Week 12 Part A: Using Business Specific Online Tools

  

This picture is in no way relevant, I just wanted to post it because I'm proud of it.

Online Collaboration Tools

I feel that when I was actively running my podcast, these collaboration tools would have been invaluable.

One of the biggest issues I ran into with my cast was scheduling. The voice talent would push back recording dates as far as they possibly could, very often till the day before release. 

Being the type of person I am, I just shouldered the extra workload and smiled when people in essence told me, "you aren't really priority."

I figured, "well, why would I be?"

These tools would have allowed me to post scripts, schedules, release dates, a full cast and crew list and create some level of accountability among the participants. Seeing the whole team, and who has fulfilled their obligations as opposed to who hasn't might prove just the incentive needed.

This also opens up the possibility of creating a dialogue between cast members, and fueling a sense of comradery. I feel one of my downfalls in casting and managing my audiodrama podcast previously was that I recorded everyone separately (you have to for audio reason) and no one had a sense of belonging to a greater project. People read their lines, then just forgot about it.

When I used to work in theatre, there was a sense of community between actors. It would be great to recreate this through zoom meetings, forums, schedule charts and more.

It is a huge added stress for me, as this kind of social interplay is destructive to my piece of mind. A lot of this is because people tend to gang up on me and bulldoze my ideas when I work in a group. I tend to be too placating and aquiescing, because i just don't understand any other way to show politeness other than to grovel.

I'm working on that and how to be diplomatic and assertive at the same time. However, such an organized collaboration tool would reinforce that I was the show runner for this project, and that I'm the one conducting this train. It might be just the thing for preventing people from ousting me off my own projects.

I love the idea of creating rewards for collaborators. It's my intention to pay my talent for the upcoming seasons, but since we will be seeking sponsorships, we might also be able to offer gift cards and discount codes to cast and crew.

Social Networking for Professionals

I have joined several groups on Linked In and Face Book that are relevant to fiction podcasts and artistic storytelling. I tend to lurk, with the thought that I'll comment once I understand the environment. 

Then I either never comments, or I do and am immediately lambasted and torn down by everyone else in the group. I'm not part of the established dynamic.

I've seen people introduce themselves to a group, and it always feels so hokey. I don't want to be that guy, but I guess everyone has to start off there. It just feels dirty.

MEET UP Groups

I believe that these can be helpful. Attending conventions and art shows did boost my recognition. Howevere, I'm really looming to avoid face to face interaction as much as possible.

In my experience, face to face interaction blurs the lines between friend and business contact. I don't want to get invited to margarita night, and dish on how dumb men can be.

I want to maintain a level of distance, friendly but never familiar. I don't think this is possible for many people when they connect face to face.

I recognize that it is likely my desire to establish firm boundaries with people that gets read as disinterest or aloofness. Neither of which is helping my situation.

 I may be attending the wrong groups. There may be other people out there who are more business minded and aren't seeking new friends.

Still, I'll never understand why the people who regularly work the same tradeshows as me consider me part of their "art fam" rather than a fellow tradesperson. It sends a bolt of pure cringe through me when anyone includes me in their "fam".

I'm hoping to establish less intimate connections by keeping the bulk of my contacts online.

Google My Business plus other Google Tools

While I do think Google Business tools are more designed for brick and mortar businesses, I have used Google Docs and Google Hangouts to send scripts and record with actors in the past. It might be a good idea to do this with more regularity, and even turn my Google Hangout meeting into live streams, to keep the audience engaged with the show's progress.

I say that, but I'd never do this. 

The idea of having my work seen in its unpolished phase is bad enough, but to broadcast it? Horrible.

I like to put out a cultivated, finished product. However, I realize that this mindset is somewhat outdated.

RATING SITES

Sites like Yelp aren't much use to me. I suppose I could put my art and production company up for review, but we don't have many clients as of yet. The ones we do have aren't the type of people I'd really want representing my company online.

"I paid this b*tch $40 to draw Harley Quin pooping on Poison Ivy's face while Batman watched...and she f*cking did it! 5 stars!"

However, Wikipedia is technically a rating site. I do think it would be a good idea to write Wikipedia articles with character histories and a rundown of the plot to date. People can rate the article, on whether it was helpful or not. 

This would help expand the reach of our show and comics, as well as getting people interested in the series.

Music Sites, Live Streaming, Twitch, TikTok and beyond    

One thing I have realized through attending to streaming services is that I need to have a much more regular flow of content.

I post a TikTok every week or so, and then nothing.

I need to not only have regular, relevant material going up on TikTok but on streaming sites as well.

While we are still in development, we can stream about the script writing process, live stream episode art and character concept art, stream recording sessions, rehearsals and more. 

Once we are up and running with several finished shows in the queue, we need to have enough material to release weekly. Doing a 9 episode run every year doesn't give us enough exposure to actually reach an audience and grow our following. 

People can always go through the archives to catch up, and I can provide episode links to relevant material, even time stamps in an episode to help people keep up with the storyline. 

I've been a devotee of Welcome To Nightvale, andother fiction podcast, but have recently discovered The Magnus Archives, whic released weekly while it was running.

Both shows have a solid fan following and lots of user made episode art. People get attached to these characters because they are in their life on a regular basis. I need to start employing these practices for myself.

We are at a good point in the plotline to start this, as we have broke from the story established during the last few seasons. We are heading n a different direction and now is the time to start a sift reboot.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ali Ross, the author and Artist behind Familiar Monsters, a weekly web comic. She says she's always about 16 episodes ahead of her current web release.

Likewise, Jerome Wetzel of Its All Been Done, a family of fiction podcasts, has also said that he has several episodes lined up n the queue before he ever releases. That way he can keep creating new material and never fall behind on his release schedule.

Neither show has year long gaps in between like Creeping Wave Radio has had in the past. Our release policy has been a major weakness.

Now that were on hiatus, we need to use this time to prepare scripts, create character art, and have an established set of episodes. 

These can be presented, along with a plot synopsis to potential investors and sponsors. Eventually, when we have enough material and sponsorship money, we can approach animators about converting this series into an animation, and shopping that property with networks.