Absolute Steve

The Day Disco Died

The Day Disco Died wasn't December 30th 1979, no it was this past week beginning with the death of Donna Summers and continuing on with the passing of Robin Gibb founding member of the Bee Gee's.

Both Donna Summers and the Beegee's were the Voice behind Disco.  Donna Summers music from Love to Love you Baby to other sexually charged numbers heated up the dance floor for a decade as did the hugely successful Beegee's who's famous work on the Saturday Night Fever sound track expanded theiraudience base to world fandom.

When talking about bankable brands these two artists were truly the shooting stars of their time.  I personally spent many an hour dancing to these two individuals vocals pulsating over the dance floor throughout the late 70' to early 80's.  I still enjoy indulging  my Disco music need from time to time on such great online outlets as lastfm. 

If Donna Summers was the Queen of Disco the Bee Gee's were the Kings.  These artists not only sold millions of albums but they also brought happiness to millions of peoples lives.   To this day their music continues to bring a smile to ones face when heard over the radio or movie sound track.

A lot can be learned from these two musical brands that can be applied to any company wishing to improve their brand name.  The biggest lesson is being in the right place at the right time.  Both artists came to fame during the Disco Era.  There star factor was birthed in a very short period of time and lasted only so long then the window went away.  To be sure both went on to make more music but never would they ever reach the stardom they did during this short slice in time.

Which bring me to this: some brands have a short life span while others live for much longer.  Think of all the so called giants of yesteryear who are all but a bi-word:  Myspace is an example of a short lived Brand who is still plugging away much like a has been  pop star eeking out a living playing the tribal casino circuit. 

I for one will continue to enjoy the works of Donna Summers and Robin Gibbs, something I strongly doubt will be said for many of today's pop artists whose machine made music lacks the heart and soul found in the works of these two artists.  

Speaking of heart and soul that is what is lacking in too many of today's companies.  Unlike heritage brands many of today's companies are not even designed to last for more than a decade.   I believe the key to creating a long lasting brand will be done by companies with a heart and soul.

Here's to two great artists may they both rest in peace.

Acting is Hard

For those of you who have been following me, you know I have been in the process of creating a TV Pilot.  Well I just got off the phone with director and he had some sad news for me. The last shot isn't usable.   Ouch that means an all day's worth of shooting and dozens of hours worth of practicing my lines all for nothing. Well not for nothing it is a learning experience one I have had to go through.

I have had to face the fact that acting is hard and anyone who tells you otherwise has never tried their hand at acting.  There is a reason top star's make so much money, because they can pull it off better than the rest.  They are dependable and reliable and they LOOK NATURAL on camera and that's the trick.  In filming you must act unnatural in order to look natural.  What you would normally do while having a conversation isn't what you get to do behind the lens when you are being shot.  In a normal setting you don't have a dozen or more people around you watching and instructing and filming you while you do the take a couple dozen times.  Those who hold up under the pressure are the actors who go on to make a living at what they do or not.

Most actors do it for the love of doing it, much like a musician or artist they are inwardly compelled to do it.  Most never make a living at it but they do it anyway.  As a first time actor I can attest that it is very stressful.  I have spoken with fellow actors and some can't do line acting but do just fine with ad libbing.  While others prefer hitting their marks and memorizing lines. 

The ability to memorize vast amounts of dialog and then repeating it in front of an audience and getting it right is a very difficult proposition.  That's why there are acting schools and school plays where you learn to do this stuff at an early stage in life.  Some actors on the other hand are able to come in at a later date and seem to pick it right up.  I don't know about these people, but I have nothing but admiration for anyone who can pull it off especially at a late stage in life.

So what does this mean for the project?   We are going to make the most of what we have done.  Who knows where we can go with it but at least I am further along in my growth stage than I was a year and a half ago and so is everyone else involved with the project.  I also understand why so many projects never really get off the ground or once they are completed  go no where, its very difficult making something worth while.

What does this have to do with marketing?  Well as I was talking to a new business owner marketing is something you have to do over and over again before you see results from your efforts.  The one time TV commercial or one month radio run or web run isn't enough to build traction.  Nope you have to create a plan and then work it track it and adjust it.  You get better as you do it more just like acting or creating a TV show.  It takes lots of mistakes and learning as you figure out what works and doesn't work.  That's the name of the game in acting, film making, song writing and marketing.  The best in all these categories have stumbled a lot along the way yet they keep going always learning from there mistakes and getting better as they grow.

How To Make a TV Show, The final segment has been shot!

