These got me thinking, that there is some inherent beauty in the human body...and I do mean IN the human body. Especially closeup.
Danger Will Robinson, Danger...Pictures of the inside of the human body ahead...Danger.
An operating room is full of interesting textures, colors, sights, sounds and smells (sorry, but it's true).
Seriously, I often find myself noticing either symmetry or other beautiful scenes in the landscape of human anatomy. Sometimes I zoom in with the video camera, thinking I'd like to see these images again later. Who knows when such an image may come in handy for a background, a texture...or for a blog post (bonus).
Sometimes the images are not as I remember, other times one can find something that was not there originally. And sometimes you just like to have some fun....
scroll down for more...
Sometimes a simple drape can be a useful background
The natural folds and wrinkles in a surgeon's gown are interesting:
Now this is better - not so useful but fun to look at:
Sometimes it is not so much the shapes as the colors that can be inspiring. I think I might hang this one on my office wall:
Before
After
We all have some fat in our bodies. Those of us who eat a lot of donuts especially.
Sometimes when you look inside yourself you see a different world than you thought:
There is a reason we don't wear our own clothes in the OR:
Now it just looks like some digital noise - I may have another pass at this one
Same goes for our hands (well, not my hand in particular)
Now it looks like a tapestry I might hang in my living room (my wife would love that!)
Sometimes the actual image is very nearly just what you need. This is the bottom of a mesh tray for instruments.
Amazing to think we all have entire landscapes inside our bodies. Different surfaces have different functions. The omentum, or abdominal fat pad, may be sized differently in different people, but we all have one. Its rich blood supply and bulk protects our valuable population centers beyond its pastoral hills (ok, maybe that's pushing it):
Remember the part about having fun...This is an homage to Bob Ross. See my happy little sailboat?
I'll start collecting some even better images - ones that need no modification to truly show the inner beauty of the small intestine.
Thanks for reading (or vomiting as the case may be)
Mike Cohen
Posted by: Mike Cohen on Sep 23, 2009 at 2:17:31 pm
It has been well-established that multi-tasking is bad news. However, in the regular course of day to day computer activities, it is necessary to have multiple applications running. Shortcuts to apps and documents are a great time saver. Sure, this is a very basic concept, one that has been in Windows since the beginning, and even back to DOS if you think of the BAT file, but still worth mentioning as a workflow improvement.
This is where the Windows Quick Launch toolbar comes into play. This is by no means a new feature, but I find that the ability to have instant push button access to frequently used tools saves seconds at a time - and those seconds add up. Maybe I have gotten a bit carried away, as the task bar keeps growing.
Whenever I think of a shortcut, I think of those great Family Circus cartoons from the Sunday Funnies, where Billy takes a circuitous route around the neighborhood when he is called inside for dinner.
Trying to find something in Windows can have the same feeling.
So here is my laptop quick launch toolbar, with explanations to follow:
(click image to enlarge)
1 - Desktop - this is obvious - sometimes you have so many windows open you either need to clear your plate (clear your mind) or find something on the desktop, without opening yet another window. You can always hit Windows-D.
2 - Internet Explorer. The only time I use this is when checking a new website or update to make sure it is compatible. Occasionally javascript behaves differently in IE. And some client websites only work in IE. Thankfully, Netflix streaming movies now work in Firefox. Oddly it took the adoption of Microsoft SIlverlight to make a non-Microsoft browser compatible.
3 - Word - this is obvious and perhaps the most used feature on a computer.
4 - Excel - another frequent flyer. What better way to track assets, timelines or money.
5 - Nero Quick start. While I generally only use Nero to burn a DVD ISO, occasionally a regular data backup fits the bill.
6 - My Documents. I make sure to use the same icon on all computers, so I always know where My Docs can be accessed.
7 - Photoshop - easy access
8 - In-Box - I like the movie screen icon, reminds me of viewing home movies in Grandpa's living room. I keep a shared read/write In-Box on my computer. This is where my colleagues place WMV or FLV files of edit versions for review. This folder tends to fill up fast, so periodic clean-ups and backups are in order.
9 - Video Inspector. A handy little free app that tries to identify the details of codecs in video files. Sometimes it does not identify the codec but it does tell you the audio sample rate, which can sometimes be the culprit if a video does not play back in Premiere.
10 - Firefox. I'm using it now.
11 - Audacity. Not the best audio editor, but for recording a quick pickup for a temp narration track or a simple cut or paste edit, it works. And it's free.
12 - FileZilla. While Fire FTP is a plug-in for Firefox, I have had better happiness with FileZilla for FTP transfers. We do a lot of FTP transfers, even within the office, but often around the country and the world. Still waiting on the FTP login for the Hubble.
13 - My Computer - a quick way to get a bird's eye view of everything. Windows+E does it too.
