by Voyage | Aug 12, 2011 | Uncategorized
Use your resources to raise your profile Up-and-coming film students (i.e. the next generation who will be breathing down your neck soon enough) routinely invest over $100k just to get their feet wet; young professionals wait tables, walk dogs, and donate hundreds of hours of their labor in internships; working writers, producers, directors, and talent re-invest (at least) 10% of their income into their careers, paying their agents & managers and developing projects—what they’re all doing is investing in their careers. And it’s a no-brainer that you need to keep up. Back the talent that you know best: your own. So once you’ve defined yourself and your message it’s time to get the word out, because Hollywood wants to see evidence that people will get in line to check out your work. How do you prove to them that you’ve got audience appeal? As you build your transition strategy, include Social Media and PR to raise your profile. Voyage team member Libby Gill, who helped build the reputation of Dr. Phil and other high-profile personalities’ through personal brand strategy and publicity, weighs in on this topic: “When people are surfing online, you’ve got about 5 seconds to grab their attention- so what’s the most important thing for people to know about you? It might come in the form of a photo, a video snippet, or something quirky and unique that only you can come up with. If you had to sum yourself up on a billboard or T-shirt, what would you say, and how do you say it in a way that nobody’s gonna forget?” Social media tools and... read more
by Voyage | May 2, 2011 | The Expert Network
An Interview with Story Expert Corey Mandell No other profession in the world insists upon perfect execution with one’s first assignment on the job. So why does screenwriting? Nat Mundel sits down with professional writer and UCLA film-script sage Corey Mandell to examine this and other questions. Welcome to the new issue of The Starbird. It explores the writing process, from the conceptual to the intuitive. Learn the common mistakes made due to over reliance on the calcified edicts of the blockbuster and hear how simple skill sets, diligently applied, will produce success. Archives December 2024 (2) November 2024 (2) October 2024 (3) September 2024 (2) April 2023 (1) January 2023 (1) December 2022 (1) October 2022 (1) June 2020 (1) April 2020 (1) February 2020 (1) January 2020 (1) October 2019 (1) August 2019 (1) June 2019 (1) January 2019 (1) April 2018 (1) March 2018 (1) February 2018 (1) January 2018 (1) December 2017 (1) November 2017 (1) October 2017 (2) July 2017 (4) April 2017 (1) February 2017 (1) January 2017 (1) December 2016 (1) November 2016 (1) October 2016 (1) September 2016 (2) June 2016 (1) May 2016 (1) April 2016 (1) February 2016 (3) January 2016 (1) December 2015 (2) November 2015 (1) October 2015 (2) September 2015 (2) August 2015 (2) July 2015 (1) June 2015 (1) April 2015 (1) March 2015 (1) February 2015 (2) January 2015 (3) December 2014 (2) October 2014 (1) September 2014 (3) August 2014 (3) June 2014 (2) May 2014 (5) April 2014 (3) February 2014 (1) January 2014 (1) December 2013 (1) April 2013 (1) December 2012 (1) July 2012 (1) April 2012 (2) March 2012 (2) December 2011 (1) November 2011 (3) October 2011 (4) September 2011 (5) August 2011 (3) May 2011 (2) April 2011 (1) March 2011 (2) November 2010 (2) August 2010 (1) June 2010 (1) March 2010 (1) October 2009 (1) September 2009 (2) CategoriesCategories Select Category Audience (25) Blog post (38) Book to Film (20) Entertainment Business (48) Font Page (7) Pitching (13) Presentations (9) Producer Interviews (10) Reality TV (5) Screenwriting Tips (11) The Expert... read more
by Voyage | May 2, 2011 | The Expert Network
