Supporting Diversity and Inclusion is our Mission

 

When I talk about breaking stereotypes by supporting age, gender, and ethnic diversity, it isn’t just a talking point; it’s a mission.  The goal is to make diversity and inclusion so commonplace that talking about them is boring.   This is achieved by creating unique characters that challenge the perceived stereotypes and encourage new perspectives.

Graham Greene is a perfect example of our goal.  As a Native American, Graham honored his culture; however, he did so by playing characters who were cops, veterans, doctors, politicians, etc.  His ethnicity was only one aspect of a multifaceted character.  I enjoyed his work because you never knew what to expect from his talent.  He refused to play one-dimensional characters, which is why I created Martin Flying Crow in Operation Home Base with him in mind.

Martin Flying Crow

A full-blooded Oneida, Martin Flying Crow enlisted as an Army Medic to escape the abject poverty of the Rez, only to find the destiny his ancestors had placed before him. Trained by his shaman grandmother, Flying Crow walked the Red Road from childhood. At age 13, he set out on a vision quest to learn his life’s path. The Eagle Spirit showed him that he was destined to be a healer and guide others. This life was to be one of service to others. He was to teach them the way of spiritual balance. However, to lead others, he needed to walk the path himself. Enlisting as a combat medic in the Army was the first step of many. In Vietnam, he served two tours as a medic. Although he was not officially allowed to carry weapons, he did not hesitate to defend those in his unit by whatever means necessary. It was during this time that he crossed paths with Deek and Walter. After his tour, he returned to the Rez. Working as a Paramedic, he quickly learned how little emotional, spiritual, and medical support there was for the military personnel, vets, and wounded warriors, along with their families. Working out of his garage, he gathered information, contacts, and resources, which he used to improve the lives of those affected by war. He gained national attention when he was able to talk a wounded warrior out of committing suicide. It was this exposure that brought him to the attention of Lorelei Stuart and Michael Woodsman.

Unfortunately, Graham is permanently unavailable.  I need to consider one of the many very talents alterative and tweak the character to make it more comfortable for the actor.

The projects that I write and produce offer the same opportunities and growth for women, veterans, and the LGBTQ+ community.  It’s this fractioning of the expected norm that shatters stereotypes and turns two-dimensional paper dolls into real people. This is our goal; we will achieve this mission by focusing on entertaining first and foremost.   No one likes to be preached at.  But by creating characters and putting them in situations that touch people’s hearts, you can change minds and behaviors.  In a world where ignorance and cruelty are now celebrated, we will find the commonality in our humanity to celebrate.  If you share our mission, let’s chat.  Here is the link to our website.

https://www.kaleidoscopefilmandtelevision.com/

 

#diversity #inclusion #veterans #women #Native Americans #indigouspeople #TheresaChaze #KaleidoscopeFilmandTelevision #film #Television

 

 

 

 

 

Product placement and intermigration: getting the biggest bang for your buck

Effective promotion and marketing campaigns remain the keystone for every company’s success. This is especially true during financially challenging times. The expenses are necessary to reach the customers, but finding the money in the budget can be a challenge.  It places the company in a chicken-and-egg situation.   The innovative knows how to get the biggest bang for their bucks.

Product placement is an old-school promotion and marketing technique that, when updated and used properly, outshines traditional and more expensive campaigns. During the early days of television, companies were the sole sponsors of individual TV series.  The brands were so intertwined that they became synonymous with each other.  The Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom is only one example.  Mutual of Omaha was featured in the title and the hosts promoted the brand within the series.  The increasing production costs made this business model unsustainable, thus establishing the current trend of separating content from advertising.  However, instead of being abandoned, cross-branding transformed into a combination of the two techniques.  This hybrid methodology maximizes the financial benefits for the production by expanding the number of brands embedded into it, while lowering advertising costs and maximizing the longevity of the promotion for each sponsor.

