One Producer in the City

Guest Blog #83: Directing the gaze

This week's guest blog comes from the team at Eyes Up Here Productions. Below they explain the process of making their first film and why they do the work they do. Take it away!

Directing the gaze from Eyes Up Here Productions

 

Every day, thousands of messages fly across our phones, computer screens, TVs and – if you live in a city like New York – buildings, airspace and even your neighbor’s T-shirt.

 

With so many messages screaming for our attention, what should we look at? Who are the people making us look up? What are they saying or doing? Ultimately, these are questions of what moves us.  We want to answer that question with the formation of a new production company, Eyes Up Here Productions.

 

We, TV/film/theatre producers Nilou Safinya and Nancy Vitale, started the company this year to develop great stories with other artists we believe in. At the heart of our mission is the desire to collaborate with others to present meaningful stories that entertain, delight and transform the way we look at the world as much as what we are looking at.  

 

Our first project is a short film that Nancy wrote called Running with Sharks, and it’s for anyone who has ever felt judged in a swimsuit. Nancy wrote the piece after she and Nilou were enjoying a Groupon-type deal at a swanky Upper East Side gym, and the natives grew "judgey," then territorial and then downright mean.

 

That fateful day, we took in all the many messages – like, “that’s MY locker” and “this ain’t your grandma’s water aerobics class” – and we tried to uphold our own – treat others as you wish to be treated. Sure, our message is a golden rule, but maybe by presenting it with a little humor and a lot of heart, it will be easier to follow in every area of our lives. Its ramifications extend in business interactions, as well as in those awkward moments when "your business" is hanging out there in a locker room. 

 

What is your message for the world? What story are you dying to tell, and why? Visit our Facebook page and let us know.

 

And while you’re there, you can learn more about the Indiegogo campaign for our short film, Running with Sharks. You can also learn more about Nancy and Nilou at Eyes Up Here Productions.

Awesome Person Thursday: Julian Boxenbaum and Lucid

This week's A.P.T. is Julian Boxenbaum. I met Julian a while back and was introduced to the speaker series he runs called Lucid. If you have not been to Lucid, you are missing out. The evening is filled with fascinating speakers from all walks of life and includes drinks, and great music provided by Music for Tomorrow. There is info on the next Lucid directly below. If you decide to go, say hi to Julian. He's truly awesome and you'll have a great time. 

Excelsior!

LucidNYC - Where Influential People & Projects Meet . . . for drinks What is your reputation worth? Whatever it is, it will become a lot more valuable to you in the coming years - probably even more so than your credit score.  Find out why.  What if you could design and print your own custom plastic phone cover, sterling silver eyeglasses, ceramic housewares, or even a stainless steel gun? Now it's as simple as sending a file to your printer. Learn how.  Move over Laurie Anderson! Meet the next generation of electronic musical instrument inventors and composers.  Get your tickets now!  Also, check our videos of our previous presentations, on our site - like this one of Ayah Bdeir, founder of littlebits.cc modular electronicshttp://lucidnyc.com/2013/01/13/ayah-bdeir-founder-of-littlebits-modular-electronics/

