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Sunday, October 31, 2010

It's been up a while but cudos! CommArts' Webpick of the week goes to The NFB Test Tube

From commarts.com

"Part of the National Film Board of Canada’s evolving collection of innovative, interactive stories exploring the world, from uniquely Canadian points of view, The Test Tube with David Suzuki is a social experiment that demonstrates how all seven billion people in the world are connected by a simple mathematical reality.

Combining user input, interactive video of Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki, and live data from Twitter, the project is a modern parable about society’s insatiable appetite, the fallacy of growth and the things that can and cannot be changed. It also supports Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie, directed by Sturla Gunnarsson, which just premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the Audience Choice Award...."

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Love McSweeney's! & Spike Jonze! & I'm Here! & Soundtrack! now in The McSweeney's Store (& love the stores!)

From the site:

"Filled with gorgeous photography, behind-the-scenes ephemera, and funny, inspiring interviews, There Are Many of Us celebrates the uniquely spontaneous making of Spike Jonze's new movie I'm Here, a boy-meets-girl love story, set in LA, experienced by robots. The book includes an original CD soundtrack as well as a DVD of the thirty-minute movie I'm Here, with special bonus content."

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

ahhh.....sweet!: PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit - iPad video demo

Saturday, October 30, 2010

A director I LOVE: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu"s Biutiful - Movie Trailer

A director I LOVE: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu"s Biutiful - Movie Trailer

I Love this guerilla artist: " WOMEN ARE HEROES" Part of 28 Millimètres project by JR

Smart Piece: It’s Not an Ad; It’s Transmedia by Steve Peters & Maureen McHugh RT @webseriesnews

"Transmedia is eventually going to devour the movie until the movie is just a part."

I kinda like this closing line... Read the full post on igda.org

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Brilliant: Reverse Graffiti Project -

From the site:

On April 14, 2008....

"San Francisco’s Broadway tunnel is a highly traveled thoroughfare in the heart of the city. Over 20,000 cars, trucks, and motorized vehicles pass through it per day. Its walls are caked with dirt and soot, and lined with patches of paint covered graffiti from days gone by. It set the perfect canvas to create a beautiful work of art showcasing the talents of reverse graffiti artist “Moose”, and the power of Green Worksplant based cleaner."

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

DDB on Social Creativity = play with, participate in, pass on = video of massively successful campaigns

Check out this website I found at ddb.com

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Is this THE vid? lots of fan vids & this talking head version: T-Mobile films new flashmob advert at Heathrow

Clever: Oops: a short film of dropped shots - on Creative Review

Created by Chris Beckman

"Beckman describes the film here as "a ten-minute art video composed entirely of appropriated YouTube videos, seamlessly stitched together via a motif of camera drops" that "serves both as transportative adventure and metaphorical elucidation of YouTube itself (i.e. endless related videos), exemplifying the internet's infinite repository of 'throwaway' social documentation."

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Friday, October 29, 2010

Kinda Awesome! See Star Wars Re-created in Paper Animation -thanks Mike Schaus & Anthea Foyer

Pic-Nic Village launches as first social networking site for creatives

From the site:

Pic-Nic Village is a blueprint for an evolution in social networking, devised and conceptualised by Pete Lawrence and is the first social networking community for people who are passionate about creativity, innovation, ideas generation and seeking positive solutions to everyday problems.

Social Networking v1.0 brought us new ways of connecting with our friends and colleagues and opened up a whole new set of opportunities. As a v2.0 Social Network, Pic-Nic Village intends to build a unique platform where members can showcase their own talents and passions, exchange ideas and inspire others. We plan to shun the advertiser-funded model used by many social networking communities by inviting members to part own and build the community and to be central to helping it come to life.

We are inviting you to join us by becoming a Founder Member and playing an important part in helping this exciting project come to fruition using a relatively new concept called crowd funding. We believe that this will give everyone a greater sense of involvement both as individuals with a shareholding and as part of a collective.

We have started a forum for general discussion, not only about Pic-Nic Village, but about any subject that matters for you. It's free to join, so why not come and have your say about what happens next?

What the press are saying:

"This one deserves to be taken seriously" - The Register

"The first social networking site aimed specifically at the creative sector" - Music Week

"The old style of marketing and advertising is now faced with a potentially devastating competitor" - Startups

"The ethos that Pic-Nic village is founded upon should be something that's echoed in all online communications" - Reputation Online

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Gearing up for Halloween - SCVNGR Social check-in service unleashes zombie hoard

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Beautiful new book from Canadian Graphic Artist Marian Bantjes, Master of Graphic Frills

Excerpt from fastcodesign.com:

by Alyssa Walker

"Over the past decade, Canadian graphic artist Marian Bantjes has taken the contemporary design world by storm with her rich, labor-intensive ornamentation. Bantjes began her career as commercial designer, yet famously eschewed corporate gigs in favor of self-initiated works, calling herself a "lapsed graphic designer." She recently spoke at TED about this transition, and her devotion to creating meaningful, beautiful work that pleases both herself and her clients."

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Yup. Let's rethink the metrics: How Lady Gaga's One Billion YouTube Views Changes the Music Industry | Fast Company

 

The Influence Project

Which metric more fully captures Lady Gaga's global superstardom: the 15 million albums she's sold to date, or the one billion views she reached this week on YouTube?

Though CDs are rapidly becoming a thing of the past, replaced by digital music, physical album sales still remain the gold standard for the industry. Isn't it time that metric is updated to include the wealth of ubiquitous digital platforms? "The notion of tracking sales and correlating that to success is a bit antiquated," says Vevo CEO Rio Caraeff. "There's no single indicator you can look at now--you must look at everything."

That means measuring not just physical but digital album and single sales, and pulling data from a variety of non-traditional platforms. The record industry must track downloads on iTunes and Amazon, fans on Facebook, followers and mentions on Twitter, streams on Pandora and MySpace, views on Vevo and YouTube and MTV, ticket sales on Ticketmaster--to name a few.

