Hey Writers, here's an idea...

As I watch the progress of the Writers strike, and read about the issues that are on the table for the writers, I came up with some great business ideas for them. I won't even ask for residuals, nor a new contract agreement. I'm going to share these just out of the kindness of my heart - because thats just the kind of person that I am!!

OK, so here it is...
a. Scripts are the basis on which tv shows and movies are made
b. Without scripts, you either have to resort to producing a reality TV show or a news program (although for the latter, it feels like they've been more scripted than anything else lately!)
c. Without scripted shows being produced, those other workers who usually work on shows are also out of work(camera operators, set designers, etc. etc.)
d. Writers have the support of directors and actors - some of the other important and necessary components to producing/creating a good show
e. All the above players are losing money during this time when there are no shows being produced/created
f. With the advent of the internet, its become extremely easy to create and post video files online - on youtube, veoh, and many other such websites
g. There are many vlogs that are extremely popular with readers, which do not need to be polished, well-produced pieces of creation.
h. Great examples can be found on afterellen.com where they have a number of video blogs that are extremely popular. Not to mention the various shows/concerts/videos posted on youtube where the following "Evolution of Dance" video is the most viewed of all time!

So after adding all the above realities together, the only solution that I see, and I'm surprised this isn't already happening - of course, only I have my mind, so perhaps you've just been waiting for my mind to come up with the idea...

The solution, drumroll please...
1. Writers create their own scripts
2. Writers work with directors and actors and produce raw shows
3. Create a website where these shows are posted for free
4. Revenue will be through online advertising


Online viewers are hungry for good material - no question about that. You are hungry for pay, so BUILD IT, AND THEY WILL COME!

The financial justification?
Advertising Revenue - (Cost of hosting a website + Cost of staff to maintain website + Cost of resources necessary to create good quality, raw basic shows) = $$$

And on the cost of resources to create the show, we're in an era where increasingly, technology is costing less and less - video cameras, sound systems, video editing software is almost painfully cheap these days. So that component should be able to be done in a very cost-effective manner.

And in this way, we might actually get to see a bit more diversity in the subject matter of the cookie-cutter shows we usually have shoved down our throats on network TV - probably products of severe restrictions and rules from producers not wanting to alienate extremely vocal societal groups; so we'll hopefully see more shows with well-developed lesbian characters and story-lines, not to mention diversity in race, gender, age, religious backgrounds and settings of these shows. So everybody wins(even the producers get to learn!!)

I'm willing to work with you to draw this up more formally (that will cost you - I'm a Consultant by trade, and have to always find ways to pay for my MBA degree!!) and even will be willing to work in a formal position in this business paradigm.

I really don't see how this can fail, in fact, even if this strike thing works out for everyone involved, especially the writers, I think this is a vision that they should work towards. Its too ripe at the moment to pass up! Competition is one of the founding principles of capitalism, and I think the reason for the AMPTP behaviour, is their belief that they have established oligopolies! Basic ECON101 will tell you that in an oligopolistic environment such as this one, in which the producers are "colluding" to restrict the profit-sharing agreements with the writers , "fair" is not a recognized word.

As an aside, am I the only one who thinks of armpit hair whenever I see the AMPTP acronym?!? I digress...

Think about this very carefully!! Then call me!! ;-)

Spin spewers! a.k.a. "News"

So I watched the Iowa caucuses a few nights ago – a really interesting experience. I see that there are some areas in our extremely advanced society where we are still not taking advantage of technologies many efficiencies! But the system seemed to work for those Iowans, surprisingly enough. I even found myself feeling that a visit to Iowa might be in order!

I do have to put in a plug for CSPAN here – what a great resource for anyone with at least basic cable! They actually had the cameras at one of the caucus locations the whole night; so we were able to see what happens at a caucus, and then what happens afterwards – with the discussion of the resolutions to move forward to the county convention. That was very inspiring to see those dedicated citizens at work - the motivating discussions on social issues that occurred without judgement – where they shared their opinions and experiences, and approved motions to move some of the resolutions forward. It was clear that there are contributions that each of us can make just by making ourselves available to more of these forums, and bringing our experience and views to the discussion. It was truly encouraging to see the event in action – I’d recommend going to CSPAN to see it again if you haven’t.

So after the election results were announced for Iowa as a whole, I decided to listen to some of the other news organizations to see what they were saying. I flipped through the local news channels, as well as the traditional news sources, such as CNN, MSNBC, and could not believe the ‘spin’ that was being spewed forth! The reported results on the democratic side were Obama, then Edwards, then Clinton at 38, 30, and 29% respectively. Note that these are rounded numbers - they didn't even report this correctly. The true numbers were 37.58% for Obama, 29.75% for Edwards, and 29.47% for Clinton(source www.iowacaucusresults.com).

