12/17/2010

Year End

Well, another year is coming to a close and while this one started off slowly, it is ending on a high note and building well into next year. As hard as I have worked to advance FTM's projects, nothing would have happened without the support of my production team. I especially want to say thanks to George for all his dedication. He has been with me since the beginning and never lets me down. As this year nears it's end, we are busy penciling in dates for multiple location shoots next year. Thanks to everyone! See you after the holidays.


Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

11/19/2010

Full Throttle Media's Film Project Big Game Legends


Here is a short clip of an interview with captain James Roberts, in Madeira, discussing the best fishing destinations in the world. This piece was shot as a part of the film project "Big Game Legends" which features a series of interviews with several of the world's best big game anglers. 

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

11/07/2010

Costa Rica

Mother Nature showed up in Costa Rica this past week and she was pissed. For the land of "Pura Vida" this rainy season has been very ugly. With life being taken, families displaced from their homes, no electricity and little fresh water, my prayers go out to my friends and colleagues, as well as all effected Ticos in Escazu. This is a difficult time for them. My fortune had me in the States on work, so I am lucky. The forces of nature have been dialed up and directed with fur.Boy, when Mama Nature has an axe to grind the sparks sure do fly.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

10/27/2010

Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show

I am off today  to the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show to do some promotion and meet with sponsors of the "Sport Fishing Safari" film series. This will be a busy week for sure. Thank you to all those who are currently involved. None of this would be possible without the generous support of so many fine people and companies. There are a few pending announcements that I will hold off making until after the show.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

10/25/2010

Sport Fishing Safari

We are preparing to head out this week to the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show to promote the upcoming film series "Sport Fishing Safari". This project is a collection of films about the orchestrated dance between man and nature that makes fishing the most widely pursued outdoor activity in the world. Each film is a window on one of sport fishing’s most epic destinations, capturing the global experience through the eyes of the captains and anglers who live it. Focusing on the natural beauty and variety that make sport fishing so thrilling, we take a close up look at the subtle differences that make each adventure so unique. The destinations to be featured in this film series include Antigua Barbuda, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Florida, Louisiana, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Panama, South Africa, Turks and Caicos, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu and Western Australia



Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

10/20/2010

Being Humanistic About Fish

This essay, by Susie Byers, won first prize in the 2010 Margaret Dooley Awards and focuses on a subject that I have great passion for, preserving our oceans great species. After reading the essay, I felt compelled to share it. While I do not agree with all the points made in the article, most of the message needs to be taken seriously. Take the time to read this well written piece and reflect on how you as an individual interact are responsible for what is taking place in our oceans. Ask yourself this question, why is it so hard to formulate a plan that both protects many of the great ocean species while allowing reasonable consumption of the resource? Stay tuned, Full Throttle Media currently has a project in production that highlights the interests of the sport fishing community in the matter of conservation and fishing and how the two have a symbiotic relationship.




Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

9/16/2010

Resort Development Marketing

It seems that resort developers are still clinging to the mantra, “build it and they will come”. You know how it goes. Find a nice piece of property, build out the infrastructure, secure a “luxury” hotel flag, develop a swanky resort with pool, have a well known golf course designer layout a golf course, maybe through in some tennis and voila'.

What's that sound? Oh, those are crickets. The land guys are still waiting for buyers to show up. Following this historic economic downturn, resort developers are finding themselves more and more behind the curve on what is going to entice investors and tourists to let go of their money. Selling the promise of a private getaway with golf and tennis is done. Get that, it's over. Time to step up your game.

I have meet so many resort community execs over the last year and a half to discuss how they should position themselves. It is easy I tell them. You have to offer more of an experience. Home owners, guests, tourists want excitement. They want a certain level of adventure and some of it serendipitous. Hum! They ask, how do we do that??? So, I lay out a rather creative approach to the types of activities they should offer and how to convey such an offering across multiple media platforms. Their eyes glaze over and they say, “we will get back to you”. Ultimately, they want to continue down the path they know so well. Oh, the status quo. This path that will eventually find them less and less competitive.

