How to make a webseries (or anything) happen - Quieten The Lizard Brain

the99percent.com

Seth Godin: Quieting the Lizard Brain

Bestselling author and entrepreneur Seth Godin outlines a common creative affliction: sabotaging our projects just before we show them to the world. Godin targets our "lizard brain" as the source of these primal doubts, and implores us to "thrash at the beginning" of projects so that we can ship on time and on budget.

These quotes leapt out:

SHIP ON TIME rather than being a wandering generality.

What you do for a living (even webseries creators) is SHIP. You are not creative for a living. Everyone is creative.

Why do human beings sabotage their work?
The lizard brain.
It's selfish, hungry, scared and horny.

The resistance (to finishing a project) gets worse the closer we get to shipping.

The genius part is to get the lizard brain to shut up.

"I am really careful at the start of a project... to thrash it".


FULL VIDEO AND WEBSITE HERE HERE:-



CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all posts about WRITING for webseries

CLICK HERE for all my FAVOURITE POSTS

Finally, if you'd like me to email these blog posts to you directly, just click here to try it out!

THANKS!

REMIX ISN'T THEFT - hitRECord.org - But is it a webseries?

Came across this web phenomenon, only after a few of years of trying to describe how people can collaborate on a series. It also proposes an answer to the question:
"How do you share 'points' or profits with contributors on works that are still evolving?"

-- They seem to call it The hitRECord Accord.

What is hitRECord?

HITRECORD.ORG is a project (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) started almost five years ago now, and in 2010, we evolved into a professional open collaborative production company. We create and develop art and media collaboratively here on our site. Even this introductory video is the remixed result of a great many contributions. So rather than just exhibiting and admiring each other's work as isolated individuals, we gather here to collectively work on projects together. Videos, writing, photography, music, anything -- we call them all RECords.

Now and then, when I think something we've made has come out especially well, I approach the traditional entertainment industry to turn our work into money-making productions; and then we share any profits with the contributing artists.

Are you RECording?

MORE HERE:- http://www.hitrecord.org/reel


What is hitRECord?




"Tiny Stories" Announcement



I've found one of the best ways to explain what we do here is just to show some of the "RECords" we've made together. So I've curated this small selection, many of which were recently screened at Sundance and SxSW. Now, the larger purpose of this place isn't merely to post and play the work of isolated individuals, but to collaborate as a community. So if you like what you see, check out our recently Featured RECords and Collaborations to join in and contribute to the next project.


JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT on twitter


CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all my posts on WRITING for web series

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled TIPS

CLICK HERE for my links to webseries creator RESOURCES


Finally, if you'd like me to email these blog posts to you directly, just click here to try it out!
THANKS!

Now you can have twitter writing tips that draw viewers to your #webseries

Okay, I admit it. I'm British.

Which geographically means I am uncomfortable at selling.

Which means I hate writing bold, provocative statements to drive sales.

But what I have noticed is that using the formula tweet and blog post headers below does tend to increase page views and drive traffic to the links...


So, wanted to link to these tips from http://www.copyblogger.com/10-sure-fire-headline-formulas-that-work/, if only to have one place where I could click to have some ideas for wording those tweets and blog post headlines.


1. Who Else Wants [blank]?
Who Else Wants a Great WordPress Theme?

2. The Secret of [blank]
The Secret of Successful Podcasting

3. Here is a Method That is Helping [blank] to [blank]
Here is a Method That is Helping Homeowners Save Hundreds on Insurance

4. Little Known Ways to [blank]
Little Known Ways to Save on Your Heating Bill

5. Get Rid of [problem] Once and For All
Get Rid of Your Unproductive Work Habits Once and For All

6. Here’s a Quick Way to [solve a problem]
Here’s a Quick Way to Potty Train Junior

7. Now You Can Have [something desirable] [great circumstance]
Now You Can Own a Cool Mac and Still Run Windows

8. [Do something] like [world-class example]
Speak Spanish Like a Diplomat

9. Have a [or] Build a [blank] You Can Be Proud Of
Build a Body You Can Be Proud Of

10. What Everybody Ought to Know About [blank]
What Everybody Ought to Know About ASP


Here are some more from http://www.copyblogger.com/proven-headline-formulas

1. Say it simply and directly.
No cleverness. No jokes. No wordplay.
- The Ultimate Tax Shelter

2. State the big benefit.
Transforming your major benefit into a headline.
- Get a FREE vase when you buy a dozen roses.

3. Announce exciting news.
The product or service doesn’t necessarily have to be newly created to qualify as news.
- Now program your DVR by simply speaking to the revolutionary DVR VOICE programmer.

4. Appeal to the “how-to” instinct.
The how-to must highlight the benefit or final result, not the process itself. Look at this example:
- How to make money working from home with your PC.

5. Pose a provocative question.
It must relate directly and clearly to the major benefit of the product.
- How do I know which mutual funds may be right for me?

6. Bark a command.
It’s not conversational, it’s dictatorial.
- Stop wasting money on Web design. Use InstaSite to create your own Web site in minutes.

7. Offer useful information.
What people really want is a sense of order and predictability in their lives.
- Free brochure shows you how to end your money worries for good.

8. Relay an honest, enthusiastic testimonial.
It capitalizes on the fact that people like to know what other people say.
- “It’s the first book on personal finance that really made sense to me.”

9. Authenticate your proposition with a little something extra.
Add a little something extra to your headline that seems out of place, yet rings true.
- Small Company’s New Golf Ball Flies Too Far; Could Obsolete Many Golf Courses.


