Notebook Entries Febuary 2006

On Feb 2, 2006, at 7:27 AM, WSpriggs@comcast.com wrote:

> Hey Micheal S.
> It was great meeting with you last night.
> Dispite the noise and clutter, I found it to be a good working meeting.
> I sense your professionalism, pride, confidence, and excitement about
> the project.
>
> I just hope that I am up to my side of the equation in this project.
>
> As for scheduling, I'm planning on leaving for California on Sunday,
> March 26th, so if I need to be in front of the camera, it has to be
> before that date if we want to maintain a May release date.
>
> Oh, I wanted to ask you about a DVD label....can you produce one, or
> will we have majic marker the DVD's?
>
> Enclosed, is my revised OPENING and I promise to keep sending any
> updates as I write them.
> Have a great day. If I have anything new, I'll get back to you.
> Bill Spriggs
> OPENING
>
> OPENING IS BLACK WITH A YOUNG FEMALE VOICE OVER
>
> [ILLUSTRATIONS BY A YOUNG CONTRIBUTOR TO MATCH THE VOICE?]
>
> “THERE ONCE WERE TWO BIRDS – ONE LARGE AND ONE SMALL”.
> “THE LARGER OF THE TWO BIRDS RESTED ON THE TREE LIMB NEXT TO THE
> SMALLER BIRD BECAUSE SHE NOTICED THAT THE SMALL BIRD WAS MISSING ONE
> EYE AND WAS OBVIOUSLY SAD”
>
> “WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?” ASKS THE BIG BIRD.
>
> “THE LITTLE BIRD TOLD HER THE STORY OF WHEN SHE WAS AT THE LAST
> FEEDING GROUND, A BIG BULLY BIRD YELLED AT HER AND CONSTANTLY PECKED
> AT HER BECAUSES SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE WHAT HE SAID WAS, HIS FOOD,
> EVEN THOUGH SHE KNEW THAT IT WAS ALL GOD’S FOOD.”
>
> “ARE YOU SAD BECAUSE YOU LOST YOUR EYE?” ASKS THE BIG BIRD.
>
> “THERE WAS A VERY LONG SILENCE AS THE LITTLE BIRD THOUGHT ABOUT HER
> RESPONSE”.
>
> “NO, I’M SAD BECAUSE I DIDN’T FIGHT BACK”
> *****
>
> [FADE IN]
> HELLO, MY NAME IS WILLIAM ANTHONY SPRIGGS
>
> THIS DIGITAL VIDEO PRESENTATION HAS BEEN SENT TO PROGRESSIVE
> INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE HOPE THAT THE IDEAS PRESENTED
> WILL BE A SPARK FOR OTHERS TO STAND UP AND GIVE US THEIR IDEAS.
>
> I’M JUST A REGULAR JOE-SIX-PACK WHO’S PUNCHED A TIME CLOCK FOR 25
> YEARS AND HAS BEEN A UNION MEMBER FOR THE SAME TIME.
>
> I PROUDLY CALL MYSELF A LIBERAL AND A DEMOCRAT.
>
> AS YOU HEARD IN THE OPENING PARABLE, THE LITTLE BIRD WAS SAD BECAUSE
> SHE DID NOT FIGHT BACK WHEN SHE HAD THE CHANCE.
>
> THE TALE REMINDS ME OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN 2006, AS IT IS BEING
> BULLIED AND PECKED AT BY THE MAJORITY PARTY.
>
> THERE ARE NO DOUBTS THAT THE DEMOCRATS S ARE DEPRESSED AT THEIR
> CURRENT POSITION IN THE POLITICAL PECKING ORDER, BUT I ALSO SENSE THAT
> THEY ARE SADDER STILL THAT NO UNIFYING VOICE IS BEING RAISED IN
> OPPOSITION. .
>
> AS FOR MYSELF, I WAS TIRED OF LISTENING TO CONSERVATIVE CRITICS
> [PIC OF DAVID BROOKS]
> SAY THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY “HAS NOTHING NEW” TO OFFER TO THE
> AMERICAN PUBLIC AND THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY REMAINS EFFECTIVE AT
> MAKING THEMSELVES UNELECTABLE.
>
> AS A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO THAT LINE OF CONSERVATIVE THOUGHT, I HAVE
> PRODUCED THIS DVD WITH SEVEN IDEAS TO MAKE THE DEMOCRATS ELECTABLE
> AND PLACED THEM WITHIN A SEVEN DAY CALENDAR WEEK.
>
> AND WHY PUT THEM INTO THE DAYS OF A CALENDAR WEEK?
>
> TO FIGHT BACK ANOTHER CITICISM OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY -- THAT THEY
> CAN’T STAY ON MESSAGE. [PLAYFUL SMILE]
>
>
> WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PUBLIC FINANCING FOR CAMPAIGNS; THE LONG DEBATE
> ABOUT OIL WELFARE DEPENDENCY & VARIOUS WORK PROJECTS CONCERNING
> ALTERNATIVE ENERGY – HERE ARE MY SEVEN IDEAS FOR SEVEN DAYS PRESENTED
> BY YOUR HOST, MICHEAL BEST
>
> [FADE OUT WILLIAM AND FADE IN TO MICHEAL BEST]

