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It's Been Awhile...

I haven't posted on this blog in quite awhile simply because I have been uber-busy with setting up Pulp 2.0 Press and working on a lot of books - some of which have already come out and are available.

Just to give you a picture of what's in store:

Terror of Frankenstein - digital edition will be out the beginning of September.

The Miracle Squad - is being edited and tweaked and files will be sent to the printer for a proof.  Look for it at the end of September.

Frankenstein Lives Again! - is being laid out for print ....

Scarlet in Gaslight - is being laid out for print... look for it in December right as the new Sherlock Holmes movie comes out.

Agent 13 - is being laid out for print.  I'm also considering doing a pulpy photo shoot for it.

In addition, we have projects that have been slowly gestating such as:

The E.R.B. Thrillogy  - an ebook featuring three Edgar Rice Burroughs novels with all new artwork by Doug Klauba.

And a 7 novel compendium of Tom Corbett, Space Cadet novels featuring all-new art by Mike Fyles.


This is not to forget the fact that we are also putting together collector's editions of BIG BANG COMICS.

In other words - I've been busy, on a learning curve and trying to make a living... sort of.

So I'm putting out the call for some help:

One of the projects I am assembling is basically a Pulp 2.0 Mediamaker's "Toolbox" - a book that collects all my essays from hell here in the blog, as well as material from the old Pulp 2.0 Electrogram.  This book will be designed to be a useful reference and inspiration for the Pulp mediamaker - the filmmakers, cartoonists,  designers, writers, screenwriters and others...

So I need you to send me your feedback on what posts definitely need to be in the book.  What resources do you definitely want to see that you aren't getting from other books?  I am a different kind of media bastard so I want this to be a different kind of book, one chock full of news you can use.

I'd also like you to send me any questions you have that need to be answered in this book.

DON'T JUST STAND OUT... STAND TALL FOR SOMETHING

Ted Hope has a great little "list-post" outlining how to stand out in this crazy film biz.

Of particular interest is item #10 (which in my mind should be item #1 and be beaten into every film student's skull like the Phantom's ring). It reads:

Don’t look to be discovered.  The film industry encourages a plantation or corporate hierarchy way of thinking, which again only benefits the status quo.  This is most represented by the old way of bringing a film to market upon completion.  The filmmakers who design their projects to take directly to their audiences will demonstrate a forward and practical way of thinking — and one that does not negate a later adoption of old methods (if someone wants to dump a pot of gold on you that is).  Abandon the belief that all you have to do is make a good film and the rest will work out — it’s akin to a slave mentality.  Why do you need someone to discover you?  What you need is to find a way to keep producing new work.


This is the key to longevity in this business... 


If there are an estimated 27,000 indie films produced every year  and less than 600 get any sort of distribution then don't you think you need to think differently than the other guy?  Don't you think you need to make sure your film gets to the right audience instead of leaving it up to the distributor to try and find them?  

• I'm telling you that you do need to think differently. 
• I'm telling you that your film probably isn't that special and could do with some "sprucing up." Most likely at the development stage where most productions go wrong.  
• I'm telling you that if you don't make it better, or if you leave it to the distributor to do then you are leaving money on the table as you walk away. 
• I'm telling you that you can do it yourself - it's not easy, but the rewards will go to you and your investors first instead of to the middleman. 
• I'm telling you this because I've worked (am working) for the distributors and production companies.  They don't know anything you don't know or can't learn quickly.  

But mostly, I am telling you to be passionate about what you do, and stand up for it because it will make all of the difference.  It will make all the hard work, the frustration, the lawsuits and the angry phone calls and emails worth it.  I speak from hard-fought experience.  

WALKING AROUND DEAD....AND LOOKING FOR A GOOD STORY

There's a lot of controversy brewing regarding Frank Darabont's letting go of his writing staff for the new WALKING DEAD series....

You can read about that here. Tons of comments to bury yourself wade through.

One of the comments though struck a chord with this pulpster and I think it's important to share with you because it's the formula for making a great first movie or web series, and that's what we deal with here at the old pulp HQ.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present the independent, homespun wisdom of someone named Mark Georgeff:

"If people’s idea of a quality tv show is how great it is lit and looks, then we might as well shove the original TWILIGHT ZONE down the toilet.

The really great tv shows, like movies, are great stories.

What makes a great story is great characters in great scenes.

Majority of writers on the original TZ were short fiction writers and playwrights whom creator Rod Serling showed how to re structure their stories to fit 30 minute tv slot. A few act breaks for commercials round its down to actually 20 to 23 minute episodes. 

