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

Inspiring Ideas For A New World

It is incredible when you find something or someone that inspires you.  Recently, I have been checking out the TED.com website and its “Best Of The Web” speeches.  If you have not checked this site out, I would highly recommend that you do!  TED’s Executive Director, Chris Anderson has helped launched a site for organizations and individuals to share video of their inspiration or ideas with millions of viewers online.  This is a monumental time of change in the way we communicate and TED.com is an incredible way to share ideas with the world.  It is very powerful!

One of my favorite innovators, Bobby McFerrin has a video that was posted on the  “Best Of The Web” site.  Bobby appeared on a panel at the World Science Festival in 2009. He is featured demonstrating audience participation with the ubiquitous nature of human understanding of the pentatonic scale.  He sings and dances, and has the audience sing while following his movements.  Wow!  He is an amazing innovator and has captivated the audience.  I have posted the link at the end of my blog so you can take a look for yourself.

Bobby McFerrin has been inspiring me for years.  When I was working on my undergraduate degree at Western Michigan University, I performed with McFerrin with my college vocal jazz ensemble, Gold Company.  He was at the top of the charts back then with his well-known hit “Don’t Worry Be Happy”.   I remember that he had the audience captivated with his vocal abilities.  One of the audience favorites was his performance of the Wizard Of Oz in five minutes.  He sang and performed a recap of the classic film live on stage.  It was one of the most creative and entertaining moments I have witnessed on stage. 

As a vocalist, McFerrin often switches rapidly between modal and falsetto registers to create polyphonic effects, performing both the main melody and the accompanying parts of songs. He makes use of percussive effects created both with his mouth and by tapping on his chest. McFerrin is also capable of multiphonic singing; as observed in his song "Drive" from the 2005 DVD Live in Montreal.  I really do not know anyone else in the world capable of singing two notes at the same time.  He is truly an inspiration to the music and vocal jazz community.

 

Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_McFerrin

Retrieved from: http://www.ted.com/talks/bobby_mcferrin_hacks_your_brain_with_music.html

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

            I was recently on the website of The National Academy Of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).  The reason for my visit was to vote for the current Grammy Award nominees, as I’ve been a voting member for the past ten years.  While I was there I re-discovered all the fantastic programs that NARAS has that support their members. Since this organization was created by and for music industry professionals, I thought I’d tell you about NARAS and three major programs that support their members. The member support is provided through the Producers & Engineers Wing (P&E Wing), GRAMMY University Network (GRAMMY U), and the MusiCares program.

            The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its makers.  The Academy has twelve chapters in key cities throughout the United States.  In order to accomplish their mission, The Recording Academy has developed these chapters to provide industry service and program development. These chapters serve their members and ensure a truly national scope to their endeavors.  

            The Academy has recently launched the Producers & Engineers Wing (the first of several planned wings), which encompasses an ambitious program of regional outreach aimed at serving all their members.  The P&E Wing is made up of producers, engineers, mixers, and other technically involved professionals. It is composed of almost 6,000 members. The Producers and Engineers wing assists with services related to the recording profession. They also support music and recording arts education. The P&E Wing advocates professional usage of recording technology as well as the preservation of recordings.  The members of this division make up a large portion of those who vote for the Grammy Award nominees each year.

            The GRAMMY University Network is an organization for college students who are pursuing a career in the music industry.  The Recording Academy created the Grammy University Network to help students prepare for a career in the music industry.  The program helps students establish themselves as music professionals in the field. They do this through forms of networking, interactive educational experiences and programs as well as performance opportunities.  The program is designed to enhance students’ current academic curriculum with access to recording industry professionals who can give them perspectives on entering the recording industry.

            Lastly, I’d like to discuss a program that directly affects the lives of music professionals. The program is called MusiCares. The mission of MusiCares, from the NARAS website (www.naras.org) states: "We provide a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. The services and resources available cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated individually with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly impact the health and welfare of the music community."  Check out www.naras.org for more great information about these programs that provide a huge direct impact to the recording community.

It is clear that NARAS is an incredible organization that supports music industry professionals.  Each year around the holiday season, I research charities to support with a personal donation.  I think MusiCares is the perfect choice for my holiday charitable donation this year.  

The Master of Art

              It was a beautiful weekend, perfect for the 35^th Annual Festival of the Masters event at Walt Disney World.  I have worked for Disney for almost 14 years and yet, I have never attended this event.  This year I decided it was time to go because the event was benefiting The Red Chair Project, an Arts organization that is near and dear to my heart.

