Internet Geek Girl

I really love Austin, Texas. And it’s not just because I’m obsessed with Allen’s Boots and love to eat at Guero’s and drink margaritas and beer.  It is a town full of smart, driven, cool people and a tech community that has been growing steadily for years.  The music scene is of course one of the best in the nation. Hugh MacLeod visits regularly. And of course, LANCE lives there! P.S. – Lance is on Twitter so follow him! LiveStrong baby!

Next week, Brian Solis (my TechSet partner-in-crime) and I will head down to Austin to celebrate the launch of BizSpark with Microsoft and with our local partners, the Startup District. Please be sure to also follow us on Twitter for more details:

@techset

@bizspark

@startupdistrict

You are cordially invited to join us at The Speakeasy at 7 pm on Thursday, November 20th. The event is *free* but please RSVP here. There will be free drinks and appetizers, so come early.

(Please note these are the boots I bought in March at SXSW and I will be wearing these for sure!)

Many of you know that I am obsessed with television – in particular HBO (and now, ok, Showtime too).  Some months back I came across a very interesting Twitter Account, @Tim_Gibbons.  I couldn’t believe a big Hollywood producer was hanging out in a geeky place like Twitter.  Well, yes he was and he still does. Tim Gibbons, Executive Producer of Curb Your Enthusiasm generously took an hour out of his busy schedule to talk to me, InternetGeekGirl! Read his cool story below, and oh yeah – be sure to FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER!

Tim’s Blog, The Gibbons Update, focuses on ‘The Business’ of entertainment. For people interested in breaking into Hollywood and learning about it from an insider’s perspective, it’s a great resource. Part story-teller, part CEO, and part GEEK, Tim spoke with me about his Twitter account, his TV habits, being an Executive Producer, the changing landscape of Internet TV and of course, LARRY DAVID!

Q: Why Twitter? Tell my readers how you stumbled upon this geeky world?

“Twitter has been a weird thing,” says Gibbons. ” The Producer’s Guild holds regular seminars and about a year ago, I went to one on New Media and the Web.  Zadi from Epic Fu was on a panel talking about Twitter.  It sounded like a dirty word. I had started seeing Facebook updates with Twitter in them. With a bit of encouragement, I took to it quickly. My followers have grown and I’ve met people from all around the world.”

Q: I call myself an HBO “ho” but lately Showtime has me all worked up.  What are your favorite shows of the moment? How do you watch them all?

“When Curb launched HBO had the Sopranos, which was all the buzz at that point.  Showtime has come to the forefront with some great programming post Soprano’s and Six Feet Under. I’m personally a fan of Calfornication and WEEDS. I watch a little Dexter too; I also enjoy MadMen, True Blood, Lost and Heros…. I stock pile a bunch of episodes on Tivo, and then have a big viewing session. There’s a lot to keep up on.”

Q: When we last left Larry and Cheryl, they were separated and the marriage was on rocks. I doubt you will tell me what is going to happen this next season, but can you share a little bit about the Curb creative process? AND BTW – will Twitter be featured on Curb anytime soon?

“Well yes, I won’t tell you. The last season ended in November 2007. Curb does 10 episodes at a time because each one is a ‘handcrafted event.’ Larry David writes and stars in each episode and is hands-on through the entire process – from crafting the story, getting it to paper, filming it and editing it. It is a time consuming process. HBO has been awesome, and when Larry is ready, he does more!

Larry doesn’t use a computer. He writes long form on a yellow pad. For the longest time he didn’t have a cell phone. Getting one was a big move.  Then one day he got a Blackberry and started emailing, and we were like OMG! – Larry David on a Blackberry. That was a huge step. I don’t think he’ll be Twittering anytime soon.”

** Note to reader – if you want to keep up on Curb news (they are currently in production). you should follow Tim’s feed. He shares good stuff.

Q: So this is Hollywood newbie question, but I’ve always wondered why sometimes there are multiple people listed on one screen as executive producers when credits roll, and sometimes names stand alone (like you!).  Can you explain this and also tell me more about what producers do?

“It all depends on who you are and if you are on a team.  This is called ‘sharing a card,’ and it really comes down to how things get negotiated. Sometimes there are union requirements – when credits can be shared and when they can’t be. For example, director’s credits cannot be shared.

In terms of the producer role, it is a combination of organizational skills and creative skills – left brain and right brain. Many people who start as day runners or PAs go into producing. The highest title you can achieve in television is ‘Executive Producer,’ and in film it’s ‘Producer.’  There are several kinds of executive producers though.”