"When you look at Lady Gaga hitting a billion views, I think that's a very positive wake-up call for the industry--that we need to think about the metrics of success differently," says Joe Fleischer, CMO of media measurement firm Big Champagne. The Beverly Hills-based company recently developed Billboard rankings for the digital age. Called the Ultimate Chart, Big Champagne culls data from as many digital portals as possible to provide a more real-time portrait of an artist's success.

"The right way to understand success is to include all of those points of contact that are meaningful into the charting environment," explains Fleischer. "Just look at gold and platinum awards from the RIAA. When an artist like Disturbed reaches No. 1, are they now bigger than Taylor Swift? No. It means for just that one week they've sold more albums. It's one component of success, but it does not give a consistent, undistorted view of the market."

Indeed, after one week atop the Billboard charts, it's common for artist sales to plummet 60% to 80%. But that doesn't mean their success or popularity has experienced such a drop. Fans still watch videos on Vevo; they buy tickets for concerts; they follow artists on Twitter and post messages about them on Facebook. In other words, the artists are still relevant, regardless of their position in the Top 100 physical album sales.

It is those rankings which have become irrelevant.

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

What happened on 10/10/10? - One Day On Earth posts first sampling of submitted footage

From the site:

We are so excited to share a preview of some of the wonderful footage being submitted to the One Day on Earth archive. By the time we finished this edit (representing the first week of submissions), tons of new and amazing footage had already been submitted. To those who do not see their footage in this edit or have not uploaded yet: don't worry, there will be more trailers! But please remember, to be included in the shared geo-tagged archive, you must submit via the One Day on Earth upload widget on our homepage by the November 10th deadline. In the meantime, please share stories and embed links to your best videos below!

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

BBDO creates GE ecomagination photo project- upload pics from Flickr & GE donates - sounds promising

Great Detail! Grazie!: The state of the blogosphere - Made by Many's posterous

Wow! Big Fish Indeed!: Big Spaceship Lands Lucasfilm Digital Business - Advertising Age

Big Spaceship Lands Lucasfilm Digital Business

Indie Shop to Handle Social Media, Mobile for 'Star Wars' Production Company

Posted by Kunur Patel on 10.27.10 @ 04:06 PM

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Lucasfilm, the entertainment production company behind the "Star Wars" franchise, has picked a shop with a fitting name, Big Spaceship, as its new digital agency of record.

The New York-based independent agency beat out a handful of undisclosed digital shops pitching the business, according to people familiar with the matter. It will handle websites, social media and mobile for Lucas Online, which also includes work for film franchises such as "Star Wars."

Big Spaceship

Big Spaceship

--> Lucasfilm confirmed the relationship, though declined to elaborate. Kantar Media does not have ad spending data for the movie production company. Big Spaceship also declined comment for this story.

Over the last 10 years, Big Spaceship grew up largely handling digital production work, building websites for traditional ad agencies on a contract basis. These days the agency, which is run by CEO-founder Michael Lebowitz, says it only works with clients directly, with no agency middlemen.

The agency also counts General Electric, Wrigley, Microsoft and Google as clients.

Big Spaceship had $8 million in U.S. revenue in 2009, up 33% from the year prior, according to Ad Age DataCenter. The 50-person shop was also one of Ad Age's Best Places to Work in 2010.

Follow Kunur Patel on Twitter.

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Simon Dumenco's Trendrr Chart of the Week: A Very Special Episode of 'Glee': 'Paranormal Glee' - Advertising Age - The Media Guy

Stats on Glee & Paranormal Activity 2.

Graph above:

"The biggest movie in the U.S. right now, "Paranormal Activity 2," was mentioned on Twitter (with or without the "2") 141,271 times on its peak day -- Oct. 22 -- which puts it slightly below the "Glee" season average to date."

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Fans Of Film™ is a social production and distribution network & iPhone iPad app for filmmakers online

Membership is free & it allows you to put your film on Amazon Video, iTunes, & Netflix, all at the same time

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Reposting! Winner of the POWER TO THE PIXEL Cross Media Pitch « create, finance and distribute in a cross-media world

Jeff Gomez at POWER TO THE PIXEL « creating blockbuster worlds

Reposting! Winner of the POWER TO THE PIXEL Cross Media Pitch « create, finance and distribute in a cross-media world

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

So Funny! Who Knew? 'Margaret Atwood creates superhero outfits for Twitter avatars' thanks Patricia! | Books | The Guardian

Margaret Atwood's design for Twitter avatar

View larger picture

Margaret Atwood's design for Dr Snit's Twitter avatar.

With more than a dozen novels, 17 poetry collections and countless literary awards including the 2000 Man Booker prize to her name, Margaret Atwood's credentials as one of the world's greatest living writers are not in question. What have been less well known until now, however, are her skills as a draughtswoman and fashion designer – specifically, as a creator of superhero outfits.

That surprising talent has emerged in a remarkable exchange over Twitter, which saw the Canadian writer contacting two readers who had expressed admiration for her work, and offering to design "superhero comix costumes" for their avatar alter-egos, @kidney_boy and @DrSnit.

"[They] both have excellent Twitter names – suitable for superheroes – and were comix fans, and were discussing Comic.con, as I recall," she told the Guardian.

"I just thought it would be fun to draw some superhero costumes for them, as their names were so evocative, so asked them what magic powers they would like to have. I was writing about superheroes at the time – where did they come from, who are their literary and mythic ancestors, and so forth – because my first Richard Ellman Lecture at Emory College – delivered Sunday – was about superheroes."

The resulting designs, complete with "flying magic kidney helpers" and a suitably chilling enemy, "the Paniac", show that the creator of the dystopian visions of The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake has lost none of her imaginative powers.

"DrSnit has an autoimmune disease and wanted freedom from pain, so I gave her a magic wand encircled by Tylenols, a magic word, and a pain-linked Enemy to be overcome," Atwood said.

