BZD Films - Latest Comments

Re: Carnivores Music Video

Brian — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:20:38 -0000

I almost forgot to mention, this video was shot on the Canon 550D (see the article here: http://techdrawl.com/Geeker... ), as well as on Super8mm Kodak Ektachrome 100D.

Re: Interactive Presentations

Brian — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:24:39 -0000

True, flash is very resource intensive, and not ideal in most situations. However, I'm in search of a good embeddable presentation that's better than static .ppt. Prezi is cool looking alright, but it hangs my FireFox browser on my MacTower, which is a very bad sign for those with slower computers, NetBooks, and mobile platforms. The search continues ...

Re: Interactive Presentations

Drew Castalia — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:28:02 -0000

The iOS won't support Flash until Adobe redesign it for performance efficiency, and that seems pretty impossible given how archaic a technology it is. Check out your Activity Monitor when the above Flash player is running.

Mobile devices which support Flash (like Android) run out of battery in minutes when trying to decode it, and don't render it all that well anyway.

Re: MailChimp #LessConf Party

Brian — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:06:31 -0000

Yeah, those hats were all the rage at #LessConf; did you see the video of Allan from LessEverything getting a massage in the chair? Hillarious! http://techdrawl.com/News-P...

Re: MailChimp #LessConf Party

joshtheorange — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:29:03 -0000

thanks so much for capturing footage of a MailChimp fan out in the wild!

Re: MailChimp #LessConf Party

Brian — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:13:03 -0000

There is more event coverage and videos at the TechDrawl site, so check it out! www.techdrawl.com

Re: Save The Arts

Rob — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:25:24 -0000

Thanks for highlighting a greater need now particularly with stresses brought on by our current state of affairs, both domestically and internationally. The humanities become our saving grace especially during times like these.

Re: Statistically significant innovation for BZD Films?

Pat — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:20:58 -0000

Gotta break some eggs to make an omelet, that's what I always say...

But with a faculty spin-off, I think you can have both the omelete AND a Fabergé!

Re: Statistically significant innovation for BZD Films?

Pat — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:15:06 -0000

Well, the university-- which provides facilities, utilities, and often funding-- gets half of the patent (they already get 1/3 of your grant money). Then, its a slippery slope, as far as individuals (PIs, grad students, etc.) go. But I think it is more rewarding than generating ideas as an 'underling' for an established company, knowing that every morsel of thought you conjure is wholly, exclusively, and incorrigibly the property of your employer. Ray Tomlinson ring a bell? Didn't think so. He should have more money than Jesus Christ. He invented email-- hell, he even started the '@' convention too. But he never copyrighted any of it (not that he could?). Pity, more people know how to text & drive than know his name.

Pat

Re: Statistically significant innovation for BZD Films?

Brian — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:43:08 -0000

While I agree with this statement overall, an entrepreneurial endeavor doesn't have to be based around a niche market or creating a new one. Targeting a niche market to start with however is probably one of the easier ways to begin. I think more broadly, an entrepreneurial endeavor is defined as: Where resources meet a need and creates a compelling opportunity. The opportunity, if taken on by an enterprise, would be considered "entrepreneurial".

Re: Statistically significant innovation for BZD Films?

Catherine — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:55:12 -0000

Thanks for your two cents, Patrick. I'm really interested in hearing more about how that faculty spin-off works, once you get down there and have some time to settle into it. Specifically, in terms of intellectual property and how the researchers manage to separate their for profit, private research from the university. I've heard doing this is a challenge at GA Tech (they're good at getting a chunk of profits from anything even vaguely related to them). I wonder how it is elsewhere.

Looking forward to my trip to New Orleans next month! Keep your couch clean for me.

Re: Statistically significant innovation for BZD Films?

pat — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:23:15 -0000

All things considered, it sounds like BZD Films is in a position to fit any one of Dane Stangler's definitions of entrepreneurship. Based on my experience with a biotech start-up for about a year now, and from what I have seen with faculty spin-off companies, I think entrepreneurs are people who do one of the following:

1.) Target a niche market (there are billions of dollars in brake light sales, alone)

2.) Create a market (myspace.com, facebook.com)

That's my 2 cents, don't spend it all in one place.