14 - Calculator. Windows has this normally buried in the accessories folder - most inconvenient. While I can do many normal functions in me head, thanks to many happy Tuesdays watching Danica McKellar on tv - a calculator is much easier.
15 - Adobe Encore.
16 - Pigdin. We don't use IM too much anymore, aside from the occasional Skype chat, but this is a AOL-free way of accessing any of the popular IM services. Meebo.com is even better.
17 - Premiere.
18 - Sorenson Squeeze. Since I use Premiere CS3 on my laptop, Squeeze is necessary for any batch encoding. It is also a fast way to make an MP3 file, since Premiere CS3 does not offer MP3 export. Back in the early 2000's we used Sorenson 3 QT files for all multimedia projects.
19 - Slip art and DVD labels - this is a shortcut to a file server. Every new pice of artwork for a package design goes in there for safe keeping and access from anywhere on the network.
20 - In-Box on a colleague's computer - same purpose as described above.
21 - CD Label software. On the odd occasion when we have a free CD label printer floating around the office, it is handy to be able to use.
22 - I found a set of Star Wars icons, which help to differentiate apps from docs in a fun way. This Jawa links to an Excel file that tracks assets for an ongoing project.
23 - This FX7 Medical Droid links to an online video library.
24 - Finally, Cloud City goes to our home page.
25 - This next icon is for some piece of software I don't use, and I think I'll delete that right now!
26 - This bull's eye is the icon from the CD currently in the computer. Normally it is, in fact, a CD icon.
27 - Network Places.
28 - Links to my other computer.
29 - Links to a colleague's computer.
30 - Nero Burning ROM - this goes right to the dialog to burn a ISO file to a DVD. Very handy for Encore DVD projects.
31 - This Word doc icon links to...a Word doc that I refer to a lot. Sure I could print it out, but it is updated regularly.
32 - This Excel icon links to...oh you know.
33 - Another frequently used and updated document.
34 - Flash Media encoder. This came before Media Encoder CS4 - batch encoding for FLV files only. Handy for works in progress.
35 - Hmm, a repeat of the previous icon like this. Better delete it.
36 - Link to the In Box on my editing computer.
37 - Link to the normal CD printing computer.
38 - Thunderbird for e-mail.
39 - Outbox on another computer - like an inbox but for files to retrieve.
40 - MPEG Streamclip. A handy little utility for playback and conversion of odd video files.
41 - You guessed it.
41 - Mobi Pocket Reader - a reader for E-Books. Some free, some not.
42 + 43 - Two more computers on the network - these should be changed to unique icons - darth vader and princess leia ought to do the trick.
44 + 45 - two more frequently used doc.
On all of these, the mouse-over tells you what it is. The unique icons, especially the ones with meaningful..er..meanings - visual mnemonics if you will - are easy to click without waiting.
And that is what this effort is all about - reducing the extra little fragments of time spent waiting, looking or trying to remember where you put things.
In other words, increasing efficiency.
Thanks for reading. Gotta go update my Jawa.
Mike Cohen
Posted by: Mike Cohen on Sep 19, 2009 at 11:00:27 am
In other words, this is a blog where I talk about nothing to do with Media Production or Project Management. But maybe there are still some business and/or creative lessons to be inferred from what I do to unwind...
You see, a few weeks ago, my wife reminded me that I had not taken a vacation yet in 2009. So I did what all husbands should do..I listened to my wife and took the week off.
Business lesson 1: Listen to those you care about, as they likely care about you too.
I set out an ambitious agenda for myself. I need some structure and I bore easily. On most vacations I get what my Dad calls "schpulkes." My wife knows this too, so on day one of my vacation when I declared "I've sat around the house for 3 hours. Not that I don't like hanging out with you, but I'm going to the movies. Is that ok?" Of course.
Business lesson 2: Ask permission even when you know the answer. In other words, show common courtesy and don't get complacent.
I went to my local multiplex, approx. 2 miles from home, to see District 9. Holy COW, what an amazing accomplishment. So many sci-fi movies have tried to have action and a good story and failed. This one succeeded on all levels and was made on a shoestring. I wouldn't mind shooting a sci-fi movie on the same shoestring budget, by the way. Peter Jackson, I am waiting for your call.
Business lesson 3: Appreciate the work of others and find inspiration.
Speaking of shooting my own sci-fi film, I am on about page 20 of the first draft of a short film I hope to shoot next Summer. That ought to be good for a dozen or so blog posts!
Business lesson 4: Always be thinking of the next big thing.
So that was Saturday.
Sunday was garage cleanup day. Living in a 2 bedroom townhouse style condo, my basement is especially small, so the one-car garage holds the overflow. Generally I only garage my car between Nov and April. In the intervening months it goes to seed. I should have taken before and after pictures, but after about 4 hours I had dismantled a few shelving units, disposed of numerous dead rodents and organized my collection of digging, cutting and chopping implements. Still to sort our is the back half of the garage. Something tells me those cherished notebooks from 9th grade geometry are not as interesting to look at as I remember.
