The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 6,700 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people.
We’ve got our regular Monday evening call tonight at 5:30PM PT.
Tonight we’ll cover the Five Paths to Promotion
Here is the PDF file for tonight’s call:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/MediaBrandWorkshop/MediaBrandWorkshop-12-5-11.pdf
Dial In: 712-432-3100
Bridge: 801264
I’ll have more times for private consults avail shortly.
In other news, many thanks to Alexis Niki for being our guest on today’s webseries mastermind group and to Jacqueline Delibes for suggesting it.
You can find the Mp3 and related information at: http://www.mediabrandworkshop.com.
The conversation also continues in our LinkedIn Group: Media Brand Workshop and on Twitter @yourmediabrand
To your success,
Philippa
Alexis Niki is a Media Brand Workshop Alum & Writer/Producer of the Web Series “My Bitchy Witchy Paris Vacation”
LAWebFest is the brainchild of Emmy & NAACP award winning writer Michael Ajakwe Jr. A festival dedicated to web series sprung from his belief that shows being made for the web have entertainment and monetary value and should be celebrated, studied and shared.
According to LAWebFest founder Michael Ajakwe, “I come from the world of traditional tv, theater and film. I still work in those mediums. But no narrative medium excites me more today than the entertainment revolution unfolding before my very eyes on the Internet.”
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WRITE IT SHORT by Alexis Niki
WELCOME to this first installment of a new column for LA Web Fest. The idea for this column came out of curiosity. Short-format writing is deceptively hard, and writing a web series is a special kind of challenge. I wanted to know how my fellow writers and web series creators approached it, so I started asking. This column is the result.
My first interview, appropriately enough, is with SCOTT RICE, recipient of the LA Web Fest 2011 Maverick Award, and the creator of SCRIPT COPS. Short, sharp, and brilliantly funny, SCRIPT COPS was the web series that made me fall in love with the format. Created originally for a film festival trailer competition and currently licensed to Final Draft, its concept speaks directly to its niche audience—screenwriters and filmmakers. if you’ve never seen SCRIPT COPS, you’re in for a treat!
Read full article here:
http://www.facebook.com/notes/laweb-fest/write-it-short-with-alexis-niki/315193978491967
Here are some of the highlights:
Alexis identifies 4 reasons for developing a web series:
Empowerment, Growth, Exposure & Profit
We discussed the 3 step cycle for content creation:
Create Content, Find Fans & Make Money
The 2 business models for all content include:
Paid for by the audience or paid for by the advertiser or sponsor. We talked about different fundraising options and how creators have benefited from the support of loyal audiences for their shows.
Much of how you approach putting together and promoting a web series depends on your goals.
As you team build make sure there is someone whose job (and that may be you in one or more of these role) whose job it is squarely to 1) Write 2) Direct 3) Produce & 4) Act and then team build to fill out the other key positions.
If you missed the call – here is the MP3 file of our discussion:
http://recording.freeconferencecalling.com/mp3/1026721/801264/IA9688_12052011110422510_1059888.mp3
Here is the Mp3 from our conversation earlier this year with LAWebFest Founder, Michael Ajakwe Jr.: http://bit.ly/mbw-webseries and here is the related Blog Post: http://mediabrandworkshop.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/130/
Be sure to join us in our LinkedIn Group: Media Brand Workshop and follow us on Twitter @yourmediabrand
Read the post about Spring 2011′s LA Web Fest at: http://mediabrandworkshop.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/lawebfest2011-among-friends/
Find LAWebFest on Facebook and at www.lawebfest.com
Plus here are just some of the web series that screened at LAWebFest2011 that you can check out online:
Script Cops (comedy)
http://www.vimeo.com/7015951
Goodnight Burbank (comedy)
www.goodnightburbank.com
Who… (comedy)
www.ajakwetv.com
My Bitchy Witchy Paris Vacation (dramedy)
www.bitchywitchythefilm.com
Often Awesome: The Series (reality/indie)
www.oftenawesome.com
Slanted (comedy)
www.youtube.com/theslantedshow
Shadow44 (drama)
www.shadow44.com
Green T with Tamara (talk show & lifestyle)
www.greentwithtamara.tv
Flyguys Present the F Word (mockumentary)
www.issarae.com/thefword
Baby Daddy Memoirs
www.valdeanent.com
Vegan 101 (comedy)
www.youtube.com/joannemrose1
Mind’s Eye: The Fantasy Web Series (fantasy)
www.mindseyeseries.com
Growing Up Guide Pup (reality/indie)
www.youtube.com/user/GuideDogManiac
Jesus is My Co-Pilot (comedy)
www.aaroncelious.com/Dwayne-Perkins.html
For A Green Card (comedy)
www.foragreencard.blip.tv
The Celibate Nympho Chronicles (comedy)
www.celibatenymphochronicles.com
The PuNanny Diaries (comedy)
www.punannydiaries.com
Ruby Skye PI (narrative comedy)
www.rubyskyepi.com
POP: Puppets of Porn (puppetry)
www.puppetsofporn.com
8:13 (horror)
www.813series.com
The Big Dick Mike Show (comedy)
www.thebigdickmikeshow.com
About Abby (drama)
www.aboutabby.tv
Suck and Moan (dramedy)
www.suckandmoan.com
Apt. 1B (suspense)
www.disgracedtv.com
The Jim (comedy)
www.thejim.tv
Party Girl Plus One (comedy)
www.partygirlplusone.com
Breaking Point (drama)
www.facebook.com/pages/BreakingPoint/101068503294850
Hi Everyone,
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Hope you’ve had a great weekend and enjoyed the Emmys! We’re excited to get into this Fall season. Our business is now very much focused on content strategy and monetization across multiple media platforms. Although most of our new clients are corporate and non-profits, we always enjoy finding ways to connect, empower and inspire individual artists and content creators in this ever evolving marketplace.
