I’m putting on my company-owner hat for this post. I had a friend who recently asked about what his website should look like. Like many, he relies on outside contracts and gigs as a freelancer to make his living. So while I did suggest what it COULD look like, I prefaced my suggestion with, more importantly, the driving thought process behind it:

1st Question:
When someone is looking at hiring you, where do they go?
Answer:
Google.

2nd question:
What do they find?
Answer:
1. Anything either from your or about you that’s floating around on the internet
2. Everything YOU put up there and were deliberate about placing.

Example 1: A friend on Twitter was hired by an LA production company for some VH1 stuff because they liked what they saw of him on Twitter.

Example 2: Google my name for fun. I have almost the entire first page of Google. That’s a GOOD thing because I am in control of what people find about me.

That naturally means your content and interactions on the web say something about you. But what do they say? Are you inflammatory on the boards? Sarcastic and rude on your blog? Antagonistic on Twitter and in comments? All those things say something about how you interact with people and WILL be a determining factor in whether or not someone chooses to work with you.

Conclusion: Make sure that when someone Google’s you, they find what YOU put there, not what someone else puts up about you or for you. But that also means getting involved on forums and social media so the first thing that comes up when someone types in “Your Name” is a page full of vids, comments, blog posts, forum tags, pictures, articles, links and stuff that YOU contributed.

The level of activity is up to you. But if you’re regularly pitching your services to potential clients, get some level of activity going because we’re going to find what’s out there about you. We’re not looking for perfection, we’re looking to know everything we can about what you’re like in the flesh.

Tags: education, marketing, philosophy, tools, web

Note: I write graphically visual content in this post and some may be potentially offensive and hard to read.

I feel in a lot ways I need to say something about this. You may not agree with but I hope it at least sparks some thought.

What bothers me more than anything and also compels me to continue to make good content is people and organizations with power and ability are using it to make society and culture worse. The SAW series is one of those products. Is it highly profitable? I’m sure it is- there’s nothing like immersing yourself in fantasy. It can be video games, porn, or death. In this case the latter. But that doesn’t make it smart. And it really disgusts me.

I want to look at two stories. One really happened and the other is from the series.

I read a non-fiction book about a guy who served in Vietnam and what he dealt with and came across. One particular story that stuck with me was when the Viet Cong came through a village. They raped and killed them. But one particular woman, who was pregnant, was raped, then her baby ripped out, then the men urinated in the empty cavity…and then she died.

In SAW, a woman is suspended in the air by each limb drawn taught. Two hooks are in her chest. At the end of the scene those hooks…in slow motion, rip her ribcage from her body and she’s left there to die dripping and bleeding.

One is historical fact. A reason we go to war and fight for people who are victims of such horrendous acts. But we’re okay as a society with the movie because it’s not real. But does it actually contribute anything worthwhile to society?

I argue NO! It does not. It does not celebrate humanity, goodwill, or good thinking towards our fellow man. Just think, the filmmakers who are writing it are figuring out every way possible the rip apart, humiliate and destroy a human- both in thinking and logic as well as physical. And not just destroy, but desecration of who we are as people. That kind of thinking simply isn’t healthy. Serial killers in our day have thought that way and acted on it. But it doesn’t just stop there, we’ll pay money to watch and be entertained by it- willingly.

Psychologically, movies like this reduce what makes us human to mere amusement; a series of inter-related physiological parts that when removed from one another leave a big mess that’s fun to watch…especially in 3D.

If that’s the case, then it shouldn’t bother you when you hear about what the Nazi’s did or what happened in Rwanda, and Vietnam. It’s duplicitous to argue that it’s okay to contribute this content to society willingly but condemn the same or lesser evils that happen around us.

Tags: culture, discussion, film, philosophy, SAW

This business is about making content that people want to see. But I believe the key to all of it is relationships.

Making it Happen

When I was NAB, I’d made it a point to put relationships over exhibits I wanted to see or workshops I wanted to attend. That’s hard to do with all that gear candy. But I maintained that commitment and came away with a few simple thoughts: there are people I met or knew a little bit online that I would call and trust with my budget, vision and project. There are others that are a level deeper and will remain friends for life. Then there is the sector of people who I will never work with; I was disregarded, blown off, and otherwise ignored.

The best part of it? Those that are cool, I WANT to work with them. And even if their work isn’t as great as the other guy’s work, because they’re cool, invested in people more than product, and fun to be around; I’ll hire ‘em.

Take away? You never know what kind of vibe your sending. That vibe speaks way louder than the level or amount of work you have.

Getting it Watched

I believe relationships are at the core of the non-fiction stuff I do. If an audience can connect not just with the story, but with the character in the story then it’s accomplished. If they can walk away feeling connected to the character they’ll feel connected to the story. More often than not, the what IS the who. The story, the location, the cuts, the color, the sound; all just tools to help you reveal who the character is and keep the pacing going. But the relationship between the audience and your subject is where the connection with the content really happens.

Take Away: Connection is people to people- that’s always gonna sell more than pretty shots.

Tags: philosophy, Production