Thornhill News Digital Storytelling (TNDS)
Monday, December 26, 2011 – Week 1
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Digital Storytelling As Documentary Process
Creating Programming For Digital Media
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This is the last blog of 2011, produced by Thornhill News Digital Storytelling (TNDS).
It is also Week 1 for TNDS NEWS – Digital.
As the last message for 2011, be aware that all of our missives for 2011 will be bundled, edited and offered as part of the ongoing documentation.
We have learned so much in this first year that our roller coaster account will show the world and our potential partners that we have worked hard to be here.
Over these past 12 months our structure has not changed much. In this next year, there will be change, growth and a new focus on revenue.
Next week we will be able to give all the details of an extension on another element under the Andrew W. Thornhill label.
The details are being worked out to collaborate with The Thornhill News Radio Show to develop a three part success. The radio show has a monthly theme. For December the theme is Fashion. The title for the show this December is What Are You Wearing New Year’s Eve? A lot of planning, research and time have been put into this mission; including the weekly Editorial Discussion & Happy Hour sessions.
The radio starter was developed over a year for The Thornhill News Radio Show. The “What are you wearing New Year’s Eve?” has been promoted as “A Concept For Radio, Publication, Theatre & Television!” Listen at: www.1150kknw.com/podcast/media/thornhill_news.xml.
The recording will now be used by the Thornhill News Digital Storytelling crew as an anchor to create multiple extensions on the compelling title. As this new form emerges, even the name will change. Welcome the Thornhill News Fashion Media Project.
And why Does LUCID Jazz Lounge have champagne on the Happy Hour menu this Wednesday? Because this week The Fashion Media Project will be introduced. For free advance registration go to: http://editorialdiscussion12.eventbrite.com.
Could this work? Could we follow this carefully researched theme from radio to bloggers to film to a digital television channel?
With the right partners, including retailers, we will find out.
Yes, The world is changing!
The New Video Marketplace initiative from Thornhill News Digital Storytelling (TNDS) has caught the attention of filmmakers, festival organizers, developers and even a well-known technology company. So much of the usual structure is changing that I cringe when thinking of how to get all of it across to our participants in only one day at the Maui Research & Technology Center on January 13, 2012.
Many of our associates want more of a contextual approach. Questions are being raised about the collaboration process, the research models, the long term opportunities with transmedia extensions and the options for revenue sharing.
Check this: "Everybody works for free on the film, but everybody owns a piece of the pie, it's like an indie rock band approach." Better technology helps too. That from indie director Ed Burns…
My advice; register early.
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A Thornhill News Digital Storytelling
Documentary Proposal Seminar
Friday, January 13, 2012
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
In association with…
The Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce
Our mission as a Chamber is to promote and sustain our Hawaiian culture and to improve the
socio-economic status of Native Hawaiians in business and as individuals. Grounded in the
framework of the host culture, we strive to offer our membership the tools to strengthen
the value of their businesses and as professionals through educational and cultural
workshops, networking, leadership and communication roles, and community service.
No Charge For Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber Of Commerce Members
Advance Registration Required
Only $20 Per Person for non-members
Registration Must Be Paid In Advance
To Register Go To:
http://thornhillnewsdigitalstorytellingseminarsmaui1.eventbrite.com
The Maui Research & Technology Center (MRTC)
590 Lipoa Parkway, Kihei, Hawaii 96753
For Directions (808) 875-5978
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What’s Your Story?
Are you expected to integrate digital assets into your documentary funding proposal? If you, your organization, office or company are planning a film, television show, radio special, Internet presentation or a interactive photo essay, the answer is yes!
To create a digital documentary using a competitive, multiplatform model, your time for development could be 3 years. Also, expect that your expenses might creep to $2 Million dollars or more.
As we each grow beyond social media, Digital Storytelling is turning into a hotbed for collaborative development and ever-expanding production crews. Team members learn from one another and your end product gains from the combined intellect, energy and projections. This means greater expenses.
Producers or project managers have no intention of adopting a new plan or process, at the risk of losing their financial success.
If your associates can’t relate to Digital Storytelling as a genre, try Multimedia, Transmedia, Webisodes, Branded Content or even Branded Entertainment. We offer these and many subcategories in the Thornhill News Digital Storytelling Seminar.
