Game on: In it to Win it

This is Day 38 of my '100 Days of LinkedIn', which is 100 posts on content creation and the movie business. First I post it here, then I post it there. Call me crazy. 

If you haven't read my post about how the structure of a good movie is similar to that of a good business and maybe even a good life - you may want to start here.

Right now, we'll take a look at the TURNING POINT, which usually occurs within the first 20-30 pages/minutes of a movie - and how this might relate to what you're up to.

By page 30: The Turning Point - our hero (you) is thrust into the NEW WORLD. 

Pretend for a moment that you're working your hapless job under the fluorescent lights of another eternity. When suddenly your co-worker Jack hands you the legendary BELVEDERE LEADS. These leads, it has been said, can only lead to more sales and untold riches.

The catch?

They cost $10k. But the ROI on that promises to be so much more. We're talking happiness. 

The other catch?

You're broke. Barely paying rent. The only thing of real value you have is your Mother's diamond ring she left you just as she passed away from cancer. A shitty death. 

So after much debate, you sell the ring. You get the money. You get the leads. And now...

You have entered the New World. Everything is set for you to go on your journey and grab the golden ring...

If only it were that simple.

Some of us never sell that ring (which in itself might propel it's own journey). Or move away from the ordinary world. Take the chance. 

So sad. 

Go make your business your life and your life a movie. It can be done. 

SXSW 2017: Microcasting your Way to Success

I've spent a good part of the last two weeks watching the Olympics. It's been a terrific study in how to reach millions of people: high drama, great production values, lots of various platforms.

But what about the person who has a huge idea but a small budget? How do they get  heard?

Lately, I've been giving a fair amount of thought to this and a concept I'll call Microcasting. Too many people measure success by audience size, views and retweets, but what if you took a different approach and delivered your content to just your most passionate audience, however small? Kevin Kelly says you need only 1,000 True Fans to be successful, so what if your strategy was less about ‘broadcast' and more about ‘microcast' to tap into your niche audience to effect change? 

To that end, I was lucky enough to be invited to be part of a potential panel for SXSW with Hanson Hosein, Gillian Sheldon, and Liv Faris to discuss just this. Our session is called Microcast: The Future of Fan Engagement, and will outline a step-by-step approach to real ROI for brands and causes, and discuss actionable ways of making a powerful impact even with shrinking budgets and ever-changing algorithms. Our belief is that by thinking about the ‘small game’, you can really set yourself apart on the path to true audience engagement and growth.

Want to help get us into SXSW?  Give us an upvote at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/67954

Even if you don't have access to Michael Phelps before he leaps into the history books again - you can make a big difference here. Thanks for your time. 

3825.5 Miles of Good Road

As some you may know, I just got back from a journey with Jim Pidgeon and Diego Castello working on a documentary about The Power of Dreams. The documentary features Forrest Fenn, who 6 years ago hid a treasure in the rockies worth 2 million dollars to get people off their couches and 'out into the world'.

His philosophy is simple: push the edges. 

Hearing him talk about that - hearing how he pushed the edges throughout his life - was an amazing experience. An experience that explores the fine lines between curiosity, obsession, and lunacy.

Making a movie, writing a book, singing a new song - this is lunacy. You are risking it all and putting it out there. You are exploring and pushing on the corners of your own big world. 

For me, this isn't always easy. I love the routine. The easier path. The tried and true. Certainty. 

But certainty is our greatest illusion. And creativity our greatest truth. 

What am I searching for? That point of contact between horizon and the road you are standing on. 

What do you think? Tell me your dreams. 

#FindtheHour Launch Party

Some of you may know that I have started a #FindtheHour movement - currently a movement of one. What this movement is about:

• Finding the ONE hour a day to work on what makes you happy. For me, it's writing. For you, it might be photography, or painting, or learning about real estate, or.....
• What is foundational to this pursuit is this question: What would you be doing in life if you had no financial/family/work obligations? Like, if you won the lottery and were smart about it. Whatever the answer to that question is, is what you should be doing for that hour. 
• One hour sounds so easy, doesn't it? It's a heck of a lot harder than I imagined. The first day I almost broke - but it's gotten (a bit) easier as I've gained some momentum. 
• "I'll start tomorrow" are the words that kill passion and creativity. Now is the time. 

How to get started:

• Pick a time of day that works best for you.  My time is 9:00 - 10:00 at night. But this means I have to look at my weeks carefully to know when I have events or dinners, etc. Then I have to plan accordingly. On those days, I try to knock it out first thing in the AM (for many people, this is a great way to get the day started and will become their default). But I'm still experimenting. 
• Let anyone who is going to be affected by this new mission (husband, girlfriend, etc) know what's up and get their buy-in. This is critical. And let them know about the progress you're making along the way so they can get excited too. 
• Be diligent. When the hour hits, you have to turn off the email, sit down, and DO THE WORK. Nothing gets in the way. Nothing. 
• Download this cool calendar, where you can mark off your daily progress. This was inspired by Jerry Seinfeld, who forced himself to #FindtheHour and write comedy everyday. Thanks Jerry. 
• Have some fun. This isn't a chore. This is you. If you break the streak, so what? Just start again. 