"Kidney Boy is a nephrologist, and he wanted the abiity to insert kidneys into his dialysis patients, plus 'the flying-around thing'. I gave him a Kidney Helmet, an instant scalpel, a magic word, and some flying kidney helpers – presumably it is these that may pop into the dialysis patients with no fuss. I think I made his boots a little big, but I am assured by a Twitter fan that these are good 'shit-kicking' boots for the Emergency Room. Kidney Boy is not coloured in yet but I will do that soon."

The exchange began when Joel Topf, a clinical nephrologist in Detroit who tweets as @kidney_boy, messaged Melissa Travis, a writer and comedian in Atlanta. Atwood retweeted the message, and then, to their surprise, messaged them both. On 9 October, Dr Snit, as imagined by Atwood, duly appeared by Twitpic. Dressed in a scarlet basque and an orange cape, and carrying a painkiller pill wand, the doctor was trampling underfoot "her arch-enemy" the Paniac, a creature resembling a slug with spines.

Kidney Boy, wielding an "instant scalpel" and with a kidney hat on his head, arrived this week, though he is as yet monochrome. "Choosing colours - purple, orange, red?" the author tweeted Topf. "Boots too large? Hope you like …"

She said last night that they "are both thrilled with their new outfits".

Atwood said her love of comics began when she was young: "I grew up in the world of comics and used to draw some myself, both as a child and later when I ran some ironic strips for a while. You can go onto my website and see some of them.

"I used to run a silk-screen poster business while in university ... The Fisher Library at University of Toronto has some of the posters.

"My piece on Twitter can be found at the NYRB blog, Atwood in the Twittersphere. I think it works for certain kinds of contacts because it is short: like something you might send as a telegram or put up on a bulletin board."

Atwood's book with this material in it will be called In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination, and will come out next autumn.

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Transmedia Project Collapsus Introduction on Vimeo: Energy Risk Conspiracy

Winner of the POWER TO THE PIXEL Cross Media Pitch « create, finance and distribute in a cross-media world

Nice Post from John Bennett on Power to the Pixel Transmedia: A Naive But Omnivorous Form - JawboneTV

Excerpt:

In one of the early talks at Tuesday’s Power to the Pixel Conference, Maureen McHugh, a writer who’s worked on high-profile transmedia campaigns including Halo’s I Love Bees, declared that, “transmedia is a naïve but omnivorous form.”

Before I look at Maureen’s statement in more detail, it’s probably worth taking a little time to try to define what exactly transmedia is.

Actually, there is no clear agreement on what defines a transmedia project, though Henry Jenkins, MIT Professor and author of the canonical Convergence Culture, has defined 7 core principles of transmedia narrative.

More generally I’d argue that all transmedia properties exhibit the following four properties:

1. all platforms are considered from the inception of the project as valid vehicles to support narrative;
2. different platforms are used to tell different aspects of a story;
3. participation and sharing is encouraged (but not necessary);
4. while users are encouraged to draw connections between platforms, stories can exist separately from one another in the fictive universe.

Read full article on jawbone.tv

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Dem's Big Numbers: 10,000 Websites Integrate with Facebook Every Day

From Mashable:

"Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg made a “surprise” appearance on the stage of PayPal’s Innovate Developer Conference today to announce its new integration with PayPal. During her short speech, she dropped a few interesting tidbits of information related to Facebook’s growth.

The first interesting stat surrounded social games. According to Sandberg, more people play games on Facebook than on the top three gaming consoles combined. In other words, there are more FarmVille addicts than Xbox, Wii and PS3 fanatics. Combine that with the news that Zynga is now more valuable than Electronic Arts and it’s clear that social gaming has grown to monstrous proportions.

The other stat Sandberg revealed on stage was that 10,000 websites integrate with Facebook every day. That’s 3.65 million new websites per year, and you can’t forget that tens of millions of websites are already utilizing Facebook Connect or the Facebook Open Graph."

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Useful Tool for Your Back Pocket: SCVNGR: Now Playing, Somewhere Near You! | ARGNet

SCVNGR: Now Playing, Somewhere Near You!

August 17, 2010 · By Jane Doh in Info, Reviews 

A relative newcomer to smartphone location-based gaming, SCVNGR is taking the United States by storm and threatens to shake up the geo-location game market. Similar to games like Gowalla or Foursquare, players use their smartphones to check in at locations. Unlike anything else on the market, however, SCVNGR players are presented with location-specific “challenges” that they can complete to earn points.

SCVNGR tasks might be a riddle, a dare, a question, or more, and they are customized precisely for the location. For example, I checked in to my nearby police precinct (No, I was not in handcuffs), and, in addition to the usual “Say something here” functionality common to the other geo-location smartphone games, SCVNGR offered me a few tasks related to law enforcement. It asked me what my favorite constitutional amendment was (Duh, the Fifth!), and in “The Swords & Scales” challenge I was asked to pose as Lady Justice and upload the picture. (Hm, yes well, the zip ties were a problem.)

Originally SCVNGR focused on larger institutions, launching with games created by the US Army and Princeton University. Now, a year after launching, SCVNGR boasts an impressive partner list of over 600 institutions, including universities, museums, and retail stores. SCVNGR is not just a forward-facing game, it is also a development platform, allowing institutions to purchase a number of challenges to customize and then providing them with a web-based application to create challenges. This means that third-party adventure creators and team-building event consultants, like Scaventures, can also tie themselves into the incredibly accessible platform.

Here is a sampling of recent SCVNGR events:

  • Help Vince: a game for the New England Patriots where players complete SCVNGR challenges in the Boston area to unlock a riddle and help Vince Wilfork recover his stolen Super Bowl ring.
  • Dexter Game On at Comic-Con: Completing Dexter-themed challenges, recorded as “kills,” players could cash points in for Dexter swag.
  • The goSmithsonian Trek: Played out in July, participants visited nine Smithsonian museums and competed for an Apple iPad.
  • Inception: A series of challenges for the film involved unique tasks at the tallest buildings in the 100 largest cities in the United States and at movie theaters.

