Most people don’t know that one of the most popular, world renown
screenplays in history, STAR WARS, was going to be THROW IN THE TRASH, NEVER
going to be shot if it wasn’t for the creativity and persistence of one man.

Not George Lucas, but Charles Lippincott who was vice president of
advertising and marketing of the Star Wars corporation.

NOT A SINGLE PERSON wanted to touch Star Wars with a ten foot pole. Science
fiction wasn’t very successful then and there had only been one major
science fiction flick attempted at the time.

Lippincott tried so many tactics to get the word out about Star Wars in a
way most writers will never attempt if their lives depended on it.
Lippincott tried to create pre-movie buzz which many, incorrectly, think is
a post-internet idea.

Despite getting rejected, he got the screenplay novelized by Alan Dean
Foster. He then persisted on Marvel’s tail until he could get a comic book
created out of the idea.

Stan lee, former president of Marvel comics, told him "Once you shoot the
film, come in and see me." He kept rejecting Star Wars until Lippincott
convinced a Marvel editor to write and draw the comic. Stan Lee eventually
ok’d it but told Lippincott  he would receive NO MONEY for the first 100,000
copies. Lippincott agreed on the condition that he let them publish a
mini-series which at the time had NEVER been done. Stan lee agreed.

I ask myself, look at what Lippincott  went through just to try getting Star Wars shot and what do we
do to try getting our work shot and produced. Nothing, compared to him.

We sit around hoping someone will knock on our doors and just beg us to read
the script we have sitting in a file cabinet somewhere.

Most writers will crawl into a corner and have nothing to do with anyone
which I’m sorry to say just leads into a black hole.

Most writers, with no name, will want to get paid 100k for their first or
second sucky scripts.

No matter how great your script, if you can’t reach out and connect with
people, even if you have the next blockbuster, most screenwriters will have
nothing.

How about trying to actually get your name and your work out there first
like Star Wars did.

How about actually trying to get something actually produced no matter how
small or miniscual you THINK it is.

That’s why I’m creating this writing contest..... to give writers a chance
to actually connect with other writers and filmmakers and get their work out
there, viewed by an actual audience.

Most contests hardly give writers any recognition and go nowhere.

I need the help of forward thinking writers so I can help them.

If you want to enter this writing contest for Episode 2 of our online
interactive series you have 2 days left.

Here’s the link to enter:

--->>> http://www.dreamartistfilms.com/scriptcontest/premise

Teddy goes to Disney Land and learns about APPRECIATION.

This show is about values education for children, what values are and how to live a positive life based on values taught by parents.

Here's a short series I'm creating to help teach kids values using online video:

In this episode, Sarah gets an ipod.

This show is about values and manners for children, what values are and how to live a positive life based on values taught by parents.

 

Pass this to any parents who have kids 6-10 years old.

Being creative people we're so engulfed in art and technology. We're most likely into the coolest new gadget or the hottest new form of online social media.

Where do we stop though?

In a world where technology has moved from serving the masses to serving the elite while controlling the masses through distractions they think are services, how do we stay balanced. How do we keep our children balanced. We have dedication to creativity and technology which is why we should both promote it when needed but also draw the line when it becomes useless.

 

 

How important is it really to update your Facebook status this second? How important is it really to reply to a Facebook status while sitting in class?

It may sure be important to Facebook's business model, but what about you as an individual with power, creativity, thoughts, mindfulness?

What if you just sat down and thought about things ...

... before plopping on your computer ... before brightening the display on your cell phone and clicking that button ... before hitting refresh to get the next email ... before reloading your friends' Facebook statuses.

I think we all deep down inside, know these are all distractions and have nothing to do with being tech savy.

Instead of creating something for the world we check our email and do all of the above instead of thinking and creating.

Today, students were asked to find informative youtube videos about a subject. Some of them found a transvestite on youtube ranting about their day instead and said that he's a star on youtube. This article is not about whether transvestitism is morally right or wrong, but the fact that they were so engulfed in a video so unrelated that they thought they were getting beneficial information, and they weren't.

The academic search using technology in the classroom became pure frivolous entertainment.

Their brains were being fried and wasted slowly and surely.

They hovered around a small mobile phone and watched the episode.

When do you draw the line? How do you teach your children what's bullshit and what isn't.

When do you sit and think ... instead of checking email?

When do you create ... instead of reading online statuses.

When do you dwell on your personal values and beliefs ... instead of performing a wasted Google search you thought would lead you somewhere.

Before you take the next step and engage yourself in tech activity, ask yourself ... do you really think your becoming a better person by this?

After that, do what you will.

A mature, tech savy, 8th grader once told me why he uses Facebook, "because Facebook is the ultimate distraction for real life."

