New TV Network, Current offers development deal fo

[josh soskin]

Hi. My name is Josh Soskin. I?m the Content Coordinator for the Current Studio at Current TV, (www.current.tv ) a new television network set to launch on August 1 into 20 million homes. We are going to be the only network ever to open themselves up to independent filmmakers as well as anyone with a camera, an interesting story and a desire to make television as opposed to just passively watching it.

 

As one of our first projects we?re asking for 1-5 min non-fictional pieces for one of three topics (see below). The top five finalists will be posted on our site and voted on by the on-line community. The winner will get a Studio development deal of $3,000 to work with one of our producers to pitch and create three 3-5 minute pieces that will air on Current when we launch. Even if you don?t win, if we air any part of any of the submission, we will pay a minimum of 250 dollars and you?ll be a credited creator televised on our growing national network.

 

If you have any questions feel free to email me at jsoskin@currentmedia.com If you want more info on Current, who we are, the contest, our community meet-ups, etc. go to our website, www.current.tv

 

Here are the three prompts that you can also find on our site:

 

Current Gigs

Does your job redefine the 9-5? Do you have the most incredible, bizarre, or mindless gig in the world? Show us what you do for a living, or someone who has a great job that you wish you had.

 

Current Soul

Show us how you pray. Jesus or Allah, yoga or tantra, churching or surfing. Is Paul Okenfold or Bob Marley your high priest? What connects you to the divine?

 

Current Fashion

Got style? Turn the camera on yourself, a friend, or a fashionista walking by and show us what's in, or what should be out.

 

Don?t forget to check out our site. It?s fun: www.current.tv

[Nate Downes]

Tempting, actually. Pity I have no such content, as my "soul" is rather personal.

[Guest]

"as well as anyone with a camera,"

 

Oh great I'll be rushing out to sign up for Current TV, I'm sure the programming is going to be just wonderful.

 

I have some great content for you, it's video of a guy getting hit in the groin when his young son bats the ball. Oh it's so hilarious and quite original.

 

I've also got some stupid human tricks and stupid pet tricks you might be interested in.

 

Richard

[Jon Allen]

"as well as anyone with a camera,"

 

Oh great I'll be rushing out to sign up for Current TV, I'm sure the programming is going to be just wonderful.

 

I have some great content for you, it's video of a guy getting hit in the groin when his young son bats the ball.  Oh it's so hilarious and quite original.

 

I've also got some stupid human tricks and stupid pet tricks you might be interested in.

 

Richard

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Now, now. Let's be nice. It's not easy starting a new TV network. I mean, we only have so many superstar actors and former vice-presidents to help hype our launch.

[Guest]

"to help hype our launch."

 

"Our" launch? Are you associated with Current as well Jon Allen?

 

As for their so called "content" talk about a scam to get free content out of people. {Yes I know they'll throw a few trinkets your way.}

 

I just love how if you give some one a scalpel they are not considered to be a surgeon, give some one a piano and they are not considered to be a concert pianist, give some one a dictionary they are not considered to be an author, but, give some one a DV camera and they are instantly a "film maker" producing work worthy of being on TV. Even if it is Current.

 

Strange????????????

 

Richard

[Jon Allen]

"to help hype our launch."

 

"Our" launch?  Are you associated with Current as well Jon Allen?

 

Sorry for the confusion. I didn't mean "our" to mean I had any association (nor want to have any) in Current. I meant the general "we" who might be starting a network- but not necissarily myself. I was hoping that my sarcasm would shine through more than it did. I pray for a day when media can reach consumers without using "Apple" methods of introducing products & services.

As for their so called "content" talk about a scam to get free content out of people.  {Yes I know they'll throw a few trinkets your way.}

 

I just love how if you give some one a scalpel they are not considered to be a surgeon, give some one a piano and they are not considered to be a concert pianist, give some one a dictionary they are not considered to be an author, but, give some one a DV camera and they are instantly a "film maker" producing work worthy of being on TV.  Even if it is Current.

 

Strange????????????

 

Richard

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thought pattern of a kid with a camera who got $250 for his piece airing on current:

"Wow, I got $250! Sweet! It only cost me a $1500 camera, sixteen $4 tapes, $300 in gas money, and a dozen big mac meals while I was on the road. But I was on TV! Yes!!!"

[Guest]

"Thought pattern of a kid with a camera who got $250 for his piece airing on current:

"Wow, I got $250! Sweet! It only cost me a $1500 camera, sixteen $4 tapes, $300 in gas money, and a dozen big mac meals while I was on the road. But I was on TV! Yes!!!"

 

Yes Jon you are bang on the money.

 

Now others will respond with, "well you have to start some where", "you have to spend money to make money." Etc etc etc blah blah blah.

 

Unfortunately nets like Current will take advantage of media obsessed youth, who as you point out, will do any thing to be on TV or have their "work" on TV. It's the same concept behind all these rip off film schools that now dot the globe. "Give us $6500.00 and we'll get you working in studios in your home state!" Why do people fall for this? They desparately want to be in show business.

 

I fear that Coke and Pepsi have already written big checks to Current for commercial time, which will only encourage them more. Al Gore you smart devil you, how did you ever lose the Whitehouse? :blink:

 

Richard

[Guest]

So dudes I like just visted the Current web site, and it's like totally cool!

 

There's this one show about the video game Warcraft and the ultra super geeks that play it, no like dudes they devote their lives to it. So dawg man it was way cool, you gots to see it.

