The bete noire of production

Nothing in the production world, or for that matter any economic endeavor, happens without financing. In the media production world, financing is always very difficult due to the risk involved. There are so many variables at play that effect the outcome of a project. But, when you are relying on others to pony up the dough, you are at the mercy of either a bete noire or an angel. All of us, who have dealt with film financing, know how chaotic the process can be up until the cash is in the bank. At Full Throttle Media we have had to deal with some less than honest characters.

Why is it that so many people are ready to back a production without even knowing what the process entails. Grand dreams of getting rich over night seem to pervade. It is usually greed or the bete noire of financing that grips these souls. I am usually left shaking my head in amazement at how fool hearty these depraved jackholes are.

Just the early part of this fall, after a year of discussion with the ministry of tourism in a certain country who were real eager to fund a big project the entire process came to an abrupt halt. It was their greed that screwed up the whole deal. As it turns out, certain officials had grand designs on absconding the money once it was released by the Government and leaving Full Throttle Media holding the bag. I hope these corrupt officials have their day in the sun.

The thing that irks me the most is not having the project fall apart, that is a regular occurrence in this biz, but having my time wasted. Greed and corruption are a motherf***er that will drag you down. I am glad to have not gotten caught up in this BS. My philosophy is to follow the way of my father and be the bigger man. Do what is right for those involved in the deal, think less about yourself and everything will work out well. As for the bete noire of financing, beat that fool down.

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

What's wrong with sport fishing films and TV

What's wrong with sport fishing films and TV? Arrrrrgh! How disappointing the programming continues to be. And to think, some of these shows are being renewed for another season. Let's see, where do I start with this conundrum?

Aaah, the show concepts themselves is a good place. There has to be some creative fishermen out there that can conjure up a show genie to bring forth an engaging, entertaining and educational production concept. Can we please move beyond the show where some angler with novice skills plays hosts, displays a real lack of fishery knowledge and then promotes the cheesy, that's right, cheesy resort putting him up for the length of the production. Let's move beyond this format. How about build a show around a fishing captain, guide or angler that actually possesses real depth of knowledge of more than the spit of water in his backyard. They do exist.

Now the good part or should I say the most broken down aspect of fishing shows. Destinations! Out of respect for all those that fish around the world, can we see some new destinations? It seems that for the past eleventy billion seasons, we have held hostage to the same destinations in every show. Florida and the Florida Keys, Pinas Bay, Panama, Central Pacific Costa Rica, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Alaska, Alaska, Alaska... Damn, enough already. Step out of the box. I understand budgeting drives much of this, but there are so many other affordable options around the world.

There used to be great show concepts and talented sportsman as hosts. Think Curt Gowdy and the American Sportsman or Flip Pallot and The Walkers Cay Chronicles. Now these guys had it going on. Consummate sportsman, terrifically engaging personalities and angling skill to boot. On top of that they really traveled to some off the beaten path destinations. The premier episode of American Sportsman took place in the Andes Mountains of Argentina, in 1964, with Gowdy and Joe Brooks fly fishing. There was no blurring the edges or covering over of personality flaws, this was gritty hard nosed outdoor action.

Since that time, and all the way up to and beyond Flip's show, the fly fishing community seems to have figured out how to put real entertaining projects together. Just like the skiing, surfing and skate boarding communities, fly fishermen have figured out how to produce films and videos that the audience wants to watch. Some of these have developed develop real cult followings. As I look at my video shelf, it is not hard to notice that of all the kick ass films and videos non are from the conventional sport fishing genre. Why can't the sport fishing community figure out how to put together some clever films and videos on top of good quality television programming? This is a mystery for the times.

One last thing. Many of the companies involved in producing these worthless sport fishing shows acknowledge the shows are bad, but continue down the same road because it is easy. This is funny.

I have a plan to fix this. Stay tuned!



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

Your Audience

In the media business, whether it is print, online, tv, video, film, you really have to know your core audience and understand the dynamics behind what drives their interests. So many in the business seem to get lost in what they want to read, watch or hear that they begin to loose sight of their audience and why they are there. It is not about you, so much as it is about your audience. Give them what they want, not what you want. And remember one important concept, quality content is not free. It cost money to produce and distribute.

At Full Throttle Media, we are in the business of selling experience through moving images. It is the experience of living, learning and sharing the adventure of life that motivates us. With that in mind, our primary focus is on producing projects that we enjoy, but that have large niche enthusiast followings and thus eager audiences. Eager for what, you might ask? Niche audiences have a thirst for knowledge, a keen interest in learning as much as possible about their field of passion and being entertained.

The creative team I work with has a broad range of interests, but we seem to focus on a few core segments. Adventure travel, sport fishing, boating, diving, automotive and motorsports, a lot of lifestyle components that have huge followings. Now, within each segment we will drill down to find to a specific enthusiast group with the most favorable demographics. Once we know our target audience, the team sets about to create an entertainment product that will appeal to them specifically. Of course, the production will have broad appeal outside the target audience. In the same way most people will never go mountian climbing on Mt. Everest, but they are still drawn to the grand adventure and majestic beauty found in the Himalayas.

One area of particular interest to us is the sport fishing world. This happens to be the largest outdoor sport in the world generating billions in revenue. People all over the planet go fishing. So there is endless opportunity to produce films for this audience segment. In order to narrow the focus of our productions, we look at a specifc species and or a geographic region that will have genuine appeal to our chosen audience. For instance, anglers all over the world like to pursue blue or black marlin. This is the Mt. Everest of sport fishing, so there is a large audience out there interested in knowing more about how, where and when to catch this species even if they never get a chance to fish for one.