Included in our agenda is an open discussion about digital media devices. Do you have an e-reader, smartphone or computer tablet? Are you ready for the upgrade in your category or the next step up to a sophisticated digital tablet? What brand, what carrier and what price are best for your needs?
The focus of this leading-edge workshop is showing how to link the many necessary parts – from inception, through creative, technology and production, to traditional or digital distribution and real world business development. These are the elements that will make your funding proposal rise above all the rest.
The agenda for my brand of storytelling covers more than 50 items. Each one is offered in a way that shows how to be a winner in the specific category, yet still blend them all into a meld that guarantees continuity and continuous improvement.
TNDS NEWS, our detailed event program, includes:
· The Thornhill News Digital Storytelling “50 Steps To Documentary Success” checklist and
up-to-date industry examples and news links.
· The publication lists “Everyday Resources” a slate of industry stalwarts providing no-cost,
e-mailed, daily information reports on individuals, companies and trends in digital media – and the support for digital storytelling they offer.
· For now, TNDS NEWS is available only at the seminar.
Special Thanks To
Pamela Alesna, Marcus Realty, Webb Industries Network, Luminaria Productions, LLC,
Morningstar Productions, Arts Culture Entertainment, LLC,
Hyatt Vineyards: David Adair, National Sales Manager (206) 284-1951 - vintsel@seanet.com
Hyatt Vineyards: David Adair, National Sales Manager (206) 284-1951 - vintsel@seanet.com
For Digital Storytelling Weekly Updates & Calendar
http://digitalstorytellingseminar.blogspot.com/
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The New Video Marketplace
Developing an agenda for the series The New Video Marketplace is a joy. The Thornhill News Digital Storytelling model has always been to assist creative entrepreneurs in adding digital features and assets to their funding proposal for real-world documentaries.
We have surfaced examples to give a better feel for those film companies or projects that have made it into production and even given some detailed sources for distribution and promotion.
Our latest wrinkle is to research the various city, county and state programs designed to woo production companies to their town to employ local crews, spend money on support services and create a positive impression in the eyes of others in the industry and future audiences when the filmed product is released.
Economic Benefits
Now comes our concept of the “Digital Metropolis” to describe a cluster of businesses, spaces, creatives and businesses working together to train, promote and, when successful, serve the new video marketplace by becoming their location of choice for shooting.
We are all storytellers. No matter if you are in the non-fiction or fiction world; film, television or branded entertainment. For each of us, I see a positive change in the way we view digital media.
Transmedia is the latest buzz to describe cross-platform media development, production, distribution and promotion. Linking many digital options together builds a sure winner in your presentations for financial support.
In addition to digital television as a media category, we are witnessing the emergence of digital storytelling as a business, creative and communications gusher.
Each level of interaction and financial support requires some sort of proposal. It could be a casual meeting, ending with a verbal agreement and a handshake – or a fully-blown document with outlines, scripts, budgets, securities and multiple signatures.
These are tough times. One must work hard to be competitive. Another solid step to be prepared; read the book that changed my process more than a decade ago. It is a slim volume with a far-reaching title: Blur: The Speed of Change in the Connected Economy by Stan Davis and Chris Meyer.
Again, the film, television and branded entertainment options become easier to pursue if you are including an understanding of the full and mighty digital realm.
The Documentary Proposal Seminar
If you are approaching the pursuit of dollars in a competitive way, it might be helpful to actually look at the winners and notice how many of them have extended capabilities in each phase through digital tools and digital media. To win, we must become familiar with the many options in the new digital video marketplace.
To that end, I work to assist documentary filmmakers by providing greater awareness of the importance of digital assets and features in business proposals. Including a raft of options and examples could turn the tide when a team is seeking dollars to produce a theatrical release, a television special or a series based on either.
The Agenda - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
10:00 AM
Introductions
Use the first 30 minutes to describe the marketplace - as I see it. We will pull from Thornhill News, The Digital Television Report and The Thornhill Design Laboratory.
10:30 AM
Present examples of many categories of storytelling from news, to movies, to television, to radio, to Webisodes to branded entertainment. Each is gaining wide acceptance in the new video marketplace.
There will be information sources for continuing review of examples, media outlets / leaders and well-respected money sources.