The result, so far, is not too bad.
Business lesson 5: Stay organized. Cut the clutter. Monday, Labor Day.
Went for a brief bike ride, just around my condo complex. One thing I did not do well this Summer was stay in physical shape. Well, no time like the present to get back on the horse. My wife and I devised a new diet for ourselves, better managing our calorie, carb, fat and protein intake per day based upon recommendations for our target weights and activity levels. Like any project, I setup an Excel spreadsheet to automatically tally the numbers. Day 1, fish. Day 2, chicken. Day 3, beef. Rinse and repeat.
Business lesson 6: Manage your data and use this data to help you meet your goals. Also, take care of your self physically.
Tuesday, Budget Day.
Over the past 8 months, my wife and I have seriously revised how we keep our books. For a while, in order to track our expenses, we entered into Excel not just every receipt from every purchase, but each item purchased. I can tell you exactly how much we spent on fresh raspberries, red wine or DVD rentals. From this data we determined where the waste lives and managed to revise our monthly budget accordingly.
With the budget under control, we then created a spreadsheet listing all monthly expenses for a three month period, and then copied and pasted an average month out three years to project our cashflow for the near future. Such a document allows us to anticipate home improvements, vacations, debt to income ratio, major purchases and reserves.
Business lesson 7: Know where you stand and where you are going, and keep good records.
Wednesday, with many of the goals for the week wrapped up, I truly took the day off. I watched another 5 episodes of Lost Season 2. Just when I had given up on the crazy storyline it got interesting again. I will admit to fast forwarding through some of the flashbacks. We also watched a couple of movie DVDs. Crank 2...forgettable unfortunately. A few gratuitous fight scenes but not one of Statham's better action movies. Most interesting is the fact that this film was shot on HDV. And the film made clever use of text supers and music, almost like a comic book.
We also finished season 2 of the BBC series Skins - a show about the outrageous social lives of a group of college kids in Bristol, UK. Lots of partial nudity and drug use, perfect for teen audiences! Seriously, all of the characters have some family or personal breakdown and the young actors all do a great job. Season 3 has a new cast and is, alas, not as interesting, and highly edited for American tv - not good BBC.
Business lesson 8: Have fun. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Thursday - A Fine Day Out!
Today we took a ride along Connecticut's shoreline, from New Haven to Old Saybrook. We stopped at a bead shop so my wife could stock up on some supplies for a few projects. Next we found a gourmet grocery store/farm stand and had a browse around. Many tempting treats but, oh, our diet...bah. Finally, after a quick picnic in the car we hit Hammonasett State Beach, walked along the boardwalk briefly and took in some salty air. When we first started dating we did some camping next to this beach, ate lobsters and generally fell in love. Nice.
Business lesson 9: Get outside and enjoy the nice weather. The same goes for the work day. If you are sitting at your computer for hours at a time, take five minutes and walk outside. It does you good.
Friday - more relaxing.
Saturday
Shopping for the week, Costco, BJ's Target - all my favorite stores.
Business lesson 10: Know how much things cost and go for the best value. After all your most important customer is yourself. Remember your bottom line. And if you are on a diet, remember your waist line. Sunday
Planted some Spring bulbs in the garden and trimmed some overgrown trees and shrubs. Did some laundry and made a to do list for the very busy week ahead.
Business lesson 11: Put your best foot forward. Appearance is important. Plan ahead and anticipate what is to come.
Summary
I know what you're thinking...geez man, take a vacation. This was a nice vacation and I only now post-operatively have come up with these business lessons.
Thanks for reading.
Mike Cohen
Posted by: Mike Cohen on Sep 14, 2009 at 1:53:31 pm
As soon as I get a GANTT chart as an e-mail attachment, that is a sure sign there is an MBA degree holder on the other end. Now don't get me wrong, an MBA is a great accomplishment, and those who use their knowledge to start successful businesses are to be commended.
But for those of us in business, who got here in a roundabout way, such as by starting in a creative job...well we learn as we go. What are some examples of learning business knowledge from creative efforts?
Example 1 - Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth (ok, that's a cooking example too)
You are working on a script for a video. The writer met her deadline and you like what she's done. So you send it off to your client for review. The next day you get it back with some Track Changes revisions. Nothing too bad. So before getting the green light for the shoot, it has to be run up the chain of command - your client's bosses. Suddenly, you find yourself sitting at a long conference table, accompanied by 6 people you have never met, your client and the worst pot of coffee you've ever tasted. You spend the next 4 hours copiously taking notes as the committee analyzes every word, apostrophe and colon. And speaking of colons, this coffee is racing through your system a bit too quickly. When the script review is finished, instead of being told to make the changes, you have to sit through 30 more minutes being scolded for not following your original orders. In other words, the client decided, via a laborious process, that what they asked for is not what they wanted. But it's your fault of course.
