Exciting NBC Pilot Announcements

Some great new television pilot ideas are in the news and are inspiring me to be more creative. In particular, the new NBC boss, Bob Greenblatt, has moved quickly to take the reins of NBC and has lined up several exciting new shows.  He has ordered four new pilots and has put the brakes on several prior production commitments.  In a recent Variety article by Cynthia Littleton, she discusses some of the NBC shifts in focus.  I do have to say that they are quite exciting!  Here’s the deal…

The most notable pick-up is “Smash” from Steven Spielberg, Craig Zadan, and Neil Meron.   “Smash” is a project Greenblatt developed at Showtime but has now secured it for NBC.  This hour long tuner is a show-within-a-show vehicle about a group of people who come together to produce a Broadway musical.  It's based on Spielberg's idea of following the development of a musical from beginning to end.  Greenblatt put the project in development in 2009, and it's a concept close to his heart.  He is a big theatre fan and three years ago produced the Broadway adaptation of “Nine to Five”.  Theresa Rebeck has penned the pilot script and will executive produce with Spielberg.  Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman are on board to pen the tunes.   You may know them from their “Hairspray” success, among many others.  It sounds like “Smash” will add some competition to the phenomenon that is “Glee”.

Also in the works is “I Hate that I Love You,” from Jhoni Marchinko.  She is most remembered for her “Will and Grace” show creation.  Her new project comes from 20th Century Fox TV and will appear on NBC. It's a single-camera romantic comedy in which a straight couple introduces two lesbian friends to one another, resulting in a pregnancy. 

"Mann's World," is an hour-long concept from Michael Patrick King revolving around a celebrity hairstylist in L.A. The show focuses on the challenges he faces in running his business and staying relevant in a fast-moving business.  

Finally, rounding out the new projects for NBC is David E. Kelley's spin on "Wonder Woman".  Where we find Diana Prince leading a double life as a high-powered corporate executive. 

All these new picks seem to be a great move for Greenblatt at NBC.  Let’s see if the network can turn things around from their lackluster performance in recent years.  In sounds to me that these projects have potential to be ratings hits.  I hope these new pilots can contribute to their recovery, as well as add a new creative wrinkle to the television landscape.

Retrieved from:  http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118030692

Helpful tips for the Creative Entrepreneur

Starting your own business can be a daunting task for a creative person!  Many highly creative people ignore the business and spend their time focusing on being creative.  Of course, the result all too often is a failed business. Recently, when researching other creative businesses, I came across an interesting article from Jennifer Lee, the creator of the Right-Brain Business Plan.  My interest was sparked from her 10 Tips for the Creative Entrepreneur.  The article hit the mark on frustrations I have heard from creative individuals and it also touched a cord with my own frustrations.  So I thought I would share my thoughts on Lee’s tips with you.

Lee has created a term called “musepreneur” which she defines as a creative entrepreneur who uses their right-brain intuition and inspiration to launch and grow a business.  The key to being a successful musepreneur is to fully embrace creativity. The artistic gifts can actually help individuals find fresh solutions to their business challenges and enable new ventures to grow in ways never dreamed possible.  Here are some of Lee’s tips to help unleash solutions to create a successful business. 

First, enlist your imagination and use your creative intuition to paint the biggest picture of your business success (literally or figuratively). Spend some time envisioning where you want to be a year from now.  When you’re in touch with your vision, it’s easier for the details to follow.  If detailed project plans overwhelm you, try planning with Post-it Notes instead. Write each task on a Post-it Note.  Then begin arranging them on a large piece of paper attached to a wall. You can draw rows on the paper to show weeks or months and start sequencing the notes on a timeline. The cool thing is your plan isn’t set in stone. You can easily move the notes around as you gain more clarity about what’s next.

When you’re juggling many creative projects it can feel like you’re not getting anything done. Rather than getting frustrated, acknowledge that you’re moving forward even if it’s one small step at a time. Lee explains that a great way to do this is to find a beautiful bowl, and each time you complete something from a project, drop a bead into the bowl. Before you know it your bowl will be full.  If you’re feeling stuck, do something creative to find your flow again. Maybe you sing a song or paint a picture. The important thing is that you keep your creative momentum. See what fresh perspective emerges.

Another important tip is to build on what you know and use something you’re already familiar with to gain clarity on an unfamiliar issue. For example, how is creating a budget like following a recipe? What’s the first thing you do when you prepare to cook? Perhaps it’s finding the right recipe (or a template for the budget). Next, you gather all the ingredients (or the line items on your budget). Then you measure the ingredients (or you put numbers to the different line items). By walking through the steps of something you know, you’ll discover your own creative resourcefulness and the new tasks will feel less daunting. 

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Outsource what you’re not as good at or don’t enjoy. Hire an accountant to set up QuickBooks. Gather a board of advisors to strategize on marketing. Get a virtual assistant to schedule meetings. Delegating frees you up to focus on the heart of your business.  You can also reach out to someone you admire for some mentoring. Make a date with your fellow creative cohorts to brainstorm ideas and support each other. Together we can help each other grow our businesses!

Check out Ten Tips for the Creative Entrepreneur at: http://www.ladieswholaunch.com/magazine/10-tips-for-the-creative-entrepreneur/1754