Jake & Will: CONTEST WARRIORS

WHO WE ARE: THE INTRO VIDEO

2013-01-16T20:58:00.000-08:00

Two new videos and the end of an era

2010-04-20T18:43:00.000-07:00

These last two commercials are the final losing entries for Video Contest Warriors. We have won some, we have lost some, but we have always done our best, and as we say farewell to contests, Will and I look to the future with open eyes. We did not reach our goal, but we endured through hard times and multiple losses, and we did the most important thing a creative can, we learned. We learned how to make better commercials, we learned what we were good at and what we need to try harder to achieve, and we learned what it means to keep trying despite rejection. Failure teaches us that a brighter future is just around the corner.

This is not the end for us, look for something amazing in the near future.

Here is Nokia

Nokia: Connecting Us from John Bradbury on Vimeo.

and

Sunchips

New Video For Assassin's Creed Contest

2010-03-10T19:41:00.000-08:00

It stars Larry Cedar from "The Crazies" and HBO's "Deadwood".

We shot it for just under $500 over the course of a weekend. Check it out:

-Will

The Last Ad ever made

2010-02-09T15:32:00.000-08:00

Mofilm is putting on an ad contest for the Tribeca film festival that features 12 top brands and tens of thousands of dollars in prizes. Will and I are going to create four commercials for the contest and hope that one, or all, are chosen. Our Yoplait ad was made for a mofilm contest, and that didn't work out so well, so keep your fingers crossed.

If we are not successful in placing, and winning copious amounts of cash, then I am hanging up my advertising coat and replacing it with my narrative one. I have spent a little over a year making commercials but, although fulfilling at times, nothing can beat my love of narrative film. I have re-evaluated my goals and doing advertisements out of pocket is just not cutting it anymore. If I am out of pocket on projects I want to start learning how to put together a feature, and the best way to do that is by creating short films, not ads.

Two things that every indie producer needs

2010-02-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

...and often forgets.

The first one is a location scout.

You want the perfect bridge for the reunion scene, but you require something specific. The bridge has to have a view, it has to have little to no car traffic, and it must overlook a cascading waterfall with angels cut into the cliff face.

The location scout will go out and find anything that is remotely similar to your description, and put pictures in front of you to decide where you want to shoot. Then, once you have decided, they will go out and negotiate legal access to that particular location. I understand when you're producing indie films usually you're the location scout, so start taking pictures of places you visit. Keep a book of suitable locations, so when you need a hello kitty museum, you know exactly where it is.

The second one is a set designer.

The set designer is responsible for collaborating with the director and other members of the production design team to create an environment for the production and then communicating the details of this environment to the production manager and propmaster. They dress the set with everything from posters and bed spreads to paint and clothes in the closets. As a director it's easy to forget what is in the background, especially if you're focusing on the performances, but I must say that having a set designer makes all the difference in making your film project look authentic and beautiful.

SuperBowl

2010-02-07T13:58:00.001-08:00

The Superbowl is one of the biggest advertising days in the year. Advertising firms pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into their ad campaigns to make sure they are the most talked about product of the superbowl.

Will and I have entered two Superbowl contests, Doritos and Careerbuilder. Neither of which were picked, so guess which ads are going to suck this year? If you want to take a walk down memory lane revisit those beautiful ball kicking, girl crying ads we made for this special occasion.

Waiting on an internship

2010-02-06T16:35:00.000-08:00

I did a commercial contest for Ila dusk a couple weeks ago, and part of the prize besides a little bit of money was the chance for an internship with BBH advertising. BBH is an ad agency responsible for some of the best commercials in the last couple years. They have a knack for understanding the temperature of the global advertising climate and producing commercials that entice and excite.

I will find out in the next couple weeks if I got the internship. The available places I can go are London, or New York. Which one would you choose and why?

The lessons I learned when shooting a short film

2010-02-06T00:09:00.001-08:00

I directed a short film the other night tentatively called, "Come Back." It's been awhile since I attempted doing narrative work, but being on set I realized how much I've missed it.

The scene involved two actors and a crew of three. Will was the cinematographer, Lily was the script girl, I was the director, and all three of us were PA's. Eight pages in eight hours, with three arri 650's, a rented shotgun/boom pole, and the hvx200. It went pretty smoothly as far as shoots go, and everyone got on really well.

What this post is really about is cataloging all the information I learned from this shoot so I can refer back to it before doing the next one.

1) Rehearse your actors, and lock their blocking DOWN.

Too many times I come back from a shoot to find my shots won't cut together because I wasn't as strict as I should have been about blocking. For example, my actress picks up a wine glass takes a sip and puts it down. It should be easy to cut between shots, but when she picks it up and sets it down at different times, it can become an editing nightmare.

2) Make sure you know how much wattage the location can handle before you arrive.

A couple times during the shoot the entire lighting set up would go dark. My actress, who was kind enough to let us use her house to shoot, had to go into her laundry room every time it happened and hit the breaker. The last time the breaker just stopped working. Luckily, we had finished, but it was close.

3) Always bring an external monitor.

I should know this one, but being poor I thought I could do without. Pretty much all cameras have bad on-board monitors, the HVX included. We learned this the hard way when we got back home only to find that all our footage was dark. Light enough to be salvageable, but still dark.

4) Lenses are a must. Especially when doing any medium shot or close shot for drama.

A movie only looks like a movie when you can direct your audiences focus away from the drab background and onto your subject. With the HVX, this is not possible without a lens adapter and lenses. Lenses basically make a so-so shot into pure gold. (Note the use of lenses in our Careerbuilder spot.) Lenses can always save the day, and are even more necessary in small spaces when you don't have a set designer.

Expect to see the short soon. Feedback will be greatly appreciated.

-Jake

Please vote for my submission on Talenthouse

2010-01-21T20:57:00.000-08:00

Please vote for my submission on Talenthouse

Matt Werner Wins A Video Contest

2010-01-18T13:17:00.000-08:00

A little while back my good friend Matt Werner wrote us a letter. It went a little something like this:

Hey Will and Jake,

I’m writing with great news! Inspired by the success of Video Contest Warriors, and how you guys have won a number of video contests, I decided to enter one myself. I’m pleased to report success: of the 4 entries I made into Office Depot’s Adopt a Small Business video contest, 3 won $2,000 prizes!

I submitted video contest entries on behalf of the Global Micro-Clinic Project, Night on the Streets—Catholic Worker, and Sparkseed, three nonprofits I volunteer with. Thank you for inspiring me to enter this contest, and now helping these nonprofits with $6,000 in total winnings!

Best,
Matt Werner

Matt does a lot of awesome non-profit work. If you like to get in touch with any of the charities he represents, click some of the links above or contact him over at Matt's Writing.

