Digital Storytelling: Celebrate Our Independence!

Thornhill News Digital Storytelling

Monday July 4, 2011 – Week 28, Number 26

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Digital Storytelling As Documentary Process

Creating Programming For Digital Media

Monday, July 4, 2011

Dear Friends,

As promised, Thornhill News Digital Storytelling will go through a complete reorganization in July. For us, the true sign of independence is breaking free from what baby steps we had to take to create this amazing combination of tradition, cutting edge efficiencies and collaboration.

Later this month we will announce a new schedule of seminars for the Seattle area. This is more than an indication of continuity. This is a big step to show that our “lab” is complete. The weekly series allows for rapid change in and environment of creativity, positive understanding of communications, exchange, artistic expression and dedication to financial success.

Upon this platform of weekly drills, we can build our new monthly schedule in Los Angeles and our proposed quarterly schedule in Pittsburgh.

With this confirmation we can also get into serious production for our publications.

· The Blog appears magically/weekly at http://digitalstorytellingseminar.blogspot.com/.

· THE NEWS, including “50 Steps To Documentary Success” and the detailed program for each event, will graduate to a monthly printed document and pave the way for an e-book. Our first issue will launch on September 1, 2011 in celebration of National Literacy Month.

· Now to decide between an e-reader or a tablet!

After we determine the start date, please join is in Seattle on Wednesdays at 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the much-celebrated Lucid Jazz Lounge, 5241 University Way NE in Seattle, Washington 98105. You can learn more about this great venue by calling (206) 402-3042 or checking www.lucidseattle.com – or of course by stopping by from Wednesday to Sunday. The full schedule and menu is on the Web site.

More good news! Our registration will stay at $20.00 per person for the summer. The inflation that we are trying to avoid is being held back by accepting a few sacrifices.

Which brings us to the last point in this introduction. I am providing this advance notice to be sure that you are prepared to discuss partnering. The doors are fully open to those companies who have asked about partnerships or sponsoring.

Happy Birthday America! Let the fun begin.

Andrew W. Thornhill

Founder

Thornhill News

thornhillnews@hotmail.com

The Blog

Monday July 4, 2011 – Week 28, Number 26

Table of Contents

You Can Participate!

Concept

Reorganization

How Did We Get Here?

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Thornhill Design Laboratory

Thornhill News Digital Storytelling Product Development

Seminars

The Blog

THE NEWS, including our detailed event program

Financial Planning

Partners

Sponsor Relations

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You Can Participate!

We’re looking for storytellers

The search is on at Thornhill News Digital Storytelling. Tell us your story concept and we could waive your registration fee for the next Thornhill News Digital Storytelling seminar in your area.

Storytelling is not new. Digital options are available for information collection, processing and distribution as you prepare and deliver your communications. When we combine these mighty forces we have the beginning of a magnificent process.

What part of this arsenal can be called interactive? Is a two-way conversation interactivity or are we only interested in digital downloads?

A few words of caution: (1) Start Small, (2) Outline Before You Write, (3) Write And Rewrite, (4) Think About Your Work Before You Talk About It, and lastly, (5) Get Busy With Team-Building.

Our team building is just starting. If you want to know more - thornhillnews@hotmail.com.

Concept

Are you planning, producing or distributing a documentary style film, television production, radio special, photo essay or book? You are not alone. The documentary format has become so successful that hundreds of filmmakers around the world have embraced the form and are doing quite well.

Skilled professionals, including name producers, directors and technical support companies have begun their research to tell a story. Even celebrated actors have formed production companies to pursue the thrill of control, ownership and effective storytelling.

Can you build a proposal for a feature-length documentary film – or for a multiplatform television special? These properties can cost $2 Million dollars each. The Thornhill News Digital Storytelling Seminar is designed to help you create that winning proposal.

Many technology companies are enjoying tremendous success because they offer a way for any and every person to document themselves. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and the mighty Blogger are just a few of the successes riding the wave of “digital storytelling” and the companion wave of digital media, digital devices, digital distribution and digital expectations.

This year, the tablet computer and downloads on our smartphones give us presentation possibilities from basic color to full-motion video. Even the e-reader has made a strong comeback. There is no turning back.

As creative folks, we are no longer restricted to desktop computers, stand-alone cameras, printers and personal binding. With a Sony Bloggie, or even the camera on your iPhone, one could become a walking studio.

The entertainment industries are now willing to review these digital storytelling steps to seek new creative talent, to review works-in-progress and to even build their own television shows and movies.

I am banking on the premise that individuals, organizations, companies and government offices will soon become very sophisticated communicators.

A referral: Today, Every Company is in the Media Game

http://chiefmarketer.com/disciplines/publicrelations/media-game-0707/

The Thornhill News Digital Storytelling seminar covers owning your story, telling your story and adding digital tools to more efficiently handle information gathering, building your package and product distribution.

In order to insure that you will be competitive, Thornhill News will introduce you to:

-- Digital Storytelling – The “50 Steps To Documentary Success” Checklist

-- Business Development - Partnerships, Subscribers, Sponsors
-- Digital Media Devices - Tablets, Smartphones, Readers, Platforms

-- Design Continuity - Concept, Base Element, All Together and Continuous Improvement

Digital Storytelling as a work process is a hotbed for collaborative development and production. Team members and workshop participants learn from one another and your end product will surely gain from the combined intellect, energy and projections.

And please remember, if our thoughts and conversations about business presentations are going to be relevant, some financial gain will have to come from these successes.

If your associates can’t relate to Digital Storytelling, try the terms Multimedia, Webisodes Web Series or Branded Entertainment. We offer examples in these and many other subcategories.

To insure that we have a solid program, each of our seminar presentations are delivered in a how-to workshop style that everyone can follow and use.

With new search, production, and distribution tools being offered every week, I am sure that each of us wants to know how to make our message clearer and our image stronger.

Reorganization

In March 2011 I announced that there would be a new profile by July.

Preparing for each seminar requires a high level of administration, financial and marketing planning. A major reason for our upcoming reorganization is to build a proper support system for the hard work we go through now – and for the promised growth we know we will achieve.

I see progress as a bank of administrators helping you through this experience. I see a new focus on establishing a Los Angeles office.

And I see a major structural change. Effective immediately, the Thornhill News Digital Storytelling work will be a part of the Thornhill Design Laboratory. Check the last page for the new stack.

And there is so much more. I will give an outline of the new 2011 General Plan. Key to this evolution will be the very important financial planning grid. And for those who have insisted, our advance registration for the Thornhill News Digital Storytelling Seminar will soon have to leave our discounted rate of $20 and move to $50 per person.

How Did We Get Here?

My book, The Digital Television Report, needed administrative and promotional support for a proper launch. Under the banner of DTR Support a number of lively initiatives were floated and the fastest on the track was the DTR National Tour. Intended for speaking agents in and out of the bookseller marketplace, we had immediate bookings and compiled a multi-year list of venues as DTR Journey, The Print & Interactive Program Guide, encompassing background on DTR and the busy schedule.

After three years on the road, the schedule was repositioned as a possible script for DTR Journey Food & Beverage Stories – A Documentary. From there, with many suggestions of how to include digital assets for telling the story on every platform, the workplan itself was re-written as a step-by-step workshop model – and “50 Steps To Documentary Success” was born.

From 2007 to 2010 we grappled with attempts to combine these elements as “Digital Storytelling” to no avail. Finally in early 2010 we divided these options into two categories. They are Seminars and Publishing.

Consider our 2011 events to be a test year. With successful seminars in three cities, we looked at the publishing half in a new way. The category was divided into products. The first released are The Blog, The original “50 Steps” and the newest entry, THE NEWS.

Finally we have a success-oriented structure. The reorganization decision was made in March of this year. Two very helpful parts of this makeover have made all the difference in the world. The first is to give overall management of the concept to the Thornhill Design Laboratory. The second is to aggressively engage in recruiting partners.

The Thornhill Design Laboratory

If we are moving into the work the lab will carry out, there is no a lot to describe at this point. The General Plan is in the making, the development files are being reviewed and a major infrastructure meeting is planned for Saturday, July 9^th. There is a chart at the end of this information that gives an advance look at the lab inventory.

In our next report, there will be a listing of carry-over relationships from other operations under Thornhill News, current partners and potential alignments based on our newly projected upgrade.

Thornhill News Digital Storytelling Product Development

As indicated, the seminars are in full swing. The rollout is national in scope and the location schedule has an interesting variety of cities, co-presenters and sponsor options.

This Blog is wonderful. In preparing each week, I am reminded of the potential in the marketplace, the astute companies using the tools of storytelling in so many ways and the fun of developing a concept for creative, wide-awake players. For the near term, we will continue to use Blogger, publish weekly and seek talented partners to make our presentation stronger.

THE NEWS will bring us into the highly competitive world of periodical publishing. Our print will be modest, issued monthly (with Volume & Number) and designed to prepare for electronic next steps.

Most of our friends know us through the seminars. If logic prevails, we will concentrate on our national profile and scheduling as the first step in the reorganization. Here’s the projection:

Seattle Weekly Lucid Jazz Lounge

Los Angeles Monthly KCET Television

Pittsburgh Quarterly WQED Multimedia

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The Thornhill News Digital Storytelling Seminar

An interactive production meeting for stories and storytellers

Your Career, Digital Storytelling & Money

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 timeline could be 3 years. Also, expect that your expenses might creep to $2 Million dollars or more.

As we each grow beyond social media

Producers or project managers have no intention of adopting a new plan or process, at the risk of losing their financial success. 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.

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.

And we continue to grow.

The Seminar Agenda - What’s Your Story

1. Introductions

Each person will have an opportunity to identify themselves and their interest.

2. What’s Your Story Concept? Participants will have 10 Minutes each to describe a current storytelling project. It will be hard work to stick to initially describing the story – and only the story.

When you get into production, telling your story sometimes is enhanced by the tools you have for telling the story or making the presentation. A strong voice, attire, props, flipcharts, whiteboards, slide shows or video might help – or hinder the affect. Telling the story sometimes can often be best realized as a simple narrative, then enhanced by the storyteller in painting a scene, constructing a photo essay – or changing your voice to play the parts of each character!

3. Thornhill News Digital Storytelling Checklist - “50 Steps To Documentary Success”

Storytelling is not new. Digital options are available for information collection, processing and distribution as you prepare and deliver your communication.

In the seminar, we discover the list together. In this scenario we expect you, the storyteller, to become familiar with 50 simple steps to carrying your thought-provoking story from a real conversation, to easy tools for interactive distribution, to a successful documentary. This requires learning, hard work and dedicated time. Having a checklist as a reference will surely help. Take notes!

4. Reviewing Digital Media Devices

The first wave is still coming in. Currently, the industry is focused on tablets, smartphones, e-readers and the necessary platforms. These devices are not personal computers.

5. Design Continuity - Concept, Base Element, All Together, Continuous Improvement

Once we have the row of elements we intend to use, we review to make sure that they work together, then to see if there is an over-arching concept. Once we have determined that, a base element is selected. Now - all together – does it look good. Yes, then on to continuous improvement.

6. Business Development
Remember, you are building this documentary to be a financial success. The basics of production are just the first step. You want partnerships, subscribers and sponsors.

What is your structure? Is there a timeline? Can you build for growth?

7. Infrastructure

Infrastructure; this all-encompassing word is the overview of facilities, technology, set-up, preparing for hospitality and even making sure that there are fresh roses at each Thornhill News location.

8. Questions

We present regularly in Seattle. In mid-April we will return to Los Angeles. In June, 2011 we visit Pittsburgh and Tampa. If you want the seminar to come to your community, put your request in and let us consider the schedule and all related issues.

9. Work-In-Progress

You can request an opportunity to give a demo of your work. Digital production is the best, but you can exhibit any level of completion with your project. Different than “What’s Your Story”, bring the work to be distributed, played, exhibited or screened. Survey the audience if you choose.

Only $20 Per Person!

The Blog

To support the seminars, we created a weekly update to give you current examples of digital storytelling matters and a related calendar of events. Given the instant popularity, there will soon be a need for new research, editing and design. View our (starter) work at http://digitalstorytellingseminar.blogspot.com.

Check these leads:

Writers

2011 LA Film Fest Screenwriter Chat

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckYKS1m6Mk8&feature=player_embedded

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Programming

Comcast shutters NBC Universal Digital Studio

"Going forward we plan to focus our digital efforts and investment on content that's supportive of our on-air programs, providing our audience with additional content that further engages them in our shows"

www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20110701/FREE/110709992

Web Series 'Fred,' 'iJustine,' 'FreddieW' to Grow Distribution Through Blip.tv Deal

Collective Digital Studio Brings its Roster of Talent to Blip's Network

http://adage.com/article/digital/online-video-fred-ijustine-freddiew-blip-tv-deal/227871/

Critic's Notebook: Web TV is just waiting to click

Online television has yet to catch on like the traditional format, but it's just barely getting started and hubs like Hulu, Crackle and Koldcast point to a wide-open future.

www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-ca-web-tv-20110626,0,159877.story?track=rss

Microsoft: Xbox to become entertainment brand

As much as 40 per cent of activity on the Xbox 360 is related to non-game entertainment according to Microsoft, as the company plans to reposition the Xbox as a more general entertainment brand.

www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2011-06-01-microsoft-xbox-to-become-entertainment-brand

D9: Sinofsky unveils Windows 8, defends Microsoft (+video)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2015208465_d9_sinofsky_defends_windows_mi.html

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Distribution

Microsoft trial to use UK TV signals for WiFi

www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/0601e8ae-a020-11e0-a115-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1QUGHOWUP

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Digital Media Devices

Tablet Questions - Which Tablet Is Best For Me?

A Weekly Buffet Lunch.

The Best Tablet For Travel

Monday, August 1, 2011 - 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Live Discussion & All You Can Eat Buffet Lunch

$20 Per Person - General Public - Advance Registration Required

$15 Per Person - Thornhill News Subscribers - Advance Registration Required

Registration & Information: http://tabletquestions1.eventbrite.com

Old Country Buffet, 4022 Factoria Mall SE

Bellevue, WA 98006 - (425) 644-5499

Menu Samples

www.oldcountrybuffet.com/menus/menu-samples

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Public Policy

The Information Needs of Communities

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

www.fcc.gov/info-needs-communities

The Information Needs of Communities

Press Release

http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0609/DOC-307411A1.pdf

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Advertising

Storyteller

www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1x_MwBFigs

New Directors Showcase

www.saatchi.com/new_directors_showcase

Got Data? Find The $toriesI'd say that what the industry does best -- what everyone has in common, whatever our role is in the ecosystem -- is tell creative stories.

http://by151w.bay151.mail.live.com/default.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0#!/mail/InboxLight.aspx?mid=dd6b4677-a0f5-11e0-8b93-02264c1545a&n=448617806!fid=1&n=50161506&mid=fe927555-a0de-11e0-9db9-00215ad9be56&fv=1

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THE NEWS, Including our detailed event program

The live Thornhill News Digital Storytelling Seminar gives me a chance to network with other like-minded, interesting professionals. To serve the participants, we created a simple, 24-page booklet.

THE NEWS now carries:

· The Thornhill News Digital Storytelling “50 Steps To Documentary Success” checklist an our national presentation calendar

· News – Up-to-date industry examples and links. This will continue to grow. We can usually see three months ahead, but confirmations come in slowly.

· “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.

· THE NEWS is available only at the seminar.

THE NEWS, including the detailed program for each event, will graduate to a monthly printed document.

· Our first expanded issue will launch on September 1, 2011, complete with Volume and Number

· We’re launching on this date in celebration of National Literacy Month

Please let us know if you have ideas for broader distribution

· In October 2011 we add another important component – money sources. Could additional information help your quest?

· Other negotiations are in process to pave the way for an e-book.

Subscribers

As a nod to our friends and supporters, there will be a season subscription program announced in advance of the rise in individual event prices. Be sure to get on the wait list.

If you want Weekly Updates, go to http://digitalstorytellingseminar.blogspot.com. There is a new deal each Monday.

Financial Planning

The first issue resolved was our banking decision. As we improve the revenue stream, the bank, our finance folks and the crew will all be a part of the design and development. We use Eventbrite for our required advance registration and will build in infrastructure components to handle other revenue.

We clearly see our opportunities for subscriptions, sponsors and unit sales. Are there options for professional discounts?

