I Heart U Trista Styles

Hey Folks,

So I just received a tag on facebook. I have a defense mechanism, typically I'll get a tag, click a link and go "great now I'm gonna get stupid notifications everytime someone responds to this"

Today I sat laughing to myself.

This was the best tag ever. For those of you that can't see the link. It looks like this:

If you're unfamiliar with Trista, she's a one time vlogger that just returned to vlogging. She doesn't do it often, or at least not often enough as far as I'm concerned but I enjoy watching her.

Stay Strong,

-SamProof

PS - for the record, this is the 2nd LA Fiesta teams Mural wall. Which is why I thought it was even funnier. Our Mural wall should be completed tomorrow at 7753 Melrose Avenue. Jen and I will be there, come join us!

Web Sponsorship and scams

Hey Folks,

So I've come to realize that I need a marketing guy, or business partner to handle business type things.

In my efforts to turn Video Fight Club in to something bigger I've reached out to a few "Web networks", Revision3, DailyMotion, etc...

I recieved an email response almost immediately from one of, what I'm going to call one of the smaller of these types of "companies" I use the word loosely.

And in it they quoted me a price of 500 dollars. Not money I would see, but a price per episode to have my material played on their "network" (again I use this term loosely). They also asked for a commitment of 4 episodes.

Here's the email snippet:



I like that they cover the cost to "distribute to iTunes" I know it would really put me out to upload that all by myself (oh wait, Blip.tv automatically syndicates my content to iTunes!)

I get it - they've got an actual studio with big fancy equipment to pay for.

But this isn't how things work.

And further more (and yes I know this particular "company" is on more then just stickam... but) this week my 1 hour show got more views then all their programming for the week on stickam?!

What this tells me is, apparently I could be making more money then I thought (which is roughly .17 cents a day - thank youtube!)

So anyone want to sponsor a one hour webshow? I'll do a "this clip brought to you buy" type of dealie... eat/drink/wear your product... whatever. Let's talk!

Stay Strong,

-SamProof

Romanticism of the Struggling Artist

Hey Folks,

There's this notion.

I don't know if this is world wide, or if it's an American thing, or even if it's just a Hollywood that's been highly ingrained in society.

It's the whole Romanticism of the Struggling Artist.

I'm over it.

And further more I don't think it's necessary.

Now maybe the fact that, I've basically been the epitamy of the struggling artist for the last 20 years makes me a hypocrite - or an expert. I don't know.

But there's the thing, does suffering make you a better artist, or just a depressed artist?

I've easily done just as much good quality work when I was happy and motivated as when I was starving and depressed. Hell Maybe I've done even more because I don't have to friggen stress about how I'm going to pay my rent.

Do you really care if you're artists have struggled? If they've forgone medical exams in lieu of breakfast cereal? If they've had their heart broken and live a life of solitude? if they've stuck there head in the oven more often then a turkey pot pie?

You wouldn't want to spend an extended amount of time with such a person...

So why does this validate them more then the person who just loves what they do and makes a living doing it?

I think there's some cross over with the feeling that people are 'selling out'.

Our artists can't be so successful that all the world loves them, or they're no longer "our artist" - so clearly if everyone likes them, they've sold out.

Tell me you would give your left nut for some big corporation to say "We like what you do, we want to give you 20,000 dollars".

Can we stop judging people on ancillary actions, and just judge them for their vision and skill?

Can we cheer people on for their success and not belittle them for doing what we haven't?

Does it even matter after you've paid your dues for 20 years, to try and change people's minds now?

Stay Strong,

-SamProof

Get Ready to Get Gone.

Hey Folks,

This is my novel. This is Gone.

I've been talking about it here and there for 3 years now. And in the meantime it's been sitting there gathering dust.

I grew up in a time before the complete internet saturation that we have now. In my youth people had dreams like being a Blockbuster celebrity, a Super Model, a Best Selling Author. Something that the globe would respect.

I've always held to the dream that I would be a Steven King, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams. That I would have a shelf in Borders and Barns & Nobels right next to Annie Proulx or whatever smaller flavor of the month has snuck on to the spot.

So when POD and Self Publishing options became readily available on the internet I shunned them (a lot).

As the internet has taken over the idea of Niche Celebrity has become prominent.

And I'm sitting here wondering what's worse? Not seeing my childhood dream taken to completion, or having my book not even be read by a single person.

I think the fear one might have of the former, is that this is their only shot.
That if they put it out there and it's not instantly a giant success, then they've failed.

I know that 'Gone' will not be the end of my attempts, will not be the last book I write or put out there. So if it fails, if it doesn't become an over night sensation, I'll live through it.

So What Happens Now?

Now, I put it out there.

I'm giving myself one month to get my shit together. To research the different POD companies, the Self publishers, send query letters out to small publishers, literary agents, anyone... and then I make a choice and go forward with publishing Gone .

As my friends

I ask that you hold me to it.

We all know I'm as ADD as the next guy and tomorrow something shiny will distract me.

But this is the biggest dream I have, get my book on the shelves, and this is the first step.

• So ask me how things are going.
• Tweet me links to POD sites
• Post blogs about my efforts
• encourage me, cheer me on, be a part of this journey with me.
• tell me what you want to see while I'm doing this

Just writing this, I get that shiver in my spine and a pulse in my eyes.

I know this is what I must do, I know the outcome I want.
It's just finding the path to that place that I'm lost on.
So Now I'm going as far in to the woods as I can, because that's the only way to find your way out.

Stay Strong,

-SamProof

A Blog about Blogs

Hey Folks,

So for starters I'm just here making a list of things I want to blog about!

