Pundits

Sharing secrets: Smart planning and production for marketing content

Ever since hearing that failing to plan is a sure plan for failure, I have been a firm believer in taking the time necessary to diligently and intelligently lay out plans for anything I’m seriously aiming to accomplish. When I attended the ReCourses New Business Summit (NBS) back in 2012 thanks to David C. Baker and Blair Enns, I witnessed a new approach for how creative businesses and professionals can change the way they handle sales. My understanding on the secret is this: The key is to think and operate like a publisher. Along those lines, naturally, the business model requires successful handling of content. The NBS lessons were very timely for me, as you have seen here; I have deep admiration for innovative publishers of all sizes, and as time moves forward, I hope to follow the best of them and achieve my own version of greatness.


Over the past two years, this idea of content marketing has really caught fire, so for anyone beginning the planning process of fathoming these types of practices and putting them to work in new ways, you are in luck. It’s my pleasure to share five different highly qualified paths toward brilliant content marketing – each of which is focused on helping to facilitate solid thinking and planning.

Read moreSharing secrets: Smart planning and production for marketing content

Olympic openers

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Danny Boyle’s 2012 Summer Olympics “large-canvas nation-themed spectacle” of an opening ceremony will always be remembered as one of the most eccentric and memorable Games’ kickoffs in history. Since NBC’s broadcast reportedly attracted nearly 41 million viewers, THR has also named it the highest rated Summer Olympics opening of all time.

My reaction:

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America’s national parks, part 5: Go!

Last Updated June 20, 2016. Back on Sept. 27, 2009, Ken Burns and his colleagues began revealing the history and splendor of, and public passion for, America’s national parks. As you can see if you watch the videos in the embedded playlist, this six-part series by Burns and Dayton Duncan tells the story of a … Read moreAmerica’s national parks, part 5: Go!

Ken Burns, Dayton Duncan and PBS: Thanks for the documentary

Last updated June 10, 2016.

In September, 2009, a new PBS opus from filmmaker Ken Burns arrived in the form of a 12-hour documentary series entitled “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” This fascinating history of America’s national park system spans the pivotal era of 1851 to 1980; watching it over six consecutive nights, it affected me profoundly (just ask my family members and friends). Inspired by America’s glorious national parks, the film’s riveting, masterfully written and edited stories hooked me heart and soul. Dayton Duncan wrote and co-produced the series and co-wrote the Alfred A. Knopf companion book with Ken Burns, and he shares many memorable, inspirational contributions on screen, along with many other important interview subjects. Peter Coyote narrates, and my old friend Tom Hanks voices several central characters; you’ll also hear Adam Arkin, Philip Bosco, Kevin Conway, Andy Garcia, John Lithgow, Josh Lucas, Carolyn McCormick, Campbell Scott, George Takei, Eli Wallach and Sam Waterston. The complete DVD box set available from PBS Home Video features “making of” footage and an interview with Burns and others involved in the film.

Just before the film’s debut, Mike Hale wrote these words about it for The New York Times: In what feels very much like a thesis statement near the end of the 12 hours, an American Indian park superintendent says: “America is not sidewalks. America is not stores. America is not video games. America is not restaurants.”

Read moreKen Burns, Dayton Duncan and PBS: Thanks for the documentary

Great to know: Filmmaker Jonathan Lim

I recently had the chance to meet filmmaker Jonathan Lim, whose dramatic feature film “Pali Road” is opening in theaters in 20 U.S. cities across America later this week. Jonathan wrote and directed the film, which was entirely shot on-location in Hawaii and is the first Hawaii-China co-production in history. While Jonathan describes it as a mystery and a romantic thriller, here’s how it’s introduced by the programmers of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, who have chosen the film to close the festival’s 32nd edition, this Thursday night, 28 April:

“…As stylish as it is mysterious, ‘Pali Road’ by Jonathan Lim echoes the most daring and challenging of classic Hollywood mysteries. If you look closely, you’ll find a hint of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 romantic mystery “Rebecca” starring Joan Fontaine; and maybe even espy a nod to George Cukor’s legendary “Gaslight” (1944) starring the great Ingrid Bergman…”

Read moreGreat to know: Filmmaker Jonathan Lim

Feature documentary “Kickstarted” ready for World Premiere

So far in history, there is only one feature-length motion picture executive-produced by yours truly. Twenty-six years after graduating from film school, I’m very proud to have earned Co-Executive Producer credit on this highly intelligent feature documentary. First screened at the 2016 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Montana and the American Documentary Film Festival in Palm Springs, “Kickstarted” was lovingly co-directed by my friends Jason Cooper and Jay Armitage. I’m guessing that my unique contributions may be characteristic of many EP credits.