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If you are interested in building a media brand or learning about making branded entertainment content “Easy to Assemble – Season 2” we hope you’ll join us this week.
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Power of Signature Story
Media Brand Workshop – Lecture Series
Monday, September 19th
5:30PM PT
(7:30PM CT / 8:30PM ET)
Dial In: 712-432-3100
Bridge: 801264
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Find and get the most benefit from your Signature Story. We’ll discuss what it takes to discover yours and then how to use it to create content, buzz, impact and exposure across multiple media platforms. You’ll get tips and insights to getting the most out of a Brand Identity, Writing Your Bio/Online Profile, Engaging in a Feedback Loop and Finding & Engaging Your Audience. I’ll be expanding the line of conversation about marketing your content with my other sessions.
These teleseminar lectures will continue throughout Fall 2011.
Monday, October 17 – Entertainment & Media Strategy
Monday, October 24 – Building a Media Brand & Traditional Media
Monday, November 7 – Pitching Traditional Media
Monday, November 14 – Tips to Get More Followers, Friends & Fans
Monday, December 5 – Five Paths to Promotion
Monday, December 12 – Engaging Promotional Partners
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If you are interested in content review, private consults and being an active member in our community of content creators you can learn more and sign up for Media Brand Workshop’s Fall Quarter at:
http://mediabrandworkshop.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/register-now-year-end-quarter-session-sept-19-dec-20/
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Now in its fourth year, Media Brand Workshop participants & alumni have gone on to: Gain Representation, Create Webseries & Apps, Sell TV Movies, Produce Films & Shorts, Publish Books & Ebooks, Secure Local & National Publicity, Enhance Public Profile, Garner Attention of Studios & Networks, Win Awards & Monetize Content, Write & Create More!
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Making Branded Entertainment Content
Media Brand Workshop – Discussion
Thursday, September 22nd
5:30PM PT
(7:30PM CT / 8:30PM ET)
Dial In: 712-432-3100
Bridge: 801264
***UPDATE Our scheduled guest Dominik Rausch, CEO of United Motion Entertainment has had to move our interview. Instead we’ll have a discussion about Branded Entertainment with a surprise guest!
Dominik Rausch was the producer on the second season of “Easy to Assemble – Co-Worker of the Year”. Now entering its third season you can watch it at EasytoAssembleseries.com and MyDamnChannel.com
Easy to Assemble follows Illeana Douglas as she quits her Hollywood career and goes to work at IKEA Burbank in an attempt at a ‘normal life.’ However your past is often more difficult to leave behind than you think. Especially when Hollywood craziness with its gossip columnists, stalkers and celebrity friends follows you. Can Illeana assimilate in “civilian” life and prove that “art is where you make it?”
Co-stars an impressive cast of TV and film pros including Justine Bateman, Tom Arnold, Ed Begley Jr., Kevin Pollak, Cheri Oteri, Ricki Lake, Tim Meadows, Daryl Sabara and Eric Lange.
This webseries for IKEA follows Illeana Douglase as she quits her Hollywood career and goes to work at IKEA Burbank in an attempt at a ‘normal life.’ However your past is often more difficult to leave behind than you think. Especially when Hollywood craziness with its gossip columnists, stalkers and celebrity friends follows you. Can Illeana assimilate in “civilian” life and prove that “art is where you make it?”
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Co-stars an impressive cast of TV and film pros including Justine Bateman, Tom Arnold, Ed Begley Jr., Kevin Pollak, Cheri Oteri, Ricki Lake, Tim Meadows, Daryl Sabara and Eric Lange.
