On popping in to the Filofax store

And what’s wrong with visiting the retail store of the Filofax empire when visiting London?

Actually I was nipping in to see if they happened to have a certain type of paper refill lurking anywhere as it’s been officially discontinued. It turns out they hadn’t, but it was still worth the visit. You know when you put people together with iPhones and they start comparing applications and tricks? The same happens with Filofax people, as the shop staff and I started trading tips and hacks – turns out my SXSW Planning Chart was a new one on them, although I am opening the binder rings the ‘right’ way for a long and happy life.

I was also intrigued to spot a surreptitious thumb that was run over the cover of my Filofax. As it’s oiled leather the consistency changes over time to a well-worn and lived in feeling, and having one of them in the store was ‘rather special.’

Filofax

So after taking the chance to stock up on some big blocks of paper and refills for the next few months (big projects coming up, including SXSW, Eurovision and starting to plan the Edinburgh Fringe coverage), it was time to leave.

Is this what it’s like for Apple Store fans?

# February 6, 2010; Leave a Comment.

Some thoughts on Dollhouse and Joss Whedon

So Dollhouse is over, and there are sure to be papers, studies and exploration about why the show lasted just the two seasons. Was it the scheduling on a Friday night, the interference in the first batch of episodes by the Fox network, the lack of a character for the audience to identify with, the initial presentation of the subject matter…

The discussions will continue, but when you break it down, Dollhouse had five different sections, each with faults and weaknesses. And in those, Whedon and his team will learn more lessons for their next series.

1: The first half of Season One
Fox asked for the first episodes to be “standalone” which managed to take the concepts of personally, identity and free choice and turn them into a strange mix of Joe 90 and Murder She Wrote. The underlying story struggled to break free, and it was impossible to get a hold of the characters that constantly changed their personality via “the chair” that programmed their brains.

2: The second half of Season One
Let off their leash to tell the story their way, Dollhouse found stable ground and expanded their world and characters. You saw that love never dies, and that the lead character was growing a constant conscious.

3: The first third of Season Two
Confident in their storytelling, the mutli-episode arcs started to unfold and the show delivered what any good ensemble/ongoing story needs to deliver. And it did. Part of this has to be down to Fox telling the crew that the thirteen episodes would definitely air on television so they could throw those concerns aside.

4: The middle of Season Two
And then Fox said they were cancelled. But you’ve got a bundle of episodes left, can you finish the story? Imagine lining up enough fireworks to last three or four years of plot,  and then told you can fire them all off in six episodes. Some of the delicacy had to be sacrificed, but the shocks and revelations came so thick and fast that for a brief moment Dollhouse was, hands down, the best thing on television. But the candle that burns so brightly….

5: Finishing the story – the final two episodes
And then it was over. The final ‘season’ story suffered from a tiny budget and with only the regular stock of fireworks compared to those just fired off, it felt like it ran out of steam, but hey, the cliff-hanger paid off as one of the great TV twists. The very last episode carried on the tradition of the end of Season one by doing a throw forward of ten years to see where the big picture went. And in that, with huge brush strokes, we saw the promise of the TV show Dollhouse, and can go away with memories of stories that never aired and tech gone wild.

Dollhouse In a few hundred years, this scene will happen aboard the Serenity…

For the record I loved Dollhouse. Yes it was flawed, but it was a roller coaster, with a story, and managed to have a beginning, middle and end. With hindsight I would’ve liked to see two things. Firstly dropping us into the middle of the story (section 2 above) so viewers could make an easy connection (which, as Dollhouse fans know, is where the initial pilot did drop us into).

Secondly, the promo for the show was that this was about millionaires hiring out programmable people for their fantasies, when in fact it was actually an apocalypse/end of the Earth story. A brave call would have been to make the first episode “Epitaph Zero” and do the throw forward right at the top, then snap back, safe in the knowledge that we’re going to get to Mad Max territory – but the story is then clearly about how do we get there, not what Eliza Duskhu is going to be wearing this week.

Hey, it worked for Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet!