Both models have their benefits and their challenges. With only one sponsor, the full financial weight falls on it, yet the promotional benefits also dramatically increase.  Frequently, the brands become permanently intertwined with the reputation of each, reflecting on the other.   Being able to attract a specific demographic is an additional benefit of this business model. The content organically lures the audience, who find the topic, genre, or personality involved interesting, which gives the sponsor direct access to those it is trying to reach.   Once embedded in the project, the brand continues to be promoted whenever and wherever the project is viewed without additional cost to the sponsor.  Once produced, the connection becomes locked.  Nothing can be added or subtracted without altering the project itself

 

With the separation of the content and advertising, the financial obligations for the sponsor have been lower, but the benefits have also dramatically decreased.  Instead of being an equal partner with the series, the brand becomes only one in the crowd.  Targeted purchases of commercial time do increase the possibility of reaching a specific demographic; however, the cost for such commercial buys increases the cost of each ad.  Network rate cards vary in terms according to the market size, day part, how far in advance the airtime is bought, and the flexibility of the placements.  The more specific the terms, the higher the price tag will be.  The current norm focuses on day part and venue rather than content.  It is little different than throwing spaghetti at a wall and seeing what sticks. Additionally, the separation of content makes the ad buy a one-and-done.  The ad will air according to the terms of the contract and will not air again until another contract for more airtime has been signed and paid for

The hybrid model combines the best aspects of both.  It has the permanence of embedding brands and the cost-effectiveness of the current business model.  Embedding brands manifests in two forms, placement and integration.  The primary difference between the two is the involvement and interaction between the on-screen talent and the brand.   The more interaction between the two, the greater the exposure and the higher the cost.  Placement refers to the product being placed within the set design in such a way that it receives screentime, but without direct interaction with the characters.   Integration refers to products that involve active interaction or usage of the brand name on screen as the characters use or positively speak about the product. 

In the 1984 Ghostbusters, Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver had a scene in front of her refrigerator.  For nearly thirty seconds of the scene, a Coke has been placed on a shelf between them.  They don’t look at it or refer to it, yet it has a notable presence in the scene. More recently, in the series Yellowstone, Marlboro circumvented the legal restrictions against on-air advertising of tobacco and smoking products.  In several scenes, the character Beth opened a Marlboro box, took out a cigarette, and smoked it.  Nothing was said about the brand.  It was just a matter of course that Beth smoked.  However, instead of concealing the brand, the name received screen time.

Timing is another primary difference in the promotional models.  Cross-branding placement has longevity and permanence; however, its benefits are delayed until the release of the project.  Purchasing airtime within commercial breaks has immediacy of exposure, yet a short shelf life. The rate card for each also radically differs. The cost for placement is based on length of screentime in seconds, active/passive presentation, actress/actor involved, and the genre.  Whether an Indie or studio project, an A-list talent will garner a higher rate per second.  However, in order to accommodate the two-minute commercial breaks, ads have been limited to standardized lengths of 15, 30, 45, 60, and 120 seconds. The rate cards base their fees on the rating of the program; the higher the rating the more costly the placement will be.

 

Never Can Say Good-bye’s production team will reinvent the definitions of innovation, moxie, and creativity as they place and integrate brands within the project.  It will feature products that are normally overlooked, while offering traditional sponsors a fresh perspective on how their products or brands will appear on the screen.  Although the genre of paranormal-thrillers attracts the 18–49-year-old demographic, by supporting age, gender, and ethnic diversity, Never Can Say Good-bye will broaden and enhance that target base. Thereby, it will expand the sponsors’ promotional reach beyond expectations.

 

By combining brands, Never Can Say Good-bye will give the scenes a real-world feel. In addition to being placed or integrated into the scenes, the name of the brand will be used whenever possible. For example, in the scenes within the cars, a radio station will be playing in the background.  The station will be identified by its call letters. Depending on the length of the scene, from one to two thirty-second commercials will air for any family-friendly product.  There will also be a running joke about how the supporting character, Amanda, is trying to win a radio contest.  She is more than capable of buying her own, but she tells others that it tastes better when she wins it.  Her attempts to call in are frequently thwarted by others.  These details will be added in the final script. 