• Olga Kay party
• Fiesta Mural
• Gone
• Podpocalypse - Pod Bod
• Fight Club
  

I have so many thoughts in a day, I could probably sit here blogging from dusk till dawn and back again. So I'm actually gonna see what I can do along those lines.

I think the more things I straight out, put out there the more accountable I'll hold myself. So above are a list of things I'm going to blog about, asap!

What to blog about first!? what do you think?

Stay Strong,

-SamProof

The Price of Success

Hey Folks,

So I'm sitting here procrastinating on cutting one of two videos I have imported, that I need to finish... so naturally instead I'm blogging. (here & on podpocalypse.com)

Here's the problem, it's not the procrastination.

It's not the 5 posts I put up that got only a handful of views.

The problem is stuff like this : 5 Epic Things – Dramatic Photographs

Out of nowhere it suddenly jumps from 20 views to 200.
And now I'm stuck hitting the refresh button watching as ever 20 seconds or so it jumps again.

And then it slows at 212 and you're wondering "Why did that get so many more views, then the obligatory post with a hot chick(NSFW) in it!" and then you're stuck thinking "why the hell did it only get that many views!?"

Oh wait it just got another one. Ok, it's not dead in the water yet.

But see here's the rub, success on the web becomes instant obsession. I'll sit here not editing for hours cycling through tabs and hitting the refresh button on the stats window as I come back to it.

I think I need an app that reads out my wordpress stats every 5 seconds. Then maybe I'd stop looking at it and actually come close to getting stuff done.

Stay Strong,

-SamProof

My Secret Love Affair - Asian Princess Leia

Hey Folks,

So while I was researching some things for a new column on Podpocalypse, I found out something about myself.

I didn't go out looking to explore any internal struggles.

I wasn't being anti social and introspective.

I wasn't even looking for porn.

But then I found it and I learned something very special. And you know what, I don't care if anybody knows.

I Love you Asian Princess Leia

Stay Strong,

-SamProof

I dun Broke Bad - my breaking bad mugshot

Hey Folks,




Stay Strong,

-SamProof

My 3 Goals for 2010

Hey Folks,

A while back I was tagged by my favorite Dane @JulieOfSuburbia To do my top ten list of things I wanted to do in 2010.

Click the pic for the list

It's only 3 months in and I'm re evaluating the list. A lot of the things have been nipped and tucked. Some of the names have changed to protect the innocent and interestingly enough something haven't changed at all.

For starters #1 - Produce my 8 episode web series Hat Trick (this link does nothing yet)

I'm not going to go over the whole list and it's nips and tucks.

I'm narrowing my focus to 3 things

Not that I don't plan to do the other things. But sometimes You need to tell yourself to focus

From now on, beyond all the Fiestamovement stuff I do and talk about - my main goals are this:

1) Expand on Video Fight Club
2) Produce the Webseries Hat Trick
3) Publish my Novel 'Gone'

I've rallied against POD/Self Publishing in the past, and now I'm going to throw everything I've said out the window and see if I can make it work.

I'll be exploring companies with a new eye, picking one very soon and publishing my book.

I plan to also provide a version to download to Kindle, etc.

I hope as my friends and followers you'll take a chance on my novel - I've had some amazing feedback on it already. But you're the ones that are going to help me make the jump from Self Publish to National Distribution on Bookstore shelves.

I made this video way too long ago, and lost my momentum. I'm back baby!



Stay Strong,

-SamProof

My Eyes Are Opened

Hey Folks,

I really hope this doesn't come off pompous, but I've suddenly become very aware of my own potential.

You know all those High School reports that said you weren't living up to your potential? I always thought those were BS lies, something they had to say. Like a father has to tell his daughter she's a beautiful princess, or tell his son he could be president.

It's all just a habitual lie we've learned to tell.

And not to doubt my own abilities, I've always know I had my own one man creative abilities. I've always had a "if you want something done right you've got to do it yourself" kind of attitude, which is why I've learned to do just about everything.

But now, with a focus (and let's not lie, a decent budget and the Ford name) behind me - I've come to see just how many things I could have been doing.

I think I want to create myself a new title 'Social Media Cross Promotion King' (still not pompous, right? sweet.)

I'd go in to details about this, but until I have things completed I'm going to fall back on my superstition of not jinxing things and keep quiet on the details.

But oh man - cool things are coming!

Stay Strong,

-SamProof

Music Monday Top 5 March 8th - Anthems

Hey Folks,

Anthems have always been reserved for countries and schools, establishments and such. But there are those songs that you pull every now and then because some phase of your life is changing, or changed, coming to an end or a new begining.

These are my anthems

5) Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot
Why: I pull this song up every time I just need to get my day going, kick myself in the pants. It's a motivator and a great song


4) Gray Matter - Head
Why:I don't know how this came to be, but this is my audition song. the night Before, or that last thing I do before bolting out the door to an audition is listen to this song.


3) Pegboy - Strong Reaction
Why: Similar to the previous two songs, or almost a combination therein possibly. This song is my fist pumping, get me out the door song.


2) The Damned - New Rose
Why: New Rose comes out when I'm done sulking about past relationships and I'm ready for further punishment from the female species. I almost have to wonder if looking it up for this list, in itself isn't a sign of it's timely arrival to something new... ladies? hmmm


1) Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising
Why: When all else fail, when the ships have been turned over and the skies have gone gray - There is this title track from one of my all time favorite punk bands. New Day Rising is a bullet of adrenaline shot strait in to your heart and there is no room for anything left in it's wake. It's go time.

So, what are you Anthems for different phases in your life?

Stay Strong,

-SamProof