Open Source Pu...er, Crowd Sourced Animation

Scott Kirsner comes to the plate with this post and knocks it out of the park:

" Sony Pictures is going to handle theatrical distribution of a crowd-sourced animated short called "Live Music" this November, from the start-up company Mass Animation. The budget was about $1 million (spent on what, exactly?), and 51 people around the world contributed shots; each was paid $500 (that adds up to about $25,000 of the budget) and will get a credit on the film. Here's the press release, the Mass Animation Facebook page is here.

Open Source Entertainment is happening, kids. Daddy is excited and can't stand up right now.

The Art of "A Kiss From Tokyo"

This is an article on the making of a movie trailer for a book that is a volume of marketing materials for a movie that has never been made.

(Read that sentence over several times. I wrote it and even I'm not sure that's all correct)

A non-fiction art book about a fictional movie that was never actually made, but has a trailer.

(There! Is that clearer? Maybe? Okay toss me a bone here!)

I JUST KNOW IT'S COOL.

And then there's this:

ATS: Where do you want to take the character? You’ve done the book, which details the world. You’ve done the trailer detailing one of the films from that world. Where else do you see this going?

Kevin Dart: I’m kind of hoping the character takes on a life of its own with people picking it up and talking about it. More books, a graphic novel perhaps. I’d like to involve more people with the project to help expand the universe. I’m hoping to pitch it around to studios as a feature idea or something along those lines.

ATS: Are you suggesting something more open sourced?

Kevin Dart: That’s been one of the most fascinating things about this project. I was always very attached to the character but never so attached that I wouldn’t let others input their ideas. Through every step, when I contacted different artists to contribute to the book they would ask “What can I do with this character? Is it okay to do this?” I didn’t have any rules because I was interested to see what they would do. To me, this is a kind of big playground that is open to all these different ideas.

And it was the same with Steph. I didn’t really have notes for him on the stuff he was doing because I saw it as something he would inject his own vision into. I never worried that Stephan would come back with something that was not in line with what I was trying to do. It was amazing to me to see how it all came together.

Bottom line. This one is worth studying kids. Hard.There's a lot of good stuff in here about marketing, trailer design, and working backwards toward the book itself. It all fits together in a way that makes the best kind of crazy sense. Bravo.

And to cap it off:

ATS: What inspired you on this project?

Kevin Dart: I think a lot of it was the collaborative aspect of it, seeing the stuff my friends did for it and seeing how excited they got about it, kept me excited the whole time. There were a lot times I got pretty bummed out about how it was going but then something would always happen, like one of my friends would send me a piece of artwork that they’d done and it would get me excited all over again. I’d say that my friends inspire me more than anything.

The Internet is a Growth Industry...

From our new friends at ReelSEO:

The Insight Research Corp. recently released the results of an industry study which states that streaming media will be a major source of revenue through 2014. They classified streaming media as the transmission of digital audio and video files over an IP network or wireless network in real time or on-demand, while prohibiting users from storing the files locally.

For the next 5 years they predict that revenue from streaming media will grow at a rate of 27 percent per year thanks to more and more people turning to online audio and video. That means over 135% growth through 2014.

Robert Rosenberg, Insight Research president said that the growth is coming as traditional television advertising dollars are shunted into online ads.

However, don't go pulling out of traditional media (television) just yet. It's going to take a couple of years to stabilize the industry's metrics so that base ad rates, market penetration and so forth can be determined. If you're working in TV or movies and so on, now is the time to develop that web series, that book for Kindle, or Iphone app - then make the transition.

***Edit to add - and if you're new to the business, now is the time to start making a name for yourself by creating something and getting it out there.

But it's going to happen. Movies and "TV" pumped directly from the web to your home for free... Or a subscription server where you get all sorts of stuff - movies, series, books, webcomics - all built around a single or group of properties or genres. It's not any different than network TV for free or HBO. It's simply going to come to your home computer or set top box and it will be far more interactive than television ever was.

Headway

I made a new header for the blog and it will stay there a little while anyway. I can already see what's wrong with it and as I stare at it I am certain I will pick apart all of its faults.

I am such a bastard - even to myself. Okay, especially to my own work.

As I settle into the new digs and actually enjoy today's summer shower it feels good to take 30 minutes and whip up some artwork (by way of an original panel by Darwyn Cooke) and throw it up on the web. I know that in a few hours I'll have a couple of emails or comments telling me what they like, what they don't and why. Absolutely all part of the process. Absolutely the best and worst thing about the web.

So in that vein of thought, I present this - a mock up of a cover for the Rip Rocket chapter of my Open Source Pulp Manual (R)

This is a mockup of the pulp magazine in which his adventures appeared. Rip is an "Outerspace Agent" fusing the mission of Kennedy's New Frontier speech with the burgeoning "spy movement" of the early sixties.

The stories are definitely "spy fi"...

So let me know what you think. Brutal honesty always the best policy.

-----------------------------------
Rip Rocket is copyright (c) 2009 by Bill Cunningham and New Pulp Media. Original art by Freeman (Freidman?). Magazine design by Bill Cunningham.

