Where are we headed in terms of how we market and how we tell story in the ever-changing media landscape? Story and the way we tell it is fluid and constantly moving forward, changing forms and evolving as the world does the same. Marketing is growing in miraculous ways because of the Internet and social networking. The viral effect is making a difference in all of our lives. Media is also continuously diversifying with the emergence of new platforms. Story, media and marketing are leading to success for entrepreneurs on multiple levels. Being conscious of the changes in these arenas can lead to your success in any business. It’s all about knowledge and empowerment and being open to all the new ways to grow.
Recently, I attended the University Film & Video Association Conference in Boston. This year’s theme was The Future of Media Education. I went there as an author along with fourteen other authors from Michael Wiese Productions (MWP). Boston was amazing. The energy of the event was hugely inspirational. There were panels discussing the future of media on all platforms including webinars, YouTube, web series, personal branding, and the list goes on. Hearing many of the topics that were covered was very exciting. There was a buzz in the air that was intoxicating because it was all about being ten steps ahead of the game in terms of knowledge. I was a guest speaker on the panel discussing The Future Development of Story, along with eight other authors from MWP. The talk was so intimate and informative because of all of the different perspectives that were covered. This panel gave me a quick and captivating glimpse of what to expect at the upcoming conference called The Future of Story, which takes place on August 27, 2011 at the Beaudry Theatre at Los Angeles Center Studios.
The Future of Story is led by some of the best-selling screenwriting authors and teachers in the industry. This dynamic conference will help you take an objective look at both yourself and your professional skill sets as you polish and target your stories for film, television, and print. With over 30 MWP authors attending this conference, you’ll have an opportunity to network one-on-one with experts on screenwriting, pitching, and various aspects of filmmaking. Who should attend? Screenwriters, television writers, novelists, non-fiction writers, graphic novelists and all those interested in emerging trends in narrative.
Marketing has become viral in every aspect and it has brought the importance of personal branding to the forefront. Recently, I watched a video interview with Sam Rosen, co-founder of ThoughtLead, a firm that specializes in online marketing. He laid out The Seven Pillars of the Future of Marketing. In them, he explains the idea of ‘content differentiates,’ which basically means this: when we do things differently and offer a platform that gives numerous perspectives from top experts in the field, we offer the participant a much broader view of the topic. ThoughtLead did an event on the Web called “The Influencer Project” which featured 60 speakers in 60 minutes. The results were massive. What this demonstrated was that when you get top professionals in the field together to share their expertise, the information is invaluable.
I encourage you to attend events, seminars, teleseminars and webinars to keep up on the latest information in any of these arenas. Follow your curiosity and your passion. When you listen to professionals that know how to get you where you want to go, you will hit countless “aha!” moments. I’ve been to many of these events and what I’ve learned is that we are all constantly growing. Information will bring us into the future in a way that will bring us results. You want to be ahead of the curve and utilize all the latest technology to help lead to your success! Be the creator of your destiny.