I can’t help wondering what would have happened if Dollhouse had been made not by Fox in the US, but by the BBC in the UK. Four seasons of say eight episodes each, would fit the Dollhouse world; there would be very little interference to chase ratings and we have a tradition of deep, layered programming going right back from the suicide ending of Life on Mars to the original Quatermass plays.

So for all the noises of Fox asking for more series, overtures from HBO, and the cry of the fans to switch to online only, can I suggest to Joss Whedon that he politely declines all of those, and comes to the UK?

# February 4, 2010; Leave a Comment.

SXSW Interactive Social Breakfast – 2010 Edition

As South by Southwest looms on the events horizon, all the little bits and pieces of other smaller parties and get together that are happening in Austin pop up. The Social Breakfast is my contribution to the calendar of SXSW Interactive.

This year is the third official year of the breakfast, and as always the premise is very simple. I’ll be at Magnolias on South Congress, from 8am on the Saturday of Interactive (this year that’s the 13th March). You’re all more than welcome to come down at the same time to join me. Just as in previous years the staff have put aside their patio area so we can mingle and table hop and not get in the way of one of Austin’s most popular dining spots.

Magnolia's Cafe

I found Magnolia’s many years ago by jumping in a taxi and asking the driver to take me to where he would have breakfast (but not to take me to his house). Five minutes later he pulled up here, and I walked in and simply asked for the house special. All by trusting local knowledge and the staff. And I’ve been back as often as I can.

So the deal is simple. I’ll be there. I know that many people have already put the date in their diaries either because they’ve been there before or have heard on the grapevine that it’s not a bad way to start your SXSW Saturday. We have a good breakfast, good chat, and start off as we mean to go on… meeting new friends and getting reacquainted with those we’ve not seen for a long time.

More event details and RSVP’s are on the Facebook group.

# February 2, 2010; Leave a Comment.

He could write the Eurovision theme tune, sing the Eurovision theme tune…

This morning the BBC announced the man behind this year’s UK entry into the Eurovision Song Contest. Producing and writing the song will be… Pete Waterman.

Of course the inevitable Dennis “Little Britain” Waterman jokes appeared, and I hope that Pete is taking it all in his stride. I suspect that Pete, like Andrew Lloyd Webber last year will focus on the production side of things (much as he did at Stock Aitken and Waterman in the 80s) and bring in a songwriter to do the heavy composition stuff.

After a few hours thinking about this, I’m quite pleased about this. There is invariably a lot of ammunition in his back catalogue of promotion, production and general oversight that can be used against Waterman – Rick Astley, Alvin Stardust, Matt Bianco, Pepsi and Shirley, Samantha Fox,, Amazulu…

Let’s also not forget that the BBC, for all our pride, does have a great track record at sending some absolute rubbish to Eurovision. Iain Hepburn at The Daily Record has pointed out Six of the best Eurovision Blunders by the UK, with some help from Alison Eales and myself (where he names me Scotland’s Eurovision King; I like the sound of that).

But, even through all that, I’m quietly confident. I’m confident that the BBC have made the right choice here. One of the goals of last year was to make Eurovision respectable again to the record industry. I surmised that last year (2009) to gain confidence, this year was to build up the cachet, and then really go for it in 2011. The top five result from last year was, on balance, a great result. If we can stay in the top ten for this year, I’d consider that a success. Top five would be exceptional.

People are going on about a return to cheesy eighties music, but lets be honest, Waterman as a producer should know what the public are looking for. Songs like Always from Azerbaijan last year could easily be straight out of a 21st century “Hit Factory.” Compare and contrast Aysel and Arash which came third last year…

…with the chart topping Mel and Kim…

 

Are you seriously telling me that Pete Waterman isn’t a good fit?

Now I do have some thoughts and concerns. I hope he brings in someone else to help with the actual writing; and I wonder how much of the UK’s voting last year was because we had Andrew Lloyd Webber on stage, that’s not something we can replicate; Jade was (be honest) parachuted into the Song for Europe / Your Country Needs You, and is there someone suitable who has auditioned or is ready to roll this year?

But is this a mistake or even a Eurovision Epic Fail? Far from it. This is smart canny move from the BBC. One of the biggest strengths of our entry last year was the promotion of Jade and her song around Europe leading up to the contest. And that is a clear strength of Pete Waterman.

