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November 19, 2017
Great Conversations Start with Great Questions
After 14 years of listening, we know what makes a great conversation: start by asking great questions. Once you’ve selected your interview partner for The Great Thanksgiving Listen — whether you’re a student interviewing an elder or looking to spark lively conversation around your Friendsgiving table — you can get ready by reviewing our list of Great Questions or using the Great Questions Generator in the StoryCorps App. Here are some of our suggestions for getting a good conversation going:
GREAT QUESTIONS FOR ANYONE
• How would you like to be remembered?
• What has been the happiest moment of your life so far? The saddest?
• What does your future hold?
FAMILY HERITAGE
• Tell me about some traditions that have been passed down through our family. When and how did they get started?
• Where is your mom’s family from? Where is your dad’s family from? Have you ever been there? What was that experience like?
GROWING UP & SCHOOL
• Did you have a nickname? What was it and how did you get it? Does anyone still call you by that nickname?
• What did you think your life would be like when you were older?
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
• Has there ever been a time in your life when you wanted to vote, but were not able to? What was that like?
Consider brainstorming your own questions in your classroom, with your interview partner, or with your family. Compile a list of new questions to use in your interviews specific to your family, school, or town. The more specific, the better! A few prompts to get the conversation going:
• What makes our family or town special?
• What stories have you heard about this place or about us?
• Is there an intriguing, confusing, or funny tradition in our family or town that you want to learn more about?
• Is there a particular food we eat here that makes us unique? How can we learn more about it through an interview?
Afterwards, when you archive your interview, don’t forget to tag it with descriptive keywords that answer the classic who, what, when and where questions as well as this year’s keyword, “TheGreatListen2017”. Share a selfie from your interview, and make sure to tag us @StoryCorps #TheGreatListen!
Source: SNPR Story Corps
November 19, 2017
‘It’ Director Andrés Muschietti Shares a Spooky Sketch of Pennywise the Clown
Bill Skarsgård’s take on Pennywise the Dancing Clown became a pop-culture phenomenon before this year’s “It” even arrived in theaters. First made famous onscreen by Tim Curry in the 1990 miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s tome, the interdimensional being is many things, but funny isn’t one of them.
Director Andrés Muschietti would appear to disagree, considering the caption to a drawing of Pennywise he’s shared on Instagram: “And here a little sketch i drew for pennywise’s ‘killmouth’ , one of the comedic highlights of the film.”
Muschietti may be laughing, but most who saw “It” weren’t — at least not during the scene itself. (The moment, which comes in the film’s opening minutes, has been parodied in a “Saturday Night Live” sketch featuring Kate McKinnon as a Pennywise-esque Kellyanne Conway, however.)
The actual drawing is composed of two panels, the first of which shows Pennywise sniffing Georgie’s arm moments after the ill-fated boy has stuck it into the storm drain where the evil clown has lured him. Then he opens his mouth, revealing a frightening number of giant teeth, and prepares to seize down on his victim. Avail yourself of the spooky sketch below.
Source: IndieWire film
November 19, 2017
‘Parks and Rec’ Producer Mike Schur Says Kevin Spacey Was ‘The Most Open Secret That’s Ever Existed’
After speaking up about his remorse for having Louis C.K. on “Parks and Recreation” despite having heard the now-confirmed rumors about his sexual harassment, Mike Schur has chimed in on Kevin Spacey as well. “If you think everybody knew about Louis, everybody knew about Kevin Spacey,” he said during a panel with Damon Lindelof at Vulture Festival Los Angeles yesterday.
Schur first became aware of his behavior while he was writing for “Saturday Night Live.” “I remember very distinctly being like, he’s hitting on the pages and he’s hitting on the young men in the talent department,” he said. “You talk about open secret, it’s the most open secret that’s ever existed. I didn’t know maybe the extent to which the behavior was predatory.”
Problems stem from the fact that “we just don’t talk about this stuff,” he continued. “Women and men to whom the behavior is being done, who it’s affecting, are scared, they don’t know who to talk to.