A motorized wheelchair will be used by Amanda, who is well-respected in her community.  She will be seen using it in and outside her home.  In addition, it will also have screen time as it is used on various terrains, including city streets/sidewalks, college campus, and a cemetery.  Extras of various ages, genders, and ethnicities will be seen using them.  However, the budget line only includes the screentime in which Amanda is featured.  The scenes with the extras will be considered bonuses.  The sponsor will be expected to provide the necessary motorized wheelchairs that will be donated to non-profits after the production; the sponsor will receive the tax deduction.

For a complete list of placement opportunities available through the contact information on the website.  

Website

New Film and Television Production Studio

  Film and television projects, which focus on entertaining rather than preaching, change hearts and minds. They reveal the worst of ourselves but also the best. This dynamic engages the full spectrum of audiences’ emotions—joy, sadness, love, loss, anger, and fear.  They represent the humanness that mathematical formulas are incapable of understanding, computing, or predicting. By engaging the emotions, rather than shocking the senses, the project empowers the audiences to envision a future based on equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Kaleidoscope Film and Television’s mission statement is to reflect what was and is to order to change what can be. By focusing on projects based on age, gender, and ethnic diversity, we will break stereotypes in front of and behind the cameras. Revealing the best and worst of humanity will give the audiences the means to see beyond who they are now to who they can become. It’s never too late to find our best selves. 

When the focus remains on character and plot development, instead of preaching, the projects attract national and international audiences, thus making them popular and profitable. Keeping the production budgets reasonable and responsible only increases their profitability potential. By including those voices who have been overlooked or excluded, we will expand the audience base, giving our projects larger shares of nearly all demographics.

Kaleidoscope Film and Television will achieve these goals and so much more. We are seeking those, in front of and behind the cameras, who want to support the humanness of diversity and inclusion. By working together to share our talents and experiences, we create more of a cooperative than a traditional studio. Let’s open the door to new adventures together.

https://www.kaleidoscopefilmandtelevision.com/

#film #television #gender #love #future #development #project #change #inclusion #diversityandinclusion #diversity #projects #share

Do Film and Television Producers Actually Work?

Many people have misconceptions about what a producer is and what they do.  Producers are jacks of all trades, masters of few. She or he needs people skills and technical knowledge, while still being willing to not only think outside the box but also rip that sucker up and reinvent it.

They are mediators and counselors of egos, who understand that sometimes you need to hold hands, while other times they need to kick butt.  Cast and crew are people with individual challenges that sometimes spill over onto the set.  Differing opinions can be resolved if the common goal remains to produce quality.   Hiring the right people means more than just focusing on experience or job skills.  It’s bringing together those who work easily and effectively together.  One bad apple will create a hostile work environment that threatens every aspect of production. This doesn’t mean that everyone needs to be besties, but respect is paramount.  Another analogy would be that of gears in a machine.  It only takes one to be out of sync to start a cascading effect that will eventually cause a loss of productivity.

Having a general, yet working knowledge, of all aspects of production, marketing, and distribution means knowing more than just the job description.  It’s being able to assist without getting in the way or becoming a liability to the task at hand.   The producer doesn’t have to be able to set the lights, but she or he must know the difference between a flood and a spot.  It’s having the humility to be willing to pull cables, help with food service, pick up trash, and load equipment.  It’s doing the job at hand without egos getting in the way.

As scrouges, they find cost-effective solutions to production challenges.  She or he needs to be inventive enough to turn to drop clothes and Christmas lights into the interior of a circus tent.  It also requires helping the team to be flexible enough to alter schedules and methods when challenges present themselves.  You can plan to the nth degree and things will still go sideways.   Freaking out or allowing others to do so only exacerbates the situation.  Running around with their hair on fire because it rained or someone came down with the flu, only creates unnecessary stress.  However, remaining calm and stepping back lowers the emotional temperature and makes finding solutions much easier.  Effective producers formulate plan b and an outline for plan c.

Having these skill sets gives the producer the ability to bring projects in on time and within budget.  It also builds teams that become working families that build the trust that is necessary to produce quality, while pushing the status quo of the industry. 