What's this got to do with business? Everything. Managing expectations is one of your key roles in business. You are happy to take the client's money, but are you prepared to help the client know what they want and expect what they are getting? Sometimes the only way to learn this is to drink that bad coffee.
Example 2 - Follow the Yellow Brick Road
In other words, follow the prescribed path to success with a client. In design, you often need to follow the client's corporate branding guidelines...to the letter. The client uses a font you don't have? Buy it. The client does their brochures in InDesign and you are a Quark house? Either learn it or hire someone who knows it. Think the corporate brochure templates are bland and all look the same? Don't forget that the work you are doing is a small piece of their million dollar campaign. Consistency is everything when marketing anything.
From a business point of view, little interpretation is needed. You may be a creative type who is now running or helping to run a business, but once you have provided the creative jolt your client needs, follow their rules for compliance with the corporate strategy.
Example 3 - Dance like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee
In other words, think on your feet and nail your client's need accurately and decisively when they need you to. A client calls and says "I like the DVD. Can I use this at my exhibit next week?"
Well you know, from a creative point of view, that you hit the PLAY button and the video plays once then goes back to the main menu. Not good for a trade show display. Your answer has to be "You could, but it would be better if it loops."
The client asks how soon they can get that version.
A good client asks how much it will cost. A good creative/business person will get them the goods and if they are a good client or a new client you do it gratis, because you are providing excellent customer service and that keeps 'em coming back for more. New clients and good clients (repeat clients) are the only clients you should have. New clients are not always good, but sometimes you don't know that until the job is finished. Until that time, treat every client the same - they are a good client, because they are a client, and you want to make them a good repeat client. So you do your job the only way you know how - well. Think on your feet to come up with solutions when they need you to.
More examples than I can think of
Don't just take my advice, check out the latest threads from the Creative COW Business and Marketing Forum:
Read the forum. Better yet subscribe to the new posts. I guarantee you'll be smarter for reading. You'll get the benefit of many viewpoints from experts and novices alike from around the world. Who needs an MBA when you have a COW.
Thanks for reading.
Mike Cohen
Posted by: Mike Cohen on Sep 5, 2009 at 3:57:12 pm
Back in the late 90's I was always the guy to take a stills camera on a shoot, or to various travel destinations. The result was usually a few snapshots, such as of our exhibit booth setup or a group shot after we wrapped.
As the 21st century took hold I continued the tradition with a range of semi-pocket sized digital still cameras. Our first one was a Kodak 1 megapixel unit - for video resolution it was actually pretty good. I got the camera suggested by a colleague who did a doc about the Shroud of Turin.
While the resolution and size of digital cameras has increased, the ease of taking snapshots in everyday situations has not.
Enter the camera phone. Now it is commonplace to grab your phone and take a pic of anything and everything. Since the phone is always with me, I find myself taking pictures of the mundane to the interesting to the merely useful. A phone that takes stills is certainly more useful than a DV camcorder that takes stills. Although a still camera that takes video is another story for another blog. Although the videos from the phone, while low res, are high on convenience and add to the magic of easy access image collection.
Thus, over the past few years, my phone cam has become an extension of my own short term memory. Indeed, I find myself snapping pictures of things that seem interesting at the time, but which I will A not remember and B not have time or inclination to take with a better more obvious camera. And sometimes C you get something just by happenstance that becomes an unexpected treasure.
So take my hand, walk with me, down the road of days gone by.
The places I know, the dates I don't, the phone it does not lie.
I barely knew 2006 the time it really flies.
2007 was the year we had to say goodbyes.
But through it all my trusty phone,
Recorded calls and friends I've known.
And always will I cherish what my brain has not remembered.
Chicago - 2006. Our big medical convention of the year. Love the architecture.
One last visit to Boca Raton - where we spent 20 years of school vacations.
Happy times spent with those we now miss.
Childhood memories embraced by adults!
I always send my wife an action pose before my next trip.
Who could possibly remember a parking garage location a week later?
Making good use of time away.
Landmarks...
Unknown, but worthy of admiration...
Good meals (this is fondue before the fondue)
Not so good meals.
No explanation needed - but seriously folks, who wouldn't want a hot Kosher snack at any time of the day?
One of my old 2 megapixel images wound up on this book cover!
Conventions
Circa 1997
Circa 2008
________________
More Action Shots
Office Renovations
So long VPR-80 - I hardly knew ya!
The Unexpected
This would have been nice at higher quality, but I just don't carry a camera everywhere I go, such as to the Costco parking lot where this was taken!
And of course, everyone takes lots of pictures of their pets. Right? Anyone? Oh well.
Now with the memory clear (on the phone and in my cerebral cortex) I can head off into the sunset knowing that my future memories will be captured for safekeeping.