So do you want to commit to do this with me?  The first person who comments below - and who is in - will get some #FindtheHour swag and some other coolness down the line. I'll also be posting at least 3-4 times a week letting you know how to make it easier - and will look to you for ideas as well. Let's make it happen. 

Don't Break the Chain - Let's Get a Streak Going. 

What the Weekends Are For

What's nice about the weekends? So many things. 

A chance to regroup. Reset. Reconnect with family, friends. Take a pause. Reflect. 

And damn straight, put on your dancing shoes. 

But it's also a great time to look at the week ahead and make dates with yourself. 1 hour time blocks each day where you can #FindTheHour and focus solely on the work that matters to  you. 

If you schedule it now, today, you have something to aspire to. 

Every Sunday night at 5:00 I've got an alarm that goes off reminding me of this. It's some of the most important work I do all week. 

                            My current streak. Squares represent Days I've missed.  Oh well. Get back on the horse. 

Want to let me buy you coffee? Email me. 

What Happens When it Breaks

I made it 15 days doing #FindTheHour before I broke. 15 days of finding that ONE HOUR in my day where I could work on what I'm most passionate about (for me, it's writing, for you....?). The result of that 15 days is I'm 25 pages into a script. 

A stack of pretty good pages (not perfect, never perfect) that wouldn't exist otherwise. 

But what happened the 16th day? Life interrupted. Surprises happened at work. Family jumped in, . And sometimes you just have to embrace that. Savor it. And make that your hour's mission. 

The way back?

Start again. Reset. Get back on the horse that threw ya. 

Find The Hour. So much harder than it sounds. But once you gain momentum....

Tell me how it's going?

The Importance of Plan B

George Clooney has a great story. He was moving out to LA and his dad asks him, "Great, but if things don't work out, what's your Plan B?"

To which he replied "I don't have a Plan B. If I did, I'd fall back on it."

When you're the world's most handsome man - this is great advice. For most of the rest of us, a PLAN B is often the real dream we're looking for. 

PLAN A = Your Day Job. Maybe you like it, maybe you don't. 

PLAN B = Your true passion. This is what you'd be doing if you somehow didn't have all those other obligations you've managed to wrap yourself in. 

That's what #FindTheHour is all about (#FTH). It's the beginning, a first step, in the transformation. Making your PLAN B, the thrill of your life, your bread and butter. 

For me - it's about getting paid to write more. Yeah, I do okay  now, but there is more to be had. 

So for 14 days now, I've kept the streak alive of #FTH. The results?  I'll get to that in tomorrow's post. Let's just say it's a start. And a heck of a lot more if I hadn't begun #FTH in the first place. 

Let me buy you coffee.

Why #FindTheHour can Change Your Life

Day 13 of #FindtheHour

There is one great way  to look back 3 months from now and say:

"I made that"

or...

"I did this."

The secret is Starting - which really isn't much of a secret at all. But it can be hard for us mere mortals, and there's lots of excuses, and we all invent ways to avoid doing the work. 

But imagine if you did the work...

That's what #FindTheHour is all about. It's reframing the day so you can work on the One Thing that makes you the most excited. That you've dreamed of doing. 

So that 3 months from now, you have something to show for it. And maybe that something is the first act of a play, or a painting, or you've finally learned about something you always wanted to learn about. It's not about creating content so much as it is about being who you are. 

One hour a day is a lot. Especially once you start stringing some of these days together. It's not for the faint of heart. It's tough as hell when 9:00 at night rolls around and you haven't taken the time. 

But 3 months from now, even 3 hours from now, you may find yourself loving it. I am. 

Let me buy you a cup of coffee. 

#FindTheHour

#FindtheHour - DAY ONE

My FIND THE HOUR project almost collapsed on Day One. 

I had an hour scheduled in the afternoon  to write - but work caught fire and I had to focus on that instead. So then this slipped to later in the day, then later, then later... until I had to jam the hour in right before dinner. But the temptation was to blow it off and 'start tomorrow'.

'Start tomorrow' may be the two deadliest words in the artist's vocabulary. 

I got it done though. The streak has started. But here's what you need to know:

• The hour is most likely an early AM thing or late PM thing. I almost blew it right out of the gates. 
• You should let everyone know your goal - especially if you have family. If they know you need your hour, that this is really important to you, they'll help you part the clouds.  Don't keep it a secret. 
• Sit down and do it. 'Starting Tomorrow' just cannot be an option. 

Instead, proceed as if success is inevitable. 

#findthehour

Finding the One Hour for Your Best Work

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Scriptnotes, and August and Mazin were talking about the fact that if you work one hour a day on your script, you're doing better than most professional screenwriters. 

This blew my mind, because, hell, one hour?  How hard can it be?