From the Comments

Stephen Blackmoore commented on my post re: You Need Some Kindle-ing to Start a Fire and in the interest of furthering discussion on the topic and disseminating views, I brought it up to a post.

For the longest time people were saying the short story market was dead...I think perhaps its resurrection is all-digital.

Couldn't agree more. As magazine sales disintegrate more and more short fiction is appearing on the web. Sites like Plots With Guns (http://plotswithguns.com) and Thrilling Detective (http://thrillingdetective.com) have always been web based, but even more traditional print mags are moving to the web as their markets collapse.

When the NY Times finds it could save money (and by money I mean millions) by giving its subscribers a Kindle and having them download the paper every day then you have to say the gong is ringing loud and clear.

And it's not just short fiction. Interesting post at Joe Konrath's blog about his releasing one of his novels onto the Kindle for $1.59.

And how he shot to a #1 bestseller with it.

I will investigate this further, and see what I find out. John August has already dissected some of the manipulation going on over at Kindle as to how something gets on their bestseller list. Certainly I'm not saying that anything underhanded is going on, just that the methodologies employed give readers a skewed idea of what "bestseller" really means on Kindle's charts.

He's not making huge money ($1250.00) by any means, but it's an experiment and he rightly points out that an advance for a first time novel is traditionally about $5K.

And since he's putting it out himself all he's losing is the cut Amazon takes.

He could easily make $5K in a few months if sales remain strong.

Sure, he's not going to get royalties, but as you say it's about marketing. He needs to keep his brand fresh and strong and if he does that and works to maintain it then the royalty issue becomes moot.

Well, if he's selling it on Kindle and has built an audience, then he could easily do a print version via Createspace with added material and so forth - for the collector types. Again, I have to slice through his post. But, it points a way for new writers to get their work out there which is both a blessing and a curse. I do think that editors and designers will become more more important in this new paradigm. At least for those wishing to produce something of professional quality that stands out from the pack of books available.

And I don't know about you, but an extra $15K couldn't hurt (3 novels at $5k each/ year) and the fact they will always be "in print" means they are working for you. Then of course, there's the translation rights for other territories, the media and merchandise tie-ins... you get the picture.

He makes an excellent point about the advance a novelist would get in that it can either be spent on whatever or looked at as a business loan for your company and rolled back into it.

And ahem, certainly their will be companies hiring writers to work on Kindle novels based on outlines. The pulp publishing novel. Strictly percentage based, but a way to put callouses on your fingertips. This is how Tom Swift and Nancy Drew were created.

There are a lot of different ways to go about this, obviously, and I know a lot of people who are freaking out about it.

Certainly no need to freak, just start making plans and executing them. If you're an established writer - this is a new market for your work. If you're a newbie writer who needs experience, this is an opportunity. If you're a webcomics person, this is a way to sell your comics while you gather material for the GN. If you're and editor or graphic designer this a chance to ply your skillset to people who will need your services.

It's past time that self-publishing raises the bar on its offerings and quality.

And if you're like me, you're already working on this and tying it into web video (movies and serials), audio, comics, social networking and merchandising.

Danni Daring TM and copyright (c) 2009 by Bill Cunningham and New Pulp Media. Artwork used for example purposes only - no rights implied.

Budda Budda Buck!

Produced in a classic Dick Calkins style no less! (with a heaping spoonful of SKY CAPTAIN thrown in for good measure).



From the YouTube page:

This is a 5 min. short film I did for my Intermediate Editing class at the Art Institute of Colorado where I am majoring in Visual Effects. The movie is inspired by the way Buck originally appeared in the early Twentieth Century,and has several nods to my fav movie Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow by the awesome Kerry Conran. This film took a total of four weeks to complete from start to finish. Everything was filmed in front of a green sheet thumbtacked to my living room wall, and the models/animation was done in the 3d studio max. Compositing was done in Adobe After effects.
The Buck costume was based on the soon to be released Buck Rogers 1/6 figure by Gohero.com's Steve Forde. Major kudos to Steve for reviving Buck as he first appeared back in the 20's/30s.

Gee- what will those kids do next?

I Have Been Busy...

knocking down the dominoes. Yes, indeed there's been machinations goin' on. Back alley brokering. Dirty deeds done dirt cheap.

Soon there will be a new world order!

In the meantime why not buy some of my pulpy stuff you can see in the sidebar? >>>>>>>>>

Contracts are Signed!

I now share something in common with this man.

More info to come in the new year as other agreements are signed, schedules concocted and certain elements are put into play.

Hahahahahahaha.....

Sunday Morning After...

It's Sunday morning and of course, I'm here at the coffee shop relaxing by doing a bit of research and downloading while typing out some notes from my Moleskine. I'll make no bones about the fact that this past week was one I never want to go through again. Lots of poor client relations, and the double-murder down the block didn't help. I am looking forward to this week being more productive and happy all around.

At least that's why I'm working on a Sunday (again).

The research is for two things that I can finally do more than broadly hint about. I am setting up my own media production and distribution business as an adjunct to my marketing work. As I have ranted before, it's prudent for everyone in these tough times to diversify their income streams, and for the past 6 months I have been doing just that. I'll have the first stage of the announcement later this month, but suffice it to say this will be a small business to start, which with your help will grow and grow.