When we first began buying Apple products you'll notice that they used to come with some cool accessories. I purchased the iphone 1 when it first launched ever and it came with a dock. When I bought the iPhone 3GS for my wife I was amazed to see that there was only a USB connector cable. What happened to the dock?

I recently purchased an ipad and again to my amazement the box was practically empty. It doesn't come with a case, stand or even dock or even headphones or even anything.

There wasn't even an iPhone guide or manual.

My question is why? Why would apple not find it necessary to include some items like these in the product. iPhone 1 came with a dock why doesn't a more expensive and advanced product come with a dock?

Apple products are considered top of the line premium products so why don't they ship that way. Yes the boxing is nice so why make us buy every single accessory. It's asking too much. Apple product consumers already pay top dollar for the product. Give us something else. Show us you care.

We love the product so ship it that way.

You wouldn't serve filet mignon on a plastic plate with no complimentary sides.

We all know apple works hard at their products, given.

Its not just about the product anymore; its the service, the customer support, passion surrounding the sale. Nowadays when I walk into the apple store to purchase something, specialist don't make me feel special anymore, not like the early days. Specialists are getting colder as Apple grows.

This is what happens to all companies that get big, but that surely leads to their demise because if the company stops caring, customers stop caring and then you have no sales. This trend takes a which to come into effect but it's inevitable.

Dear Apple, we love where your taking us, but don't forget to care.

http://www.omarel.com

Give people what they want
If you fail to provide value to people your endeavor will fail. People support you only because you give something in return. The thing you give them in return could be anything: food, happiness, to anything they crave.

If you're a musician then you need to get away from the idea that you deliver music but that you deliver happiness and entertainment. You give people something to do while they're studying, driving. It's not the music you're giving. It's what the music does to people that you're delivering.

This is the same for the filmmaker, comedian, artist, etc. The more you realize what you're giving to people the more you'll realize how to broaden your market and get better at what you do. If you know you're trying to make people happy per say, you know now that you'll do anything to make people happy, since that is your ultimate goal with your art. Who cares how it's done, if you make art that gets people to feel good.

Now that you know what you give ask yourself, who wants what you have to give. Focus on them first and then go from there.

You're doing it for them not for you

Detach yourself from the idea that you just make music. You don't simply make music for the heck of it. You make music to make people feel a certain way. Make music for that reason.

I'm truly tired of the selfish broke artist who claim they make art for themselves and could care less about what people like. That might be the reason why an artist is broke; because he has nothing people want or are willing to pay for. I'm sorry but you don't make art for yourself; YOU MAKE ART FOR THE WORLD!

Remember that. If you make art for yourself don't share your art with me nor anyone else. Keep it to yourself. If you feel the need to share your art to others, realize then, that you're making art for the world, for others!

Remember that and don't forget the next time you step into the studio, on stage, pick up a paint brush, point your camera, etc. You're doing it for them, not you.

You hold a guitar for yourself, but play the guitar for them.

You shoot a movie for yourself, but produce a movie for them.

Certainly, the participation itself in the art is partly for you, but the end result, the creation of art is for others, at least until you're a millionaire already. Then you can do art for yourself and care less if anyone looks your way.

Why pop works and why you need to consider it
Pop works because it gets the audience involved. The music is easy to sing along with and the sound is catchy. Anything that gets the audience more involved will inevitably bring you more audience.

If you Google search something you most likely stick to the first page of results. Right? Maybe you go to the second or third but that's about it. So why do you expect your audience to go through more than this to figure out and understand your art, your music, your film.

You're the artist. People want you to express the art to them not the other way around. They want to sing along, bob their heads along and support you. Don't make it difficult for them.

Once a person becomes a fan then they'll probably spend more time to look through your artwork that is more niche.

Selling out is underrated
Once you start making art for others people claim you're selling out, but that's what art is for, it's meant to be shared and enjoyed by everyone NOT JUST YOU.

Once people call you a sellout you should know that you're on the right path as an artist.

It means you've struck a chord in people. You're affecting MORE people. Since when is affecting MORE people worse for you. On the contrary, that's the best thing to happen to an artist. We want our art to affect more people.

As an artist you have to enter a relationship with your fan through something they know and understand. It doesn't mean you're selling out, but how can you acquire a fan if they can't connect with you.

Why did Michael Jackson and Madonna touch so many people the way they did and for the length of time they did. Ask yourself that question. On the other hand why do we see a musician come out and hear nothing about her next year, because the label is only thinking of making quick money, as opposed to giving people what they truly want from musicians.

Do you have a story to tell? Tell it with friends.
http://www.rimmix.com

If any of you tweet let's follow each other's conversations
follow us at http://twitter.com/stateside212 and let's talk

Pat wears skinny jeans for the first time