Most were done on a studio sound stage…or exteriors on backlots or in mall towns. Having great-looking visuals or well lit scenes do not make any of those great TZ episodes stand out or stand the test of time. Since they were all in black and white anyway.

Majority of them also had a lot of unknown, but talented actors who loved to just act, as opposed to very hyped up and marketable stars.

And Serling gave them a shot. 

He had a budget and stuck to it no matter what.

Which helped him focus strictly on the story.

God knows Serling made it a point for his most powerful stories about the human condition…to be done through subtext. Not overt at all.

Maybe Darabont should take a simple education from Serling…because from what I’ve seen so far…the WD is simply run of the mill. 

No amount of bigger production budgets or simply going to freelancers is going to change this. Just find and / or train good writers. You can always get them a WGA card. 

And I love Zombies as much as the next ghoul."

Pulp 2.0 Tees on Sale Now!

You can get them right here.  Put some pulp on your chest with a 100% cotton Hanes tee. 


Perfect for all occasions!

Oh BTW, We're on IPad....

Techie Intern brought in his IPad this morning and we played around with it....

Kindle for IPad works great (Downloaded BROTHER BLOOD which is now #1 on the listing!) as does your typical web browser...

Pulp 2.0 - serving all your pulp media guilty pleasures. 

The Pulp 2.0 Brand

One of the questions I get asked the most is "What sort of material are you looking to license for Pulp 2.0?' It's  certainly a fair question, but sometimes hard to define as I do have eclectic tastes when it comes to my reading, movies, comics and toys.  I thought I would take a moment to sit down and try to define my tastes, and give you a clearer insight into the Pulp 2.0 brand.

Come to find out that it's a good time to discuss branding, universes and "presence" on the internet bookshelf. 

When I was a snot-nosed brat growing up, one of the best places to visit was downtown Aiken, SC.  A short bike ride past the Highland park golf course and voila' you were in the center of a cornucopia of small shops, thrift stores, drug stores, 2 movie theaters (The Rocking Chair and the Mark 1&2), a sporting good store and a newsstand/convenience store.  For a ten-year-old kid this was a major component of the pulp paradise that would help define my level of taste  (the other being Kmart and Nonesuch Books ).

Downtown Aiken, SC had, for all intents and purposes been built in the fifties and sixties when the Savannah River Nuclear Facility came online and brought thousands into the sleepy town and the 20th century.  Prior to that, the main street was dirt and geared toward not only cars, but horses and carriages. Aiken was known as one of the premier horse training areas in the country with several Kentucky Derby winners to its credit. It was a small town that liked it that way, and did its best to accommodate the great influx of  people, money and commerce that a nuclear plant provides.

So by 1974 or so, I had the good fortune to be able to navigate this sleepy downtown corridor of 50's storefronts and find all sorts of cool things - the kind that delight the mad-pulp-bastard-in-training with a voracious appetite for reading, hobbies and movies - of the fantastique variety.  We would get Aurora model kits and Estes rockets from Aiken Sporting Goods. We would devour copies of Famous Monsters, Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella  at the Quick Stop; pick up comics at Hooks Drug store and Starlog and Fangoria at Aiken Drugs.  Some Saturdays we would go to the Rocking Chair Cinema and see things like The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Silent Running,  The Planet of the Apes movies, Godzilla v. Bionic Monster, and later more adult fare like The Great Texas Dynamite Chase, Death Race 2000 and yes, even Big Bad Mama.  


[OMG - Captain Kirk is getting naked with Police Woman! She is so hot!] 

So this is the stuff I grew up with (though not necessarily grew up on. I went to high school with an emphasis on reading, and because I had such a habit I read everything - including all the literature that's supposed to be good for you).  Yes it informed my style, and the style of many of my peers.  From those humble beginnings we haunted garage and attic sales and the occasional swap meet looking for these buried treasures...

And we realized we weren't alone.

So if you remember Famous Monsters,  weird series fiction paperbacks, Aurora model kits,  masked mexican wrestling, cliffhanger serials, pinup magazines, and all of the movies mentioned above then you have a pretty good handle at what makes my clock tick.  That's what we're doing with Pulp 2.0 ... and not just with books.

(Cue dramatic organ music)

So what does that mean for you creators and our audience?

For established writers it means if you have material that fits the description and has been published before - we want to talk to you to see about possibly licensing your work for new pulp-inspired editions.  We want to keep your work in print and looking its best to our audience so that it makes all of us a nice profit.  This includes prose as well as graphic novels.

For artists it means we want to see about licensing art from you for covers and interior illustrations.

