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Do You Have a Never Ending Story?
(Christopher Nolan, /FILM)
We don’t know what the story is, we don’t know when the movie will be released and we don’t know who will star, but fans of Christopher Nolan are excited.
Cinematographer Will McCrabb started this buzz-worthy news on his Twitter account, citing that the famed-director has completed a “comprehensive draft” for his next movie. There are no other details. Why does this matter? Aside from the joy this brings to Nolan’s dedicated fan base, it highlights the uniquely relentless attraction to all things involving the practicality-rooted, epically staged director. There are dozens of talented movie directors and celebrities in Hollywood, but the man who directed The Dark Knight trilogy and the mind-benders Memento, Inception and Interstellar has achieved what Apple has earned in the technology sector.
A rumor of simply starting something new (a movie or phone) is equivalent to interest gained from an extensive, tightly-orchestrated marketing campaign.
That’s incredible.
Reaching this point wasn’t easy or quick, but paving this reserved express lane in the bustling, chaotic age of information is a remarkable accomplishment. While endless speculation will follow about what story Nolan’s next project will focus on (stay tuned here), an intriguing tangent to briefly venture off into is how Christopher Nolan and Apple reached this level of fandom and mystery.
In their own way, Nolan and Apple make high-quality, original products with substantial investments that take their consumers seriously. In short, they reward their followers and, in return, their followers reward them. A lasting relationship is built. And this type of bond is transferable in any industry. Once this relationship develops, the benefits are wonderfully powerful.
Apple’s story was and is driven by the personality and mysterious genius of its co-founder Steve Jobs. Christopher Nolan and his cinematic family (wife Emma Thomas and brother Jonathan) write, produce and visually project their genius on the silver screen. At the heart of all this is imaginative storytelling. They present things in ways that make us want to voluntarily escape into their worlds and explore their visions. We immerse ourselves and become part of their story and reality.
Sorry MasterCard, but that’s priceless marketing.
Hovering Above
Kickstarter is modern venture capitalism in a nutshell.
“In a nutshell” could very easily be a company name on Kickstarter, which only underscores the imaginative space this website gives its aspiring businessmen and businesswomen to pursue. After searching through its digital catalog of ideas that need a preset minimum investment to formally charge its voluntary investors and proceed with producing a particular product(s), it’s evident that people have passions and consumer goods that are both logical and illogical.
And that’s fantastic.
Why?
Because only the marketplace validates or denies value. It’s up to consumers and this is where the excitement lies. People no longer have to be employed on Wall Street or understand the complexities of the stock exchange to fund start-ups. All you need is a laptop, a tablet or a smartphone and a little money. And depending on the monetary donation, there’s a corresponding reward. A person’s support could be as minimal as $5 or as large as thousands of dollars.
Fortunately, the pop culture geniuses at Hendo Hoverboards created a Kickstarter campaign last year that centered on the world’s first hoverboard in the year 2015. Movie buffs will remember that this is the year Marty McFly rode that famous hoverboard in Back to the Future Part II, which was the nostalgic effect they hoped to have on visitors to their fundraising page. It worked with viral-like popularity.
They were funded.
Stories were written about the Hendo Hoverboard in major publications, like Fortune, Smithsonian, Business Insider, the Today Show and more. The mission was to give investors of varying ages and backgrounds the thrill of a lifetime and to introduce people to its multipurpose hovering technologies being developed by Arx Pax, the company behind Hendo Hoverboards. While their primary focuses beyond the hoverboard are not yet ready for the public, their ambitions are certainly within the realm of a future reality.
Luckily, I found this Kickstarter campaign and made a modest investment that included a ride on the aforementioned hoverboard. The entire experience (from researching the company’s mission to its supremely clever marketing to the crazy awesome ride) was first-class. Beginning the morning in their office with a handshake from its co-founder Greg Henderson and discussions with their enthusiastic (and thankful) employees, my time spent in the unassuming Los Gatos, California business park last Friday was eye-opening into the exciting dynamics of a genuine tech start-up.
The marketing strategies are changing in exciting ways, the storytelling aspect of a company is becoming more prevalent and the value of viral content through social media is extending the reach of before unknown firms to individuals who may not have joined together on a business venture otherwise.
Here is the Hendo Hoverboard Kickstarter video.
Welcome to the future.