And even more from here http://www.copyblogger.com/headline-swipe-file-3

1. Warning: [blank].
- Warning: Do You Recognize These 7 Early Warning Signs of Blogger Burnout?

2. How [blank] Made Me [blank].
- How Moving to Iowa Improved My Sex Life

3. Are You [blank]?
- Are You Ready to Learn Chinese for Your Next Job?

4. [Blank] Ways to [blank].
- 21 Ways to Live a Better Life With Less

5. If You’re [blank], You Can [blank].
- If You Love Scuba, You Can Dive Belize This Week Only for a Song!




CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled PUBLICITY

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled TIPS

Finally, if you'd like me to email these blog posts to you directly, just click here to try it out!
THANKS!

How do you convert a DVD file to a youtube video file? My favourite free video conversion software - Freemake

I was going to write a post about the fact that I archive stuff onto my DVD recorder. I was finding it hard looking for free converters that bounce them straight into files you can then upload to youtube...

I've put the initial trawl of free DVD conversion software below... but then I came across
http://www.freemake.com




The others listed below are good - the conversions work, but man, freemake is a dream.


The biggest problem I had was that my videos are in 16:9 widescreen FHA (Full Height Anamorphic).

This means the video files are regular TV aspect ratio 4:3, which means the video files were being kept and ripped as 4:3 files.

Freemake has an option to stretch to any size.
So I just take my "DVD quality 720x576" file, and convert it to 1024x576, making sure to check the "adjustment" setting to "Stretch".

It also allows you to edit your video into chunks, so you can cut off VT countdown clocks, or edit out segments before saving. And you can save at the same resolution, or convert to another size.

All the free conversion software seems to do this to greater or lesser degrees -- this one was just really easy to use.

Freemake Video Converter 2.1 from Freemake

And because I just wanted to know how to rip DVD to youtube videos, I've not even touched the other input and output formats it converts to...
(Output to AVI, WMV, MP4, MKV, FLV, SWF, 3GP, MP3 Rip DVD movie to AVI, WMV, MP4, MPEG, MKV, FLV, SWF, 3GP. Convert video to Flash and embed it directly to your web page. Convert video and audio files to MP3. Convert Free to iPod, iPhone, iPad, PSP, PS3, Android)


---

Here are the other converters I downloaded and tried...



MPEG streamclip
http://www.squared5.com/




Handbrake
http://handbrake.fr/




Quick Media Converter
http://www.cocoonsoftware.com


CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all my webseries production links

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled TIPS

CLICK HERE for all my posts which link to useful resources for web series creators




Finally, if you'd like me to email these blog posts to you directly, just click here to try it out!

THANKS!

How social media can make your webseries happen

Being the mayor of Whole Foods on Foursquare isn't going to make your
idea happen

Finding a new community, one filled with people who are already doing
what you want to be doing, will push you to accomplish it yourself.
But only if you jump in.

Think of your community as collaborators - not an audience.

Celebrate every person who celebrates you.

Don’t focus on the monetary aspect of a project too early - build your
brand and community because you love it, and success will find you.

MORE HERE:
It's Not About "Engagement": Using Social Media To Make Ideas Happen


CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled PUBLICITY

CLICK HERE for all tips for web series creators


Finally, if you'd like me to email these blog posts to you directly for free, just click here to try it out! THANKS!

Why free webseries will be successful? - Favourite Posts: Chris Anderson and Freeconomics

This is the last of my reposting some of my favourite webseries posts this month...

------
(Original "Chris Anderson: why free works" - post here)


Been meaning to link to this for ages - under the
Recommended Reading
label.



From wired.com:-

Once a marketing gimmick, free has emerged as a full-fledged economy. Offering free music proved successful for Radiohead, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and a swarm of other bands on MySpace that grasped the audience-building merits of zero. The fastest-growing parts of the gaming industry are ad-supported casual games online and free-to-try massively multiplayer online games. Virtually everything Google does is free to consumers, from Gmail to Picasa to GOOG-411.

The rise of "freeconomics" is being driven by the underlying technologies that power the Web. Just as Moore's law dictates that a unit of processing power halves in price every 18 months, the price of bandwidth and storage is dropping even faster. Which is to say, the trend lines that determine the cost of doing business online all point the same way: to zero.

MORE HERE:-
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/16-03/ff_free


Free! Why $0.00 is the Future of Business




CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all posts on web series FUNDING

CLICK HERE for all my FAVOURITE POSTS for webseries writers and creators


Finally, if you'd like me to email these blog posts to you directly, just click here to try it out! THANKS!

HOW TO ENGINEER MOVIE HITS - by Malcolm Gladwell - from my favourite posts

Reposting my favourite things through August - here's another - awesome video.

------
(Original "So Predictable" How to engineer a movie hit - post here)




From The New Yorker:-

Malcolm Gladwell talks about success in the film industry and engineering hits. From the 2006 New Yorker Festival.

LINK HERE:-
http://www.newyorker.com/online/video/2006/10/09/predictable

Gladwell covers Dear Frankie, the Death of Diana, The Interpreter, and nobody knowing what constitutes the sublime.
And a great summary here from The Krieger Group:-

Several years ago, Malcolm Gladwell gave an interesting talk for The New Yorker Festival in which he reported on a group of researchers who had developed algorithms to predict whether a script could be developed into a hit movie. The researchers used a technique called neural networks to predict, based upon elements of the script, if the movie would be a box office smash. In fact, the researchers were able to predict the profitability of a movie accurately 6 out of 9 times, even before the director or cast was chosen. In several cases they were within several million dollars. Now 6 out of 9 may not seem great, but Hollywood’s record is poor; successfully predicting gross revenues on only 1/3 of their movies (after all, if they did not think it was going to be profitable they would make the film, unless its Woody Allen).

