He mentioned that to supplement his screenplay, he will bring along a “multimedia lookbook,” which is a “lookbook” with a twist. A lookbook is comprised of still images from already produced works, in order to showcase how one wishes one’s film to look. Instead of still images however, he will be using video clips, hence the name “multimedia lookbook.”

It was very interesting to me that he would do this, because I thought of something similar (although I have no doubt this is common practice in the film making world) in regards to story boards, however. It just so happens that I cannot draw, I am perhaps the worst at it. Every time I came across the use of storyboards, whether on ‘behind the scenes,’ ‘making of’ featurettes from my favorite movies, or read about what the purpose of storyboards is, I always wondered how I would ever reach the next step if I wouldn’t have storyboards to explain to the crew and the actors what I meant, I could always have an artist make them but how would I explain things to him or her? Then I thought that using scenes from my favorite movies, ones that conveyed a similar message, would clear things up for everybody and keep me from going insane.

I’m happy, as someone who is looking to be active in the film making realm, to look to others and find that I have a similar way of thinking or frame of mind as them. It calms me down and reassures me that I am not too far off. As for the Emerging Narrative Program, I will be looking into that.

Technorati Tags: IFP’s Emerging Narrative Program, Man-Child, access to producers, multimedia lookbook, lookbook, storyboards

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How to Clone Yourself in a Handheld Shot (Kickstarter Video Tutorial) from Koo on Vimeo.

Technorati Tags: feature film, Nofilmschool.com, Adobe After Effects, kickstarter

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1. An Alternative Way To Help
2. Director Robert Rodriguez shares ways that you can make your own films!

1. “Write out your idea, or better yet, draw it out.”  Think visually, make drawings with character’s lines as captions (Storyboards). Keep your first project simple, because you want to see it through to the end. You will know much more about film making once you do the whole thing.

2. Cast it with family and friends, film them with a video camera or a phone following your drawings. Try to tell a story visually, ideally it should work even with the sound off. You can use simple special effect tricks as he used in the movie, where he put peanut butter in the dog’s mouth to make it seem as though it was talking and then had someone off camera do the voice.

3. Edit it all together. Take out whatever does not work. If you took multiple shots, pick the best of all. Use simple editing tools found in your PC or Mac. These allow you to very simply put together your movie and add sound effects.

He finishes by saying that practice is very important. When you finish your film, watch it,  critique it and try again. Gradually you will improve. (Watch the video after the jump)

Technorati Tags: Yahoo.com, Movie Talk, promote, “Spy Kids”, reboot, Spy Kids: All The Time In The World, Robert Rodriguez, tips to make home movies, Think visually, Cast it with family members and friends, simple special effects

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1. One Minute Movies

I thought this was a cool exercise because is was interactive and would allow people’s talents to be displayed in a major website. However now that they are no longer accepting film submissions, I think that it is a good way to practice and stay sharp.

They were not looking for “epic films with sweeping stories,” brilliant photography, quality actors or a big budget; and basic consumer equipment such as a home video camera, a still picture digital camera capable of recording video or Flash to create animation, were enough to realize the film. For the post-production stage, one needed nothing more than the basic video editor bundled with our personal computer’s operating system.

They offered four “How to…” stages to help us throughout our adventure. Along with tips from industry experts and tips submitted by the public. (Details after the jump)

How to…Story:

1.“Don’t try and cram to much into your 60 seconds!”

• “…don’t overstretch yourself. We’re not looking for heavily plotted scenes.”

• Keep it simple.

2.“Be careful of making a genre film.”

• Think about what your film will look like. Genre films like science fiction are great but have you got the needed props and effects to make it happen. Also, sixty seconds is a very short time to really showcase fancy visuals.

3.“Three-act Structure. Sounds scary. It isn’t. What this means is give your story a beginning, middle and end. Easy.”

• Beginning | Middle | End.

• “For example, imagine a One-Minute Movie called Man’s Best Friend. The first 20 seconds might be images of a poster about a lost dog. The next 20 seconds could be images of people looking for a dog. The last 20 seconds would be the boy and his dog reunited. Hey presto! You’ve made a film!”

4.“Use what’s around you. Work in an office? Set your story in the office (but ask the boss first!).”

• The world is you canvas! Everything around you has the potential of being the setting of your film.

5.“You don’t have to tell a story. A well constructed sequence of images can make for a fascinating film.”

• “You may…find that a story, however simple, emerges from your images.”

“I don’t want to cram in sex or guns or car chases or characters learning profound life lessons or growing or coming to like each other or overcome obstacles to succeed in the end.”- “Charlie Kaufman” in Adaptation.

Some of the tips and tricks submitted my the public include:

• Create storyboards to have a preconceived idea of the type of shot you are going to film.

• Make sure everything is original.

• Ideas will start to pour in once you get started.

• Don’t worry about what has been done before. “Tell your own story. People will connect to it in different ways.”

• Plan in advance, rather that doing things on the spot.

• “Write the plot out in bullet-points. Then start writing it from these points.”

• Simply filming things around you and things you think are cool, can lead to ideas or to the film itself by no more than editing them all together.

How to…Direct:

1.“Use a tripod. Keeping your camera steady will improve your film…”

• The slightest camera movement can ruin the shot.

2.“Don’t zoom in and out too much. It may be tempting to film with the features on your camera but unless you know your stuff, it’ll look awful.”

• Do not get carried away and if in doubt, skip it altogether.

3.“Make sure the light is good. Hollywood became the film making capital of the world because the abundance of natural sunlight was all filmmakers had, as high-powered lights were yet to be invented.”

• Your film must be easy to see, therefore good lighting is important. Steer clear of places that are too dark or too bright.

4.“Storyboard your film. It will be much easier to direct and edit your film if you storyboard it in advance.”

• Storyboards help you stay organized.

• They need not be perfect, simple drawings will suffice.

5.“Change your perspective. Experiment with shooting the same scene from different angles and distances.”

• Keep subjects in frame.

• Changing angles and distances offers different moods and feels, a change in perspective.

“You can be stuck for weeks on a problem and then you get a couple of people in a room and you get a great answer.”- Lee Unkrich – director of Finding Nemo.

The people said….:

• Think about what interests, excites, scares, worries, etc…you and tell the world about them through your film.

• Shooting hand-held takes more technique and brings more life to the film. Tripod shots can sometimes be dull.

• Shoot continuously, you do not want miss anything magical.

• Be honest, tell a story you care about.

How to…Edit:

1.“Check your computer – it may already have video editing software installed, such as Movie Maker with Windows or iMovie with a Mac. if not, you can download trial software for free, or buy one of the many packages available.”

• These basic editing tools are very user friendly.

2.“Be organized. Keep a record of your shot while directing or work from a storyboard. It will help you put your film together more easily.”

• Make note of every shot, specially if you take multiple shots of the same scene. If you made use of story boards, label the video file in you computer with the same name of the corresponding board.

3.“You’re not making an MTV video so don’t cut from scene to scene every other second – it looks awful.”

• Take time to showcase your shots, after all, it has taken considerable effort to film them.

4.“Experiment when editing to see what type of cuts work best with your film.”

• Dissolves, fade-in and fade-out are the more common cuts. But feel free to experiment.

5.“Remember continuity when editing. Things like light can change between scenes and when you put two scenes together, they’ll look different.”

• Props and their positions as well as clothing need to remain the same throughout the sequence of the shot.

“I don’t like when it’s so quick you don’t see what’s happening. What’s the point in having the shot?”- Anne V. Coates – Oscar-winning editor of Lawrence of Arabia.

From the people…:

• Use cutaways to “greatly enhance a scene or mood.”

• Use a variety of shots during the edit, it will leave the viewer feeling more involved and make the film feel more exciting.

• The edit is half the life of the film. Poor editing will leave the film “…[looking] feeble.”

• If possible, de-interlace your footage.

• Shoot the same scene from different angles and during the edit, combine different angles from different shots.

How to…Sound:

1.“Don’t shoot anywhere with lots of natural noise if you plan to have actors speaking. Your microphone will only pick-up background noise.”

• Shooting in noisy locations forces your actor to have to shout.

• If you cannot avoid noise, you can overdub the dialog in post-production.

2.“If you can, use a separate microphone.”

• The camera’s microphone might be enough, but adding a decent microphone will only help.

3.“Make your own soundtrack. Some mobile phones let you create your own music or record sounds. Some computers have built-in sound effects or recorders.”

• If you know how to play an instrument, or know someone who does, have them compose and record some music for you.

• Some mobile phones come with music creation software and there are a number of computer software that serve the same purpose.

• Purchase right-free music from big computer stores.

4.“Add sound effects while editing your film. You can download free sounds on the internet.”

• Sound effects enhance your film.

• There are a number of free sound effects websites.

• You can also make them yourself.

5.“Remember copyright! You can’t use songs or music that don’t belong to you…”

“When you see your picture you start building sounds that amplify a mood that has already started, and then when all the elements are together the thing jumps and it becomes kind of magical.” - David Lynch – Director.

The public says:

• If you cannot afford a top of the line microphone, adding a pre-amp to you existing, or an otherwise low cost microphone, can help improve sound quality.

• Re-record the dialog and overdub.

• Don’t expect your audio to sound like a Hollywood film.

• If dealing with audio is too much or out of your reach, consider making a silent film.

• Make your own soundtrack for the film. Eliminate all natural sound from the video and create one from scratch.

These were the top ten most watched films of the One-Minute Movies event:

1. A Love Story

2. Insex

3.Tickling

4.Messy Monkey

5.A Stalker!

6. Real Hogwarts…

7. Chocolate

8. ₤5

9. Metre High Club

10.  The Duel

These were the latest films added:

1. Glass Of Water

2. Donkey’s Day Out

3. Cut

4. Countdown

5. Gluttony…

6. Self-Emptying Bin

7. The Charge

8. Ring Ring Ring

9. The Waiting Room

10. Chuck McGee…

Well, there you have it. I hope this will be of at least a little help to you all. Be sure to let me know if you happen to make any one minute films.

Technorati Tags: One Minute Movies, BBC, how to make a film, pick up a camera and shoot, allow people’s talents to be displayed in a major website, epic films, sweeping stories, brilliant photography, quality actors, big budget, basic consumer equipment, home video camera, still picture digital camera capable of recording video, Flash to create animation, realize the film, post-production stage, basic video editor, personal computer’s operating system, Three-act Structure, heavily plotted scenes, making a genre film, Charlie Kaufman,  storyboards,  Use a tripod,  Don’t zoom in and out too much,  Hollywood, filmmakers, Movie Maker with Windows, iMovie on a Mac, MTV, Lawrence of Arabia, editing, Make your own soundtrack, built-in sound effects,   Add sound effects, copyright, David Lynch, pre-amp, Re-record the dialog, overdub

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I recently ran across Ryan Koo’s Nofilmschool.com, an incredible blog about jumping into, remaining and eventually making a living as an independent artist; and its fund raising campaign for “Man-Child,” however it had already ended having successfully raised 108% of funds, which I find absolutely amazing. In just over one month, art lovers and creators became one to help a fellow artist realize what I am sure is just one of his many dreams; and one I look forward to seeing completed. On account of the campaign having ended, I was unable to support him. Then, as I continued to work my way through Nofilmschool.com I ran across its earnings post from May 2010, in which Ryan mentioned that the reason the Amazon.com affiliate earnings for that month were so high was because someone had purchased a considerably expensive camera. Then I got to thinking and I realized that there is a way I could help him and his projects, as well as many other artists out there.

I do most if not all of my shopping online and Amazon.com is where I like to do it. Since I could no longer directly support of his project, I thought it would be a great idea to make my purchases using his Amazon.com affiliate link, there by helping him earn his commission. It is not technically supporting his film project but it is helping him, in one way or another. This method allows me to accomplish two things for the price of one, considering I don’t always have spare cash.

If your favorite online destination could use your help, has affiliate links useful to you, or is advertising the very product you are looking for but, you unfortunately cannot spare the cash to directly support it, using their links is an excellent way to help.