The 3 Most Vital Aspects of Story from the woman who developed SALT — Voyage Team Member Kathleen McLaughlin. A phone rings in the middle of the night, and a movie is born. Such is the case when someone with an exceptional idea connects with the guiding hand of a veteran development expert. Meet Kathleen McLaughlin, a producer and development executive with over 15 years of experience in both studio and independent feature projects. She helped Director Philip Noyce shepherd a midnight pitch into the Golden Globe-nominated film RABBITPROOF FENCE, she Co-Produced The Quiet American, and she developed The Saint, The Bone Collector and The Sum of All Fears. She has worked with some of the top names in the business including Sydney Pollack, Anthony Minghella, Kurt Wimmer, Christopher Hampton, and she recently served as a creative consultant on SALT starring Angelina Jolie. She is now a member of the Voyage Development Team. “You just never know” McLaughlin muses, “The most interesting stories can come from the oddest places.” Throughout her career she has honored this belief to help some of the world’s leading directors bring their visions to life. Whether she’s working on a large tent-pole franchise or a small indie, she focuses her attention on what she considers the three most vital aspects of screen story: 1.) Character Development – “Likeability can be a complex notion. It’s much more fluid than many people think. Heroes, if they’re just “heroic,” are not interesting.It’s the quirks and flaws that make them relatable and interesting.A classic example of this is Indiana Jones’s hatred of snakes.In a roomful of them, he’s uncharacteristically... read more
by Voyage | Apr 20, 2011 | Blog post, Pitching
AND WHAT THEY CAN TEACH US ABOUT PITCHING I have a dirty secret that’s written on my resume in invisible ink: I used to be a telemarketer. Please just know that most of the money I earned by telemarketing was spent on either beer or t-shirts with offensive phrases on them. There’s a fundamental principle that’s pounded into the heads of any and all those who are brave enough to dabble in the telemarketing profession: Read the pitch script verbatim. No exceptions. It’s easy to see that what works in telemarketing won’t necessarily work in an entertainment pitch. But while the pitches and presentations for TV shows and movies have infinitely higher stakes, it’s still easy to get lazy and tap into the same formulas. This applies to all pitches. What telemarketing specifically amplifies are 2 things: 1) The beginning or introduction of a pitch is where you hook (or lose) the audience 2) Your audience could be having the worst day of their lives That’s not bad advice but what happens with telemarketing: the scripts becomes innate. The precedent becomes reflex. No thought or inflection is put behind the words, whether it’s a pitch for the New York Times, or for the ultimate Snuggie. And it makes you want to throw your phone into traffic. Now, there certainly is something to be said about the value of the precedent and/or formula. I’m not saying that it should be completely thrown out, just that there’s room to breathe and tweak within it. What if the person on the other end of the line actually spoke to you with a... read more
by Voyage | Mar 12, 2011 | Uncategorized
3 WAYS TO BREAK INTO LONG FORM by Kathleen McLaughlin Whether the goal is to spearhead big studio tent-poles or helm smaller independents, the time has never been better for directors to take control of the creative process and forge their own careers. Enterprising auteurs are turning out terrific work on the Internet and while film school is still a gateway to a career as a feature film director, it is no longer the only, or even the best path to a career in feature films. Here are just a few other ways to start making it happen. Create a product As a director you’re looking for someone to take a chance on you, but if you write a killer script you’ve also got a product to sell. With studio development budgets slashed and indies looking for go projects, if you want to be a director, do what the screenwriters’ do: develop your own material and create a some great material. Read screenplays; find a book or graphic novel, flesh out your own ideas. Alfred Hitchcock used to say that once he’d finished developing the screenplay he didn’t need to shoot because he’d already made the film. Like Hitchcock, find a story you love, “direct it on paper” and give them the confidence that they can’t see anyone else doing the job but you. If you’re not a writer…don’t Okay, you’ve got a great idea but you discover you’re just not a screenwriter. The truth is that the bar is set higher for a screenplay written by a director. If the idea is great but the execution isn’t they... read more
by Voyage | Mar 3, 2011 | The Expert Network
