Time to Move On

I've created a new blog for a number of reasons.

New address is: sheanews2.blogspot.com

Shouldn't be too complicated for all loyal commenters to find.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Morning letter from Milt

Good morning Laura,

In going through Aaron’s MIPCOM notes, it became increasingly apparent that there is worldwide interest in a series of at least 13 eps. In fact, we received an e-mail this morning from a very good distributor (they buy, then sell) in Italy (also sometimes buy Spain) asking about this.

I received call-backs from both Ellen Baine at CITY & Pat Ellingson at TVO late yesterday afternoon.

I’m dropping off the DVD & sell sheet either today or Monday to Pat. She’s promised to screen quickly & respond.

Ellen did screen the show & basically liked it. She’s passed it on to Razor again. They should be viewed as an absolute last resort because their license fees are so low. Even at that, Ellen says they’ll only buy if they need the programming. But, I think, if it comes down to it, a favour can be called to get them to take it & play it so you can get tax rebates.

Milt

I know everyone is getting anxious.

Me included. I know that the Sandra Carter people have 100 shows that they represented in Cannes. That doesn't make it any easier to wait for a report. It has been really difficult to wait and wonder.

So, tomorrow I will bite the bullet and call both Milt and Joseph and see what intelligence I can gather before our meeting.

I'm guessing that the SC people have a bit of a procedure to follow with regards to sales tallying etc. when they return from a big show like Mipcom. As I said before, their first priority will be to report to their own powers that be about their success. They didn't promise to get back to us the minute the returned home. But, we've certainly got enough reason to call them to get an update.

If I don't get any real answers I'll sic Ken on Sandra directly.

Everyone just hang tough a little longer. K? I'll do my best. We're all in this together.

Morning Musings

Well, here are my thoughts as I lay in bed this am.

We have a saleable show. Do we have a hit? Well, we think so. But hits are made - not just born.

Once we're on-air we can market the thing like crazy - but that takes time, and energy and not necessarily but it doesn't hurt - money.

True overnight successes are possible...but rare. Most of television and the entertainment industry is much like all others - success comes from hard work. Now we'd all agree that there's been a helluva lot of hard work involved already. But production of a tv show is just one aspect of development. And now we're in phase two. Marketing and Sales.

Most big Hollywood films have credits up the ying yang at the end - and that's because what's needed to create them is money. All those various production entities kick in some of the cash and the project is done. Even the really big guys and the guys with exceptional track records have to raise the cash to do the deal. We are an unknown entity with no track record. We really have to keep that in mind.

There are two ways of looking at it. Put in the cash ourselves and keep the equity. Or bring in new money and reduce our share of the potential.

I believe we are now at the stage where some big decisions will need to be made. Once we have the full report from Sandra Carter Global and Milt, we will have a picture of what the show's potential might be. But even they could not accurately predict whether or not it will be a hit - look at all the shows that fall away after the fall launch - no one can say for sure what the public will latch on to. (This year's sleeper hit is Ugly Betty)

Unky Duck is obviously a believer and I really am too. I believe that once we get it going we can really do well. But I have limited resources (cash) and I know C & P are pretty much in as far as they can be too.

It would seem that we should be thinking of Mipcom as our test market to help us make the next set of decisions.

Again, our picture will be clearer once we have the full report. We haven't heard anything from Joseph and his group - but we're not the only show he was representing. They will be analyzing how they did themselves - then they'll worry about letting the product producers know what went on. Hopefully, that won't take too long.

I, for one, am really encouraged that most of the meetings that Milt had pre-set up went really well - they all wanted to buy it. It would seem that Joseph's team must have had some success as well.

I thinking of planning to go to NY and meet with the SC people maybe as early as week after next. I think it will be worth it to meet with them face to face and talk some real turkey.

I think C & P (and Allan) have been very generous in supporting this project on a basic wing and a prayer without any guarantees and without really a reasonable projection of what the potential might be - particularly if the show sells but doesn't become a hit.