MORE HERE:-
http://thekriegergroup.com/blog/?p=18

Treat yourself to the books - All profits help keep StoryGas running.





CLICK HERE for all my essential info for WEB SERIES WRITERS AND PRODUCERS

CLICK HERE for all my favourite WEBSERIES LINKS

CLICK HERE for all my TIPS FOR WEBSERIES CREATORS


And finally, click here if you'd like to get these BY EMAIL - you can unsubscribe at any time

How to find names for your webseries characters - RANDOM NAME GENERATORS

Another re-post of a favourite, as I trawl through the storygas archives through August - How can you quickly trawl as many surnames as possible, or just generate character names for free?


------
(Original "Random Name Generator" post here)



This is more of a writing resource for myself.

You'll either find the next four columns extremely useful, or a complete waste of screen space.

Either way, they will be permanently linked with all the other WRITING RESOURCES in the sidebar down the right hand side. Suppose they could also work as first names, Christian names, or company names too. Over 1300 below.

Or, for another 300 names, try the 'last name generator' here:
http://www.geocities.com/simthingd2/surnames.html

Lister Hawkins Warren Matthews Hogarth Knight Atkins Celliee Muller Ahmad Dukes Gerard Fuller Bradley Smeeton Boatman Cripps Mathias Pearce Galloway Townshend Harry Jones Mills Mapes Moore Fraser Delamarre MacIntyre More Lawall Oxley Ferris Warn O'Donoghue Charnock Salisbury Nisbet Kinder Barden Cobley Miles Moorcroft McMaster Mayor Hankins Hosey Bushnell Sky Coker Ducon Duvall Cortes Pigott Pett Bosher Cunneen Rodden Gilfillan Casson Malton Gledhill Leahy Palfrey Tedd Guilbert Foston Balderstone Moult Layden Thornhill Glacken Allkins Sommerton Corran Blinman Ludick Heighway Ellam Trennery Noach Reid Springer Blondel Gartside Wiglet Paddock Powney Radnor Keighley Donagher Garraghan Beacon Elling Cockayne Nettleton Lingham Ferwinckle Candlin Ainslie O'Gorman Braidwood Filbey Bass Meryick Hammond Lotaris Collier Deadman Champion Breaknell Muxworthy Hayes Dodkin Gascoine McMiven Farre Poultney Murkin Hardin Cramman Liston Meehan Stitchener Crafter Kettlewell Wearing Logg Huntly Deny McDwing West Chang Emmons McManus Trail Whatford Broadbent Cherriman Cole Hopkin Morrison Metson Christie Chadwick Joseph Bailey Goodman Clegg Nichols Brann Beaumont Sopocko Lockley Pillay Utton Hardacre Petticrew Rand Deehan Eddison Kanane Kilroy Templeton Keynes Darwin Elliot Rutherford Seekings Tolmay Street Burns Mapp Hartfield Wenham Chatters Moreton Bridge Jewell McWilliam Pidgeon Renwick Mollard Hamblett Oram McCormack Snelson Swales Lanaway Whitehall Drohan Hare Haydon Layland Gorham Chudley Ross Darby Gallagher Schleeter Gordon Pointon Jason Burke Stockham Whitby Smale Saylan Jeffs Fitzgerald Kerry Mayer Clohesy Magraw Costello Pyatt Hields Betchworth Sergeant Dumont Heath Hayman Meltham Seenan Bibby Johnstone Chirchfield Martin Burnand Sami Cooley Simmons Murray Huckle Laver Dale WHetton Cherry Wardleworth Paige Lowman Hawcroft Kirkby Chin Bubbles Pledger Brannon Baines Craigen Dermott Campion Lee Thom Thorman Denton Linn Dodds Bellars Courtney-Evans Parslow O’Connor Michel Kacy Ewin Collyer Bellis Goodyear Dearman Godden Kellie Tonge Barker Jerome Amstead Wagstaff Jowitt Witchell Binfield Hoff Barrass Treanor Duff Tytler Hallsworth Hindle Churne Cromwell Oates Bank Henderson Cavanagh Haylett Lancashire Buckenham Braddick Lumsden MacKlam Travill BcGonagall Stafford Stockton Warde Rosenbloom Jury Samuel Caddick Turnell Sugden Blunden Seager Falsh MacKey Stead Duffin Soukal Marriott Chalcroft Malas Staniland Reay Ashley Humprey Trotman Mynott McCook McLoughlin Portrey Hazelton Rands Gillen Lack Clapham Dyball Hastings Dewey

