Thursday, May 3, 2012

This Week For The Thornhill & Studio Quarterly


TDS NEWS Digital

Thornhill Digital Storytelling (TDS)

Monday, April 30 2012 - Week 19

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Digital Storytelling As Documentary Process

Creating Programming For Digital Media

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A Thornhill Digital Storytelling
Documentary Proposal Seminar

Washington, D.C.

2012

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The TDS Documentary Proposal Seminar

Coming to your town…

In order to have an event occur, we truly rely on the support of our Event Partners in each city.  The local team must be dedicated, great communicators and willing to help with every level of prep, promotion and review.  In our next meeting, with the files, we will look very closely at our track record and list those things we believe are important to make every trip and presentation giantly successful.

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Administration

Calling all planners, administrative assistants and project managers.  We need you to make our aggressive program complete!  Administrative services interest in partnering for development of businesses, events, publications and documentation might want to get their information to me. 

Duties as basic as maintaining the project calendar and as difficult as database management will be offered to professional services.

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Product Development

Our Thornhill Digital Storytelling Documentary Proposal seminars are getting sufficient attention to warn our friends that we know that storytelling is more than documentary film.  We will find ways to promote storytelling in photo essays, storyteller music and poetry.  If you have an idea to share, let us know.

Of course, we don’t want to slow the momentum for the seminars.  The next date is April 27, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  While working on the details for this presentation, first steps are also being taken to confirm dates in the wine country of Walla Walla, Washington and the ultimate political power center of Washington, D.C.

TDS NEWS has proven itself as a beneficial publication.  The print version serves as our program for each seminar, being updated for every single date.  One of the sections, Branded Content / Entertainment has grown so fast, that the issue now floats between 32 and 36 pages.  Do you remember when it was only 2 pages and carried a brief introduction and the “50 Steps To Documentary Success?”

Before it swells to become magazine-like, a big question has been bandied about.  Should we synchronize the editorial from the print with the digital version?

And then, should we answer our critics by adding E-book or tablet apps and hardware?

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Crew Additions

Busy says it all. Administration still includes scheduling, calendaring, database management and preparing all documents.  I think we’re ready to search for partners to help.

And while the searchlight is on, help with financial planning, diligent producers, capable designers, and nimble local promoters are needed as well.

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Services
                                                                                           
Yesterday we met to discuss the possible addition of subscriber and/or membership services to our offer sheet.  Currently our products are only seminars, TDS NEWS and TDS NEWS Digital.  The more conservative players suggest that we simply work this limited inventory more attractive and the swifter folks want more growth.  Interestingly, the both feel that we think about operating weekly. 

This could be for meetings to start – and then seminars and publications.

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Business Development

Now that we have opened the door on products and services, we might as well get into pricing. 

To test the waters and to have a real audience for our work, we have offered the Seminar and TDS News combination at minimal cost and in some cases for free.

Before we end that practice, we might look into additional revenues through the Subscribers / Members model as well as advertising and sponsorship.

Partners assist in offsetting ordinary charges and sponsors pay for the alignment with our products.

Our co-working arrangement in Culver City is also considered a vital part of our business development strategy.  It places us in the midst of the motion picture community as we learn and grow.

Next, we will investigate the incubator pool to see if there is a relationship to pursue.

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Distribution

We help others make their product.  We could spend additional energy providing detailed information on digital distribution.  Beyond the obvious options via the Internet, there is the expansive world of Digital Channels.  Perhaps this premise warrants our attention – finally!

And in the engineering world, communications engineers are advancing the notion of a World Standard to facilitate greater ease to have our digital stories zipped around the world.  See The Future of Broadcast Television (FoBTV) at 

Or try this article from Harry A. Jessell, editor of TVNewsCheck.
www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2012/03/30/58452/the-future-of-broadcast-tv-is-next-month?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=The+Future+Of+Broadcast+TV+Is+Next+Month&utm_campaign=Jessell%3a+The+Future+Of+Broadcast+TV+Is+Next+Month
                                                                                                                                                       
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Spaces

With great luck we will strengthen our facilities planning with a crew to start on Proposals and eventually a presentation.
                                                                                                
In the meantime, I am searching for space to host meetings, conduct training for our new friends and to establish an office.  We can build a template for seeking support for documentary filmmakers and refine the protocol from our simple list to full automation.