 

Richard

 

[Note: This is what happened to my ability to type English after spending just 10 minutes on the Current TV web site. English majors beware]

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

Hi. My name is Josh Soskin. I?m the Content Coordinator for the Current Studio at Current TV, (www.current.tv ) a new television network set to launch on August 1 into 20 million homes. We are going to be the only network ever to open themselves up to independent filmmakers as well as anyone with a camera, an interesting story and a desire to make television as opposed to just passively watching it.

 

As one of our first projects we?re asking for 1-5 min non-fictional pieces for one of three topics (see below). The top five finalists will be posted on our site and voted on by the on-line community. The winner will get a Studio development deal of $3,000 to work with one of our producers to pitch and create three 3-5 minute pieces that will air on Current when we launch. Even if you don?t win, if we air any part of any of the submission, we will pay a minimum of 250 dollars and you?ll be a credited creator televised on our growing national network.

 

If you have any questions feel free to email me at jsoskin@currentmedia.com If you want more info on Current, who we are, the contest, our community meet-ups, etc. go to our website, www.current.tv

 

Here are the three prompts that you can also find on our site:

 

Current Gigs

Does your job redefine the 9-5? Do you have the most incredible, bizarre, or mindless gig in the world? Show us what you do for a living, or someone who has a great job that you wish you had.

 

Current Soul

Show us how you pray. Jesus or Allah, yoga or tantra, churching or surfing. Is Paul Okenfold or Bob Marley your high priest? What connects you to the divine?

 

Current Fashion

Got style? Turn the camera on yourself, a friend, or a fashionista walking by and show us what's in, or what should be out.

 

Don?t forget to check out our site. It?s fun: www.current.tv

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Josh.

 

I'm intersted, I'll see what projects I come up with in the future and send them to you. Anything to get them aired.

[Jon Allen]

Al Gore you smart devil you, how did you ever lose the Whitehouse?  :blink:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We know he still cares about our age group because he's totally committed to our blissful TV experience. Woohoo! Look for Gore '08!!!

[Guest]

"Anything to get them aired. "

 

What did WC Fields say about suckers being born every minute?

 

RIchard

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

"Anything to get them aired. "

 

What did WC Fields say about suckers being born every minute?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok Richard, WHY am I a sucker for being intersted in getting my films aired? If you can give me a good reason why having my films aired on TV is a bad idea then fine, I am a sucker. But as it stands from looking at your posts you seem too "upper class" to have your work shown on some unheard of TV company, but just remember no ones heard of you either.

[Guest]

Daniel,

 

Don't you see how Current is getting you to prostitute your self for them?

 

When you say things like, "Anything to get them aired. "

 

THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE COUNTING ON, OPEN YOUR EYES!

 

Why let Current take advantage of you? If every one held out and demanded "fair market value" for their work, it would blow a hole in Currents, "let's get a bunch of kids to give us free content" business plan.

 

As for my work, here we go again, I've had numerous shows that I've produced, directed and written aired on national TV. Not to mention all of the thousands and thousands of DVD and VHS sales of my shows. I already showed you my awards shelf which you said where a "few bits of tin." Which was quite a unique statement coming from some one with zero professional credentials.

 

Current certainly won't get any free content out of me, unlike you, I certainly won't do any thing to get my work aired.

 

Richard

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

Yes well at the end of the day, and I'm willing to admit this, I'm not a pro DP and have got a lot of proving to do before I become one, and the only way is to get my work shown, if some TV station is willing to air it AND pay me $250, then they have my number.

 

When you say things like, "Anything to get them aired. "

 

THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE COUNTING ON, OPEN YOUR EYES!

Yeh and in my case I welcome it. If they are counting on getting entertainment for free, then so be it, but I'm looking to get my work shown on TV, so it's a good deal. I personally wouldn't care if they paid me zilch, if it's being shown on TV in front of millions of people I'll go for it. I mean right now I do unpaid projects just for the experience.

 

  I already showed you my awards shelf which you said where a "few bits of tin."  Which was quite a unique statement coming from some one with zero professional credentials.

That comment was out of anger, of course they aren't just a few bits of tin, but when you go around insulting me what do you expect, me to sit there and accept it like a little lap dog?

 

Current certainly won't get any free content out of me, unlike you, I certainly won't do any thing to get my work aired.

Well perhaps you feel as though your work is too good to be aired for next to nothing, but, it's a whole different case with me.

 

 

So, try to look at it from my point of view before calling me a "sucker", because I'd actually be a sucker not to go for it. So what if it's some weird "anything-goes" channel, I'm getting my work put on TV, that's all I care about.

Edited April 16, 2005 by Daniel J. Ashley-Smith

[Guest]

Daniel,

 

I'll be shooting in the UK the first week of June. I'll treat you to fish and chips :D

 

Peace brother.

 

Richard

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

Daniel,

 

I'll be shooting in the UK the first week of June.  I'll treat you to fish and chips  :D

 

Peace brother.

 

Richard

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok lets give this pointless "war" a rest. I suppose I should apologize for a lot of the crap I said, I just have a lot more spirit than brains.

 

Peace.

 

(BTW, your shooting ine the U.K, you in a need of a P.A?! :D )

Edited April 17, 2005 by Daniel J. Ashley-Smith

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

> I'll be shooting in the UK the first week of June.

 

Commiserations.

 

Phil

[Guest]

Why Phil don't you think I'll have good weather? Should be ok that first week in June won't it?

 

My only regret about working in the UK is that the anti-smoking laws are about 50 years behind the rest of the developed world. You walk into a restaurant and you're almost choked to death by the smoke. :huh:

 

Other than that, the UK is 100% AOK by me.

 

Richard