These are just a few of the time-sensitive SCVNGR-based campaigns that have played in the last month. In addition, there are the pervasive, always available challenges, like those in my city, with challenges created by major municipal tourist organizations and that ubiquitous Philadelphia institution, Wawa. SCVNGR has also added a rewards program for retail locations. Doing a challenge at a Journeys shoe store, for example, a player can rack up points and then cash them in for discounts.

SCVNGR is available for the iPhone and the Android, but for now, only US locations are available. There are two Twitter streams for the latest news: @SCVNGR_Events for events, and @SCVNGR for general game information.

Click here to read about SCVNGR at the New York Times.
Click here to read about SCVNGR at TechCrunch.
Click here to read about SCVNGR at VentureBeat.
Click here to read about SCVNGR at GigaOM.

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Whoot! Steampunk Series Riese Now Live on SyFy: Video «

Most excellent resource!: YouTube Blog: A digital filmmaker’s map to the web

Heather Menicucci, Director, Howcast Filmmakers Program, is writing weekly guest posts for the YouTube blog on filmmaking in the digital age. This is her third post.

Every time I talk to a filmmaker, I learn about a new (often, just new-to-me) website for filmmakers I should check out. I email and text myself the links. Intent on eventually spending some time on the sites, I keep multiple tabs open on my browser. Needless to say, it’s hard to keep track of them all. I thought consolidating a list of the sites I’ve come across through recommendations, articles, and conferences would be helpful to me, and hopefully you, too. So, here I go, with one disclaimer: this list is not exhaustive. I tried to stick to key categories but if I wanted to cover everything cool going on on the web for filmmakers, I’d have to quit my day job. Got another recommendation? Share it in the comments below!

Sites to help you....be in the know

  • Filmmaker magazine Simply put, if you’re an independent film and video creator, and you’re not reading Filmmaker Magazine, or, dare I say a member of the Independent Feature Project, you are seriously missing out. Period.
  • IndieWire IndieWire is all the indie industry news -- big to small. Want to get some costume ideas based on movies of the year? Interested in the hoopla over NC-17 ratings and when they began? They’ve got a network of bloggers and you’ll soon find your favorites.
  • WorkBook Project Founded by Lance Weiler, WorkBook Project is not just articles and blog posts. It’s an open collaborative network that covers the most exciting creative work happening on the web. You can explore case studies, hear thought-provoking interviews, attend workshops, and pick up the tools you need to launch your own web or multi-platform project.
  • Cinematech Of all the things you can read of Scott Kirsner’s, I actually suggest his books, which you can download off his blog, linked here. Scott is out there talking with filmmakers about new technology and sharing all his knowledge along the way at festivals (I heard him at SXSW), conferences (he started The Conversation), and in his books, of which my favorite is Fans, Friends And Followers: Building An Audience And A Creative Career In The Digital Age.
....distribute
  • YouTube Rentals Obviously, you know about YouTube or you wouldn’t be here. But, are you familiar with YouTube rentals? I got to sit in on a talk about the feature at SXSW this year and I think it’s a really intriguing option for filmmakers looking to share short films and longer work and make some money on screening. It’s one way the web is putting distribution and monetization in the hands of creators by letting them control who watches and set the prices for their work.
  • Snagfilms Snagfilms distributes documentaries from longtime masters as well as emerging filmmakers. Viewers can watch free, and documentarians, who have historically had a difficult time getting wide distribution, can tap into a growing viewer network.
  • OpenIndie Started by Arin Crumley, OpenIndie, which is still in beta, aims to be a way for filmmakers to coordinate and launch their own theatrical screenings by connecting them with audiences and exhibitors directly. The exciting idea is based on the Crumley’s own distribution model for Four Eyed Monsters, which he co-directed.
...connect
  • ShootingPeople Want to know what projects others filmmakers are up to? Take a workshop? Find someone to animate your open sequence? Get a new gig? ShootingPeople is the place to network with other filmmakers online (and in person -- lots of cities host nights out for “shooters”).
  • Ning Hopefully you use Facebook and Twitter for things other than planning poker night. Both are excellent platforms for connecting with audiences and potential collaborators. You may not know about Ning though. With Ning you can create your own social network around your film, the topic of your film, or filmmaking in general. It’s a very turnkey solution for engaging with an audience and I think it offers a more dynamic experience for your fans and audiences than a blog alone.
....learn new tricks
  • CreativeCow When a filmmaker writes in with an editing question our Post team can’t solve we head to the CreativeCow forums. There is an unbelievable amount of expertise you can easily tap into.
  • Videomaker When a filmmaker writes in with a question about a camera or software, we head to Videomaker. They’ve also got a really nice stable of nuts and bolts tutorials on things like lighting and green screen.
  • NYVS I just learned about New York Video School and I think it’s going to be a really easy way to pick up new or polish up old skills. They’re building a comprehensive suite of “courses” that include videos on things like choosing a hard drive and uploading to YouTube.
...make some money
  • Kickstarter If you haven’t heard about Kickstarter yet, you may be spending too much time in the edit room. It seems like every week I see a new project being funded on Kickstarter in my Facebook feed...and I contribute. Kickstarter makes fundraising painless (compared to calling Mom and Dad or going to door-to-door) for the filmmaker and fun for the fans to take part in a project.
  • IndieGoGo IndieGoGo offers filmmakers another digital fundraising option and, now, through, access to some distribution platforms like iTunes and Netflex.
  • Howcast Emerging Filmmakers Program Hey, if I didn’t think we offer filmmakers an excellent way to get experience and pick up some extra cash, I wouldn’t be here. Many of our filmmakers call Howcast videos their “fun work.” If you’re familiar with our videos, you know we give filmmakers a ton of creative freedom -- it’s great for their reels and their pocketbooks. Also worth checking out:, TurnHere, Demand, and StudioNow who offer programs for freelancers with different projects, requirements, and rates.
....compete
  • OnlineVideoContests Though I’ve entered plenty and never won, I’ve always been a sucker for video contests. OVC is the place to find out who’s giving away $500 for a :30-spot and who’s doling out $10,000 for a 3-minute music video.
  • Withoutabox Long gone are the days of mailing VHS tapes in manila envelopes. Withoutabox has brought film festival application into the digital age. Apply, apply, apply way!
  • Filmaka Filmaka hosts monthly competitions that boast jury members like Wim Wenders and Werner Herzog -- a pretty unique chance for exposure among industry leaders.
  • Poptent Poptent works with some major brands to bring commercial work to filmmakers all over the world. Download the requirements and upload your video. If your work is selected by that brand you could be looking at a new client and a paycheck.
Overwhelmed by all the new information? Subscribe to these sites’ newsletters and YouTube channels, follow them on Twitter, and become a fan on Facebook -- let their news comes to you.