Wednesday, 04/03/13 7-10pm @ Drom, 85 Ave. A $5 Drink Specials from 7-8pm ** $15 Preregistration tickets $20 Two Tickets for Twenty (limited availability) $20 Tickets at the door Only 150 spaces available GET TICKETS HERE At This Lucid: Have you ever invited a perfect stranger off the street and into your home for dinner? What about giving your car keys to someone you didn’t know and trusting they’ll bring it back in the morning? It sounds absurd, but this is the basis of a booming new economy moving tens of billions of dollars a year and it trades on reputation and trust as a commodity. Consider the success of companies like Airbnb, Kickstarter, Taskrabbit and thousands more like them. What are the implications of this new ‘Reputation Economy’ on global markets, political systems, individual empowerment, and even the entire monetary system?   Technologist, super-hacker, cultural visionary, and author of the soon to be released book ‘Reputation Economics’, Josh Klein, discusses how the ‘reputation economy’ will  destroy the existing economy, empower you to do more, and level the global playing field. .  if it doesn’t kill us first. Revolution in the Industrial Revolution! A juggernaut in the  3-D printing world,  Maker Movement & the DIY culture (Do It Yourself), Shapeways, is helping to change the way we view mass production and products themselves.  What if you could design and print your own custom plastic phone cover, sterling silver eyeglasses, ceramic housewares, or even a stainless steel gun? Now its as simple as sending a file to your printer. Duane Scott, of Shapeways discusses the state of this burgeoning industry and what it means for our futures. Move over Laurie Anderson, next generation electronic musical instrument inventor and composer,Jeff Snyder (AKA Owen Lake), represents. Straight from the Princeton Laptop Orchestra (PLOrk) and Snyderphonics and into your ears! Also at this Lucid, The Chris Davidson Band lights up the stage with original jazz compositions inspired by Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis and Erroll Garner. read  more What is Lucid? “Lucid NYC is . . . – hosting live events in a lounge setting, featuring a handful of diverse innovators from various disciplines. After the talks, which last 10-15 minutes each, the small audiences mingle with the presenters and one another. The result is what you make of it – MENSA style thinkers' club, mellow networking event, brainy dating opportunity – or a mix of all three. Whatever your angle, it's good, smart fun and a refreshing change from the usual hipster scene offerings.”   http://bigthink.com/think-tank/ideas-wow Our mission: Create intimate, social, fun, and inspiring events which expose people to emerging ideas in action and encourage attendees to cross social and professional silos.    Please help us spread the Lucidity. Invite your friends, tell the press, post on FB, Tweet, blog, etc.  www.LucidNYC.com  contact: [email protected]. ** Online registration ends at 4pm sharp on day of the show. Presenter list subject to change. All ticket sales are final. 2 drink minimum at tables per venue rules. No refunds.

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Retro Wednesday: Know when you're bleeding

This week's retro wednesday post is from last year. It's all about checking in with yourself. Enjoy!

May 18, 2011

Know when you're bleeding

Producing is not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination. Chances are that if you are involved in any show, you are most likely doing multiple jobs, losing some sleep, and hustling. In fact, I would argue that if you are not hustling and things feel easy, that it's only a matter of time until things become ridiculous. 

There is a major flip side to this though and that is not paying attention to pain or problems.

I once had a really great professor who told us that pain was a wonderful thing because it lets us know that something is wrong and that we need to make some changes. Without pain we would continue on and have no idea if something really serious was happening.

Your business is the same way. It's taken me years to learn this and I still fight with it from time to time, but it's very important. You are no good to anyone if you can't function at a healthy level. That means knowing when you're bleeding. If your days are too long, it's time to sit down and take a hard look at why they are that way. If you hate a certain part of the job, perhaps someone else could do it? 

Bottom line is if you are getting overwhelmed, chances are you're bleeding.

Stop for a second.

Figure out where that blood is coming from.

And DO SOMETHING about it. 

We all would love to believe we are invincible and I am often the most guilty of this, but the thing that has saved me more times than I can count is being able to acknowledge that I am human and that I have vulnerability.

I bleed.

You bleed too.

It's ok. 

As long as you don't ignore it.

Do you know what the five most dangerous words in the English language are?

"Maybe it will go away"

Nuff said. 

Excelsior!

Is this blog helpful to you? Feel free to share with a friend! 

 

 

Don't forget to search for survivors!

We've all experienced it.

That moment when you look at your inbox and say "What the F%$!"

There are times when email gets to be so overwhelming, all you may want to do is crawl into bed and wish as hard as you can that it will stop.

It won't. 

Last night I dealt with roughly 500 emails and as of right now there are about 30 sitting in my inbox, not including what is in my optional reading folder. 

As I was going through everything last night, I realized that one of the most important things one can do is to check for the emails that are missed. I looked in SPAM and found email introductions, I looked at old emails I thought I responded to, but only responded in my head, and I found things I had set aside, but never actually dealt with. 

Chances are you have a similar inbox experience and you probably have some surviviors buried underneath the avalanche. Take some time today to go through and find them. Here are some things you may be missing out on:

1. An introduction to a good referral source

2. A newsletter with content that could help you and your business

3. A request for help from an old friend

4. An invoice

5. An advertisment for a class you'd like to take. 

So take some time to see if anything is missing. If you've been putting off the inbox, set aside some time for it. It doesn't have to get as bad as 500 or more. 

