Scott Sigler Talks The Wonders of Free

I've been wanting to mention this podcast for a week or so but got sidelined.  However, this episode of The Nerdist Podcast featuring science-fiction author Scott Sigler is one you should be listening to.

If you are even remotely interested in creating new media content whether it is a new digital book, comic, or movie, Scott Sigler, explains why giving away his own works has actually helped him, as opposed to the urban tales of how piracy is "bad" for artists. 

Give it a listen, it's well worth the time, and entertaining to boot.

The episode can be found here.

Scott Sigler's website can be found here.

Weekend Rewind: July 10th, 2010

 

Here are a few things you may have missed last week: 

A Historical and Modern Look at Forced Perspective http://lostinschlock.blogspot.com/2010/07/historical-and-modern-look-at-forced.html

Learn How to Build a Web Audience
http://lostinschlock.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-build-web-audience.html

How to Make Blood Sponges
http://lostinschlock.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-make-blood-sponges.html

Lost in Schlock is now on Facebook

How to Build a Web Audience

It's a tragedy when so much time and money is spent on a movie or a web series and after its release there is nary a mention of it.  No audience, no word of mouth, nothing. 

What is the point of making a movie or web content if you forget that an audience must be built, lured, and even loved, to get your project noticed and taken to a higher level.

Filmmaker Chris Sharpe has taken the skills that he has gained from producing and directing the cooking web series, Hilah Cooking, and is sharing what he has learned on how they built an audience for the show.  It's highly recommend read.  Go here to learn more.

How to Make Lemonade When Your Work is Pirated

Most people that are interested in making movies or writing books will more than likely find their works pirated all over the internet.  Despite all the DRM or related countermeasures one can place on their media products its all gonna end up pirated someway and somewhere.

One can sue the pirates and try to shut down their sites; the downside is it involves money and time.  Those are two resources that most indie folks cannot afford to loose.  There is also the risk of loosing an audience who could feel alienated, and they don't exactly like it when someone they like comes around and slaps a lawsuit against them.  That is a sure way of loosing a fan or two. 

So the question is, what should you do when pirated?  Well, pulp guru, Bill Cunningham, has the answers about how to take a lemon and make lemonade out of it.  Go here to learn how to fight piracy by offering a little extra to your audience.

CREATE YOUR OWN ENERGY DRINK

I know that I have some readers out there who are home haunters or own their own haunted attractions so this should be your bag. Apparently through this site you can design your very own energy drink to resell at your next event. I'm not sure if it's limited to those in the haunting business or if filmmakers can get in on the act to promote their flicks though.

At the moment the going rate to create your own energy drink is not exactly cheap. But if you can manage to sell them at your own event then I guess it would be awesome deal.

For more go to www.screamingzombieenergy.com

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BAD CONTROVERSY

Here is a quick and dirty trick for all of us filmmakers out there. First check this out and then come back. Okay, good you're back. Yeah, I know. Crazy, isn't? Now here comes the trick; first say to yourself there is no such thing as a bad controversy. All controversy is a good thing, especially to those who are in the independent scene. Having a film that has suddenly been noticed by the news media and the public at large for something controversial is just as good as a free billboard space.

Now secondly, you take whatever statements or slurs have been hurled at your film and somehow integrate that into your own ad campaign. So for example in the case of the gentleman and his film being pulled off a film festival's schedule he can now say on the DVD cover art, posters, and what not, that his film was "Banned" from the such and such fest.

So now when some Schlockhead walks into a video store and sees that on the cover of a DVD the chances of that film being rented or bought have increased, all because of that statement. Because after all that customer may wonder why the film was banned and what makes the film so controversial. Curiosity will get the best of him and he will watch it and tell his friends and the word of mouth will spread thus helping this flick get some free notice.

Now remember that whenever you have a film that was banned from a festival or some sort of controversy has arisen of your project. It's all good in the end.

LOVE THE FANS AND THEY WILL REWARD YOU A THOUSAND TIMES

Here is a brilliant article that should crib notes off of (Boing Boing):

A True Fan is defined as someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce. They will drive 200 miles to see you sing. They will buy the super deluxe re-issued hi-res box set of your stuff even though they have the low-res version. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They bookmark the eBay page where your out-of-print editions show up. They come to your openings. They have you sign their copies. They buy the t-shirt, and the mug, and the hat. They can't wait till you issue your next work. They are true fans...

Assume conservatively that your True Fans will each spend one day's wages per year in support of what you do. That "one-day-wage" is an average, because of course your truest fans will spend a lot more than that. Let's peg that per diem each True Fan spends at $100 per year. If you have 1,000 fans that sums up to $100,000 per year, which minus some modest expenses, is a living for most folks.

One thousand is a feasible number. You could count to 1,000. If you added one fan a day, it would take only three years. True Fanship is doable. Pleasing a True Fan is pleasurable, and invigorating. It rewards the artist to remain true, to focus on the unique aspects of their work, the qualities that True Fans appreciate.

Read the full thing here.