Thanks for sharing.
Mike Cohen
Posted by: Mike Cohen on Sep 1, 2009 at 4:33:08 pm
This was a post on the Business and Marketing Forum, and I thought it would make a good blog post too:
Is Health a relevant topic for a creative website? I would say Health Issues are very much ON TOPIC.
Since we are all either independent operators, small business owners or employees of others - health care and its costs are definitely a business issue. The costs are not only insurance and its associated controversies - but perhaps more importantly - the costs of not being healthy.
True, in our line of work, back injuries are common. I used to transport a 70 pound operating room tripod around the country as checked baggage and carry the full size broadcast camera in bulky Portabrace case on my shoulder and onto the plane - not good. Today, while the camera is smaller, the rolling golf case of gear is still 50 pounds and those wheels don't get it in and out of my car. And carrying a HDV camera case with batteries, mics and tapes on one shoulder and a laptop case in the other hand is still pretty bad for your back.
In the past 2 years, I have taken off maybe 2 days due to back pain, and 5 days for flu-like illness. Neither of them are entirely preventable. But prevention is the key to longevity. Here is my strategy, though I may need to bookmark this post for future reference:
1 - Drink a lot - of water that is. On days when I remember to drink two liters of fresh tap water and have a lot more energy after I leave work, am less grumpy and my urine is nice and clear. Hey this is a health topic and I work in a health related field so we don't mince words when it comes to bodily functions. Clear urine = clean plumbing.
2 - Eat on a regular schedule. First have breakfast before you leave the house. If you have a 6am call time or flight, the last thing you want to do is get up extra early and toast a bagel. If I have an early day ahead of me, I sometimes stop on the way home from work and get a pastry or some flavor of bagel that tastes good un-toasted to eat in the car. Also try to have a good portion of liquid in the AM to replenish your body post-sleep.
Eat healthy choices, shop the perimeter of the supermarket. Any food package that says it is healthy might be lying. Low fat pasta? Of course it's low fat, it's pasta. But fat does not make you fat. Carbs make you fat. Fat gives you heart disease. Food manufacturers are catching on to the fact that people are paying attention to what they are eating - that was not always the case.
3 - If you keep food at work try to find something either healthy or a small enough portion that it does not kill your diet. When I was in my 20's I stocked my desk drawer with Little Debbie products and juice boxes. Did not affect my waistline due to my high metabolism, but probably didn't make me any healthier. My parents both have diabetes, so I'd better watch my sugar intake if I know what's good for me.
4 - If you are sedentary a lot, and we all are, there are a few things to do. I agree about the good chair. I'm saving up. Our chairs are actually pretty adjustable, just need extra cushioning.
Try to sit with your back as straight as possible. Those chairs with a lot of levers let you lean way back or have a rocking chair. That's fine if you are playing video games or if you are the CEO. But for long duration computer work, you need all your parts in alignment. Feet flat on the floor, elbows on arm rests with fore-arms angled slightly down from the elbows. Thus the keyboard and mouse should be around the level of your navel.
Another problem with being sedentary is what happens on the inside. Sitting down a lot can cause problems down below. This is another reason to drink lots of water. One coffee a day may be ok, different people react differently to caffeine. I drink a lot of green tea in the winter. Constipation and other problems in that neighborhood can result from lots of sitting. Eat enough fiber to compensate. That should keep you running!
5. Sleeping. We too invested in a nice pillow top bed. My wife and I both sleep with our backs elevated 45 degrees and a good sized pillow under our knees. The pillow behind the back prevent snoring and helps drain the sinuses. The pillow under the knees keeps the spine in alignment which is good for the next day spent in a chair.
6. Exercise. Anything is better than nothing. In the warm weather I try to walk around the building a few times a day, or even into town a 1/2 mile. Even in the winter I will bundle up and go for a jaunt.
But even inside the office, I do a lot of MBWA so I am always in other offices. On days with a hot deadline for FedEx I move even faster.
As for actual cardio or resistance work - I have some dumbells in my bedroom. I'll do a dozen reps in the morning if I think of it. Stretching is very helpful. I ride my bike but not very often and should get more exercise overall. But don't be fooled into thinking you have to workout to exhaustion to keep weight off. When you run for your life, your body thinks it is being chased by a velociraptor and increases cortisol to give you that energy boost. That is not going to help you lose weight but it might improve your muscle tone. And when you eat a lot of carbs, your body thinks you are preparing for hibernation, so it stores that away as fat storage. Then when you don't hibernate or increase your activity level, but keep eating, the body keeps packing on the fat.
In other words, a healthy diet with deliberate food choices, moderation, and regular activity, strenuous or otherwise, is a good idea for all of us. If you have additional middle-aged health concerns like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, then all bets are off - do what they tell you to do.