-Will

Jake & Will Win 1ST PRIZE for Bounce Commercial

2010-01-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

Poptent.net just announced that we won 1st Prize and $1,000 for the "Bounce Dryer Bar Solution"! Watch below:

Starring the lovely and talented Cara Pifko and Nathan Scholz. Thanks to Paul for his dutiful PA-ing, Brandon for his awesome sound design and Romeo and Rush for allowing us to use their laundry room.

-Will

The New Year

2010-01-02T11:18:00.001-08:00

What does the New Year hold in store for the Video Contest Warriors? Some amazing things, I'm sure. Personally I want to focus on winning a contest that allows me to travel. I've caught the traveling bug and my itch begs to be scratched. A couple contests fit that criteria, so look out for some videos coming next month.

After finishing the Assassins Creed short film Will and I realized how much we love narrative shorts. We've been head down making commercials for the last year, and although lucrative, they don't quite hit the creative reward button that is narrative. My friends and I have been writing a couple ten minute shorts in the action, romance, horror, and drama genres. Look out for those in the future and thank you for all your support.

-Jake

Mofilm + Yoplait Purchase Contest Warriors Ad

2009-12-18T12:31:00.000-08:00

You might remember a post a while back about the striking similarity between the Mofilm/Yoplait $10,000 prize winning film and our own. Well, we received an email the other day from Yoplait saying they wanted to pay us for our entry. We accepted.

-Will

Jake & Will Are Runner-Ups in the "2nd Chance" Contest

2009-11-11T08:36:00.000-08:00

Poptent.net has been hosting a monthly competition where people submit their losing contest entries for a second chance to win $500. We just got an Honorable Mention for "The Butterfinger Warrior"!

Money would have been nice... but respect is pretty good, too.

-Will

Jake & Will Met With A Manager

2009-11-07T10:21:00.001-08:00

As most of you know, Jake and I were recently contacted by a potential manager.

If that position still is unclear to you, let me briefly explain. A manager in the film industry is more or less someone to guide you through the choppy waters of Hollywood and introduce you to people who can help further your career. Additionally, he/she may help you put together pitches and develop ideas that you then try to sell to studios and agencies. At their best, they are film industry sherpas that protect your interests and "manage" your career long term.

So, Hollywood style, we sat down at a chic cafe on the Sunset Strip (Coffee Bean) and talked for an hour or so about our goals, his experience level and what we could offer one another.

No papers were signed, but the meeting was a positive experience. We'll keep you posted.

-Will

Doritos "Crash The Super Bowl" Entry

2009-11-05T19:43:00.000-08:00

Our entry in the Dorito's "Crash The Super Bowl" Contest is finally up. You can check it out by clicking the Dorito's link below:

http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/#/video/1270

It is competing for over $1,000,000 and the chance to be shown during the 2010 Super Bowl. Enjoy!

-Will

Latest Project: Before and After Color Correction

2009-11-03T16:54:00.000-08:00

Jake and I are incredibly proud of our most recent project. Through color correction we were able to achieve an incredibly cinematic feel to what was essentially a run-n-gun shoot. Since the piece is set during the Renaissance, we wanted to give it the look of aged parchment with a little color dimension to it. Here are some before and afters:

-Will

We've Been Quiet But We Haven't Been Lazy

2009-11-01T00:54:00.000-07:00

All is NOT quiet on the Western front. Though it's been a week or so since our last post, the Contest Warriors have been hard at work on 2 new contest entries... one of which will help market a badass videogame most of us know (or SHOULD know) and love. It's not a traditional ad and we're excited to get back to our storytelling roots...

Also, it was my birthday the other day. I realized how many awesome friends I've made through these contest videos-- all people that I regularly hang out with now. If you were there at my b-day dinner to celebrate, thanks for coming to hang :)

In any case, keep an eye out. Next few days something contest-related is definitely going up.

-Will

Jake & Will Go Hollywood... For Real

2009-10-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

We have a meeting with a potential manager next week.

We are excited about said meeting. Stay tuned.

-Will

Help Us Figure Out Why We Lost

2009-10-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

THIS VIDEO won $10,000 and a trip to London in the recent Mofilm ad competition.

The thing is... it is almost exactly the same ad that we made. Compare it with our entry in the competition:

Where do you think they had an edge? Or do you think we got robbed? Discuss.

Photos From The Latest Shoot

2009-10-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

We successfully completed our Doritos Crash the Superbowl 2010 shoot and took some awesome pictures. Check 'em out!

The video should be up in a week or so.

-Will

The Funniest Commercial of 2008

2009-10-19T14:07:00.001-07:00

I want to share this with you guys because it is fucking. Hilarious. Enjoy what was widely considered the most successful commercial of 2008:

This commercial is absolutely my style.

-Will

Poptent Announces "2nd Chance" Contest

2009-10-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

If you ever entered a video contest, sunk hundreds or thousands of dollars into your entry and then lost... this post is for you.

Poptent recently announced a new monthly contest where users can submit their losing contest entries for the chance to win $500.

When you're on a losing streak, winning back even a fraction of the money you've spent is a nice feeling... so check it out. We entered "The Butterfinger Warrior" for this month's round of competition.

Here's a link to the brief and guidelines: http://www.poptent.net/assignment/113

-Will

We Held Auditions Yesterday

2009-10-15T15:31:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we held auditions for our upcoming entry to the Doritos Crash The Superbowl Contest. Over $1,000,000 in prizes and an incredible amount of media exposure is at stake. Needless to say, we want to do this one right.

Here are some of the highlights from our day of casting:

1. People auditioning for the "hot cheerleader" but coming dressed in a parka and sweatpants.

2. A woman who taught her dog to push a tiny plastic stroller around our audition space.

3. Children crying in the waiting room as their pushy show-moms crammed lines into their brains.

4. Jake coming down with the flu DURING the auditions.

And finally

5. A dog that took a full-on shit in the casting room while we sat watching with our jaws dropped... and Alison dutifully cleaning it up and Lysol-ing.

That's the basic rundown of the day. We ended up finding some really great actors for the roles despite all the weirdness. We'll have something posted within the next couple weeks. Stay tuned.

-Will

Jake & Will Pull Out Another Win!

2009-10-12T17:46:00.000-07:00

Poptent.net announced today that it was awarding $500 to our submission to the "Demo Reel of the Month" competition! We are stoked!

In case you missed the posting a couple weeks ago, here it is again:

Thanks everyone for the support! More good news on the way soon...

The Intro Video Debate

2009-10-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

As some of you may or may not have noticed, Jake and I redid our intro video with the help of our friend Noah Pohl.

And though it may not look like it, a lot of thought went into the creation of said video. Being goofballs and delivering information can be tough.