I have been looking through Nofilmschool.com pretty much nonstop since I discovered it, and it is immensely insightful. I have already learned so much, and I plan to talk more, in future posts, about it and the lessons it has taught me.

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When we think up movie ideas, we tend to go the way of the Hollywood blockbusters; on location shooting, special effects, etc. But helming these kinds of productions can be practically impossible for the inexperienced. You don’t know what to expect or what to do if and when something goes wrong. Not to mention the immense pressure you will have to withstand from financial backers. Think about when you first start a new job, you have the background information, but the experience you will pick up as you physically perform your duties. Instead, we should have our minds set on the opposite; shooting a film that takes place in one location. This will allow you to more effectively run things and, be able to handle any mishaps.

A number of films exist that follow this formula. Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, I believe takes place in a restaurant for the most part. Kevin Smith’s Clerks and Clerks 2 take place in a convenience store and a burger joint respectively. The best example of all however is Phone Booth, which takes place in…you guessed it, a phone booth.

These types of movies tend to be very character driven and rely on character development to carry the story. This also happens a lot in sitcoms. In fact, on a interview with the executive producers of Friends, I once saw, they mentioned that a great way to keep costs low was to write episodes that are set in one place and rely more on dialogue and characters than on fancy theatrics. So, keep in mind that the first time you embark on the production of a film, not only is the shooting in one location production method good for your sanity, but it will keep expenses in check and your investors content.

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As a huge fan of the show I think they should pick one or the other, and the show gets my vote. The reason is because I see “24” as an Anti-Hollywood show. Everything that makes this show good and unique is the exact opposite of what constitutes a feature film. How can you reduce eighteen hours of material down to two and a half hours without cutting the one on one moments between Jack and Chloe? Both the personal and the conspiring ones. The times Jack gets captured and tortured? Not to mention the numerous plot twists that keep the stories exciting. I’m sure some will say that no more than two plot twists for the film will suffice and that is exactly my point, the format of the show is beyond the Hollywood norms and confining it to those norms would be a step in the wrong direction. And you know there are going to be a number of executives trying to recuperate the lost essence by applying typical Hollywood “spices” to appeal to larger demographics or leave cliffhangers to force sequels to be able to tell a complete story, which can be done properly by simply continuing the show.

A film franchise about Jack Bauer, the only man who does more in a day than anyone else does in one year gets zero votes from me. If you really want to bring a show to the silver screen, consider JMS’s Babylon 5, it really deserves it.

Technorati Tags: feature film, TV series “24”, NBC, Hollywood, film franchise about Jack Bauer, JMS’s Babylon 5

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Content and substance aside, what truly interests me about the film are the technical aspects behind it, or rather, its production. As an, dare I say, up and coming filmmaker, these aspects of such films are what I focus on in order to broaden my possibilities.

First off, director Oren Peli has no formal film training. He was previously a video game designer and worked as a day trader during the 90s. This is very exciting because suddenly, I’m only a video camera and a few credit cards away from having a film I can call my own. When I read about Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and the like, I become discouraged because their endeavors are too massive for me to even think I can accomplish something like that. It is too long a road. I know they too started at the bottom, but all that is out there is information about their next big budget blockbuster.

The film was directed on the directors own personal computer. This is great news for everybody, especially for computer enthusiasts, which I also happen to be. Since computers get faster by the day, so to speak, I foresee more and more people ditching editing services, their subsequent cost and instead, preparing a system that can not only edit one’s current production, but many more in the future. I, myself have stacks of computer hardware I can put to good use.

Filming was done in the director’s home. The first thing that comes to mind is the money you don’t have to spend and the hassles you don’t have to go through when you use your own property as a production location, especially when the entire film takes place within the confines of that property. (Note: Oren Peli spent a year prepping his home for shooting. The costs of these preparations were not part of the film’s production budget, however, if you settle for a place in decent enough shape or are willing to use any given location in whatever condition it maybe, then the savings would be substantial.)

There was no need for a camera crew. As can be seen on the film, the actors themselves also served as the camera crew. This was due to the film’s format and I’m sure it wasn’t done this way just to eliminate a film crew. I like the notion of no camera crew because being in charge of a large group of people makes me nervous and for that reason I welcome anything that might get the crew size reduced. Or maybe, I should just get over it and do what has to be done. What do you think?

One thing they couldn’t escape however, was the grueling hours of work. Even though production took only one week, they were working 18 hours per day.

These production notes are great and useful tips for those of us looking to make films. I will be back with more of these tips from other low budgets features, so that together we can broaden our possibilities.

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I was crossing eighth avenue at the forty-fifth and eighth intersection in New York City, and as I was about half way across, I noticed Mr. Goldblum. He was coming in the opposite direction, and walked right by me. He was accompanied by another gentleman, whom I didn’t take the time to focus on. At first, I saw him and had some sort of block, I couldn’t put my finger on who this guy was, but it all clicked when I heard his voice –he had said something to the other guy. We both continued on our ways and well, that was that.

Seeing him was a very pleasant surprise, I guess you could say that I was star struck. After all, I do like the guy, just not In L&O:CI. That whole experience came as a rude awakening for me because television—and by that I mean, the kind of television that indulges in celebrities’ personal rather than professional lives—has always depicted celebrities being harassed by the media and followed everywhere they go; and that is something I have gotten used to. So seeing Jeff Goldblum calmly walking the streets of New York City, came as a bit of a shock. Sometimes we forget that these are regular people like the rest of us.

I came to find out about the shooting of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, by way of a notice that the show’s location scouting department (or something along those lines) brought to where I work. It was on a Friday I believe, and the notice said that the following Tuesday SVU’s crew was going to be around from 5:30AM to 10:00PM. So it was no surprise to me to see, as I arrived at work, a group of people redirecting pedestrians and setting up cameras on rails and talking on head sets. What did come as a surprise, however, was the way production took place. I confess, this aspect of a TV show I had never thought about. But in the back of my mind, I guess I saw it as a major film production; lots of famous faces, trailers for the stars, catering tables and maybe extras waiting to be directed. This was not the case. It all turned out to be very targeted and specific; they closed off the number of yards of sidewalk they needed and extended that out toward the street, about a quarter of the way across. Then they put cones out to alert the oncoming traffic, and had pedestrians walk around the sealed area. It was crowded, since it was a sizable crew and there were a number of bystanders watching them work .

It all had a cozy and comfortable feeling to me because it turned out to be just about the opposite of how I think a feature film production is. It wasn’t a media spectacle or something that wanted attention, in any way.

I know, some of you out there are probably saying that there is no need for trailers and catering tables, since this was a quick “on location” shooting that probably did not involve the major stars and that since this isn’t the show’s lot, the crew must make as little a racket as possible. And while that, I agree with, I guess I just wanted to convey that I was excited to see it happen, before my eyes, for the first time.

Technorati Tags: Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Jeff Goldblum, show’s location, production, TV show, famous faces, trailers for the stars, “on location” shooting, extras

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One article I read said that the USA Network wants the show to be along the lines of Monk. While Monk is a good show, the character himself isn’t someone too many people would know, let alone be. It’s just fun to watch. Considering the kind of show that Criminal Intent has been and the kind of universe it forms part of, the Law & Order Universe; making the change they have decided to make, I think will cost them dearly.

Having Goren, Eames & Nichols work together rather than having two sets of detectives is a notion that got a lot of positive feedback. I too, thought it was an interesting way to revitalize the show, because there was the possibility that to some capacity the threesome along with Ross could have that same relationship that Goren, Eames, Carver and Deakins had. One attacks, one plays defense, another one referees and the last one has the final say. Given the kind of guys that Goren and Nichols are, having them collide on screen would be nothing short of powerful. And Ross would be forced to make tough decisions because of his relationship with Nichols and Goren’s analytical persona. As far as Eames, well, she’s the referee, the control group; she’s there to sort of defuse the bomb.

Also, a switch back to the “straight up cop work” that we saw during the first four seasons, would be great. Diving into the characters’ lives was good but it changed the show; and I think that is also what changed Goren. I prefer just revealing small details about the characters because it forces you to use your imagination to create a background for the character. Having them open ended, I find exciting.

Sadly, the decision has been made. As I said before, Goren and Eames are the heart and soul of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. And come the end of that season 9 opener, when Goren fades out, I think I will too.

Technorati Tags: Law & Order: Criminal Intent, USA Network, casting changes, Goren and Eames, reboot, “24”, Sherlock Holmes, relate to a character, understand a character, Gregory House, Jack Bauer, Monk

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Poor Man’s Copyright is based on the notion that a credible organization, like the Post Office, will time stamp the work effectively establishing a date of possession on your part. Traditionally, this is done by mailing a copy of the completed work to yourself and keeping the delivered package unopened, in safe storage in case a third party tries to claim ownership. The Post Office shipping date is the proof that the work was originally yours.

While this method is long in its history and has served many well, it has become frail in recent times. Thieves looking to steal your work can mail themselves an empty envelope and on a later date, place the stolen work. This is arguably one of the reasons this method might not hold up in court.

Luckily, its transition into the digital age has allowed the Poor Man’s Copyright concept to remain alive and well. In the digital realm, one could garner multiple timestamps, which will more relevantly protect your property. You could create a cryptographic hash function, which among other things creates digital signatures; you can then use the hash code as a reference when contacting any needed and highly trusted organizations and any replies will include both the date and hash code. Additionally, you can print out the code and mail it to yourself, putting yet another lock on the door, so to speak.

Usually the reason to use the Poor Man’s Copyright, is because the cost will be no more that a few stamps. But considering how much heavier a registration is in comparison, I think it is well worth the $35 fee. The Library of Congress registration can now be done online, allowing for electronic payments, faster processing times and among other things, online status tracking.

Technorati Tags: Copyright, screenplay, Copyright Your Script, Library of Congress, Poor Man’s Copyright, Post Office, cryptographic hash function, digital signatures

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Sherlock Holmes episodes on radio are often dismissed, as are the many films. Yet for his fans and all lovers of mystery, the swirling London fogs, murder most foul, odd villains and an upper class becoming modern as London’s denizens struggle in pitiful poverty means “the game is afoot!” Holmes actually has a long and wonderful history on the radio.-Old Time Radio Show Catalog-

Technorati Tags: Sherlock Holmes, mystery, odd villains, radio, old time radio

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Writer’s Guild of America East:
555 West 57th St. #1230
New York, NY 10019
212-767-7800
http://www.wgaeast.org

Writer’s Guild of America West:
7000 West 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323-951-4000
http://www.wga.org

In order to join, one must have a writing history of twenty four credits or writing units, in the three years prior to applying. In Television, thirty minute scripts such as those for sitcoms account for six writing units, sixty minute scripts, the norm for dramas, account for nine writing units and ninety minute scripts account for twelve writing units; these are usually television films and specials. Theatrical features account for twenty four units.

The Writer’s Guild of America East charges a $1500 initiation fee, 1.5% of quarterly gross, $25 annual dues and for Associate members $100-$1000. The WGA West charges a $2500 initiation fee, 1.5% of quarterly gross, $25 annual dues and $75 for Associate members. Please visits the Guilds’ respective websites for further details.

For those interested in other writer’s guilds consider:
The Writer’s Guild of Great Britain
http://www.writersguild.org.uk
Australian Writer’s Guild
http://www.awg.com.au
Writer’s Guild of Canada
http://www.writersguildofcanada.com

Technorati Tags: Writer’s Guild of America, WGAE, WGAW, television and film, radio, news, benefits, Health & Pension, The Writer’s Guild of Great Britain, Australian Writer’s Guild, Writer’s Guild of Canada

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I have let you in on this fact about me, because just as with controlling eating, I have difficulty being a steady blogger. All of my other work tires me out and I’m left with no stamina when writing time comes, I then neglect to do anything, blame it on that and tell myself that I would leave it for the weekend and work all weekend long, of course that never happens. The truth though is that while it is best to work the brain after a well deserved rest, it is not impossible to do it right before. Considering where I want to go this blog, it makes perfect sense for me to give it as much as I want it to give me.
Is anyone out there experiencing something similar?