Heather Menicucci, Director, Howcast Filmmakers Program, recently watched “Flower Warfare: Behind the Scenes." Come back next Friday for another session of our “Modern 101 for Emerging Digital Filmmakers."

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Must read: Mapping demand to get straight to the story « The Pixel Report

Iron Sky's mapping of audience demand for their still-in-production film impressed me as a simple, effective strategy that promotes and locates an audience. And similar strategies have clearly been effective elsewhere - Paranormal Activity in particular.

Crowd Controls is the tool behind 'They Demand Iron Sky!'

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Ted Hope on: What are the biggest 3 problems in the indie film community today? | Truly Free Film

I recognize I being very broad.  To simplify what I’ve already said so far, among the biggest problems in indie film are: 1) The creators’ mindsets; and 2) the overall infrastructure from top to bottom of the industry; so what would be the third?  Why, of course, the very stuff we make.

Key insight?

"I think the biggest problem for indie filmmakers is primarily a marketing problem; filmmakers must move from creating a series of “one offs” where they reinvent the wheel each time, sourcing an audience from scratch on every new project, and instead move to maintaining an ongoing conversation with their communities. I say this is marketing, because it demands a change it what we are offering from a series of single projects, to a deeper and ongoing relationship. It requires a change of approach for all artists. We need a shift of focus and appreciation from product to process. This the problem as it is experienced on an individual basis for the creators."

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Homefront transmedia plan includes prequel novel & show on SyFy: Analysis: Does Going 'Transmedia' Help Game Properties?

Excerpt from Gamasutra editor Chris Morris' article:

[Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris looks at how initial releases in game franchises are extending across film, books, action figures and beyond, talking to THQ's Danny Bilson about the just-announced Homefront prequel novel and why the "fiercely competitive" market demands that extra transmedia step.]

The video game industry, if you haven’t noticed, isn’t just about games any more.

Sure they’re important, but for many publishers, they’re the hub of a broader entertainment property.

In the end, that property could be one that’s more inviting to a larger audience and one that can prove to be a lot more lucrative than a standalone franchise (even an enormous one) could ever be.

THQ is certainly taking note. The company on Monday announced it had partnered with Random House’s Del Ray label to publish a novel set in the Homefront universe early next year – a short while before the game ships to stores.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg for the company, however. Already in the works is a pilot episode for a show based in the Red Faction universe for the SyFy Channel, which will bow right as the next installment of the game hits stores.

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Think Holistically! Generation D(isruption) is coming!: There is No New Media: It’s All New Consumption: Tech News «

So, now television broadcasters are blocking Google TV from getting access to the content they’re putting online. They want to make sure they don’t lose their advertising dollars. News flash: The cat is out of the bag. All information (including your precious television shows) are nothing more than bits on one network to rule them all — the Internet.

The knee-jerk response from the television industry and media to services like Google, Apple, Amazon and Netflix is a typical reaction from institutions of the past century, and a result of limited and short-term thinking. Unfortunately, the broadcast industry aren’t the only ones.

Every so often, you hear executives bemoaning the demise of the newspaper business, the declining fortunes of radio networks and the crumbling of the television industry. There’s talk of the music industry being at the point of no return, and one could probably add Madison Avenue to this gloomy outlook.

When I look at these industries and the failure — or impending failure — of these institutions, I see a fundamental mistake on their part to understand their own core businesses. They fail to see the world in a larger context, and instead, choose to focus on maintaining the status quo. If they took their cue from Apple (everywhere computing) or Amazon (any content anywhere), they could have found answers to their problems.

Read Om Malik's full article:

http://gigaom.com/2010/10/22/there-is-no-new-media-its-all-new-consumption/#

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

FB World Domination Underway: The Business Guide to Facebook Part 1: Your Brand Page for the Social Web | Fast Company

Excerpt:

BY FC EXPERT BLOGGER BRIAN SOLIS, Mon Oct 25, 2010

"Facebook is, at the moment, the most important social network in the world. Over 500 million people connect to one another in the "Social Network." And, with the introduction of the Open Graph, we are interacting with our Facebook connections on our favorite websites where our social graph and the corresponding activity of Likes, interaction, and commentary become the centerpiece for social curation and more importantly, our focused attention. We are putting our social network to work and we are learning how to share, discover, and collaborate in public.

Brands, regardless of size and focus, are converging on Facebook where the idea of connecting with customers and prospects represents a potential boon for both earning relevance in a new domain as well as expanding overall reach. Facebook is a sparkplug for word of mouth and when engaged, contributes to the end of business as usual and the beginning of social commerce. If fact, the top 10 brands on Facebook today host over 100 million "Likes" on Facebook."

Points covered:

The Top 10 Brands by Population (Rounded Out)

By This Time Next Year

"By this time next year, you as a brand or as a brand representative, will spend more time and resources on Facebook than you will on Twitter..."