Well I am able to bring you an update on my How to Make  TV Show series.  This past Saturday we wrapped shooting for the last of our segments.  We spent all day Sunday in a very small room crammed with people and lighting as we worked through the 5 minutes or so of material.  What I think should take an hour or so usually takes many hours and some tense times.

As much as I have my lines down I still get side tracked and have to repeat my lines numerous times until I get it right.  Then it's on to the second set of camera positions until we get them down then its on to the third set of camera positions and so fourth until my Producer and Director feel good about what has been done then and only then are we done for the day.

Speaking of Producer and Director we may work as a collaborative but when it comes to getting the shoot right they are in charge and I am no longer a collaborative but a tool in their hands which they need to operate correctly so they get what they want to have happen come off.  Its only after I am done for the day is the tension gone and we can once again speak as equals.  Don't think for a moment that actors of any stripe unless they are also the producer or Director of any said show are treated any different they are just tools to be used much like the lights and camera just much more capable of screwing up things.  The other members who assist are also cogs in the machine called a production crew.  Everyone has role and they need to do their very best or we have to do it again until it's right. 

Next stage is spending time inside the studio doing post production begins.  This is where we began inserting all the images which will be used to back up what the characters will be speaking about throughout the show along with any voice over work for best sounding delivery per various portions of the show. 

Music - I will meet with a friend in about a week or so to begin work on the Theme Song.  He is a great artist who wants a crack at working with us.  I look forward to work with him.

I also know we have a few establishing shots which our Director of Photography will need to shoot, fortunately they will be stills with no one in them but the setting where each segment is to be located.  

There is so much that goes into creating a 22 min TV show - hundreds of hours just for a half hour worth of entertainment.    That's why a big budget movie costs tens of millions of dollars.  Watch the screen credits at the end of the next movie you view and you will see over a hundred names scroll by.  Watch the end of your favorite TV show and witness how many names are listed 30 plus for most.  Everyone gets paid so you can see it is not a cheap proposition to produce a 22 min show much less a 120 minute movie.

A big thanks to all the On Site Crew who have made this possible, you know who you are and will all get credit where credit is due.  To the remainder of the team, see you in the studio!

Recycling Hits

Have you ever wondered why so many artists recreate and put out a newer version of an old hit movie, play or song?  One music group will get a home run single from the original song only to have it picked up later and re-played by 1, 2, 3 or more bands.

In the movies we see Scooby Doo a 70’s cartoon recreated into a hit live action movie. Or Mission Impossible a 60’s TV show turned into a hit movie franchise.  What about such songs as Pretty Women put out by Roy Orbison then recreated into a hit by Van Halen?  Think of the retelling of Annie get Your Gun and hundreds of other examples.

Why is this done and why are so many of the newer version hits as well?

Because good art is good art and once it has a proven track record you can update it and use it again.  The things that made the original great are still there to become a hit again.  Of course there are disappointments such as the retelling of Planet of The Apes. I for one vote the original heads above all others.  The reason?  The premise of the original Apes movie was totally unexpected and the ending nailed you between the eyes.  Any other version misses this altogether thus misses out on the original premise and focuses on making the apes look more real and less about the origianl impactful story line of the original.

Bottom line hits are bankable to those who hold the purse strings as in studios and investors.  When it comes to creating entertainment the bottom line is the bottom line, and that’s one reason we see such things happening.  The second reason and less well known is many artists be they, movie producers or musicians enjoy the challenge of retelling an old story in a fresh way.

Regardless of the reason, I for one have enjoyed seeing or listening to older hits transformed into new movies and music hits. 

Long live the retelling of an old story in a new way.

The Monkees a Brand Minus One

The Monkees a Brand minus one

The passing of Davey Jones member of the iconic music group The Monkees have brought a lot of Monkees fans out of the woodwork.  Why?  Because the Monkees Tv show and subsequent music was a moment in history that made quite an impact in the lives and hearts of Baby Boomers.  The Tv show was short lived compared to many others,  but thanks to syndication and the continual airplay of their music the Monkees have continued to live on for decades long after they parted company as an official group.

What isn't said is how each member coped with life after the group parted ways.   From what Ihave read, each member went on to lead a very productive life apart from their Monkees days.   I believe DavyJones was the only member who continued to perform as a musical artist where the rest went onto various other jobs.

The Monkees were a TV Land band, made up actors and musicians who eventually out grew their keepers and went on to create their own music and even a movie in the mold of Help.  The Monkees began a movement which was later copied by bands like The Sweet who also started out playing other writers music then went on to become their own writers and wrote some killer songs.

The Monkees Brand will be remembered as a fun brand, which brings a warm smile and a good feeling to its listeners. That's a great way to be remembered something all Brands can learn from.