Once we have all that info we can decide what to do next. We can whoa and see what happens with Deborah and the European Satellite Network. Or we can see the opportunity and take steps to finance the rest of the 7 or 8 episodes.

Here's what I'm thinking. I'd like to shoot a new episode in Costa Rica. I have all the plans in place. I figure I can swing it on my own if need be.

We'll see what P comes up with as he searches out funding possibilities. (I have a few calls to make in that area as well.)

And, we'll wait and see what the reports are from the East.

These are morning thoughts.

Word from Milt

Aaron is coming home tomorrow night. He had lots of meetings with kids buyers from all over. Aaron has indicated that everyone seems to love the show. Milt wants to assemble an accurate assessment of the results of Aaron's meetings. He'll have a preliminary report by the middle of next week.

What he could tell us was that Arab Middle East confirmed for 5 plus whatever else we produce...same forFinland. Norway is in process - they pay a little more - in the neighbourhood of $2500/episode. Thailand, Slovenia and Slovakia are in process. Latin America - 2 buyers - one just loves it but is short of cash - they're working on it, Korea is waiting until they are sure there are 13 episodes. Milt's a little hot under the collar 'cause he wants them to commit to 13 with a decent price attached. Says he's still working on that.
That's the quick and dirty report. Doesn't know anything about Sandra-Carter's group. Aaron's home tomorrow and will have much more info.

There ya go. Little tidbits again.

No news is not bad news

I know we're all dying for some action out of France. I think we should all "keep the faith" and remain as positivie as possible. Not easy I know. I'm very impatient as a rule and to be honest, I thought I'd have heard something from Milt already. But...obviously they are really busy over there, making the most of their time in France.

We showed New Zealand to our partygoers in Saskatoon and they just loved it. That was excellent for us.

For now, I guess we just wait.

Joseph's news

Ken and I called Joseph's cellphone. He answered right away. He said the show is going really well. Highlights of our discussions:

- Aaron is going gangbusters. He said Aaron is just a ball of fire and Milt should be very pleased.
- There is lots of interest in the show. People are impressed that the host is a girl, that she's really good, and that her mother lets her do stuff - particularly the sharks seem to impress them.
- Feedback has been that there is no other show like it - it is attractive to teenage girls and that is a tough market to break - very positive.
- French Canada has said they love it!
- As expected, people are looking for a guarantee of 13 shows but he says they are handling that part ok.
-Sandra Carter Global feels they have a winner on their hands, they are very happy to be representing the show - there are many of their titles that they are going to drop after MIPCOM.
- Still busy with meetings. Will let us know if they land a big one.

No News Yet

Nothing to report so far from France. Will let you know as soon as any word comes.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

Bucket o' hugs out to Robin who's toiling in Toronto this week. He's been catching up on the news through the blog. He sends greetings to everyone at SRWT.

Watched the newest version of Kenya last night. Unky Duck has really been fine tuning it. There are new surprises each time you watch. It's tighter and funnier each time. A real shame we haven't been able to get Eric's material. I haven't heard back from him in awhile. But the show is highly entertaining as it is. It's magical. Great editing!

Thanks to Shaun & Kaleigh who did a little more Hawaii timecoding this weekend. Denise is busy digitizing and UD will get started with the edit next week if all goes well.

Again, keep checking in - I promise to report in the minute I hear anything.

Nothing new to report

Just figured I'd better give you "commenters" a new place to comment to....that last one was getting long and was deteriorating rapidly.....lol.


Kenya is close to done. Need to get together to show it to the Execs. Picante crew travelling to Saskatoon Wednesday and Thursday for Picante West opening. Possibly a showing Friday just after work? Hopefully we'll have news to discuss also.


ps Jetta has been found. No sign of the Rendezvous as yet.

Kenya in the homestretch

Shea did the voicing for Kenya last night as well as for the 4 minutes "shorts". Unky Duck will be finishing off the shorts today and we'll get them to Joseph. I think I've mentioned - downloadable material is a big focus at the market this year.