“In certain situations, in certain scenarios, there are very few other women who are even around. Even if they wanted to say something they wouldn’t know where to go,” Schur added.
“In many cases, even when they did say something, nothing happened. The conversation just comes to a halt. It either never happens because the person is too afraid to say anything, or it just reaches a terminus point and it stops because everyone’s attitude is, it would be better if we didn’t talk about this, and that, going forward, is obviously something that has to change.”
Source: IndieWire film
November 19, 2017
‘Roman J. Israel, Esq.’ and ‘Mudbound’ Vie Against Fall Box Office Hits
Leading fall Oscar contenders “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (Fox Searchlight) and “Lady Bird” (A24) continue to pull crowds as they both expand after limited openings. They are the top performers by far among specialized films this weekend, including the platform debut of “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” (Sony).
The Denzel Washington legal drama had a modest debut in four New York/Los Angeles theaters before its wider release on Wednesday. The fate of Dee Rees’ acclaimed “Mudbound” (Netflix) is the compelling story of the weekend. The ’40s southern farm drama opened in a handful of big city theaters parallel to its home-viewing debut, with grosses unreported by Netflix. We are estimating its performance based on limited indications from several theaters.
Also getting strong reviews for its New York-Los Angeles debut, the Chilean Oscar submission “The Fantastic Woman” (Sony Pictures Classics) opened for a qualifying week with no grosses reported. It is scheduled for regular release in February after its likely nomination.
“Mudbound”
Steve Dietl/Netflix
Opening
Mudbound (Netflix) Metacritic: 85; Festivals include: Sundance, Toronto 2017
$(est.) 80,000-120,000 in 18 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $(est.) 4,444-6,666
Few awards contenders this season will receive the level of acclaim, media and marketing support as “Mudbound.” Netflix acquired all rights for the film at Sundance for a 2017 record $12.5 million, and are spending more in order for the film to make its mark for awards consideration as a typical theatrical release.
It opened in 18 theaters in 11 metropolitan areas, including the usual New York and Los Angeles markets (where it earned lead review raves in the New York and Los Angeles Times) as well as Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta, Houston and Rees’ hometown Nashville.
Among the top theaters were the Lincoln Plaza and IFC Center in Manhattan and the Landmark in Los Angeles, the usual for initial platform runs. The rest included several from iPic, the chain that regularly exhibits Netflix titles, plus five additional Landmark locations and two from the Laemmle circuit in the Los Angeles area.
Based the on-line pre-reserved seating site for the Landmark in Los Angeles, the 104-seat theater, with five shows a day, sold out or came came close about seven times, with similar likely on Sunday. With a top ticket price of $15, that would lead to a gross of around $15-20,000 for the weekend there. Though reports aren’t available for the two main New York locations, a similar gross seems likely. The Landmark performance looks similar to “The Meyerowitz Chronicles (New and Selected)” on its initial weekend day and date with its Netflix premiere.
Numbers did initially show up for two other Los Angeles theaters for Friday, suggesting a combined grossed around $4000 each for the weekend.
While the range of this potential estimate is great, an educated guess would put the range of grosses for these 18 theaters somewhere in the range of $80,000-120,000. That would normally be mediocre, but well ahead of “The Beasts of No Nation,” which in a similar limited release of 17 theaters grossed $51,000.
This performance is hard to judge — while critics are urging moviegoers to see this epic picture on the big screen, many people are presumably sampling “Mudbound” at home. The real question is how many awards voters give the movie a look, and how they respond. As such, consider it a work in progress.
What comes next: No clear word on what happens in theaters next, but a second week in New York and Los Angeles is likely.