Today, buyers and guests are looking for something more to help with their decision making. Real estate developments and resort communities have to deliver on experience. To make it simple, people want to do stuff. They want to be entertained, engaged, challenged and maybe learn something new in the process. It is all about the adventure from the time your leave your house until you return. Those developers that can figure out what the right combination of activities to offer is and how to communicate to their target audience are going to mover well ahead of their contemporaries.

Be proactive! Get out ahead of the herd and start positioning yourself as the destination that has the ability to deliver rather than make empty less than fulfilling promises. More and more, families are vacationing and buying second homes where the whole family finds enjoyment. Think about sports, educational programs, events or experiences that appeal to the whole family. Build up the aspirations of your audience before they visit and over deliver once they are on the ground. If you can manage to create a sense of adventure, you will be helping to build memories that will be talked about for years to come. And that is what will bring more and more people back to your place.

The good news is that there are a few developers and related consultants that have figured out that marketing adventure and experience works. Let the stream of imaginative consciousness flow.

For more information, look me up....



Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

7/28/2010

Fished to the Edge of Extinction

A new article in the New Yorker magazine is worth a read if you care at all about the health of ocean fisheries. LINK

As we have fished so many ocean species to the edge of extinction, we have to ask ourselves, is there a hopeful ending to this story? Are fisheries exhaustible? That was the question posed at the Great International Fisheries Exhibition in 1883. The answer then was, no. Even today, the answer still seems to be know despite all the evidence to the contrary. Cod, wolffish, halibut, haddock, swordfish, marlin, skate and the might bluefin tuna populations have been decimated. By any reasonable calculation, the stocks of large predatory fish have declined 90% since the 1950's. That is indeed a remarkable accomplishment. And to think, we have some of the most sophisticated technology to measure fish stocks and total catch, but still nothing is done. We have an organization in ICCAT, who is charged with managing the catch of bluefin tuna. "In 2008, ICCAT scientists recommended that the bluefin catch in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean be limited to between eighty-five hundred and fifteen thousand tons. ICCAT instead adopted a quota of twenty-two thousand tons. That same year, a panel of independent reviewers, hired by the commission to assess its performance, observed that ICCAT “is widely regarded as an international disgrace.” Carl Safina, the noted marine conservationist, has nicknamed the group the International Conspiracy to Catch All the Tunas.

Where does the madness end? In 1964, the annual global catch was 50 million tons. In 1967, the U.S. Interior Dept. estimated the catch could be increased to 2 billion tons. That is a 40 fold increase. The total world catch topped out at 85 million tons in the 80's. What planet do those charged with managing ocean species live on? In the past 20 years, we have seen global catch decline year after year. Estimates indicate we appear to be loosing 500,000 tons a year as less fish are caught. One day, your children will tell stories to their children about the stories you used to tell them about great fish being caught at sea. Now, you are probably thinking, BS, don't be so alarmist. The facts speak for themselves. Ask yourself this question, do you care or do you see it as someone else's problem? Be responsible fishermen and take a stand. We need to start now to rebuild fish stocks, so we can continue to enjoy the sport we all love so much. 


Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

7/21/2010

Your Social Business Card - Poken

I am usually do not get real excited about the latest tech gadgets, but this super cool little device is worth a look. No more business cards or the need to gather cards or scribble contact info on scraps of paper. I am going to buy a few of these and pass them around to my friends. This is a brilliant idea. You just have to love ingenuity!

Your Social Business Card - Poken

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

7/20/2010

Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beach goers!

Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beachgoers - Yahoo! Singapore News

You just have to shake your head in amazement. It never ceases to amaze me how little creativity there is in the advertising world. Seriously, how does something like this even get past the first round of laughs in the conference room? If someone pitched this idea to me, you can be damn sure I would not waste another moment with their silly proposal. With that said, someone was pitched this idea and said, "Yes, what a brilliant concept. How much will it cost me?" To think someone paid for this. Sad, truly sad!

