Maxys Max Media and Entertainment

New Project - Step 1 - Create

I'm sitting in my local coffee shop, it's amazing how a couple of coffees, a writing pad, pen and a hour or two can create your next special project. I get away from the computer to begin any new project - I like to draw a lot when coming up with ideas.

After nearly ten years of writing most days I find it takes 2-3 pages and about 45 minutes of just dumping down all those random thoughts on your mind before whatever idea is in your head finally comes to the surface.

Turning those ideas into something real takes a hell of a lot longer.

Over the years there have been many experiences and books consumed which have helped mold the creative process.

It was a gift of Julie Cameron's "Right to Write" years ago that gave me confidence to just let the information flow. If people like your stuff they'll embrace - let it flow, be yourself and edit later.  Very Zen.

In terms of marketing then Seth Godin's "Purple Cow" and his incredible daily insights which has had the most influence - be remarkable.

I'm also a fan of Garr Reynold's "Presentation Zen". Keep it simple.

Our experiences and ideas morph into our own unique ways of doing things - from initial brainstorming and conceptualisation, through project planning, management, creatiion, delivery and engagement.

I suppose that's one of the challenges - "information overload" and how to incorporate all these thoughts, models and processes into your own unique style.

At times you have to wonder what the return on investment is - isn't it much easier to just consume, comment or share?

I suppose the answer to that question is the final product or service that is delivered and your measurement of success - sales, subscribers, personal feeling of satisfaction, seeing other people smile, engage or learn?

Now onto "The Project" and to research some online project collaboration tools.

About the Event

It is forecast over 90% of future Internet traffic will be video - covering everything from entertainment and advertising to health and education.

Australians now spend more time online than watching television and as we know media is increasingly fragmented. Today customer attention is scarce - you have an average 12.5 seconds on a website to capture attention and generate a call to action.

This group discusses developing effective digital media communications - from clients all the way to vendor solutions.

Each month commencing at 5PM sharp and running for an hour we'll hold an informative but social meetup group bringing together a wide mix of people covering film and video professionals; actors, presenters, sales, advertising and marketing people, Internet technologists, investors and clients.

Each month we'll have short presentations/ interview followed by short Q&A, drinks and offline social networking.
This month

We've all suffered "death by Powerpoint".
This months CLIVE-ALIVE event will focus on "effective online communication" and creating engaging content.

Our special guest speakers this month will be -

* Rose Fulete, National Advertising Sales Manager, CMPMedica (www.mydr.com.au)
* Scott Maxworthy, CEO Max Media and Entertainment & Chris Schwager, Creative Director RidgeFilms
* Jo Wilton - Professional Presenter
* Andrew Brain, General Manager, Virtual Communications - a clients perspective

One thing about the digital media space is that it is never boring - there is constant innovation and learning but at the end of the day it's all about communications - which is people talking with people.

Digital communications is now embedded into all our lives - from your mobile phone, conventional email through to blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

As the NBN (National Broadband Network) pipe expands so will the range of digital products and services on offer.  In fact,  Australian's spend more time on the Internet than watching TV or with any other media (Neilsen/ Love Digital)

Video on demand, IPTV, peer-to-peer (P2P) video, and Internet video are forecast to account for nearly 90 percent of all consumer IP traffic in 2012 (Cisco), more importantly around those video elements will be a myriad of interactive services - many of which we haven't thought of yet - health, education, entertainment and so on.

The economy of tomorrow will be connected by this high speed network connecting Australian customers and businesses to the global market.  At the moment Australia is ranked about 18th in the world and we are about 1% of the global GDP marketplace.   The potential opportunity is substantial.

Australia has the potential to be world leaders - in fact the US is already looking at what we've done with the NBN but the answer is more than infrastructure - ie like power poles are to electricity - it's how you use and create that counts and with limited capital that requires strategy and focus.

If Australia is going to compete on the world market then we need to not only develop the technical infrastructure but the skills development, effective capital investment framework, digital media strategy and thought leadership for the next wave of Aussie entrepreneurs.

Tsunamis of change flatten landscapes causing us to reevaluate and rebuild.  The same process impacting people and brands. The marketplace is fundamentally different then yesterday.  How do you reconfigure and set direction?

Moving foward I'm reminded (unfortunately) of Kevin Costner's Field of Dreams "Build it and they will come".  Do you recreate based on Malcolm Gladwells "Blink" - your gut instinct and passion, or conform and risk analysis paralysis?  The old rules are "old rules". 

My favorite blogger Seth Godin wrote today about "The customer is always wrong" and the difference between a hobby and a career.  Do what you enjoy, life is short.

Sometimes it seems as if either the goal posts have moved or that you find that the path you were heading on was not going in the right direction, ie you're not happy in your job, people don't respect your work, you wish you were somewhere else and so on (note see my favorite advertisement from this years Superbowl)

How do you respond to the new market place, what do you do?

You evaluate, and decide to change tack like a sailing boat navigating across an ocean, you steer in another direction, maybe you create a new product or service?

It seems to me the ultimate destination is always centered around happiness, wealth and good health and I think it was Confucius who said - "it is not the destination but the journey that matters"

• Happiness -what can you spend hours doing, enjoying, "in the zone", with passion!
• Wealth - is there a market for your products and services?
• Health - mental, physical, emotional, intellectual, financial, spiritual, social, creative. 

When you start on any new journey there are so many unknowns and diverting noise demanding attention which can appear daunting or, maybe you are not aware of what you don't know and simply step into the darkness, learning as you go - in time your eyes and senses adjust, substance takes form.

No matter what, practice makes perfect and builds confidence in all aspects of life.  Over time we develop our knowledged eye and understand the difference between real and imagined limits.

As the Nike ad says Just Do It!  If it is right your audience will connect.