9.08.2006
Master Plan and Marketing
This is exciting, kids.
I hope everyone is OK with the name. I really wanted to get started with the meat of this project, and 5 votes for "village film" was enough for me.
This is the first "open source film project" that i am aware of, and i think that is the kind of thing that will earn us media coverage. The process here is at least as important (if not more so) than the product.
So here's an overview of the whole plan. Let me know what you think.
1. Story Ideas
everyone will have the opportunity to submit and comment on story ideas from everyone else. this will be done on this blog.
2. Scriptwriting
the script will be written with Writely. you can subscribe to an RSS feed to keep you updated with its progress. i'm guessing that only a few of you will actually help with the first draft (just because it takes so long). but after the first draft is complete, we'll move to the next step.
3. Editing
the script will be available to edit with Writely. anyone i invite will be allowed to edit the file directly (you may suggest people for me to invite, and i will likely ask everyone before including new people). however, anyone in the world will be able to see the entire script, subscribe to the update feed, and make comments and suggestions of their own (these will be sent to the villagefilm@gmail.com addresss, and i will post them here). thus, we keep the number of actual editors small, but the possibility of input wide open.
4. Storyboarding
once we have a script that we like, we will use Picasa and Picasaweb to post storyboard ideas. anyone can comment on any storyboarding concept throughout the site. i will probably handle the physical uploading myself, but anyone will be allowed to send me concepts that they want posted. we may also create a separate blog for this step, and link to people's individual picasaweb accounts, so that they can control their own ideas and make changes more quickly.
5. Final Pre-Production
this will happen alongside step 4, and will use Google Spreadsheets. we will build prop lists, equipment lists, location scouts (which we may also post to picasaweb), etc. this will also be a publicly viewable set of files, and anyone may comment and/or make suggestions.
6. Casting
along with step 4 and 5. this will happen in jackson, tn. we will advertise online, as well as in memphis and nashville. good talent will be very important.
7. Production
we would like to begin production in mid-december, just after the close of the semester. it will continue into january, and perhaps into the spring semester.
8. Dailies
will occur with step 7. scene possibilities and basic edits will be posted on Google Video using a pre-determined filenaming structure. these will be publicly viewable, and anyone may make comments and suggestions, or post their own versions, or whatever.
9. Editing and Post-Production
this will occur in jackson, tn. dailies will be regularly posted to Google Video. due to the constraints of transmitting high-res video, we will do all actual editing in house. people will be free to make comments and suggestions and share tips and tricks at any time.
That's the master plan right now. What follows is our current marketing strategies.
1. Google
Google is an integral part of this production, obviously. We will alert them to our intentions as we get into step 3 above. Hopefully, they will like the idea enough to post about it and give us a little attention. If so, we will need to be ready for the volume of attention we might recieve.
2. News Outlets, Web magazines
Web 2.0 is a hot topic these days (think social sites that allow "tagging" and create "community"). We are making full use of Web 2.0 to finish a film project. In a sense, this is Film 2.0. I believe that this project will be a popular one, at least for a while, with news magazines and social sites that are always looking for something new and interesting to cover.
3. Logo and Taglines
We need to design a logo and create some taglines for this project. This will create some continuity across our mediums, and it's just plain fun.
4. Trinkets
We will need to design T-shirts, mugs, stickers, whatever, using our logo and taglines (to be developed). These will be sold from the website with Google Checkout. The idea will be to raise a little support money, as well as interest in the project and just for something fun to have.
5. Film Release and Credits
First of all, we will release the film, in its entirety, on Google Video for free. Of course, this will be a low-res version with no special features. But for users who just want to see the finish product, I think it will be perfect. Hey, everyone helped make it, they should be able to see it.
Also, everyone who has any input (even if its not used) will have their name in the credits. We will keep a running list of everyone who makes a comment on any of our community sites (the instructions will be to sign their comments, but if they don't we'll include their username), and we will include their name in the credit sequence. We will create some rules about this (obvious ones like no comment spam and "you actually have to say something about the thing you are commenting on"), but beyond the sophomoric abusers I don't foresee too much trouble with this. And it might spur some to actually share their comments.
6. Making of Documentary
Since the process is as least as important as the product (in this case, anyway), we will be creating a documentary as we go. This will be a separate project from the villagefilm, but will obviously work in tandem with it. You may be contacted and asked to capture a photo or video of yourself working on the project, or perhaps some audio to explain a certain segment...who knows? The more you work on this, the more likely it is you will end up in the documentary.
7. DVD and personalization
We will release a DVD with special features (making of..., gag reel, commentary, etc.). This will be for sale on the website. We may also try to gain a public release through a vendor...more on that later. In any case, the DVD will be sold at a reasonable price, simply to recoup some costs and cover the cost of shipping and materials. We are considering selling "personalized" copies of the DVD to people that appear in the credits--basically DVD's that include a little paper plaque inside with their name on it and a recognition of their contribution. The personalized version would sell for only slightly more than the regular DVD, to cover extra time and materials. We are not in this to make lots of money. This is an IDEA, a PROJECT, a CONCEPT. I want to treat it that way.
That's it. There are a lot of details not present here, and I'm sure we'll get around to those later.
ACTIONS:
we need a logo. and taglines. any ideas?
we need storyline concepts. i have about 4 right now, some fully developed. anyone else?