After we posted our original intro video, viewable here, I got feedback from more than a few people saying our plea to the masses should have been more serious-- that we were hurting ourselves by trying to make it funny. After imagining professionals cringing while watching us, we decided it was time for something serious.

So I wrote another piece with Jake and I walking and talking, explaining in earnest what it was we were trying to accomplish. But it sucked.

It was boring. And worst of all, it wasn't US.

So after much internal debate, we decided it was better to do something that reflected our personalities, whether or not Spielberg or whoever would bowl over in their chair.

We'd rather have a small group of rabid fans and followers than a throng of people who simply tolerate us. So, while the first video had its moments, the second video more accurately reflects our sensibilities.

Check it out and let us know what you think.

-Will

The Waiting Game Is Not A Fun Game

2009-10-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

Let's play something else!

Seriously. We have four, count them, FOUR contests we are currently waiting to hear back about and all this waiting is seriously killing my buzz.

The good news is that we should know about two of them by Tuesday. Which is REALLY good, because otherwise I'm going to go crazy.

More soon.

-Will

Jake Has A Demo Reel

2009-10-02T10:31:00.001-07:00

Kind of like Will Blank has a posse, except for it's Jake, and he has a demo reel. Check it out below:

Jake's reel is actually competing for $500 over at Poptent.net-- we should know if we won by October 10th. :)

Ad Agencies Know We Exist

2009-09-22T11:20:00.001-07:00

Recently we've received a number of solicitations to enter video contests from ad agencies themselves. This is an intriguing development for us and we are always flattered when it happens.

But as much as we like people liking our stuff, it would be even more amazing if one of these companies hired us to make a video for them, whether it be an example video for the contest or something else entirely.

WINK WINK, HINT HINT, NUDGE NUDGE.

That is all.

-Will

Do You Have Access to a Kitchen?

2009-09-20T22:23:00.001-07:00

We are looking for a modern kitchen for our latest contest video. We can compensate you for letting us use the space. Let us know in the comments. Thanks!

YouTube Wants To Pay Us

2009-09-17T00:04:00.001-07:00

The other week I posted an entry that mentioned our first video "5 Things You Shouldn't Do in a Public Restroom". Either we have more readers than I could have ever imagined, or it's just coincidence that I received an email from Google only days later. It looked like this:

I've always wondered about the process of getting paid by YouTube and thankfully the YouTube fairy decided to pay us a visit. Of course, I was excited to get started, so I clicked the link and found myself on a Terms of Use page. It told me that if there is anything copy-written in our video, then I can't make money from it.

There is, but Jake and I decided to ignore that fact and try anyway. That brought us to another page basically saying "Are you sure, dude? Are you sure you have the rights to everything in your video?" To which we again lied and responded "YES!". Then we were brought YET AGAIN to another screen warning us they will delete our video if there is anything copy-written contained within. Finally we decided to give up, but needless to say, we were excited at the prospect. Now, if only one of our COMPLETELY original vids would go viral...

Color Correction Was Always A Mystery To Me

2009-09-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

I found a couple of amazing tutorials that any aspiring filmmaker should see. Over the past 8 years of making films, color correction always seemed more complicated than it actually is.

Here are a couple of invaluable resources that have helped us understand color correction:

1. The video below. It's a bit on the long side and sometimes moves a little quickly, but if you've ever seen the 3-way color correction filter in Final Cut Pro you'll be fine.

Red Giant TV Episode 22: Creating a Summer Blockbuster Film Look from Stu Maschwitz on Vimeo.

2. Red Giant's Colorista. This program makes it extremely easy to use "power windows" (in other words, isolate and color correct specific sections of an image).

3. The tutorials on Red Giant's Colorista: http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/videos/tutorials/

You can also download trial versions of Colorista and Magic Bullet from the Red Giant site. There it is!

-Will

Response to the Bounce Ad

2009-09-10T12:00:00.001-07:00

... has been overwhelming. Jake and I sent out an email two days ago and already have received a lot of great feedback.

But what strikes me most is WHO I've received that feedback from. I make a habit of sending out my work to old bosses and colleagues I've worked with. It's a great way for me to stay in touch and also let them know what I've been working on. Sometimes I get responses back, sometimes I don't. But this time, I've received more feedback from these people than ever before. These are people I look up to for their art and mastery of the craft, people who have been doing this for years who truly understand the ins and outs of the industry. It is flattering, to say the least, and really has helped me gauge how far we've come since "5 Things You Shouldn't Do in a Public Restroom".

So here's to high hopes for another win. And just in case you haven't seen it, or forgot how awesome it was, check out the first video Jake and I ever made together-- "5 Things You Shouldn't Do in a Public Restroom". Half a million views and counting:

-Will

That Chiropractor Adjusted My MIND, man!

2009-09-08T23:44:00.000-07:00

I was at the chiropractor's today getting my neck adjusted. I lay there and stared up at the ceiling.

Through the blades of the fan, I saw a piece of paper taped to the ceiling. It read: "Success is a Series of Well Managed Breakdowns, Failures, and Mistakes".

Motivational quotes are awesome. They always take a grim, negative perspective and turn it completely on its head. I asked the chiropractor about the paper and we got into a conversation about success. She framed it for me in terms of our recent contest loss:
"Sometimes you lose, but you look at what caused that loss and then alter your approach to the next one, and so on and so on."

What's interesting, though, is the total disconnect between that statement and the reality of contest winning: we can make a dozen ads, lose every contest we enter, and have absolutely NO idea what we did wrong.

Take for example the recent Butterfinger contest. We entered under the category of Kung Fu. We designed an ad that incorporated not only the Kung Fu theme, but also the four 25% contest requirements of humor, clever use of a Butterfinger, overall appeal and originality/creativity. But we didn't get picked.

The video that won starred a man named Robochop, who stood stone still, like a London Bobby, whilst people passing flashed him, punched him in the balls and stole his money. But once they touched his Butterfinger, he sprung to life and Karate chopped a guy in the neck. Even after soliciting feedback from the judges, we have absolutely no idea what made this video "better" than all of the other ones. Other people felt the same way, as there was practically a riot after this video was picked.

So on many levels it's a total crap shoot. All we can do is attempt to make ads that we think are good while adhering to basic laws of advertising and marketing. That's it. An element of the saying is missing. But in a weird way that makes it that much more exciting.

-Will

Magical Bounce Bearing Men And The Women They Try To Help

2009-09-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

Check it out. We're competing over at Poptent.net for $5,000:

Let us know what you think.

This is the kind of thing I hope to make one day.