Betting Big on a Message
“I want you to want me”
Late last night, the quintessential ’90s romantic comedy (with raw emotional depth, edge and incredible deftness at the angst and hilarious realities of living within the relentless tornado of high school cliques) 10 Things I Hate About You played on HBO and it was a wonderful escape. This movie, with a pitch perfect cast, shows what can happen when creative storytellers (actors and actresses) are given a creative story (the script) to interpret intersections of romantic quests, heartbreak with seemingly immovable barriers and the continuous dancing on the edge between funny and crude.
For those who have seen 10 Things, the latter always fell on funny.
And that’s the point. The 100-minute movie still sparks repeat views and flashbacks of happy, nostalgic memories because it told a fantastic story that connects with people in a positive light. This despite its all-to-familiar gut-wrenching moments of trying to find and understand love. The journey was tough (with subtle nods to a tame Shakespeare play), but genuinely worthwhile and enjoyable. While I could write a glowing analysis of more than 10 things I love about this movie (c’mon, I had to), the purpose of this blog post is to highlight the investment people will make for a story that takes the time and effort to be worthy of being paid attention to.
There are lots of substantial topics one could write about from this 1999 classic, but the issue today is highlighting its storytelling prowess. If you think about your favorite television commercials or advertisements, falling somewhere within the digital and print universe, odds are high they are clever and likely don’t appear like a linear plug of a product or company. They’re different in some way. These companies made the choice to be distinguishable, while maintaining high standards. And it’s the firms that choose to mix some traditional themes with a little bit of unorthodox communication and engaging characters that establish themselves as more than a product or company.
They become a story worth investing time and money in. These firms elevate their message and image above the competition with the rare quality of continuously maintaining people’s attention, like a movie that’s still as popular, unique and relevant today as it was 16 years ago.
And isn’t the quotation at the top of the page (the name of a song covered in 10 Things I Hate About You, as well as a major plot point) the primary message of any business?
“Coming Soon” Redefined
2015: Welcome back dinosaurs and the epic battle of good vs. evil.
Reflecting on last week’s treasure trove (however small) of movie trailers slated for mid-late 2015 release dates, it’s clear that audience engagement and connectivity is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Jurassic World and Stars Wars: The Force Awakens are already two of the must-see movies of next year. Not this year, but next year. In fact, the soonest one of the aforementioned films will be released is in seven months.
Why mention this marketing strategy now?
Because movie studios and directors are continuing to forge relationships with their fans during the speculation phase of their projects right through the development of the plot, filming in the various settings/locations and character leaks and special social media reveals several months and even a year before its theatrical premiere (ie – Interstellar’s first teaser was last November). And let’s not forget about the DC Comics Universe announcing that seemingly endless list of future superhero movies that give fans years upon years of movies to look forward to. Marvel also does its part as well in this department. This modern, evolving dynamic in the film industry is fascinating because it connects movie makers with its fans on a surprisingly constant basis. Some in Hollywood, understanding the incredible interest in amazingly sublime and complex stories with popular actors, actresses, writers, producers and directors, have created an investment in cinema.
Are the days of going to see a movie as a spontaneous weekend fling going away?
No. However, for the most ambitious and popular movies/stories (live action and animated), the trend is moving towards more involvement/persistent awareness between movie producer and fan. This can be viewed as good because the interest and connection is voluntary and exciting to its willing participants (sans spoilers). But this can also be viewed as bad because of intrigue fatigue. We live in a minute-to-minute and even second-to-second world. Few secrets are held for very long these days. Eventually, widespread speculation or new information will be released to the public. With that in mind, how many seconds and/or minutes are in seven months? One year?
While the movie going experience is becoming, well, more of an experience, it does work. Interstellar was undeniably worth the wait (I saw it twice in IMAX), as was The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel, serving as just a few examples. It’s likely that Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be as well. It should be noted that the films that are promoted with such surreal longevity are films that reward its dedicated fans with an unforgettably rich movie experience.
In the age of information, driven through the lightning fast digital medium, the questions are whether this epic marketing strategy of teaser trailers and perfectly placed clues/special reveals can continue to sustain and produce epic results without the eventual exhaustion of an epic journey before making it the theater? Is too much being revealed in the trailers?
For now, I’m entranced by the new lightsaber, in awe and suspense of a genetically modified dinosaur (and story 22 years in the making) and delightfully eager to witness James Bond’s 24th cinematic adventure in a finely tailored suit.
2015 is setting up to be legen-wait for it…
Jimmy's Daily Planet 