What do business and marketing teach artists about audience-building? The skills and practices needed to grow one's art business are the same skills needed to be a consistently working artist. Today, the only difference is in clicking a button. Audience-building, finding your tribe, platform-building, content marketing – they all require an artist's consistent daily practice.
Read MoreThe Science of Learning
When taking a closer look at the science of learning, we find that the brain does not learn best through reading and lecture. The brain learns by doing; the brain learns through interactive play and direct experience. So then why do our schools still require students to read textbooks, take tests, and listen to lecture?
Read MoreWarhol on Business & Money
As a rather commercial artist, Warhol was fascinated by popular culture institutions like fame, celebrity, beauty, success, entertainment. But not many know of his fascination with business and money. Warhol worships money. Read to understand why.
Read MoreBranding Basic$
There are many definitions for the term "branding." Here we examine how to position oneself in the marketplace and in the psychological niche within the mind of the consumer, as well as how to build a visual brand identity from that positioning.
Read More5 Takeaways from Teaching Artists to Sell
Receive by giving, wants vs. needs, surveying your customers, money is hereditary, Money = Energy, so give to receive!
Read MoreCROWDFUNDING 101
It's not economics, it's not business, it's not entrepreneurship, it can be considered socioeconomics. I like to call it "Crowdonomics." Check out this comprehensive guide to crowdfunding your next film or project.
Read MoreThe Aesthetics of Story
What makes a good story? I've been asking myself this question my entire career. But instead of studying the meta aspects of what makes a good story, here I am choosing to focus on the aesthetics/mechanics of story structure. Blake Snyder, one of the most revered screenwriting teachers in Hollywood, says that “structure is the single most important element in writing and selling a screenplay” (68). There are several schools of thought on how to structure 90 minutes of story material. But which is the right way or the best way to do it?
Read MoreSELF-DISTRIBUTION CASE STUDY: "TRANSCENDENT MAN"
Check out this case study of how Ptolemy production company was able to reach MILLIONS with a tour and huge press coverage of their film on singularity with inventor Ray Kurzweil.
Read MorePutting the "Fun" in Fundraising
Wanna learn how I raised $222,000 for my first feature film SHARP? Read this.
Crowdfunding, investors, sponsors, donations, fiscal sponsors, grants – everything you'd ever want to know about getting money for your projects AND MORE in this jam-packed blog post.
Mastering Media Monetization
A follow-up to the post on "Practical Audience Building Techniques," this post talks about how to finally capitalize off of the audience you've been building up for your movie, album, book, video training, any other media. Pre-promoting, Marketing Funnels, Traditional Window Distribution, Dropping Down, Touring, Merchandising, etc.
Read MoreBusiness = Art
Business is an art. Every problem has a unique solution. Every product has a unique end user and therefore a unique way it should be marketed and sold. Every business has a unique culture and therefore a unique way it should be run. Every potential customer has a unique psychology. It is up to the artist within us to paint the path to the sale.
Read MoreSelf-Distribution Case Study: "What the Bleep do we Know?"
Check out how the filmmakers behind "What the Bleep Do We Know" successfully self-distributed the film by starting their own theatre run in Washington, then grassrootsed it to Oregon selling 7,000 tickets every week, eventually being picked up by a major theater distributor and finally grossing a total of $10mil!
Read MoreThe Economics of Giving
What can giving do for your business? Instead of charging for your services, would you ever consider giving them away for free? Instead of waking up everyday to make the most you can possibly make, what if you woke up everyday to GIVE the most you could possibly GIVE? What would your business look like? What would our economy look like? What would our world look like?
Read MoreBuilding Valuable Relationships
It is said that business is all about building relationships. But how do you do that? How do you make instant, long-lasting connections. How do you create relationships that influence income for years? Here are some tips...
Read MoreSelf-Distribution Case Study: "Bones Brigade"
Super excited to share the details of the DIY campaign of one of my favorite documentaries: Stacy Peralta's "Bones Brigade: An Autobiography." See how they denied distribution deals to self-distribute with TopSpin Media, leveraged their own skateboarding audience, wet appetites to make mouths water, and successfully distributed the film on their own to profitability.
Read MoreDIY: Kick-Ass Promo Vids that Make You MONEY
Why is video the most powerful medium for your message? How do you make awesome promo videos? How do you use video to generate leads? How do you use video to influence sales? Click for answers.
Read MorePractical Audience Building Techniques
Practical techniques for building a die-hard audience who will follow, like, subscribe, and buy everything you produce for years to come.
Read MoreSelf-Distribution Case Study: "Burn"
Hollywood is Dead. See how the filmmakers behind "Burn" successfully built up a large audience and self-distributed to box office earnings of over $1million
Read MoreSelf-Distribution Case Study: "Four Eyed Monsters"
Hollywood is Dead. See how the filmmakers behind "Four Eyed Monsters" successfully built up a large audience to over one million views of their film on YouTube.
Read MoreSelf-Distribution Case Study: "Indie Game the Movie"
Check out the detail of the marketing and distribution strategy for one of the best/first independent films to successfully self-distribute in the new digital age.
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