Roman J. Israel, Esq. (Sony) Metacritic: 50; Festivals include: Toronto 2017
$65,000 in 4 theaters; PTA: $16,250
Director Dan Gilroy (“Nightcrawler”) returns to the underbelly of Los Angeles with this drama about a crusading lawyer, played by Denzel Washington. Re-edited and cut by 12 minutes after its Toronto premiere, Sony gave the drama elevated platform attention at four top New York/Los Angeles theaters in an effort to elevate its Oscar-perennial leading man for awards attention. The result is about half of “Fences” at four similar theaters on a pre-Christmas weekend last year. With mediocre reviews, this is not a disaster going into wide release this Wednesday, but it does come in far below top-flight openings in the past two weekends of “Lady Bird” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
What comes next: 1,500 additional theaters open in time for Thanksgiving.
“The Breadwinner”
The Breadwinner (GKids) Metacritic: 80; Festivals include: Toronto, AFI 2017
$19,530 in 3 theaters; PTA: $6,510
GKids picked up this animated feature from the creators of the Oscar-nominated “Song of the Sea” and “The Secret of the Kells.” The Afghan drama about a young girl who dresses like a boy to survive the Taliban won Best Film at the recent Animation is Film Festival and is backed by executive producer Angelina Jolie. With strong reviews, “The Breadwinner” scored a credible gross despite a fairly low profile against top new openings in New York and Los Angeles.
What comes next: More cities add on this Friday, with a further expansion the following week.
The Exterminating Angel – The Met: Live in HD (Fathom Events)
$950,000 in 758 theaters; PTA: $1,253
Fathom Events (which include a range of films — last weekend was a restored “Casablanca” in partnership with Turner Classic Movies) shows live operas about ten times a year in select theaters. This showing of an new opera based on Luis Bunuel’s Mexican classic “The Exterminating Angel” did decent business across the country as the New York Metropolitan Opera presentation was shown live in the late afternoon or evening. The result was good enough to barely miss the Top Ten gross among all films this weekend despite only one show per theater
What comes next: This will have an encore showings at most theaters on Wednesday Nov. 29.
The Crime of Monsieur Lange (Rialto) (reissue)
$10,200 in 1 theater; PTA: $10,200
Jean Renoir’s 1935 masterpiece has one of the best initial grosses for a restoration/reissue this year, and one of the best ever for a pre-1940 film. It opened at Rialto’s usual New York Film Forum location to strong results.
What comes next: This opens Wednesday at the Royal in Los Angeles, that city’s most sought out theater for prime subtitled films.
Also available on Video on Demand:
Sweet Virginia (IFC/Tribeca 2017) – $5,084 in 1 theater
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Fox Searchlight
Week Two
Three Billboard Outside of Ebbing, Missouri
$1,115,000 in 53 theaters (+49); PTA: $21,038; Cumulative: $1,550,000
Martin McDonagh’s acclaimed off-beat dramedy starring Frances McDormand delivered a strong expansion in its second weekend. It managed to land #9 overall among weekend films despite only 53 theaters. The gross falls below “Lady Bird” in 37 theaters last weekend on week two, but “Three Billboards” had more competition (a factor that will affect other similarly strong releases as the season heats up). This looks primed to do significant crossover business as it expands to over 400 theaters this week and more after.
Thelma (The Orchard)
$16,565 in 3 theaters (+2); PTA: $5,522; Cumulative: $32,771
Joachim Trier’s drama, Norway’s Oscar submission, added two theaters in advance of it Los Angeles opening this week to continue its modest initial numbers along with its decent reviews so far.
“Lady Bird”
A24
Ongoing/expanding (Grosses over $50,000)
Lady Bird (A24) Week 3
$2,530,000 in 238 theaters (+201); Cumulative: $4,702,000
Greta Gerwig’s coming of age quasi-memoir continues to lead among fall releases at this stage, with a per-theater average in its third weekend similar to “The Big Sick,” the year’s biggest specialized success thus far. With much more competition this time of year, that’s even more impressive.
Loving Vincent (Good Deed) Week 9
$393,248 in 212 theaters (-6); Cumulative: $4,631,000
The sleeper of the season continues to show strength as the animated Van Gogh biography is still strong more than two months into its run.