Let's get started!
I hope everyone is OK with the name. I really wanted to get started with the meat of this project, and 5 votes for "village film" was enough for me.
This is the first "open source film project" that i am aware of, and i think that is the kind of thing that will earn us media coverage. The process here is at least as important (if not more so) than the product.
So here's an overview of the whole plan. Let me know what you think.
1. Story Ideas
everyone will have the opportunity to submit and comment on story ideas from everyone else. this will be done on this blog.
2. Scriptwriting
the script will be written with Writely. you can subscribe to an RSS feed to keep you updated with its progress. i'm guessing that only a few of you will actually help with the first draft (just because it takes so long). but after the first draft is complete, we'll move to the next step.
3. Editing
the script will be available to edit with Writely. anyone i invite will be allowed to edit the file directly (you may suggest people for me to invite, and i will likely ask everyone before including new people). however, anyone in the world will be able to see the entire script, subscribe to the update feed, and make comments and suggestions of their own (these will be sent to the villagefilm@gmail.com addresss, and i will post them here). thus, we keep the number of actual editors small, but the possibility of input wide open.
4. Storyboarding
once we have a script that we like, we will use Picasa and Picasaweb to post storyboard ideas. anyone can comment on any storyboarding concept throughout the site. i will probably handle the physical uploading myself, but anyone will be allowed to send me concepts that they want posted. we may also create a separate blog for this step, and link to people's individual picasaweb accounts, so that they can control their own ideas and make changes more quickly.
5. Final Pre-Production
this will happen alongside step 4, and will use Google Spreadsheets. we will build prop lists, equipment lists, location scouts (which we may also post to picasaweb), etc. this will also be a publicly viewable set of files, and anyone may comment and/or make suggestions.
6. Casting
along with step 4 and 5. this will happen in jackson, tn. we will advertise online, as well as in memphis and nashville. good talent will be very important.
7. Production
we would like to begin production in mid-december, just after the close of the semester. it will continue into january, and perhaps into the spring semester.
8. Dailies
will occur with step 7. scene possibilities and basic edits will be posted on Google Video using a pre-determined filenaming structure. these will be publicly viewable, and anyone may make comments and suggestions, or post their own versions, or whatever.
9. Editing and Post-Production
this will occur in jackson, tn. dailies will be regularly posted to Google Video. due to the constraints of transmitting high-res video, we will do all actual editing in house. people will be free to make comments and suggestions and share tips and tricks at any time.
That's the master plan right now. What follows is our current marketing strategies.
1. Google
Google is an integral part of this production, obviously. We will alert them to our intentions as we get into step 3 above. Hopefully, they will like the idea enough to post about it and give us a little attention. If so, we will need to be ready for the volume of attention we might recieve.
2. News Outlets, Web magazines
Web 2.0 is a hot topic these days (think social sites that allow "tagging" and create "community"). We are making full use of Web 2.0 to finish a film project. In a sense, this is Film 2.0. I believe that this project will be a popular one, at least for a while, with news magazines and social sites that are always looking for something new and interesting to cover.
3. Logo and Taglines
We need to design a logo and create some taglines for this project. This will create some continuity across our mediums, and it's just plain fun.
4. Trinkets
We will need to design T-shirts, mugs, stickers, whatever, using our logo and taglines (to be developed). These will be sold from the website with Google Checkout. The idea will be to raise a little support money, as well as interest in the project and just for something fun to have.
5. Film Release and Credits
First of all, we will release the film, in its entirety, on Google Video for free. Of course, this will be a low-res version with no special features. But for users who just want to see the finish product, I think it will be perfect. Hey, everyone helped make it, they should be able to see it.
Also, everyone who has any input (even if its not used) will have their name in the credits. We will keep a running list of everyone who makes a comment on any of our community sites (the instructions will be to sign their comments, but if they don't we'll include their username), and we will include their name in the credit sequence. We will create some rules about this (obvious ones like no comment spam and "you actually have to say something about the thing you are commenting on"), but beyond the sophomoric abusers I don't foresee too much trouble with this. And it might spur some to actually share their comments.
6. Making of Documentary
Since the process is as least as important as the product (in this case, anyway), we will be creating a documentary as we go. This will be a separate project from the villagefilm, but will obviously work in tandem with it. You may be contacted and asked to capture a photo or video of yourself working on the project, or perhaps some audio to explain a certain segment...who knows? The more you work on this, the more likely it is you will end up in the documentary.
7. DVD and personalization
We will release a DVD with special features (making of..., gag reel, commentary, etc.). This will be for sale on the website. We may also try to gain a public release through a vendor...more on that later. In any case, the DVD will be sold at a reasonable price, simply to recoup some costs and cover the cost of shipping and materials. We are considering selling "personalized" copies of the DVD to people that appear in the credits--basically DVD's that include a little paper plaque inside with their name on it and a recognition of their contribution. The personalized version would sell for only slightly more than the regular DVD, to cover extra time and materials. We are not in this to make lots of money. This is an IDEA, a PROJECT, a CONCEPT. I want to treat it that way.
That's it. There are a lot of details not present here, and I'm sure we'll get around to those later.
ACTIONS:
we need a logo. and taglines. any ideas?
we need storyline concepts. i have about 4 right now, some fully developed. anyone else?
Let's get started!