2009-09-06T15:17:00.001-07:00

I was absolutely blown away by the intensity of the action and the emotional response I had to this commercial. It didn't matter what it was promoting, what mattered was the execution, the music, the acting, the sound design, the cinematography and the story were all as perfect as they could be. I found myself sucked into this world in seconds and left with a feeling of awe when it was over. I watched again, and again, hoping to lessen the emotion, and only after six viewings was I able to see past the story and look at it technically, and let me tell you, technically, it's flawless. This is the kind of commercial I want to make. A commercial that is epic in scope, that resonates with people emotionally, and that looks fucking badass.

Click here to see it: Live Action

-Jake

Saving The World One Post At A Time

2009-09-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

I feel it is my solemn duty to protect future filmmakers from the tyranny of time-wasting, mind-boggling, totally unnecessary problems with the HVX200.

While yes, this is an awesome camera, and yes, in theory, the P2 card process should make you a happier person... the fact is, it is NOT a perfect system.

For those of you who stumble across this blog while attempting to solve these totally bewildering problems, I hope my 3 hours of suffering makes your life a little easier:

If clips in the log and transfer window in Final Cut 6.0.5 read "Error: No Data" with a little red exclamation mark, then you simply need to go to the small gear symbol in the upper middle of the window, click preferences and uncheck the "Advanced pulldown" box. Then try again. That should solve your problem.

If your Final Cut, for whatever reason, simply stops recognizing the clips on your P2 card ALTOGETHER, then check to see if you have FxFactory installed on your computer. If you do, that bullshit little plugin pack is causing your problem. Either update it to the latest version 2.0.9 (as of 8/30/09) or if you don't have stupid OSX Leopard or Snow Leopard or whatever the latest BS is, DELETE IT by opening FxFactory, going to the action menu and selecting uninstall. If that stupid option isn't available for whatever stupid gosh darn reason (man am I censoring myself), then delete the fucker (I give up) by going to HD --> Library --> Plugins and delete the fuck out of anything FxFactory related.

Thank you and good night!

-Will

Why Am I Writing This Right Now?

2009-09-05T23:07:00.000-07:00

Not this blog entry, silly! The commercials. Why are we writing all these commercials ourselves?

It's not that we're bad writers-- we can definitely come up with a great commercial-- but writing isn't our forte. It's not what we want to do. We want to DIRECT.

But it's come to my attention recently that I know some ridiculously talented and funny writers. People who make a living writing. People who have, you know, credentials or whatever. And part of our evolution as filmmakers has been to NOT do everything ourselves-- to let others, who want to do sound design, who want to become cinematographers, actors and set designers, work their magic as fellow cogs in a well-oiled machine.

As I agonized coming up with a pitch earlier today, I had the epiphany that if I could include these great minds (more like big weirdos) in the process, I could focus on the direction, which is what I enjoy most. This strategy more closely mirrors real world filmmaking anyway. So here's to the evolution of the Contest Warriors... and to the big bucks that are sure to come along with it.

-Will

Shirt Rip Test

2009-09-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

Get pumped.

Any Contest Lurkers Out There?

2009-09-04T00:54:00.000-07:00

I'd be interested to hear if there are any contest winners/competitors out there who have found this blog. I'd be interested in hearing some of your experiences in the video contest world and if you run a blog yourself. Where ya at?

-Will

On set: secret commercial

2009-09-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you what commercial we just shot, but maybe you will be able to tell from the picture evidence. It's like a mystery dinner party, without the dinner party!

Will and I taping on Nate's breakaway shirt.

Cara "acting" that she enjoys watching Nate work out.

Nate getting buff for the shoot. That case is like 60 pounds.

Cara being a goofball. You might recognize Cara from our earlier shoot, "My Girl the World," or day time soap operas.

-Jake

Deep Thoughts

2009-09-03T00:27:00.000-07:00

Never, ever, in the history of video contests, all over the world, have I ever seen a video submitted at the last minute win the grand prize in a video contest.

My first instinct is to elaborate... but I'm not going to. Think about it.

-Will

The Demise of RootClip.com

2009-09-02T00:40:00.000-07:00

Seasons pass, friends come and go, and it's a sad fact of life that all your mentors must die.

And so we mourn the passing of RootClip.com, the site that hosted the first contest we ever won. The administrator of the collaborative movie-making site recently posted this blog entry:

"Hello. For the 3 or 4 people that are still interested in the future of Rootclip.com, this one's for you. ... So, all of this is to say that Rootclip, in this current form, is going to be on a hiatus for awhile. I need to find some venture capital or an angel investor or something (which I am looking into) for this edition of the site to stay active and stay running 'as is'. ... This is probably goodbye, but I'm not slamming the door just yet."

Which is to say, that Rootclip, though not quite dead yet, is pretty dead.

You can read the full blog post here: http://rootclip.com/blog/2009/aug/10/its-all-about-benjamins-baby/

R.I.P. RootClip.com. Much love and respect.

-Will

Butterfinger Video Contest or WTF part 2

2009-09-01T10:11:00.001-07:00

The last couple video contests we entered have all ended with the same result. We don't win, and the judges choose less than exemplary entries as finalists. Check out the new batch of so-called finalists. You might be hard pressed to discover the winner for the kung fu category. That's because the winning video has nothing to do with kung fu. It's like picking a cow for prize pig.

Aside from losing the butterfinger contest we're making a new commercial for Bounce Dryer bars. Onward and upward is what I just started saying, so one of these days we'll be doing a happy dance instead of a it's-my-party-and-I-can-cry-if-I-want-to dance.

-Jake

Rubber Air Filled Ball Chair

2009-09-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

I got a new "chair". All of my editing/writing will happen on top of this baby:

Why I Don't Get Frustrated... Addendum

2009-08-31T00:48:00.000-07:00

All mature, positive nonsense aside, I almost forgot to note that if you feel like you NAILED it, that your video truly was the best, you need to say something. You shouldn't be belligerent about it, but it never hurts to write and ask for feedback. Sometimes they'll give it to you and sometimes they won't.

But sometimes... and this is why it never hurts to ask... THEY'LL TELL YOU THEY TOTALLY OVERLOOKED YOUR ENTRY.

YES, that ACTUALLY happens. Jake and I entered a competition for a company that shall remain nameless with high hopes. We had hit and exceeded nearly every requirement in the contest but when the time of reckoning came, we received ZERO recognition. Not even an "also ran".

So Jake, thank god, wrote them and asked them how our entry could have been better. To which they replied: we didn't even look at your entry. Long story short, the *ahem* professionals running the contest ended up buying our commercial and awarding us a small chunk of change. All retardedness aside, it NEVER hurts to ask!