The Florida Project (A24) Week 7
$326,325 in 217 theaters (-12); Cumulative: $4,333,000
Sean Baker’s well-received film about a lively six-year-old girl in Orlando continues to add to its decent returns late in its run.
Victoria & Abdul (Focus) Week 9
$219,000 in 257 theaters (-380); Cumulative: $21,670,000
Stephen Frears’ latest effort with Judi Dench holds on to add more gross to its fall-release leading total.
“The Killing of a Sacred Deer”
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (A24) Week 5
$190,467 in 190 theaters (-48); Cumulative: $1,958,000
Yorgos Lathimos’ follow up to his surprise success “The Lobster” looks like it will end up around $2.5 million in domestic totals after his earlier film took in over $9 million.
My Friend Dahmer (FilmRise) Week 3
$165,000 in 75 theaters (+30); Cumulative: $485,675
This sleeper graphic novel adaptation about the serial killer continues to expand and show interest as it reaches a broader audience.
Marshall (Open Road) Week 6
$136,306 in 275 theaters (-326); Cumulative: $8,759,000
Reginald Hudlin’s biopic of the early career of Thurgood Marshall holds on in some theaters after a wider run as it heads to a $9 million+ total result.
Jane (Abramorama/National Geographic) Week 5
$119,161 in 84 theaters (-12); Cumulative: $1,017,000
New footage from primate research Jane Goodall has resulted in one of the few documentaries this year to pass the $1 million theatrical mark.
Last Flag Flying (Lionsgate) Week 3
$115,000 in 59 theaters (+27); Cumulative: $404,651
Richard Linklater’s latest, an Amazon Studios presentation, continues to struggle as it expands to more cities.
“The Square”
The Square (Magnolia) Week 4
$(est.) 90,000 in 51 theaters (no change); Cumulative: $(est.) 613,000
Sweden’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner continues to do better than most subtitled films at the moment as it continues its limited big city run — and Danish discovery Claes Bang has been cast as the villain in the next “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” installment.
LBJ (Electric) Week 3
$(est.) 90,000 in 135 theaters (-533); Cumulative: $(est.) $3,359,000
A big drop in theaters for this biopic of Lyndon Johnson as it quickly winds down after Rob Reiner’s film received mostly disinterest in a competitive time period.
Novitiate (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 4
$62,329 in 61 theaters (+32); Cumulative: $253,185
This 1960s nun in training against the backdrop of change in the church story continues to attract minor interest as it slowly expands.
Wonderstruck (Roadside Attractions) Week 5
$57,265 in 114 theaters (-147); Cumulative: $977,988
Todd Haynes’ childhood fantasy will struggle to get much above $1 million despite strong reviews for this Amazon film.
Also noted:
1945 (Menemsha) – $22,462 in 3 theaters; Cumulative: $87,457
Faces Places (Cohen) – $20,459 in 14 theaters; Cumulative: $464,465
Wind River (Weinstein) – $13,378 in 16 theaters; Cumulative: $33,783,000
BPM (Beats Per Minute) (The Orchard) – $9,933 in 20 theaters; Cumulative: $75,061
Tom of Finland (Kino Lorber) – $6,500 in 6 theaters; Cumulative: $181,505
Source: IndieWire film
November 19, 2017
Guillermo del Toro: ‘Antiques Roadshow’ Almost Kept Me from Pitching ‘The Shape of Water’ Star Sally Hawkins
Guillermo del Toro owes two famous friends and 14 tequila shots for his serendipitous introduction to Sally Hawkins, star of his Golden Lion–winning Oscar contender, “The Shape of Water.” On January 12, 2014, he received a call from from fellow Mexican directors Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro González Iñárritu, who instructed him, “‘Dude, come over to the Golden Globes party’”; Cuarón had won the evening’s Best Director statuette for “Gravity.” At Vulture Festival this weekend, del Toro recalled his reply: “I’m not going. I’m watching ‘Antiques Roadshow.’”