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“The Weird Circle presented 30 minute tales of horror, frequently inspired by classic horror or ghost stories, frequently done by French authors”.-Old Time Radio Show Catalog-

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I feel this is an irresponsible thing to say, especially coming from a government official. If you lower yourself to the level of the villains, you become of them; you become part of the problem. Instead, you should take the villains out of commission and do business honorably or not do it at all because otherwise, what good are you? Any sacrifice would be worthwhile so long as the villains remain oil to our fresh water, unmixable. I know some people would argue that some things just have to be done, but that is not true. Anything we do, we do because we choose to not because we have to. I myself don’t have much to look out for and maybe that is why I see things this way; if I were a parent I would maybe do anything, but I still think morals should be up top.

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“Based on the Mickey Spillane series, Larry Haines stars as Mike Hammer-the ever entertaining handsome, violent, hard-boiled private eye. Tune in to any exciting episode which would not be complete without the ever beautiful Velda accompanying Mike while he insults some beautiful dame, takes a mysterious phone call, goes wild with reckless driving, and shoots some his gun off to solve the murder case.” -Old Time Radio Show Catalog-

Technorati Tags: Old-Time Radio, Golden Age of Radio, radio shows, That Hammer Guy, Larry Haines, Mickey Spillane series

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Reynolda Film Festival: April 1st – 5th , Winston Salem – North Carolina

Sonoma International Film Festival: April 1st – 5th, Sonoma – California

Gen Art Film Festival: April 1st – 7th, New York City – New York

Vail Film Festival: April 2nd – 5th, Vail – Colorado

Wisconsin Film Festival: April 2nd – 5th, Madison – Wisconsin

Southeast New England Film, Music and Arts Festival: April 2nd -5th, Providence – Rhode Island                                                                                            Ashland Independent Film Festival: April 2nd – 6th, Ashland – Oregon

Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival: April 3rd – 4th, Cedar Rapids – Iowa

Fairhope Film Festival: April 3rd – 5th, Fairhope – Alabama

Faux Film Festival: April 3rd – 5th, Portland Oregon

First Take Film Festival: April 8th – 12th, Augusta – Georgia

Technorati Tags: Film festivals, filmmakers, films

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“Mr. President was a show that told stories about the Commanders-in-chief of the Union and about their untold tales about everyday life while in residency in the White House. The identity was never revealed during the course of the show, in order to challenge the audience to guess his identity, which was divulged at the conclusion of the show. The show gave such a general background of the President and the timeframe, that it even challenged American History students.” -Old Time Radio Show Catalog-

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“Escape takes you on a ride into a world where danger comes in many forms, and you are on the edge of life and death, and perhaps you are being pushed! When Escape says romantic, we’re not talking kissing, perhaps those kisses might be from teeming piranha! Escape is more Devil’s Island than Fantasy Island. And it is wonderful adventure radio for the whole family…” -Old Time Radio Show Catalog-

Escape – Adaptive Ultimate

Technorati Tags: Escape, Devil’s Island, Fantasy Island, Old-Time Radio, Golden Age of Radio, radio shows

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One of my stronger allies in the quest for knowledge has been literature written by experts in the field. These books, I have come to find, are immensely helpful as they are pure background and foundation, the basics….Indulge me for a bit as I will attempt to put this in metaphorical terms.

We have all gone swimming at public pools, and before jumping in one must shower down. Let’s assume that the reason for showering is not to wash away anything foreign we might bring in the pool, but rather to cool the body down and to get it used to the water for when it finds itself inside the large body of water that is the pool. These books have that exact effect; they get you used to the trade for when you are up to your chin in it. A theatrical example is Adam Sandler’s character in Big Daddy; he studies up before he heads to court.

The downside these have is that they attempt to make a science out of an art, they are very procedural so to speak, and while the end result is an effective one, it is important to understand the art form in every way so that you can effectively implement innovation. An example of this is my current situation at work. I am currently employed at a Wendy’s and I run the grill. The training videos state that I must always have sixteen patties on the grill and as long as I don’t go below sixteen, I will always be able to provide cooked meat as needed. However, the video does take into account that come noon time and everybody breaks for lunch, procedure goes out the window and I am forced to improvise. During lunch hour, there are so many single, double and triple cheeseburgers being ordered that in order to keep up I have to turn up the heat and increase the number of patties on duty, neither of which is “allowed.” The fact that I know about lunchtime, its challenges and how to tackle them despite procedure shows that grilling is an art form upon which I must implement innovation. Furthermore, while the videos do teach how to grill beef parties, it is the practice that makes good. To quote Indiana Jones: “[If you want to be an Archaeologist, you have to get out of the library].” Apply that to the books.

Technorati Tags: film making, theatrical, Adam Sandler, Big Daddy, procedural, Wendy’s, Indiana Jones, Archaeologist

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Rather, you should look within yourself to find the story, the one story, the world has yet to see, you should write the story that will convince and inspire and one that others will in turn, consider an influence and want to replicate. James Cameron is especially good at this.

Technorati Tags: screenwriter, Eagle Eye, Mission: Impossible, Bourne, James Bond franchises, Wargames, James Cameron

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I’d like to thank the kind people at Old Time Radio Show Catalog, for making this possible. Without further ado….

Suspense – The Signalman

Technorati Tags: radio, daily broadcast, Golden Age of Radio, radio dramas, Old-Time Radio, books on tapes, detective drama

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In New York City, the NYFA is located at:
100 East 17th St. New York, NY 10003
TEL: 212-674-4300
FAX: 212-477-1414
EMAIL: film@nyfa.com

At Universal Studios:
3801 Barham Blvd.,
Lakeside Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 91608
TEL: 818-733-2600
FAX: 818-733-4074
EMAIL: studios@nyfa.com

For further Information, call 1-800-611-FILM or visit www.NYFA.com.

Technorati Tags: New York Film Academy, New York City, Universal Studios, Fine Arts Degree, Filmmaking, Acting for film, Producing, Screenwriting, 3d Animation, Music Video, Documentary and Broadcast Journalism

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In the Case of Seinfeld, the greatest sitcom in the universe, the characters represented everything we all wanted to do and be, but couldn’t because of social courtesy, I would say. Jerry’s indifference and lifestyle, George’s superficial ways and Kramer’s quirkiness allow me to lose myself in each episode and effectively live vicariously through them. In the case of House, M.D., Gregory House represents the way we all are when no one is around, as opposed to how we are in public. He however, displays this all day long. Robert Goren from Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and another of my favorite characters, bears great similarities to House because he too is misunderstood and has a lot to be troubled by, but all caused by pitfalls in his life rather than having an overall cavalier outlook, which is what House conveys. Characters like these coupled with great, intelligent writing set the stage for great memorable TV that allows us to, for a brief moment, live outside the gates of society.

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Technorati Tags: Howard Stern, film festival, filmmakers, Howard Stern Film Festival, Howard TV, short films, films

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Technorati Tags: find inspiration, personal connection, George Lucas, American Graffiti, race cars, Tyler Perry, childhood experiences, Tragedies, 9/11, written interesting stories, United 93, World Trade Center, feed the children, recent hardships, Martin Luther King Jr., 2008 presidential election, sense of hope, better future, that special someone, a look of affection, sources of inspiration, film, motion pictures

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I wish I had paid attention to this marvel sooner because it offers valuable knowledge at a very reasonable cost. I was always focused on college and the big leagues, and while that is the ultimate goal, this is here now and I can start tomorrow if I am so inclined. Anything high profile I can only dream about at the moment. So those of you, who have a local public access station, take advantage of what it has to offer.

Technorati Tags: Worcester Massachusetts, community media center, public access television, media center, programming, training programs, TV production, directing, producing, make your own show

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This also is a judgment call, and one that is to be made based on your situation. I was looking at some websites that rent video equipment and the prices were not all that excessive. Depending on what you need, prices range from a few hundred dollars per day to a few thousand. What did not look good was the fact that those prices are for the bare equipment, if you need any accessories at all, those would have to be rented at a range of up to a few hundred dollars per day. If you have the budget to and are looking to set up a complete production house that includes a large locale and hired help, and you are looking to go straight into big projects, then renting the equipment is not an unreasonable way to start. But considering that shoots can last weeks, it is probable if not definite, that the total cost would rise to levels high enough to make you decide that buying your own equipment is the best way to go. The good thing is that this is something you can figure out before hand, you do not have to actually go through the trouble of renting and pay massive amounts of money. You can estimate you total cost by calculating the types of projects you are looking to take on and the cost of the equipment; and this is a huge advantage because you can include these findings in your business plan and look for all the needed financing at once.

If you are one to work on your own from home, then leasing equipment is not feasible in any way, I think, because there is only so much you can do on your own. And actually, most of those who choose to start alone do not have any immediate plans that would require the rental of equipment. Any equipment used is usually for personal development within the trade and those can be anything really, there is not exactly a need for specific hardware. But when the time for expansion arrives, then the case I mentioned above would have to be implemented, with the slight variation that instead of figuring the potential expense before hand and including it in the business plan, you would have to do it when the time comes and then go out requisition additional funding.

As you probably have figured out, my method of preference here is the last one I mentioned. I have no immediate plans to take on anything major, because as I have mentioned before, this is a learning experience for me and personal development is my number one priority. But there will come a time (hopefully) when I will make the transition from the small scale to the big time, and then, I will take the appropriate measures to not waste money when it is time to get hardware.

Technorati Tags: leasing space, set up your business, leasing equipment, rent video equipment, Video Production, financing, time for expansion, potential expense, business plan, requisition additional funding, personal development

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I think that this decision is a judgment call because every business is started differently. While there are certain things that must be done and must be done in a specific way, there are also other things that have flexibility, you can do them however you need to or want to, in order to accommodate your situation.

The two situations I mentioned in earlier posts were; starting at home by yourself, with rented (If you so wish) equipment, juggling all the work on your own. The other was; renting space, buying equipment and hiring help to delegate all the work to. Ultimately it will all be based on the vision you have, but also it is important to keep in mind that you are not going to have all the time in the world to dedicate to your venture nor are you going to find all the funding you are going to need to splurge, therefore you will probably have to make sacrifices.

On the one hand, starting all by yourself, does come at a cost reduction but we all have responsibilities that more likely than not, will not allow us to commit to the venture the time it will need. I know we are not all the same; some of us could make arrangements to be able to work hard on our businesses, others might just have enough spare time. Also, you might discover that giving some things up comes cheaper than the cost to rent, buy and hire. On the other hand, going all out, means that the business can, in a way, go on like clockwork without you having to jeopardize or sacrifice anything. The downside of course is that you are going to need more funding and since some of that money you will have to be responsible for, ultimately you might be forced sacrifice things anyway in order to provide the rest of the funds.

I personally like the notion of starting by myself. I see it as doing as much as I can on my own so that the funding I get from the outside can cover all the expenditures. Now, all I mentioned so far was sort of influenced by my current situation and how I plan to start my video production house, which I will talk about in a later post. Everyone out there has their own plans and opinions that I am interested in hearing, especially from experienced business owners. I’m interested in hearing whether taking a big jump (sacrificing, risking) now, will yield good results later. Big risk, big reward is the saying but nevertheless, it is still a risk.

Technorati Tags: production house, finding space to set up your business, set up your business, rent equipment, buying equipment, find all the funding, cost reduction, video production

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The two common types of legal entities that are usually used by independent filmmakers are: Limited Liability Company (LLC) and Individual/Sole Proprietor. I ran across a third one, and thought I should include it; it is the Doing business as (DBA).

An LLC is a type of legal entity that provides protection to its owners, by being a separate entity altogether. If for any reason, the company finds itself in legal trouble like a lawsuit, and has to pay out a large sum of money, then the company itself takes the hit because only company assets would be bare. Since the personal property of the company’s owners is not part of the company, then those would run no risk. There are times when there are personal guarantees and sometimes personal property is used as collateral, in which case, those would be considered part of the company and could be seized if needed, in order to pay out.