What JC Penny and Sears can learn from the Rolling Stones

I was coming to work today with the radio on when I came across the old Rolling Stones song Start me Up.  After parking the car I let the song play out before getting out of the car.  When you think of the Rolling Stones what do you think of?

For me its always been Mick Jagger, but as I sat there it dawned on me that the whole of the Rolling Stones Sound is what makes them who they are. It's the signature sound of the Stones that sets them apart from their contemporaries and its what keeps them on the road even to this day 40 years after starting.  The drums have the Stones sound as do the rhythm section, the guitars are always the same sound.  And together with Mick they have sold out concert halls and made the stones very wealthy musicians long after their contemporaries hung up their axes.

So what can JC Penny and Sears learn from the Rolling Stones?  Well for one thing, they should get a handle on what it is that makes them who they are.  Unlike the stones they have become older well worn brands which have lost the luster they once held in the eyes of the American public.  These two venerable retail giants are cut  out of the same cloth,  both operate department stores both operated catalogs and both cater to middle class america. 

Where as JC Penny offered numerous name branded wearables and beyond, Sears ventured into everything from branded bicycles (even motorcycles at one time) to their beloved Kenmore appliance line and Craftsman branded tools.   Yet today they are slipping in sales to the newer giants among mass marketers namely Target (though target began as Dayton department stores near the time Sears started out), Wall Mart and Costco.  Today Target is seen as the hipster hangout, Wall Mart is middle class Americana and Costco is upscale  warehouse chic.  All three know who they cater to and they are doing a better job than Sears and JC Penny at their own game.

So going back to the Stones who also at times faced lagging record sales namely early seventies and at other points. What did they do?  They just became better at what they already did well at which meant be who they are.  The Stones don't sound like Beattles nor the Who nor any contemporary band of the day instead they stuck with who they have always been.   They didn't change up their sound to meet each new generation thoughts on what music should sound like they have just made Stones music.  Hence they've never changed over the decades and that's what people want to hear and see in concert. Thats the signature sound of the Stones.

My question then is this.  What is the signature Sears brand? What is the signature JC Penny's brand?  In my opinion, they have to sit down and spend time and do some historical reviewingto see where they've come from and where they need to be tomorrow.  That is if they want to be around for another 50 years.

Here's to finding your signature sound.   Once you do, don't lose it or mess with it, because that's who you need to be.  The old saying you can't be all things to all people still rings true in both music and in business.

REM a Brand to be Proud Of

I just learned the band REM decided to retire as a Musical unit.   They have spent 30 plus years creating music they wanted to play.  Many millions of fans have enjoyed growing right alongside them.  As a musical act they have always maintain a small but deeply loyal audiance, though not that small when you consider they played their fair share of 20,000 seat auditoriums. 

REM known by many for such mainstays as Losing my Religion and Man on the Moon were one of the new avaunt guard bands who came out in 1980. They had hopes to last a few years tops according to Mike one of the founders.  But much to his surprise they lasted 31 years.  He said on an interview on NPR that they enjoyed growing and having their fans come along for the ride.  After 80 plus million records sold they are indeed a Brand worthy of respect. 

In the world of music very few bands last 5 to 10 years much less 30 years.  Unlike many of their contemporaries: think Duran Duran, Pretty in Pink, Boy George, Nirvana, Great White they lasted long after the rest were relegated to Casino circuit status.  U2 would be a great comparison of another band with longevity who came out around the same time.

What can be learned here?  Do what you love, be open to grow, be open and transparent and by all means have a heck of a lot of luck on your side.  Yep luck struck when REM came out. There was a need for their brand of music by the new generation who embraced them.  What is today's generation embracing?  My son 16 likes metal but of the bands he enjoys listening to, very few will most likely last past the ten year mark.  Many of today's hottest pop stars will go the way of Bobby Sherman, Andy Gibb and The Archies.

So just like REM the businesses who will continue to grow are the ones who hit a wave and ride it for all its worth.  Unlike the New wave bands who have gone the way of parachute pants REM retained their own identity and that's what set them apart from many of their contemporaries in the music world.  You must stay clearly focused on being who you are not what others want you to be well ok someone has to see a need for your services but don't be just another company instead carve out a niche for yourself and then stay loyal to that niche.

Truly REM is a brand to be proud of. Good luck and best of life to the former members of REM!

Movie Studios verses Movie Theaters good move or bad

In an article by knoxnewsRegal Entertainment Group is "hopping Mad" about Sony, Fox, Warner Bro's and Universal studios proposal to sell movies before they have completed their theatrical run.

