I write a blog on social networking, online gaming, viral video, ARGs, etc. Just about anything related to web2.0 for advertisers and marketers. In my research I came across an interesting site that Beanywood users might like. It's called Storylink. It's kind of a Facebook for screenwriters. That may sound a bit minute for some but from my research and insight I can tell you that social networks will become more and more niche as time goes by. Take Beanywood as a great example. Who would think that there was enough of a film community in Boston to have it's own social network?!
If anyone is interested in my blog, you can join up or just read it here: http://thedurwinreport.ning.com
I watched all four of the new shows onDemand under Network Shows. Now for the reviews: Bionic Woman - I grew up in the 70s so I have a certain amount of nostalgia for this show and I'm a big Battlestar Galactica fan with a slight crush in Katee Sackhoff, but none of that could save the pilot for me. The avting was stiff, the dialogue and direction weak. Like all good sci-fi shows, it will probably need a season or two in order to get its bearings but knowing the networks' knee jerk reactions to ratings I give this one only one season. Life - Damian Lewis is the reason I gave this show a shot. I'm glad I did! While the plot isn't new, the character quarks and the conspiracy side story make it worth revisiting. If the show doesn't take quarky too far, this is sure to be a hit. Journeyman - Another show that attracted me with it's lead, this twist on Quantim Leap has a strong shot out of the gate thanks to supurbly directed drama and the strength of Rome's Kevin McKidd. Chuck - What can I say? Boy accidently downloads government secrets and gets an ass-kicking hottis to guard him. Sounds like a hit to me! But seriously, fun writing, cute, funny cast will suck in alot of 20-somethings to this show. I'm betting 3 seasons until the hottis and the geek hook up and the show begins it's decline. A really funny three seasons!
When I view the credits at the end of your movies I'm impressed on the number of people working on the film. One thing I wonder about though is the sound crew. Are they really necessary? From the perpective of a rabid movie watcher it seems like they've been severely underutilized. I recently watched the Robin Williams, Toni Collete film Night Listener. A good movie by all accounts. I enjoyed watching it. I did not, however, enjoy listening to it.
Because I'm a bit of a multimedia geek, I have my tuner plugged into an amp powering a set of Cambridge Soundworks speakers and a pair of 80's Bose home theater speakers as well as using my built in tv speakers.
This set up means I can control my tv speakers with one remote and have another for my stereo system. During the Night Listener I found my self on the couch playing Wyatt Earp. I had a control in each hand. I had to increase the volume to hear dialogue and decrease it every time excitable music or a loud truck came on the screen.
This isn't the first instance of this I've run into. I could complain for days that network commercials and station IDs are considerably louder than their shows. I'm in marketing, I know why they do it. I also understand that networks can control volume levels in commercials and their own station IDs but not in the movies they broadcast. These films are in the hands of the producers just as DVDs and OnDemand features are.
Why then must I double fist all of the movies I watch? I know that directors and producers want to make an impact with loud noises to create a more dynamic movie. I get it. But does their need to be such a contrast between quiet moments and action sequences? In a Die Hard movie, it's all loud. I can make one adjustment and enjoy the movie. But try watching a drama with some dynamics... it goes from whisper to nuclear blast.
Not only am I in advertising but I'm also a motion graphics artist and animator as well as a long time musician. I understand audio dynamics. I understand dynamics in a story. I understand that using audio or music in particular to enhance scenes is important. What I don't understand is why it has to be SO dynamic.
I've been looking online for a compressor that will work with my setup to reduce the level jumps. I wish I didn't have to spend hundreds of additional dollars on top of my cable, pay-per-view and DVD costs to be able to enjoy a movie in my home. So, Hollywood, could you either stop editing sound like a bad stock chart or send me a compressor?
Thanks,
Avid Movie Watcher
p.s. If you want to hear it done right, try some movies from the 90s and previous.
Andrew Keen was interviewed in today’s Metro Boston discussing who Web2.0 was ruining the Internet and culture in general. He states in his new book “The Cult of Amateur: How Today’s Internet is Killing Our Culture”: “millions of millions of exuberant monkeys … are creating an endless digital forest of mediocrity,”
Original link: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2007/200706/20070611/article_319089.htm
Keen rips apart user-generated content as a threat to existing cultural standards saying that anyone with a keyboard and a camera or a microphone can make their own news, movies or music and disseminate it on the web. The crux of his stand is that this is disintermediating Hollywood, news outlets, record labels, etc. He further states; “My fear is that if Web 2.0 continues it’s sort of idealistic rampage through mainstream media, we’re going to be left with nothing but this level playing field, and professional media is going to be undermined.” Wow!
What Keen is missing is that the cause behind the surge in user-generated media is the basic law of supply and demand. If the demand did not exist, the supply would dwindle. Why are there so few horse-drawn wagon repair shops? Because something better came along that people wanted: cars. The public constantly complains that today’s films and music, for the most part, suck. That’s not to say that there aren’t great movies and CDs being made. What is true is that many are jammed together, lowest-common-denominator targeted rehashing packaged for mass consumption. There wouldn’t be a half-dozen independent film channels if the public was happy with the available cinema. Certainly the latest Shrek or Fantastic Four has it’s audience (me for one), and a large one at that. But the public is fragmenting by choice. They are no longer willing to accept what they are force fed and are looking elsewhere for entertainment that touches them on a deeper level. I heard recently, so it may not be true, that most movies lose money. This is most likely due to the enormous operating costs of the studio, actors, special effects, directors, marketing, etc. Yet a little movie like the Blair Witch Project, made for $60,000, made over $29 million in it’s opening weekend. This was filmed with a small crew and limited cast, virtually no special effects, unless you count flashlights, and was marketed on the web by it’s writer and director. Blair Witch 2 was made for $15 million and made only $13 million it’s opening weekend. This one was made by a major production company. By the way, the original gets an 8 out of 10 stars rating while the major studio version got only 2 out of 10 stars.