The Expert Network: Voyage team members on what it takes to get something done in Hollywood What if you could get advice from a hot film producer, a TV exec who’s set up material for the stars, and one of the top 3 branding experts in the world all at once? We’ve rounded them up for you. Check out this video to take in the synthesis of the collective strategies of producer Jesse Israel, branding virtuoso Nance Rosen, and TV exec Maher Jafari. Archives December 2024 (2) November 2024 (2) October 2024 (3) September 2024 (2) April 2023 (1) January 2023 (1) December 2022 (1) October 2022 (1) June 2020 (1) April 2020 (1) February 2020 (1) January 2020 (1) October 2019 (1) August 2019 (1) June 2019 (1) January 2019 (1) April 2018 (1) March 2018 (1) February 2018 (1) January 2018 (1) December 2017 (1) November 2017 (1) October 2017 (2) July 2017 (4) April 2017 (1) February 2017 (1) January 2017 (1) December 2016 (1) November 2016 (1) October 2016 (1) September 2016 (2) June 2016 (1) May 2016 (1) April 2016 (1) February 2016 (3) January 2016 (1) December 2015 (2) November 2015 (1) October 2015 (2) September 2015 (2) August 2015 (2) July 2015 (1) June 2015 (1) April 2015 (1) March 2015 (1) February 2015 (2) January 2015 (3) December 2014 (2) October 2014 (1) September 2014 (3) August 2014 (3) June 2014 (2) May 2014 (5) April 2014 (3) February 2014 (1) January 2014 (1) December 2013 (1) April 2013 (1) December 2012 (1) July 2012 (1) April 2012 (2) March 2012 (2) December 2011 (1) November 2011 (3) October 2011 (4) September 2011 (5) August 2011 (3) May 2011 (2) April 2011 (1) March 2011 (2) November 2010 (2) August 2010 (1) June 2010 (1) March 2010 (1) October 2009 (1) September 2009 (2) CategoriesCategories Select Category Audience (25) Blog post (38) Book to Film (20) Entertainment Business (48) Font Page (7) Pitching (13) Presentations (9) Producer Interviews (10) Reality TV (5) Screenwriting Tips (11) The Expert Network (18)... read more
by Voyage | Nov 22, 2010 | Uncategorized
BUILDING AN ONLINE PRESENCE FOR YOUR FILM & TV PROJECTS I blog. You blog. We all blog. It’s an undeniable fact: Web logs (to use the old-fashioned term) are now as relevant as major newspapers and magazines, supplying millions of readers worldwide with news, updates, and random pieces of information. When it comes to developing a project – whether it’s a film, a commercial, a viral video or a TV show – a blog can actually serve your process. It can help you to identify your audience and give them the opportunity to talk back (through comment feeds). Blogging about your project and the different stages it’s going through opens what I like to call the Door to Collaboration, a dynamic give-and-receive process that can help shape your idea into the Best Possible Product. If you have investors involved it’s a great way to maintain their excitement. A blog can keep them up to date on how the project is moving and offer them reassurance that their money is being used wisely. A blog can also stir up some buzz, create more awareness of your product and potentially generate more support. For writers, blogs can showcase their wit, style, and chops, and act as a kind of cyber calling card. A great blog can also show that you are a serious, professional scribe taking pride in your craft and not just a weekend hobbyist jotting down grammatically-incorrect, incoherent rants (Blogger’s note: if you wish to be taken seriously, be your own editor, proofread what you self-publish, and write as if you’re on assignment for a revered magazine or newspaper).... read more
by Voyage | Nov 22, 2010 | Uncategorized
HOW THE TWITTER SENSATION BECAME A HOT PIECE OF PRIMETIME – NAT MUNDEL SITS DOWN WITH THE CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF CBS’ HIT TV SHOW, PATRICK SCHUMACKER. Before Twitter feed ShitMyDadSays broke out onto the social media scene two years ago, creator Justin Halpern was an editor at Maxim.com and Patrick Schumacker was a film and TV blogger for Screen Junkies at Break Media as well as a writer for Voyage Media. Together, the two saw their project through book proposals (an integral part of the development process), feature-film prospects, and – in a rare instance of role reversal – pitches made by studio execs to networks. Find out what happens on the development road to network television as Patrick discusses what it was like to team up with a pair