Website

A woman who flourished where angels and fools fear to tread

 For most of my life, people have been telling me not to try or to give up. They said my goals were impossible--that I couldn't possibly make any of it happen. But, what they were really saying was that it was impossible for them. Since they couldn't, I shouldn't even try. It was too bad and so sad that they empowered their fears and self-doubts instead of finding their own inner courage ignore the negative message. If you believe you can't, then you can't; yet if you are certain you can, you can find or make a way to reach your goals. I changed the punctuation, which modified the message to "I'm possible." What they didn't understand is that every time they said I couldn't, not only did I proved them wrong, but I did it so well that they looked foolish for doubting me.

I am a creative with a good business sense. As a storyteller, I tell tales about those who find the courage or are forced by circumstances beyond their control to face their deepest, darkest fears. As a producer, I use innovation, moxie, and the highest production standards to produce film and television projects. I base my projects on age, gender, and ethnic diversity both in front of and behind the cameras.

No matter what the venue, you first must start with an original concept and a well-crafted script. Adding the current visual/special effects or new talent doesn't make a project new, which makes nearly all remakes and sequels reruns.

Never Can Say Good-bye video one sheet from Theresa Chaze on Vimeo.

The current trend of focusing on A-list talent and high price tent poles projects only serves to reduce the number of projects produced every year, which increases the financial risk to the investors and the production company. Just because it worked before doesn't mean it will be successful again. Original projects initially carry more risk, but the truly innovative ones become the trendsetters and sent new bars for profitability. Casting talent in an inappropriate role, no matter what their marketing rating, will only serve to increase the budget and will hurt the project at the box office. However, casting a talented unknown in the right role will garner the audiences and create a future A-list talent. 

Money can't fix a bad project. By substituting money for innovation is throwing good after bad and is the main ingredient in producing a disaster. Business 101 states that profitability comes when you give the public what they want at a cost-effective price. Business 102 states that if you treat your people well, they will treat you well, which means paying them a living wage and giving them respect. These are two elements many in the business community have forgotten, which is why the economy is still challenged.

Although I have not served, I use my talents to actively support military personnel and veterans. Recently, I was asked why. The answer is simple. I don't have the temperament to serve. Nearly all of my time would have been spent in the stockade. Besides, I am only capable of shooting off my mouth. But at that, I'm a markswoman because I know how to use words as weapons. 

Horses and Heroes: An Unscripted Veteran TV Series from Theresa Chaze on Vimeo.

Most of those who serve signed their name and dedicated their lives to serving and protecting their country and the world. However, killing others is an unfortunate necessity for both sides of conflicts. This is a major disconnect that causes most of the emotional issues for those served. In order to defend, they have to kill. But killing is contradictory to their need to protect. I met a gentleman, who served during WWII, who put it the best. Looking back on his life, he felt guilty over the good men he killed just because they belonged to the other side and for his buddies, he was unable to save. Now decades later, those memories tore him up inside, because he couldn't stop thinking about them

Those who serve the nation are people, not disposable parts of the war machine and they are especially not political footballs that are to be used, abused, and then losed at the whims of politicians.

My job is to make sure civilians and especially politicians never forget that.

I am proud of my work. It will make you laugh, cry, and scare your socks off. But it will also inspire you to see the world in new ways. Join my team and become the difference you want to see in the world.

Website

Cosmos Productions Studio

Cosmos Productions Studio will be digital film and television production facility that will produce low to medium budgeted film, television, and documentary projects as well as music videos, commercials and industrial films. Initially a one sound stage studio, the five year plan is to expanded it to a four sound stage facility and distribution hub for the domestic, foreign, and ancillary markets. Whereas the large established studios focus on producing big budget projects, Cosmos Productions Studio will go back to the concept of producing low to medium budgeted projects that spread the financial risk among many projects. One hundred fifty million can produce one tent pole film or produce and distribute 20 low to medium budget projects. It is the difference between one role of the dice and mitigating the risk by spreading it across 20. Within that financial pool of films some will fail, some will breakeven, but some will make a profit.

