Tag Archives: independent filmmaking

Building Partnerships for Community

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“We are not lacking in the dynamic forces needed to create the future. We live immersed in a sea of energy beyond all comprehension.” ~ Thomas Berry, The Great Work 

For those who follow this blog site regularly, you know that I have been curious for some time as to “What Do Men Really like to Write About?”  Weekly, I try to get some insight into this nagging question when I sit in on the Steamboat Writers Group. www.steamboatwriters.com. 

At the beginning of the summer, a new community meet-up group for independent publishers called She Writes Steamboat was introduced. After two consecutive monthly meetings, we concluded that She Writes Steamboat does not fit the description of the group. There are men who want to be involved, too! We’ve changed the name to SHe Writes Steamboat so we will be fulfilling the needs of both genders for independent publishing support.  

On September 9th, SHe Writes Steamboat http://on.fb.me/oOWKWm   will be hosting their first major event. The President of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association, Dr. C. Daniel Miller will be arriving in town. The purpose of this blog today, is to make it clear that SHe Writes Steamboat welcomes anyone who has ever even thought “I Could Write a Book about That!” to attend. In fact, artists, illustrators, independent filmmakers and musicians are also welcomed too. 

Join us one month from today, at the Bud Werner Library www.steamboatlibrary.org  on September 9th beginning at 9:30 am. Find out more about the wonderful support that the Colorado Independent Publishers Association has available through their organization and the e-book partnership they are building with libraries. Stay for the afternoon CIPA College offerings to learn about various options in publishing and the costs involved in independent publishing. Please pre-register by going to http://bit.ly/pdUNxz. 

Building a strong affiliation with the Colorado Independent Publishers Association would be a great asset to our entire community of creatives throughoutRouttCounty. Join in!

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Communities Rediscovering Reading

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 “Literacy is at the heart of sustainable development.” ~ Kofi Annan

Recession: less disposable income. Fewer people are frequenting restaurants, bars, sporting events, malls. People are finding other ways to entertain themselves and that means rediscovering reading. The Library Research Service completed a study that determined library lending and patronage is up anywhere from 5% to 28% percent  in many Colorado communities. To read the full article, please visit http://bit.ly/ornVOf.

Here in Steamboat Springs, Colorado a brand new library facility has proven that if you provide a beautiful and welcoming community space, people will come! www.steamboatlibrary.org. It appears this trend will be reflected in other States, too. 

Yesterday, I picked up the Battenkill Business Journal www.businessvermont.com and read that the town neighboring my previous place of residence is going through the permitting process to build a new $4 library facility. That is fulfilling news to me because the town fathers have toyed around for years with what to do with an aging facility. The town of Manchester,Vermont is a gem, as is Steamboat Springs, Colorado. I personally believe that a new library facility in that town will become a valuable asset and center of community life, too. 

Readers are finding their way into libraries through portals other than walking through the  building  doors. On-line entry is becoming popular, too, as independently published e-books are starting to appear in library catalogs. Thanks to the pioneering efforts of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipabooks.com a whole new generation of books are available  through digital reading platforms. Checking a book out of the library means not even having to drive anymore.

To learn more about the basics of the  independent publishing industry and how people are e-publishing books to entertain, inspire, educate and inform, a short webinar is now available. http://bit.ly/pukeKE.

From my perspective, although digital publishing (e-book publishing) is quickly becoming a strong presence on the book-buying scene, good bookstores and libraries will never disappear. They are commodities that strong communities will and should continue to support. High rates of  reading literacy is important for a prosperous world and any way you can reach large populations of people, young and old, through the written word it is to the benefit of those who will inherit this earth.

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Studio Quality Motion Picture for 1/400th the Cost

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“Do what you do so well that they will
want to see it again and bring their friends.”
WALT DISNEY

It’s Friday! And it has been a very busy week for me. There are two upcoming events that I am planning that have taken much of my efforts this week. This blog will be short and sweet. I have some very fulfilling news on the independent film scene that I want to pass along to readers of this site. 

What do you get when you step away from traditional ways of producing a film and use unique, creative ideas starting with a well-orchestrated budget to wise use of pre and post- production crews to a ground-breaking marketing plan? 

You get a film that has had over 1,000,000 (yes, one million) viewers who are so excited about the film that they have downloaded the first 27 minutes before it even hits select theatres in January 2012. 

Why?

  • The film has won award, after award, after award at film festivals, it is as simple as that. 

Want to know more about this much sought-after independent film and learn tips from a webinar on how you too can create a studio quality motion picture for 1/400th the cost? Go to: http://vodo.net/alpfd 

For a tutorial on how some of the visual effects of the movie were created, please visit

http://bit.ly/2mPX.

