Today the press release went out. It was an attempt to get on the press radar early and as such, was short on some details that have yet to be finalized. I've been doing press releases for years, so I think I have a pretty solid handle on how to 'theme' such a missive for the effect that I'm looking for. Sometimes, however, the old saying 'no good deed goes unpunished' applies. Within a few hours of hitting the send button, the following email appeared in my inbox. My response can be found below.
Clint,
I read the notice for your 48 Guerrilla Film Competition (below) and I felt compelled respond.
1. Are you affiliated with the well-known 48 hour Film Project?
I hope you are because you are dangerously close to publicly plagiarizing their business model.
Maybe you have their blessing to copy them?
2. You don’t make it sound very appealing by using phrases such as:
“Teams are permitted little or no…”
“…hell week…”
“…punishing hours…”
I am familiar with the 48 hour Film Project and, yes, crews often work non-stop in their pursuit of their goal to create best film they can in 48 hours. They do it out of desire. Yours sounds more like one would be working under dictatorial rule (“Teams are permitted little or no (sleep)…”) and it feels like a chore to participate.
I suspect that your writing tactic was to sound “tough” and “hard core” and to “give it all” for a worthy cause. Instead your message comes across sounding like it will be a pain in the butt. If you want more participation may I suggest ennobling the process by wording your pitch along the lines that some folks will go to great lengths, even losing sleep (for example), to help out for a worthy cause.
Dear Jonathan,
Thank you for your email! It's always such a joy to get feedback on our little project. I was happy to see that you jumped right to the point, as I'm not personally a fan of bullsh*t myself. I'd like to take this opportunity to address your criticisms and observations individually. It is my fond hope that you will find my answers satisfactory.
Thank you for your email! It's always such a joy to get feedback on our little project. I was happy to see that you jumped right to the point, as I'm not personally a fan of bullsh*t myself. I'd like to take this opportunity to address your criticisms and observations individually. It is my fond hope that you will find my answers satisfactory.
1. Are you affiliated with the well-known 48 hour Film Project?
I hope you are because you are dangerously close to publicly plagiarizing their business model.
Maybe you have their blessing to copy them?
I really like what you've done here. It's very clever how you subtly used the words 'well-known' in reference to another organization so as to imply that we are in some way inferior. The answer to your question is no, we are not affiliated with the 'well-known' 48 Hour Film Project. I can only assume from the tone of your question, however, that YOU are. Perhaps you've entered in the past and failed to finish. Perhaps you lost out to a more talented team of high school or college kids. Perhaps you run the thing. Regardless, a cursory glance at the results of a google search reveals that there are in fact several film competitions centered around the 48 hour theme, so no - I don't think we're infringing on anyone's business model. Does Burger King infringe on McDonald's 'business model'? Perhaps you'd be surprised to know that Domino's is not the only place to order take out pizza? Lot's of people have similar ideas and projects in the works at any given time as I'm sure you are well aware from your extensive Hollywood background. Perhaps during your work on such blockbusters as "McGee and Me!" or "Home Invasion," you encountered other possibly more talented individuals who'd worked on similar ideas. So no, we here at the 48GFC do NOT have the blessings of any other organization to do what we do. We do it because it's a labor of love, both for us and for the thousands of people who have been a part of this great adventure since it's humble beginnings over five years ago.
I really like what you've done here. It's very clever how you subtly used the words 'well-known' in reference to another organization so as to imply that we are in some way inferior. The answer to your question is no, we are not affiliated with the 'well-known' 48 Hour Film Project. I can only assume from the tone of your question, however, that YOU are. Perhaps you've entered in the past and failed to finish. Perhaps you lost out to a more talented team of high school or college kids. Perhaps you run the thing. Regardless, a cursory glance at the results of a google search reveals that there are in fact several film competitions centered around the 48 hour theme, so no - I don't think we're infringing on anyone's business model. Does Burger King infringe on McDonald's 'business model'? Perhaps you'd be surprised to know that Domino's is not the only place to order take out pizza? Lot's of people have similar ideas and projects in the works at any given time as I'm sure you are well aware from your extensive Hollywood background. Perhaps during your work on such blockbusters as "McGee and Me!" or "Home Invasion," you encountered other possibly more talented individuals who'd worked on similar ideas. So no, we here at the 48GFC do NOT have the blessings of any other organization to do what we do. We do it because it's a labor of love, both for us and for the thousands of people who have been a part of this great adventure since it's humble beginnings over five years ago.