There is a serious movement to abandon network news and news paper outlets in favor of consumer-generated news, blogs or the BBC. Many feel that due to their focus on the bottom line, network news agencies are focusing more on local drama or celebrity gossip than international news. As a musician, you don’t want me to get started on what record labels have been pushing. Keen says “I think record lables historically have found and polished marvelous talent.” Is he kidding?! Does he listen to the schlock on the radio? Are the Britney’s of the world really marvelous talent? Let’s not forget the Paris Hilton CD. This is typical of record company offerings. You don’t get very many White Stripes, Tools or Dave Mathews. Whether you like bands like this or not, they are quality musicians, writing quality music and releasing quality CDs. Not pre-packaged tarts with a crew of 50 year-old songwriters and mixing board gurus that represents a majority of record company releases. What he additionally fails to mention is the financial structire of record companies. Most bands don’t even make money from their CDs, the record companies keep it. Most must rely on ticket and t-shirt sales.
I agree with Jack Myers in his appreciation of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (see original article at the link at bottom). It seems that broadcasters are so hungry for a show that targets the entire population that it overlooks shows that can attract a smaller, intelligent viewership. With that idealit’s no wonder that almost every show on is so watered down, politically correct and intent on being unoffending that they don’t strongly appeal to anyone. I remember heated debates about Martin Sheen’s Presidential decisions on West Wing as if he was really the President (I wish). I highly doubt that Deal or No Deal, America’s Got Talent or 30 Rock inspire such thought. The fact that a show can attract an audience that rarely watches tv is amazing. Has NBC considered that they just tapped into a new revenue stream? Maybe they should take a lesson from their own show and load up on a few reality shows aimed at the masses to counter a couplle of smart, contemporary dramas. I guess they could even play it safe and broadcast Law and Order: The TV Studio.
Of course NBC is concerend about costs, but apparently they never heard the phrase "You Get What You Pay For". It's very inexpensive to hire a bunch of hack writers, hire a bunch of wanna be actors and actresses mostly for their looks, throw up some MDF and lights for a set. But wht do you end up with? Las Vegas? Please. NBC seemed like the smart network, Medium, Heroes, ER (in it's heyday), Earl, the Office, etc. Quality acting, writing and ultimately, quality shows.
I feel similarly about HBO. Where once they had Rome, the Sopranos, Deadwood, Carnivale, Entourage, now they just keep replaying the old good stuff and put out new shows like John from Cincinnati and Flight of the Conchords? I can't even go back to Showtime since the pulled Huff out from under me.
I think that film makers are in a unique position to influence networks. I'd like to see a few financers backing new series distributed through YouTube, Joost or iTunes. I think pretty quickly they'll find advertisers and start a scramble among the networks similar to what Hollywood went through in the early 70s.
I just saw a preview for the new movie Vacancy. Kate Beckinsale is in it so of course I’ll see it, when it comes to OnDemand. The trailer was interesting enough, mostly because Kate Beckinsale was in it, but I was most intrigued by a bit of text at the end of the trailer under the In Theaters…
The text gave a number: 1-888-VACANCY. So of course, being the marketing/tech geek that I am, I ran to my phone to give the number a call. 1-888-982-2262(9) for those who can’t stand dialing by letter. The extra 9 is moot, but necessary to spell the title. First, the number flashed so fast that I thought it said 1-800.. I got the Alliance Data Help Desk. Obviously the wrong place. I rewound my DVR and saw that it was 1-888. I called. Nothing. I just got a ring then a disconnect. I tried several times with the same result.
I did try again the next night (just a few minutes ago) and finally got through. There is a very creepy message with a few options; 0 for operator, 1 to hear specials and 2 to make reservations. The operator was a bad voice mail, 1 talked about slashing prices and 2 asked me to leave a number and hit pound for them to get back to me.
So first things first. When you run a commercial with a phone number attached for more information, make sure the number works and the system can handle the estimated amount of calls you expect. Even the people who sell Chia Pet know that. Next, make it worth my while! If I, as a consumer, are willing to make the effort and take on the expense of chewing up my minutes to interact with your marketing, make sure I’m going to get something out of it. A chance to have dinner with Kate Beckinsale would be a nice start, but even a chance to sign up for advanced screenings or unlock special features on the web site.
This promotion reminds me of the one American Express ran with Lost. They gave a special URL to a landing page with esupposedly exclusive content. Wrong! To begin with, once you hit the site it said nothing would be available until the next day. Great way to lose 75% of your audience. Then, when the content was available, it wasn’t exclusive, at least not to the show. It was merely clips from that episode. You could get that on ABC.com any time you wanted, or YouTube for that matter.
In all I think it’s great that companies are trying to take advantage of new media and new strategies online. But, when they do run a promotion like this, the only way it is going to be effective is if something engaging is going to be offered and for promotions like this that have the potential to reach millions, make sure it works!