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Laying Groundwork

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“Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase” ~ Martin Luther King

  • Does faith rank high in your life?
  • Do you like communicating with other Christians about their principles and values?
  • Do you have an interest in telling your own personal story of faith to others?
  • Have you considered independent publishing a book, film or music relating how faith makes your life richer and fuller?
  • Interested in Christian publishing but the time is not quite right? 

You are not alone! There is a way that you can share your Christian experience, your truth, your values and your independent perspective on Christianity in “short snippets” through a community of global Christian bloggers. 

www.Christianblog.com is a respectful and well-monitored Christian blog site that is devoted to people, like you, who have the desire to share stories, inspire and even educate others about living life through faith. The blog site, denominationally friendly, is fulfilling the need around the world for believers to have open discussion with other believers. 

For some writers, blogs become “testing grounds” and in some instances “a proving ground” for writing books. The film “Julie and Julia” is probably the most recognizable blog to book success. However, there are many other writers who have used their blogs as groundwork for writing a full-fledged book. 

All aspiring writers have to start somewhere, so begin telling your tale through www.christianblog.com. Anything is possible if you believe. Your blog may someday become a book! 

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Cookin’ Up Artistic Creativity

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“Chase your passion, not your pension” ~ Denis Waitley 

Our library, the Bud Werner Library, www.steamboatlibrary.org keeps this community of Steamboat, Colorado entertained almost weekly with a wide variety of interesting, thought provoking and sometimes just plain fun films. Many of them are independent films that have not yet hit major theatres, but are available to designated communities before hitting PBS stations. Last Wednesday evening I attended the screening of a film that had all the ingredients of: 

    • A large portion of sweetness
    • Dreams of success
    • Shattering moments of disappointment
    • Fantastic artistic creativity
    • Concoctions of phenomenal proportions 

“The Kings of Pastry ” is a documentary film about a competition inFrance that pastry chefs in many countries would give their best pizzelle pin to win! The intense stressful three day competition culminates in the “best of the best” taking home the cake of the prestigious M.O.F. Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Award (Best Craftsman of France). 

This film is a heart stopper in so many ways, and leaves viewers on the edge of their seats. The theme will resonate with anyone who pursues a creative passion in life, whether it is through culinary arts or not. To watch a trailer of this film or to order this film, please visit http://bit.ly/fVD4GN. 

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Artists Supporting Communities

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“In art the hand can never execute anything  higher than the heart can inspire.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Adele in the Garden” by Richard Schmid ’09

In just a few more days August will be upon us! This year, Old Man Winter found it hard to leave and the sun-filled summer arrived much too late, for my taste, here in the mountainous areas of Colorado. The benefit of long lasting snow did provide extra days for plein air painters to capture those last winter landscapes on canvas, however. 

Attention Artists and Art Collectors: Save the Date of September 4th for the 16th Annual Richard Schmid Fine Art Auction. This auction has been held to benefit the Rist Canyon Fire Department since 1996. Since it’s beginnings, over 1,100 paintings have been auctioned off generating a total of 1.6 million dollars. The proceeds of $600,000 have benefited the volunteer Fire Department and the art auction has created the center attraction for the Rist Canyon Mountain Festival each summer. This is the  Fire Department’s big fundraising event of the year and a great chance for collectors to acquire a new pieces of Art.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with artist Richard Schmid, he has received the John Singer Sargent Award for Life Time Achievement and also has been honored in Washington, DC by the Portrait Society of America. In the opinion of many, Richard is the finest  representational painter of our time. This year he is offering for auction his painting “Adele in Our Garden.”
Other art for auction includes portrait paintings, landscapes, western-theme art, florals, animal-themes, still life, seascapes and even a few abstracts too. For more information on this ever popular art event, visit the following links: 

 Thanks to the generosity of Artist Richard Schmid and the other participating artists, the Rist Canyon is a much safer community in which to live.  This canyon area is dry, and susceptible to fire, particularly in the heat of the summer. The Richard Schmid Art Auction does a great job in fulfilling the financial needs of keeping the Rist Canyon Fire Department operating all year long.

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Name Calling

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“Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay”  ~ Sallust

 

Have you ever looked at a person and felt that they don’t fit their name? There is something about their appearance that does not quite jive with the moniker they are given. 

A few months ago, I started a new meet-up group in town. It is a group of folks who are networking to discuss independent publishing and their projects at hand. I’ve been a member of  www.SheWrites.com for some time. When it came across my desk that starting a local chapter was possible – I decided to jump on board.  “There would be advantages in joining a nationally affiliated on-line group” I thought. I decided to vary the name just a bit to She Writes Steamboat to reflect where this community of writers and independent publishers reside. 