If I am going to produce a film about blue marlin fishing, I have to be able to put that film in front of consumers. So, where can the audience be found and why are they there. More than likely, the audience for this type of production is either reading sport fishing magazines or on a related website. Because of my background in online community development, I look to the internet for points of audience aggregation first. Forums, social media sites and blogs are where I start.

Fishermen just love to share their experiences. And, there is no better way to do that than online. Like many other enthusiast groups, anglers have migrated online to learn and share as much as they can about the sport they love. From a marketing perspective, fishing sites are the best and least expensive way for fishermen and related product manufacturers to communicate with each other and position their brands, operations and products.

The sport fishing visual media world is starved for fresh ideas and new means of delivering those ideas. It seems that year in and year out the audience gets that same tired concepts from the same old destinations. Talk about taking the audience for granted. Damn, what ever happened to fighting to keep or build your audience. You only build trust with your viewership by representing their interests and giving them the high quality entertainment they deserve. All fishermen really want is to learn more about the best fishing holes around the world, tactics and techniques, gear that is being used and see big 'ole fish dancing on the surface. Know your audience and realize there is so much more that can be offered. Get rid of the boring blow hard that is hosting your show and visit some destinations outside the norm. Give the audience more.



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

Online Communities vs. Social Media

Online communities or forums are social media, you might be thinking. Well, you are right. The distinction comes with contemporary thinking. When you say social media today, people naturally assume you are referring to Facebook, Twitter, etc., which happen to be trendier.

From a branding perspective, is it better to focus on forums or social media (SM) sites? That is a relative question and is highly dependent on what your objective happens to be. Personally, there a few obvious differences between forums and SM. One is that forums attract a group with a specific interest and SM sites appeal to a less granular cross section of society. Forum users probably follow the Facebook page of their select community, whereas the Facebook follower may not necessarily be a member of said forum. Users of the forum will be enthusiasts of the market, but not necessarily your brand. Whereas, fans of you SM site will be fans of your specific brand, hopefully. Another important distinction is that while you can go out and set up a SM page pretty easily, it is far more difficult to start up an online community and have any realistic expectation of achieving critical mass. You are late to the party on that note. So, I would say it is important to work on developing a presence with both the appropriate communities and building a SM site.

In order to position yourself or your brand in a favorable way within an online forum, you will need to develop a presence within the community. Since forums consist of voluminous amounts of information on a specific subject, the best way to position your brand is by contributing on a substantive level and create credibility for yourself. If you are patient and provide real understanding of the subject matter along with detailed information in the flow of dialogue, the audience will happy for your involvement. Remember, members of forums are apart of a niche community seeking information about a common interest. The most effective way to reach your target audience online is with a highly targeted campaign tailored in a setting where they are comfortable and thus more receptive to your message.

For SM sites, you build a page and leverage the availability of your brand on the respective SM site to build and or engage your audience. This is a little easier and less time consuming, especially if you have an established or desirable brand. Fans of your brand follow your messaging and engage you from time to time. For those that are followers of your page, this is a great way to keep them up to date with your activities and your brand fresh in their minds. This is also the trendier of the two approaches.

Either way, you are reaching out to your target audience. One way is to position yourself in a niche community and the other is to broadcast a message to an audience at large. Both platforms provide a highly effective means of reaching your target audience and really should be employed as a part of an overall online strategy. Take the time to get to know the nuances of online forums and social media sites and how your audience responds to your message within each. Stay active, be prepared and most importantly be authentic.

I can drill down into the specifics of both fields a hell of a lot more, but I try to limit my ramblings. If you would like to know more, hit me up.

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

Part II: Online Community Forums, Engaging the Audience

Online community discussion forums transcend the everyday social dynamic. Forums allow people to come together to share their interests, experiences, insights, discoveries, needs, gossip, without the social awkwardness inherent with typical social gatherings. The internet affords a certain anonymity or subterfuge, if you will. Individuals of all ages, from all walks of life and all corners of the world are free to engage on another in discussion at all hours of the day or night without fear of being reproached.

The most significant factor that distinguishes a discussion forum, at least the really good ones, from other social media outlets is the focus on a specific field of interest. What are you interested in and how precise do you want to get? Think about the automotive industry, for a second. How many automotive brands are there and how many lines within each brand? Well, there is an community of enthusiasts for every brand of car and every extension of the brand. Let's take the BMW brand, for example. You have the 1, 3, 5, 7, X, Z, M series and variations therein. The more niche oriented a forum becomes the more highly focused the audience and the more specialized the information.

Much of what you find on the more heavily trafficked sites will be groups of extremely knowledgeable enthusiasts eager to share every possible minutiae of information about their interest. Now, of course, just like in any group, there will be some that know very little about a whole lot. With out fail though, the amount and depth of your knowledge will be exposed in short order. But, for the most part forums can be gold mines of information.

Enthusiast groups play a couple of key roles as an audience. They are both captive and willing participants? For what, you might ask. The automotive industry figured out a long time ago that some of the big online communities could be fertile grounds for product feedback. This allowed them to engage their consumer directly and determine what features needed to be modified, added or removed. The forums provided them direct access to valuable real time information.

For the casual user, online communities provide a vast wealth of information. Ask and ye shall receive. For those looking to position a brand, forums are the mother load. What could be better than having a broad section of your target audience all gathering in one location? The trick is figuring out how to communicate with them, what appeals to them and how do you gain credibility in their eyes? For well known brands this is easy, but for lesser known or new brands this can be a time consuming challenge. A line I like to use is, it's a marathon not a sprint. Far too many companies expect results over night. You really have to be patient and smart. Be creative and offer incentives to the audience. What benefit is there in your brand? How will their experience be enhanced through the use of your brand? The right place to start is with a consultant or agency that has cut their teeth in the trenches of the industry you are looking to gain recognition from. Ask the right questions of the right people.



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