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

7/09/2010

Super Speedway

The art of high impact story telling is a craft Stephen Low has mastered. His films are some of the most intense real time journeys you have ever seen. You can really feel like you are in the moment. If you are in the business of film making or video production and have not had the chance to experience his work, please take the time. It will be so worth it. This trailer for the film "Super Speedway" is amazing. Although the film came out a while back, it is nonetheless stunning visually. The audio grit just draws you in. All of my auto enthusiasts friends were stunned by the camera work. Of course this a large format film shot with very expensive equipment. The footage that you really want to key in on is that of racing legend Mario Andretti and his son Michael as they race with cameras mounted on their cars. The raw speed and intensity of screaming down the track at well over 200 mph is gripping. This is a one off production that auto enthusiasts will not tire of watching. These are two different trailers. Both are equally brilliant. Watch the first one in 720p, amazing!





Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

6/23/2010

The Last Great Sport Fish

This is an excerpt from Paul Greenberg's article in the New York Times Magazine. The article is a must read if you care one iota about the preservation of one the world's great species. Just like elephants, lions, tigers and rhinos, the bluefin tuna deserves to be protected. Just because we cannot see it does not mean we should turn a blind eye. Would you stand by as the last elephant was slaughtered for it's tusks or a silver backed gorilla was shot dead? We are at a seminal moment in the history of our oceans great species. Do you care or do we not? Would you willingly eat an endangered species? It is simple.

“WE FIND OURSELVES in a precarious situation.” So wrote Ritchie Notar, a co-owner of the internationally acclaimed Nobu restaurant chain, to Greenpeace U.K. back in 2008 after Greenpeace intensified its tuna-defense efforts and put forward the idea that bluefin should no longer be served at Nobu’s establishments. “We are dealing with thousands of years of cultural customs,” Notar continued in correspondence Greenpeace forwarded to me. “The Japanese have relied on tuna and the bounties of the sea as part of their culture and history for centuries. We are absolutely appreciative of your goals and efforts within your cause, but it goes far beyond just saying that we can just take what has now all of a sudden been declared an ‘endangered’ species off the menu. It has to do with custom, heritage and behavior.”

Link to the article http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/magazine/27Tuna-t.html?pagewanted=all


Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Brand Focus

Food for thought this morning. After you launch your brand, you are only as good as the product and performance you deliver, and the brand promise has to be lived up to. If the promise has been very substantial and the performance has been average, that’s going to put you in a bigger hole than if the promise was modest and the performance has been average. With that in mind, why do I see so many folks in positions of controlling the marketing and brand strategy, as well as it's implementation, with absolutely no idea what they are doing? The silence is deafening. Even worse, you cannot even convince them to do what is in their best interest because they do not know what their interest is to begin with. If you have ineffective or inefficient people in positions that impact your brand, get rid of them. The economic and business environment we find ourselves in today is the perfect excuse to ease your burden and bring in new talent. Keep the ideas flowing.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

6/16/2010

Fish Out of Water

There are people willing to make sacrifices that many of us cannot even begin to imagine. They do this out of selflessness. How many of you have considered helping someone who has put their life on the line to protect the very freedoms we take for granted each and every day. Personally, I congratulate the men and women who serve in the military. The fine men and women at Explore.org have really made the effort to extend their hands to those who have served their country by helping soldiers connect with nature. Their film production  "Fish Out of Water" is a wonderful piece. We should all think of ways to extend our hands and make the gesture to say thanks. Whether through our words or our actions, we should all give back.



Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

6/09/2010

Long Format Film Based Marketing with Full Throttle Media

It was early last year and I was pitching a film based marketing plan to a business. Full Throttle Media's idea was to shoot a longer format feature segment and then edit down to multiple 2-3 minute clips for promotional purposes. The long format would be used for streaming, download, trade shows or more interactive sales situations and the short disseminated through broadcast means online. Any way, they had their hired content expert on site and all she could say was “Short format is the only thing that works. It has to be less than 30 seconds.” Sigh! I was offering direct access to the audience they most needed by means of a multimedia production communicated across multiple platforms and she was focused on print advertising. Needless to say, they could not make a decision on my proposal and eventually ended up doing nothing.