But they were insistent, and sent a car to retrieve him from his home in Angoura Hills, California. “Because I’m fat, my body mass requires enormous amounts of alcohol,” del Toro explained to the audience at The Hollywood Roosevelt, seated next to his six-time collaborator, actor Doug Jones. “And I get sober super fast, and I don’t get hungover. So I recommend you all get fat.”
The aforementioned shots left him “a little buzzed.” “I go, ‘Okay guys, let’s catch up,’ and they say, ‘We changed our mind[s], we’re not going to drink,’” cueing del Toro’s exit. As he neared the door, however, he spotted Hawkins, a nominee that night for “Blue Jasmine,” whose agent he’d already contacted about another role. “‘Sally! Guillermo!’ and I hug her and I go, ‘I’m writing a movie for you, will you fall in love with a fish man?’ And she says, ‘Great!’”
Cuarón declared the resulting film — which came in under budget, at $19.5 million — “amazingly sublime,” and del Toro says it’s among the most personal of his 10 features. “Three movies in my life have come to me at really, really, really low points in my life, and they have saved my — I wouldn’t say sanity — but my life, really,” he said.
First, “The Devil’s Backbone” (2001) provided solace following “a catastrophic experience with ‘Mimic,’ at Miramax/Dimension, which is still the worst experience I’ve ever had.” Five years later, he said the idea for “Pan’s Labyrinth” arrived when he was “questioning many, many things,” including “what we do, what we leave behind, [and] who we are.” The film won three Oscars.
Read More: ‘The Shape of Water’ Review: Guillermo del Toro’s Lush Fairy Tale Is a Powerful Vision of Love
Del Toro, 53, was feeling “great darkness” when he though up “The Shape of Water” — a Cold War–era romance between a mute janitor (Hawkins) and a creature imprisoned inside the lab where she works (Jones), often referred to as “the asset” (credited as “Amphibian Man”). “A mentor in Mexico — one of the filmmakers I admire the most — he saw it and he said, ‘You’ve finally exhaled,’” revealed del Toro, who will take a directing hiatus through September 2018.
“This movie is a healing movie for me…For nine movies I rephrased the fears of my childhood, the dreams of my childhood, and this is the first time I speak as an adult, about something that worries me as an adult. I speak about trust, otherness, sex, love, where we’re going. These are not concerns that I had when I was nine or seven.”
“The Shape of Water” opens in New York on December 1 before expanding to additional cities.
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Source: IndieWire film
November 19, 2017
Harvey Weinstein Had a ‘Secret Hitlist’ of 91 Names to Prevent From Speaking Out About Him — Report
Harvey Weinstein’s career may be over, but the fallout from his scandal is just beginning. The disgraced former mogul’s story has become even stranger and more dispiriting with the Guardian‘s revelation of a what it calls “a secret hitlist of almost 100 prominent individuals targeted by Harvey Weinstein in an extraordinary attempt to discover what they knew about sexual misconduct claims against him and whether they were intending to go public.”
91 actors, publicists, producers, financiers and other members of the film industry populate said list, which was reportedly compiled so that Weinstein could formulate a plan to keep his accusers from making their claims public. It was not successful.
Rose McGowan is on the list, as are fellow accusers Laura Madden, Sophie Dix, and Annabella Sciorra; curiously, the Guardian points out, Brett Ratner’s name appears as well. The majority of people are from either New York or Los Angeles, though several Londoners are also listed.
85 names were initially compiled, with the final six (including Sciorra) having been added in August. More than 50 (including McGowan, Dix, and Madden) were colored red to show that they were high priorities, and “distributed to a team hired by the film producer to suppress claims that he had sexually harassed or assaulted numerous women.” Read the full report here.
Source: IndieWire film
November 17, 2017
SXSWorld Magazine Online: Explore In-Depth Coverage of SXSW
Introducing the new SXSWorld® magazine online! Take an in-depth look into the interactive, film, and music industries while also breaking down all things SXSW.