Why I Don't Get Frustrated When We LOSE

2009-08-30T00:24:00.001-07:00

OK, that's not entirely true. Sometimes I put a lot of effort into a contest and I get angry when it doesn't work out, especially when I disagree with the winner selection, but that anger almost always subsides as quickly as it came. Here's the mental process I go through each and every time we lose:

First of all, I step back and realize that I don't have control over the choice the judges made. I could bitch and moan all day, cry and wet myself in the ultimate man-tantrum, and it would change nothing. In the end the judges had a set of parameters they were looking for and no matter how terrible I think the winner is, my video simply didn't meet those parameters.

Second of all, and most importantly, I don't make these videos JUST to win money. I make these videos to become a better producer, director, editor, color corrector, special effects guy, actor... the list goes on and on and on and on. I find genuine satisfaction simply by COMPLETING the projects I undertake.

We've had a losing streak now for the past 5 or 6 contests and I thought it was interesting that I haven't been demoralized. I still get excited at the prospect of winning one big contest that changes everything. Ideally I'll get to a point where I can apply this philosophy to my life in general... but I know that the longer I persist, the more there will be a payoff waiting.

-Will

Reinventing the Intro Video

2009-08-29T00:48:00.000-07:00

Times have changed. Since the Video Contest Warriors slid from the amniotic fluid of our minds, we've seen major developments financially, professionally and inter-personally. We broke the $10,000 mark, were featured on national TV and won some crazy, kooky prizes. All of this has made us realize that our intro video is slightly out of date.

So with the power of the HVX and our unstoppable creativity, we shall be crafting a brand new, intellectually stimulating intro video for the masses. Which leads me to my next question.

Do any of you own a ridiculously cute Labrador puppy? Or know someone who does own a ridiculously cute puppy of any breed?

Thanks in advance. :)

-Will

I Am A Fly Killer

2009-08-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

As I sit here at my keyboard pondering my own existence and the meaning of life, I come to a realization.

I killed three flies today. In a row. I'm 3 for 3.

Impressive, I know. Part of this realization, however, is that my high rate of fly killing success is no accident. Upon reflection, I use a specific technique to murder flies that delivers CONSISTENT results. And I'm going to share it with you... right now.

My technique is simple but requires a bit of patience, patience you may not yet possess. For example, when you see a fly buzzing around your room, you instinctively know you will not be able to hit it mid flight. It's simply too agile, small, and blurry. So you wait until it lands and is relatively stationary. Then, you strike. But the fly eludes you. Here is what you are doing wrong.

You should hit the fly NOT when it's stationary, but when it suspects you are no longer a threat and begins to go about its business. The moment, for instance, when a squirrel sees a potential predator, disregards it, then goes back to eating/digging/foraging. That fleeting moment between disregard and foraging is where you strike.

One of my kills today landed sideways on a drawer in the kitchen. As I moved towards it, I watched its buggy legs tense up. I kept my movement slow, arching my weapon (a rolled up Vista magazine) at the perfect angle to strike. Then I held myself steady. The bug stared at me for a few seconds, then deeming me no more of a threat than a house plant, began to clean itself. BOOM! That shift in perception, that moment when all of its attention was being transferred onto cleaning himself, was when I struck.

It almost helps to DRAW attention to yourself in order to make the fly, for lack of better word, scared, so that once he believes you are harmless, his (or her) guard is down so low that it ends up costing him (or her) his (or her) life.

Rinse and repeat.

Also, video contests. They're awesome.

-Will

Riunite on Ice!

2009-08-27T01:17:00.000-07:00

Jake and I are considering entering the "Reinvent Riunite" contest where you remake one of Riunite Wine's campy 80's commercials. They're all pretty hilarious... but this one (and people's responses to it in the comments) almost made me cry laughing:

-Will

Contest Etiquette: The Art of Not Hating Your Competition

2009-08-26T00:31:00.000-07:00

What always rubs me the wrong way in video contests, and the internet in general, is people getting nasty in the video comments.

Yes it's a competition, but rarely do you see, for example, amateur sports teams verbally abuse each other before a match. There's always tension in competition, but with video contests it's another story entirely.

What I've found is that the amount of digital vitriol in these contests is directly proportionate to the amount of viewer voting required by the contest. The arbitrary importance given to viewer voting, which tragically reduces ANY contest to little more than a popularity contest, brings out the absolute worst in people-- from cheating, to accusations of cheating, to vicious critiques not only of the videos, but of the people that created them. All this so that Logitech or Coke or Nestle can get a few dozen more email addresses for their coffers.

Before I get off course, I want to point out that it doesn't have to be this way. That YOU, yes YOU have the power to turn the tide of these online feeding frenzies. You can stop the shitshow before it ever begins.

Simply by being polite.

Seems straightforward enough, and it is, however the first part of "being polite" is that I write an anonymous comment on my OWN entry giving a seemingly objective, but positive, opinion on my piece. That may seem manipulative and dishonest, but it does something magical that people respond to-- it sets a precedent for others showing how any stranger should approach and interpret my work: RESPECTFULLY.

The second part of the dastardly "politeness" strategy, is that I view the other videos and compliment some of my favorites on their strong points. It's amazing the effect this has on the feedback you receive and the feedback others receive after you.

It's also a little scary... because it can swing just as horribly in the other direction if things start off negative. It seems with human beings it's all about momentum-- people respond to what has come before them. I have really enjoyed participating in the Butterfinger competition thus far because there has been a healthy, supportive energy between the contestants. I enjoy competition, but I hate when all of the creative energy and hard work get undermined by negative commentary. It's late, I need to get to sleep. Didn't know I'd write that much. Hope you enjoyed it.

-Will

Fantastic News & The Future of the Blog

2009-08-25T00:10:00.000-07:00

Jake and I are now the proud owners of a Panasonic HVX-200.

What the hell is an HVX-200, you might be asking yourself. Sounds fancy! Well, it is. It is fancy. It's damn fancy. It's so fancy that I lift my pinky when I film with it. The HVX-200 is our sexy, classy new High Definition camcorder:

And for those of you who are still lost, let me put "HD" in perspective for you. Our old camera, the Canon GL2, made an image that was 1/3 of the quality and size. We have tripled our video awesomeness.

And things will only get better from here. There are further purchases on the horizon that will essentially bring us into "professional" territory. Your boys are growing up so fast!

As for the future of the blog, I want to make an effort to update regularly, which will necessitate me treating contest winning like a job. Which I have not been doing. I've been traveling and philandering and resting. No more! But that's all for now. Talk to you soon.

-Will

$25,000 Butterfinger Contest Entry!

2009-08-24T15:13:00.000-07:00

Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for. If we get picked as a finalist, we will be competing for $25,000! Check it out-- and comment!

Two New Videos in the Pipeline

2009-08-12T18:50:00.001-07:00

Jake and I are working on a couple videos at the moment-- one for $25k and another for $2.5k. We should have something posted next week!