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You can find the Mp3s from our Media Brand Workshop guest interview series at:
http://mediabrandworkshop.wordpress.com/guest-interviews/
We invite you to connect with us in our LinkedIn Group: Media Brand Workshop
Follow us on Twitter @yourmediabrand @creativecvg
If you are on Twitter, I just wrote a Twitter tip for Doubling Your Twitter Following Overnight at:
http://mediabrandworkshop.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/twitter-tip-from-philippa-to-double-your-followers-overnight/
Use password: mbw2011
To your success,
Philippa
Making Branded Entertainment Content – Open Discussion!
If you would like a reminder about this teleseminar interview or to receive a copy of the MP3, please send a blank email to consulting5-556489@autocontactor.com.
***UPDATE Our previously scheduled guest Dominik Rausch, CEO of United Motion Entertainment has had to move our interview. Instead we’ll have an open discussion about Branded Entertainment!
Dominik Rausch was the producer on the second season of “Easy to Assemble – Co-Worker of the Year”. Here is more information about both “Easy to Assemble” and Dominik Rausch’s United Motion Entertainment (UME).
Easy to Assemble follows Illeana Douglas as she quits her Hollywood career and goes to work at IKEA Burbank in an attempt at a ‘normal life.’ However your past is often more difficult to leave behind than you think. Especially when Hollywood craziness with its gossip columnists, stalkers and celebrity friends follows you. Can Illeana assimilate in “civilian” life and prove that “art is where you make it?”
Co-stars an impressive cast of TV and film pros including Justine Bateman, Tom Arnold, Ed Begley Jr., Kevin Pollak, Cheri Oteri, Ricki Lake, Tim Meadows, Daryl Sabara and Eric Lange.
Now entering its third season you can watch it at EasytoAssembleseries.com and MyDamnChannel.com
Dominik Rausch is the founder and chief executive officer of United Motion Entertainment (UME), the first true Hollywood transmedia production and marketing firm set to revolutionize the way that entertainment is produced, distributed and promoted. The company is poised to deliver a new level of transmedia experience for brands that range from film, music, and publishing to consumer products. At the nexus of the UME value proposition lies the United Motion Marketing™ concept, a 21st-century entertainment and media promotion engine that delivers organic entertainment, allowing stories to evolve in a natural way for wide audiences and diverse demographics.
A leader in the field of branded entertainment, Dominik was previously a producer of online entertainment for Horizon Media. Prior to this, he was a producer of the successful web series ‘Easy to Assemble – Season 2,’ sponsored by IKEA, has worked as a line producer for CJP Digital and MOFILM for various commercial spots, and helped produce work for mobile entertainment company Fun Little Movies.
Dominik has also worked in feature films, including ‘April Showers’ and ‘The Honeysting,.’ and served as an assistant director on projects for Comedy Central.
A trained concert pianist in his native Germany, Dominik attended Columbia College Hollywood to study film & television producing before he became a member of the Producers Guild of America. He can frequently be seen as guest speaker at public events as well as classes of Arizona State University, New York Film Academy, and University of Texas, LA.
Shaolin: Fact vs. Fiction
This past weekend at the Chinese Shao-Lin Center in Los Angeles we had
a visit from Elder Master David Sourd. Sifus and student from other
schools including San Francisco, Tuscon, Phoenix and Alburquerque came
into town to participate in the festivities. Upon completion of the
Lower and Brown belt advancement tests Elder Master David led students
in a day long training of the colorful 8 Animal Pa Kua. In the evening
several of us went out for a vegan dinner at Follow Your Heart in
Canoga Park followed by a screening of the movie Shaolin.
Kung Fu may be associated with martial arts and movies, but it’s
literal meaning is “time and effort”. Shoa-lin is known as a type of
martial arts practiced by monks in ancient China. Shaolin the movie,
is an entertaining Chinese-Hong Kong production about the events that
lead to the fabled destruction of the Shoa-lin temple at the turn of
the 19th century. Although an overall enjoyable movie, there are many
ideas portrayed in the film that have no bearing on reality as well as
several nondescript elements to perhaps remain politically correct,
both inside and outside of China’s borders.
The movie Shoalin has the elements of an epic tale including regional
strife, warlords, family feuds, struggles for power, deceit, loss of
loved ones, devoutly holy men, highly skilled martial arts fighters,
an evil man turned good, and decidedly self-serving foreigners. It has
top notch production value, an engaging storyline, and well
choreographed stunts and fight scenes. Although the name implies that
it might be a straight Kung Fu film, it is a much more layered drama
with some action and a few light moments. One of the funnier bits
includes Jackie Chan using his character’s signature oversized wok and
spatula to fight off charging soldiers.
In the movie the story centers on acts that lead to the destruction of
a single temple. There is no mention if there are any other temples
like it, or if temples like these may be found throughout the country.