SXSWorld is your portal to photos, stories, programming highlights, and in-depth coverage of the SXSW Conference & Festivals. Five issues are digitally published each year, with three print issues made available to SXSW registrants.
Explore November Issue highlights below and get to know this essential SXSW resource in its brand new online format today!
Exclusive Interviews from 2018 Keynotes
Keynote speakers embody the DIY spirit, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial drive that SXSW uniquely cultivates. Learn more about two of the 2018 Keynotes, Esther Perel (Interactive Keynote) and whurley (Convergence Keynote), from their exclusive interviews in SXSWorld.
Psychotherapist and best-selling author Esther Perel discusses how romantic and working relationships aren’t so different in “Measuring Our Erotic Intelligence.” whurley, technology entrepreneur and quantum computing expert, examines quantum technology and the next digital revolution in “Is Computing Headed for Quantum Supremacy?” in this SXSWorld issue.
SXSW Alumni Stories
Take an in-depth look at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival screening of The Disaster Artist directed by and starring James Franco as well as an interactive timeline celebrating 25 years of SXSW Film. Then dive into the world of gene editing and CRISPRs with 2017 SXSW Interactive Keynote Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D, professor of molecular and cell biology and chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley.
Browse through the latest November Issue for extensive write-ups on 2018 Speakers including Cleo Wade, Savan Kotecha, Theaster Gates, Janet Echelman, and more.
Stay up to date with SXSWorld magazine to curb your SXSW appetite until 2018 kicks off… only 112 days away and counting!
Read the SXSWorld November Issue
Interested in SXSWorld advertising or other marketing opportunities at SXSW? Contact a SXSW representative for more information.
Join us for unparalleled discovery, networking, and inspiration at the 2018 SXSW Conference & Festivals in Austin, Texas from March 9-18. Sign up to receive the latest announcements, tips, networking invitations and more.
The post SXSWorld Magazine Online: Explore In-Depth Coverage of SXSW appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Film
November 17, 2017
What is B2B video storytelling?
We all know how powerful video is as a content medium for storytelling, education and entertainment. Few will argue that it’s the next best thing to being there in person and the medium of choice for connecting with audiences online, sharing new ideas, or simply making someone laugh. While we often associate online video with our personal lives and B2C brand marketing, it’s quickly becoming the secret weapon of full-funnel B2B marketing.
A research report published by Demand Metric in October 2017 showed the average B2B company is now producing more than 30 videos per year (up over 30% from 2016) and that more than 90% of them create at least some of that content in-house. The surging use of video in B2B is being fueled by its proven effectiveness at various stages of the buying journey. In fact, more than 70% of B2B marketers in that same report indicates that video converts better than other content types.
Video Goes Full-Funnel in B2B
While brand and social media videos remain important in B2B, more and more content is being created to support product marketing, content marketing, demand generation, digital marketing, SEO and sales enablement. Think product explainers, customer stories, engaging content campaigns, video advertisements, instructional how-to videos and more. Refer to the 12 Types of Videos for the B2B Customer Lifecycle (or VSI’s 16 Video Storytelling Types – part 1 and part 2) to understand the expanding role of video in B2B marketing. What’s interesting about this evolution is that it lowers the bar on production quality while raising the bar on the need to have a strong message, high-value content and a great story. Video content creation is quickly becoming democratized but most B2B marketers are still figuring out how to use it in a way that effectively leverages the innate qualities of video and its ability to tell a richer, more emotionally charged story that can drive action.