Cosmos Productions Studio proposes combine the best of the old school with the modern technologies to create a more financially stable business model. Based on the concept originally created by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks with United Artists, Cosmos Productions Studio intents to once again pull together the talent of producers, directors, actors, and crew, who want to take back their independence by having more financial and creative control of their careers. By working together and combining their skills, they will be able to produce and distribute projects that are based on diversity of gender, age and ethnic backgrounds. Women and minorities will gain equality in the industry by achieving strong leadership and decision making roles. It is this inclusive business model that will attract the creatives with good business sense.

First year projects:

Comparable to Ghost and The Others, Never Can Say Good-bye is a paranormal thriller with the tagline, “When love is forever, death is only the beginning.”

Sara Jane and Randolph met and fell in love as children. Several years older, Randolph went to work for her father, James. Determined to give Sara Jane the same standard of life, Randolph did the unthinkable. Claiming a large track of old growth forest for himself, instead of James, he became a pariah in the community. Only Sarah Jane and her mother stood by him. James actively worked against him by persuading the Michigan mills not to buy his logs. James' revenged backfired when Randolph found alternative markets for his timber, which brought higher profits than anyone expected. Enraged. James forbid the marriage. Loving each other more than they feared him, they eloped. As their happiness grew, so did his hatred, which cascaded into series of events that caused Sara Jane's death and the murder of his grandchild. Before Randolph could exact his revenge, he too was murdered

Their souls quickly returned to live in new bodies. Their conscious minds had been wiped clean, but the past remained festering in their subconscious. When the fates with a little help from the living bring them together all of their lives are thrown onto a dangerous collision course from which they can neither run or hide.

Never Can Say Good-bye tells the parallel storylines of the past and the present as the reincarnated souls are forced to decide between forgiveness and seeking the revenge they were denied in the past.

Paranormal thriller with an innovate spin on the ghostly genre from Theresa Chaze on Vimeo.

Horses and Heroes is an unscripted TV series, which combines the highly effective Peer Support Therapy with Equine Therapy. Unlike most in the genre, it will focus on healing and positive growth rather than endorsing bad behavior. Each season will bring together veterans from WWII to the current conflicts. They will be sharing their challenges and supporting each other as they find new solutions to their physical and emotional challenges. They know the talk, because they have walked the walk. They see the dodges and will be able to call each other on them. Sparks may fly. Tempers may flare, especially when they force each other to face their ghosts. But there will also be laughter and fun as they rebuild the comradery, which kept them safe and strong. The snarkiness and practical jokes between the branches doesn't simply end. There is always room for just one more. When it airs, it will reach into the homes of the veterans, who need to hear that they are not alone, and give them information as well as permission they need to also heal. They will help each other find their way back to the world. Veterans can’t go back and make a brand new start; but they can start from now and make a brand new end.

All veterans' lives matter from Theresa Chaze on Vimeo.

With the tagline, “When a mother eats her own, no one is safe,” Eye of Ra compares to The Exorcist and Amityville Horror.

Katherine was born with the power to control the elements. Her whistle called the winds. Her tears refreshed the earth. She was able to see into the realms where fools and angels fear to tread. Her daughter, Sandra, was born with gifts that were complimentary—or they should have been. Sandra had the ability to nurture and heal. Her gifts gave her the ability to see and heal others' pain. She could foresee their destinies and give them the courage to embrace their futures Yet, it was not enough. Sandra wanted more more direct control over the world and the realms beyond. When her daughters' developed the gifts she craved, Sandra's envy turned to hatred. When a voice from the dark void reached out and asked, “What would you do to have their power. Sandra replied, “Whatever it takes.”

Kidnapped as a child, Rikki is forced to defend her life from her envious mother, who is more than willing to kill to steal her spiritual gifts. When Rikki escapes, Sandra turns her attention onto others, who are more vulnerable. Can Rikki find the strength and courage to once again face her mother and stop her or will Sandra use Rikki's guilt to weaken her to the point that she is unable save herself or anyone else?