of producing veterans (Will & Grace‘s Max Mutchnick and David Kohan) to turn the immensely popular SMDS into a hot piece of primetime property. Archives December 2024 (2) November 2024 (2) October 2024 (3) September 2024 (2) April 2023 (1) January 2023 (1) December 2022 (1) October 2022 (1) June 2020 (1) April 2020 (1) February 2020 (1) January 2020 (1) October 2019 (1) August 2019 (1) June 2019 (1) January 2019 (1) April 2018 (1) March 2018 (1) February 2018 (1) January 2018 (1) December 2017 (1) November 2017 (1) October 2017 (2) July 2017 (4) April 2017 (1) February 2017 (1) January 2017 (1) December 2016 (1) November 2016 (1) October 2016 (1) September 2016 (2) June 2016 (1) May 2016 (1) April 2016 (1) February 2016 (3) January 2016 (1) December 2015 (2) November 2015 (1) October 2015 (2) September 2015 (2) August 2015 (2) July 2015 (1) June 2015 (1) April 2015 (1) March 2015 (1) February 2015 (2) January 2015 (3) December 2014 (2) October 2014 (1) September 2014 (3) August 2014 (3) June 2014 (2) May 2014 (5) April 2014 (3) February 2014 (1) January 2014 (1) December 2013 (1)... read more
by Voyage | Aug 11, 2010 | Uncategorized
TIPS TO BOOST YOUR DIRECTOR’S CAREER DURING A PRODUCTION SLUMP With the omnipresent economic slump, the competitive nature of production has skyrocketed higher than ever before. Whereas 3 years ago there was a relatively even distribution and demand for work, there’s been a significant falloff, especially for directors. And if that weren’t enough, we all know that budgets have been cut in a huge way across the board. So how do you maintain your directors when the workflow isn’t a steady stream? How do you adapt to ever-decreasing budgets? And most importantly, how do you cultivate your directors’ talents, and even facilitate their crossovers into other media? Whether you’re working in the talent agency world, the commercial production microcosm, or the indie spectrum, there are some incredible new strategies to keep your directors active, fresh, and in demand. Here are some strategic platforms where your directors can flourish and gain exposure for little to no cost. 1) 3rd Party Funding – Especially in the commercial industry, so many directors are chomping at the bit to cross over into other media. Yes, your time is spread thin, but the best thing you can do is sit down with your director and get them to open up about small scale projects – those hunches and dream jobs they’ve got going on in the back of their minds (not just spec commercials.) With websites like Kickstarter.com and Indiegogo.com, anybody can pitch their ideas for film, art, literature – you name it. You pitch to the people, and the monetary results are staggeringly successful. Read more about how to raise your funds through... read more
by Voyage | Jun 1, 2010 | Uncategorized
HOW TO TELL WHEN TO “TECH UP” OR SCALE BACK There’s an ongoing, ancient debate in the world of pitching: how high-tech or low-tech should a pitch be? Does it really matter? Does the audience really care? At Voyage, we’ve worked on totally immersive pitches for clients like Ferrari World and Le Reve for Wynn Las Vegas that go way beyond the standard 2D deck. But that doesn’t mean they’re always high tech. Sometimes a smart person armed with a dry-erase pen and a white board is a lot more convincing than a highfalutin, hard-to-follow, complicated series of do-dads and wing-nuts… So all this raises a big question: How do I know which pitching platform works best for my concept? We all know that technology is evolving at an exponentially faster rate than ever before. With the advent of hardware like the iPad and portable projectors (built into your cellphone!), it’s really easy to get bogged down by the infinite possibilities of where your presentation can go… Do I go the interactive route? Something a client can touch and feel on an iPad, iPhone, or something else? Or do I create a deck, but make it larger than life and sexy? Should I just pound insane amounts of caffeine or 5-Hour Energy’s and wing it? According to the renowned Venture Hacks, the first and most important thing you need to identify is whether or not you’re dealing with a simple concept, or a high concept. Once you identify this, you’ll be able to tell which pitch route to go – the Lo-Fi route, or the Interactive. Lo-Fi – If... read more