Careerbuilder: Our Latest Vid

2009-08-11T00:15:00.000-07:00

CareerBuilder finally posted the videos from their $100,000 contest-- here is our entry:

No voting, just watch it, rate it and comment. Thanks yo.

Thank you to everyone who voted

2009-07-14T17:49:00.000-07:00

We made it all the way to the semi-finals but someone else has won the Tahiti getaway. Thank you so much for all of your support. Sometimes this is the way it goes. We have to lose before we can win.

For Rent: Another case of WTF

2009-06-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

We did not win the ForRent.com contest, nor did we even place. My prediction that they would pick some obscure video from the bottom of the pile that I hadn't even seen came to pass. Watch the winning video and tell me your own thoughts.
http://contest.forrent.com/

It just goes to show that you never know what they're looking for, so the most you can do is make the best possible video you can. We have decided to make videos not only for the contests but videos we are proud of. No more entries that we wouldn't want to use on a reel to promote our best work.

-Jake

R.I.P. MJ

2009-06-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson died today. Jake and I were both huge fans.

R.I.P. Michael.

Daily Voting: Worse Than A Daily Beating

2009-06-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

Maybe not that bad. But I've certainly learned my lesson.

Some contests are well run and some contests are not. Without disparaging any of the fine people over at ForRent.com, I must say I haven't seen a more negative contest... ever. People in the comments were vicious and angry and bitter and mean. Accusations of cheating flew as well as outright insults. I mean, these people were brutal!

But with the voting period safely behind us, Jake and I both want to thank all of you for your support. We also want to assure you that we will be minimizing the number of voting based contests we enter from now on. It's just not worth the trouble anymore.

We'll find out in a matter of weeks whether or not we grabbed the $10,000 and we'll keep you posted.

-Will

New Video Could Bag Us $100K

2009-06-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus, we are back, and with plenty of good news!

This past weekend we shot our latest contest spot which will be competing for $100,000. The video should be done by the end of the week. In the meantime, here's some photos from the shoot:

Feels good to be back.

Tahiti

2009-06-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

My buddy and I entered a video contest for a Tahitian getaway. It's a funny little video, and if you are feeling extra awesome you can register and vote. Once you are registered you can vote once a day until July, you don't have to but three times during the month would be great!

CLICK HERE to see the video.

Enjoy!

-Jake

Landed a Commercial Gig

2009-06-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a 30 and a 10 second commercial for Privé Medispa. It will air on local television. One step closer to my goal of making commercials for television. After I've become successful shooting commercials I'll direct a full length movie. These are my goals for all to see. I'll post it when I'm done.

Work In An Office?

2009-05-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

If you work in an office that looks like this:

http://www.wanderfilms.com/phonecall.html

Then we should talk. We're filming a new contest video and need an office to shoot it in.

Leave a comment or send an email.

Jake Hates When I Do Posts Like This

2009-05-27T21:30:00.000-07:00

But it must be done!!! We need votes on one of our current contests.

You can vote daily... so don't restrain yourself! We have 10k on the line here!

http://www.contest.forrent.com/main/video?creative_id=93

THANKS Y'ALL.

-Will

DirecTV ad

2009-05-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

I just finished submitting my pitch to DIRECTV for a short film I want to shoot for them. When I am chosen they will give me a 5000 dollar budget and four to five weeks to get it done. Then the top ten receive cash prizes. I'll keep you all posted if my pitch is accepted. Thanks for the support peeps. TO THE TOP!

-Jake

Directing Kids

2009-05-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

Our latest contest video is also the latest video I've directed starring children. The first was Bird Island, a music video featuring a little girl going on a journey to a forbidden island. The latest stars a class of 3rd graders singing.

I wasn't exactly dreading directing them, but I was aware that a group of 3rd graders would be considerably more difficult than to direct than a group of adults. All of their unfocused energy is like a bunch of shotguns going off at the same time. Cover your face and hands... but it actually turned out to be a pleasant experience. I spoke in a calm, but firm manner-- I still still let them have fun-- but made absolutely sure the shot list was planned out in advance and everything was well organized.

At one point I had to direct individual kids for potential vignettes in the video. In one situation, a child simply had to deliver a line. In another, a kid had to wink in a very specific way. We ended up doing take after take after take of each... and I realized, especially with the latter vignette, that acting can turn the simplest thing into a weird complicated unnatural mess. The more takes you do past the initial take, the less meaning the line or movement has. That was something I really want to pay attention to the next time I direct-- because once I hit that wall I didn't know how to get them through it. Thankfully, they were all supplemental shots, but if they had been more integral to the video, I may have had to compromise with a performance I wasn't happy with... something I'm going to keep in mind for the future.

New video competing for $27,599!

2009-05-19T11:49:00.001-07:00

What's up y'all? For this one we had to explain why we were against the bailouts. No voting required... but please watch it, rate it and comment!

Special thanks to Aimee Diaz and her awesome 3rd grade class.

Shooting for Maxim

2009-05-18T00:12:00.000-07:00

It involved horses, big breasts, and her best O face. It was a great experience with a lovely young woman trying to become Maxim's hometown hottie.

Apparently last year Maxim let the girls do their own videos and they weren't so good, so this year they're hiring the job out. I rode out alone to Apple Valley and shot for a couple hours amongst a cholo low rider fair and family picnic. It's a little difficult to shoot, monitor sound, check the lighting and field questions like, "eh ese, can she come model for my car it's getting lonely." To which I would reply, "no, no she cannot."

Overall, classy lady and a classy shoot. I'll post it when the contest is over.

Voting Problem Resolved!

2009-05-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

They've fixed the problems with their voting system over at forrent.com so you can finally vote daily to your heart's content for "Top 5 Reasons Why We're Ready2Move" (and have it count!). $10,000 on the line... do it!

http://www.contest.forrent.com/main/video/93

100th Post!

2009-05-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

This is our 100th post here at videocontestwarriors.blogspot.com-- and that's pretty sweet.

But what's even sweeter is that yesterday we shot and edited our latest contest video which will be competing for $27,599!

I'll have it posted on Monday.

-Will

Is it considered egotistical if I'm always right

2009-05-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

Yes. The answer is yes, but it is also true that I am always right...when it comes to choosing good movies. Most people believe that "good" is a relative term, and they would be wrong. A good movie is a good movie. It's not like a good meal, people have different tastes in meals, no one has different tastes in good movies.

I watch a lot of movies, and I watch even more trailers. I can pick good movies from trailers like a farmer can pick a prize winning pig out of the bunch. List me your top five favorite movies and I can give you recommendations based on those five movies. I've been doing it for years for my friends and family and I haven't been wrong yet.

Or you can ask Will. Of course he'll send you to Bringing down the House, but you know, Steve Martin and Queen Latifa do make a great couple.