Where are they today? Nobody knows and the content expert was fired. Gee, I wonder why. This company is still in business struggling to position their brand with their target consumer. What I mean by nobody knows is that they spent "hundreds of thousands" of dollars listening to the content expert and got butkus. They are no more known today than they were a year and a half ago.

A new report from eMarketer shows continued growth in US online video viewers over the last year and projections for further growth going forward. The kernel in this report reveals that while online video viewership was increasing rapidly, the streaming and downloading of full length productions was experiencing even more dramatic growth. Internet users are moving beyond snack size clips and embracing full length features online.


Well, I have another appointment with these guys.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

6/04/2010

Shark Finning

A recent article in a local Costa Rican newspaper got me thinking about just how irresponsible so many are when it comes to our oceans. Don't for a second get me wrong, I love making money and begrudge no person for pursuing wealth and fame, but when that profit comes at the expense of simple conservation principles I cringe. This article detailed the plight of several Taiwanese fishermen that were being held captive on a Costa Rican registered fishing vessel and forced to haul sharks out of the sea for their fins.

If I have said this once, I have said it to the point of exhaustion, we are in a race to catch the last fish. Now, I could go into detail about the cramped harsh conditions the workers were kept in and the 20 hour work days, but my focus is on the reckless and idiotic practice of shark finning. As the world's demand for sharks continues to grow, shark populations are plummeting. Sharks are particularly vulnerable to overfishing because they grow slowly, are late to mature and produce relatively few young. Currently more than a fifth of shark species are listed as threatened with extinction.



Shark finning, huh! What the hell kind of practice is that? Finning consists of hauling sharks out of the water, slicing just their fins off and then tossing their bodies, often still alive, overboard to rot in the water. The fins are then sold to Asian markets for use in “delicacies” like shark fin soup. Why would anybody want to eat a sharks fin? Because, it gives you virility, or so the story goes.

This is a horrible and destructive fishing technique that has been going on for years and you would think it would be illegal in most civilized countries. But, not in Costa Rica, where all things are green and the people love nature. I bet most people do not even know this savage practice takes place in this country. Here is one caveat, while selling shark fins is not illegal in Costa Rica, removing the appendages before docking is prohibited. Ohhhh, that's so much better. What, are you kidding me? When the fins are worth so much more than the bodies, finners prefer to cut the fins off at sea and dump the carcass back into the ocean. You know, who needs those pesky shark bodies taking up valuable space in the cargo hold.



Even though it is illegal to land fins without the shark in Costa Rica, there is little or no enforcement to worry about. I have witnessed first hand fishermen hauling basket after basket of just fins onto the beach. Odd you might think. Not really! The Asian market where these fins are sold has no regard for the oceans or how many thousands of tons of sharks are killed each year for their fins.

“The Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Telecommunications has said that the Taiwanese boats had all the necessary permits to fish for sharks in Costa Rican waters and that, as far as fishing is concerned, the owners of the ships did not commit any crimes.” This quote is taken from Mike McDonald at the Tico Times. They had the proper permits and no crimes were committed. How sad this commentary is for the world. And the more curious aspect of the story is that the enslaved fishermen tell a different story. They say they were hauling in fish after fish and slicing off their fins while at sea. Huh, who should we believe?

Whether this takes place in Costa Rica or any other country, practices like this must stop. We are emptying our oceans at an ever increasing and alarming rate. Metric tons of sharks, tuna, swordfish, marlin and so many more species are being harvested to feed our appetites for fish. This is unsustainable. How many excuses can we come up with for why we should continue with the status quo? Large scale international commercial fishing operations are a scourge to our planet. Maybe one day you won't be able to buy shark fin soup or a tuna steak. What then?



Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

5/04/2010

Rise

From the crew that brought you "Drift" comes another film that embodies what fly fishing is all about. Rise is the latest film from the Confluence producers. Seeking out renown characters and souls with close connections to several of the worlds most storied stretches of water, the filmmakers bring you a series of stories that reflect the attraction fly fishing holds for so many.





Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Drift

One of the classic fly fishing films to be made in recent times is Confluence Films "Drift". The fly fishing industry and enthusiasts have really figured out how to communicate the beauty and passion of their sport. I wish other segments of the sport fishing world would join this band of merry "sportsters". Much the way the surfing and skate boarding aficionados have tapped into the passion that drives their sports, the producers of this film have zeroed in on what drives fly anglers to wade into waters the world over in pursuit of their favorite quarry.




Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

4/27/2010

Currents of Belize

Here is another nicely produced fly fishing film that demonstrates you do not need a well known host to capture the audience. Fishing enthusiasts are over the format that injects the "well known" angler or captain into a local scene where the entire film is about them and not the place. You really have to understand that todays audience wants to see the destination for what it is and listen to the "guy" who has spent a lifetime getting to know the waters intimately. Make it personal. The idea is for the viewer to feel as though they have been welcomed into the living room of the local expert to share in the knowledge and experience accumulated over years. Great job Costa del Mar. You have another winner on your hands with "Currents of Belize".




Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

4/22/2010

Big Game Legends Film Clip

A clip from Full Throttle Media's "Big Game Legends" film. This is a historical documentary about the development of big game fishing and tackle around the world. This footage was shot on 16 mm and edited for the express purpose of achieving an edgier effect. The fishing is taking place on the Great Barrier Reef.



Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

4/21/2010

Once in a Blue Moon

The guys at On the Fly in New Zealand are doing some incredible fishing on the other side of the planet from where I am. You have to get down there and experience some of these goods.




Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne
SuperFish by Rick Rosenthal is a must see flick on the health of the marlin and sailfish fisheries in Costa Rica and a few other countries. The footage is absolutely amazing. To watch a baby sailfish swimming and feeding is remarkable. We are, as Rick states, watching a race to catch the last big fish in the oceans. Take time to grab this film and watch one of the true masters of underwater filming at work.




Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

Vision Research Unveils the Next-Gen Camera, the Phantom Flex












Setting new standards for innovation, Vision Research, a leading manufacturer of digital high speed imaging systems, proudly unveils the Phantom Flex, the company’s next generation, high-speed camera for the digital cinema market. Redefining what’s possible when it comes to high-speed imaging, the Phantom Flex offers industry-leading flexibility, allowing users to fine tune and adapt the camera to their changing needs and to deliver impressive slow-motion images in just about any application or environment.


User-Selectable Shooting
Modes

For situations that demand the ultimate in resolution, the Phantom Flex boasts a specially engineered four mega-pixel color CMOS sensor which offers a maximum resolution of 2560x1600. When set to Standard Mode, users can enjoy a maximum recording speed of 1,560 frames-per-second (fps) at the camera’s maximum four mega pixel resolution. Higher recording speeds can also be achieved by reducing the camera’s resolution. For example, when used in full-HD resolution (1920x1080), the Phantom Flex offers a maximum recording speed of 2,800 frames-per-second. When reduced to 720p HD resolution (1280x720), the Phantom Flex offers a maximum recording speed of 6,100 fps. The camera can go even faster, recording at 13,000 fps at 640x480. In addition to delivering impressive results for high-speed imaging, the Phantom Flex can also be used to record at more traditional speeds with frame rates starting as low as 5 fps, further adding to the versatility of the camera system.







Enhanced Image Quality

Users will also benefit from the camera’s Phantom HQ shooting mode, a high performance setting which yields the ultimate in image quality. A step-up from Standard Mode, Phantom HQ Mode employs Vision Research’s proprietary image enhancement technology. An unprecedented achievement in digital high-speed cameras, Phantom HQ Mode ensures stable blacks, low noise, higher dynamic range and repeatable shots over the full range of supported resolutions, frame rates, and temperatures, all without the need to conduct pre-shot black references. When set to Phantom HQ Mode, the Flex trades speed for enhanced image quality; however, the camera still offers impressive maximum recording speeds of 780 fps at 2560x1600, 1,390 fps at 1920x1080, and 3,000 fps at 1280x720.