Re: Statistically significant innovation for BZD Films?

pat — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:23:07 -0000

1.) Target a niche market (there are billions of dollars in brake light sales, alone)

2.) Create a market (myspace.com, facebook.com)

That's my 2 cents, don't spend it all in one place.

Re: Statistically significant innovation for BZD Films?

Catherine — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:50:02 -0000

I definitely agree that venture capital seems to be more of a last resort. I also wonder if it is even as entrepreneurial as a few of that article's sources seem to think it is. Many of the papers are defining an entrepreneur as, generally, someone who takes a serious risk financially to start up their innovative business and continues happily ever after. Of course to get venture capital funding, you're probably doing something pretty innovative (although maybe you've just written a pretty sweet business plan?), but once you do get it, you've got access to and support from your successful investors who, should you begin to fail, are able to take control of your business and keep it from tanking. A business that has access to such a powerful autopilot mechanism seems so unique that any researcher studying, for example "exposure" to X strategy vs. Y outcome, should definitely consider how comparable this is to the rest of their population (ex: non-venture capital funded businesses).

I think what BZD Films can learn from this is: what are the standard parameters that researchers and policymakers are using to analyze businesses? From there, we can perhaps more easily identify other businesses that may be comparable to what we are trying to do, instead of relying on googling search terms like "documentary", "research", etc. I think this is probably similar to what you did in 2009 when trying to estimate the value of INDIAbetes. I suppose I'm just a little behind the curve on this one, coming at it from a stats/research perspective.

Re: Statistically significant innovation for BZD Films?

Catherine — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:22:51 -0000

Thanks for the feedback, Garret. I hope all is well.

Re: Statistically significant innovation for BZD Films?

Brian — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:09:03 -0000

I love the musings as to how we can use statistical analysis to figure out how "entrepreneurial" something actually is; if we can come up with a working statistical framework to figure this out, BZD Films will become that much more entrepreneurial. Also, a venture does NOT need venture capital to be entrepreneurial, in fact, that's more of a last resort. Finally, I think that an entrepreneur has to be more than just gainfully self-employed, in that they must be trying to build a business, create a new set of innovations, or something along those lines. I think we also need a statistical framework for what defines "innovation" while we're at it ...

Re: Statistically significant innovation for BZD Films?

Garret — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:02:15 -0000

I'd label BZD Films as entrepreneurial, personally. It feels right.

Re: Flu in the USSR

Brian — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:14:04 -0000

Ha, YES; I knew those pictures would serve us well in many various situations!

Re: Flu in the USSR

Brian — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:13:32 -0000

No, I left that part out. The total production budget was $75 when you include food (NEVER skimp on food when it comes to volunteer film crews!!!). Most of our $20 production budget went into producing the blood.

Re: Flu in the USSR

c@RNBMXA — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:37:59 -0000

Thanks, Brewer! I think our $20 budget was $20 of Indian food for everyone on set. Not a bad way to make a short film or three.

Re: Flu in the USSR

c@RNBMXA — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:30:09 -0000

No, gorilla was right:

http://www.flickr.com/photo...

Re: Flu in the USSR

Marble — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:50:43 -0000

Did you mean guerilla, Brian? If not, I want to hear more!

Re: Flu in the USSR

Brian — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:01:49 -0000

Thanks for the support and glad you liked the film! It was tons of fun to use what we already had: locations, set-dec, and costumes. It was really a case of Gorilla film-making at its best.

Re: Flu in the USSR

SR Brewer, ESQ — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:44:40 -0000

This was, frankly, amazing, especially for the budget and time. Well done, and I tremble with anticipation for the next two installments.

Re: Filmmaker Occupational Hazard

Brian — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:05:35 -0000

The Homeowners Association was obviously gealous of our video cameras, lights, and highly talented actors. They're just upset we didn't ask if they wanted to be in the movie.