned and the mistakes they have made. A great place that I have been keeping notes on is the Producers Guild of America.

The benefits alone from this group are really great in helping in the side of social networking. There are also medical benefits, discounts on seminars, screening program and more. However it is not that simple to become a part of the group. As this is a very high and dignified group, there are strict requirements that include having a producing title in a motion picture or television or new media title. The requirements are broken down even more so on their website but let it be known that there is a heavy price to be a part of the guild. Just standard producers council costs $1,125 to apply.   

So You Wanna Be in the PGA - Episode One from Producers Guild on Vimeo.

Overall, my strategic plan is to find more groups that are like WIFT that build on community and social networking and to one day be a part of the PGA. I feel the PGA is the big time leagues and once there, everyone will know that I am serious about the work I am doing, if they don't believe so already. 

Ted Talks To Me!

Ted Talks is an interesting place overall if you have never been. What Ted is, is a way to let people's thoughts, creative abilities or logical rambles be displayed in a way that is able to go to millions of viewers.

Now you maybe thinking to yourself, why put this up on a 'production handbook' blog; where is the production part? Well let me tell you what Ted has done for me. Simply put, Ted has taken all those thoughts fighting and circling within my head and placed them in someone else's who can talk the talk. One of these great people is Jeremy Rifkin.

Jeremy Rifkin made a video called "The Empathic Civilization" in which he talks about things such as mirror neurons, soft wiring within a human, selfhood and much more. Many of you must think 'Gosh, now she is bringing science in! I am so lost'. Well fear not my friends for I have a reason for everything.

Something that Jeremy talks about that really caught my attention is being soft wired for sociability. The way he explains it is throughout the differences in time. In caveman days, you would shout and whoever was around was the only civilization that was known to exist. Within medieval days, of course they knew of other kingdoms but the distant ones were more so like aliens. Now come to today's world and everyone knows everyone in some way because of technology; twitter, date sites, face book and other social platforms have broken down those walls and created a broader emotion within us.

A great example that Jeremy used to describe today's effect on being soft wired was through the Haiti tragedy. A few hours after the earthquake happened, thousands of dollars and people were there to help because of what they had seen on the news or read on twitter.

Understanding this type of psychology I believe will help me transform and better business and overall a better understanding of what the customer needs based on what they see and hear. 

Florida Film Festival 2012

Enzian once again will be hosting the Florida Film Festival starting April 13th and ending April 22nd. Festivals of any kind have been known for the after parties and the networking experiences. On this years Press Preview Party, there were sneak previews of some shorts and what they think will be hot.

The first film to be shown at the festival is 'Renee' at 7:00pm.  Within Winter Park, Florida, everyone knows about 'Renee' because it filmed part of their scenes on Full Sail University campus. The film pulled in students and even some teachers to help make their film complete.

A part of the films, there are many featured guests and jurors that are also a part of the festival. Some include Cloris Leachman, Barry Levinson, celebrity chefs Jeff Pottter, Chad J. Galiano, Martha Hall Foose, Marcel Vigneron and also Gui Alinat. Meeting these people is the icing on the cake for most but listening to them speak about their jobs, lives and making it in the business is breath taking.

If listening to people talk is not your thing, maybe you'll enjoy the parties. Some cost a bit more than others but it's all about the experience. The first party to take place is the Opening Night Party on April 13th from 8pm to midnight. For the party only is a whopping $85 to get it. But if you're more into the food tasting kind of parties, than there is a taste and presentation for only $10. There are evening feasts, morning brunches and award shows.

For those that are strictly business, you can expose your company in front of hundreds at the events by becoming a festival sponsor. Just some of the benefits you get is logo placement on the website, posters and programs. You also get access to ALL the parties and events; that is worth it since one party itself costs $85 to get in.

Overall, there is something for everyone at the Florida Film festival whether you are the film guru, celebrity fanatic, food hog or party animal. Enzian puts on a great show every year and the participants are never disappointed in what they see. Come out and celebrate in whatever way you want. 

Organization Programs

Being organized can be easy for one person, however doing it for a team is a different story. While in my internship, I have been put into a position where keeping everything organized is key; keeping my entire group organized however, is turning out to be a difficult task. There are many programs out there to help keep your mind clear and workflow simple. These two are just some of my favorites.

The first of these programs is 'Basecamp'. 'Basecamp' is the best of the best in my opinion. When you get onto the website, you can easily take a tour that guides you through their many setups. My favorite is the to-do list that can be checked off after each task is complete. One of the best things about this site is that you can invite as many people to group as you want and they can each put up a little picture of themselves so you always know whom you are talking to. The bad thing is the price; starting out is $20 a month for 3GB. If you have a bigger company and you are in a position to make this a requirement for everyone to use, then I suggest you use it.

Another one of my favorite websites that is similar to this is 'Do'. Just the video itself is enough to get you join the program. What I love about this is that it is all generated towards apple products. Where I work, every student I come in contact with has an Apple Mac so this helps. A major plus for me is that you can set up text alerts and email alerts so that no matter what your employee says, you know they got the message.

There are plenty of websites out there that you can look up for your company. Every company has different needs so you have to be careful when choosing what you want. For example, I like 'Base camp’s' calendar and schedules but it is just too big for what I need it for.  

What is this about?

Many of you are probably wondering why I am doing a blog; after all I post videos on YouTube telling you what is going on in my life, I post on Facebook pictures of what is going on. However, I don't talk business within those areas. This...is for my business.

I have called this My Producing Pocketbook because it's those little things that I keep in the back of my pocket when things happen. I will be putting up who I think are the up and coming actors/actresses in Florida, what equipment I think is going to change the industry and some little random things that I want to share with the world.

I am hoping this will keep me more organized when it comes to future planning and promote myself as a production manager and producer within the film industry.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera

At the NAB show held in Las Vegas, Nevada there was a releasing of a brand new camera that could potentially change the industry. If you do not know what the NAB convention is, their website created mini walkthroughs of how it works.

The camera that was one of the highlights was the Cinema Camera presented by Blackmagic. When the footage is seen, the biggest thing is that the footage looks like 16mm film. This is due to a similar image sensor. For those that do not know what an image sensor is, it is basically what captures the image, turning it from an image to an electronic signal.

If the price wasn't enough (it is incredibly low for such capabilities), the package also includes a program called DaVinci Resolve. What the program does is specific color correcting for this type of camera. That isn't the only program it includes however. UltraScope is another feature that will help give accurate scopes but the bad thing is that you need to be connected to a computer that has Thunderbolt. 

My favorite feature about this camera is the different outfits it can go into: there is creative (the basic camera), the studio (includes an eyepiece) and the rugged (includes eyepiece and handle mount). 

A smart move from Blackmagic however was to include a touch screen display. With so much technology today being at a touch of a finger, this helps draw in customers. I know that today I am still using the old buttons on a worn out camera and most of the buttons are missing. This touch screen adds a sleekness and modern style to a brilliant body.

The only really bad thing from my point of view that I see from this camera is the manufacturer's warranty; only 12 months. Any camera professional can tell you that their camera kit comes from a company that offers lifetime warranty. Especially with the touch screen feature, there will be a lot of mishaps that will pop up to the user well after a year and it is unreasonable to accept that as a timeframe.

Overall this camera will be the face of the up and coming within the film industry. As there is a war going on between the film die-hards and the new digital era, this camera brings the best of both worlds. Even with a few mistakes that it has, it is new and will create a foundation that any company can build off of.