The festival takes place at Downtown Disney Westside and features amazing art from top artists.  Artwork mediums include photography, glasswork, paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, jewelry, leather & wood, mixed media and collage, as well as Digital.   Artists must have been a primary award winner in a juried art show or festival within the last four years to qualify to show at the festival.  Because of this exclusitivity, it has become one of the most sought after art festivals in the country. 

There was an abundance of creativity at this event so I was compelled to write about it on my blog.  The House of Blues displayed an array of Folk Art that was earthy and many interesting pieces caught my eye.  The Central Florida Chalk Artist Association was there in full force.  They decorated the sidewalks with amazing chalk art.  I even bumped into some of the cast members from Cirque du Soleil.  They were out meeting and greeting in the face painting and balloon animal area.  The kids had their own creative space near the LEGO store.  A LEGO master builder was out helping the kids with building their own amazing LEGO art.

The biggest surprise of my day was the opportunity to get a first glimpse of Epic Mickey, a new Disney Interactive online game.  The game is set to launch to the public at the end of this month.  It has the potential of becoming a huge hit for the company.

It was an event that was well-organized, creative, fun, entertaining, and best of all showcased some amazing art for a wonderful charity.  I will definitely make it a priority to attend again next year! 

Developing a Creative Team

Entertainment companies are continually looking for new ways to improve business results and profitability.  A strong team is required to deliver the results necessary to achieve these goals.  Recently, I have been researching team development and the qualities needed for my own company.  The three most important qualities required to work for my organization are leadership, innovation, and communication.  Determining these qualities have been an interesting process that I would like to share with you. 

The most important quality I require for my team is leadership.  All senior members of my team must be strong leaders.  They need to motivate others to reach the goals of the company.  Leaders will be empowered to make decisions about how to best serve the customers.  This builds trust and motivates them to produce quality work.  Each member should also share the values of the organization.  These values include honesty, integrity, diversity, openness, courage, balance, and respect.  A strong leadership team with common values is essential to the future success of my organization.

For my company, it is important to create a culture of innovation.  Creativity is an essential asset for each of my team members.  My creative company would not work without highly creative individuals.  The team needs to develop compelling entertainment that captures the attention of our customers.  In addition, we need to be innovative in our thinking of the business.  How can we create quality content while keeping our costs low?  It requires a team that is creative in developing new ideas for both business and content. 

Communication is also an important factor for me as I develop a winning team.  It is imperative for employees to be open and communicate their ideas and thoughts to the overall team.  A healthy debate is good for the organization and I want my company to have the tough conversations necessary to move us forward. Each member will also need the skills necessary to effectively present their ideas clearly and concisely.  

A strong team is so important to the success of any organization.  One person cannot do it all by themselves.  Careful consideration is required when developing a team.  For me, each candidate must have strong leadership skills, embrace a culture of innovation, and be effective communicators.  I believe these qualities are the recipe for a winning team.

References:

Retrieved from:  http://www.learningcenter.net/library/communicate.shtml

Retrieved from:  http://humanresources.about.com/od/involvementteams/a/twelve_tip_team.htm

Retrieved from:  http://www.entrepreneur.com/growyourbusiness/howtoguides/article83618.html

Fusing ideas together to create compelling entertainment

Recently I have been thinking of fusing entertainment together to create something fresh and exciting.  I believe this idea of merging two things together can lead to innovation.  This was brought to my attention by an article I read regarding a classical ballet company that collaborated with a Hip Hop musical group.  The ballet company had a desire to attract a new audience to their productions.  These two worlds seemed to be at odds with each other.  However, the creativity from each group blended together to create a compelling performance.  The result was something that increased the visibility and profitability of both groups. 

So I jumped on the Internet to see if I could find other entertainment companies who are doing similar things to stimulate interesting entertainment.  In my quest, I found an interesting video called “Creating a Culture of Innovation”.  It is an interview from Harvard Business Publishing with David Kester, the Chief Executive Officer of Design Council.  Although the video does not talk specifically about entertainment, it has ideas that we can use to help us create a culture of innovation in our work. 

Kester believes that leaders must do two things to build innovation within the workplace.  First, they must create a culture of innovation.  This must come from the leaders at the top.  Communication about innovation is key and should be delivered regularly to all employees.  Leaders must take the fear out of it so that individuals feel compelled to communicate their ideas.  Second, he discussed that habits must be developed to build innovation.  Everyone must understand these habits and develop them to increase the culture of innovation. He talks about how you should hire talent and look for individuals with different ideas.  Often when you introduce outside individuals to your organization, this leads to the connecting of fresh ideas and new possibilities.

I wonder what interesting things we can blend together to create entertainment that is unique and creative.  Do you have any innovative ideas that you would like to share?

References:

From: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyqHGdIMcas&feature=fvw