The fact is that there were six recorded Shao-lin temples. The movie
implies that the final destructive blow to the temple was at the hands
of foreigners when in fact it was various dynasties or the monks
themselves destroyed the temples on several different occasions
throughout history.
The film presents the threat from foreigners powers with the direct
agenda of building a railroad. They were also in the business of
stealing Chinese treasures. What is clear in the movie is the
foreigner is the white man. The foreign officer and his brigade are an
amalgamation of what could be British, French or Russian, all who had
a hand in the affairs of that time. The British were mostly concerned
with trade whereas the Russians has more interest in the railroads at
that time.
At the temple in the movie, they were Buddhist monks. Shao-lin temples
were either Taoist or Buddhist and each had different lineages,
philosophies and practices. The storyline presupposes the the monks
were always trained to fight. In fact, though the Shao-lin Monastery
Stele of 728 attests to incidents in 610 and 621 when the monks
engaged in combat, it does not allude to martial training in the
monastery, or to any fighting technique in which its monks
specialized. Nor do any other sources from the Tang, Song and Yuan
periods allude to military training at the temple. It was only under
the Ming dynasty in the 8th through 15th centuries did the monks start
to train and become known for their fighting skills.
The Ch’ing dynasty, the last to rule China, was Manchurian. The Manchu
often feared the resentment and possible revolution of the Chinese
people under their rule. Historically, the warriors of the Shao-lin
temple provided the greatest threat, so in 1677 Manchurian troops
looted and burned the original temple in Honan. While Imperial
attention remained there, other Shao-lin temples continued to practice
and advance their martial arts in secret. In 1875, the army of the
Manchu Government marched on the Shao-lin Temple in Fukien with orders
to steal the treasures contained within and destroy it. Rather than
let the temple fall into the Emperor’s hands, the temple warriors
decided to burn down the temple themselves.
One man emerged from the flames to carry on the tradition of the
Shao-lin Temple. This man was known as the Grandmaster. In accordance
with tradition, only one person can carry this title. Since that time,
only three have. Each an ultimate practitioner of the art. Grandmaster
Sin Kwang The’ is the third in a linage started with the first
Grandmaster Su Kong Tai Djin at the Fukien Temple in China and then
passed down to Ie Chang Ming who later fled to Indonesia. Sin Kwang
The’ brought the art the the US and started teaching Kung Fu in
Kentucky in 1967 which later became known as Shoa-lin Do. His students
and now our our Elder Masters David & Sharon Soard, both teaching the
art for over 30 years, founded The Chinese Shoa-lin Center and its
various schools. My teacher, Sifu Dean, started his training at the
original Denver location and has trained in the art for over 16 years.
At the end of the movie, one of the children asks what will happen to
Shao-lin now that the temple is destroyed. The answer he gets is that
Shao-lin will always live in their hearts. It was a satisfying ending
that rang with a certain truth. What may be less known is how much
Shao-lin in thriving today in the US. Thanks to Grandmaster Sin Kwang
The, Elder Masters David & Sharon Soard and all of the other Elder
Masters, Masters, Sifus and their students, the art has now been
introduced to thousands of Americans over the last four decades and
continues to thrive under their direction. It’s no surprise to see the
movie and the art of Shao-lin both have strong cross-over potential to
attract an international audience. The also share the message that
discipline and focused intention bring forth strength of character and
lead you on a path to attaining inner peace, longevity and
fulfillment.
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Shaolin Action/Adventure/Drama – Rated R – Emperor Classic Films
Co., China Film Group, Huayi Brothers Media Corp., Beijing Silver Moon
Prods., Shaolin Temple Culture Communications Co. production.
(International sales: Emperor Motion Pictures, Hong Kong.) Produced by
Albert Lee, Benny Chan, Shi Yongxin. Executive producers, Han Sanping,
Wang Zhongjun, Xue Guizhi, Fu Huayang, Albert Yeung. Directed by Benny
Chan. Screenplay, Cheung Chi-kwong, Zhang Tan, Chan Kam-cheong, Wang
Qiuyu, Alan Yuen. With: Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, Jackie Chan, Fan
Bingbing, Bai Bing, Wu Jing, Yu Shaoqun, Xiong Xinxin, She Yanneng,
Shi Xiaohong, Chen Zhihui, Yu Hai, Runa Shimada. (Mandarin, English
dialogue)
Chinese Shao-lin Centers led by Elder Masters David & Sharon Soard
under Grandmaster Sin Kwang The’ (www.shao-lin.com)
Philippa Burgess is a student at the Chinese Shao-lin Center in Los Angeles
(www.shaolinla.com). This October marks her third year in the art and
this past April she tested into 1st Black, bringing her to the level
of disciple. She is also a partner at Creative Convergence Inc.
(www.creativecvg.com).