Using Humor at the Top of the Funnel
One of the most important trends in top-of-funnel B2B marketing is the shift from “speeds and feeds” to storytelling and customer engagement. Brands in every industry are now grappling with how to connect with audiences in a more emotional and personal way, and storytelling via video can be the best way to do this. In B2B, we often see that humor can work well to create a more engaging narrative and to build a more human connection with potential buyers. While many B2B companies still have a cultural barrier to overcome when it comes to using humor, those doing it right have seen some amazing results. Take Lenovo’s B2B marketing team as a great example. In additional to the typical product-centric videos and campaigns they launched for their rugged laptops, they produced an unexpected video series called “Users Happen” that pokes fun at individuals within larger enterprises that often have ‘challenges’ with keeping their devices in one piece:
The series was a big hit within their core target audience and not only garnered a massive number of views, it helped their demand team accelerate lead generation and pipeline development. And with the final video in the series, the IT Anthem (a parody rap video), they took it one step further and sent out a personalized version that incorporated each viewer’s own name and company name directly into the video. By personalizing the experience and using video in a creative way, they increased their click-through and engagement rates by more than 300%. Lenovo saw similar results with a personalized “Happy Holidays” video as well.
Educating Prospects Through the Buyer’s Journey
Once audiences are engaged with a B2B brand, content marketing and nurture streams take over to help educate potential buyers and move them closer to a sales conversation. Most B2B companies are now investing in thought leadership content to help educate buyers and to make them better equipped to make a buying decision. How-to videos, thought leadership interviews, whiteboard videos and Chalk Talks have become simple, inexpensive ways to fuel audience education in a way that more’s more engaging, more informative and more personal than traditional text-based content. One great example of how my own team has embraced this idea is with our video marketing Chalk Talks series. Every week, someone gets in front of a camera with a chalkboard behind them to discuss a very specific topic, best practice or set of tips.
Each video is roughly 7 minutes in length and we share them on our blog, social media, resource center and customer community. The mix of visual cues and a human narrative have made these videos a staple of our content marketing program and the feedback we get from our audience has been overwhelmingly positive. For a bit more inspiration, check out our Chalk Talks video hub to see what kind of content we’ve created.
Facts Tell but Stories Sell
You all know the old adage that facts tell but stories sell. So why don’t more B2B organizations equip their sales teams with killer stories to help build trust, empathy and an urgency to buy amongst their prospects? Video-based customer stories can play a key role late in the buying cycle, helping potential customers see real stories from real people that have seen both personal and business success. Customer stories can be inexpensive to film but can be a great tool for sales teams. Here are two customer stories that our own team recently created that are helping our sales teams progress opportunities. The first is a higher quality production where our producer went onsite and built a grander narrative around their challenges:
The second, which I personally think is pretty amazing, is one that we created by simply asking our customer to get multiple users on camera answering a few simple questions. They captured all of these videos using a free Chrome plugin, shared with us via Box, and we did some basic editing to stitch it together. Simple, but extremely effective and carries the feel of being 100% authentic:
Fast Forward
Video is already here for B2B marketers, but most still struggle with how to use it effectively, how to scale their production without breaking their budgets, and how to adapt their approach to content to truly embrace video and strategic storytelling. But the answers to these are all out there, it just requires that one keen practitioner or executive to disrupt the status quo of “how things are done” and to look ahead at where video can take them.
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Source: Visual Storytelling
November 16, 2017
Creative Ways to Use the StoryCorps App
If you’re a frequent listener, you know what to expect from a StoryCorps interview — two people, usually family members or close friends, come together for a conversation, which is recorded and preserved for future generations. But what if the person you want to record, or the story that you want to share, for your StoryCorps interview sits outside of this format?
At the heart of StoryCorps is our mission: “Listen. Honor. Share.” The StoryCorps App, launched in 2015, allows users to spread this mission and stretch the limits of what a traditional StoryCorps interview might allow. The accessibility of the app gives way to boundless creative freedom and the opportunity to experiment with, and innovate, the culture of listening. Participants are able to preserve their recording on the StoryCorps Archive, where it will live amongst a rapidly growing collection of diverse voices from across the country.
Looking for inspiration? We’ve compiled a list of ways for you to record and share your story — no matter how unconventional it is — with the StoryCorps universe.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING LISTEN
StoryCorps’ The Great Thanksgiving Listen is a national movement that encourages young people — and people of all ages — to contribute to the oral history of our country by recording an interview with an elder during Thanksgiving using the StoryCorps App. Add some spice to your family’s meal this year and participate by interviewing a family member. Or, if you would rather participate with your chosen family, record during a Friendsgiving get-together.