A scripted television series, Operation Home Base combines the best of MASH, The Waltons, and NCIS to create a family of man drama about forgiveness and second chances.

A medic in the U.S Army, Martin Flying Crow returned from Vietnam a wounded soul, who was haunted by the ghosts and the guilt of his own actions. He quickly learned that there were more like him than the nation wanted to acknowledge. Unable to heal his own wounds, Flying Crow vowed to help other veterans find the peace he never expected to find for himself. Through a series of coincidences several others joined his crusade and expanded it. Through their combined efforts, Operation Home Bases legally becomes a non-profit organization that moves out of Martin's garage and into an old shop. When Pat Bogley asks them to learn the truth of his son's disappearance while on a routine patrol in Afghanistan, their inquires led them dangerously close to exposing a truth that many powerful people at home and abroad would do whatever it takes to keep hidden. When slander and threats do not deter Operation Home Base, Valhalla is created to offer unlimited financial and logistical support. Valhalla's generous offer will either be the carrot to divert the investigation or the stick to destroy Operation Home Base from the inside out.

The second year slate would include the second seasons of both televisions series, plus two of the following features.

Riding Fences: Western

When his mother dies while Tom is away at college, his grief turns to rage and he turns his back on his father and brother. He only returns decades later when he is given he opportunity for revenge. By the time he learns the truth, it may be already to late to undo the damage his has done to their family's heritage ranch.

Swamp Rats: Drama Thriller

They rode together. They fought together. They played together. They were the Swamp Rats until a lie ripped them apart. When the doctor gave him the long face, Willie realizes that he has little time to prevent the truth from going to the grave with him. In an attempt make it right, he tricks the Swamp Rats into riding together again. Willie hopes there is enough of their old friendship left to save two old friends and a daughter that one of them never knew he had.

Seize of Honor: Science Fiction

Based on the short story of the same name, Seize of Honor is a Sci-fi thriller. Kelly O'Dell works for an highly advanced, but strictly structured intergalactic organization with little tolerance for failure. When a newly discovered planet releases a plague throughout her people, Kelly is assigned to learn the cure from the indigenous people. However, when her first contact accidentally murders several of the their children, she must find a way to appease them before her superiors learn of her failure.

Dark Shadows: The Trial of Angelique Gothic Horror

In 1971 when the original Dark Shadows series went off the air, it appeared that Angelique had been killed after she and Barnabas declared their love for one another. However, Angelique had power that Judah Zachary could not take. She uses it to escape to the future, where she and Barnabas are reunited. Striped of his power, Judah Zachary is forced to face their Master alone. Trying to win his power back and his freedom, he bets that he can destroy the grace Angelique has earned by her sacrifice. The Master gives him the span of one life time bring Angelique to him. If he fails, Judah faces an eternity of torment; if he succeeds, he will gain power beyond his imagination.  

Website

Until You Walk the Path: Bonnie Garvin

Until You Walk the Path, You Don’t Know Where it Goes will be hosting writer and teacher, Bonnie Garvin on April 11 at 5 pm eastern. She will be talking about the challenges and benefits of breaking into the film industry.


BONNIE GARVIN has written for film and television in the U.S. and abroad. “The Killing Yard”, which she wrote and produced, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was nominated for a host of awards. Bonnie received an “Edgar” nomination and won a special media award from the ABA for her “authentic depiction of the judicial system”. Her most current projects include a feature film, “The Bottom Line” optioned in November 2009 by Viva Films in the UK, as well as a movie for Lifetime Television.

Bonnie is also part of the faculty at the University of Southern California where she teaches screenwriting. She also teaches screenwriting through her company “From Idea To Script”, offering classes through the web. Garvin’s website is www.fromideatoscript.com


Tune at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theresachaze on April 11 at 5:00 pm eastern to learn more about film industry from Bonnie Garvin.. The phone lines and chat will be available for those who wish to ask questions. The phone number is (347) 324-3745. The interactive chat room is available on the show’s page