Crossthwaite Arnall Emberey Mabe Sweeney Kouma Glend Thirwall Hargreaves Ashdown Abrams Shearer Jacques Wakeham Ferraby Lockyer Cliff Burfitt Ewart Shelling Sharma Silverstein Norbury Hunter Bobinson Sproston Gibbond Wynne Holgate Harby English Cragg Molloy Grayson Wallcraft Hiddleston Hamblin Cuellar Goldenfield Ellison Darlington Hadiman Stroud Ulyatt Mopp Taggart Lightfoot Doleman Fennelly Carsley Anness Lyth Faber Stennett Bentley Bunston Keal McCord Ruddin Leeson Elliman Gowers Medforth Hollins Pitcher Sargent Holroyd Dent Bosson Corry Svenson Alldridge Bruce Barlow Elliott Holyland Ganivet Rosey Feehan Rodd Cotterell Albutt Neill Michagan Shaye Bourne Probert Messan Burtle Kilnan Trent Keery D’Arcy Cann Corthorn Willey Modgill Cadwallader Cottingham Elstone McCade Huetson Heffernan Goode Wain Munro Hillyard Goble Tompson Traynor Marras Cormack Barwell Selway Picot Bolden Topley Smaith Sefton Airey Harken Armsden McGreger Kingdon Kore McKelvie Clack Paines Sellwood Banks Knowler Elwood Howes Margitson Eales Wheatley Rattigan Flower Lynskey Fenton Mennell Upfield Fogg Corbishley Waite Whiting Hambleton Garton Knighton McBean McGoff McAree Britnell Full Shea McGuffie Studd Perrott Hailwood Welham Bannigan Furlong Blackburn Fielder Lippeatt Skillin Houston Tweddle Barth McGinley Cordel Ring Dyer Mussellwhite Varndell Stolliday Fothergill Will Dornan Razey Stinson Sulley Tyler Mundy Benham Conroy Lahert Sopp Monson Kennedy Carleton Lace Swan Mulholland Abey Southam Trafford Bullers McDade Pym Chong Dibble Pyle Conlan Littlejohns Bowles Coop Everitt Toal Malley Sharrocks Shiston Busby Waddell Vale Fitchett Berry Aleman Hook Aucott Pilkington Collard Staron Haney Bebbington O’Driscoll Harris Catlow Dakin Henville Hussain Hewson Breen Costigan Adler Innes Acock Frazier Connelly Brackstone Penter Tennant Gardson Seller Kanber Smullen Cork Downton Band Fulker Haughey Rogers Pendleton Castleton Wallbridge Bowden Tang Crook Tobin Nayler Nicoll Skerritt Pinfield Todd Fordham Catterall Dummett Bole Underwood Hallam Healy Heathcote Dewy Higham Pandey McBennett Hinds Forde Dancer MacRae Hainey Beggs Curt Myall McCormack Cotter Stoker Silva Overfield Reid Twist Sturney Beeby Whale Burr Ainsworth Seemley Loomes Wares Buttall Crozier Toomey Bridden Oaks Asom Guest Axell Apsey Bayy Howitt Redin Pankhurst Pearson May Buttle Luckett Gilbertson Hastilow Balke Brune Bonham Alcroft Bloom Couldwell Prince Yapp Dopson Bolster Goldsmith Willcox Gooding Pringle Murrell Manton MacLaren Maddocks Ryan Chalmers Wharram Cottle Brushette

Corris Ebbs Malyan Abaraham Dollard Herd McCairns Laybourn Smith Wayman Mogg Bollard Hoods Denney Alsop Morgan Barrass Sells Naysmith Greensmith Fosse MacDonnell Bartholomew Kapoor Vaughan Lavery Corne Bradford Stainton Saxton Weller Cawley Jaffray Gallon Wilkinson Sills Passingham Hynds Bergeron Stockley Kanes Clements Armitage Orrell Said Topp Roddam Harl Copeland Schofield Stott Bestwick Marwood Sedgley Trollope Pleece Lohan Rook Beedle Doolin Stewart Bryant McCready Keith Tipping Hertey Allcock Carling Horsefield Descol Keeling Hove Griffith Meal Shears Jukes Hunts Aser McCaw Leal Wiley Khan Stanway Kearsley Kearney Watkin Luxford Handforth Binks Haunch Renna McNeill Abrahams Saville Dunkley Bellman Hassani Holledge Delamere Rollinson Luft Hayre Handford Buntain Purdey lipp Berkely Tufnall Manher Gover Myddleton Wales McGlasson Rosslington Dawe Purcell Muhammad Andrews Cravey Crisp Sween Leonard Shedden Britton Inglefield Gondal Halley Carey Landing Tolhurst Short Giles Markey Shalaby Fryer Griams Burridge Nevis Tate Ashurst Hanger Torin Britt Auberton Grange Timmer Predergast Kershaw Peet Emberson Bosman Wilmore Banyard Senior Howard Bowie Faherty Froy Ritson Brett Wears Coyle Crabb Render Brattle Redfern Cusworth Hedley Woodhams Durrant Napier Duke Burdett Millet Lewin Mardall Brook Lange Driver Tant Hatherall Griffin Symmons Banton Hilbourne Blakey Ronflard Mess Casselden Burgess Wainwright Storror Blackmore Robotham Banning Hobbs Farrant Bingham Royle Danes Gillbanks Gaffin Robin Ottley Thelwell Freebody Tarbuck Doyle Hester Mawson Sears Tosh Hodgkins Sillars Dwyer Lunness Bicker Burtin Banford Schirru Russer Scannell Venables Haynes Jobson Loxton Martel Cristy Hennessey Belmont Michael Waters Cambell Nood Goatley Salou Broom Kelk Whittall Merchant Paine Aylward Harbour Pridmore Scud Dermody Steed Nutt Procter Werner Cadge Moss McNaught Maudsley Coulthard Brace Ansell Bristowe Bridgman Carter Coburn Leslie Greeman Heward Smalley Coen Oldfield Coupland Eastaway Holcroft Dallas Graley Briden Knights Loughran Seer Daley Spruce Davids Matts Illing Lambert Roach Lass Stoppard McGillivray Swingler Pollock Orman Gardener Stanfield O’Boyle Blakeley McAllan Barber Wishart Evrard Reisser Geeson Holloway Ledwith Gruffudd Sharratt Mustang Seago Parkins Ellingham Hinman Altham McClory Hustwith Enright Salthouse Kyle Corcoran Bedlington Macfarlane Peat Alam Vickers Spinks Whiles Barfield Gidley Picken Bretherton Garwood Worth Rafferty Bartlett Mennie Rathmell Crompton Deane Bostridge Bean