-Jake

The Voting Dilemma

2009-05-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons that Jake and I set up this blog and our mailing list was to consolidate our voting base.

That way we would have a major edge over the competition in any voting based competition, especially if we managed to grow our base to the thousands.

... and while we still get a core group of people voting, the ironic thing is that the solicitations for votes may be DWINDLING our base. The more contests we enter, the less people are interested in signing up and voting-- it can be annoying to put in the same info for four different websites.

This is why we're trying our best to incentive-ize voting for our stuff, most recently by offering $500 to whoever can get the most votes for our latest video (if we win, of course). So this is a constant struggle for us, trying to keep people interested in what we're doing.

So did that grab your attention when you received our email? Did it provide enough incentive for you to vote? What WOULD provide you with incentive to vote? Let us know.

It's OK if you vote DAILY

2009-05-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

Hey there, gentle reader.

I just want you to know, it's OK.

It's OK for you to love our latest video (The Top 5 Reasons We're READY2MOVE) SO MUCH that you want to vote for it every day.

Some people might say: everything in moderation. But those people don't understand that in this circumstance, moderation is the opposite of love. So follow your love to the very ends of the earth... and click here: http://www.contest.forrent.com/main/video?creative_id=93

LOVE,
Jake & Will

New contest entry forthcoming...

2009-05-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

What's that? Another contest entry ALREADY?

The other night, Eric Frank appeared at our door keyboard and guitar in tow. At first we asked him what the hell he was doing there. Then we remembered he's writing the song for the next video and let him inside.

What ensued could only be described as indescribable. Eric's fingers danced across the keys, gently strummed the guitar and even managed to spill half of his Stella Artois on my computer keyboard.

So what that means is that the song is finished and the video is in the pre-production phase. I'll be securing locations, equipment and crew until this Friday's shoot date. More soon.

-Will

Everytime I watch a movie

2009-05-09T22:56:00.001-07:00

I have this moment a lot in movies. I'm sitting there enjoying the hell out of it when I realize that I should not be making movies, but instead should be a, pirate, astronaut, archeologist, college party goer, or whatever the main character is of the movie I'm watching. Then I realize that the reason I feel this way is because I am watching a good movie. Then I want to be a movie maker again.

The great thing about movies is I can be all of those things and more. I want to save the universe, and I will.

Slow Cooking Clients or How to Get Contacts

2009-05-08T22:46:00.000-07:00

I met this woman in Samy's camera, which is the best place to meet people interested in film, and we got to talking. I gave her my business card and she told me about her clothing company Aviator Nation. They make comfortable clothing for the causal dude and dudette. I'm now editing a promo piece for them.

I met another woman while waiting for my car to be fixed. At first I didn't want to talk to anyone, burying my nose deep in a US weekly and avoiding direct eye contact, but when she made an offhand comment about her car I opened up. It turns out she was an interior decorator with a bunch of friends looking for a videographer. I gave her my card and she gave me some business.

The point of the story is always be selling yourself. If you make shoes, wear them, and talk about them in every conversation you have. You don't have to be obnoxious about it, but you do have to be passionate about it. Be ready with a card or your information and get theirs as well. As soon as you get to a computer e-mail them, and tell them about how wonderful it was to meet them and where you both were while having this conversation. Now they are an official contact, and every time you are in need of business send them an e-mail.

How we stay motivated

2009-05-07T18:40:00.000-07:00

One my favorite shows is called Cowboy Bebop. It's a show in which a traveling group of space bounty hunters move from port to port in search of the next pay day. They are motivated because they are constantly hungry. They only have enough money for both food and repairs, and repairs always come first.

I try to keep myself in a proverbial constant state of hunger. I have no shame in saying that I want the next and the best thing. I am a material girl. Things cost money, so does living. I stay motivated because if I don't win contests and fuel my art I will literally and figuratively experience death. No money equals no food, no house, and no creative ideas coming to fruition. That is simply not an option.

I thrive on the idea that if I do not make videos I will starve to death.

As Spike would say,
"You already had lunch, an hour ago!"

Spike: "Really? Did I like it?"

NEW VIDEO UP FOR $10,000!

2009-05-06T17:53:00.001-07:00

Check it out, yo!

1. Check this website and sign up to vote (they won't spam you): http://www.contest.forrent.com/users/new
2. Click this link to watch our video: http://www.contest.forrent.com/main/video?creative_id=93
3. Directly below the video, there will be a "thumbs up" icon. Click the thumbs up and you've voted!

As always, thank you for your support!!!!

How we decide which contests to enter

2009-05-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

The first thing I look for is whether the contest is judge based, user based, or a combination of the two. Judge based voting is the best because the they are trying to find the best video for their company. That includes looking at production value, acting, writing, or all things we're good at.

All user votes is a total scam because it doesn't really matter what the quality of the video is it just turns into a popularity contest. A combination of the two such as 25% user and 30% judge votes is also a good combination, but as long as the judge votes are at a higher percentage. Once we establish how the contest sets up their voting process we can proceed.

I also pick contests based on how fast I come up with an idea. There was a contest for the Taiwanese government that was worth a lot of money but because I had no idea how I would incorporate Taiwan into a video I just moved on. Once I start seeing images in my head I know it's the right contest.

The last thing is money, or how much the pay out is. We try to avoid anything below $5000 unless we get a really good idea or we're doing it for another reason, such as free press, great prizes, or it will get us to where we want to go.

A new video will be up tomorrow and holy crap do we have a surprise for you.

WINNER of Latest Prize Giveaway!!!

2009-05-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

And the winner is....!

I met two of my acting idols today

2009-05-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

During a shoot for Fox Searchlight promoting their film 500 Days of Summer I met Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. I remember playing a game awhile ago with Will about who I would have to dinner and who I would date. I chose Joe Levitt and then said I would date Zooey Deschanel, so getting to meet both of them unexpectedly was a wonderful surprise.

I agonized over what I would say to them, especially Zooey D, and I thought of all sorts of ways to start a meaningful conversation with her. I thought about wearing a t-shirt of her favorite band, or saying something very out out of the ordinary, but my favorite idea was planning an elaborate plot to save her life. It would go like this. I would loosen a light and at the exact right moment it would fall and I would push her out of the way taking the full brunt of the 30 pound light on my back. Glass would shatter, people would scream, and I would stand up, bleeding a little of course, and say, "that was a close one, you alright." And she would at least give me her number, even though she's engaged. Brilliant!

Well what I ended up doing, which took a ton of courage, was asking her when her new album was coming out. She told me that Matt Ward just released an album so they were going to wait. The new she and him album is almost finished and will release later this year. I said, I had heard in the interview that she was writing a lot of music and that's why I asked. She said yeah, smiled, and then it was over and I got back to work. Overall a pretty great day, and after all is said and done I would still invite Joe Levitt to dinner and date Zooey Deschanel.