The second section is dedicated to a positive exchange in a workshop fashion to solve real problems, make suggestions to build successes and offer assistance to those attending. Where do we find the new tools, learn the new skills and get to try the new markets. How can I fix this?
12:00 Noon
Lunch Break
Arranged In Advance
1:30 PM
Back to Work
The Basics
What’s Your Story?
“50 Steps To Documentary Success”
3:30 PM
Not everyone comes to a seminar for solutions. Therefore, the last 30 minutes will be reserved for the classic question and answer period. This is the time for real challenges to current themes in the world of media finance. Let’s talk money sources – including funders, investors, sponsors, advertisers and corporate marketing clients. Investing in stories can be good business.
4:00 on – Open
Follow our presentation at a nearby spot with casual conversation – and a beverage - or additional examples from the digital evolution of film, television, radio, the Internet or other industry events.
The original concept of “50 Steps To Documentary Success” has grown to be a beneficial seminar and a printed program, TNDS NEWS, for each individual seminar date.
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Are You Ready For The New Year?
We’re engaged in preparing a game-changing structure titled The New Video Marketplace. This is very much a part of the continuing schedule of our seminars to support creative individuals and organizations. It is certainly a cornerstone of our continuing improvement.
Our singular concern is to shore up our offering to the filmmaker community. We now have a special set of examples and contacts. We have been in touch with industry leaders to meet with them to improve our package. We have committed to work with film organizations.
Each time we build a New Video Marketplace presentation we can see and sense the greater opportunity and the greater appreciation from our participants.
This critical section was originally a set of dates in 4 locations. We opened in Seattle, then worked our plan in Los Angeles. In fact, the co-working environment at NextSpace in Culver City was so great, that we have become members and will host meetings and present seminars often in 2012.
Our scheduling for the Thornhill News Digital Storytelling (TNDS) seminars has really bounced around at the end of this year. We don’t yet have a postponement date for Pittsburgh and all attempts to schedule Los Angeles in December have “gone with the wind”, literally.
Therefore our schedule has been shortened to 3 locations and we are off to Maui. See the full description at the end of this report.
The printed program, TNDS NEWS has also contributed to the acceptance of the overall premise. Detailed, helpful information is distributed at each seminar in every issue. The publication is available only at the seminar and serves as the program for the event. There are many examples in the booklet as well as referrals. It has been very well received.
So well that the printed TNDS News will be joined by TNDS News Digital in 2012. And for 2012, the combination will have a new editor, a new designer and a very committed photographer. If you have an event or announcement, send it now to be considered for the TNDS 2012 Calendar, to be included in the blog and possibly a Web site and mobile app.
TNDS has grown nicely since January 2011. To tell our own story, the initiative will be included in two Thornhill News review programs.
The first is the Thornhill News “Portfolio” publication -- to be revealed on January 14, 2012 in Hawaii. Our theme: “2012 Is Your Year.”
The second is the newly revised Thornhill News Quarterly Review; to be re-inaugurated in February 2012 in Bellevue, Washington. Tentative dates are Thursday, February 16 and Friday, February 18.
The complete set of 2011 TNDS blogs are being tidied up for the archives. These will help at each review to show our progress.
The hard work of upgrading every part of TNDS continues. You will see it in our presentations and publications, and probably also notice our new venues and our higher prices.
A very helpful addition will be “The Interview Office.” When we open the “What’s Your Story” segment, the creativity, the unique presentations and the drama in these non-fiction narratives is overwhelming.
As a personal presentation, the storyteller usually does well. The Interviews will be available for those who don’t do as well in making the narrative come alive. The first interview will result in a brief bio, with bullet points indicated – and perhaps a timeline. The second interview will be conducted by a broadcast professional and recorded.
Story sources seem plentiful. However, it sometimes takes inspiration to get the storytelling engine going. I have recommended that our participants talk to family members. Engage the collective memory to bring out the funnier, or quirky, tidbits. One friend suggested that his family tales are triggered when he hears others reflecting at the barber shop. Could the salon work as well?
Museums are great storytellers. Take a walk around fine art, natural history or science exhibits to see how nicely they present their case.
To support these changes, and the broader impact, we are searching for space for our new Production Studio. The search is real; we have seen amazing spaces and will make an offer shortly. Please stay tuned.