However, an LLC does have its share of disadvantages. It takes great unavoidable expense to maintain, and there are very strict rules as to how money can be moved around. Also, as I understood it, an LLC has to have, among many other things, shareholders and directors. Finally, LLCs have to submit accountant prepared reports to the proper authorities.

An Individual/Sole Proprietorship is the opposite of a Limited Liability Company, I would say. Because instead of the company being a separate legal entity, it’s legal and financial aspects are the same as those of its owner. Therefore, if the company gets in trouble, both company assets as well as the personal property of its owner would be on the line. Also, company income and personal income would be the same, and that eliminates pretty much every tax advantage. However, the cost to maintain an Individual/Sole Proprietorship is very reasonable the, requirements for accountant prepared reports are minimal and sometimes it is not even required to register a name for your business.

“Doing business as” means that the business is running with a name different than that of its owner. It is usually used to keep the owner’s identity private. I think this is used very frequently, a number of businesses could have one parent company and the general public is not aware. But since business owners have legal responsibilities, in order to “[Do] business as,” they must file a DBA statement, which I believe can be done at the town hall. Parent companies can be a sole proprietorship or a Limited Liability Company, for which the appropriate rules and requirements, as I mentioned above, must be followed.

I still do not know which way is best for me. The first one that comes to mind is the LLC, for the protection it offers, and as long as business is conducted honestly and honorably, filing and reporting should be no problem. However, the fees that must be paid could become a hardship for me as well as for those just beginning and, lest I forget, the need of lawyers and accountants, will only increase the financial requirement.

I, yet again, want to reiterate that this is a learning experience for me; I need all the help I can get. If anyone out there sees any inconsistencies or can offer information that I failed to mention, by all means step in, it will do nothing but help. I have started a thread about this in the forum, feel free to comment and offer your insights there, as well as on the comments section of this post. And next time on Bloddard.com, “Find a Locale to Set Up.”

Technorati Tags: financing, register your production house, starting filmmakers, independent filmmakers, production companies, Limited Liability Company, Individual/Sole Proprietor, Doing business as, LLC, DBA, shareholders, Video Production House, lawyers, accountants

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I found that there are countless ways for someone to get funds to start their business venture. Based on what I learned, there are three general categories: Lenders, Investors and plain old Self-Financing (or Bootstrapping). It is important to keep in mind that in a lot, if not all cases you will be partly responsible for funding the venture. In other words, you are not going to get every cent you need from lenders and investors; you will have to cover the rest of what you need.

I would like to start with Self-Financing or Bootstrapping. By the way, the term Bootstrapping is new to me and I learned it means; doing as much as you can with what you have got. In order to finance your business yourself, you can:

• Tap in your 401(K): if you have one from a previous employer, but watch out for tax penalties.
• Sell Assets: have you got things you can sell?
• Home Equity: if you are well on your way with your home mortgage, you can borrow against the equity.
• Insurance Policies: if you have life insurance, you can requisition a policy loan since they usually garner cash value after some years.
• Investments: you can borrow from the 401(K) your current employer provides. There is usually a specified repayment schedule and a limit to how much you can borrow, and if you lose your job, you have to repay the loan very quickly.
• Use Credit Cards: nothing new here, just make sure you can keep with the monthly payments to prevent a catastrophe.
• Use Your Savings: if you are like most people are not or cannot be; you spend less than you make and put money in the bank, then there is a chance you have some good savings you can use to fund your venture. After having considered that you have kids to feed, monthly responsibilities and any emergency that might come up, that is.
• Use Your Certificates of Deposit: if you have a CD, you can (depending on the bank) use it as collateral for a loan and as long as the terms of the loan are met, the balance of the CD remains intact. If the loan cannot be paid, then cash from the CD will be used to service it and early withdrawal penalties will be incurred as well.
• Use Your Individual Retirement Account: as I understand it, you can use the money from your IRA, but you must pay it all back within 60 days or there will be penalties. Usually, the risk with these types of assets is that if you withdraw funds to invest elsewhere and that investment yields no returns, you must still pay back what you borrowed.
• Borrow from Friends and Family: this is as convenient as it is problematic, in my opinion. Because while it does not have all the requirements that a bank has, it does have all the hassles, which can lead to trouble. The norm is to get everything, everything, everything in writing to eliminate any misunderstandings and any: “When are you going to pay me back?”

You can also take out loans. All banks offer loans, but I think (and correct me if I’m wrong) that one should bypass your everyday banks and go straight for the Small Business Administration. They offer a number of programs that are of great benefit to small businesses, and beats having to deal with banks directly.

• 7(a) Loan Guarantee Program: the Small Business Administration guarantees you a loan from a lender. Usually the guarantee is for about 75% of the loan amount.
• The LowDoc Program: is a low documentation loan that relies on your own personal credit rating and the cash flow of your business.
• The Fastrak Program: similar to the LowDoc program, but with speedier results.
• Caplines: is a revolving line of credit that works like a credit card.
• Women and Minority Loans: usually up to $250,000, “middlemen” help you shop around for the best loan, help with the paper work and send it to the SBA.
• The Microloan Program: handled by non-profit intermediaries that help you with the application process. These loans are usually short-term, are no more than $25,000 and have variable interest rates and maturity dates.
• 504 CDC Loan Program: long term loans with fixed rates, for fixed assets.
• SBICs and SSBICs: these are privately owned small business investors.
• Disaster Assistance Loans: these are loans provided directly by the Small Business administration and is typically used by businesses in trouble.

Finally, you can opt for investors. There are different kinds of investors and, in a nutshell, they invest in your business for financial gain. You can find them through your broker or financial advisor.

• Individual Investors: these are lone wolves that use their personal wealth to fund ventures.
• Angel Investors: these are individuals or firms that offer financing in exchange for equity.
• Venture Capital: this is funding provided to new companies with potential for rapid growth and expansion. It is usually provided in exchange for company shares (partial ownership).
• Businesses: some businesses, I believe Google does this, offer cash to businesses in exchange for partial ownership.

I myself like the idea of the bootstrapping and self-financing. But that is just a sentiment, because I know what I have and I know what I’m willing to risk or sacrifice. That however, does not mean that it is the best option or the option that makes more sense and, it all depends on how complete a business you are looking to start. By this I mean, starting at home by yourself; or renting space, equipment and hiring help. Ultimately this is a call for the individual entrepreneur to make, based on his or her needs and wants.

In the next post in this series, I will focus on “Individual/ Sole Proprietor, LLC or DBA.” And once again, I want to reiterate that this is a learning experience for me; I need all the help I can get. If anyone out there sees any inconsistencies or can offer information that I failed to mention, by all means step in, it will do nothing but help. I have started a thread about this in the forum, feel free to comment and offer your insights there, as well as on the comments section of this post.

Technorati Tags: Video Production, business plan, finance your business, get funds to start, business venture, Lenders, Investors, Self-Financing, Bootstrapping, finance your business, 401(K), Home Equity, Insurance Policies, life insurance, policy loan, Certificates of Deposit, Individual Retirement Account, IRA, Borrow from Friends and Family, small business, Venture Capital, Angel Investors, Individual Investors, Disaster Assistance Loans

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A business plan is nothing more than a written description of the future of one’s business; whether it is a start up or an established business. It includes business goals and how they will be accomplished; possible problems to be faced and how to solve them; and a description of business structure ranging from what goes where, to who does what. Also how much funding it will require to take off and keep going, until it breaks even and subsequently makes a profit. And, why it will succeed in its industry and under current market conditions.

A business plan has many uses that will allow you to run your business, or plan for a new business in an organized and efficient manner. It is very useful when looking for financing, whether from investors or lenders because it expresses your visions and intentions; to determine whether or not you can afford to rent space, hire help and buy equipment; or start slow in your home, with rented equipment, juggling all the work yourself. Also, when in the quest for partners, new hires or management teams because it highlights your business objectives and future projections as well as information about compensation and advancement. To develop relationships and alliances in the future based on where the business is projected to go; to valuate the business for tax, inheritance or divorce purposes and to expand by branching out into other markets or even industries.

Originally I thought that as long as all the objectives where covered, it did not matter how a plan could be written; professionalism notwithstanding. However there seems to be a standard or format when it comes to writing a one. There are three primary parts that a business plan must contain; Business Concept, in which you discuss your product or service, talk about the industry and market, your business outlook and plan to succeed. Marketplace Section, in which you point out your target audience or potential customers, explain who they are and why them, in particular. Also, discuss the competition and how you plan to raise above it. Finally, the Financial Section, where income, cash flow, profit projections and when, approximately, the business will break even, take center stage. These three parts can be broken down into seven key components, which will help to further organize the facts. These are:

• Executive Summary: a half page to full page statement that details your hopes and desires. It explains: Business Concept, which describes the product or service, its target market as well as point out who the competition is and how to be and remain competitive. Financial Features, points out the numbers; sales, revenues, profit, cash flow, etc… Financial Requirements, details the funds needed to start the business as well as how those funds will be used. Current Business Position, gives background information about the company. Explains about those involved; from heads to employees, as well as the company’s day to day operations. Major Achievements, explain achievements that are crucial to the success of the business. These include contracts, operation facilities, prototype, patents, etc… Do not beat around the bush, get right to the point. It is important that you come off as secure and decisive.
• Business Description: describes the industry, markets within that industry and anything significant that affect the business. Use current reliable data and cite your sources. In order for investors to risk their money, they will need to know that the information they are reading comes from reliable sources. Describe whether the business will offer products (Wholesale? Retail? Manufacturing?) Or services. Mention whether it is an established business or a new business and whether it is a partnership, corporation, LLC, etc… Mention who the personnel at its core are, and how they will be of benefit to the company. Then mention who your target audience is and how you plan to distribute to them. Finally, get specific about the product or service and explain how you will do things differently than your competitors and why it will work.
• Market Strategies: based on market conditions, the business has to be strategically positioned within that market so that it can garner as many sales as possible. This requires deep understanding of the target market, which, is obtained by conducting a market analysis. This analysis will provide all the needed information (Pricing, Growth Potential, etc…) to introduce the business to the market and allow it to be successful within all the competition.
• Competitive Analysis: analyze the competition to determine their strengths and weaknesses and based on that information, develop a plan of attack.
• Design and Development Plan: describes the product, its design, its development and its production as well as the budget that will be needed.
• Operations and Management Plan: explains how the business works day in and day out. Outlines the delegated responsibilities and the required capital and expense in order to keep things running like clockwork.
• Financial Factors: provide financial statements that show the company is afloat, can remain that way in the mean time and prosper as time passes. The statements are: Cash flow statement, Income statement and Balance sheet.

Also, a well prepared business plan must have a cover page and a table of contents.

A typical business plan is about fifteen to twenty pages in length, but it depends on the complexity of the business or whether a new kind of business or industry is planned. Also, the nature of the business and what kind of plan is being written determines its length. I myself do not have a preference, sometimes short and sweet can serve the same purpose as a drag out detailed plan. As long as all the information is included, then all is good. But there are four types of business plans that can be written; to me, they do not seem to be part of any specific rule that must be followed, although you would have to focus on a particular type depending on the circumstances.

• The Mini Plan: up to ten pages with the key basics such as business concept, financing needs, marketing plan, cash flow information and income projections. This type of plan serves as practice for a full length plan in the future, and works just fine for small scale proposals like bringing a partner on board or dealing with a small investor.
• The Working Plan: usually and regularly used as a reference guide to run a business. It must be well detailed but can be lacking in presentation. It does not include information and details an outside party, like a financial institution, might require; such as, illustrations and business terms.
• The Presentation Plan: a “Working Plan” with high class looks, for when dealing with third parties. Has standard business vocabulary, charts, graphs, illustrations and none of the slang or shorthand that is common at the workplace. Outside investors and potential business partners are not familiar with the operation you have got happening, so it has to be clear and detailed. It also has to include information required by that, whom you’re looking to be in business with as well as information about potential risks and the competition. It should be printed on high quality, maybe even glossy paper, in color and bound into an easy to handle booklet. Finally, the information presented must be exact; any error could be misinterpreted by one not directly involved in the business. This also goes for all other kinds of business plans.
• The Electronic Plan: all plans are made on computers, and then printed. An electronic plan remains in digital form; I would say, it is a “Presentation Plan” without the printing and binding. Since in digital form, The Electronic Plan can be used for presentations and to send to those who prefer to carry a digital file rather than a large booklet.