Bill,
I enjoyed talking with you last night, and I am very excited about the
project. I started reading "don't think of an elephant!", and I agree with you
that this is a very good book. I was particularly intrigued by Don Hazen's use of
the terms "viral marketing" and "the tipping point" in the introduction. Why?
Because I had just read a book by Scott Degraffenreid on Referral
Marketing that explains how to increase word-of-mouth sales. People recommend
products, services, and ideas to look good. What makes people look good
when they refer a product?

It must exhibit Novelty, Utility, Dependability, and Economy. (Scott
calls this the N.U.D.E Model.) In his book, he shows that when the
combination of these factors reaches a certain "tipping point", word-of-mouth
referrals spread like wildfire. As we think about how we present the content of
your DVD, we should consider these factors. If people see your ideas (or the
way that they are presented) as novel and useful; if people feel they
can trust the source (as presented); and if they are not getting this
information
in any other way, then we're probably going to need more than 100
copies.

I'm glad that you found the meeting productive. I will work with
Michael to prepare an initial budget that we can review during our next meeting. I know
that you'll do a great job with providing the material for the script. We can then
work together to make sure that the ideas are presented with clarity and impact.

The schedule that we talked about seems appropriate. I'm sure that we
can shoot your segment prior to 3/26/06. We can produce a nice DVD label. I
will include this expense as part of the budget.

The opening looks great! If Karilyn has any suggestions, I will let
you know. I talked with a friend of mine who recently purchased a very nice HDV
camera. He said that he could probably shoot this project for us at a very
reasonable rate. (He is building his own portfolio.)

Before closing, I wanted to mention a couple of ideas I had. What if
the reporter from the future is not being terrorized by the political right in a
world with only a handful of surviving democrats? What if he is part of the majority,
looking back on the years 2006 - 2016 as the turning point in the creation of a
peaceful, creative, and prosperous world that is no longer held in the iron grip
of patriarchal society that sees the world as a dangerous place? The introduction and
conclusion could be presented from this viewpoint. Or, each idea could be
presented as having been implemented in the past with the benefits to our future
society highlighted. Just a thought.

For the overall flow, it would be nice if each of the seven ideas was
presented in a similar way. What is the problem (in thirty seconds or less)? What
is the proposed solution (in thirty seconds or less)? What are the details? What are
the objections? Why are the objections not relevant? Why should the viewer care? How
can the idea be implemented? (I'm not suggesting that these are the right
questions to structure the ideas, just that we'll increase the impact if we have a
consistent structure in place.)

That's all for now.

Best Wishes,
Michael