How we Generate Ideas

2009-05-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

I dream in narrative...really. When I go to sleep at night I have elaborate movies playing in my head, some involve ninja revenge, others, the end of the world. I consume media like it was going out of style, everything from underground zine comics to summer blockbusters. I also talk to people about their life experiences, their loves and losses.

Then Will and I sit down, put our thinking caps on, and pick a contest to talk about. The contests rules funnel our thinking in a certain direction. Then we start yelling different ideas at each other until the other one likes it.

Once we decide on an idea we flush it out with a script and storyboards. Sometimes we don't agree and have to convince the other that the image in our minds is so awesome that it's beyond description, and in that case we have to write a full script ourselves and give it to the other person for awesome approval.

That's how we come up with our ideas.

I'll leave you with this quote that I firmly believe in:

A post everyday for thirty days

2009-05-01T22:52:00.000-07:00

We would like to know what the audience wants to hear more of. Anecdotes from our daily lives? More technical information? Very specific entries about contests? Other contest warriors?

Please let us know and we will try to post what you, the readers, want.

If not, then I'll just start talking about mundane things like how much I love picture frames and sail boats.

We've Been MIA

2009-04-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

We apologize for keeping you waiting. This past week has been intense-- A LOT of moving heavy boxes and gigantic appliances without wheels.

But now we're in our new apartment, which is sure to release some of the creative energy that was bottled up in our previous place. Give us another few days or so to get settled and we'll be back up again, full force.

Chipotle V.I.P.

2009-04-23T17:48:00.000-07:00

Part of the reason why we entered the Chipotle contest on such short notice was the fact we would receive a coupon for a free burrito JUST by entering.

But today we received a thank you letter in the mail with not 1, not 3, but 4 coupon cards for Chipotle burritos.

I'm not going to lie-- it's kind of nice being Chipotle V.I.P...

Chipotle picks up Warriors Ad

2009-04-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

We rocked the radio spot for Chipotle, so now they're paying us a grand to air it on the internet. BOOM!

Listen to it here:

My Girl the World is going platinum

2009-04-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

Greg, the founder of justdoone.org sent me this e-mail:

"Hi John,

We did receive your W-9 and my wife Laura has the check to you in today's mail.

We also have sent a DVD and press release to top high-profile media outlets (morning shows, etc) and the press release to hundreds of media outlets to try to get Earth Week media coverage so keep your fingers crossed for some extra exposure for your wonderful video and again, congratulations.

Best,

Greg"

Let us know if you see our video on the Today Show or anywhere else!

Contest Season Is Ramping Up

2009-04-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

We're still working on our latest contest and it ties in surprisingly well to the fact that we're moving to Glendale. Blake (who has held the camera during many of our productions) has already moved out most of his stuff-- so for us the next week should be interesting. More soon...

Taxes

2009-04-18T23:30:00.000-07:00

Whenever we win cash we split the money between ourselves and whomever else we worked with. The problem with splitting it evenly is that someone is left holding the tax bag.

One of the best ways to insure that everyone is paying taxes on their own money is to have them sign a W-9 and send them a 1099 during tax time. It get's a bit more complicated when different people put money into the production. Let's say I fill out the W-9 for the contest and we win $2000, if I put 100 dollars into supplies for the shoot I write Will a check for $1000, make him sign a W-9, and then he writes me a check for fifty dollars, or half the production cost. I can now write off the money I gave to Will, and as long as Will reports it on his taxes everything is gravy.

Shooting Starts Today

2009-04-17T14:02:00.001-07:00

This one is for 10k...

A picture from our upcoming Contest Entry

2009-04-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

but what is it for? Well, you are just going to have to wait and see.

A Letter from Michael Witte

2009-04-14T21:51:00.000-07:00

The other day Jake and I received a letter from our friend Michael Witte. With his expressed consent, we've posted it here to share with the world (click on the image to enlarge):

Enclosed was a check for $20 to participate in the raffle.

I'd like to take this opportunity to note that our friend Witte is an artist as well. Some of his work can be seen here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed&id=1207824#/photos.php?id=6717238

Maybe that link won't work, but it'll give you an excuse to add him as a friend. We did.

Thanks, Dr. Witte.

PayPal Doesn't Like Raffles

2009-04-14T00:14:00.000-07:00

If you're interested in purchasing $5.00 raffle tickets, you will now have to do it through mail or some other clever way of sending money. Apparently PayPal has a strict policy against raffles. Why, we do not know.

Will Blank
1126 Wilcox Place #6
Los Angeles CA 90038

Before the end of the month, yo!

1ST PLACE IN THE "Justdoone.org" VIDEO CONTEST!

2009-04-13T15:39:00.001-07:00

That's right! We received a call this morning to announce that we won 1st place in the Justdoone.org video contest for $2,500!

1st of out 97 video entries. THANK YOU to everyone who watched the video! We are STOKED!

We are moving

2009-04-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

and the most important thing we need to continue to make videos is a large body of actors in the area we live. If anyone has any ideas how to get a gaggle of actors in the Glendale area please let us know. Is there an acting college around there? Does Occidental have an acting division?

Our Promo Vid Just Bought by Poptent.net!

2009-04-10T17:11:00.000-07:00

GREAT news... we just sold our first commercial to an actual company. Poptent.net purchased this video:

This is a huge milestone for us... it puts us one step closer to reaching our goal. Thanks again to everyone who helped out!

We went to pick up the Skittles Prize

2009-04-09T10:59:00.001-07:00

at the Buzznet HQ right around the corner from where we live. I was wearing what I slept in, fuzzy pants and a zip up sweater without a shirt, and Will was wearing workout clothes.

I hadn't showered or shaved in four days, my feet were sticking out of my flip flops and I smelled like rainbows and unicorns...more like sweat and illness. Still, we managed to get the vp of productions number and tell her we were absolutely indispensable to her video efforts. She looked us up and down made a check in her mind against what an artist looks like vs what a homeless person looks like and gave us her card.

Score one for the big boys.

New Contest Entry!

2009-04-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

This is our first foray into radio commercials. Close your eyes, relax and let the smooth sounds of the Contest Warriors wash over you:

Crazy

2009-04-03T00:15:00.000-07:00

Turns out the company that hosted the Skittles contest is literally right up the street from my apartment. It was a little surreal when I walked over to their office and dropped off the paperwork to collect the prize. Crazy.

Good News! We Are Runner-ups in the Skittles Contest!

2009-04-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

Which means we won a Flip Camcorder. Thanks everyone for your support!

Fill out your name & e-mail address to know WHEN and WHERE to vote.
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