Since a business plan is part of a business from its conception to its implementation to its daily workings, it is important to keep it up to date. Updates to the plan, and in certain occasion changes, can be brought on by unexpected changes in the industry and/ or market, if the business reaches a major milestone, if there is new and innovative competition, changes in regulation or new management. You learn more and more every day, and after gaining some experience you may decide that you are able to write a better plan. Also, if looking for further financing, the figures have to be updated; although that is also necessary in order run the business day in and day out.

You may have to emphasize specific parts of the plan, depending on what you are looking to accomplish. If you want to requisition funding, then the financial aspects ranging from funds requested to projected growth rate, to ability to generate cash to service loans in the mean time, to how the business is going to make money, have to be addressed in great detail. If it is being used for hiring purposes, then among other things, compensation and opportunities for advancement have to take center stage. And so on; basically be really elaborate on the sections that relate directly to whom you are looking to do business with.

Before writing the plan, think about what you would like your business to be and what you want it to eventually become. As you think about those things, note the hurdles to be jumped and obstacles to be faced when it comes to accomplishing those goals. Nothing is insignificant enough to ignore or even set aside for later. Think of everything from starting out in your basement to expanding nationally or even globally. From the amount of work you’ll have to juggle on your own to the amount of employees you’ll need to delegate to. It is important to anticipate the size of your monetary needs, because the more financing you need, the more control or power you will have to relinquish. Some investors may want equal control or may want to have some input by placing someone on the board of directors. On the other hand, entities like banks keep away, as long as payments are made on a timely manner. Finally, never forget that obstacles are disguised opportunities.

In the next post in this series, I will focus on “Find & Secure Funding”. And I reiterate that this is a learning experience for me; I need all the help I can get. If anyone out there sees any inconsistencies or can offer information that I failed to mention, by all means step in, it will do nothing but help. I have started a thread about this in the forum, feel free to comment and offer your insights there, as well as on the comments section of this post.

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To the best of my abilities, I organized what I learned and broke it up into stages, or phases.

• Writing a Business Plan: A write-up that explains, among many other things, what the business is, what it does, how it does it and how it will generate money. As I see it, it is a lot like storyboards to a film; a guide that shows what is to be done and how, for the sake of comprehension and organization.
• Find & Secure Funding: This is nothing more than finding money sources to help fund the project. At the very least, to cover start up costs.
• Individual/ Sole Proprietor, LLC or DBA: These are the different types of entities, if you will that the production house can be registered as. There advantages and disadvantages to all of them so it is a matter of what, in particular, one is looking for. There are also other legal requirements that must be met and understood.
• Find a Locale to Set Up: This is finding space to set up your business and where equipment can be kept; a place where there is space for a secretary, writers, editors and so forth, as well as space to sit and discuss ideas and deals with clients and prospective clients.
• Buy or Rent Equipment: This one is deciding on whether to buy or rent the needed equipment. It is a judgment call that you would have to make based on your needs, wants and financial standing.
• Hire Personnel: Well you can’t do everything yourself, you need a team that the tasks can be delegated to.
• Market the Business: This, we all know about. You have to put your business out there, let the public know what it is, what is does and among other things, why it is the better choice. The ways to accomplish this range from handing out fliers, to having a TV station air a commercial, to buying ad space on the web, to having the public transit authority put your ad on one of their buses.
• Get to Work!!! : This is simply doing what you love doing, which is why the foundation mention above was laid.

In future posts I will explain each of these points with greater detail, as I still am not clear about the specifics of them. Think of this a series. Also, this is a learning experience for me; I need all the help I can get. If anyone out there sees any inconsistencies or can offer information that I failed to mention, by all means step in, it will do nothing but help. I have started a thread about this in the forum, feel free to comment and offer your insights there, as well as on the comments section of this post.

Technorati Tags: production company,  make films,  television shows, World Wide Web, starting a video production company, Writing a Business Plan, generate money, Secure Funding, finding money sources, start up costs, Individual/ Sole Proprietor, LLC or DBA, Market the Business, put your business out there, handing out fliers, air a commercial, buying ad space

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“Born Laughing was written to chronicle the early crimes of Christopher Nolan and Heath Ledger’s incarnation of the Joker character”.

“***This film is no way associated with the WB franchise or DC comics”.

For the most part, I think this is an excellent film. The writing is top notch and I would like to see the film in its entirety. I love how The Joker looks, definitely not a figure I’d like to run into in a dark alley somewhere. But at the same time, while the ruthlessness is there, the actor does not seem to play him evil enough. When I watch him, I would like to be able to say to myself “Man this guy is nuts…” The girl, a definite looker and convincing actress, does not express any anger at The Joker, she just seems scared; for some odd reason, this keeps from feeling bad for her.
I think these guys should not only make the rest of this film, but also keep making more and more films.

Technorati Tags: films, fantasy, science fiction, live action film adaptations, animated shows, James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Transformers, superhero, Batman, Hollywood, theatrical pictures, watch movies, Fan films, Born Laughing, the revamped series of Batman films, Be More Films, Heath Ledger, Christopher Nolan, The Joker

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Other classics that are on their way is Voltron, funded by Jim Young’s Animus Films; The Jetsons with the possible direction of Robert Rodriguez, although there are other films that could ultimately be done instead; it seems that this seems as the way to go since its script is further along. Also Tintin, an adaptation of the Adventures of Tin Tin is in the works with a projected release of 2009. It will be a trilogy with Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson directing two of the three pictures.

It is fantastic that moviegoers and fans of these timeless classics will get to enjoy them once more, this time with a realistic tone that hopefully will allow them to not just watch the movie, but also experience them.

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Water: Like mentioned on the TV show Home Improvement, putting a quarter gallon container filled with water in the toilet bowl, reduces the amount of water used every time one flushes. Also, low-flow shower heads reduces the use of water while still providing enough pressure for a nice and thorough shower.

Electricity: Replacing incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs reduces power consumption. A 20-watt fluorescent light bulb provides as much light as a 100-watt incandescent bulb, while reducing the electricity usage to 20%. Fluorescent lighting is more expensive, but the savings it will yield over a year’s time, will make up for the expense many times. Also, it is important to power off any unused appliances and shut off the lights when one leaves the room. Putting up storm windows or (like I do) using large trash bags with tape, to cover up the windows is an excellent way to keep the cold winter air from sneaking into your home; add in a programmable thermostat and your electric costs will go way down. For those who use oil, well that’s yet another bill reduced.

Cable TV: In today’s decaying economy people spend more time working than at home. Therefore, it is not really necessary to pay for hundreds of channels. I myself, have basic cable and a subscription to Netflix, reducing cable costs to about $33, well below 50% of what I used to pay. Some people eliminate cable completely and watch Over-The-Air programming with an antenna (keep in mind the change to digital in’09), others rely only on Netflix and Blockbuster subscriptions.

Phone: It always sounds nice when you pay one relatively low price for multiple features, like long distance and call waiting; but most if not all of these feature are not used everyday so I can’t help thinking that I’m over paying for my phone service. I have basic service that only includes local calling and I use phone cards to make international and out of state calls. This reduced my bill from about $43 to just under $20 plus the cost of the card.

Discount Purchases: Every time I go to the pharmacy I receive a coupon with my receipt; this usually offers a savings of a few dollars, and when you or a loved one uses prescriptions drugs (therefore frequent the pharmacy) the coupons can be very beneficial as those savings over a year’s time can add up. Many supermarkets offer discount cards, newspapers come with coupons and there are countless websites that offer electronic coupons. Special occasions like Christmas and other holidays bring a number of sales and (my favorite) free or reduced shipping costs. Buying wholesale products and commercial brands can be a big money saver too. Stores like Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club sale no-name-brand products, in bulk, at half the price of name brand products.

Car Pooling: This is a great way to help the environment and save cash. One significantly reduces pollution and in times like these, when the cost of living is sky high one can reduce visits to the gas station. I ran across a website that, by imputing you zip code, shows the station with the lowest gas price.

Cutting costs does not have to turn your life upside down. If done correctly, it can be a terrific experience that will provide you with the ability to learn and do other things.

Technorati Tags: going back to school, cutting costs, full time employment, TV show, Home Improvement, toilet bowl, low-flow shower head, reduce the use of water, incandescent light bulbs, fluorescent bulbs, reduce power consumption, storm windows, programmable thermostat, basic cable, Netflix, Over-The-Air programming, Blockbuster, long distance, call waiting, phone service, local calling, phone cards, international and out of state calls, prescriptions drugs, coupons, discount cards, free or reduced shipping costs, buying wholesale, commercial brands, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, no-name-brand products, help the environment, save cash, reduce pollution

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I plan on getting a degree/training/making a career out of filmmaking and one day hopefully have my name on a Hollywood blockbuster. I feel that filmmaking is where it is for me, where I can leave the mark we all wish to be known for. It is also one of the few things (aside from a special girl) that makes me smile every time it crosses my mind. In the coming days I will write posts about how I cut costs at home and my steps toward getting grants and scholarships.

Technorati Tags: college, money, Financial Aid, registering for classes, government aid, financial problems in the home, education, go back to school, reductions of the monthly expenses, employment, scholarships and grants, get a degree, training, making a career, filmmaking, Hollywood blockbuster, cut costs at home, getting grants and scholarships

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This film is seen as a simple plot less startup film by many, but in reality this film is very important because it depicts a very powerful theme. It shows how truly vulnerable humanity is and the dangers that our own intelligence may bring upon us. This is reminiscent of the Terminator Argument, one of the possible dangers of the transhumanist movement. The argument suggests that the continuing emergence of advanced technologies, can pose an existential risk for humanity. How do you see it? What does it mean to you?

Technorati Tags: Xenogenesis , independent film, director, producer, screenwriter, James Cameron, science fiction, film, powerful themes, Terminator Argument, Transhumanism, advanced technologies, existential risk

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How Does Identity Theft Occur?

…dumpster diving for papers with people’s personal information.

…stealing credit and debit card numbers by using special devices when your card is being processed.

…sending spam or pop up messages in order to get you to input your information.

…submitting a “change of address” form and redirecting your mail.

…pickpocketing, snatching purses, robbing your mail box, stealing employee records, etc.

Keep you identity safe by:

…shredding any and all documents with personal information.

…safeguarding you Social Security Number. Only use it when absolutely necessary.

…never providing personal information over the phone, internet or mail unless you are certain who is at the receiving end.

…never clicking on email links (solicited or not), instead type them in your browser. Always use updated virus protection and firewalls.

…using complicated passwords, refrain from using dates of birth, names or the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

…at home, keeping personal documents and information under lock and key, specially if you employ outside services, have roommates or are having work done in your home.

Detect Fraudulent Activity by:

…looking into bills that do not arrive when supposed to.

…investigating unexpected credit cards/lines and/or account statements.

…credit denials for no reason.

…notifications about purchases you did not make.

…examining your credit report.

…checking financial statements for unauthorized charges.

Defend Yourself by:

…implementing “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports, so that creditors follow certain procedures before changes are made to your accounts or when new accounts are opened in your name.

…closing fraudulent/compromised accounts and contacting the fraud department of the company that provided you with said account.

…filing police reports in order to provide creditors proof of the crime.

…reporting the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission.