Worburton Peel Solliss Wakes Paisley Turke Winlow Deighton Wiseman Heritage Gonzalez Georgeson Ottey Rampton Ashe Tatnell Gresham Fenwick Pollett Cogman Hiscocks Blagg Jennison Challoner Endroe Gard Westen Brown Reed Cubitt Crosthwaite Lynham Leese Pendell Suggur Pomphrey Hinch Capper Pole Bains Anley Boatman Goss Dolman Herron McElroy Bruwin Bathard Bellamey Hemin Thompson Ellis Gott Falconer Flintstone Horricks Lowe Mansell Horridge Elliston Vine Woodhall Wynn Chisholm Bunker MacPhee Ashwell Jerry Akingson Beeman Rothwell Chowdrey Lazenbury Millsom Cribb Geoffroy Salmond Chappell Killeen Kinsey Drewry Whitley Crowbar Millar Burg Baskin Towler Mathieson Miller Meacock Hundleby Randall Clelland Tullett Rutter Devine Eglin Crutchley Crampton Woodrow Kydd Edon Storer Bryen Cornell Willetts Garland Le Tissier Tinklin Downier Hasson Crockford Etherington Wall Yeoman Elphick Toseland Wicks Coughlan Caswell Carlsson Sellars Poulton Gladwin Maginnis McMenemy Giblin Arter Floss Bowditch Parratt Cerveaux Torrol Malcolmson Millward Ingles Pallister Johns Witts Marlin Syverson Fallis Ricard Aspey Wolfe McIlwrath Sapsworth Roberton Griggs Plumpton Hayles Blaxley Whomsley Everson Benton Epton Wilkshire Calkin Gaskell Milns Lapham Peigne Brandon Tunks Dempster Hopton Conyers Matheson Travis Bowen Devery Sanders Garbutt Gallagher Prentice Cullingworth Terrell Bramald Charlwood Norwood Tonner Medlam Cothier Borill Conte Nevins Halliday Fiederling Hart Surgenor Weeks Grubb Churchley Althoff Vardy Keeley Rodham Bradman Ware McGlone Bickle Dorman Emerick Leaves Scullion Richer Bannon Kaur Statter Lonton Sala Reynolds Beddows Plumb Bonnet Danett Keelan Kumar Colegrave McGinn Hepden Mallender Caulfield Cunnington Glassey James Borel Yule Merrett Aikman Handrie Barry Galert Kipling Leishman Poulsen Crane Boardman Swann French Sheldon Asher Pincombe Skeggs Jems Binney Foran McGrevey Steedman Gresswell Nickolls Doone Clifford Devonport Furnell Best Sladdin Stokell Lewington Haycock Aves Proser Stockwell Rudd McMillen Garratty Maynard Applegate Summerfield Bellingham Whalley Redding Finbow Foden Capel Pooke Budd Tushingham Collier Billingsley Clover Nicolson Holloran Metcalfe Lale Cumpson Sturman Dingwall Constantine Lincoln Stutton Wardman McGurran Cockram McCabe Fagon MacKereth Durant Avery Walkden Emmerson Shurmer Banwell Downs Spratt Russ Loftus Lowen Wythe Martin Olley Hellewell Truswell Tyne Cuffe Curry Bloggs Nelms Thonon Shariff McGlary Knowles Allardyce Durber Mortimer Rolinson Riley Smiths Edley

(HTML code for splitting this blogger post into 4 columns found here)
- don't know why that big gap appears above the lists though...

Technogeekboy said...
Generator Land also has a lot of tools for writers inluding name and character generators, town name generators, plot generators, etc.

http://www.generatorland.com

CLICK HERE for all my TIPS for webseries writers

Click here for all my posts on writing


And finally... if you found this post useful, and you'd like me to email these blog posts to you directly, just click here to try it out.

THANKS to everyone who has subscribed so far, by clicking the box below!

HOW TO BE CREATIVE by Hugh McLeod - My favourite posts

Sorry if you have seen these posts before, but I'm reposting my favourite storygas links through August - because these are the ones I like the most (Plus, they seem to have disappeared from search engines after I lost my www.storygas.com URL)

----
(Original How To Be Creative post here)



An end of year gift.

My favourite page on the Internet.

HOW TO BE CREATIVE by Hugh MacLeod.

So you want to be more creative, in art, in business, whatever. Here are some tips that have worked for me over the years:

1. Ignore everybody.
2. The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be yours.
3. Put the hours in.
4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being "discovered" by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.
5. You are responsible for your own experience.

6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.
7. Keep your day job.
8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.
9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.
10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.

11. Don't try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.
12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.
13. Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside.
14. Dying young is overrated.
15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.

16. The world is changing.
17. Merit can be bought. Passion can't.
18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.
19. Sing in your own voice.
20. The choice of media is irrelevant.

21. Selling out is harder than it looks.
22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.
23. Worrying about "Commercial vs. Artistic" is a complete waste of time.
24. Don't worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.
25. You have to find your own schtick.

26. Write from the heart.
27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.
28. Power is never given. Power is taken.
29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.
30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.

31. Remain frugal.
32. Allow your work to age with you.
33. Being Poor Sucks.
34. Beware of turning hobbies into jobs.
35. Savor obscurity while it lasts.