It’s still game on for Oslo on May 29th.

# January 29, 2010; Leave a Comment.

The PSP Show #113: F1 2009


MP3 File  – Show Notes – RSS Feed – iTunes Link

It’s the battle of the driving games, as this week’s review of F1 2009 from Codemasters is heavily influenced by my ongoing experience with Polyphonic Digitals’ Gran Turismo. Which will take pole position in the battle of the driving games?

Plus why is South Korean Air following in my footsteps four years too late, what are EA going to do in 2010 (see here) and more in the latest slice of the Sony Playstation world in The PSP Show.

As well as the Facebook Group and here, you can listen and subscribe to the show in Apple’s iTunes – and leave your own review there as well.

# January 27, 2010; Leave a Comment.

Getting yourself organised for SXSW 2010

So the broad strokes are now in place. This weekend I booked my flights to Austin and South by Southwest 2010 (and added a few days in San Francisco and The Valley – get in touch if you want to ‘do coffee’); the hotel room was reserved as I left Austin last year (forward planning, got to love it); and the Platinum pass was sorted in November.

Now it gets interesting though, because it’s time to plan out and organise my time at SXSW. More than any other conference, SXSW Interactive is incredibly busy, with multiple and concurrent official sessions going on during the day, along with fringe events, various blogger lounges and a packed exhibition floor. And it doesn’t stop at the Convention Centre, because the evening is packed with events, meet n greets, parties, barbecues, award ceremonies and the occasional secret celebration (hint, it’s likely to be called 64-bit).

Add in the same mass of events from SXSW Film and SXSW Music and you have a jigsaw of planning that’s like a ten thousand piece picture of a herd of zebras.

Some planning is needed to make sure that you get the most from your time at SXSW. And that starts with working out what goal is in attending the event. If it’s simply to socialise and meet new people, that’s fine, just be aware of it. An if it’s more in-depth, that works as well.

I’d suggest that rather than do all this on the latest gee-whizz bit of tech you go for a paper and pencil approach. I’m a big Filofax user and you could go pick yourself up a nice one from the UK during the current sale (try the Metropol at £14 in Filofax’s current 40% off Sale), but you’ll get just as much practical benefit from a new Moleskinie Notebook.

The main benefit of any paper system is that it’s always with you no matter what computer you are on, it’s easily referenced while at the Conference, and it takes but a moment to note down something while on the run in Austin.

No matter what medium you choose, here’s how I would recommend splitting the sections down.

Filofax at SXSW

Daily Diary

Each day is spread over two pages that face each other. On the left hand side I note down the time and location of every major party or event that I come across in the weeks leading up to SXSW. Come the night, I have a relatively full list of parties and events and can choose then where I’ll be heading that night. It’s also great to be able to answer the question “what’s on tonight"?” which invariably gets asked a lot.

The right hand side is more personal. The top of the page has my actual appointments through the day, sessions I want to attend and any must go to events are noted here. The bottom of the page is a mix of sessions I’d like to go to and notes that are specific to that day (e.g. contact number of the restaurant where I might be running an event).

Things of Interest

As well as noting down the events and seminars, it’s worth remembering just how large SXSW is, and that not everything is going to be in the official program or on an Upcoming page. Set some pages aside after the diary pages for “things of interest.” I split them into Interactive, Film and Music, and again over two facing pages. Fill these in with half an eye on your personal goals for SXSW and you’ll have a ready made checklist when you’re left wondering what to do next.

People to See

Or as the Customs Officer might describe it, the stalking page. Who do you want to meet at SXSW? Who have you passed by on Twitter saying that you should hook up in Austin? And do you think you can remember every single name without a little bit of help? That’s what I use this page for – I’m never likely to win any memory contests, so I’ve no shame in getting them down on paper.

To Do List

My Filofax is set up to use the regular diary pages as a dated To-Do list, and this continues during SXSW, although it tends to be the more personal things on this page, like blog post deadlines and work that needs to be done.