And who knows, you may just find a long lost business opportunity.

Excelsior!

P.S.- Build the net before you leap is coming up. Grab your tickets HERE.

Don't be like Milton

If you've ever watched the movie Office Space you may remember this scene.

It's rough for Milton isn't it?

Interestingly enough, when you start your own venture, you'll encounter a similar problem. If you decide to strike off on your own, you'll be joining the ranks of those who have made a different choice and there will be people who are impressed by what you do. Some will want to meet you for coffee, some will want to work with you, and many will contact you via LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

It's important to pay close attention to how often you're serving and how often you're eating. If you spend all your time serving, you'll probably feel great, but you'll be hungry. If you spend all your time eating you'll be full, but feel unfullfilled. In business this means making sure you balance the time that you spend helping and supporting others with the time that you spend promoting your services, selling, and working with your clients. It's very tempting when you first get started to run around taking every meeting you can, but eventually you get tired and sometimes your clients don't get served at all. 

So what do you do to make sure you don't end up like Milton? 

1. Track yourself- Ask yourself at the end of the day how many hours you spent doing work for paying clients and how many hours you spent taking meetings with new people and helping others. If you did one more than the other, ask yourself how you can tweak your day to achieve a better balance.

2. Manage your own expectations- When you give something to someone and it truly is a gift, you cannot have any expectations. It's now in the hands of karma. If you give things with a design in mind that the other person doesn't know about, then both of you will be disappointed when that outcome doesn't come to fruition. Gifts are gifts, not tactics. Only give if you are truly giving a gift. 

3. Don't be afraid to ask for what you need- If you need to make money, then let your referral partners and friends know that you need to make money. If you need advice, let your network know you are looking for advice. Don't try to hide what you need, because people will always find out. Be up front. Ask for the cake. 

We all face times in our lives when we worry that we are not doing enough for others, but we rarely ask if we are doing enough for ourselves. Conversely we also face times when we are doing great for ourselves, but fail to make an effort to do enough for others. 

Think of it this way:

The more successful you become, the more you can give. 

If you have a healthy balance of serving and eating, you'll always have plenty for everyone.

Now go get that slice before it's gone. 

Excelsior! 

Guest Blog #82: Connecting over Coffee

This week's guest blog comes from Marie Janiszewski of Public Coffee who has taken the idea of getting together for coffee and talking and put a whole new spin on it. Check it out!

Excelsior!

 

Hello Everyone!

I’m Marie Janiszewski and I am facilitating the collaborative development of a mobile non-profit coffee shop, called Public Coffee. Built out of a trailer and arranged as a food truck, Public Coffee seeks to generate conversations and community engagement in order to foster social innovation.  It will visit various neighborhoods throughout Denver, Colorado (with the intention of expanding its scope in subsequent years) to serve coffee and start meaningful conversations.  Public Coffee has structured its course of travel in pursuit of accessibility and inclusivity.  Locations will be demographically diverse and varied in proximity to local coffeehouses.  Public Coffee’s financial model embraces the pay-what-you-can system, where monetary payment is not required for customers to participate in projects and discussions.

The idea for Public Coffee was constructed through conversations in coffee shops. In our impromptu meetups, we debated whether the atomization of individuals in our societies should be attributed to our technological capacities, current economic system, and urban sprawl.  Either way, we decided that our gatherings held some weight.  We were composed of designers, social artists, educators, coffee visionaries, social workers, businessmen, a farmer’s market director, and an architect. Our shared perspectives substantiated our individual work while generating entirely new projects.

Together, we envisioned a single structure that could allow more people to develop bigger and better ideas through conversation. This structure - Public Coffee - is now taking shape through the strategic work of a core team of passionate collaborators.  We are Marie Janiszewski, Samantha Kogle, Faith Williams, and Jeff Wahl. Our team is further collaborating with other groups around the city to make sure it becomes a contributing part of Denver’s community. We are also continuously looking for more people to join our team, and more groups to collaborate with.