Essentially, Jason and Jay engaged me during the film’s Kickstarter campaign to help them generate more press coverage, and happily, that worked out well. The film was ultimately funded thanks to many factors; chief among them were the resourcefulness, skills and determination of the directors, as well as producers including Kim Sherrell, Chris Gartin, JP McMahon and Tristan Drew. It’s a badge of honor to have contributed.

Read moreFeature documentary “Kickstarted” ready for World Premiere

Sharing secrets: How to write stories for The Associated Press


Back in 2000 when I was working for The Terpin Group in Los Angeles leading PR campaigns for dot-com companies with extremely high aspirations, my colleagues and I knew that there was absolutely one way of hitting a home run, and that was placing a story with The Associated Press. AP stories generate massive exposure, as they are syndicated in major media outlets across the country and around the world. And of course, if you have a story that’s good enough for the AP, it’s good enough for everyone. With this in mind, imagine how powerful it would be if you had the chance, today, to meet with Paul Caluori, the AP’s Global Director of Digital Services, and Philana Patterson, the AP’s Small Business and Breaking News Editor, to learn what they look for in story submissions. Thanks to Business Wire, it’s on.

Back in February of this year, Business Wire hosted a webinar featuring Paul and Philana, where they shared exactly these types of insights. Here are a few of the bullet points from the secrets they shared.

Read moreSharing secrets: How to write stories for The Associated Press

Great to know: Lee Goldberg

Author and television producer Lee Goldberg is a two-time Edgar and Shamus Award nominee who has written and produced scores of highly successful TV series, as well as being the author of more than 40 novels and nonfiction books. An international TV consultant, Lee has advised networks and studios across North America, Europe and Asia on the creation, writing, and production of episodic series. While some references list him as an ex-Navy SEAL, freelance sexual surrogate and a professional impersonator of Pierce Brosnan, because I worked closely with Lee and his frequent writing partner William Rabkin during the production of “seaQuest 2032” at Universal Studios Florida back in 1996, I suspect those are just rumors (grin). My experience with him? He is a great guy… and that goes for Mr. Rabkin, too.

After seeing the video embedded here where Lee appears on-camera discussing the publishing success he’s achieving with Amazon KDP, I know it will be of major interest to established and aspiring authors. Here’s the introduction courtesy of Amazon: “Even with the success of Monk and Diagnosis: Murder, it wasn’t until author Lee Goldberg revived his backlist that he saw the potential in indie publishing.”

Read moreGreat to know: Lee Goldberg

Interested in being a guest speaker? Start early!

If you have the goal of becoming a successful guest speaker in the business world, I have some tips to share about getting started. These are based on my experiences working with some very talented people who are currently on-the-rise as star presenters, including Erin Sarofsky – and Chad Hutson and Jason White, the principals of Leviathan. Here are the preliminary tips (two more follow below):

  • Start early
  • Focus on these efforts as a key business activity
  • Set your sights strategically to target the right opportunities
  • Have a very specific vision for your proposed presentation and communicate it with the correct person before the deadline while also providing a well-organized summary of your speaking history

    Read moreInterested in being a guest speaker? Start early!

What’s the impact of winning a Cannes Lion?

Happy Friday, friends! I hope your work week is wrapping up nicely and that you’ll soon be able to enjoy some well-earned downtime, like a lot of people have been doing all week in Cannes (kidding, of course). Before ending this week, I wanted to share this video I’m embedding here from experience design agency Freestate, and a few more comments about the significance of winning a Cannes Lion award.

As you can hear first-hand from FreeState’s creative director Adam Scott in this video directed by Ilan Metev, FreeState won a Gold Design Lion at Cannes in 2013 after designing the world’s largest kinetic sculptures for Blackpool’s promenade. Under the heading of “Why Winning a Lion Matters – An Agency’s View,” Mr. Scott enlightens us while pedaling his bike around the city: “Sometimes it’s hard to find your way, and especially hard given it’s so darn crowded out here…. How do you stand out,” he asks.

And about the results of winning Cannes Lion Gold, he continues: “I would say people are far more interested in our approach, and that has to be a good thing. And well, if it can happen to us then it can certainly happen to you.”

Isn’t that lovely? Also, to me, it’s a perfect summation to what it means to win a Cannes Lion.

Meanwhile, the image I’m providing here offers a newer angle into this discussion. Taken hours ago

Read moreWhat’s the impact of winning a Cannes Lion?

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