For new writers who may have a few credits it's an opportunity to work with us writing novel and graphic projects we've developed - just like the old pulp publishing houses. You'll have the chance to earn money in print as you develop as a writer.  You get to work with all of us here and get stuff done.

You see, I'm setting a goal of licensing 100 titles in the next two years.  A pulp library dedicated to bringing back the "buried treasures and guilty pleasures" of yesteryear, as well as developing new pulp properties in the classic mold.  A library that draws an audience and is the launching pad for all sorts of media creations: tee shirts, posters, web series, movies, games and toys.

(Nobody ever said I wasn't ambitious)

For the audience it means you'll get a plethora of pulp entertainment at your fingertips (or wifi connection) : digital books, print editions, media and merchandise that doesn't break your bank and looks great on the shelf.  It means you get to hang out with people who are just like you, and help us develop a company that's geared toward what you like. Maybe even develop your own talents just like Don Glut or Joe Dante or John Carpenter (when they each wrote for FM) and become a pro at it.

We've already had some small success with Brother Blood and we're building on that with Radio Western Adventures and our upcoming Frankenstein Lives Again.  
















I can let you know right now we have many more cool things in store for you, and I look forward to hearing what cool stuff you have in store for us... 

I Googled Myself (You've done it too, don't try and deny it)

The terms Pulp 2.0 , Mad Pulp Bastard and D2DVD all point to this blog when searched on Google.  They are each in the number one position, especially when combined with my name.


Nifty huh?  Guess I haven't been slacking off as much as I thought.... (Ha!)


I also found some really cool and humbling quotes about me and my little area of the business that are quite lovely.  Thank you all. It gives me the energy to continue my work carving out a recognizable pulp entertainment niche. When the fingers are numb after typing and the eyes are red from staring at designs and fonts all day - and you know the day is only half over it's nice to know you're appreciated in some way shape or form.


Especially when an academic resource website says you're one of the 60 Best Blogs out there.




I first came across Bill Cunningham at his website, Pulp 2.0, a few years ago and was an instant fan. Our paths crossed several times over social networks and we finally spoke when he announced the formation of Pulp 2.0 Press several months ago. 


- Stefan Blitz, Forces of Geek


Bill screened my film twice during our long editing process (at the very beginning and very end). Both times he gave absolutely indispensible advice on cuts, music and sound design. If you're making a movie, webserial, short, (or let's face it, ANYTHING you expect people to actually sit through and pay for the privilege to see) you'd be a fool not to consult with him. 


- Lis Fies, The Commune


This is the web home of the Mad Pulp Bastard himself – Bill Cunningham. Even if you’re not interested in pulp or genre filmmaking, his site is a must read. On a daily basis, Bill delves into the business and marketing of film and new media. You should also sign up for his e-mail newsletter where he goes even deeper into these subjects and gives out PDFs of information you won’t find anywhere else.


                                                - Christopher Sharpe, Sex Machine


-- Bill Cunningham, who's been relentlessly preaching "Get of your ass and make your own media", just issued the first chapter of his old school radio play, "The Murder Legion Strikes at Midnight" online.


-  John Rogers, creator / showrunner,  LEVERAGE 




Most interesting to me, though, are the guts of the idea. Joss Whedon blowing his savings account on staging a 45-minute serial for the internet (that will doubtless prove to be i2dvd — internet to dvd — apologies once again to Bill Cunningham for perverting his "d2dvd" coinage). 


* (Direct-to-DVD has long interested me, since I made the acquaintance
of DVD pulp king Bill Cunningham. D2DVD is the common search term.
D2DVD still has the stink of straight- to-video on it, mostly because of the potboiler crap that fills the field, but it wouldn't be hard to do something that was actually good
in the area.) 


-- Warren Ellis, writer Red 

So to all of you who make me the mad pulp bastard that I am, thank you.  Not just the wonderful people I've quoted above, but the gang of you who actually listen, and are applying the lessons I've learned toward your heart's desire.  That is so profoundly cool and humbling (I've said that twice now - I am officially obnoxious). Thank you.


So all of you creative types with "a passion for the cult and pulpy" you just keep on doing what you're doing, and...


I'll just keep adding to the discussion wherever I can. Now if you'll excuse me I have to try and fit my head through the door. Anyone have any butter?

I Love My Job Pt. 2,465

Part of my role as Pulp 2.0 Press' Mad Pulp Bastard is to design the advertising that will go into our books in both Kindle and print.  If you study all of the old paperbacks and pulps of yesteryear you will see many simple designs hawking next month's great adventure. I've found that many of those ads were really simple - single color, minimal text, and a primary image that holds your attention. 