7. Unplug. Have an outlet for spending time that is not your job. The COW for example - still sitting at a computer but using a different part of your brain. Have a hobby that is not shooting video. I go to the library every 2 weeks and get a suitcase full of books. Fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, travel books, biographies. Keep that brain running. I bought my obligatory economy stimulation 40" LCD television last year, and almost never use it. I also write short fiction and screenplays for my own amusement, but it is not work. Free your mind and the rest will follow.
Thanks for reading. Now get outside, find a kid, and throw something at him. With any luck, he'll throw it back.
Mike Cohen
Posted by: Mike Cohen on Aug 28, 2009 at 8:14:22 am
In this, the first episode of My Video Blog, I give a brief rundown of the studies and training that got me to my job at Cine-Med creating compelling medical education in the form of video, multimedia, distance learning, books and marketing for health professionals.
In future episodes we'll talk about travel, workflow, project management and some highlights of medical media production. Thanks for reading...and watching.
Mike Cohen
Posted by: Mike Cohen on Aug 10, 2009 at 8:31:25 pm
Do you like to Rock and Roll? In other words, do you thrive on one big event after another, or more likely, one success after another.
Anyone who creates media for a living has to make every effort to do the very best job they can every time. We take pride in our work. We enjoy doing even the most mundane tasks. Duping a tape is like selling a song. Authoring a DVD is like selling an album. Producing a live event is like doing a concert. See the parallels?
Social media is all the rage these days. Whether you are getting work this way or not, you are probably putting yourself out there. But what about social media networking within the organizations you serve?
Let's say you have done a DVD for Department A. It's a work in progress, but the video is pristine, the narration, no thanks to you, is dead on and not bad for ad libbed. The DVD interface is a demo - the final product will be done in Flash and they haven't even seen it yet. But lucky for you, the head widget salesman in Dept A has been promoting your work in other departments of his org. Thus, your DVD prototype is your calling card, being flashed around the client's building without your knowledge.
Then you get a call from a new contact in Dept J.
"Hey, this is James Jameson in Dept J of Amalgamated Widgets, Inc. We haven't met, but you're working with Dave Davidson in Dept A. He showed me that widget-o-matic DVD you're developing. I gotta get me one of those, only make mine better. Dave said this costs around a million and a half alligator toes? Sign me up."
It doesn't get much better than that.
Make your clients into true believers of your talents then let them go to work on your behalf, pimpin' your services free of charge. This is how social networking and viral marketing is supposed to work, only it need not happen via the web. Word of mouth was the original social network. Keep it alive.
So you schedule time to go on down to Amalgamated Widgets for a meet and greet, grab a coffee, then walk around the office seeing others that you know. You've got a rapport with these people. Even if you're not doing a project with Jane Janey in Dept W stop by her desk and say hi. Maybe you have a recent DVD on widget repair that she might like to see. Maybe she'll like it and want to buy 50 copies for her salesforce. Always be prepared. Saying you have a product she might like is one thing, but reaching into your computer bag and handing over a sample is better.
Word gets around. The switchboard back at home base gets a call from the VP asking when you will be back in the office. You see, word got around that you were in his building, and he wants to check in to let you know he appreciates your efforts. Maybe this happens, maybe it doesn't, but if the VP knows who you are you're on the right track AND the right train.
Keep the momentum going. Communicate often so your customers have the latest information. Post their edits online in a timely manner. Give them ideas for new uses of the videos you have already created. Word gets around. Soon other departments call wanting to use these works of art for their own purposes.
Yes, everyone wants what you've got. You're a rock star. Enjoy it, but you gotta keep working if you want your success to continue.
Once in a while you may have a song that doesn't make the charts. It happens. Move on, but try to figure out what went wrong. Did you follow the template for a hit? Was your creative idea not what the fans wanted? It's best to face the music, admit your error, and make up for it the next time around.
But when you're on a roll, you can do no wrong. You just gotta pay attention to what you are doing, and make every move deliberate. Make every communication crystal clear. Keep it real and stay out there. You're a rock star, and that's what you have to do to stay on top.
This is me trying to sound cool. You're as cool as you think you are. If your customers think so too, run with it.
Thanks for rockin'.
Mike Cohen
Posted by: Mike Cohen on Aug 6, 2009 at 7:02:49 pm
While growing up, my dad was always the guy with the SLR or the Super-8 camera. Actually he still takes the most pictures at present.
As a result, we have volumes of photo albums, boxes of 35mm slides and a couple hours of grainy color film footage, luckily transferred to VHS back in the 80's before it disintegrated.
Around 1994 I took the opportunity to follow in Pop's footsteps, and start archiving every major and minor family event. When I met my wife a year later, I was pleased to learn that my future father-in-law had also developed a lifetime collection of media.
