don’t think a story, be emotional, the best story telling is emotional.
Category Archives: Business
Daft Punk | Good Artists Borrow, Great Artists Remix…..
I didn’t know that Daft Punk lifted all of their best hooks from artists prominent in the 1970s. The new songs are largely most successful then their proginator. I’m guessing most people do not know that is the case however. I only recently discovered this heavy borrowing tactic myself. I guess the lesson is that if you can find an excellent beat/hook you should it exploit to create something largely original. It is therefore essential that you are listening to quality music that is worth re-writing. For example, I took “Please Mr Postman” & created a completely different song here:
Kinda nifty, I have no issue with reinventing existing content. In fact, I think that is a valid source of true innovating anyway. Interesting that I can’t think of this form of sampling occuring in literature, a sort of find in replace tactic….
Is Star Wars Battlefront More Entertaining Than Any Of The Films?
Box Office versus XBox
The real story is the future revenue for Star War Battlefront. Dice Games has produced what appears to be a first person game that combines topnotch graphics and spectacular but violent game play with a global brand that’s about to release a highly anticipated film in 2015. We know that video games are already much more lucrative than film as of 2009. Movies are a 30 Billion dollar industry while Video Games at a 70 Billion dollar industry. Isn’t it more entertaining to be part of the story rather than passively watching a film? I believe that the film will make 1.5 Billion but this video game could make much more….and as a proxy, I use revenue to mark the entertainment value of a content. Therefeore Battlefront, quite possibly, will be more entertaining than any of the films.
Why The Next Spielberg Should Explore Video Games As An Avenue for Story Telling
- people like to feel part of the story;
- more money: you can’t easily pirate a video game whereas film is easy to pirate, they are easier to access than a movie theatre;
- no actor egos to sooth;
From http://www.statisticbrain.com/star-wars-total-franchise-revenue/
| Total Star Wars Franchise Revenue | $27,000,000,000 |
| Movies | Revenue |
| Star Wars : Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace | $924,317,558 |
| Star Wars : Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones | $649,398,328 |
| Star Wars : Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith | $848,754,768 |
| Star Wars : Episode 4 – A New Hope | $775,398,007 |
| Star Wars : Episode 5 – Empire Strikes Back | $538,375,067 |
| Star Wars : Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi | $475,106,177 |
| Star Wars : The Clone Wars | $68,282,844 |
| Total Box Office Revenue | $4,277,000,000 |
| DVD | |
| DVD Sales | $2,900,000,000 |
| DVD Rentals | $875,000,000 |
| Toys | |
| Kenner (1978-1985) 90 Figures / 300 Million Sold | 3,850,000,000 |
| Hasbro (1995-2011) 15 Collections | 5,537,000,000 |
| Other Collectables | 2,720,000,000 |
| Books | |
| 358 Published Titles / 76 Different Authors | $1,820,000,000 |
| Video Games | |
| 130 Games Released | $2,900.000,000 |
| Other Sources | |
| Licensing | $625,000,000 |
| Television / 4 Seasons of Clone Wars | $4,500,000 |
| Merchandise | $675,000,000 |
| Related Star Wars Statistics | Data |
| George Lucas’ Net Worth | $3.6 Billion |
| Random House sales from the first book release of Star Wars | $200 Million |
| Revenue last year from games and toys | $1.5 Billion |
Global War & Video Games:
Dice Games is responsible for the video game above. It looks as though game developers are pushing the boundaries further with war gaming and with highly entertaining effects. Although war is not supposed to be taken lightly, games like this do aclimate players to violence which could be helpful in an alien invasion or an unfortunate proxy drone war between competting world powers. Certainly land invasions that are piloted by people sitting in their pijamas is on the horizon in our near future as a species. I hope to not be a civilian victim of a drone attack in my lifetime though, so lets work on world peace people! Interesting that Dice is Swedish.
Trump is Running for US President
Well, this will add some spice to the Republican leadership race for sure. We know Hilary Clinton has next to no opposition. but the Republicans have over a dozen applicants for the top job. Enter Donald Trump who decides to run for President of the United States. I used to enjoy The Apprentice, so did millions of people. His ratings were very high. I also read his book The Art of the Deal. I think his theory on public relations is quite sensible; sensationalism works. Hyperbole gets front page attention. Positive mental attitude is great motivator. He communicates really simply and really well. And then he opens his mouth policy-wise. Argh. “They bring their drugs, they bring their crime, they’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people” about illegal Mexican immigration. In the art of content marketing, Trump’s messaging is bound to get a lot of free media attention. But it’s hurtful, politically incorrect. Of course, he seems like a Goldwater at this point, or the authoritarian America has been looking for? Perhaps he’ll evolve into a good politician. But he is unconventional. And in his speech he listed out everything that is wrong with the US. Let’s see what happens. I think Clinton might have difficulty as entertainment and sales is part of the persuasion tool kit and Trump has it in spades, regardless of actual policy. People elect people.