The hype is that Clinton “was the loser”, and that she lost miserably – that’s what you’ll hear most of the “journalists” and “experts” “reporting” – if you’d like to use that word! There is less than a half percent difference between Clinton and Edwards, for goodness sake! There is a 9% difference between Clinton and Obama who won!! That is not a trivial difference of course, but neither is it a showstopper! It was just interesting to see them spinning something into something it was not! And not just one of them – many of them were trying to sell the same ridiculousness! It didn’t stop there. They then tried to tell us what we would do next – based on what? Their own opinions! What happened to reporting based on historical facts or current facts – with SOURCE REFERENCES?!? If you are going to put forward your own opinion for news, at least back it up with some valid references and research! Even in college, you can’t write a paper purely based on your own rhetoric, and expect to get a passing grade!

I continue to lose respect for the media; their lack of supporting their news reports with facts and real sources; their continued preference for covering highly sensational entertainement news, over well researched and relevant current events has denigrated the authenticity of their reportings. And frankly, I find myself turning less and less to the commercial news sites and channels, and relying more on more publicly funded news sources such as NPR, PBS, and of course CSPAN where I was actually able to see the event for myself!

Are others aware of the new age spinners? It just seems to have become a way of life in many respects; whether you’re watching an ad on TV, or a news report – or even if you decide to watch put your brain on pause even longer and watch a reality TV show – everyone is trying to hide reality and give you their own “spin” of reality. The TV writers are on strike, but there seems to be a lot of fiction on TV!

2008 new year seeds!

I do a thing with numbers – I’m always looking for the relationship between them; and 2008 is a special number in my analysis. It is such an interesting number; you can add/multiple/divide them all together and get the same binary digits in different ways…and still get the numbers 1 and 0. This tears down any complexity, and in the basic binary numbers, reminds me even more of the yin and the yang; the cause and effect; ebb and flow of life. The solid elements of life, inexplicably tied to the indefinite and mysterious. That is how someone with a diagnosed fatal disease could outlive a completely healthy person who was in a specific location at a specific time. We live with this mixture of ambiguity, certainty and faith day by day; and this year, the numbers seem to be reminding me of this, in case I allow myself to be overly concerned by the “sure things” of the day-to-day.

At the onset of the year, we now have a blank palette to paint all our dreams and hopes for this year. We are in the unique position to make it anything we want. Do we want to be President; to tour the world; to work towards rekindling a broken relationship – or perhaps to end an unhealthy one. It’s not as though this year is any different from the last; nor even any different from the day before that, or the days before, when we were still in the year 2007. In fact, there are lots of different starts to the year, really, so it’s not as though this is the only real opportunity for a blank palette. It’s just the most notable and most recognized occasion. When 01/01/08 rolled in, we felt as though we’d been given a new opportunity; a rebirthing; another chance.

So what is this year going to hold? What real life happenings will take us by surprise? What will we celebrate, and what will we mourn? Just as we have a blank palette on which to start splashing our brilliant yearnings; to rearrange, redress, relieve, release, or restart habits, it will also unquestionably provide some important dates on which very significant, perhaps heart wrenching, or even proud moments will take place. This is not a foretelling - I am no psychic in any regard. Call it a homegrown instinct from all my basic credits in LIFE101 – for the more advanced forecast, you’ll have to wait for my Life Thesis, which is a work in progress!

So as we look forward, with the past and present in mind, lets remember the lessons that we learned, pair those with the emotions and passions of the moment, to provide us the wings that we need to take that leap of hope and faith into the future that 2008 holds. I feel invigorated. I am lucky to enjoy a life of love; tinged, of course, with the sadness of loss, but ever so optimistic and excited about what I can make happen with the formula of my life; I wish others the same realization; and that they get to live, create, experience and share all that they allow to happen in their lives of love. It really starts with what you believe you can do.

I thank those who have contributed to my charter of life, and I am looking forward to the fruits from their “new year seeds”!

"Happy New Year"

What do people mean when they say "Happy New Year". What exactly does that involve? What are the expectations of a person with a "happy new year" Are they saving the world? Are they not depressed or saddened? Don't we really need to make sure to live and experience the time we have on this earth? Whether it is "happy" or not, isn't the whole goal to make sure to experience the love, success, failures, support, rejection, learning, curiosity, denial, and all other applicable emotions? 

I find myself choking on those words when I'm about to open my mouth and automatically, and robotic-ally chant those words! It just doesn't happen to make sense to me anymore. I want to have more meaning than that. I want to connect more than that. I want to be more truthful than that. So I really need to say that I wish that life brings you all exactly what you need to experience, and what helps you grow. I myself am searching for exactly what I'd like life to bring me, so that I can more directly seek ways to achieve and experience that.

Life - means more than we all make it mean. So the challenge is to make sure to make it the more that it is. Perhaps a concise wish would be "Have a More New Year!"