Notebook

If you’re using a moleskine or other notebook, then the rest of the pages are going to be your notebook for the conference. At the end of it all, you’ll have all your experiences from before, during and after SXSW in one handy book for the shelf. My yearly storage folders for Filofax pages

Other Pages

I have two more pages I use in my Filofax at SXSW. The first is a simple expenses page so I can see what I’m spending – the ability to check back on previous years is helpful when setting a budget, and I have a second custom page which is a fold out timetable blocking out my time on an hourly basis for a much faster overview of my plans.

image

So now you have a tool to help you make the most of SXSW. I’d recommend that you keep this close to your work computer, and just write in anything you find online about SXSW that feels important to you. Once you land in Austin, you’ll find that your time goes by so very quickly and you’ll be glad you’ve done some planning of things to see and do, while still retaining more than enough slack for the spontaneity that makes this one of the premier conferences in the year.

# January 25, 2010; 3 Comments.

Conan Online

I’ve been watching the fun and games over The Tonight Show with a mixture of awe and incredulity. It shouldn’t be a surprise to regular readers that I have a huge amount of respect for Johnny Carson – in fact the single phrase I pushed as the “takeaway” from my “How to interview people” session at Blogworld Expo was Watch lots of Carson.

Upshot is, popular late night host Conan O’Brien is now leaving The Tonight Show for destinations unknown. While it’s likely that Fox will eventually take him on board, there will be a lot of people (Revision3!) suggesting that he goes online and does the show there.

So, who won?

If Coco thought his lead in from Jay Leno was hurting him, just wait till he realises that the web has no lead-in beyond the occasional Digg headline (although he might have some help there). Do I think he will go online? Probably not. But if he did, then it would

Talk Shows are traditionally one of the cheaper forms of TV to put in place – although the hosts can gather in telephone number salaries compared to CSI Scarborough the bottom line is much smaller. But going online means a lot less income… a lot. Arguably O’Brien and his exec producer have been given their Frak You money from NBC (hey my Mum reads this, okay!) so they don;t need to worry about salary, but the running of a Tonight Online show would take some serious commitment to do it to the same level as NBC… or even better.

But O’Brien has advantages that few media producers online have. He transcends the web and there is the obvious name and brand recognition that he has – it’s almost given that any Ad Sales team would be able to cover running costs on any show, even if Hollywood sized wages wouldn’t be on the cards.

I’d argue that there hasn’t yet been a breakout show from the web – the closest in the UK has been Ask Me This Answer Me This (which I should really have remembered) who received a one off radio commission for an “End of 2009” show on BBC Radio, or Limmy (thanks to @iainmhepburn for the nudge) with his BBC Scotland TV Series. O’Brien is in the position where he could become the show that makes “a TV show on the Internet” a reality.

But it’s risky. Horribly risky. And the upside for him is far far less than trying to get all the Fox affiliates to stop doing lucrative re-runs and run him head to head to head against Letterman and Leno.

Much as Coco online would be the most entrepreneurial move to make, I think we’ll continue to look for a new online video hero, and it’ll be someone new to the media mix, not an established star moving to a new field.

# January 21, 2010; Leave a Comment.

My Secret To Grabbing Dormant Twitter names (like @Ewan)

Just been name-checked by The Next Web (Hi Zee and the rest of the gang!) in their article detailing the oncoming Twitter Goldrush as they release inactive usernames to be registered.

You see, Twitter are sitting on a lot of inactive names, and people want to grab the ones that are useful to them… especially if they’ve had one update to them, no followers, and been sitting there doing nothing for three years. There’s no official way to do this (yet) but as I’ve detailed before, you can mange it, as The Next Web has now reminded everyone:

Besides that the only way to get Twitter to give you a username is if you know the right people. Journalist and podcaster Ewan Spence managed to switch from @EwanSpence to @Ewan by, as he wittily put it, “hanging around the internet till I used the irl.api and bumped into the right person at Las Vegas”.

Just to let you know that the exact workings of the irl.api, the right person, and the process I used was deliberately obfuscated as I knew that letting out too many details would have swamped someone that helped me out.

It’s great that Twitter is opening this out, I just hope they have a good arbitration process beyond timestamp, otherwise it’s going to get very messy. But there are always… opportunities.

cc Rachele Clake, Flickr

# January 19, 2010; 2 Comments.

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