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Documentary Production
From radio to bloggers to film to digital channel
In framing the concept, information gathering, storyboarding, and making the film, all production elements and post-production professionals are expected to use, if not rely on modern digital tools.
Paradigm Shift: Insuring maximum revenues for design and creative professionals in Digital Storytelling
Distribution
The contemporary filmmaker has the benefit of multiple streams of distribution for their end product.
Certainly the Internet has opened many doors for product distribution.
For the last 20 years the changes in television were held back. But now, the traditional networks are viewing every offer for digital storytelling with new eyes. The biggest news is the emergence of “Digital Channels” and “Diginets” as television distribution discoveries.
Digital Cinema is more than distributing feature films via satellite. Digital Television is certainly more than the concepts of multicasting, centralcasting and secondary digital channels.
The Digital Metropolis
Are facilities important enough to create a true digital hub? Could it start with a training schedule? Would such an environment result in actual contracts? How expensive are these digital facilities and who would build or outfit them. Is there a plank in the local economic development platform to address such issues.
The New Video Marketplace series was developed in early 2011. Thus far the confirmed dates and places have been The Northwest Film Forum, Seattle (Saturday, October 1, 2011) and NextSpace Los Angeles, Culver City (Sunday, November 6, 2011.) We are confirmed for Kihei, Maui County (Friday, January 13, 2012) at the Mau Resource & Technology Center.
Newsroom
The biggest news for 2012 is the quest for space to build a newsroom and studio. From there we will launch a public calendar, a new Internet Presence and plan for our Thornhill News Quarterly Review.
In the Homewood section of Pittsburgh an enterprising coalition has started on a development tiled Susquehanna Place. I have been told this is a possible location for our studio.
It has been many years since I lived in Pennsylvania, yet I have traveled for business, lectures and meetings on a regular basis since 2004. I am witness to the growth, the new sophistication and the many accolades for being a “livable” city.
This space would produce multimedia properties, support multiplatform initiatives, information to documentary filmmakers, and teach local businesses to be much more competitive in, or using, the emerging transmedia (digital media) marketplace.
You Can Participate
- Let me know that you are interested in this or similar projects
- Refer this information to everyone you know who needs to be enlightened
- Attend, or sponsor ($20 each) the scheduled seminar on Friday
- Attend, or sponsor, one or more of the social events being considered
An exciting option like this takes about three years to evolve. Please don’t think that immediate answers are required, but paying attention would be a good idea.
I believe that 2012 will be your year. To make sure, there will be a quarterly review for Thornhill News, held in Bellevue, Washington on February 15 & 17, 6012. Our main venue is the Corporate Center for DeVry University.
Free registration at http://thornhillnews-quarterly-Q1-2012.eventbrite.com
Our purpose is to show you the many options available for future partners. With so much potential, it should be no surprise that I am seeking support for the overall package and for individual elements.
You can confirm your interest by e-mailing to tell me how you would like to join in.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, send your e-mail indicating what part of our package has your attention. You can pledge with an e-mail or a phone call to (206) 265-2279.
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Thornhill News
Modern Life & Roses
1971 - 2011
40 Years Of Communications, Innovation & Independence
(206) 265-2279
thornhillnews@hotmail.com
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A new property, The Thornhill News Radio Show,
launched in October 2011, has grown into a multiplatform experience.
Launch
Roses, the Official Floral Emblem of the United States
October 2011
The Essence Of My Dinner Party
November 2011
www.1150kknw.com/podcast/media/AndrewThornhill_11-13-11.mp3
What Are You wearing New Year’s Eve?
December 2011
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The Thornhill News Quarterly Review – Q1 2012
Thursday, February 16 & Friday February 17 - 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Free To All With Advance Registration
To Register: http://thornhillnews-quarterly-Q1-2012.eventbrite.com
Main Venue: DeVry University, Bellevue Center
Bellevue Corporate Plaza, 600 108th Avenue Northeast, Suite 209
Bellevue, WA 98004 - www.devry.edu
Bellevue, WA 98004 - www.devry.edu
For more information,
thornhillnews@hotmail.com
Copyright © 1971 - 2011, Andrew W. Thornhill, All Rights Reserved