Comment from IGG: Tim described a bunch of types of producing and this is how I summed it up:

• The Writer / Producer: These are the guys that oversee the writing, manage the people, every aspect of a show. They are like the ultimate CEO of a show. A good example is Matthew Weiner, producer of Mad Men.
• Non-writing producer. That’s what Tim is on Curb Your Enthusiasm (sometimes he’s the writing producer on things too). You must gain a reputation for being someone who can deliver projects on time  and on budget and make sure the creative vision of the writer and networks are met.
• Features producer: This is someone that finds a book or a story and then makes the project happen. This sounded very entrepreneurial and similar to starting a tech company.
• Creative producer: Again, this type of producer gets an idea, develops a project and gets the deal made. For example, they might pitch a pilot to HBO and if HBO buys it, then they would find the writer, develop the script, etc.

NB: It seems to me that producers are part salesperson, part creative storyteller. From what I understand the business models vary (whether you invest your own cash or not), just like in tech. I see a lot of similarities to the tech start-up life, but a lot more glamorous.

Q: Typical questions – how did you get started in this business?  Where are you from?

“My dad was an actor.  I have officially been in the business myself since 1976 (32 years), but I was exposed to it as a very young child. I was born in NYC. When I was 3 years old, my Dad was in LA on Christmas day. He called my Mom and told her it was 85 degrees and sunny. He also said that he thought there would be more opportunity for a working actor in LA. It was snowing in NYC that day. Mom agreed with his assessment. My mom got rid of the apartment, packed me up and we drove across country and moved to LA.

I used to go to the set with Dad as a kid. I met movie stars, went to auditions with him. I saw my dad competing with 5 other actors who looked similar to him and thought – ‘I want to be the guy who gets to pick the actor, not one of the six guys vying for the job.’

Q: Internet TV is a booming field. As someone who understands both worlds, what do you see on the horizon?

“I do try to watch as much Internet TV as I can.  I enjoyed Abigail’s X-Rated Teen Diary and Good Night Burbank (by Hayden Black). I was also very impressed with Lisa Kudrow’s news about the new show Web Therapy.  Budgets for web series have gone up significantly, which allows for more production value and customization for the screen size (mobile, etc).  The thing with Internet TV is that it is all the same kind of humor and contains very similar content, geared toward a specific audience. I’d like to push the narrative and demographic and move beyond shows that feature the same joke every week. What we’re trying to do is be different than what’s out there today. That’s my nefarious plan!”

We wish Tim well with his plan and will stay tuned for developments. Thanks Tim!

I’ve been a “startup chick” for a very long time. Having worked at early stage companies as employee number 2 and number 240, I have experienced the wide array of challenges faced by companies growing new markets.  In fact, established markets never interested me much (boring!!!)

I’ve guided my professional development for 15 years by one simply rule: surround yourself with the smartest, most hard-working, super effective entrepreneurs you can find. Despite the fact that these individuals and environments can be crazy and chaotic, it has been a very fun journey. Like the road less traveled, it has also made all the difference in my life.

Over the next few weeks, Brian Solis and I will be celebrating our mutual love for startups by presenting Ignition, an event to commemorate the launch of Microsoft BizSpark – a new program for those who contribute to a dynamic ecosystem to help startups flourish. It seems to me that in this economy, everyone needs something to celebrate. It is also an exceptional time to start a startup and take advantage of all the opportunity out there.

Brian and I cordially invite you to another TechSet Series (with some free appetizers and drinks).  We kick off our four-city tour next week in New York City on November 11th.  You need to RSVP here. As all the locals know, that’s the night of the New York New Tech Meetup, which will feature a presentation by Microsoft BizSpark staff. Be at both or be square!

We head to Austin, Texas on November 20th, LA on December 2nd and Silicon Valley on December 4th.  Stay tuned for links Facebook invites and RSVP pages on Eventbrite.

Be sure to check out the benefits you get from the BizSpark global program – namely – software, support and visibility. Hope to see you there so you can learn more and have a great time doing it!

That’s right. My second trip to Vegas this year.  I’m super excited for the second annual Blog World Expo that starts this Friday. It’s not too late to make your plans (there are actually some really good hotel deals on Hotels.com). The speaker line up and the party list look fantastic. Don’t forget to use the code: GEEKGIRL!

Follow @blogworld on Twitter for all the latest updates!

The TechSet has earned a reputation for hosting some of the most glamorous and connected events around the country. We’d like to invite you to what just may be our most incredible event yet as we celebrate you and the other entrepreneurs defining the new Web landscape. At BlogWorld, we will gather poolside at the new Bare lounge at the Mirage Hotel.

(mt) Media Temple, our title sponsor, will be hosting blog super stars and super startups alike!  Check out the *cabana* sponsors, including: Canvas On Demand, Empressr, MindTouch, ShareThis and Tagga.