36. Start blogging.
37. Meaning Scales, People Don't.
38. When your dreams become reality, they are no longer your dreams.

MORE (A LOT MORE) HERE:-
http://gapingvoid.com/ie/

HUGH MACLEOD'S SITE HERE:-
http://www.gapingvoid.com/

HUGH MACLEOD ON TWITTER

HUGH MACLEOD ON FACEBOOK



Click here for all my FAVOURITE POSTS

Click here for all my essential posts for webseries creators

Click here for all my links to TIPS FOR WEB SERIES CREATORS


Click here to get my posts by email
- THANKS for subscribing!

Favourite posts: Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long-Blog - Joss Whedon's Online Comedy Musical...

Spending August revisiting some of my favourite posts and web series.

This one isn't a webseries - it was a one-off web event - which, in itself is an interesting take on how to use online release to create a buzz and possibly a community around your project?

---
(Original post here)



From wikipedia:-

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is a 43-minute musical film, initially produced exclusively for Internet distribution. It tells the story of Dr. Horrible, the aspiring supervillain alter ego of Billy; Captain Hammer, his nemesis; and Penny, their mutual love interest.

The movie was written by writer/director Joss Whedon, his brothers Zack Whedon (a television writer) and Jed Whedon (a composer), and Jed's fiancée, actress Maurissa Tancharoen. The writing team penned the musical during the WGA writers' strike. The idea was to create something small and inexpensive, yet professionally done, in a way that would circumvent the issues that were being protested during the strike. On October 31, 2008, Time Magazine named it #15 in Time's Top 50 Inventions of 2008.

MORE HERE:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Horrible%27s_Sing-Along_Blog




So... What's it about, and why is it special?

From NewTeeVee:-

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Joss Whedon’s web series, is a bold experiment in online distribution — the series will be available for free for just one week before becoming available on DVD and possibly download — but it’s also damn entertaining.

The tale of an aspiring supervillain told mostly in song, this WGA strike-spurred project treads an odd line between the professional and the amateur, making full use of Whedon’s considerable resources while still carrying a whiff of we-don’t-need-no-stinking-permits filmmaking. The end result is kinetic and inspired, while still bearing the trademark wit and pathos of a Whedon project.

MORE HERE:-
http://station.newteevee.com/2008/07/11/dr-horrible-preview-whedon-rocks-the-blog/

MORE ARTICLES HERE:-
http://www.drhorrible.com/press.html

SHOW HOME PAGE HERE:-
http://www.drhorrible.com/

OFFICIAL FAN SITE HERE:-
http://doctorhorrible.net/

From doctorhorrible youtube channel:

The story of a low-rent super-villain, the hero who keeps beating him up, and the cute girl from the laundromat he's too shy to talk to.

Starring Neil Patrick Harris as Dr. Horrible, Nathan Fillion as Captain Hammer, Felicia Day as Penny, and a cast of dozens!

AND HERE'S A SONG:-




CLICK HERE for all my favourite links to web series

CLICK HERE for all my webseries MUSIC links

CLICK HERE if you need to see some more webseries 'you must see'

Lost creator JJ Abrams on How To Write For Mystery Shows - #webseries

Reposting this because it has disappeared from my blog search in my great storygas URL loss of '11

Original post here

----

Huge thanks to http://www.twitter.com/toodlepip of Chinwag.com for putting me on to this.

It's been up since January 2008, - but this isn't a news site, just a collection of useful cool stuff for web series writers, producers, and fans.

J.J. Abrams traces his love for the unseen mystery –- a passion that’s evident in his films and TV shows, including Cloverfield, Lost, Alias and the new Star Trek -- back to its magical beginnings.

From TED.com:-

So the amazing thing was, we were able to do this thing. And part of that was the amazing availability of technology, knowing we could do anything. I mean, we could never have done that. We might have been able to write it; we wouldn't have been able to depict it like we did. And so part of the amazing thing for me is in the creative process, technology is, like, mind-blowingly inspiring to me. I realize that that blank page is a magic box. You know? It needs to be filled with something fantastic.

MORE HERE:-
http://www.ted.com/talks/j_j_abrams_mystery_box.html

AUDIO AS MP3 TO DESKTOP:-
http://www.ted.com/talks/download/audio/125/talk/205

HERE'S ONE FINAL INSPIRING EXTRACT:-

The most incredible sort of mystery, I think, is now the question of what comes next. Because it is now democratized. So now, the creation of media is -- it's everywhere. The stuff that I was lucky and begging for to get when I was a kid is now ubiquitous.

And so, there's an amazing sense of opportunity out there. And when I think of the filmmakers who exist out there now who would have been silenced, you know -- who have been silenced in the past -- it's a very exciting thing.

I used to say in classes and, you know, lectures and stuff, that -- to someone who wants to write, "Go! Write! Do your thing." It's free, you know, you don't need permission to go write. But now I can say, "Go make your movie!"

There's nothing stopping you from going out there and getting the technology. You can lease, rent, buy stuff off the shelf that is either as good, or just as good, as the stuff that's being used by the, you know, quote unquote "legit people."

No community is best served when only the elite have control. And I feel like this is an amazing opportunity to see what else is out there.

And here's one of the videos J.J. Abrams plays in his presentation: car chased by a plane on the road.





CLICK HERE for all posts labelled Mystery

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all my FAVOURITE storygas POSTS

CLICK HERE for all my posts on writing for webseries

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled TIPS

CLICK HERE for all links to web series


Finally, if you'd like me to email these blog posts to you directly, just click here to try it out!
THANKS!