Additional high performance features include:

 - Breakthrough sensitivity: increased peak quantum efficiency and reduction in noise-equivalent power
- 1000 ISO (measured using ISO 12232 SAT method)
- 12-bit pixel depth

- Flexible lens options: choose between 35mm (PL, Canon EOS, Nikon F, Panavision), Super 16mm, and 2/3” lenses
- Global, electronic shutter down to one-microsecond

- Select raw digital workflow, video workflow, or combine both for maximum control and flexibility
- Internal mechanical shutter for hands-free and remote Current Session Reference

- Dual HD-SDI outputs: 2 x 4:2:2 HD-SDI ports can be configured as dual-link 4:4:4 video

- On-camera controls for mode selection, settings, playback, edit & save
- Frame synchronization to external signals allows multiple cameras to be synchronized, essential for stereo 3D recording

- Two 12V DC auxiliary power outputs for powering external devices
- Remote port for connecting Phantom Remote Control Unit

- 16GB or 32GB of high-performance built-in dynamic RAM
- Phantom CineMag, CineStation and CineStream support



Service and Technology Protection


 With the purchase of any Phantom Flex digital high-speed camera, Vision Research provides a three-year service protection program, which covers any needed repair as well as software and firmware updates.

Vision Research is also offering an aggressive technology protection program that gives current Phantom camera owners to the ability to trade-in their used camera to experience the new Phantom Flex at a discounted rate. Depending on the condition and age of the used Phantom camera, customers can receive a trade-in credit towards the purchase of a Phantom Flex. Thanks to this unprecedented program, loyal Vision Research customers can maximize their investment and stay at the forefront of the continually advancing, state-of-the art high-speed imaging technologies offered by the company.



Additional information and detailed specifications for the Vision Research Phantom Flex can be found atwww.
visionresearch.com



Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

4/14/2010

The Hole Gets Bigger

The global appetite for fish is a major cause for the hole forming in the ocean. This giant hole sucks millions of tons of sea life out of our oceans year after year and it only gets bigger. The sad part is that so many countries and citizens of this world just do not care or are completely unaware of the problem and it's ramifications. Either way, this is a dereliction of our role as citizens of this planet.  We are edging ever closer to total population collapse for dozens of species. Really, we are past the tipping point with this shit.

I am a fisherman, but I am a conservationists first. From an early age, I was taught to respect the land and the animals that inhabit it. Of course, at that early age, my point of reference was the ponds and rivers that were juxtaposed next to our property. Even then, I was aware from my grand fathers stories that the rivers just did not have the same numbers and sizes of fish that they did when he was young. In the early 70's, it was pollution that was choking the life out of the river and killing off the food chain that so many species depended on.

Now, today, not only do our rivers and oceans have to struggle against pollution to sustain so many fish and animals, but, there is the never ending demand for more and more "protein" from these waters. Tuna, sharks, marlin, swordfish, sea turtles, dolphin, whales, and on and on are all fished to near total population collapse. We are fishing them while their population numbers are below sustainable yield. This means that the species cannot produce fast enough to keep up with losses due to harvesting. How far will YOU allow this to go?

We all have a responsibility to the earth. Wake up people before it is too late! Because while you sleep, those that have been charged with monitoring and protecting these species continue to fail us. They need more time to do studies and assess population numbers before they can set proper quotas. This is a joke and all those involved with setting catch quotas for international fishing operations should be ashamed of themselves.


Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

4/08/2010

Watch out Red

I like the direction the industry is heading with the modular cameras with PL lenses. First it was Red revolutionizing the industry and now ARRI is rolling out Alexa with some very enticing features. Damn, just when you think you have things figured out the earth starts shaking. I like it. Studio Daily Article about Alexa here


Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

4/07/2010

Viewer Centric

Are you looking at your audience through the eyes of your production company or through the eyes of your audience? How can you better manage receptiveness by end users to your product and what content do they really need or want? Be viewer centric! Think about what the relationship between current productions and the audience is and what improvements are necessary to maintain and build said audience. This is not hard, but can be time consuming.