Acquisition
Starting around December 1994, I had a video camera in one hand, and a stills camera in the other. These days you can shoot both with one unit, such as a D90 or D5 Mark 2 (in my dreams) or more likely a digicam and a camcorder. Lately I have been choosing one or the other. For example, in 2005 when the Christmas Pudding nearly burned the house down from too much rum and a backdraft situation, I got that on DV tape. Then I shot stills in '06 and then HDV in '07, and back to stills in '08.
Most of what I remember is based upon my view through the viewfinder. This is my general appearance at a family gathering.
I have to say, the Sony Hi8 camera I bought in 1998 was extremely durable. Old faithful!
They don't make 'em like that anymore.
Distribution
From 1994 to about 2001, the best way to distribute new pictures or video was via US Mail. Certainly Grandma didn't have access to e-mail until 2005, but given slow internet speeds in the late 20th century, prints and videotapes fit the bill.
Around 2002 I secretly borrowed Dad's 35mm slides and scanned about 50% of them and gave him 3 CD-ROM discs complete with HTML photo galleries for Father's Day. Secrecy is an important part of these projects.
From about 2004 to 2008 I was making DVD compilations of the classic family films and the new events. In 2005, in honor of Grandma and Grandpa's 60th Wedding Anniversary the tour de force of family DVDs was released, featuring the best productions and film clips going all the way back to about 1974.
Back in the day, people liked being on film. These days I get a lot of shots of people covering their faces.
Now, as time rolls on and inevitable milestones that we do not look forward to have transpired, we luckily have these memories for posterity. However one must keep track of everything, and let me tell you, stuff is everywhere.
I have had numerous home computers since 1994. I make sure to back up data before retiring a PC, however there are still multiple hard drives and stacks of CD and DVD discs, not to mention boxes of photos and Hi8 tapes.
Social Networking
The evolution of social networking for family members has gone from telephone to letter writing to e-mail to limited website linking to today's best-so-far solution, Facebook.
Telephone was of course limited to voice. It was great telling someone about a trip or event, but without visuals.
Back in the early 80's when long distance was still expensive, we had a system. One ring, call Franny. Two rings, call Rita. Three or more rings, ok to pickup - could be grandma. I think we invented Caller ID!
Then of course was the signaling system. Used after a long car ride, such as from Massachusetts back to Iowa. Hit 0 for operator, and place a collect call to Buster, the dog. When Grandma said Buster wasn't available (in reality, Buster had died years ago), we would say "Operator, just tell them to tell Buster that we arrived safely" knowing that Grandma could hear us say this. This was a way to avoid paying for a 1 minute phone call. Sorry Ma Bell - you've been punk'd.
Letter writing was never much of an enjoyable activity, aside from post-cards and the odd thank you note.
Jump ahead to e-mail. With 28.8k modems, sending more than one photo at a time was out of the question, and files had better of been under 100k. This continued until AOL started allowing multiple attachments. Then came broadband, around the same time as free web photo galleries. So photo sharing became easier. However this still involved multiple websites to juggle. Still not great or easy.
Finally social networking sites were invented. I admit I hesitated before accepting my Dad's friend invite. But now that I have, along with cousins and relatives who I have never even met, it's truly one big happy family. Now one can post a picture or video, and without any effort or stamps, everyone can see it, and if they desire, comment or pass it along to their own group of friends. Brilliant.
What I am getting at, is there is now - finally after all this time - an easy way to share your memories with a large disparate group of people.
Looking Ahead
So this week I started compiling my treasures, 1994-present, not only into a more organized offline fashion, but also bit by bit into my online family network. While it gives me joy to watch my Grandpa Morris talk about working in the shipyards during WWII or how he was arrested for selling hot dogs on Coney Island, it gives me even greater joy to share that video with my uncle, who had never seen video of his father, and with my mom, dad, brother any extended family. It's not that I did not have the ability or inclination to send my uncle a copy of this video in the past, it is just so easy now that we are all connected and communicating on a daily basis.
Last week I did a Skype video chat with my mom and dad in Florida. Now that is something all of my grandparents would have loved to see. But, you are thankful for the memories you have, knowing that you are always creating new memories for the future.
Thanks for reading. Now go get those shoeboxes from the attic and get scanning!
Mike Cohen
Posted by: Mike Cohen on Jul 29, 2009 at 4:50:48 pm
It is a dark time for the rebellion. Or so you think.
At first glance, a new project may seem daunting.
You get a call - the client likes your proposal. Let's do it.
Great, you say, glad to be working with you.
The client signs the SOW and you're off and running.
The what?
SOW = Statement of Work
Whether a one-page summary of the work to be done, roles and responsibilities, or a multi-page contract with some legal gobbledeegook if that is the format you or they are required to follow, you basically need to put in writing the expectations. But read the contract, especially if you didn't write it.
Your job as Project Manager, or PM, is to Manage Expectations.
Let the client know what they will see - before they see it.
When they give you feedback, positive, negative or a combination (constructive feedback) tell them what they will see next, when and and in what form. Manage their expectations.