In other words these studios and others who may be thinking of doing the same thing have decided the traditional Distribution pipeline for their products isn't good enough.  Let me explain.  In the world of products and retail you have two entities actually three in many occasions. 1. The producer of said product in this case the Studio who produces the movie. 2. The distribution channels in this case Movie Theaters and then later retail and on-line stores and rental businesses.  3. The Distributor company who tends to the distribution of said property. 

In the case of these studios they have determined the Movie Theaters distribution channel isn't making enough money fast enough,  so so they have decided to cut the distribution short and sell through their secondary distribution networks i.e. stores and on-line service providers.

Here is the rub. By bypassing or short changing the theaters they are really doing two things:

1. They are ruining their chances of a good run at the theater since people will decide to watch it via small screen with friends and family members. 

2. They are telling the public at large our products aren't good enough to be run on the big screen instead we are going direct or near direct to video much like the low budget B grade movies you see at video stores or on line stores.

When you demote your product to B grade category you show yourself as greedy and short sighted.  You have removed the perceived value of an in theater release and have reduced it to a direct near direct to DVD status. Lastly, you will be programing movie goers to quit going to the theaters and wait for the DVD release instead.

Now on the flip side.  When was the last time you went to a movie?  My family is 5, I think the last time we all went together to watch a movie was the third installment of the Narnia series.  Otherwise we wait and rent or pick it up at the library for free.  at $10.00 a ticket, movie going has long been removed from our list of entertainment options.  So maybe the theaters have themselves to blame for the trends we are seeing here.  But that's for another time.

Bottom line cutting out or demoting your distribution channel is not a good idea.  It shows a lack of loyalty to the theater chains and the understanding of why people enjoy the Big Screen experience in the first place.

One last note. Talking with an insider, he stated to me he believes one day movie theaters will go by the wayside and be replaced by small screen movies instead since the cost of creating a large scale movie is so cost prohibitive. Sooner or later everyone will be selling direct to video and scaling down production costs possibly opting for lesser known actors and better plot lines over expensive stars and mediocre plot lines. 

I don't know if this will be true. But what I do know is this, the movie industry is changing as it thenewer generation of movie goers.  These young fans are the very same people who enjoy music on mini headphones verses a large scale stereo system which I grew up with.  Maybe small screens will better fit their temperament just as the small speakers and small screens in their cars have so far.  Maybe the studios have been watching this transformation and know the day of the big screen release is going the way of Advent Speakers and Kenwood receivers.  I sure hope not, but then what do i know? I still own my circa 83 Kenwood receiver and circa 78 Epicure speakers.

Creating a Fan base takes work, keeping it takes even more work

Creating a fan base takes work, keeping it takes even more work.

The term Fan is a shortened version of fanatic, someone who is nuts for you.  This past week Seattle held its annual Comicon Convention where comic book and Sci-Fi lovers come together to celebrate all things fantasy.  This year Bruce Boxleitner (Tron, Babylon 5), Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spinner (Star trek Next Gen).  Oh and William (Bill) Shatner along with a number of other notables joined the fray for autograph signings and talks.

Why would these guys come all the way up to Seattle to sit around and chat and sign autographs with fans?  To paraphrase Bruce "These are the people who kept me employed for 5 years while on Babylon 5.  These die hard fans haven't forgotten me and they continue to appreciate me for my work. It's the least I can do for them."

Actors, writers and the sort from within the ranks of Sci-Fi have long known in order to keep themselves in the game they better show up at these conventions held all over the world.   Sci-Fi has birthed more fanatics than any other genera.  These fans love to come together and discuss their favorite TV show, books and movies with others who enjoy the same thing.  It’s quite a lot of fun and it’s also a chance to get your freak on by dressing up as your favorite characters.

What can be applied here to everyone else in business and organizations is the attitude that YOUR FANS are worth the extra effort of showing up and shaking hands with.  It’s by staying face to face with your fan base business leaders can create raving fans like these actors do. The opposite is true, when we think ourselves too important than we will lose our fan base and may never recover.

The other upside is the following: When your cards have been played out and your no longer as employable as you once were,  youcan still do the Comic Con circuit and make a living keeping the fan base fires burning.  Kind of like Old Rockers doing the casino circuit.  These artists may not be raking in the doe they once did, but they are still making a living playing music to group of adoring fans.  Sure beats hawking life insurance on late night TV ads.  Well not so quick, this is also a means to keeping your face in front of your fan base.

The actor comedian Bob Hope used to make Gulf Gas Station commercials, not because he needed the money but in his words "To stay in front of my fan base".  You see weather its through conventions, newsletters, late night commercials or a number of any other ways, its important to stay in touch with your fan base.  because they will remember you when they are once again ready to purchase something you sell or have to offer. 

 And this is something we can all learn from.