SPECIAL EVENTS
The classic wedding video is a long-standing tradition, but the StoryCorps App can help launch your event into the 21st century — and you don’t have to pay for a videographer. On the big day, record salutations for the newlyweds (and embarrassing stories, of course). Create a digital keepsake of a bar or bat mitzvah, graduation party, or quinceañera by asking guests to download the app and record congratulatory messages.
Take inspiration from fellow StoryCorps participants who have used the app to commemorate family reunions, holidays, and birthday parties. Get to know someone besides your favorite cousin (it’s okay, we all have one) by asking guests to write their names on a piece of paper. Place all of the papers in a bowl, and each person can pick out somebody’s name to interview.
RECIPES AND FAMILY TRADITIONS
For so many families, beloved recipes are passed down through generations and countless memories are shared over meals. Next time you visit your Grandmother for her famous matzoh ball soup, or Dad makes your favorite lasagna, take out your phone and record the cooking process. The recording can serve as not only an heirloom, but a cure for homesickness if you ever feel like being transported back to the family kitchen.
END OF LIFE AND REMEMBRANCE
You may be familiar with StoryCorps’ Legacy Project, which partners with hospitals and hospices to provide people with serious illnesses the opportunity record and preserve their stories. If you have a loved one nearing end of life, record a conversation between the two of you with the app and preserve their voice for generations to come.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND AWARENESS
The StoryCorps App offers numerous ways to raise awareness. You can record and share stories to garner attention for smaller-scale, local projects. If your community was affected by a natural disaster or any other type of tragedy, collect interviews from victims. Personal stories can be a powerful tool to mobilize others to help or offer relief donations.
HOW WILL YOU SHARE YOUR STORY?
Browse the StoryCorps Archive for more ideas, and take a look at our user guides for tips and resources on how to enhance your recording. Or, if you’re already feeling inspired, download the StoryCorps App and record your story today!
Source: SNPR Story Corps
November 16, 2017
25 Years of SXSW Film Festival – Destin Daniel Cretton
To commemorate the 25th edition of the SXSW Film Festival, we continue our weekly alumni spotlight on careers launched, artists discovered, powerful performances, and more with filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton.
Destin Daniel Cretton’s feature, Short Term 12 is based on the award-winning short of the same name. The film premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in 2013 and received critical acclaim for its raw and emotional subject matter and standout performances, particularly from then newcomer Brie Larson. Short Term 12 went on to win the Jury Award and Audience Award for Narrative Feature Competition. Earlier this year, Cretton re-teamed with Larson for the adaptation of The Glass Castle, based on the memoir by Jeannette Walls.
We are happy to share his #SXSWFilm25 story with you.
“I am forever grateful to SXSW for seeing the heart of our little movie and believing that audiences would connect with it. I remember watching our first screening at the Alamo Drafthouse on a Sunday morning, just after the daylight savings switch-over. Everyone was hung-over from the night before, and I had convinced myself they’d all hate the movie. But sitting in that theater alongside Brie Larson, John G Jr., Keith Stanfield, Rami Malek and the rest of our team was one of the most moving experiences of my life. I’ve never felt so connected to an audience before. Without this festival, I honestly don’t know if Short Term 12 would have seen the light of day. We owe you all so much for believing in us.”
Stay tuned to SXSW News each week for more 25th edition stories.
Join Us For SXSW 2018
Grab your Film Badge today for primary access to all SXSW Film events including world premieres, roundtables, workshops, and parties. Register to attend by Friday, November 17 and save. Book your hotel through SXSW Housing & Travel for the best available rates. Stay tuned for the 2018 SXSW Film Festival lineup which will be announced in January.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SXSW News for the latest SXSW coverage, announcements, and updates.
See you in March!
Rick Kern/Getty Images for SXSW
The post 25 Years of SXSW Film Festival – Destin Daniel Cretton appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Film