In addition to Sarah Lacy, Hugh MacLeod, and Loren Feldman, we’ll be welcoming — all of you – the people that are the TECHSET!

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(mt) Media Temple Inc., (Twitter = @mediatemple) Inc. is an industry-leading, privately held web hosting and software services provider with headquarters in California. Since 1998, the company has provided businesses worldwide with reliable, high-capacity networks to host websites, email, business applications, video and other modern, rich-media content.

We are a friendly, accessible group of technology-agnostic managers, engineers and support professionals dedicated to making our customers happy. We are a true 24/7 company. Contact us anytime 24 hours a day at 877-578-4000. English is our primary language. We also speak Spanish, Japanese, Swedish, Korean, Polish, Russian, Romanian, Armenian and a few other languages.

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ShareThis (Twitter = @sharethis) lets people easily share the things they find online, in the most convenient way possible. ShareThis consolidates address books and friend lists, so that anything can be shared immediately, without ever leaving a webpage.

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Tagga (Twitter = @tagga) allows anyone to create text message campaigns instantly so that you can interact, sell to, or simply communicate with mobile users.  Promote your product or service to a targeted audience on their mobile.

You can target the audience you want, deliver the content you want and pay only on success.  Monetize your web or print content like blogs, websites, signage or print publications and expand your distribution channel.  Integrating with Tagga is fast and simple. In just a few minutes you can be on your way to extending your website’s functionality and earning additional revenue. www.tagga.com.

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MindTouch, (Twitter = @mindtouch) recognized the world over for innovation beyond open source wiki collaboration and content management, is delivering a leading edge application integration and development platform. MindTouch Deki, built with a Web Oriented Architecture (WOA), enables users to connect teams, enterprise systems, Web services and Web 2.0 applications with IT governance. Users easily access and organize data and systems efficiently to achieve their business objectives.

MindTouch Deki is deployed by Fortune 500 companies, major media, research/education institutions, government agencies, and online businesses worldwide. Customers include Microsoft, Fujitsu, Siemens, Gannett, FedEx, U.S. Army, DoD, and others. MindTouch is committed to delivering next generation solutions to people, businesses and governments.

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Empressr (Twitter = @empressr) is the first of its kind rich Internet application that provides users with the tools to create and share Multi-media visual stories online. Armed with only a Web browser, users can combine photographs, artwork, text, music, videos, audio recordings and charts to produce anything from a simple slide show to a state-of-the-art business presentation.

Empressr embraces the best of what the Internet has to offer with features such as asset tagging, Web mashups, embedded data and a comprehensive selection of rich media features. Once created, an empressr can be distributed in many ways. It can be published to the community site or your social networking page, sent in an email and even embedded in a blog or wiki.

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Canvas on Demand is the Raleigh, North Carolina that transforms your sentimental photos into canvas artwork. Co-owners Tom Lotrecchiano and Joe Schmidt were named Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the year finalists and  ranked number 283 in the 2008 Inc. 500.  You can visit www.CanvasOnDemand.com for more information or to see samples.

During the Webby Awards last week, each winner got exactly 5 words for their acceptance speech. At the time I twittered that the whole thing was very Twitteresque.  I’m going to keep my wrap up post brief as well (since it’s already late).  All these parties have a way of messing with one’s action item list.  Overall, it was an excellent week. Kudos to the Internet Week team and the IADAS (International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences). Given how spread out the events were, it would have been nice to see a more cohesive social media strategy.  The site (and the event overall) needed a “community manager” (in addition to the PR company they had running the show).  It also would have been nice to see more coverage by main stream media.  For a first go-round though, I think they did a good job.  I see a lot of potential with this event.

Check out the following reviews of Internet Week for more details:

Caroline McCarthy of CNET summed it up in three words instead of five: Let it Blend!

PC Magazine also captured some of the best 5-word summaries that winner shared with the audience at the Webbies!

Adam Hirsch of Mashable did a nice recap and thank you post too.

Undoubtedly, one of my favorite parts of the week: The Webby Awards Film & Video After Party 2008: Digital Photobooth presented by Adobe.

But of course, my *true* favorite was the TechSet event at the Gansevoort! Thanks to all who participated. The TechSet *Hearts* New York!

New York Tech knows how to glam it up. Watch out Fashion Week, here come the real L337!

Pictured above (Top to Bottom):Pic 1: Stephanie Agresta, Pete Cashmore (Mashable), Michelle DeForest (NextNewNetworks)

Pic 2:George H. Ruiz (ICM), Alex Albrecht (Revision3)

Pic 3: John Hamilton and Kevin Chan – both from Barbarian Group; with the fabulous Aubrey Sabala (Digg) in the middle.