Denise is digitizing Hawaii - she'll jump right onto Egypt after that. Unky Duck will just finish off Kenya and then get going on Hawaii.

Eric Wainaina's video stuff is being held up by the authorities in Nairobi. Carrie and Fed Ex are doing their best to roust it loose.

Next episode is all planned just so we're ready. Drum roll please....Costa Rica. Green Frog Adventures have put together an adrenaline-filled itinerary for us including canyoning, kayaking, white water rafting and another bungy at the end. They're giving us a great deal and it should be fantastic show. (this is all just pre-planning in case we need to move quickly-I'm also considering it as a replacement for my regular winter holiday - somehow laying around holidays aren't as appealing anymore.)

We'll just wait and see.

First sting rays and now this...

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - An elephant trampled and killed a British man on his honeymoon in Kenya, officials said Monday.

Patrick Smith, 34, was killed in front of his wife, Julie, in the Masai Mara National Reserve on Sunday, officials said. His wife managed to leap out of the way.


"He was trampled by an elephant while on a nature trail with his wife," said Connie Maina, spokeswoman for the Kenya Wildlife Service. "This is a terrible accident."


The couple had been married for just a week, Maina added.


They had arrived in Kenya for their honeymoon and were staying at the luxury Richard's Camp lodge in the game reserve. The camp is on the edge of a forest in the Masai Mara conservation area, about 160 kilometres southwest of the capital, Nairobi.


The couple set out for their nature walk Sunday morning and were with a Masai guide just 300 metres outside the camp when the elephant attacked, Maina said.


"We think the elephant must have been at very close proximity to the couple and was surprised," she said. "They don't normally do this kind of thing. It is terrible. The wife saw what happened. I am told the wife is OK but is shaken up."


Jake Grieves-Cook, chairman of the Kenya Tourist Board, said the elephant knocked over their guide but the wife escaped injury.


"No one knows what startled the elephants, but the guide was doing everything right. They were downwind and thought they were a safe distance. Elephants have very poor eyesight, so this was not an attack," he said. "It was a tragic accident."


Tourist officials said the tented camp, in the northwestern corner of the Masai Mara, would be closed for several days because of the accident.


Julie Smith and her husband's body were flown back to Nairobi. She was expected to leave for Britain later Monday.


Kenya's elephant population is estimated at 35,000, down from a peak of 167,000 in the 1970s due to rampant poaching.


According to Kenya's Wildlife Service, the last tourist killed by an elephant in Kenya was in 2000. But there are frequent incidents between elephants and villagers in rural areas. In August, Kenyan officials shot dead a pair of rogue elephants who had killed four people in the north.

Feeling a little victimized

On Saturday night Picante was broken into - we lost our big screen tv and a few other things....no computers tho. Then last night both Allan's and my cars were stolen out of our garage. I'm a little grumpy today. Will try to look at the bright side of life.

Joseph's daughter is a fan!

Ken and I had a long discussion with Joseph from Sandra-Carter today. We covered a lot of territory. He is very positive about the show. Number 1 concern - we don't have 13 shows....but we all know that!

Turkey made an offer - SC turned it down - said they will reopen discussions at Mip.

Joseph refers to Sandra and her team as amazing salespeople. Ken concurs. Says she's the REALDEAL. They have contacts everywhere. But he cautions that it is unusual to have many, many signed deals after Mipcom. What they are likely to have is significant interest. They will create a summary of their discussions. Buyers who attend Mipcom will need to go back and present the shows they want to buy to powers that be in their own countries. The potential for the show should be well indicated by the end of Mipcom.

Joseph's daughter watched the show and loved it. Several days later she had her friends over and asked Joseph if she could show the dvd to her friends. He says that's huge because he's always got lots of screeners at his place. He considered the fact that she loves it a real bonus.

He IS going to post the banners that Ken had created for the Premiere in their booth. We're sending them out right away.

They say they think the show will still be popular even as Shea ages. That takes a bit of the pressure off.

I'm starting to think about next episodes in case we need to hurry. And I've re-tried the simple Plan people.