Webseries Storytelling - The Ludic Marker (Letting your fans know its a web series?)

Via the awesomeWebSeries Today
Great blog post on this very specific aspect of online storytelling, written by Tom Liljeholm

The uncanny valley of Transmedia Storytelling

The ludic marker was a way to inform participants that they were taking part of something fictional. There were three main ways to create a ludic marker;

•The popup disclaimer, leaving websites themselves intact and ‘unharmed’ by the not-so-seamless conducts.

•The constant marker, putting a symbol, logo or other common denominator on all pages and content, making sure that when participants understood that they were in fact playing a game, they would not have to doubt weather or not new content was a part of the experience or not.

•The spectacular setting, where the story was simply so unbelievable that it had to be obvious that it was not real.

I have seen a growing trend of making transmedia experiences ‘seamless’. A lot of people seem to think that immersion can only be achieved when people actually think that a story is real. I am here to tell you why you are wrong and why that is bad.

MORE HERE:- http://tea4twoentertainment.tumblr.com/post/6520633671/the-uncanny-valley-of-transmedia-storytelling

Tom Liljeholm on TWITTER @tomliljeholm

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all posts about WRITING for web series

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled TIPS


Finally, if you'd like me to email these blog posts to you directly, just click here to try it out! THANKS!

Augmented Reality - AR at the Sheffield Childrens Media Conference 2011 #tcmc

AUGMENTED REALITY
Combining live video feeds (eg webcam) with computer code to generate the AR.

Got some great links to examples of Augmented Reality at the Sheffield Children's Media Conference 2011 #tcmc...

AUGMENTED PLANET BLOG
http://www.augmentedplanet.com


@scottboxx on Augmented Reality: "Dont bother doing an AR app without including a save, send or share option"- Here are some links he put us on to:



Zooburst - 3D books you hold and turn
(StoryGas blogpost here)
http://www.zooburst.com



GI Joe Dojo - video yourself fighting
www.gijoedojo.com




Word Lens - LIVE text translation through your cameraphone
www.questvisual.com

Introducing Word Lens




CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled KIDS

CLICK HERE for all links to RESOURCES for web series creators

CLICK HERE for all my British webseries posts and links


Finally if you'd like me to send these blog posts directly to you from my email just click here to try it out.

Having regular readers really helps me keep going in pulling these links together on a regular basis. Thanks for signing up!

comedysale​.com - Is this a UK based web comedy series? #webseries

While we're all wondering how to monetise web content... have a look at how Sanderson Jones is web-contenting his monetised live event.

Maybe we could technically look at this as a form of web series?

It's a blur between the brand and the content - the idea is the content.

FROM www.comedysale.com

Hello I’m Sanderson Jones, and this is the first step in my mission to personally sell all the tickets to a massive gig in October. The idea started at the Edinburgh Fringe festival last year, when I sold tickets to my own stand up show on the street. Having once been a door-to-door salesman in the South of France (considerably less like a porn film than you’d think), chatting to festival goers enjoying themselves in the sun was a cinch and, even better, was playing to a crowd of folk I’d met before.

Doing gigs where I’d personally begged/persuaded the vast majority of the audience to come, crossed some weird boundary of intimacy (not weird like that). Clearly mystical juju takes place when the balance of power is altered, like a million souls crying out at once. As the festival continued a few thoughts coalesced into this idea (creativity in action!): if I could sell that many tickets to 25 shows, wouldn’t it be even more ridiculous to sell all the tickets to one big show?

Yes. Yes it would.

MORE HERE:- www.comedysale.com

ComedySale.Com: An Introduction



This is me explaining ComedySale.Com. It's part-website, part-mission as I try to personally sell all 500 tickets to a one off stand up show (performed by me) at the Union Chapel. I have to personally sell all the tickets: no internet sales, no venue sales, no phone sales.

Sanderson Jones on TWITTER @comedysale

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled PUBLICITY

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled TIPS

CLICK HERE for all my links to tips for webseries creators trying to raise cash for their web series

CLICK HERE for all my links to BRITISH web series


Finally - fancy getting these blog posts sent to you directly from me by email? If you do, just click here to try it out! THANKS to EVERYONE who has signed up - It really helps me keep going with writing these!

MUVIZU - Free 3D animation program for non artists/animators

Came across this at the Sheffield Children's Media Conference 2011 #tcmc...



FREE download software that allows anyone(!) to make their own 3D CG cartoon.

http://www.muvizu.com

Can't animate? Won't animate? No problem
- Make animated clips in minutes, or maybe hours, but definitely not months
- Post directly to YouTube from within the app
- Make characters lip-sync to your dialogue tracks

We set out to create software, free for non-commercial use, that would allow anyone with decent hardware to create 3D animated videos. They wouldn't need expensive software and they wouldn't have to spend a few years in college learning animation - and then take further courses in modelling and rigging.

Direct, don't animate
Upload dialogue and direct your actors' performances. Just tell them: "Give me anger", "Give me joy", "Give me fear". With Muvizu 3D, you're in the chair.

Muvizu 3D has thousands of blocks and props to scale and customise. Upload your images and video to incorporate into the scene.

Muvizu Trailer




Tutorial 02: Muvizu basics




Tutorial 06: Creating characters




GHOST HOUSE (made with Muvizu)

Ghost House Ep1: The Phantom Premise (Muvizu/Unreal Engine 3 Machinima)




Ghost House EP 7: Red Ring of Death




CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all my HOW-TO posts

CLICK HERE for all my links to RESOURCES for webseries creators

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled PRODUCTION

CLICK HERE for all posts about animated web series


Finally, if you'd like me to email these blog posts to you directly, just click here to try it out!
THANKS!