The key is to know your target audience. Understand them intimately. This is more about what end viewers want rather than what your company may want or assume the audience wants. Broaden your knowledge base, talk to subject matter experts. For good measure, it would pay to submerse yourself in the subject by either being a follower or becoming a follower. Walk in the footsteps of your audience for a little while.

Where do current productions fall short? What are you competing against? What are the trends, past, present and what will they be going forward? Having measurable audience and comparable product metrics will pay huge dividends in the end. You have to differentiate yourself.


Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

3/26/2010

On the Water in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

I recently put together some material for a project in Costa Rica that involves sport fishing, diving and surfing. They had very little practical knowledge on the subject matter and wanted someone who could create some copy for their website. This is the gist of what they received.

Fishing
In the northwest corner of Costa Rica there resides one of the premier sport fishing destinations in all the world. This is one of the country's most fertile fishing areas and definitely the best area for marlin. Fishing these waters is less about quantity and much more about quality. At last count, there were more than 80 current IGFA world record fish from Costa Rican waters, including 21 all tackle, 41 line class and 18 fly. 40, yes 40, of those IGFA world records have been established in the waters of the northwest.

The Gulf of Papagayo is home to an interesting and amazing mix of inshore and offshore ocean life. It is particularly known as one of the world's best fisheries for sailfish and for great numbers of striped, blue and black marlin, some approaching 700 pounds. These are also the waters of record class roosterfish. Sixty to seventy pound fish are common, with frequent catches approaching 100 pounds. Other species of note include, yellow fin tuna to 300 + lbs., dorado, wahoo, roosterfish, Pacific Dog snapper, amberjack, big cubera snapper, grouper, cabrilla, and jack crevalle. Among the vast archives of sacred sport fishing destinations around the world, few stand in comparison to the unusually prolific nature of the Gulf of Papagayo fishery.

Diving
Bounded on the north by the fabled Murcielagos (Bat) Islands, and on the south by the equally famous Catalina Islands, the Gulf of Papagayo plays host to the best diving found within 200 miles of the coast. Within easy reach of Marina Papagayo, you’ll enjoy some of Costa Rica's most nutrient rich waters, places like Mango, Monkey Head, Surprise, Aquarium,  Fantasma, Rainbow, Key Largo and River Plate - each a divers fantasy. These dive sites are a nexus for seahorses, manta rays, eagle rays, hawkfish, angelfish, surgeonfish, parrotfish, pompanos, turtles, sharks, octopus, many species of eels, humpback, pilot and killer whales. Manta rays are most commonly seen at the Catalina Islands between December and April.

Diving is a year round activity in the Gulf waters. The average yearly temperatures are in the range of 24-26°C (75-79°F) from mid-May to mid-December and can fall to 21°C (70°F) at depth from December to April. While the water temperatures are warmer and visibility better during the May-December period, this is the green season, so you should expect rain during this time of year. The average visibility is about 20 to 60 feet, and up to 80 on clear days. Variation is due to the water being fortified with nutrient rich plankton feeding a vast hierarchy or marine life.
With so many locations to dive on, the area offers an adventure for every level of diver. Marina Papagayo affords access to an undersea world that is a veritable rainbow of oceanic life.

Surfing
Costa Rica was discovered as a wave riding paradise in the 1960's. Since that time, the breaks along the Pacific coastline of Guanacaste have experienced increasing popularity. Carving out a spot as one of the top places in the world to surf, more and more surfers from around the world are traveling to Costa Rica in search of the perfect wave. The rainy and dry seasons have distinct characteristics: abundant swells and onshore winds during the rainy season, crystal clear water and offshore winds during dry season.

The most well known surf spots in the country, Ollie's Point and Witches Rock, are exploding just minutes from Marina Papagayo. Ollie's Point is known for it's fast hallow right, a wave of perfection that holds mythic status among die hard wave riders. This break produces waves that roll on for 300 meters. Three rides here and you are through for the day. Witches Rock, to the north, is an absolute shrine to surfing, a destination of daring. When the south swells roll into Santa Rosa National Park, the Rock pitches smooth over head tubes.  When it's on, these waves challenge even the pros.

I posted the fishing portion on the Sport Fishing Forum, of which I am a member.