For more information visit: www.ftc.gov/idtheft

Technorati Tags: Identity Theft, Federal Trade Commission, dumpster diving, spam, pop up messages, Social Security Number, change of address, skimming, phishing, stealing, unauthorized charges, fraud, Fraud Alert

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Technorati Tags: February 17, 2009, digital television transition, cable, satellite provider, digital TV, converter box, DTV transition, DTV2009.gov, TV converter Box Coupon Program, online coupon applications, Converter Box reseller

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I read an article once that talked about getting the benefits of a personal assistant without actually having to hire one. Among other things, they usually do dry cleaning and post office runs, as well as lunch pick ups. In many cases, however, these businesses both provide you a core service and act as the personal assistant. Some Dry Cleaners/Laundromats pick up and deliver clothing as well as provide wash and fold services; one can arrange for the post office to pick up packages for shipping; lunch can brought right to our homes and work areas and groceries can be dropped off at our doorstep, all for a small fraction of the cost of a personal assistant. With premeditated strategic plans, these can help us live a less hectic and more fruitful as well as productive life.

I understand that not everyone goes the extra mile for their costumers and that some of us might not live in a place that can benefit from these services, but being the business people that we are (or want to be), I think we can try to do something about it and while there, maybe capitalize on the opportunity.

Technorati Tags: personal assistant, cost of living, benefits of a personal assistant, dry cleaning, post office, provide you a core service, pick up and deliver, wash and fold services

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Leanna Archer is a twelve year-old from New York who at the age of 8 started making hair products like her mom. She now is the CEO of Leanna’s Inc., which sells these hair products all over the USA. She makes US$5,000.00 per month and made US$45,000.00 in revenue in 2007. For ’08, she expects her revenue to reach US$150,000.00.

Alexis Holmes is a sixteen year old who started selling pies to raise funds to help a local agency that helps the needy and she had sales of nearly US$20,000.00 in just two months. She opened a bakery and her success has grown so much that her parents are building her a restaurant to keep up with demands.

Christina Pendleton needed to raise US$3,000.00 for a trip. She started selling homemade candy and made US$5,000.00. Upon her return from the trip, she continued making and selling her candy. Now five years later and seventeen years old, she has made over $20,000.00.

All of these young business owners, would not be where they are had it not been for the support and know how that their parents instilled in them. They were encouraged and motivated by their parents who are also business people and they were taught that with hard work and dedication, you can accomplish anything.

Technorati Tags: young entrepreneurs, making more money, Leanna Archer, CEO, Leanna’s Inc., Alexis Holmes, started selling pies, Christina Pendleton, started selling homemade candy, made over $20, 000.00, young business owners

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The reality is, that if you want to achieve fame and fortune, financial independence or simply find a worthwhile job, you have to work hard. I read a post on JohnChow.com that said just that; If you want to make money online, you have to stop fooling around and start working. Any and everyone who has prevailed will say that the success is all good, but without the hard work they never would have achieved it. Sometime ago I read an article about Jerry Seinfeld, in which he talks about the success of his TV show, Seinfeld, and guess what he focused on? You guessed it, he started talking about how a strong work ethic made the show thrive. He mentioned that he and his friend Larry David worked nights, weekends and during lunch and dinner. Another example is the rock band Guns N’ Roses. On their Live Era ’87 – ’93 release, there is a song called “Coma” and at the beginning of that song he said among other things that they were regular people like everybody else and that they had to get their act together in order to get where they were.

I myself am just starting out in the “Make Money Online” realm and I know it will be tough and I know it will take time; But with HARD WORK and perseverance I plan on making this work.

Technorati Tags: fame and fortune, financial independence, JohnChow.com, make money online, Jerry Seinfeld, Seinfeld, Larry David, Guns N’ Roses, Live Era ’87 – ’93

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This new way to learn, is extremely exciting because it opens many doors for many people. I myself know people that because of varying reasons, are not able to attend the the top schools. With this material, they can expand and better comprehend that which they are studying. For me, this is like striking oil because I am always curious about things and I’m open to learning more. In Indonesia, the cost of text books is higher than some can afford, so students and educators utilize open courseware, instead. The same is done by others, who would like to change careers, but don’t exactly know what to focus on. Some question how effective this method of learning is by pondering how much a person can learn without having others to argue with and bounce ideas off of. Others, downright criticize it by saying that one on one interaction is a must.

You can visit: ocwconsortium.org, oercommons.org and uocwa.org in order to find “open courseware”

Source

Technorati Tags: open courseware, MIT, Yale University, new way to learn, text books, change careers, ocwconsortium.org, oercommons.org, uocwa.org

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Source

This is extremely cool and advanced, but it makes me wonder what will happen to those of us who have home theater PCs. Will we be able to download extras elsewhere? Like a website we can visit or download directly with some kind of application that pops up when a disc is inserted in the disc drive? Why not include these features in the home video release? I would hate to buy a special edition film and find out that half the stuff has to be downloaded. What do you think?

Technorati Tags: Sony, Blu-Ray, BD-Live, home theater PC

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Ask yourself what your most basic skill is. Let’s say you play the guitar. You will find that there are several related instruments that you can easily adapt your skill to. Instead of limiting yourself to the guitar or one kind of guitar, why not expand your employment opportunities? Why not learn to play related instruments?

There are so many guitar related instruments. How about the acoustic guitar, electric guitar, twelve-string guitar, five-string banjo, tenor banjo, ukulele, mandolin, pedal steel guitar, and so on?

You can even learn different styles of playing. Learn to use finger picks. Learn to play both pick style and finger style. Electric guitarists should probably own both jazz and rock guitars. By doing this you increase your musical scope and you will be able to take on new projects easily. There will be more variety in the music that you play. Your arrangements will not all sound the same.

You can apply the examples mentioned above to all instruments and musical skills. Let’s look at a few others.

Another example is bass players. The same can be said of them. Instead of limiting themselves to the electric bass, they can learn to use a bow, play related instruments like the upright acoustic bass, learn to play both fretted and fretless basses, and use effects pedals.

Keyboard players should own more than one synthesizer. How about learning to play related instruments like organ, harpsichord and piano? Why not learn about MIDI and hook various keyboards together, along with a PC?
I could go on and on mentioning various instruments and skills and how a musician can become more versatile. Musicians must simply start with their most basic skill and expand it. This is an excellent way of ensuring that you excel in the music business.
The world is a very competitive one and you must continue to be competitive. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Add some variety and you may be surprised at how far you can reach; and how much more money you can be making.

About The Author
Mantius Cazaubon offers lots of valuable songwriting tips, techniques, suggestions and advice on his site www.ultimatesongwriting.com. Visit www.ultimatesongwriting.com for the ultimate truth about lyric writing and songwriting.

Technorati Tags: work in the music business, play the guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, twelve-string guitar, five-string banjo, tenor banjo, ukulele, mandolin, pedal steel guitar, learn different styles of playing, finger picks, jazz, rock guitar, electric bass, bow, upright acoustic bass, fretted and fretless basses, effects pedals, Keyboard, synthesizer, organ, harpsichord, piano, MIDI

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The given principle of development of techniques “was tested” not by one generation of guitarists and not only guitarists…

In this lesson we shall concern high-speed techniques. Skilled guitarists already know that the basic brake in development of guitar high-speed techniques is the right hand. Therefore when playing the most ultra-high-speed passages for simplification guitarists play legato (i.e. the right hand does not take some notes, it is done with fingers of the left hand by receptions pull-off, hammer-on).

How to achieve speed?
For this purpose it is necessary for guitarist to develop techniques of the right hand – fast alternation of pick stroke upwards-downwards (a variable stroke). The more quickly the right hand will make alternating strokes, the quicker the playing will be.

It is necessary to begin from the most usual tremolo (fast recurrence of one note). Triplets are the most effective way of learning to play a tremolo. Try to begin each of your lessons with a tremolo. It develops (and well warms up) the right hand. The tremolo notes must sound dynamically equal (all sounding notes of equal loudness) and with equal tempo.

For example, you wish to learn a high-speed passage. I offer the following simple blues phrase in “A” as an example:

___5_________________8___5_______5______________________
______8___5__________________7______8___5_______________
______________8__7_________________________8___5________
__________________________________________________7_____
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

First you need to learn in slow tempo and in convenient key with rational pick strokes. After you’ve done it, play a tremolo of each note, i.e. each note in a passage it is necessary to take three times (if it is the eighth) like this:

___5_5_5________________________________8_8_8___5_5_5__
_________8_8_8___5_5_5_________________________________
_________________________8_8_8___7_7_7_________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

The tremolo should be loud (a silent tremolo does not make effect). Play thus 10 – 15 minutes (with small breaks) up to feeling of weariness in your right hand. The weariness speaks that muscles work as they must do. In my experience each student playing given technique, develops his own nuances.

The right hand as though itself finds the most convenient position while playing, – it is only necessary ” to force it to work”. When you are good at playing this passage with tremolo, try to play it in the original.

I often hear a question: ” How many it is necessary to be engaged so that to come to high speed?” – It’s individually. For someone it’s necessary 2 hours, for another 2 days, and for someone it is not necessary at all (I’m kidding . Here introspection is necessary, that is you should feel improvement of techniques. Clearly one, that the most effective way – “gold” exercise for the right hand.
Play your own passages by this principle, solos, improvisations, rock, jazz and blues phrases… If you have great patience, you will see huge advantage of this technique and feel the results. If you do not see any result most likely you were engaged either incorrectly or insufficiently long. Though it is possible to play legato or tapping, but it sounds less brightly and energetically.

About The Author
Yuri Nikitin – guitar instructor, music writer and webmaster. Find more free guitar lessons in various styles at http://www.guitar-lesson-online.net.

Technorati Tags: high-speed guitar playing, high-speed techniques, legato, tremolo, solos, improvisations, rock, jazz, blues phrases, legato, tapping

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Did you notice that the notes are written on a set of five horizontal lines? This is known as a staff. The vertical lines placed at intervals on the staff are used to divide the music into measures. Each measure contains a number of notes and the name of the note is determined by the horizontal line it is placed on or between. So, let ‘s start at the bottom line and work upwards on each line. On the treble clef these notes are E, G, B, D, F., easily remembered by the little rhyme, Every Good Boy Deserves Favor. The notes located in the spaces between the lines are F, A, C, E which no doubt you have spotted, spells the word face.

On the left hand side at the beginning of the music there is a clef sign, either a treble clef where the notes are usually higher in tone or bass clef where the notes are lower. The clef dictates which octave the notes are to be played in. Alongside the clef you fill find two numbers written as a fraction and this is the time signature of the music and how many beats should be played to the measure.

The sharps or flats of the key the music is played in are shown in the key signature which is also near to the clef or sometimes, if it is just an odd note here or there to be played sharp or flat the symbol will be alongside the note itself. A b sign means a flat while a # symbol means a sharp and both of these are written against the notes required to be changed.

The notes are best described as such -
* A hollow oval called a semibreve. This is a whole note lasting for four beats or a measure.
* A hollow oval with a stem is called a minim. This note takes two beats.
* A solid oval with a stem is called a crotchet and lasts for one beat.
* A black oval with a stem and flag is known as a quaver and last for half a beat.
* A black oval with a stem and two flags is called a semi-quaver and takes just a quarter of a beat.
A note followed by a dot increases the value of the beat for that note.

Each of the above mentioned notes have a matching rest.
* The semibreve rest looks is a small black oblong sitting on top of a line.
* The minim rest is identical but sits under the line.
* The crochet rest looks is the sign of a curly vertical line.
* The quaver rest looks like a vertically slanted line with a black circle on the top left with a loop.
* The semi-quaver rest is similar to the quaver rest but with two black circles attached.

Crochets, quavers and semi-quavers are frequently attached to each other by one or two lines going across the stems. The stems of the notes can point upwards or downwards depending on whether they are above or below the center line on the staff. If the notes are joined by a curved line then only the first note is picked out but the count of the other notes is included.

These are just some guidelines for the beginner but there are many opportunities available on the Internet and in books showing numerous diagrams on how to read sheet music whatever your chosen instrument.