The State of The Facebook

"With over 500 million active users, Facebook is by far one of the most important networks in the world. 5o% of those active users log on to Facebook in any given day. And in total, people spend over 700 billion minutes per month posting, sharing, Liking, commenting, poking, playing games, and interacting with one another as well as the content and applications that define the pervasive social ecosystem..."

May I Have Your Intention Please?

"Many brands underestimate Facebook and what's truly required to attract and captivate the social consumer. In my research, I find that a significant number of brands focus their efforts primarily on Twitter, treating Facebook as an afterthought. Rather than engage in each community with purpose and dedication, examples are abundant where companies are simply syndicating tweets to Facebook rather than updating each network individually..."

"Likes become a form of social currency and contribute to the overall social capital earned by a brand within Facebook."

Read the full article:

http://www.fastcompany.com/1697731/the-business-guide-to-facebook-part-1-your...

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

I love this!: Flowchart: Understanding the Web, for Fans of Charles Dickens | Fast Company

Smart Thinking with Broad Applications: Alex Moseley's 'Using Games-Based Activities to Quickly Set Authentic Contexts'

The following papers, posters, presentations and other materials are available to download for personal use for interest or research purposes.


Prezi iconUsing Games-Based Activities to Quickly Set Authentic Contexts
A paper presented at the 4th European Conference on Games Based Learning, Copenhagen, 20-21 October 2010.

  • Paper [Word .doc]
  • Presentation [Flash-based Prezi, opens in browser]
    Citation: Moseley, A. (2010), “Roll, Move Two Steps Back, and Admire the View: Using Games-Based Activities to Quickly Set Authentic Contexts”. 4th European Conference on Games Based Learning, Copenhagen, Denmark, 20-21 October 2010.

Motivation in ARGs: Implications for Educationmotivation
A paper presented at the 3rd European Conference on Games Based Learning, Graz, 12-13 October 2009.

  • Presentation [Flash-based Prezi, opens in browser]
    Citation: Moseley, A.; Culver, J.; Piatt, K.; Whitton, N. (2009), “Motivation in Alternate Reality Gaming Environments and Implications for Learning”. 3rd European Conference on Games Based Learning, FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences, Graz, Austria, 12-13 October 2009.

vf75

Reality Bytes
An article on ARGs in Academia published in Viewfinder magazine, no 75 (June 2009).

  • Download Article [PDF]
    Citation: Moseley, A. (2009), Reality Bytes. In: Viewfinder, Issue 75 (June 2009), pp.12-13, Journal of the British Universities Film & Video Council.

Love the idea of 'thickly authentic contexts' and 'the contextual gap' - Smart Smart. I'll be working through the other presentations

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Monday, October 25, 2010

The Future of Branded Entertainment: Q&A with Brent Friedman -- Valemont, Woke Up Dead and Transmedia storytelling | Sparksheet

Heads Up! Electus, Subway, & Facebook Team for Web Series

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Production company Electus and social media giant Facebook are teaming up on a new collaborative venture, called the “High School Heroes.” Subway will serve as the project’s sponsor.

The program will highlight inspirational teachers and students in the high school community, the three companies announced on Monday.

It also marks Facebook’s first big foray into original programming. It’s traditionally left video productions up to other platforms such as Youtube.

It is, however, precisely what the Ben Silverman headed Electus was designed to do. The production company aims to partner with advertisers earlier in the life cycle of a show, and has already teamed up with companies like Smirnoff to integrate their products into series.

The eight week program launched on Facebook on Oct. 18. In an example of corporatized crowd sourcing, Facebook visitors will get a chance to vote on their favorite heroes and mentors. , who in turn will vie for the title of ultimate High School Hero.

Winners will be announced on Dec. 16, 2010 and get a grand prize of $10,000 and an Apple iPad.

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Most interesting? see below: MediaPost Publications Branded Entertainment 'Must Be Measurable'

During the panel discussion, Everson said that Microsoft plans a branded entertainment program in January (possibly for Unilever or Kimberly-Clark, though she wouldn't say). "It came as a consumer insight about what working moms are doing in the digital environment these days. When we dug deeper, we saw how they multitask, what they do online. We are building a branded entertainment hub because Unilever and Kimberly-Clark asked what these consumers are dong in the digital space. 'What is the consumer insight we can build content around and who will develop content with us?'" She said the "the dirty secret in branded entertainment" is the challenge of building a real audience.

Everson echoed other panelists' argument for "de-siloing" marketing functions. "We have lots of data on what moms are doing online. And when you sit with Unilever and Kimberly-Clark and P&G with their 100 years of building brands, they also have unique data sets. Those 'ah-ha!' insights will only come from all of us sitting at the table together and sharing what we know. So I like the collaborative approach. What astounds me is how much is being done but not shared." She concluded by wondering out loud what the benefits would be if agencies and marketers stopped doing research for 30 days, "and instead spent 30 days sharing. It would be amazing."

I'd dispute the next day sales correlation model & I'd push this point further to think about what online can social do that trad. advertising can't:

"...That's fine for product volume, but what about marketers who say they want programs that build awareness and engagement, not necessarily sales volume the next day. "I love those assignments," Everson said. "Because our tools are quite good for measuring brand affiliation, awareness, attribution, pre- and post-studies, and search-behavior tendencies. I can solve for someone who says, 'I want brand awareness.' What's hard is 'Prove to me this thing works.' And the level of scrutiny by marketers is getting higher."

Kawada argued that you can't measure branded entertainment and brand integration the way you measure ads. "It's not an ad model. It's about relevance; the consumer brand has to be relevant from the network-brand standpoint. Brand perception and attributes have to be hand-in-hand with content. So the question should be, 'Does my product fit here?'"

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Holy Crap - watch this new National ad from Citizens Against Governement Waste (US) - talk about direct

Edward Burns says digital is future of indie films - Nice Guy Johnny on iTunes Netflix VOD Oct. 26

Edward Burns says digital is future of indie films

(AP) – 3 days ago

NEW YORK (AP) — Edward Burns revisits his indie roots — with a modern twist — in his latest project, "Nice Guy Johnny."