Public Coffee continues to be collaboratively built because it wants to operate in a completely collaborative manner. It wants its surrounding city to tell it where to show up. It wants communities to take charge of it for their events. It wants neighborhoods to move and utilize its furniture and equipment in a way our team never imagined. Public Coffee is, quite frankly, for the public!

That is why Public Coffee wants to be funded by the public.

Public Coffee is currently in the middle of a Kickstarter campaign to generate the start up costs through a crowd-funded approach. We see each and every donation as a stamp of approval from the public. Each dollar is a charge to bring this vision to life. No donation is too small. A dollar from 12,000 people would sure be a testament to the need for this project! Public Coffee would be honored to be commanded by the community. Please tell your friends and neighbors to give Public Coffee the go ahead to pop up in the city.

Check out Public Coffee’s kickstarter campaign here: kck.st/publiccoffee

 

 

 

Awesome Person Thursday: Nick Linnehan

This week's A.P.T. is Nick Linnehan of Identity Theater Company. I have known Nick for a number of years, have had him in some of my classes, and have seen the shows he puts on. He is one of those people who seeks to do the kind of work that matters. His company focuses on giving opportunities to performers of all types and he often works with the differently abled on shows that promote conversation as well as inclusion. Recently, Nick started a funding campaign to travel with another amazing company Dramatic Adventure Theatre . If you are able to support him, please do. He's a great guy with a huge heart and that makes him a prime canadidate for A.P.T. status this week. You can read more about his funding goals below and support him HERE.

Excelsior! 

Dear Theater Friends

 I was wondering if you might consider helping me fund-raise for my trip. You could either donate directly or have a night where you would ask for donations to help defray my cost to Europe as part of Dramatic Adventures European Adventure this summer. I have been selected to go but need to fund raise.

 This trip will consist of me teaching theater to poverty stricken kids in the Czech Republic and take what I learn and put it into an original show that will perform here in August. This trip has all of the reasons I love theater: teaching, writing, directing, and performing. All the while helping kids. Its everything I believe in. Its not simply a trip to Europe for 3 weeks for me. Its much much more.

If you could help me that would be amazing. It could be as simple as sending out an email blast to your patrons, or if you have a performance allowing me to ask for donations for one night. Anything would help and if you're willing Im sure we could find an appropriate way to make it work for you.

I hate to ask, but I know that a trip like this will benefit everyone who contributes as they will help shape the experience I have. I will also send out updates to the contributors along the trip.

 Please help me embark on this once in a lifetime opportunity,

Regards,

Nicholas Linnehan

Travel Date: July 11, 2013

Travel Duration: 24 Days

Campaign Started: March 13, 2013

Campaign Ends: July 05, 2013

PROGRAM

ACTion: Heart of Europe

Dramatic Adventure Theatre

Various Locations, Slovakia

Travel Highlights

ACTion: Heart of Europe is a 24-day journey through Czech, Slovakia, and Austria during the summer of 2013. Participants explore diverse cultures and terrain; engage with local communities through service projects and theater education; workshop with local artists and theatre companies; learn from guest lecturers at on-site universities; collaborate with professional artists on devised theatre pieces, and perform these pieces at Abingdon Theatre in midtown Manhattan.

• Receive teaching artist training in Acting and Playwriting; Attend culture & history lectures at local universities; Create a devised play for premiere in NYC
• Housing in hotels and hostels in both urban and rural settings
• Travel to village Levoca and breathtaking Spis Castle; Visit Belianska Cave, go whitewater rafting and hike near Zdiar, Slovakia;
• Explore metropoli Prague, Bratislava and Vienna, along with rural destinations in the mountains of Slovakia. Attend Theatre at Laterna Magika in Prague; learn traditional folk dancing in Bratislava; visit the Belvedere Museum in Vienna.
• Teach theatre to low-income children in Bratislava; work with Roma youth to create new works; complete requested projects in mountain communities; teach advanced workshops to gifted children in Vienna.

Retro Wednesday: In one on one meetings, think W.H.O.A.

This week's retro wednesday post is all about how to make the most out of your one on one meetings. Check it out.

Excelsior!

Interested in building the net before you leap? Grab your tickets HERE. 