Then, of course, you need to deliver on those expectations, or come close along with a list of why's and why not's.
Part of your SOW is what you will deliver, and approximately when you will deliver it.
Also specify, if relevant, what the client will deliver to you, in order for you to deliver what you said you would deliver. Or specify, whether by sequential dates, deliverables or more specific details if required, tasks that rely upon one person before another. These are called Dependent Tasks. I can't design the interface until Wedge gives me the logo and the corporate image guidelines. Then I need to design the interface, get it approved by the client, before Biggs can program the prototype.
Meanwhile, you need to perhaps manage assets coming in from the far reaches of the galaxy, whether by freighter (mail) or sub-space transmission (e-mail) or perhaps stored in the memory bank of your astro droid (FTP).
So you know what you have to do and approximately how you will do it. Time to gather the troops and put the plan into motion.
This briefing may be formal or informal, one-on-one or in the board room. Sometimes the board room is known as the bored room. In other words, keep meetings to a minimum and as brief as possible. Everyone is busy - hopefully busy doing the tasks in this or another project.
Speaking of which, when you setup your timeline, include some buffer, or wiggle room. If you know it will take roughly 80 hours to do the work, don't schedule this 80 hours into exactly 80 hours of available time. Build in some breathing room, say 90 or 100 hours. This lets you keep tabs on other projects and keep other clients as happy as this new client is going to be. Also this gives you that extra time at the end if you need it. And you could almost always use a few more hours. You're human after all.
As part of your SOW and before that, a kick-off meeting, you have also defined the end-date when the project is needed. This end date should take into account the end goal. The end goal is not the product - it is the purpose for the project. You know you can make a DVD. The client knows you can make a DVD. But WHY do they want this DVD? What's that, they want to give out the DVD at a board meeting at the end of the month? That would be good to know at the beginning of the month. Knowing pretty accurately how long you need to do each dependent task, you can back-time from the delivery date to know how all the efforts fit together, and the latest you can actually begin work.
So you have defined roles and responsibilities in your SOW, managed dependent tasks, kept track of content, followed the directions of communications and moved the project along. Now you are in the final stretch - the final deliverable.
You launch your ships for the final assault. You are in the lead fighter.
Check your cargo - 2 laser pointers and an LCD projector for the final run-through with the client. Some last minute changes are inevitable. This is not saying anything negative about your management skills or about the client. Sometimes it is not until someone sees a completed project, and they can compare the vision for the project with reality, that they realize some minor changes are needed. You make them and everyone is happy.
But if you recall the project briefing, Scope Creep was a danger on the board. This means the project scope has gotten beyond the initial understanding - it has crept outside the lines. Also, scope creep can be a real Creep. Maybe we should call it Scope Creep Squared.
Maybe not.
You sometimes don't know Scope Creep is coming until it arrives - it just jumps out of a worm hole without warning. You know it when you see it however. It could go a number of ways:
The client sees the prototype, and it is exactly what they asked for. But now that they see in reality what they thought they wanted, they realize it is not what they wanted. What they actually wanted they can now make out of what you have given them. No problem, right? Maybe.
Or you finish the project to the client's satisfaction, but oh wait, it would be even better if it had flashing yellow lights, a photo gallery and a new video. You can do those things, can't you? Yes, but that was not part of the SOW, remember?
How you deal with scope creep can vary, and may vary by project. Or you may have a policy. Try to communicate this policy with your client at the outset, to either avoid or better deal with Scope Creep when it happens. If it happens despite your best efforts, you may need to bring everyone back together and figure it out on a case by case basis. Whatever you do, don't just say "yes, we can do that" unless that is your policy. Don't pay lip service just to avoid the conversation. You could burn yourself. Deal with it.
All of your opponents to progress have been dealt with. The budget is tight, but you can make it. Stay on target. Almost there. A final design change at the last moment. It's unexpected but not too bad. You can deal with it. Have your droid lock down a stabilizer. You can hold on for just a few more seconds. There it is, the final target is in your sights. Just need to blast that last budget review and you're home free.
You got it. Well done. With a little help from your colleagues, you can put this project to bed. You rally the troops back to base and thanks everyone for a job well done. You really came together as a team.
Cue award ceremony fanfare.
Award ceremony? Really?
Sorry to disappoint. Your reward is knowing you did a good job. The client sends their thanks, but the best reward will be repeat business with this client. Your job as PM, after all, is to keep this client happy. Because the best kind of client, is a repeat client.
May the "Thanks for Reading" Be With you. (best I could come up with)
I have a passion for my job, which entails training for medical professionals such as surgeons, nurses and administrators, not to mention various industries.
Technology is great, but know how is what pays the bills.
Years ago I canceled my Media 100 support contract upon discovering what a treasure trove of helpful advice can be found on the Creative COW website. I am proud to be a part of this fantastic community.
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