I am working on my next story in the unofficial "Museum of Supernatural History" series, and Astonishing Adventures #5 will feature a tale told in that universe. I am pleased to have worked with my artist friend Rolf on the story, and hope he is pleased with how Buster Bullet took off. The next story is even better (don't all writers say that?) and features another new character to the mix. Let's just say that magic in all its forms takes a toll on its users and leave it at that.

Speaking of characters, I'd like for everyone to take a moment and go to the comments section of this post and give yourself a bit of pimpage. If you are a writer, blogger, artist, filmmaker, publisher, editor, sculptor, model-maker, graphic designer, whatever... then I want to hear from you. Just tell us what you are doing. This is your chance to drive some traffic to your site, show off a bit and maybe pick up a few fans.


Besides, there is an endgame to my madness so indulge me on this okay?

(oh, and the pic has nothing to do with this post other than I thought it was kind of cool)

I am Happy & Thankful for ...

My Family
My Friends
My Health
The Future
That wonderful spark that ignites within me every time I receive an email or comment here thanking me for whatever it is that I'm doing here...frankly, just being myself.

Thank you.

------------------
There is so much stuff my cohorts and I are working on right now that I wish I could share in full. I will say:

-- I am still researching and drafting a couple of posts on the new wave of pulp production occurring in the UK. It is very cool to hear that they are jumping into the mosh pit with the rest of us, making media no matter what.
-- I am finalizing contracts for a project with a best-selling scifi & horror author.
-- A script of mine is making the rounds at production companies and the writing has been well-received.
-- The work on the manual is going well. Slow, but steady. Plans include several versions you'll be able to download or order.
-- and then there is that other pulp thing I wish I could talk about. That one has been a logistical nightmare to figure out (but that's what makes my wheels turn don't you know!)

Open Source Will Take Us Far

I've been reading this Wired article with great interest lately. The idea of online collaboration and open source has been hitting the old thinkmeat pretty hard.

Of course this isn't the first time I've discussed open source.

But I've been exploring the applications of open source (hardware and software) and have come to the conclusion that if we want to go to Mars - open source hardware and software is the way to go.

Kind of like this:



Of course, "open source" has other applications as well... we will talk about those later.

Speaking of...

Old pulp never dying...I am working on something. Something big (for me, anyway) and I'm sure all of you will agree when you hear the news, and want to participate somehow.

(Agreements aren't signed yet so I can only tease you. Yes, I am a bastard. You're just figuring that out?)

"Calling Rip Rocket! Emergency... Calling Rip Rocket!"

Oh yes, my little pulpsters - the lines between serials, pulps and real life just intersected.

Now all we need are underwater and Moon bases and I'm set...

Oh, and a raygun.

I need the raygun.

The NewPulp Declaration of Intent:

After this post, I have been thinking about the ideas and ideals of NewPulp and Open Source Pulp.

So I decided to come up with this:

----------------------------

NewPulp is a storytelling and media-making movement that recognizes the work and conditions of genre authors and artists of previous generations and builds upon those foundations to create a new, yet familiar brand of populist genre entertainment.

NewPulp crosses both genre and media lines creating a hybrid form of fictional entertainment that embraces the immediacy, variety and economy of the internet as a means of storytelling.

NewPulp is concerned primarily with entertaining its populist audience, and eschews any pretense of “importance.” NewPulp attempts to simply capture the joy of genre fiction storytelling for new audiences and new media.

New Pulp, while aiming first to entertain, also seeks to reinvent how such genre fiction may be created and presented. This includes, but is not limited to: new plot devices and structures; the use of new media; greater depth and variety of characterization; the use of popular cultural references and the application of today’s science, technology, politics and social norms and aberrations.

NewPulp is not concerned with either satire or parody of the form as the conventions of genre fiction from previous generations are well known and easy prey. NewPulp instead seeks to evolve the form so that the storytelling resonates with today’s audiences in a meaningful, entertaining and engaging manner.

NewPulp embraces the heroic ideal in all its forms,but is not limited by it.

NewPulp is by its very nature an amalgam of various genres and forms. It rejects only those strictures that seek to chain the fiction to realism, and is a storytelling movement of entertaining big ideas and ideals.

NewPulp understands and embraces interactivity with its audience as a means to develop material, creators and storytelling media and markets.

NewPulp is meant to be created and shared quickly no matter how the storytelling is accomplished - prose, art, video/film, audio, interactive game, poetry or performance --including cosplay. (edit to add: Just as previous generations of pulp creators wrote quickly in order to be paid for their work, today's NewPulp creators work quickly to feed the internet pipeline which entertains the audience).

NewPulp strives not for strict “perfection,” but for entertainment value in which it finds its “perfection.” It is imperfect and a storytelling predicated upon the willing suspension of disbelief of its audience.

--------------------------------

Not complete as I am sure I've left some gaping thoughts wide open, but it's a direction.

No More Thinking...

I have a plan. Oh yes, I have a plan.

You will be part of it.

Hehehehehehehehehehehe...

[Cue ominous music]