The 42-year-old actor-filmmaker leaped onto the scene in 1995 with the Sundance Film Festival darling "The Brothers McMullen." Fresh out of college, Burns said he used anything he could for free: He filmed in his parents' home and used editing facilities at "Entertainment Tonight," where he was working as a production assistant.

Fifteen years later, the star of "Saving Private Ryan" and "27 Dresses" has gone back to basics with another small-budget project.

"I decided we wanted to capture a little bit of that renegade sprit that we had on 'Brothers McMullen,'" says Burns. "So we set some parameters on this film. We wouldn't spend more than $25,000, we'd only work with a three-man crew, we wanted to hire all unknowns, and there would be no hair, no makeup, wear your own clothes, shot in my parents' house again."

"Nice Guy Johnny" is the story of sports radio host Johnny Rizzo, who must choose between following his broadcasting dreams or satisfying his fiancee by taking a well-paid corporate gig.

Burns, who wrote, directed and stars in the film, says the story was born from his own dilemma.

"I had to wrestle with a very similar decision," Burns said. "Do I keep trying to make these little movies, or do I go and get a job with benefits?"

But he says digital platforms have helped ease some of the financial pressure, allowing films like "Johnny" to reach millions of viewers at home and online. Instead of a costly theatrical release, the film will be released Oct. 26 on iTunes, Netflix and Video on Demand.

"Distribution models are starting to dismantle. For every indie film that does a decent number at the box office, there are dozens who do no business," he says. "If these new revenue streams weren't being uncovered, I know I would be out of business. The kind of stories I like to tell, I would be incapable of telling them."

Diana Kerekes, Comcast's VP of Entertainment Services, says the company's number of indie offerings on demand has grown from 26 films in 2006 to more than 2,000. And with more than 200,000 indie purchases a month, she says the appetite for niche films is growing.

"There's a real thirst for these stories," Burns says. "The great filmmakers of tomorrow, they get their start by scraping together a couple of thousand dollars, making that first film, getting some exposure. And all of a sudden you're the kid who made a little movie and now you're directing 'X-Men' a la Bryan Singer. If we haven't figured out a way to monetize these smaller stories, do we find the next Bryan Singer? Maybe not."

iTunes is owned by Apple Inc.

On the Net:

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Some of my fave all time videos in here: YouTube Blog: Jury selection for YouTube Play revealed at last

Today we announce the jury selection for YouTube Play. A Biennial of Creative Video with the Guggenheim.

It was our goal to reach the widest possible audience, inviting individuals from around the world to submit a video for consideration. While our original goal had been to select 20, the jury was so moved by the quality of work submitted that we decided to honor a final list of 25. We believe the end result is 25 of the most unique and innovative video work to be created and distributed online during the past two years.

Tonight we will be celebrating this announcement with a live streamed event: YouTube Play. Live from the Guggenheim. Head to youtube.com/play for the live stream and for highlights after the event.

1. Auspice
Bryce Kretschmann, b. 1974 in California, USA, lives in Newark, NJ, USA.

2. Bear untitled - D.O. Edit
Christen Bach, b. 1978 in Kolding, Denmark, lives in Berlin, Germany.

3. Bathtub IV
Keith Loutit, b. 1973 in Melbourne, Australia, lives in Coogee, Australia.

4. Birds on the Wires
Jarbas Agnelli, b. 1963 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he still lives.

5. Birdy Nam Nam ‘The Parachute Ending’
Steve Scott (Director), b. 1970 in Plymouth, UK, lives in London, UK. Will Sweeney (Art Director and Illustration) b.1973 in London, UK, where he still lives.

6. deuce
Monica Cook, b. 1974 in Dalton, Georgia, USA, lives in Brooklyn, NY, USA.

7. Die Antwoord – Zef Side
Sean Metelerkamp, b. 1984 in Knysna, South Africa, lives in Cape Town, South Africa.

8. Gardyn
Pogo (Nick Bertke), b. 1988 in Capetown, South Africa, lives in Perth, Australia.

9. I Met the Walrus
Josh Raskin (Director and Animator), b. 1980 in Toronto, Canada, where he still lives. James Braithwaite (Drawings), b. 1978 in Edmonton, Canada, lives in Montreal, Canada. Alex Kurina (Computer illustration), b. 1981 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, lives in Toronto, Canada. Jerry Levitan (story and voice), b. 1954 in Toronto, Canada, where he still lives.

10. Ladybirds' Requiem (digest version)
Akino Kondoh, b. 1980 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, lives in New York, USA.

11. Le Syndrome du Timide
Pierre-Axel Vuillaume-Prézeau, b. 1986 in Nalliers (Vendée), France, lives in Paris, France.

12. Luis
Joaquín Cociña, b. 1980 in Concepción, Chile, lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Cristóbal León, b. 1980 in Santiago, Chile, lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Niles Atallah, b. 1978 in Sacramento, California, USA, lives in Santiago, Chile.

13. Man with a Movie Camera: The Global Remake
Perry Bard, b. 1944 in Quebec City, Canada, lives in New York, USA.

14. Moonwalk
Martin Kohout, b. 1984 in Prague, Czech Republic, lives in Berlin, Germany.

15. Noteboek
Evelien Lohbeck, b. 1983 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, lives in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

16. Post Newtonianism (War Footage/Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare Footage)
Josh Bricker, b. 1980 in Torrance, CA, USA, lives in New York, USA.

17. Scenic Jogging
Jillian Mayer, b. 1984 in Florida, USA, where she still lives.

18. Seaweed 
Remi Weekes and Luke White, both b. 1987 in London, UK, where they still live.

19. Strindberg and Helium at the Beach
Eun-Ha Paek (Director, Animator and Artist), b. 1974 in Seoul, South Korea, lives in New York, USA. Erin Perkins (Writer and Voice of Helium), b. 1977 in Duluth, MN, USA, lives in Oakland, CA, USA. James Bewley (Voice of Strindberg), b. 1975 in West Chester, PA, USA, lives in New York, USA.