2. You don’t make it sound very appealing by using phrases such as:
“Teams are permitted little or no…”
“…hell week…”
“…punishing hours…”
I am familiar with the 48 hour Film Project and, yes, crews often work non-stop in their pursuit of their goal to create best film they can in 48 hours. They do it out of desire. Yours sounds more like one would be working under dictatorial rule (“Teams are permitted little or no (sleep)…”) and it feels like a chore to participate.
I suspect that your writing tactic was to sound “tough” and “hard core” and to “give it all” for a worthy cause. Instead your message comes across sounding like it will be a pain in the butt. If you want more participation may I suggest ennobling the process by wording your pitch along the lines that some folks will go to great lengths, even losing sleep (for example), to help out for a worthy cause.
Yes, it is true that I used words that don't necessarily highlight the fun and thrills found by participating in our event. The reason for this is simple - our competition isn't supposed to be easy. While I appreciate your armchair marketing assessment of my chosen vocabulary, a close examination of our name and even basic understanding of the English language would clue you in to the implied difficulty of our challenge. Take our name, for instance. The term "guerrilla' is used to imply a difficult and taxing trial requiring skills other than those that would be learned from a formal education. Home made equipment, run and gun shooting techniques, not waiting (or asking) for permission to shoot wherever you must shoot are staples of our competition. We hold our competitors to a much higher standard than you might be comfortable with. And that's ok! Since 2005 we've been challenging filmmakers to rise above, work under extreme stress and deliver superior films. I'm happy to report that since 2005 our participants have always delivered. The best part is, those who crave a good challenge always come back for more, year after bloody year.
You are correct that my objective was to sound 'tough' and 'hard core.' That's because the challenge is 'hard core.' Your error was in assuming otherwise. We, of course, always want more participation. That said, our purpose is not to pander to the tactless, rude and smarmy or those who'd sooner criticize others than participate and earn their respect.
A quick look at your website was all I needed to conclude that you're clearly the type of person I thought you were - a self-styled 'expert' who lashes out at anyone else who's trying to make something happen from behind his keyboard while failing miserably to provide an even pedestrian head shot on the website that bears his name.
Best of luck. I will not be participating in your event.
Thank you for not participating. Judging from you poor attitude you would most likely not have succeeded.
Regards,
-Clint
UPDATE!
On Thu, Jan 6, 2011 at 12:17 PM,
Well, Clint, your reply just reaffirms why the ad copy sounds the way it is.
My comments, although unsolicited, were aimed at the intent and effectiveness of the message in your ad. Your response was a personal attack on me.
Why did you do that? Did you feel some need to “put me in my place?”
I did not attack you. I commented on your ad. I can only presume that, for you, they are one in the same.
Maybe you already know this but successful marketing relies heavily on feedback from its target audience to gauge its effectiveness. Since I had received your unsolicited ad I assumed I was part of your target audience. I could have just ignored it. Instead, I had thought you would welcome feedback. My mistake.
Thank you for taking the time to peruse my website and for your comment on my pedestrian photo. Yes, it is just that and I have considered changing it on more than one occasion but I received number comments (feedback) from viewers who very much like the photo. Maybe it’s time for me to revisit the issue.
Also, I do not any affiliation with the 48 Hour Film Project. Again, my comment was based on the similarity of your marketing with theirs.
My comment that I would not be participating was not a reflection on your project. It was an answer to your ad which was a call-to-action to participate.
Jonathan
Jonathan,
Thank you for taking the time to reply. Though your comments may have been intended to help, the negative tone inherent in the email was inescapable. No one appreciates unsolicited armchair critiques of their work, especially when we put so much effort into this yearly event, often funding it out of our own pockets. Constructive feedback is always welcome but accusing us of ripping off a 'well-known' organization's business model was a jab, plain and simple. I was born at night but I wasn't born last night.
I apologize if you received our press release in error. I will see to it that you are taken off of our mailing list.
Regards,
Clint
1 comment:
I've seen the dude in that photo before, but I seem to remember he had a swastika on his forehead and was in prison. Of course I could be mistaken, maybe it was the crazy eyes - who knows.
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