Of course, we want to do something similar with our books, so I spend a little time in research using the web to peruse old pulps, paperbacks and lobby cards. Then I pull out the pencils and some scrap paper and start sketching a few things out.

Bottom line, after an hour or so we end up with something like this:

This advertisement will be in the upcoming RADIO WESTERN ADVENTURES  available from the Kindle store in October for the low, low price of only $2.99.

Please join us on Facebook.
Or follow me on Twitter.

All Aboard the Piracy Bandwagon

Times are tough, but it seems that there is a growing trend amongst indie filmmakers to blame much of their ill times on internet piracy.  While the studios have long asserted that the internet and file sharing is to blame for millions in lost revenue we are no seeing a trend amongst indie filmmakers who place blame on internet pirates for their film's lack of success.

The latest case to crop up comes from the LA Times profile piece on filmmaker Greg Carter.

Greg Carter spent the last three years scraping together $250,000 to write, direct and produce "A Gangland Love Story," a gritty, urban retelling of "Romeo and Juliet."

Since its DVD release in July, audiences have embraced it: More than 60,000 viewers have watched the movie on the Internet, giving the independent filmmaker a coveted public following.

Unfortunately, winning an audience has come at a steep price. The viewers of Carter's film watched if from pirate movie sites and never paid for it. Carter figures the unauthorized viewing has cost him as much as $100,000 in lost revenue, dashing hope that he'll ever see a profit.

Now on the surface this seems pretty straight forward: Piracy = Bad.  However if the film community is to make sense of the next decade of entertainment media and engaging the audience we MUST dig deeper than that and get to the roots. We can't assume anything.

In reading this story there are some pretty bold assumptions set forth that I would like to question...

[Full disclosure. I have met and discussed business with Greg Carter many years ago when I was with York Entertainment.  I admire his business savvy and entrepreneurism, and have no axe to grind here. I have also done work for Maverick Entertainment as a freelancer]

1. I would like to know how he arrives at the $100,000 estimate he says he's lost to piracy.

2. I would like to know where the movie has been sold.  Has the # of downloads of the movie ever been used as a marketing sell point?

3. Beyond this article, Greg has never had an interview with the LA Times for one of his movies.  What is the value of this article toward people looking for the movie now that they've read about it?

4. What has he done to reach out to all of the people who watched his movie to see if they would be willing to pay money for a DVD of it?  Has he attempted to sell the soundtrack to the movie as an ancillary product?

5. What is the line item budget of the picture?  I ask this because budget is often used as a press ploy in these articles.  I want to look at the actual ROI for this film.

6. Has he done any events to promote the film and tie it to the urban audience?

Piracy IS going to happen, but we need to analyze these stories very closely to determine the truth of whether or not piracy was a factor in the film's profit or loss.  This is tricky business and there's too many unclear assertions in this article without any actual facts being presented.

Be a Hero: It's Really Easy

MARK WAID &
THE HERO INITIATIVE
WANT YOU
TO BE A HERO


Help support The Hero Initiative
by using your Ralphs & Food4Less, and Cala/Bell rewards card

 


Comic fans, its your turn to help comic creators!

Monday, September 27, 2010 - Mark Waid and The Hero Initiative want comic fans to rise up and be a hero! If you live in California, Nevada, Illinois, and Indiana, sign up your Ralphs, Food4Less, Cala Foods or Bell Markets rewards card with the “Community Contributions” program and the next time you shop using your rewards card you'll be helping comic book creators in need of emergency medical aid, financial support, and other necessities. It's never been easier to be a hero!

As part of the “Community Contributions” program, Ralphs, Food4Less, Cala Foods and Bell Markets will make a donation to The Hero Initiative every time you shop with your rewards card. Not only are you saving money but you're saving lives.

Here's how you too can become a hero!:

1) Log onto your www.ralphs.com and sign into your rewards account. If you don't have a Ralphs.com account sign up, it's free and it saves you cash!

2) After signing in, click on the following link: 
https://customer.ralphs.com/ManageCommunityRewardsStep1.aspx
or if that doesn't work try the second link blow:
https://customer.ralphs.com/ManageCommunityRewardsStep3.aspx

3) Fill out the information form including The Hero Initiative NPO# and corporate name:
NPO#: 80680
Corporate Name: A Commitment To Our Roots.

4) Start shopping!

If you've already signed up but it's been more than a year, sign up again! Every Sept 1st “Community Contributions” are reset which means if you're not sure your purchasing power is helping The Hero Initiative, now's the time to find out!