Recently, to further this quest, I have attended meetings with writers, toured possible meeting spaces and delved deeply into the new co-working model

The TDS seminars have survived interesting venues.  There has been a photography center meeting room, a music studio, library meeting rooms, classrooms, a beautiful visual art gallery, a bar, a car dealership showroom and a technology center.

Digital Facilities…

Are facilities important enough to create a true digital hub?  The presentation would be fantastic with internet connections, cable connections, a satellite dish, large monitors, comfortable seating and hospitality.  How expensive are these digital facilities and who would build or outfit them?  This will certainly take additional research.

Production and Learning Studio

Would such an environment result in actual contracts?  Could it start with a training schedule?  What design and environment questions do we start with?

Digital Metropolis

A much more efficient process would be to start with a design for a cluster of buildings – planned for owner or tenants with a mutual interest in digital development.  Is there a plank in the local economic development platform to address such issues?

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.

Partner recruiting will not be easy.  We continue to grow in sophistication – and each year is better than the last.  Our upgrades are reasonable and we love our work.  It will happen

Thornhill Digital Storytelling (TDS) is maturing very nicely in so many ways.  Of course the piece that keeps making new friends for the package – and keeps the veterans coming back – is our concept of Kai Zen; Continuous Improvement.  This is most visible in product development.

Research continues everyday.  As we make this primary product better, we are really following a game plan that will keep us on the right track for years.

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) a seminar
  • Attend, or sponsor, one or more of the social events

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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Ask About The Maui Video Marketplace

Our marketplace concept brings together all parts needed to build a film, or a production
studio or a collaborative cluster of film-related businesses to grow the region.

We start with a seminar series, printed programs and access to information supporting the
global transition from analog to digital product distribution.  From Internet applications
to digital television to digital channels, your career in the industry will be given a
major boost by participating in the Thornhill Digital Storytelling seminar.

The Maui Video Marketplace will grow from an idea to a location for training, serving clients and developing proprietary and contract media products.  The choices will include live events, classes, print media, audio and radio, video and television, digital and Internet, plus film industry connections.

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For Digital Storytelling Weekly Updates: http://digitalstorytellingseminar.blogspot.com/

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The Thornhill Design Laboratory
Andrew W. Thornhill
Nextspace Los Angeles
9415 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, California 90232

thornhillnews@hotmail.com

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2012 Is Your Year

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Thornhill & Studio
Quarterly Design Review – Q2 2012

Thursday, May 3, Friday, May 4 - 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Diversity Is Good Business
The communications industry has been challenged for many years regarding matters of inclusion. 
This “communications” title includes all disciplines engaged in or supporting information
gathering, processing and distribution.  Because of the results we see in jobs, funding and
the look of the end product, there are always question about diversity and how to get there.

FCC Launches Competition To Identify The Best Ways To Increase
Broadband Adoption Among Low-Income Americans

$25 Million For FCC Broadband Diversity
For the first time ever – and as a result of tens of millions in savings from reform of its Lifeline program –
the Federal Communications Commission is launching a competition to discover the best ways to
increase broadband adoption rates among low-income Americans.  The competition is funded
by the newly created “Broadband Adoption Lifeline Pilot Program.”
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2012/db0430/DOC-313824A1.pdf

Free To All With Advance Registration

To Register: http://thornhill-quarterly-Q2-2012.eventbrite.com

Thursday & Friday Main Venue: DeVry University, Bellevue Center
Bellevue Corporate Plaza, 600 108th Avenue Northeast, Suite 209
Bellevue, Washington 98004 - www.devry.edu

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Status Reports For Each Section
Thornhill Design Review
Thornhill News - A New Communications Network
Corporate Development & Revenue
Facilities - Thornhill News Newsroom, DTR Resource Center, Design Lab Studio
The Thornhill Design Laboratory - Including Thornhill Digital Storytelling

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Introducing Bellevue

Throughout The Thornhill & Studio Quarterly Review You Will Learn About
The Best Lunchtime Restaurants and Happy Hour Locations!

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A networking opportunity for communications, media, arts and digital technology professionals
A tourism and lifestyle showcase in and for Bellevue, Washington

Thornhill & Studio
www.thornhillportfolio.com

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