All the best> Seth Horne


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3/10/2010

Knowledge is the Key to Success

Success requires having a fundamental understanding of the environment within which you work. The element that has the greatest impact on your success is knowledge. You must know more than your competitor and be able to apply that knowledge in a more productive manner in order to acheive greater success. You must know what is expected and how best to maximize that expectation. You must know how hard you can push yourself and you must constantly test your limitations. With the experience of time, you will begin to understand your limitations and in the end be able to maximize your potential. The phrase 'endeavor to perservere' has most relevance when you near your limitations. There is no greater test of your limitations than taking on mother nature. Her awesome power and energy is unvanquished. With nature things are never the same, they are always unpredictable and often unforgiving. At Full Throttle Media, we love to film in the great outdoors. There is no control and you never know what you are going to be served up on any given day, but that is the challenge. In order to come out on top, knowledge of your equipment and it's limitations in critical. Being able to quickly adapt to the conditions is the difference between success or failure.


Go Full Throttle Media! Share the experience, sell the dream...
FTM
Seth Horne

2/09/2010

Don't Let the Monkeys Fly the Plane

Don't let the monkeys fly the plane. Now, this is a simple adage about not letting people who have no idea what they are doing take control of a situation. But, I will be damned if I do not see this taking place quite often. Why? Usually because some corporate exec does not know enough about the subject at hand to know that he is appointing someone who does not know their ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to that very subject matter. Wow, is there a better way to waste time and money than ceding control of a department or project to under-qualified employees and then continuing down that same path even when it becomes obvious that is what has occurred? With little or no practical experience in the given field, self appointed know-it-alls and control freaks manage to crash projects with out even realizing what they are doing and all with the blessing of those higher up. This is a brilliant strategy for execs who want to get themselves fired or, at the very least, exposed for lacking any modicum of management 101 skills. The saddest part is that there is, 9 times out10, usually a far smarter and better qualified person ready and willing to step up to the task. Why is this better candidate not chosen? Well, I will throw two words out for you to chew on. Ego and fear! Ego: in the sense that, I know what I am doing better than anyone else. Fear: because I don't want to look weak or "stupid" when I have to make the necessary and beneficial changes to correct my first mistake. So, if you are going to let the monkeys fly your plane, strap yourself in because "You Are Going To Crash".



Go Full Throttle Media! Share the experience, sell the dream...
FTM
Seth Horne

1/31/2010

The Best Social Media Tool: Film

When I evaluate all the available social media tools available today, the one that stands out as the most effective in its ability to reach an audience is video and especially online video. As of 2010, YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google. That is an amazing statistic. What does that mean? Well, people are spending a whole hell of a lot of time searching for video or while watching video. Either way, you are way behind if you are not currently using video or seriously thinking about using video in relation to whatever message you are trying to get out. It's time to get in the game.

We all recognize film and video as entertainment, but beyond that what is it? Moving images are engagement objects that audiences find entertaining, instructional, educational, or may be used for marketing, sales tools, interview series, research, live events and more. The possibilities are endless. So, how does this benefit you? With the proper film or video, you are able to tell a story, share an experience, enlighten and inform others. Now the big question, how does a film or video become social media tool? What do we do when we see something fun, informative or engaging? We talk about it, share it, buy it, save it and if we made it we post it online. Once something visual makes it to the internet, it is there forever to be watched over and over.

As I mentioned last month, it has been found that audiences are far more receptive when receiving a message from an emotional level rather than a rational level. Most ads or marketing messages force people to examines the advantages, benefits and features of whatever is being thrown at them. When watching something entertaining or informative the emotional gate is open and this relates more to trust, love, identification and belief. It has been noticed that films or video operate at the emotional level.

So, if you are trying to convey a particular message or position a brand in the minds of your audience, be a little more creative and place your brand within the context of a story. The best and most cost effective way to get that story out is with film or video that you disseminate online. Full Throttle Media can help you develop that film or video to reach your audience.



Go Full Throttle Media! Share the experience, sell the dream...
FTM
Seth Horne