For most of us, damn hard. If you're human (I'll make the assumption), chances are you've got work, family, errands, bills, pets, exercise, meals, more work, and the lizard brain that just wants to watch reruns of DEADWOOD.   

But I'm on a mission, starting tomorrow, to #findthehour. 

I'm going to be logging how many days I can to do this in a row. For me it's going to about writing. Maybe for you, it's going to be about drawing, or photography or....?

But #findthehour. Make it THE priority. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 

Let's see how it goes. 

The Books Hemingway Thought I Should Read

I got this list from a great source - BrainPickings. You should check it for a treasure trove of info and writing and dreaming.

He also said that Huckleberry Finn is the best book ever written by an American author. So Twain does indeed get his props. 

We all have to write. Whether you're an accountant or a filmmaker, in the digital age you'll be sending emails/texts/poems out to someone. How strong that skill is will in large part determine how far and wide you go. If you think you're a poor writer, nothing else will happen. 

So practice. And start reading the greats. 

Want to get coffee?  I'm buying. 

Is My Work Good Enough Isn't the Question

The question is:  am I good enough?

Have I done the work and the thinking?

Or am I rushing to hit a word count (short answer: yes)?

It's interesting to me about how we all talk about engagement, while also jumping on automation (robots) to do the work. To schedule our thoughts. To push it out there while we do something else. 

Engagement is being there. That's something I indeed need to work on. Good content will follow. 

Want to get coffee?  I'm buying. 

Were You Bowie's First Fan?

It starts with one fan. When you get intimidated by how you might make your mark on the world, remember that. Keep creating, practice gratitude, and things just may line up one fan after the other for you, in ways you never imagined. Just ask David Bowie, who wrote back to his first US fan in 1967 with the following - a spot on tribute to what personal connection and dreaming big might get you. One word: Amaze-balls. 

Letter:

PITT

25th., September 1967

Dear Sandra, 

When I called in this, my manager's office, a few moments ago I was handed my very first American fan letter - and it was from you. I was so pleased that I had to sit down and type an immediate reply, even though Ken is shouting at me to get on with a script he badly needs. That can wiat (wi-at? That's a new English word which means wait).

I've been waiting for some reaction to the album from American listeners. There were reviews in Billboard and Cash Box, but they were by professional critics and they rarely reflect the opinions of the public. The critics were very flattering however. They even liked the single "Love You Till Tuesday". I've got a copy of the American album and they've printed the picture a little yellow. I'm really not that blond. I think the picture on the back is more 'me'. Hope you like those enclosed.

In answer to your questions, my real name is David Jones and I don't have to tell you why I changed it. "Nobody's going to make a monkey out of you" said my manager. My birthday is January 8th and I guess I'm 5'10". There is a Fan Club here in England, but if things go well in the States then we'll have one there I suppose. It's a little early to even think about it. 

I hope one day to get to America. My manager tells me lots about it as he has been there many times with other acts he manages. I was watching an old film on TV the other night called "No Down Payment" a great film, but rather depressing if it is a true reflection of The American Way Of Life. However, shortly after that they showed a documentary about Robert Frost the American poet, filmed mainly at his home in Vermont, and that evened the score. I am sure that that is nearer the real America. I made my first movie last week. Just a fifteen minutes short, but it gave me some good experience for a full length deal I have starting in January. 

Thankyou for being so kind as to write to me and do please write again and let me know some more about yourself.

Yours sincerely,

(Signed, 'David Bowie')

View fullsize

(Source: Sandra Dodd;)

RIP David. You are one of a kind. 

Want to get coffee?  I'm buying. 

The Value of Things

What value do you place on the things around you?

I love this story that reportedly the best salesman in the world answered to Johnny Carson.

While the salesman was a guest on the show Johnny said, "I understand you sold more than any other salesman this year at your firm. How about you sell me something." 

The salesman said, "what would you want me to sell you?"

"I don't know, how about this ashtray." Johnny answered. 

"Why would I sell you that ashtray?" the salesman replied. 

"Well, it is a useful thing to have around, a lot of our guests use it, and it also matches the desk." Johnny answered.

The salesman asked, "How much do you think that ashtray is worth?"

"I don't know maybe $199" Johnny replied.

"Tell you what. You can have it for $50."

Want to get coffee?  I'm buying. 

What I learned from The Detectorists

There is most certainly the unbearable lightness of being. That moment when beauty and sorrow intersect into the sublime. It happens when we are paying attention, when we listen, when we dig deep into something. 

It doesn’t happen when we choose to be lost in things that matter least. Which is where we all live. 

That’s why I love The Detectorists. It’s languid and often hard to understand, a bit of magic that moves like a bubble through a pint glass. A look into what love and life is, mostly all of us searching. 

You have to be quiet when you watch this. And awake. It’s a strange mix that lands squarely - and expands into the depth of certainty and meaning: Treasures all around us. 

Beautiful writing and acting and directing and…. everything. You’re left thinking, why can’t I do this?  And you can.  

#Netflix. It just paid for itself again. In spades.

Want to get coffee?  I'm buying.