Introduction to SCRUM for Filmmakers SCRUM is a method of agile workflow designed to empower team members to complete tasks by making decisions at the individual level. It offers a system of breaking complex tasks down into simpler tasks that, once completed, result in the complex task to be accomplished. It is called ‘SCRUM’ because the process was inspired by the way rugby teams work together during games. Though SCRUM is primarily used by software development teams, its process can
How to Write a Good Pitch for a TV Show : Ghostbusters 3 Example
Having Trouble Writing a Good TV Pitch? You’re Not Alone During my time as Vice President of the Thunder TV division at Thunder Digital Media I listened to a lot of pitches for films and shows. While much of the material was created by YouTubers and indie film producers, there was some material produced by seasoned industry pros that I found to be just……well, not good would be the nicest way to put it. Laughably bad would be my honest
‘The Lean Channel: YouTube for Entrepreneurs’ Book Now Available
One of the most popular articles on my blog is my guide for creating a YouTube gaming channel. Considering this, several months ago I started writing a detailed book that explains how to build a business around a YouTube channel. The result is The Lean Channel: YouTube for Entrepreneurs. The book is basically an expanded version of the blog article, with information not covered in the article. You can order the book off Amazon, as a Kindle eBook or the
Top 10 Ways to Doom Your Own Startup
By this point in my life I’ve had a lot of experience with startups. I’ve started several companies which had successes and failures, and I’ve been part of startups created by others. I’ve even done a fair amount of consulting to other people’s companies. Consistently I’ve noticed 10 things that will doom a startup to failure, and I’d like to share this list with others in the hopes these common mistakes can be avoided. #1: Mismanage your Resources With a
The Next Adventure
As of September 17th 2015, my time as the Vice President of Thunder TV has ended. I’d like to share a post mortem report about the Thunder TV division, but alas confidentiality agreements prevent me from doing so. It’s a shame because the story would make for a great startup case study. On the bright side the experiences I gained were useful. For nine months I spearheaded the transformation of Thunder Studios (a very traditional film studio focused on stage rentals)
What I Learned About Business From Playing MMORPGs
When I was 15 years old I started playing an online videogame called Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds. I’ve previously written a little about that before. What I didn’t write about was my experience with a player-ran organization within that game. The group was called Chonguns, and it was an officially recognized subpath in the game. Subpaths are similar to a guild like in other MMORPGs but with unique special abilities that can be used for roleplaying, PvE, PVP
YouTube, Censorship, Satire and Democracy
I grew up in the 80s and 90s; a time where many groups tried to label comic books, video games and music as badfun, and censor ideas these groups deemed dangerous or whatever. I still remember what it was like to grow up with parents who didn’t want me to watch The Simpsons or play Dungeons & Dragons. Now as an adult myself tasked with running a business that produces content my job is to help creators produce videos that some
How to Create a Successful Facebook Fan Page Audience
The way you think about Facebook is probably wrong. This flawed thought process is holding you back. Facebook is *not* your personal diary, something to be kept hidden from all except close friends and family. Facebook is a distribution system to push messages to a list of people who are interested in you as an individual. It’s very similar to a mailing list. Once you accept that, you can use Facebook super successfully to drive traffic to anything you want. There
reddit AMA Featuring Thunder Digital Media Executives
Got questions? Rodric David and myself have been answering them since we started a thread on IAmA last week. Here’s the link: I Own the Largest Independent Film Studio in California! AMA!
Why Thunder TV Is Important
Note: I no longer work at Thunder Studios having exited the company. This article is an archive of my thoughts while serving as Vice President of Thunder TV. We tend to focus too much on the technology and the business of entertainment, and we often forget that film-making – even in the online video world — is an art. Art is about expressing ideas and communicating values. Art connects people through these ideas, and ideas are powerful because they transcend
Lamenting the Death of the Small Town Video Rental Store
As a person whose career is predicated on internet-based distribution of TV shows and movies it may shock you to learn there is a part of me that mourns for those who have been put out of business along the way. I should make it clear though: I don’t find myself shedding any tears for the conglomerate chains like Hollywood Video or Blockbuster Video; these two chains ran the mom and pop video stores out of town, and those where
Update: What’s Happened in Five Months as VP of Thunder TV
Note: I no longer work at Thunder Studios having exited the company. This article is an archive of my thoughts while serving as Vice President of Thunder TV. It dawned on me that it’s been five months since I took on the duties of Vice President of Thunder TV, the television division at Thunder Studios. As my new set of responsibilities have occupied a lot of my time, I’ve forgotten to keep this blog updated with what has transpired. I
I was interviewed on Big Pitch Radio today!
I was invited to be a guest entrepreneur on Big Pitch Radio today (airing in over 30 markets!) You can listen to the recorded podcast by going to the March 2015 archive page and looking for Episode 59 – 3/30/2015 – Jon Weisblatt www.upgradeusa.com, SDR Ventures, Carey Martell. Thanks for having me on the show guys!