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Author Topic: Trigger words Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-20-2007 10:40 AM                     This is about the third or fourth time I've had to deal with the fallout from people using certain words in conversation with the distributors and companies we work with to book shows, videos and films... A few weeks ago: When we wanted to promote our upcoming Metropolitan Opera simulcast, we wanted to have a short video (30 seconds) to play for our donors and sponsors. The idea was that my boss would host a reception for a few key invitees and make a speech to announce the event then play a video on the screen. Typical run-of-the-mill stuff, AFAIC... But somebody called up the Met and asked them for a "Sneak Preview"! As you might expect, all sorts of bells and whistles went off. They came back with a knee-jerk response: "No! You can't do that!" So, I walk into the middle of this big, hairy mess and find out about the trouble. I had to call the Met and tell them that all we wanted was a 30 SECOND SPOT to play. After we got all the fur smoothed out again, they finally said, "Oh! Is THAT all you want? Why, SURE! Just go to 'ftp://met.com' and download anything you want!" Just today: We are showing another satellite program in another venue on campus but the hall is in use on the day of the original broadcast. Somebody called up the satellite distributor and asked them for a "RE-BROADCAST"! More bells and whistles! I had to explain to everybody that "rebroadcast" means to take a program and show it to somebody else. What we REALLY want is a DELAYED broadcast or a delayed showing. Again, after all the fur got smoothed out, they told me that they can work with us. But it took a lot of extra time and effort to make our distributor understand what we really wanted. So... How can I impress upon the people that work here that, in the entertainment/media business there are certain "Trigger Words" that you don't want to say unless you really mean them? I need to get across the idea that people in the movie, television and entertainment business are very sketchy about certain things and, once you say a "trigger word", they virtually shut you down. I don't know all the business customs in the entertainment business but I know that there are things you just don't do or say. If I was going to call up the Met and ask them for material I would simply tell them what I want... "Hello, Mr. Jones. I want to tell people how great the 'Met Opera HD' broadcast is going to be. Do you have anything I can show them?" "Hello, Ms. Smith. We can't show your broadcast on the original day because the hall is already booked. Can we show it on another day?" To which they would reply, "Oh, sure! Just download a spot from our FTP site." or "Yes, we can hook you up with a delayed broadcast." All I want to do is make shows, put on movies or videos or have lectures. On days like this, I spend so much of my time fussing around I feel like I'm pounding my head against the wall! People ask me why I keep doing this job when all I do is pound my head against the wall. The only answer I have is, "It feels so good when I stop!"  |  IP: Logged Floyd Justin Newton Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 559 From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 12-20-2007 11:28 AM                     Randy-- Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 12-20-2007 01:57 PM                        I thought this thread was about Tiger Woods. Guess not.  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 12-20-2007 02:16 PM                        Aaaaagh! Stop saying the word! Sorry. Please continue. Yes, one must be oh so careful with their words around any suit-wearing types these days, especially Hollywood ones.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 12-20-2007 03:32 PM                     I think what's being shown here is people need to be specific about what they're trying to say, regardless of who they're talking to.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-20-2007 06:27 PM                        Randy, how about these words, "We'd like to put the broadcast up on our website." Or "We want to make COPIES of the video and sell the DVDs in the lobby." ....words to make content owners' veins pop out their foreheads. All kidding aside, how are you doing with that series? Do you get a reasonable deal? Can you at least break even? I actually think doing it would be great for us, if not for the audience draw, at least for the prestige value. Years ago when our demographics were very different, our Great Artists series brought in the likes of Pavorati, Horn, Sutherland, etc., now even if we could afford the fees of such stratospheric calibre stars, we'd be lucky if we could fill a couple of hundred seats. But the broadcasts might be a good compromise. Certainly wouldn't cost the same as mounting a full opera or bringing it a superstar for a concert engagement. Only thing is, the Met probably wouldn't give it to us given our proximity of the opera house. Although I think BAM (our arch rival) is doing them.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-20-2007 10:05 PM                     I'm not in on all the details but I don't think the deal with the Met wasn't bad at all. I think it's just a share of the gate. The bitch is the deal with N.C.M., the company that the Met has contracted to distribute the broadcasts! They wanted something like $8,000 to install the equipment and cover the first year's worth of service. And, it's all, literally, off-the-shelf consumer equipment that you could go down to Best Buy and install yourself! It's all done via "The Dish" network. The only reason you can't receive this broadcast via your Dish receiver in your home is because of the encryption code on the smart card in your receiver. But if you've got a 1080p-native projector and a good sound system, the dish can be installed in one day. Like I said, it's basically just a regular old Dish Network system. If the Met sells out most of its performances they won't have to worry about people paying $30 at your theater instead of paying full price to see it live. At this point I think they'd rather have a 50% share in 10,000 tickets at $30 a pop than a 100% share in 1,000 tickets at $100 per.  |  IP: Logged

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