On how to write a hit song... how does it apply to writing a hit web series?

Saw this article by Helienne Lindvall in the Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/jul/14/how-to-write-a-hit-song

This might be wrong, but a few key sentences leapt out.

"Most people don't realise that, even for successful writers, the good-v-great ratio is low: Guy Chambers (songwriter behind Robbie Williams's best-loved anthems) has written more than 1,000 songs in the last 15 years..."

So that's 1000 songs in 15 years.

= 66 songs per year.

= 5.5 songs per month.

= about 4-6 minutes of polished material per week.


The music writing process is different, but not light years away from writing screenplay.

So maybe we should go a little easier on ourselves about the quantities we generate each week?

"...most writers would agree it's necessary to write non-hits to get to the nuggets. As with athletes, it's important to exercise the writing muscle."

You might also like this set of Ira Glass videos I linked to way back when.


CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled UK

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled TIPS

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled MUSIC

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled WRITING


And... if you'd like me to email these webseries production blog posts to you directly for free just click here to try it out!
THANKS

Sheffield Childrens Media Conference 2011 #tcmc - Great links for Apps

Here are some useful links that came up at the Sheffield Children's Media Conference 2011 #tcmc...

CHILDREN'S APPS - INNOVATION SHOWCASE: A Tale of Three Apps
3 examples of small companies doing it for themselves, and getting their apps/content out there directly rather than via broadcaster. Or being commissioned by the broadcaster to build the app.



Charles Kriel on Twitter
A Bear Ate All The Brussels Sprouts, Handmade Mother Goose, Pigment's Play Pen



NOSYCROW on twitter

Nosy Crow: The 3-D Three Little Pigs iPad app






TAG GAMES
Doctor Who App

Doctor Who - The Mazes of Time





CLICK HERE for all posts on ANIMATION

CLICK HERE for all posts about FUNDING

CLICK HERE for all my Childrens webseries links

CLICK HERE for all British webseries links

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled TIPS


Finally, if you like these posts, I send them out for free by email just click here to try it out. THANKS!

The Secret History of Social Networking - podcast - PART 1

Came across this great piece of radio - a documentary that covers pretty much the complete history of social media by Rory Cellan Jones - and it's available for download as a podcast here:


CLICK HERE TO PLAY PART ONE - HIPPIES AND HACKERS
(OR TO DOWNLOAD - Right click and "save target as" or "download linked file as")


Or, if you're on the storygas blog page now, just hit the play button on the player below:





(And Man, working out how to embed podcasts on blogger was HARD - found a clue and some code HERE)





CLICK HERE for the Secret History of Social Networking facebook page here for some behind the scenes photos

RORY CELLAN JONES on twitter


CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled HISTORY of web series

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled UK

CLICK HERE for all posts labelled industry

Why FREE works? A Case Study - Sita Sings The Blues

I'm posting this again -- partly because its one of the most useful articles I've watched on the issue of making money from eyeballs vs. scarcity, and mostly because it is one of the articles that has disappeared from the 'search this blog' box at the top of this blog...
(My original post is here...)



Came across this awesome article by Michael Masnick on techdirt:-

"Earlier this year, we wrote about the ridiculous situation that Nina Paley faced in trying to release an amazing film, Sita Sings the Blues.

Basically, some copyright holders of the music used in the film put positively insane terms on the use of their music. This made no sense, considering that the music (from the 1920s) was mostly unlistened to these days -- and the only thing the movie would likely do is increase demand for people to get legitimate versions of the music.

Eventually, Paley worked out a plan to release the film under a Creative Commons license and put in place a business model like the ones we've talked about for years: give away the infinite, sell the scarce.

And apparently, it's working. Pistol points us to a talk that Nina Paley just gave revealing some of the results. You can see the video here (it's a bit over 20 minutes):"

MORE HERE:-
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090824/1723375986.shtml


DIY DAYS PHL NINA PALEY TALK VIDEO HERE



"SITA SINGS THE BLUES Distribution Project Report
If it's free, how do you make money?? 5 months after the Creative Commons Share Alike release of her animated musical feature Sita Sings the Blues, Nina Paley presents the first round of hard data from the project.

Contrary to MPAA propaganda, the more the audience freely shares the film, the more they purchase DVDs, theater admissions, and merchandise; witness the $$ numbers that prove it. Nina Paley is the creator of the animated musical feature film Sita Sings the Blues, which has screened in over 150 film festivals and won over 30 international awards including the Annecy Grand Crystal, The IFFLA Grand Jury Prize, and a Gotham Award.

Her adventures in our broken copyright system led her to Copyleft her film, and join QuestionCopyright.org as Artist-in-Residence."

"SITA SINGS THE BLUES" SHOW HOME SITE HERE:-
www.sitasingstheblues.com

"SITA SINGS THE BLUES" YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/user/drakar7002


Sita Sings the Blues Part 1 / 10




I think Nina Paley's comments are fascinating.
The content is free.
"Containers are not free... And that's what we're selling."

So they earn money from... Donations, Merchandise, and Broadcasting.

Containers related to the content.
NOT from the content itself.

"The more people who get to see the film... the more they will want to buy the film-related stuff."


(Plus, I have never come across the term "Copyleft" before).


CLICK HERE for all posts labelled RECOMMENDED READING
http://storygas.blogspot.com/search/label/Recommended%20Reading