March 07, 2012

In one on one meetings, think W.H.O.A.

The one on one meeting is the most important part of building a relationship. If that first meeting fails to produce results, chances are there won't be a second. So today I'm going to tell you how to make that one on one meeting count by thinking W.H.O.A.!

It's more fun if you say it in the Joey Lawrence voice, but I digress...

What does this person do- Many times we think we know what someone does for work, but we're usually not as clear as we think we are. When meeting with someone, take some time to really understand how their business works and what they actually do in it. A CPA is NOT the same thing as a CFO and it's usually not good to mix the two up. So take the time to understand what the other person does.

How do they make money- There are different systems for every profession when it comes to making money and understanding what system someone operates in can help you become a better resource for them. Some folks make their money from referral fees, some are on a salary, and some make it in consulting. This is valauble information because if you understand this and can help them make more money or grow their business, you become a resource for them and people seek out resources. 

Out of all the people I know, who would be the best match for this person- This is the one that gets glossed over so often. We politely listen to what someone does and then we move on. Why not think about who else might be able to help them? It doesn't have to be a business referral, it could be a suggestion of a networking referral or another resource. Focus on making matches and the one on one's will be even more exciting. 

Am I a potential client, partner, or resource for this person- Very rarely do we ask ourselves this in a one on one, but it can be incredibly helpful. If you are a potential client, you can test out the service to know if you are cool with referring that person, if you are a potential partner you can discuss how you might work together and refer one another, and if you are a potential resource, you may make suggestions as to how your expertise would help this individual. 

If you follow these simple steps then at the end of every meeting, you'll be sure to get this reaction. 

Excelsior!

 

Build the net before you leap

So a lot of people have asked me recently when I would be teaching a class again and I just launched a new one. 

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about this idea of building up your network before you strike out on your own and start a business, so I got together with my friend Anthony and we are teaching a workshop for aspiring health and wellness professionals. If you are in that field or know someone who is, feel free to pass the info along. Tickets are limited, and you can grab them HERE. 

You can also read more below. 

Excelsior! 

Many people will tell you to leap and the net will appear. It's usually a better idea to build the net before you leap. 

If you have decided to go off on your own and start your own business in the health and wellness space, there are a lot of challenges. In this workshop, led by Broadway producer and Enterpreneur Michael Roderick and Licensed Massage Therapist and Entrepreneur Anthony Zillmer, you'll learn about strategies and techniques for:

Creating a compelling mission statetment and targeting those who align with that mission

Building a strong permission base for your services and leveraging that network

Developing pricing that works for you and your customers

Preparing yourself for challenges that face anyone starting off on their own. 

The day will begin at 1:30pm with open networking and light refreshments until 2pm and we will work from 2pm-4pm. The class will consist of individual as well as group activities. At 4pm we will end the day with Q and A and further networking. 

Class size is strictly limited, so be sure to grab your tickets now, before they run out. 

Look forward to helping you build the net, so you can leap into the business you want to start!

For more information on Anthony Zillmer Check out: http://www.a2zmt.com/

For more information on Michael Roderick check out: http://www.oneproducerinthecity.typepad.com/

 

If it isn't on the calendar with a date and a time....

It won't get done.

The busier I get, one thing becomes abundantly clear: If something is on my "To do" list but no date or time has been set, it stays on there for a really long time. 

I've started to institute a new policy and it has been helping me. Perhaps it will also be helpful to those of you out there who are feeling frustrated. Whenever I have committed to getting something done, I go to my calendar and schedule an exact date and time to do it. This helps me get things out of my inbox and limit the number of "To do" lists I have and it also helps me plan better. If I can see on my calendar that I have certain tasks to complete, I have a much more realistic picture of how my time will be spent abd how much time I actually have.

Some books that deal with this and are also very helpful include:

Making ideas happen

The Hamster Revolution

The Four Hour Work Week

Take a second today to ask yourself if you are using your calendar in concert with your to do list. How much is sitting there waiting to get done and what's been scheduled?

If there's a lot sitting there, take the time to schedule a time to do it or get rid of it. 

I feel a lot better when I do this, and I'm sure you will too. 

Excelsior!