Although the expenses are not massive, they do exceed our current revenue. Fortunately, we have partners and revenue sharing crew members to offset a portion of the bills.

Should we also investigate money sources for our participants – and perhaps for ourselves?

Business Development

All roads lead to revenue. Our strategy is sound, we watch the marketplace carefully and we are now engaged in an upgraded that will take hard look at our competitive posture and our product. The new General Plan will be push many buttons to move our ambitions forward.

Partners

We expect our partners to be active. Each brings a special qualification to the game. Each must be, or become, a great communicator.

Because of our long research time in assembling the Digital Storytelling seminars and schedule, we gathered interest and offers from a nice variety of potential partners. Periodically we will introduce you to these outstanding businesses and link you to the product and personnel.

Sponsor Relations

A sponsor relationship is a very delicate balance between costs to the sponsoring entity and the benefits they receive in return. At this point, our sponsor fees are minimal. Yet, we can provide major exposure through the digital media industry, the creative communities and to our participants.

Will we have a sponsor for the overall series, or will it be wiser for all parties to take seminars or products on one at a time? We’re certainly open for that discussion.

We would be happy to talk with sponsorship candidates at any time. The sponsoring entity can be involved in research, the seminars, the blog, our printed weekly news booklet, hospitality and cross-promotions.

Benefits to the sponsor will continue to grow with the project. Our greatest return, in exchange for sponsor dollars, is participation in the growth of Thornhill News Digital Storytelling and exposure to our audiences through the related events, media and campaigns.

Business Management

Project management, administration, accounting, bookkeeping and facilities will each play a large part in building our success. We are expecting that the talent needed to create the enterprise-wise General Plan and the proposed product development will come through contracted businesses.

Administration

The first look at Thornhill News Digital Storytelling was through the need for administrative support for the development of a multiplatform documentary, DTR Journey, Food & Beverage Stories.

When a workplan evolved, the structure was born and the administration became the source document for the whole process and product. That has not changed. At this juncture, we see both admin and structure as documents and continuing modification.

As we calendared meetings, seminars and announcements, the schedule took shape and eventually was adjusted to fit the Standard Broadcast Calendar. Now administration has added an outline, mailing lists, our first documentation and the research for our reorganization.

Staffing this responsibility would be the wisest first step after the reshaping and upgrade.

Infrastructure

Our facilities needs are complex. Besides the traditional office, storage and production spaces, we must have events spaces, attractive meeting locations and always consider the various cities we visit.

Our technology review will never end. One element that makes us attractive to others is our deep knowledge of appropriate communications technologies – from emerging platforms, through interactive communications to contemporary devices.

The next view of the review process will be on Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 10:00 AM. At this time the Thornhill News Digital Storytelling Infrastructure Meeting will take a look at our national grid. Perhaps you might want to attend.

Communications

With all systems at go, our ability to build and operate information models will be a marvel. We are looking at potential crew members, partners, public information tools, marketing planning connections, existing events promotions, legacy media and many iterations of Internet data distribution.

There are proprietary properties in the works. And in following up on earlier hints, we are very interested in integrating digital media devices into our planning.

Base of Operations

We are based in Seattle. This location is an accident of our background with the Digital Television Report, The DTR Quarterly Review and the DTR National Tour. These relationships and the proximity to the minimal administrative support will help when producing our weekly seminar series.

Wednesday will be a very full work day. Our presentation runs from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. With the continuing need for refreshing the files, promotions and documentation, we will not make sudden moves away from this nest.

However, to afford growth, we are moving the operations center to Los Angeles in the fall of this year. In many ways, our enablers are the film and television industries. This is where they live.

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The Thornhill Design Laboratory

Structure

Thornhill Design Lab Workshop

Design Review / Kai Zen

Thornhill News Digital Storytelling

Digital Strategy Seminars - Registration

THE NEWS - Subscribers / Subscription Management

A Blog

Client Services

Case Studies

Extensions

Digital Marketing Planning

Development

Editorial

Design Continuity

Administration

Database Management

Financial Planning

Integrated Marketing Planning

Partners

Sponsor Presentations

Sponsorship Portfolio Flyer

Los Angeles Studio

Schedule

Facilities / Environment

Digital Storytelling

Monday, July 4, 2011

Celebrate Our Independence!

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