About the Author

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of MusicianHome.com, a site that provides information and articles for musicians at all stages of their development.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Technorati Tags: sheet music, music, semibreve, minim, crotchet, quaver, semi-quaver

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This is a glimpse at what Metallica‘s ninth album, tentatively due in the spring of 2008, might sound like. Personally I think this is an excellent song. They nicknamed it “The New Song” and debuted it in Berlin, Germany, on June 6, 2006. Sadly, according to Robert Trujillo, the song will not make it to the album. When asked whether the song would make it to the album he answered:

“I don’t think so…We can’t be sure, not until we sit down and listen to all the songs completed, to make sure that each and every one of them sounds perfect. But I can tell you that…[song] that you’ve heard won’t make it, at least not in that form.”

After having listened to St. Anger, it is refreshing to hear a great solo from Kirk Hammet.

Technorati Tags: Metallica, Robert Trujillo, Kirk Hammet

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Winners receive $15,000 and round-trip plane fare to Berlin, Germany to start his or her training with the Deutsche Oper, from August to June. During the ten month trip, students will be offered roles in Deutsche Oper productions for which they will be paid. Applications are available on the foundation’s website, by requesting them via E-Mail or by writing to the address at the bottom. The application deadline is February 1, 2007.

_______________________________________________________________________

The American Berlin Opera Foundation, Inc.
Attn: Scholarship Competition (GACC)
6 East 87th Street
New York, NY 10128
212-534-5383
gala@operafoundation.org
www.operafoundation.org/schol.htm

Technorati Tags: The American Berlin Opera Foundation, American singers, Deutsche Oper, Deutsche Oper productions

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One of the many ways you can get involved with Little Kids Rock is by becoming a music mentor.

Becoming a music mentor is one of the most personal ways to get involved with Little Kids Rock. Full time educators in the public schools are eligible to be trained as Little Kids Rock music mentors.

Educators are provided with adequate training as well as resources of various programs, free musical equipment to use with students, a chance to interact and collaborate with fellow musicians, and of course, the opportunity to provide a wonderful gift; the gift of music. Although musicians and music teachers are encouraged to become mentors, a school teacher does not need to be an instrument player in order to become an effective mentor. According to Little Kids Rock, teachers that knew no more than 10 basic guitar chords, were able to become successful music mentors. The knowledge acquired by the educators is brought back to their schools where they meet for one hour per week with a music class. The program then runs for the remainder of the school year and in a bi-monthly basis, mentors are asked to attend organizational meetings.

There are many people out there that would love nothing more than to lend a helping hand. As I’ve said before, I encourage you to get involved, to make a difference.

Technorati Tags: Little Kids Rock, Music Foundation, music mentor, free musical equipment, collaborate with fellow musicians, musicians, music teachers, guitar chords, music mentors, music class

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Technorati Tags: Rock & Roll, Guitar, all expenses paid VIP trip, Steve Vai, Ibanez Steve Vai Signature JEM77V

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I have mixed feelings about this service because, yes, it does put peoples music out there. But without the marketing that a band or singer needs, there won’t be much attention being paid to those who make the effort of investing their time and money into this. Maybe I’m biased but I think that going directly after a record company is the best way; I think it will give you a sense of accomplishment when you finally make it. Every musician, in my opinion, has to work hard and make sacrifices in order for it all to be a satisfying experience; otherwise it is the equivalent of a dad making a phone call for his son to get the job.

Technorati Tags: online music, music, Musicians, iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, royalties, TuneCore

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I have found myself with a bit of a problem. I can’t find the time to practice my instrument. With all the other things I must get done, practicing has become sort of a “if I have time” type thing. Practice is the cornerstone of music and we all must find time we can dedicate to it if we want to move forward with it.

If incorporate practice time into our schedule or to our “To Do” lists, it will eventually become something we must do before, say, going to bed. But it is important to take care of more important things first, like doing school work or paying bills, that way there are no worries when practice time comes and therefore that is all we have to worry about. It is important to be organized, to know what you want or should practice so that the session goes like clock work. Sometimes I find myself playing random and meaningless notes rather that focusing on scales and finger workouts or even songs. And this makes for boring and wasted time.

I find the 21 day rule to be very effective. If you map something out, then practice it for 21 consecutive days, you will master it. For me, after I know the material by heart and all I need to do is master it, I sit to watch TV and mindlessly practice. The constant repetitions I do will then become a habit. This is the best way for me to make the best out of practice time. What’s yours?

Technorati Tags: practice my instrument, Practice, music

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It was John Chow who wrote “It’s Not How Much You Make, It’s How Much You Give,” a post about helping those in need. And it got me thinking about how much this get overlooked or blown off when you are at the top of your game, making lots of money and how easily success makes you forget where you came from or what you were going through not too long ago. For this reason, I’d like to talk about music in the classroom.

Many say the music is medicine for the soul, a place where you can always go, a place you can escape to and forget your problems for the length of a song. Lately however, it has become a place people don’t even want to talk about because music no longer has the place in popular culture it once had. Both outside and inside the classroom, from boy bands on club bills to lack of instruments in schools; music has been chewed up and spat back out. I remember back in my high school days when our principal agreed to overhaul the entire class schedule to be able to fit a music class where we could bring and practice our instruments; she was happy to do so despite the fact it didn’t allow her schedule to run smoothly. These days, music is taking a back seat to things like physical activity. I’m not saying that physical activity is not important because we do have a global obesity problem and youths have to find a way to stay away from TV and snacks, but I think that taking up an instrument will have the same effect as running around and it will improving their intellects.

There are countless music foundations out there who are dedicated to keeping instruments in schools, that I think everyone should support. The VH1 Save The Music Foundation, as well as the Little Kids Rock Foundation accept donations to purchase instruments to give to schools that due to budget cuts have had to cancel music programs or haven’t been able to buy more instruments. And The National Music Foundation, is looking to “preserve and celebrate American music through educational programs.” These are just a few of the many existing organizations that should be receiving a fraction of our income. Together we can make it all as good as it used to be. Remember, “It’s Not How Much You Make, It’s How Much You Give.”

Technorati Tags: music in the classroom, music is medicine for the soul, song, music, boy bands, club bills, lack of instruments in schools, music class, practice our instruments, music foundations, keeping instruments in schools, VH1 Save The Music Foundation, Little Kids Rock Foundation, music programs, buy more instruments, The National Music Foundation, preserve and celebrate American music

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Not every aspiring musician or upcoming band has the money to rent expensive services when it comes to recording music; so most depend on second hand and cost effective equipment. Usually, a cassette recorder with multiple inputs is used in order to record every instrument, then the recording is captured in a computer and edited. But I feel that the cassette tape to computer transition is difficult and if one is not careful the audio integrity suffers.

I ran into a device called Plusdeck 2c, it is a device that allows for cassette tapes to be transfered into a computer. This device is like a CD-Rom drive, only the CD is actually a tape and it fits in a computer’s 5.25″ bay. With a price tag of about ninety dollars, I think this device is must have for all beginners, as it will immensely facilitate transferring a tape into a Hard Drive.

The Plusdeck 2c also allows for listening to tapes as well as converting to popular audio formats. And with Headphone and microphone, line-in jacks and a serial port; one can add vocals, or more instruments. Unfortunately, or maybe not so, the only thing this PC cassette deck does not do is record back to tapes.

Get yourself a Plusdeck 2c PC Cassette Deck, and before you know it, your demo recordings will be in the hands of many producers.

Technorati Tags: musician, recording music, cassette recorder, record, instrument, cassette tape, audio, transferring a tape into a Hard Drive, listening to tapes, Headphone, microphone, vocals, cassette deck, record back to tapes, demo recordings

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Bloddard: Why the guitar? Why not the drums or bass?

César Huesca: I used to sing and play drums before playing guitar, but I found guitar more interesting and passionate, even though i like to grab all kinds of instruments and try to play them.

Bloddard: How is a typical day for you, considering you are a guitarist who must keep sharp and stay at the top of his game?

César Huesca: I’m always surrounded by music, but a typical day may be here at home, practicing or recording something, going out to buy something or to a gig or rehearsal or do some daily tasks and teaching guitar. I hang out with my family or my girlfriend as well.

Bloddard: What advice can you give beginners?

César Huesca: Practice and fix yourself goals and figure out how you’ll achieve them.

Bloddard: Are you working on an album or compilation of you work?

César Huesca: Yes I’m working on my first solo album.

Bloddard: I love music, I can’t go a day without it, but I don’t think that is the career path for me. When did you know music was your thing?

César Huesca: When I was 18 years old.

Bloddard: Do you record your own music? Do you have you own version of a recording studio? Or do you go out and use external services?

César Huesca: I record everything by myself on my PC here at home.

Bloddard: What medium of music interests you? Do you want to just focus on instrumental rock? Or are interested in having a lead singer?

César Huesca: Well I’m not planning to have a singer for now, but it’s a possibility, at the moment I’m only working on instrumental songs of several styles.

Bloddard: Who would you like to work or play with?

César Huesca: Mmm difficult question haha.

Bloddard: As a musician, what are you thoughts on piracy and Digital Rights Managements?

César Huesca: Is all about culture, I don’t think everybody is selling music illegally or doing infringements, there’s people who really support music in a good way and try to take that on some others too.

Bloddard: What or how is your setup?

César Huesca: Two Ibanez, a Jem and an RG, on the floor a Wylde Overdrive and a Crybaby, on rack a Mesa Rectifier Recording Preamp and a TC Electronic G-Major, for amplification I use a Marshall combo from the 30 Anniversary series made in 1992.

I’d like to thank César Huesca for taking the time to answer my questions. As the interview shows, anyone who has the passion and the desire can become a rock star like the ones we idolize.

Technorati Tags: guitar, drums, bass, play drums, playing guitar, guitarist, music, teaching guitar, album, compilation, solo album, record your own music, recording studio, instrumental rock, lead singer, piracy, Digital Rights Managements, Ibanez

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He was born in Mexico, started playing the guitar in 1994, at around the age of nine and plays with and Ibanez JEM7VSBL and an Ibanez Double Edge RG2020X modified. He is currently working on his own music and gives guitar lessons at a local music school.

He used to practice by simply learning scales, chords and the notes across the fretboard, among other exercises; but now he simply follows his heart and plays anything that comes to mind. He records improvisations over drum loops and extracts what works for him and uses that plus additional ideas that he might think of, as the groundwork for a song.

He has a very motivating and at the same time encouraging philosophy:

Talent doesn’t matter if there’s no honesty, people should demonstrate what they are and what they do without false pretentions, people will know if you’re ofering your art with sincerity or if you’re cheating them trying to be something that you are not, if you are convinced that music is your life, go for it and take it as it is, no matter what people think about your vision or perspective, you don’t have to please and like to everybody. Follow your ideas, plans and what your heart and mind tell to you. Be diverse, don’t get wrapped in just one genre, style, band, proyect or whatsoever, if something doesn’t work, doesn’t yield anything or simply doesn’t like to you, move on for some other options.It’s always good to be patient and not try to run before learning to walk, go little by little, keep the pace that works for you being totally confident on your possibilities. It’s all about to keep close to the instrument and being constant, if you trust and be passionate with it something will happen.There should be no haste, there should be just fun, being glad doing what you love, always with humility to everybody, don’t forget we’re human beings before musicians or whatever.

His influences are some of the greatest musical minds the world has ever seen, these include Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen, Slash, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Zakk Wylde, Buckethead, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck.

Be sure to check him out.

Technorati Tags: World Wide Web, music, guitarist, playing the guitar, Ibanez JEM7VSBL, Ibanez Double Edge RG2020X modified, guitar lessons, learning scales, chords, notes across the fretboard, records, drum loops, Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen, Slash, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Zakk Wylde, Buckethead, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck

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The Video lessons are specially interesting because he demonstrates how to play the songs from various angles and breaks the songs into sections to increase the ease of learning; which is immensely helpful for beginner guitarists who could make use of all the help they can get. And for those who would want them, the material is also provided typed.

Even though the site has advertisements, a donation page is included which states that:

Your Donation is important to keep this web site Free, because as it´s growing every day,the maintenance is becoming more expensive too (license Fee for using tab and lyrics, and a relible Hosting for all the videos)

and PayPal is the way to donate. Also, video lessons are sold at a very affordable price.