20. Synesthesia
Terri Timely (Corey Creasey and Ian Kibbey). Corey Creasey: b. 1979 in Long Beach, CA, USA, lives in Oakland, USA. Ian Kibbey: b. 1980 in Berkeley CA, USA, lives in Oakland, USA.

21. Taxi III Stand Up and Cry Like a Man
Lisa Byrne, b. 1973 in Town – Newry, Northern Ireland, lives in London, England.

22. The Huber Experiments
Erik Huber, b. 1984 in Atlanta, USA, where he still lives. Matthew Huber, b. 1973 in Atlanta, USA, lives in New York, USA.

23. This Aborted Earth: The Quest Begins
Michael Banowetz, b. 1955 in Wichita, KS, USA, lives in Denver, CO, USA. Noah Sodano, b. 1981 in Denver, CO, USA, lives in Denver, CO, USA.


24. Wonderland Mafia
Lindsay Scoggins, b. 1985 in Gainesville Florida, USA, lives in Tampa, USA.

25. WORDS
Everynone (Will Hoffman, Daniel Mercadante, and Julius Metoyer III) Will Hoffman: b. 1985 on Staten Island, New York, USA, lives in New York, USA. Daniel Mercadante: b. 1984 in Farmington, Connecticut, USA, lives in New York, USA. Julius Metoyer III: b. 1985 in Los Angeles, USA, where he still lives.

The YouTube Play Team

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Excellent post on Transmythology: The Rebirth of the Music Video – And Why Transmedia Should Care

Simon Pulman has an excellent post here. Points covered are:

A New Business Model

Why You Should Care

1. Music Videos are Telling Stories

2. Music Videos are Hitting The Production Sweet Spot

3. Music Videos – Led By VEVO – Are Solving The Monetization Dilemma

4. Creating Cohesive Artist-Brands

5. Music Videos Can – And Will – Be Used to Promote Your Story

I was having similar thoughts back in May following the M.I.A. long video Born Free & posted on that here:

http://1001tales.posterous.com/the-digital-writing-is-on-the-wall

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Wired UK editor David Rowan's Talk Dare to Inform at TEDx Transmedia shines light on risk taking journalists

Live Performance/Video Animation by The Sancho Plan: The Black Page

thesanchoplan.com/​blackpage.html

The Black Page

"A new animated short performed live by The Sancho Plan
Filmed at the Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle UK on 24th September 2009

The Black Page is The Sancho Plan's first true interactive short film. Combining the highest quality musical and visual design, it's a new entertainment experience in which a live onstage band controls in real-time a cast of onscreen animated musical characters.

The short film tells the tale of a lost wanderer who stumbles into a surreal desert landscape, and learns that the door home can only be opened by an unusual guardian. "Frank Zappa meets Salvador Dali in this unique interactive entertainment experience."

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Strangest story of the weekend: Randy Quaid & wife seek refugee status in Vancouver fleeing celebrity assassins

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail:

"Oscar-nominated actor Randy Quaid, fearful of being murdered in Hollywood, is seeking refugee asylum in Canada with his wife.

The 60-year-old actor, featured in such movies as The Last Detail, Brokeback Mountain and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, made his goal clear at an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing on Friday in which he said that he and his wife Evi Quaid want to start a new life in Canada.

During an emotionally charged hearing that came after they were arrested in Vancouver on outstanding warrants in California, Ms. Quaid said they were worried about friends “murdered” in Hollywood such as actors Keith Carradine – who is alive though she may have been referring to his deceased brother, David – and Heath Ledger, who starred in Brokeback Mountain, and Chris Penn. None of the actors deaths were ruled suspicious or homicides.

The couple has been dogged by legal troubles for skipping a court date in California over allegations of vandalizing a Santa Barbara home they formerly owned. They also have been charged for allegedly defrauded an innkeeper in Montecito, Calif."

Read the full story on theglobeandmail.com

After the couple was ordered released on $10,000 bond each, various reporting conditions and the promise to return for a further hearing next Thursday, Ms. Quaid told The Globe and Mail she and her husband sought to “find asylum from murderous rings in Hollywood” that consisted of lawyers.

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

Strangest story of the weekend: Randy Quaid & wife seek refugee status in Vancouver fleeing celebrity assassins

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail:

"Oscar-nominated actor Randy Quaid, fearful of being murdered in Hollywood, is seeking refugee asylum in Canada with his wife.

The 60-year-old actor, featured in such movies as The Last Detail, Brokeback Mountain and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, made his goal clear at an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing on Friday in which he said that he and his wife Evi Quaid want to start a new life in Canada.

During an emotionally charged hearing that came after they were arrested in Vancouver on outstanding warrants in California, Ms. Quaid said they were worried about friends “murdered” in Hollywood such as actors Keith Carradine – who is alive though she may have been referring to his deceased brother, David – and Heath Ledger, who starred in Brokeback Mountain, and Chris Penn. None of the actors deaths were ruled suspicious or homicides.

The couple has been dogged by legal troubles for skipping a court date in California over allegations of vandalizing a Santa Barbara home they formerly owned. They also have been charged for allegedly defrauded an innkeeper in Montecito, Calif."

Read the full story on theglobeandmail.com

After the couple was ordered released on $10,000 bond each, various reporting conditions and the promise to return for a further hearing next Thursday, Ms. Quaid told The Globe and Mail she and her husband sought to “find asylum from murderous rings in Hollywood” that consisted of lawyers.

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales

I LOVE this -Ghost billboard erected on US-Canada border (commissioned by US gov? wow)

Kitchens of the Future

Love Kitchen of the Future & 'wife-saver' appliances! 1975: And the Changes To Come 

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more visions of the future past

Sweet -1962 imagines the flat screen TV of the future: 1975: And the Changes To Come | Flickr 

Posted via email from Siobhan O'Flynn's 1001 Tales