Think Small

Hollywood pipeline

hollynorth.org

This one's for all the local creative folks in Vancouver, aka Hollywood North.  I've always been proud of working in a market that while small, punches ways above it's weight class globally within the advertising industry.  And I'm speaking about more than just my first.  And when you throw in digital heavy weights like EA, a global visual effects hub and one of the leading film, television and commercial production locations in the world, you end up with a seriously large creative class.

Though, while everyone is doing what they are doing the idea of cracking the big screenplay has crossed most minds but the love of fresh air, mountains and ocean keeps most from moving to L.A. to pitch their ideas. 

Well, some local heavyweights have started a website  which will grant access to the few and powerful in Hollywood who review screen plays.  Interestingly, this apparently more has to do with Hollywood's desperate need for fresh, distinct commercial material  rather than simply another great application of the web.   Though undoubtedly they are interconnected, but we needn't go there as to why.  You get it.

Anyways, go to hollynorth.org and make yourself famous/rich. 

Who says magazines are dead?

Things Magazine

How do you rebrand a city?

Apparently, the city of Vancouver rebranded themselves today.  That's right "rebranded." Seeing that headline I was looking forward to seeing a brand promise, a new spirit and mantality at city hall.  Maybe even some fun brandspeak on the envelope of my next property tax assessment notice.

Sadly, I read further and learned rebranding means we no longer do we live in a place GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District) but Metro Vancouver. 

That's it...

So you mean like just a renaming?

Yep, a new name on the business cards and letterhead.  Thats about it.

What's with all this fancy "branding" verbiage.  Kind of feels like an over promise.  Don't know why people insist on using these words that have such varied definitions and understandings.  Kind of the classic, five dollar word when a one dollar word would do.  But maybe that's just my mother's influence.

Ernest Earnest

I was once sent to a business writing course with a bunch of other colleagues.  It was alright but more or less felt like a mental vasectomy.  It was about something called "business writing."  Now being processional and courteous is all well and good.  But this course just seemed to find ways to such the soul out of every word we used.  Not such a good thing when you're in the inspiration business.  So, with my new mission in mind, it was a treat to come across this gem over on Copyblogger on Hemingway's four tips (five kind if you follow the link) for writing.

1. Use short sentences
2. Use short first paragraphs
3. Use vigorous English.
4. Be positive, not negative

Simple points, but hard practice.

And, to add to the list was Copyblogger's 5th tip

“I write one page of masterpiece to ninety one pages of shit,” Hemingway confided to F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1934. “I try to put the shit in the wastebasket.”

Words!

Continuing on the topic of good writing, here's a great spot from the Blue Blanc Rouge for the Montreal Gazette highlighting the importance of words.

One of the best Canadian spots thus far this year.