A forum section on Farhatguitar.com has become popular because it allows users to request songs for the professor to work on then post on the site, which is good because it allows for somewhat of a one on one relationship between the professor and the visitor.

All in all, Farhatguitar.com is a great website for those who are looking to pick up the guitar as well as for those who already have. Be sure to pay him a visit.

Technorati Tags: website, music, musical, free guitar tabs, lessons, playing the guitar, tabs, video lessons, songs, genres, The Police, Blink 182, Spanish musicians, tuning, exercises, how to play, beginner guitarists, advertisements, lyrics, Hosting, PayPal

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“Velvet Revolver Platinum Package ($225)

• One (1) reserved ticket WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE ROWS or one (1) general admission pit ticket
  
• One (1) set of collectible Velvet Revolver guitar picks (shipped at least two weeks prior to show date)
• $50 voucher to the Official Velvet Revolver online store (emailed at least two weeks prior to show date)

Velvet Revolver Gold Package ($150)

• One (1) reserved ticket WITHIN THE FIRST FIFTEEN ROWS or a general admission pit ticket
  
• One (1) set of collectible Velvet Revolver guitar picks (shipped at least two weeks prior to show date)
• $25 voucher to the Official Velvet Revolver online store”

Technorati Tags: Velvet Revolver, concert tickets, Verizon Wireless, Amphitheater, guitar picks

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The torrent tracker, The Pirate Bay has announced that leading record and motion picture labels have practiced illegal means to sabotage and compromise its infrastructure. Methods that include hacking and spamming have been used and legal action has been taken. Some of the companies that have been reported to the police are; Twentieth Century Fox Sweden AB, Emi Music Sweden AB, Universal Music Group Sweden AB, Universal Pictures Nordic AB, Paramount Home Entertainment Sweden AB, Atari Nordic AB, Activision Nordic Filial Till Activision (Uk) Ltd, Ubisoft Sweden AB, Sony Bmg Music EntertainmentSweden AB and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic AB.

Technorati Tags: RIAA, MPAA, piracy, CD, DVD, torrent tracker, hacking, spamming, Twentieth Century Fox, Emi Music, Universal Music Group, Universal Pictures, Paramount Home Entertainment, Sony Bmg Music Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

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Technorati Tags: Amazon, Apple, iTunes, MP3, copy protection, music downloads, music players, iPod

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Music today is as relevant as a grain of salt in the ocean. Every new artist as well as some veterans are in it for the fame and the fortune. I once read that the delightful Avril Lavigne decided on punk rock over country music, because it has more lucrative possibilities. On another occasion (and this breaks my heart) I read that Steven Adler, the original drummer of the greatest band in the universe, Guns N’ Roses, was into a reunion for the sole purpose of making money.

It makes me sad that music, something so important to the human condition is being dragged through mud for the sake of money and exposure.

What do you think?

Technorati Tags: Metal Hammer, Nine Inch Nail, Trent Reznor, MTV, Avril Lavigne, punk rock, country music, Guns N’ Roses, music

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Technorati Tags: Metallica, MySpace, Angher, guitar, heavy metal, Black Label Society, Slayer

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AntennaWeb.org:

AntennaWeb, allows you to determine in which directions and how far, the transmitting antennas are. This is done by simply typing in your full address. Then appears a list of the available channels and you are give the option of looking at a “Street Level Map.” From there you determine which channels interest you, what frequencies they are in and how far the antennas are.

UHF, VHF & Antennas Direct:

There are 2 types of antennas to choose from; there is the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) antenna and the Very High Frequency (VHF) antenna. When I went to AntennaWeb.org, to determine in which directions and how far the transmitting antennas were, I learned that all the channels I was interested in were within the same frequency (UHF), but a greater distance away than the channels within the VHF (which were only a few) and the transmitting antennas were pretty much in every direction. So I decided that a multi-directional UHF antenna, with a 75-mile range was the best for me. The reason I didn’t consider the VHF antenna, even though some of my channels were found at a closer distance, is because Antennas Direct only sells uni-directional VHF antennas (either that, or they only come as uni-directional) and it made no sense to have multiple antennas, when (the right) one can do the job.

Receiver:

Getting the antenna was just one of the steps; I also need a receiver, since my HDTV does not have a TV tuner. I decided to go with the Samsung DTB-H260F High Definition Terrestrial Tuner (which was reviewed at HDTV Expert,) because it is affordable, it supports 1080i resolution, has countless ways to connect to the TV and it is a top performer. Through a DVI input, I connected the receiver to the TV and now I am channel surfing in Hi-Def at no cost. The total investment was around $400.00, but the setup has paid for itself many times over. Now I can’t wait for the fall TV shows to premiere.

This is something everyone should consider, even those without an HDTV because it allows you to cancel the cable service and that is a great way to cut back on costly living costs every month.

Technorati Tags: Hi-Def, Over The Air, TV, AntennaWeb, UHF, VHF, HDTV, TV tuner, High Definition, 1080i, DVI

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The production cost of the HD DVD is far cheaper than that of Blu-ray, as well as the cost of each (blank) disk. This alone, makes me block out Blu-ray. Also, some argue that the cost of preparing a film (from pressing it, to packaging it) to be released is cheaper for HD DVD than for Blu-ray. The price of the players is also a major deciding factor considering that some HD DVD players can be found for as little as $300, while the competition is usually a few hundred dollars more expensive.

The Interactivity is another major factor that can influence manufacturer’s decisions. HD DVD uses the HDi Interactive Format and its main pro is that its scripting can be done by pretty much anyone with basic computer knowledge, while Blu-Ray Disc Java requires more in depth programming knowledge.

Many people argue that Blu-ray’s larger capacity is an advantage over HD DVD, but it actually is meaningless to me. Movie studios always have the option of adding a second disc to a release, and I think a multi-disc release of a film makes it a lot more attractive and it might allow better picture quality, since just like with DVDs, the film can be in one disc while everything else on the other. And the price difference between a dual HD DVD with bonus features and a single Blu-ray with only the film (or reduced film quality, because the bonus features are included), would be justified. What do you think?

Technorati Tags: Home video, formats, HD DVD, format war, Blu-ray, film, price, players, HDi Interactive Format, scripting, computer, Blu-Ray Disc Java, programming, DVD, bonus features

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For the part of the consumers that don’t use their computers for heavy tasks such as; Video Production, Programming, etc…. having a top of the line PC is just a waste. A waste of money and a waste of the machines power, to name a few. My main computer is about 3 years old and it is still going strong. It is has a Pentium 4 CPU, 4GB of memory, 2 stripped Raptorhard drives, a Geforce 7950GT AGP video card, Audigy 2 sound card, and a few other goodies. Obviously, I have made various upgrades as time has passed and as parts have gotten cheaper, but it is all I need. The games run surprisingly smooth and at a high resolution, I do my word processing, my blogging, my web browsing, some light video editing. It wouldn’t make sense for me to have a Quad-Core computer that has a price range in the thousands, with more features than I need, just to do everyday things. The whole deal with software lagging behind hardware, therefore only selected programs take advantage of multi-cores, makes me think that those of us who still run our relatively dated systems, can rest assured that our computers will still be functional for quite sometime. What do you think?

Technorati Tags: processor, Intel, AMD, graphic card, ATI, Nvidia, marketing, upgrade, computers, Video, Production, Programming, PC, Pentium 4, CPU, memory, Raptor, hard drives, Geforce, 7950GT AGP, video card, Audigy 2, sound card, games, word processing, blogging, web browsing, video editing, Quad-Core, software, hardware, programs, multi-cores, systems

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It has sold over 115 million units, making it the best selling gaming console in history. It has outsold the PS3 and the Wii month after month although the Nintendo Wii has a lead in the performance department and it has only been outsold by the XBox 360, “twice during [the XBox's] 21 month life.”

I think it is great! It is great both, seeing old, well crafted technology still plugging away and seeing new technology bring trouble and under perform; it is a testament to how money has corrupted the major industries and how they do business. These industries are all about making lots of money and making it fast and for that reason it seems that they are rushing to put something, anything out. I’m not one to go for the latest and greatest, and as you can see by reading above, with good reason.

Technorati Tags: Playstation 3, Microsoft, XBox, Nintendo, Sony, game, PS3, Nintendo Wii, XBox 360, technology, making lots of money

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The iPhone had been previously made to work on other networks by a method that requires copying information from the Subscriber Identity Module card, but since the phone was not actually unlocked, each SIM card had to be programed to work with a specific phone and additional equipment was needed. Both this method and George Hotz method manage to leave most of the iPhone’s functions intact; the only exception is the voice mail feature, that shows them as incoming E-Mails.

Much to everyone’s dislike, experts argue that Apple may be able to make new iPhones tolerant to the hacks, before they are released beyond the US market.

It is incredible and at the same time, refreshing, that the efforts of big corporations to manipulate consumers have been brought down to their knees by teenagers. Day in and day out we read articles that do nothing but prove this; how young hackers have been able to watch high definition movies without the HDCP certified hardware and how these very movies can be found in and downloaded from peer-to-peer networks. And although i do not condone illegal activity, it knocks me off my feet how much can be accomplished, with free will and dedication.

Technorati Tags: Apple’s iPhone, T-Mobile, AT&T, Subscriber Identity Module card

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The Box set, will include the complete series, documentaries, bloopers, commentaries in 32 discs and “a 226-page coffee-table book filled with photos, quotes, trivia and personal reflections from star Jerry Seinfeld.” The book will include a DVD featuring a reunion of the supporting cast, with creator Larry David; together once more, nine years after the series finale.

Technorati Tags: sitcom, Seinfeld, DVD, book

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“Each year, according to the study, global piracy produces the following effects:

• The recording industry loses $1.6 billion to bootlegged CDs and $3.7 billion to illegal downloads and file-sharing; related businesses, including music retail outlets, lose an additional $7.2 billion, bringing the total loss of potential revenue to $12.5 billion.
• Some 22,860 new jobs are not created in the music industry, and an additional 44,200 are not created in related industries, totaling 71,060 unrealized jobs in the U.S.
• Workers in the music industry and related industries do not see an additional $2.7 billion in income.
• Accordingly, federal, state and local governments do not realize an additional $422 million in tax revenues.”

Most people criticize the attempts made by companies, to keep the general public from being able to freely move music, movies, and software around; but the fact is that this is a major problem. A problem that from a certain perspective, drives the economy and companies have to be aggressive and ruthless when it comes to dealing with it.

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TheInquirer.net reported back in February that Nvidia’s 7600GS AGP card was going to get a DirectX 10 follower, code named G84 AGP. “The AGP version is possible due to the fact that G84 chips are pin-to-pin compatible with Geforce 6600 and 7600, so there were no modifications required in order that AGP market gets its DirectX 10 card.” This card was supposed to be released in April, but it is now August and the Nvidia DirectX 10 AGP video cards are not available.

Technorati Tags: ATI HD 2600Pro AGP, Video cards, DDR2 memory, Home Theater PC, UVD, HDMI, DirectX10, Graphic adapters, ATI’s X1950 PRO, Nvidia’s 7950GT, Nvidia’s 7600GS AGP

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I think Gregory House is a phenomenal character, because he has all the traits that compose a great character. He is a flawed hero. Most of what makes him interesting is the fact that he is “damaged.” All the great characters out there are far from being normal, to say the least; the Jack Bauers, John Mclanes and Rambos of the world are great because they are made up of these traits that just keep you coming back for more, because everyone can relate to them, everyone has problems and conflicts that pin them/us down to the ground; problems and defects the we just can’t escape.

Technorati Tags: House, M.D., shows on TV

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Click here to read the article.

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It will now be a legit music store much like the Itunes of the world. At first it will be a website, where users will purchase the songs from, but eventually it allow its users to buy song from within the program itself.

This is the smart move in their part, since the RIAA, with which LimeWire currently has major legal problems is demanding $150,000 for every song that is downloaded using the Peer-to-Peer tool.

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