WHY EVERY WRITER SHOULD HAVE A BLOG:

A writer writes, plain and simple.  Yes we read, seek out new experiences and research or do whatever is needed to prepare for our next writing project but above all it is about pounding away as those keys, crafting the sentences and emotions for readers to enjoy all over the world.   Blogging has become a perfect way for writers to flex their muscles and write anything they want without the pressure of intending to have it read by publishers or producers.   Blogging is also fun because it is writing in short form without the standard formatting expectations that a novel or screenplay should have.

 

Things that are unique make a blog

stand out but would be frowned

upon in other forms of writing.

 

 

Blogging is a quick and easy free exchange of ideas.   One interesting example of this was HackingNetflix.com, a consumer advocacy blog lunched in November 2003 about news items, service features and methods of operation for the movie rental start up NetFlix.   This blog became an undeniable sounding board for customers' opinions as Netflix engaged in a war of attrition with Blockbuster Video, the rental giant of the time.   This blog was reported to be the source that Blockbuster execuives used to study NetFlix's distribution centers as they prepared to start up Blockbuster's online rental service.  With the 10,000 monthly visitors who habitually read this blog, it had the ability to and in fact did cause changes in NetFlix's policies.

In September of 2011 HackingNetflix.com posted news about the companies plans to divide the DVD rental service into a new company called “Qwikster” so you would have to make two different payments and search two websites if you wanted DVD and streaming content.  Most of the customers who replied to these blog posts criticized this idea heavily and a large number of NetFlix subscribers canceled their accounts.   The powers that be at Netflix decided not to divide up these services due to public outcry.

 

Back in 2004 NetFlix put a customer support phone number back up on their web site after HackingNetflix.com posted that it was taken which spurred customer outrage and got attention in the press.  You can read more about all this in Gina Keating's book Netflixed.  I recommend this book, it was an interesting read.

A blog is also a great way to promote yourself as a writer and build a readership, just ask Brook Busey-Hunt. Who is that you might ask? She is better known under the pen name of Diablo Cody. Before she burst into the scene with her academy award winning screenplay Juno, Brook wrote a blog about her experiences working as a stripper. Talent manager Mason Novick was one of the many male readers who no doubt stumbled upon her blog. Novick contacted her and convinced her to expand her blog entries into a non-fiction novel, a memoir which was published with the title of Candy Girl. This well written novel started Diablo Cody on her career path that led to the level of success she now enjoys. Check out Candy Girl, it shows that Diablo Cody's voice and writing talent was there from the beginning.

It is for these reasons that I started blogging once I was fortunate enough to find a distributor for Cam-Girl, a feature I wrote and directed and wrote on novel adaptation which is titled Box Cutter Killer. This blog is a great way for me to get the word out about the independent films that inspire me and share bits of advise to writers and filmmakers just like me.

So why should a writer blog? The only question now should be what to write for your next blog post.

GUIDE FOR MAKING BONUS MATERIALS FOR YOUR MOVIE

Special features or value added content as film distributors often call it are a great thing to have.   These elements can be packaged with the home video release of your movie. Whether it is a DVD, Blu-Ray or Holo-Disk (I made that last one up), this will give consumers a reason to buy your movie instead of renting it through video on demand or downloading it illegally.  It often makes a difference to me as I look at all of the options up on the DVD rack. Making a feature film is a lot of work, so why not spend a little more time to make your movie more appealing to retailers and the eager movie watching public.

That is why I knew bonus materials needed to be made for Cam-Girl, my first feature which I wrote and directed.   Producers and filmmakers should just plan ahead for this the same way they make sure promotional stills are taken during the production.  On high budget movies they interview the actors during the long stretches of down time while the Director Of Photography makes sure the lighting is perfect.   I interviewed one of the actors, Bjorn Jiskoot Jr. while the two leads were going over their lines. At the end of one of our days I asked our make-up artist, Sarah Okun a few interesting things about her job as she was cleaning her brushes.   None of our production time was wasted.   Months after we wrapped on the movie, I took the opportunity to interview our two lead actors Erin Nicole Cline and Joe Coffey when they came in for an ADR session.

We also had about 30 minutes worth of video I shot on the set.   I left the behind the scenes camera running while we shot an action sequence.   It helps to have a camera that is only used for behind the scenes filming so you can get footage of the camera and crew. People like seeing this objective point of view, it really helps re-create the feeling of being on set.

This footage was all used by the editor of the movie, Curtis Norton to create an entertaining behind the scenes documentary which is 30 minutes long.   The last thing I recorded was an interview of myself as the writer-director. This was after everything else was edited so I was able to fill the gaps and elaborate on things said in the other interviews.   I also recorded a writer-director commentary for Cam-Girl which was so much fun since I have been listening to every commentary I could get my hands on over the years.   Commentary is the easiest bonus feature to produce but there are two rules for making commentary worth listening to.

• Do not comment on what we can see with our own eyes or know just from watching the movie.   We don't need you telling us this is the scene where the character does this or that.

• Silence is deadly, just like in radio. So please do not stop and watch your movie.   I know it's your baby, it is hard not to but just don't do it. 

Look out for the home video release of the thriller Cam-Girl, which will be packed with special features. 

 

FOR MORE UNFORMATION ON Cam-Girl visit www.webcamthefilm.com

 

BUY THE NOVEL ADAPTATION OF CAM-GIRL FOR KINDLE HERE.

 

ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THE NOOK AND ON PAPERBACK.