So tell your family, friends, comic shop acquaintances, Mark Waid is looking for heroes! Sign up those rewards cards and shop at your local Ralphs, Food4Less, Cala Foods and/or Bell Markets to help The Hero Initiative and uphold a tradition of generosity towards comic creators in need of medical, financial, and moral support.

To find your local Ralphs use the Ralphs Store Locator
(http://services.ralphs.com/StoreLocator/StoreLocatorAdvanced.aspx)

To find your local Food4Less use the Food4Less Store Locator
(http://services.food4less.com/StoreLocator/StoreLocatorAdvanced.aspx)
About The Hero Initiative
The Hero Initiative (http://www.heroinitiative.org) is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work.

Killer Covers: "Pulp Covers... were Designed to Sell!"

Killer Covers pulls a great quote from the UK's Independent newspaper regarding a recent auction of pulp fiction art:

It’s a peculiar discipline, pulp. The purpose--back in the smoky, inter-war days when the cheaply produced magazines would line the news-stands--was always practical. Pulp covers, like the airbrushed supermodels who replaced them, were designed to sell. There was no whimsical expression of artistic impulse; no desire to appeal to a higher plane. Illustrations had to catch the eye of the passing customer, and that was all. Competition was fierce and covers had to be striking. They featured grotesque creatures of the night, outlandish specimens from outer space, and--almost always--a scantily clad damsel in distress.

“The appeal lies in the lack of subtlety,” [Heritage Auctions vice-president Ed] Jaster explains. “It is the art of the masses. It exists outside the conventional artistic boundaries, yet it elicits this visceral reaction. The women are beautiful, the men are handsome. There’s sex appeal, danger, good and evil.”

and of course, this gem: 

Perhaps, though, it's no wonder that pulp art is having a moment in the spotlight. So steeped in romance are its origins – the fakery, the freight trains, the fast-and-loose nature of the stories it decorated – that it is surprising it hasn't happened sooner. And the artists aren't without their claim to history; Frank R Paul, for instance, is frequently credited with the first illustrated depiction of both a space station and flying saucer, a seminal pop-cultural symbol if ever there was one.

Pulp 2.0 Design for Return of the Originals

I am friends with Mike Bullock, the writer of the upcoming BLACK BAT series  for Moonstone Books. As Mike has been out and about  the internet stumping for his book  which you can read about here, those of us over at the Pulp Factory Yahoo Group have been discussing how to market pulp stories and concepts to today's audience -- specifically at the comic shop.

The conclusion is that you have to take every opportunity you can to get your work seen by the right eyes and that means thinking outside the box of just your usual suspects.

Well since I was getting ready to tackle some new design work - I thought it would be good to do some quick design "sketches" as a warmup to the really heavy lifting I'm going to be doing.  Mike had a flyer for Moonstone's RETURN OF THE ORIGINALS and I asked him if I could get an image from him to play around with... he graciously agreed. So  after a couple hours I  fan-ficced their flyer.

And here's the result:

You can add it to your desktop if you want. Maybe it will remind you to ask your local comic shop retailer you want to take a look at these comics.  [Take the hint and just order the books] 

I kept it simple and widescreen - because of course,  I like it like that - and made the color palette something that would play against the deep blue of the original art.  Red, yellow and blue is an excellent color combination. Just ask Superman. 

It sort of reminds me of one of those newspaper box inserts you see in the big cities (which might be a really cool way to sell newspaper sized comics that have tons of big ads in them!) or an old serial lobby card (which might be a cool way to sell more comics - a cool serial adventure!). 

In any case it was fun and a good warmup for the pulp to come. 

Jonny Quest Documentary Pt. 16: The Music of Hoyt Curtain

For those of you tracking this documentary - I was searching for information on composer Hoyt Curtain, and I stumbled onto this entire affair.  What a treasure trove of actiony-goodness!  This part of the documentary includes actual recordings of the sessions that provided us with the pulse-pounding themes found in so many of those H-B shows.

Enjoy.

Jonny Quest Documentary Pt. 15: Hi-Tech Jonny and James Bond

Please note Doug Wildey's philosophy in incorporating science into the show.

Jonny Quest Documentary Pt. 14 : Dr. Benton Quest

Jonny Quest Documentary Pt. 12 & 13 Secrets About the Show

Jonny Quest Documentary pt. 11: Race Bannon License to Kill

Jonny Quest Documentary Pts. 9 &10

Locales, Animals and Jezzebelle Jade:



The writers of Jonny Quest: