Yes, it’s Christmas in February as far as I’m concerned!  Merry Oscar Day!  I do love this ceremony for better and for worse.  The gorgeous and outrageous gowns, the painful musical numbers, the lame jokes, the annoying acceptance speeches.  Count. Me. In.  Because among the self-congratulatory silliness are those moments where you get to watch a deserving artiste receive some recognition for a job well done.

Hooray for the Unexpected Winner!

I know I’ve been a bit remiss in my blog entries of late, and I promise to improve over the next few weeks, but I’m still going to keep this one short.  I have a party to prepare for after all!  Now that I’ve seen all ten Best Picture nominees, I thought I’d offer up my rankings along with the reasons why I’ve ranked them as such – I know you’re on the edge of your seat!  I do want to stress that I was impressed with all of these films for varying reasons.  But, of course, there can only be one number one, right?  Here goes:

10) 127 HOURS -Kudos to Danny Boyle and James Franco for making a captivating film that’s basically about one character trapped in one location.  Like Aronofsky, I think that Boyle is one of our most exciting film directors working today.

9) THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT – And this film is all right! (I mean that in a good way.)  The writing is solid and the performances are nuanced and lived in.  I was sympathetic to the impossibly sexy Mark Ruffalo to the very end, though, and I don’t think that was the film’s intention.  Still, it’s another excellent example of the power and possibility of indie cinema.

8) THE SOCIAL NETWORK – Yes, I know it’s hit the top of many people’s lists.  And I get it – it’s well-directed, well-written, and the story is pretty darn fascinating.  But it lacked an emotional core for me, so I can’t even put it in my top five.  I think Fincher is an incredible director, though – I loved “The Game” and I can’t wait to see what he does with the American version of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”

7) INCEPTION – Granted, I had many mixed feelings about this one.  It was convoluted in parts and confusing throughout.  But it’s a well-crafted piece of confusing eye candy and I admire it for its workmanship. (Okay, okay, LEO helps, too!)  The fact is, I know if I were channel surfing and landed on INCEPTION, I’d probably watch it again.

6) THE FIGHTER – I’m a bit partial to this one because it takes place near where my Dad grew up, so I recognized many of the character types in this film.  But it’s still a highly entertaining, interesting story and Christian Bale’s performance is a standout.

5) TOY STORY 3 – Damn, those Pixar people know how to tell a story!  And I was especially in awe of how many narrative plates were kept spinning to enable a strong emotional punch at the climax.  The visual cleverness was pretty inspiring, too.  Overall, this is a great template for how to write a script that keeps raising the stakes while giving us characters we genuinely care about.

4) THE KING’S SPEECH – Great writing and exceptional performances.  The type of intelligent, polished film the Academy loves.  And I do, too!

3) BLACK SWAN – By the time the final ballet performance was happening on screen, I felt something I haven’t experienced at a movie in a long time: EXHILARATION.  Well done, Darren.  And thanks for instigating a lively post-viewing discussion between me and the girls!

2) WINTER’S BONE – Hooray for indie cinema!  I have to give this exceptional film a high ranking because it was beautifully acted and beautifully told…and all for the bargain price of $2M.

1) TRUE GRIT – Meaningful.  Masterful.  It’s number one for me because it haunted me long after I saw it.  All Hail the Coen Brothers.

NEXT UP: Oscar Recap!

The week in Wisconsin has brought forth some unexpected events.  No, Bill Gates did not show up on the Brenner doorstep – checkbook in hand – ready to launch his next career as an Executive Producer of independent, Wisconsin-based films.  However, in Madison this week a passionate group of people braved the February Midwest winter to exercise their very precious freedom of speech.   Quickly, this group escalated into a full-fledeged mass. Hundreds became thousands became tens of thousands – all marching around the state capitol and taking up space in the building’s beautiful rotunda.  Perhaps you heard about this nationally recognized, even-Jesse-Jackson-showed-up-to-support-it demonstration?

Democracy: Cheesehead-Style!

Since the participants in this protest consisted primarily of the state’s public school teachers, the side-effect to these days of demonstrations were days of no school.  NO SCHOOL.  As I mentioned in my last post, the beloved nieces were already staying with Mom & Dad this week because their parents were on vacation.  But in addition to having a week-long sleep-over with the girls, Aunt Dee Dee found herself in the role of full-time playmate Wednesday through Friday.  Oy vey!

Aunt Dee Dee Doubtfire

Luckily, I still managed to get a modicum of work done thanks to a little game I came up with called “OFFICE” – ours was called “Rockstar Productions” and while the girls fielded phone calls from Lady GaGa and Beyonce, Aunt Dee Dee could sit at her laptop and take care of actual Deliberate business (while dealing with the occasional Justin Bieber call).

I'm partial to the Justin on the right...

Hey, I was just doing my part for democracy, right?

Fight the good fight, Wisconsin unions!  And WELCOME BACK, Alicia and Jeff!

NEXT UP: Lost in Translation – Book to Film

So I arrived back in Wisconsin today expecting a cascade of squeals and giggles from my nieces at my surprise Valentine’s Day arrival.  Well…while there was genuine surprise for approximately two seconds, it quickly shifted into my 9-year-old niece CeCe stating, “I got a basket today.”  She had just returned from a cutthroat basketball game and, clearly, *this* was the big news of the day (especially considering that she will never be the female equivalent of Michael Jordan due to her diminutive stature).  Aunt Dee Dee’s presence in Madison on Valentine’s Day was more of a given rather than a joy-inducing exception.  I’m not sure if I should be comforted or deflated.

Since my nieces are in elementary school they share Valentine’s cards with all of their classmates. Required expressions of affection that occur every February 14th, I guess. Yet, I find something really lovely in the idea of being asked to recognize your friends and peers on this particular day. What’s wrong with sharing a sentiment that might give someone that daily affirmation we all need from time to time…or 24/7?  CeCe’s third-grade class wrote out anonymous notes on a Valentine for each person in the class; the notes were to be positive statements about the recipient.

So in lieu of some new film reviews (which I will torture you with eventually), I thought I’d share some of the youthful insights offered up on CeCe’s pink, heart-shaped card. (Please keep in mind that I am translating these verbatim.  All cases of “your” instead of “you’re” are *not* my doing!)

Of course, her teacher kicked things off as the articulate cheerleader (the precise cursive handwriting was a dead giveaway that an adult wrote it):

You are beautiful inside and out.  You are smart, caring, and kind.  You are always cheerful and you add sunshine to our class.

As I delved into the less-neatly-written sentiments, it became apparent that my niece is a laugh riot:

You have a good sense of humor.

You make me laugh.

You make me laugh very hard.

Your very, very, very funny.

What you say is funny.

And there was the lone nod to her fashion sense:

I like your outfits.

Not to mention the sole note that reflected an unrequited affection:

We should hang out more.

And then there were the sentiments that did cause that warm, fuzzy, heart-melty feeling when I read them:

I like the way you help me with everything.

I always look forward to seeing you.  You’re fun to be with.

Your the best friend ever.

Your smile makes me smile.

CeCe is smart, cool and has a mind of her own.

You go girl! (Is that saying still “in”, by the way?)

Yet I love the fact that CeCe decided to add her own note to her own card (which she very specifically pointed out to me):

You brighten my day.

Well, I guess that’s all we can ask for when we stare into the mirror at the start of each morning.

Happy Heart Day, Everyone!

NEXT UP: Who cares?  It’s Valentine’s Day!  Go hug someone!

Lest you think my recent days in La-La land have been consumed with Oscar movies and driving Mr. JJ, I do want to assure my dear bloggy readers that work on the Deliberate front is still getting done.  In fact, I head back to Madison for more pavement pounding. (Albeit in insulated boots and faux-fur-lined gloves.  It’s February in Wisconsin, after all.)  Please don’t tell the nieces, though – I am their Valentine’s Day surprise.  The girls are staying with Mom and Dad while their Mom and Dad are off cavorting in the Bahamas!  (Have a fruity drink served in a pineapple for me, Alicia!  Happy Birthday!)

So, to summarize, I can look forward to a romantic February 14^th with my parents and my nieces.  Yeah…be jealous.

Uh huh

Speaking of exasperating calendar dates, I came face-to-face with another one when I met with my accountant today: the dreaded April 15th.  Now that I am a small business owner the days of zipping through my tax return online are over.  It was a good exercise to meet with the numbers man, though, because I’m learning how I need to categorize and file my expenditures in the future.  Is it fair to say that the flat-screen TV I purchased last summer when my other one conked out is an “office” expense?  Hey, I work in a home office, right?  And I need to be up on current films and TV programs if I’m going to build my media empire! (At least that’s what I tell myself when I tune into The Bachelor each week.  You have full permission to judge me.  I deserve your scorn.)

Could *this* explain why I'm spending Valentine's Day with my parents?

Seriously, though, of the money I’ve spent over the past nine months, the office expenses were the main costs incurred.  Here’s the categorical breakdown:

• Office (Computer, Supplies, Awesome TV set)      40%
• Legal (Stuart Markowitz et al)                                  24%
• Travel (Hello, America’s Dairyland!)                        15%
• Entertainment (Wining & Dining DLB-style)           13%
• Research (Seminars, Classes, Film Groups)            8%

(That all equals 100%, right?)

I realize this stuff may be yawn-inducing for some of you…okay, for most of you… but for those cinematic entrepreneurs looking to get into the indie film game I hope it’s even mildly useful information.

And I’ll be curious to see how Deliberate’s costs continue to spread out in the coming year.  Frankly, I’m hoping CFO John will up my entertainment budget. (Hey, it’s only top-shelf martinis for VP Babs!)

Go Goose or Go Home!

NEXT UP: I think there’s another movie review on the horizon.  And this one has sub-titles, so I’m really gonna have to pay attention!

As I settle into this life of self-employment, I’m getting a good sense of my overall work patterns.  Why is it my productivity level evaporates during the time period between 1:30 and 3:00 p.m.?  I think I would adjust to European life quite easily because the idea of a post-lunch “siesta” is totally appealing to me.  When can I open Deliberate’s Barcelona office?

My kinda place! (Especially after lunch...)

Last week ended up being a bit of a blur; hence this delinquent blog post.  Why did it end up feeling like a lost week?  Well…

Believe it or not, my dear condo is still on the market.  And I recently had another round of hope emerge in the form of an interested buyer.   Hooray! Unfortunately, that hope was soundly crushed last Monday when the “interest” turned to “no longer interested.”  Phooey!  I know it’s a tough housing market, but the false starts are a killer.  How many times do I need to envision boxing up my kitchen until I’m actually doing it? (Then again, do I really want to even think about packing away all of those precious martini glasses?)

Is there room for them all?

My ex was back in town for a final visit before he embarks on a European adventure for the next couple of months. (A BIG THANKS to VPs Barb and John for giving Mr. JJ a flat to crash in when he’s in London.)  Unfortunately, Mr. JJ forgot one important – no, make that CRITICAL – detail when planning his overseas travels: updating his passport.  So his visit with me became unexpectedly extended.  Which is why I found myself driving him to LA’s Federal Building on Friday morning. <SIGH>  I did get a pretty bouquet of flowers out of the deal, though.  (And I’m relieved to report that Mr. JJ and his new passport made it safely across the pond.)

Don't leave home without it!

However, I did have some welcome respites during the week.  I spent time with a couple of former colleagues, so it was nice catching up with them. (Don’t forget to check out Wendy & Lucy, JF!)  And I spent this past weekend in glorious Palm Springs with my eternally fun friend (and hostess with the mostest) DeeZee.

But I think what helped the week close on a SUPER high note was this…

CHEESEHEAD POWER!!!

Well done, Green Bay Packers!   You made America’s Dairyland proud!

NEXT UP: Deliberating over Deliberate’s Business

I have to say that for the first time in a long time I’m really excited about the Oscars this year.  Well, I should rephrase that.  I’m always excited for the Oscars – my friends and I joke that they represent the high holy days for the movie industry.  Of course, the Academy Awards don’t always live up to the pomp and circumstance.  Some hosts (Steve Martin, Jon Stewart) are better than others (David Letterman, Whoopi Goldberg).  But, I still get excited by the sheer Hollywoodness of it all.  Plus, I’ve been watching the ceremony with the same group of friends for over a decade.  Together we have experienced the highs (well done, surprise Best Actress Marion Cotillard!) and the lows (Titanic wins Best Picture over L.A. Confidential?!?) and no matter what, we always have a great time together. (The martinis probably help a little, too!)  And I don’t care what any jaded insider says – winning an Oscar is a pinnacle in this crazy industry.  I know I’ve rehearsed a speech or two in front of the bathroom mirror.  Lucy and Sophia also make a good captive audience.

This is what happens when I go over my allotted thirty seconds...

But I think the reason I’m particularly exited this year is because of the FILMS!  There are some incredible movies in competition this year.  Even with ten films nominated for Best Picture now, there isn’t one that has me incensed by its presence.  Woo hoo!  In other words, I don’t have to experience another AVATAR year! (Okay, okay, I know a bazillion people found that film amazing/life-changing/scrumtrulescent, but all I saw were oversized smurfs in a conventional, blandly-written, over-inflated story.)

High Tech Hanna-Barbera

Seriously though, I’m excited to see such a smart, diverse range of films in the running: True Grit, Black Swan, The Fighter, The King’s Speech, 127 Hours, etc.  WOW!  And thanks, Academy, for giving Winter’s Bone some well-deserved recognition!  Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor to name a few.  Bravo!  It’s the little indie that could!

So Many GOOD Choices!

I do have to also make mention of an Academy-nominated film I saw this weekend and one VP Babs praised in her recent guest post.  The film is Blue Valentine.   I admit that I’m a sucker for great acting and this film features some of the most genuine performances I’ve witnessed in a while.   I think John Cassavetes would be extremely impressed with what director/co-writer Derek Cianfrance drew out of actors Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams as a couple struggling to exist in the ennui of their marriage.  What a shame that Gosling didn’t get a Best Actor nod! (Sorry, Jesse Eisenberg, you did an effective job of playing an effective douchebag, but I’d readily switch out your name for Ryan’s).  But I can totally see why Williams blazed through to emerge as a Best Actress nominee.  She wears vulnerability so naturally and she tackles the complex role of the sensitive-yet-unsatisfied wife and mother with such ease.  Her performance is so nuanced and heartbreaking and lovely – I just wanted to reach into the screen and give her a big, comforting hug.  Like Adrien Brody and Marion Cotillard, I think Williams may be the dark horse winner on Oscar night.  And how very worthy she would be in receiving that handsome gold statue.

You've got my vote, sad lady!

NEXT UP: We’ll see where my life of leisure takes us…

First of all, I want to give a big thanks to Deliberate’s Vice-President of Marketing Barbara Durand for her excellent and informative guest blog entry.  Babs has been instrumental in helping me launch the company and also maintain my own sanity in the process.  I’ve been very lucky to have her as an adviser and sounding board, and I hope she continues to provide guest posts.  I appreciate the occasional blogging break and I always enjoy hearing about her very principled boycotts. (I’m with her on Target, but I can’t give up my Starbucks coffee – I don’t care how much it costs, Babs!)

Worth every inflated penny!

As I work on revising my latest script in my online screenwriting class, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to film openings.  The rule of thumb with screenwriting is that one page of script represents one minute of screen time.  When I applied to the Sundance Screenwriters’ lab with my script Aunt Molly’s Meltdown, the initial part of the application process required the first five pages of the screenplay.  It makes sense that Sundance would be curious about that first five minutes.  I sat down with my script’s opening and realized that I needed to rework it.  Those first five pages are what will hook in your audience…or not – and I wanted mine to be funny, dynamic, and memorable.  After all, I can usually figure out in the first five minutes of watching a film whether or not I’m on board with it.  And while I didn’t make it into the Sundance lab, I did make it past that first round with my five pages.  Of course, every page matters when telling a story, but those first five are especially critical.  Can that first impression keep the audience leaning forward?

Do we have your attention?

Sometimes film openings are not all they promise to be.  But I have witnessed a couple of clever openings that managed to hook me in even if they didn’t deliver on their initial promises.  The American starring George Clooney provided one such opening.  I will issue a SPOILER ALERT now so if you plan on watching the film and don’t want to know how it opens, you may want to stop reading this entry.  I have to say these were five cinematic minutes that made me gasp out loud in my living room.

The film begins in chilly, icy, snow-covered Sweden.  We cut to the inside of a cozy cabin where we find George and an attractive brunette lady.  Clearly the two have been keeping each other warm and toasty in this cabin, and they’re now enjoying the post-coital glow coming from the fireplace before them.

Don't get too attached

Then we cut to the bundled up couple trudging arm-in-arm through the barren, snowy landscape – they appear comfortable and happy as they walk together.  They come upon a set of footprints in the snow.  George immediately tenses up, on full alert.  The woman suggests that hunters may be in the area but as she studies the single tracks she observes that hunters usually travel in pairs.  Just then, GUNSHOTS ring out!  Bullets strike the ground around the couple.  George pulls out a gun – much to his companion’s surprise – and drags his ladyfriend behind a large rock for cover.  He returns the fire and after a few rounds back and forth, while the woman cowers in horror, George finally shoots the mysterious man who is trying to shoot him.  His ladyfriend, clearly in shock over these unexpected events, freaks out at the dead body now crumpled in the snow before them.  George commands her to return to the cabin and call the police.  She nods, slowly regaining her composure, and begins to leave.  And just then, as she heads away from George, he aims the gun at the back of her head AND SHOOTS HER!!!  WHAT THE WHAT?

It was such a blod, unexpected moment – and it also gives us a world of information about Clooney’s character.  This is not going to be the suave, smug George of Oceans Eleven, is it?

Serious George. No self-satisfied eye-twinkling allowed.

Alas, the rest of the movie didn’t live up to that first five minutes, but I admired the fact that it was a film opening that not only caught my attention – it demanded it.

NEXT UP: And the Oscar nomination goes to…

When I was invited to write a blog entry for Deliberate Productions, I had to think long and hard about what might be the right topic.  Deliberate is all about making movies so I thought I could give my review on recent films I’ve seen.  But is that what the loyal readers of this blog want to hear coming from a marketing professional?!  Probably not was my conclusion.

I’m going to tackle the topic of branding – probably a topic that most people don’t give a lot of thought to but one that plays a large role in decisions we make.  Having gone through a rebranding exercise with the last four companies I’ve worked for, I have a few thoughts on the topic.  But don’t worry – I will get back to those movies.

A brand is the identity of a specific product, service or business and can take many forms, including a name, sign, symbol, color combination or slogan.  There are some brands we know and love just by what appears to be a very simple symbol:

It’s amazing how some of these brands can shape our day-to-day activity.  I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a branding exercise for just about every company I’ve worked for.  In some cases, it was a somewhat “forced” rebranding as the company I worked for was acquired by another company but in every instance, everyone had an opinion about the brand.

Updating or changing a brand is not an easy exercise.  The company I’m working for is called Ixaris and we market our consumer brand under the name of EntroPay.  When I joined Ixaris, it was clear that the company was going through a transformation and changing the way in which they did business.  As a result, it was important to review our EntroPay brand to determine whether or not it could evolve with the company.  The answer was no. . .

Does this look a little dated to you?!

As we started our branding workshop, we found ourselves identifying the audience that will interact with our brand, what we want them to feel, the brand’s character, the brand’s personality and how exactly will our brand behave.  Once we had the answers to these questions, it was time to enlist the help of a design agency.  Enter. . .the amazin’ Hazen!  That’s right – Shawn Hazen.

After we armed Shawn with our branding brief, he worked long and hard on our new brand – and boy were we impressed!  Shawn came back with about ten different designs, all of which we loved, but the one that really struck a chord was this one:

Now *that's* a good lookin' logo!!!

We’re a technology company that builds payment applications so getting the brand right was a bit tricky.  What Shawn has done so well with this design is really capture that mix of capabilities.  He uses a vibrant, energetic orange, which really gets to the start-up, techie feel of our company.  And balancing that with a more corporate grey, caters perfectly to the financial services side of our business.  It was (and still is!) a brilliant design.

DeeDee and I have been fortunate enough to work with Shawn on creating the brand for Deliberate Productions.  We were somewhat vague in the direction we gave Shawn – we wanted red, we maybe wanted a play on the initials DLB (but all lower case!) and it had to convey the world of film.  We had a difficult decision to make because all the designs were so GREAT!  The one we chose really conveys all we were looking for and as a brand, definitely has staying power.

Given that Deliberate Productions is all about making movies, I thought I’d conclude my post on the topic of movies.  I’ve recently seen a handful of movies, all of which have the potential of appearing on Oscar’s list of Best Picture – The Social Network, The Kids Are All Right, Black Swan and The Kings Speech.  All great movies but the one that really stirred my emotions was “Blue Valentine.”

This movie is amazing – it’s not for everyone and it’s definitely not a “feel-good” movie but it is one of the most real films I’ve seen in a long time.  Let me rephrase that a bit – the performances by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling are the most real I’ve seen in a long time.  As a married couple struggling through their marriage, you really feel their love, pain and lost love.  They both deserve Oscars and in my mind, the film does as well.

Next up, if I’m invited back for another post, I’ll share my boycotts with you.  Oddly enough, most of them are with very familiar brands!

NEXT UP: It all depends on DLB’s mental state after the Packers-Bears game.

Now that I’m back in Los Angeles, I feel like this was my first official week of self-employment.  Luckily, Lucy and Sophia did remember me when I returned – I have some love scratches from Lucy to prove it! (Yeah, getting her nails trimmed after three-and-a-half weeks away was one of my first orders of business.)  It was also nice to come back to seventy-degree weather.  Thanks for the toasty temperatures, Southern California!  It’s refreshing to feel warmth again.

I LOVE LA...especially in January!

During these first few days of “freedom,” I can’t help but notice the differences between working at the studio and working from home, aside from the obvious ones like I can wear my pajamas all day now (although I haven’t done that…yet) and the fact that I do miss seeing my pals on a regular basis.

So here goes another one of my lists of not-so-deep observations:

1) It’s good to have pets.  Aside from the obvious reasons – unconditional love, they listen to me when I talk (well, at least my dog does), they’re readily available for snuggling – a major benefit is that they rely on me in the morning.  Meaning I have to get my butt out of bed so I can walk Lucy and feed them both.  Once I’m up, I’m up…which means I’m also ready to get to work. (After doing their bidding, of course.)

Would you mind doing some dishes while you're up there, Sophia?

2) I need to buy one of those Brita water pitchers.  I drink a lot of aqua during the day and I usually opt for the 24-bottle supply found at my local grocery store.  When I was at the studio, I’d simply use the nearby water cooler to refill my one bottle throughout the day.  Obviously, that is no longer an option for me.  And I need to reduce my carbon imprint anyway, right?

Welcome to my kitchen!

3) Directly related to #2, I am going to need to purchase more toilet paper.

4) I was wise to sign-up for another online screenwriting class.  I’ve mentioned the Gotham Writers’ Workshop before – it’s an organization based in New York City that offers online classes for those of us outside of Manhattan (and any lazy Manhattanites who don’t want to attend a live class).  I not only started a new class recently but I was in the first group to present work to the rest of my fellow writers, so on Tuesday I found myself deep in the zone of polishing my pages before submitting them.  It’s good to have the structure of deadlines and what a luxury it was to be able to devote a full weekday to writing!  I can definitely get used to this.  (Plus, the class is filled with some very smart, talented people who will keep me on my game.)

5) It’s fun to go to the movies in the middle of a weekday.  Yes, I felt a bit indulgent (especially since I was at Pasadena’s beautiful Arclight Cinema), but I figure films are my business now so it’s important…nay, dare I say critical?…that I do my research, correct?  Plus, I finally got to see True Grit, which was simply remarkable.  Masterful writing, exceptional performances, gorgeous imagery…all executed to a powerful, profound effect.  Those brothers sure know what they’re doing!

A Master Class in Filmmaking

NEXT UP: After much anticipation I give you: VP BABS!

Alas, VP Babs was stricken with a terrible cold, so we need to put off her guest blog post for the time being.  However, as another productive week comes to a close, I think it’s worth it to assess some of the lessons learned along the fundraising roadway.  Exec Producer Dad and I have talked with a number of people now and each meeting, while not necessarily bringing us a signed check, has brought us potential opportunities and useful information.  Doors may close, but windows do open.

A few tidbits of advice that we’ve gleaned from talking to potential investors (I realize many of these may have a “no duh!” factor, but I still think it’s worth repeating – especially to myself):

1) Have your investment talking points clearly outlined in your head so you can hit all of them during the course of conversation.  Of course, I think it’s important to bring them up a comfortable, natural way.  What you probably don’t want to say: “Mmmmm, this perch is really delicious…reminds me of a SpongeBob episode I just watched with my nieces.  Hey, speaking of that lovable sea creature, did I mention I worked at Nickelodeon for almost ten years and can put that experience towards my low-budget film and you’d be an absolute fool not to get in on the ground floor of this incredible investment opportunity?”  Yes, I try to have a little more finesse and actually listen to the potential investor rather than just barreling forward with my pitch.  Good conversation brings good advice and good will…and good will may reel in a future Executive Producer.

Don't try too hard!

2) When asking for money, focus not just on the investment structure that you’ve put in place, but the investment potential.  Yeah, that seems pretty basic, but I was amazed at the end of a meeting yesterday when the lovely woman with whom we were having lunch had to ask me what the potential profits might be.  <SIGH> Oh, Deirdre, if people are going to trust you with their hard-earned money they may actually want to know what’s in it for them beyond seeing their name on a movie screen some day.  Now I don’t think it’s advisable to promise another Paranormal Activity or My Big Fat Greek Money in terms of revenues, but you can mention that a strategic marketing and distribution plan can bring about a healthy return.  It helps to have some concrete examples to reference, too.

What was that, Mr. & Mrs. Investor? You were expecting some of *this* in return?

3) Don’t order soup. (EP Dad pointed this one out to me.)  As the salesperson, you’re still the one doing most of the talking and a cup of seafood chowder will only go cold.

I enjoyed those three spoonfuls!

4) Dads make good wingmen…especially MY DAD!

Won't he look great at the Oscars?

NEXT UP: Back in La-La Land!  Will Lucy and Sophia remember me?