She Writes Steamboat just met for the second time. I have discovered that the name still does not perfectly fit. At each of our meetings, we have had male authors and independent publishers who have attended and want to be a part of the group. We have welcomed them. The intent was never to leave them out. The more people – male or female – that join in on this group, the better for all! Increased number of ideas to be considered, greater collaboration of minds, more cooperative opportunities for marketing and promotion, and a well-rounded group we will be. Let’s make sure we are fulfilling the mission of the group by fostering independent publishing success for all. 

I have tweaked the name once again to make sure the moniker more accurately fits the group! Our local chapter of www.SheWrites.com has been changed to:

 SHe Writes Steamboat.

There, that feels more harmonious already! 

Heck- if  the name still doesn’t fit, we can change it again. People are known to have many nicknames in their lifetime. Often that comes with people getting to know just who they are.

Our next meeting is Tuesday, August 16th at 4 pm at City Café at City Offices and Centennial Hall. Save the Date! I look forward to having a better balance of male and females at this next meet-up and this is a meeting you will not want to miss. I have an important announcement to make about an upcoming Event that will benefit everyone. 

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Begin the Buzz

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“Gossip is just news running ahead of itself in a red satin dress.”  ~ Liz Smith 

Have you ever noticed that we hear about movies from Hollywood, long before they hit the movie screens? Smart marketing tactics! 

Independent publishers, you can become stars too by beginning the buzz before, not after, your books arrive from the printers or before your cds and DVDs have been duplicated.

E-marketing is the very best way to get the word out in advance of the release of a product. You can begin spreading a broadcast of information, far and wide. Every independent publisher should begin creating a community of fans and followers prior to the book, music or film’s release. 

Not only that, you can begin taking pre-sales, too.  Years ago, wise early pioneers of independent publishing began accepting pre-orders by keeping advance sale lists of customers on legal pads before the product even arrived. Today’s pre-ordering can be made available on-line, through websites and shopping carts. 

Just think how satisfying it will be that once the publication arrives from the printer or from the cd/DVD duplication company, you can begin fulfilling orders immediately and ship the products right back out the door! With good planning and advance e-marketing you can begin realizing your ROI without delay! 

It’s never too early to start pollinating your market!  Need help? There are companies that specialize in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers. 

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Character Analysis

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“Everyone tries to define this thing called Character. It’s not hard. Character is doing whats right, when nobody is looking” ~Unknown

Yesterday’s blog Gardens Heaven Scent made me think back to a time some years ago when I would hold annual perennial plant swaps in my gardens in Vermont. I’d get out my best china and linen, make fancy finger foods and entertain with a beautiful garden party. I’d invite the gals over to nosh. Some would come dressed in their durable gardening clothes, and others would arrive in their floppy garden hats and finery, appropriate for a high-noon English tea.

What fun we used to have!  Ironically, many of the attendees were book enthusiasts, too. Sharing opinions and thoughts of “characters in the garden” came easily and it was all part of the fulfilling day. We’d discuss:

  • What the reaction of others was to the overall scene.
  • Which personalities had conflicts with their neighbors
  • How figures underwent change through seasons.
  • Which characters ran around spreading their seeds
  • Star performers vs. minor role players.
  • Which cast of characters maintained their uprightness no matter what
  • Weaknesses and strengths in bit players.
  • What elements contributed to the fate of individual players
  • Villains vs. heroes

Gardeners never run out of things to talk about. Swapping talk of the trade is as fulfilling as the act of gardening itself.

As I write this blog, I am about to head off to discuss another of my passions –  growing the garden of independent publishing. Our meet-up group She Writes Steamboat is helping others who want to grow books . We are having a garden party of sorts. Before I go, I’ll leave you with some food for thought. http://bit.ly/oIkV2g

A Way Around Nashville

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“If  Nashville wants to put up roadblocks, we’ll build a by-pass” ~ Alan Shephard, Sr. 

There are ways around everything in this day and age of independent publishing! Alan Shephard, Sr., has seen enough talented country western musicians to know that Nashville doesn’t have them all. This radio DJ, lyricist, light and sound man and radio co-host for WBTN  decided there needs to be other ways for gifted artists to be found. He is fulfilling that need through his newly formed Independent Country Music Association, LLC.  

Independent Country Music, LLC is helping to promote independent country western artists who have talent but need a break in getting started by setting up a database where musicians can be located, getting promotional CDs of it’s members out to other radio stations around the world and providing assistance with setting up concerts. 

All in the same spirit of how other independent publishing associations are helping writers, filmmakers, photographers, professionals and non-profits become visible in the marketplace. I support this idea! For more information on ICMA, please visit the website http://www.icmanet.com/.

Roadblocks are only roadblocks if we don’t work around them. With any independent publishing project  persistence,  courage and creativity will help you attain your goals. Alan Shephard seems to have found a helpful way to detour the traditional path.

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