Elsewhere: New Media Challenge 2012-001 – Nature

January 2, 2012 by Douglas E. Welch

Join me over at the New Media Interchange site for this first New Media Challenge of the New Year! — Douglas

Let’s get the New Year started right with our first New Media Challenge of 2012!

New Media Challenge 2012-001 – Nature

Get outside and show us all some piece of nature in your area.

This could be your garden, a national park, or “weeds” growing in an urban vacant lot. You get to decide what to show and how to present it. Post a link to your video, photos, writing or more here by Sunday, January 8, 2012.

Use the comments link (click the number next to the little text bubble above) to add a link to this post.

New Media Challenges are designed to give you an excuse to stretch your New Media muscles. You can use whatever media you like to complete the challenge including audio, video, photography, writing and more.

All About Douglas – Choosing what you want to see and hear

December 25, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

I have a lot of interests, as most of you already know. Therefore, I have a lot of different blogs, events, and groups in my portfolio of online engagements. I also try to make myself available wherever people want to converse. This means that each of my interests usually has multiple presences on the Internet.

Here is a list of almost all of the ways you can talk with me and learn about what is happening in my life and work. You don’t need to, nor should you, try to subscribe to all of them. That would only lead to you seeing multiple copies of the same information. Rather, pick and choose whatever ways you would like to consume my “content.”

If you are a heavy Facbeook user, you might want to join my pages there. Is Google+ catching your fancy? I have a home over there, too. Maybe email is your thing? No problem, almost all of my content can be emailed directly to your Inbox. My goal is to make my content available in whatever way makes the most sense to you. It also means you can contact me and converse with me on your favorite online services.

This list is also broken down by interest. If you want to see everything I post and share, the first section is where you can find it. This will contain information from all my areas of interest including events, careers, gardening, technology and my organizations. Maybe, though, you are only interested in my gardening information. You can narrow your reading to my gardening blog or Facebook page. The same applies for careers, technology and my organizations. Select whatever is most interesting, and valuable, to you.

Thank you for supporting me, my blogs and podcasts and my organization of the years! I look forward to talking with you — and sharing more with you — in 2012.

Audio: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol read by the Podcast Community on Facebook

December 13, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

The Podcast Community on Facebook has come together this season to record an audio version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. This reading is based on an edited version of the story created by Dickens himself for his own live readings.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Listen to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (70.3MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Our cast includes:

Douglas E. Welch – Career Opportunities Podcast
Michael Falkner – The Weekly Podioplex (part of the Chronic Rift Network)
Bryan Lincoln – Fullcast Podcast
Paul Ellis – It Was A Dark & Stormy Night
James Bennett – All Things Geek
Heidi Jenkins – Castlecast
Paula Berinstein – The Writing Show
Jason James – thenutgallery.com podcast
Michael Lawshe – Eclipse-1 Media
Peter Lythgoe – The Zzipp & Co. Podcast
Browncoat – thenutgallery.com podcast
Megan Enloe – Podcast Community
Rish Outfield – The Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine
Hatton Humphrey – East Coast Conservative Podcast
Rosanne Welch – WelchWrite.com
Lauren “Scribe” Harris – Pendragon Variety Podcast
Lauren “Skrybbi” Nicholson – Pendragon Variety Podcast
Raven Wei – Pendragon Variety Podcast
Tim Dodge – Podiobooks ACTS OF DESPERATION and PURGATORY
R.E. Chambliss – Podiobook Dreaming of Deliverance

Produced by Douglas E. Welch and WelchWrite.com

Interstitial Music and Sound Effects provided by Michael Lawshe of Eclipse-1 Media

Join the Podcast Community on Facebook

Event: 6th Annual Live Reading of A Christmas Carol – Dec 18, 2011

December 12, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

E-Book PDF: Open in New Window | Download (234.0KB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Our 6th Annual LIVE Reading of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol will take place on Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 6pm EST/3pm PST.

Our annual holiday reading of this classic Dickens’ story. We bring together frends and family to read sections from a condensed version of the story — said to be made by Charles Dickens himself — for his own live, public readings. Follow Scrooge, Bob Crachit, Tiny Tim and all the familiar characters as they both teach and learn what Christmas is all about.

Tune in while you prepare your Christmas cookies or wrap your Christmas presents. Join the “spirits” of the season!

Click Here to Watch/Listen Live to A Christmas Carol

Consider having your own reading of A Christmas Carol, or other favorite story, as a way to gather friends together and share a unique experience. You don’t have to broadcast it like we do, but why not share it with the world!

This year’s show is sponsored by WelchWrite.com, Eclipse-1 Media and New Media Interchange.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Enjoy more Christmas Carol in your own home!

Free download of “A Christmas Carol” – Text/ePub/HTML/Kindle versions available

Free download of our reading script of “A Christmas Carol” – PDF format

The audio CD of Patrick Stewart’s one man version of A Christmas Carol is absolutely amazing. We saw the show several times here in LA and met Patrick one evening. His version of “A Christmas Carol” was the driving factor in starting our own yearly reading of the story.

More “A Christmas Carol” on Amazon.com

Are you using Google+? Check it out!

November 7, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

I have been using Google+, the new social network from Google, for several weeks now. In light of by usual advice regarding social networks, I would encourage you to go check it out. As someone who is interested/involved in using social media, it is important to keep an eye on what is happening in the “industry.” Checking out new social media services should be something you do on a regular basis. It doesn’t mean you will find every site useful to you or your work, but it will allow you to take quick advantage of those services that offer you some benefit.

The truth is, we often don’t know which sites will be useful to use until we sign up and use them for a short period of time. I abandon far more services than i use on a daily basis, but I still believe it is important to be aware of those services and how some may become important into the future. You might not have a direct use for them now, but changes in life and business might suddenly bring them to the fore.

So, head over to Google+ (familiarly known as G+) and get started. You probably already have an account to use there if you use any of the other Google services like Gmail, Google Calendar or YouTube.

You’ll find me on Google+ here at my profile.

Note: Today you will see a ton of messages about the new Brand pages that G+ opened up just this morning. Things should settle down to a more usual volume and type of traffic as the day goes on. Don’t let all the Brands scare you away.

Video from remote controlled helicopter

October 13, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

Cool example of what can be done with high-end cameras and remote control helicopters

Aerial RC Heli Demo – Summer / Fall 2011 from Heli Video Pros on Vimeo.

Book Review: We are all weird by Seth Godin

October 5, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

We are all weird by Seth Godin

Whenever I read one of Seth Godin’s books I feel he is preaching to the choir because his thoughts are so much in tune with my own when it comes to New Media, marketing and business. I often that he is describing things in much the same way I do when talking to those people who don’t understand the new world we live in, but want to know more. We are all weird is another of these cases. I found myself nodding in agreement and even saying “yes, yes, yes!” out loud as I read.

The basic, overriding message to this book is, “Mass is dead. Here comes weird.” Godin should have just as easily said “Here comes niche. Here comes small or a variety of other words, but I am sure using weird makes readers stop and take notice.” I agree with him, too. The mass market is shrinking (he provides some charts showing how and why) and smart businesspeople will focus on tribes, niches, small groups to find those people with an affinity for their product.

“The opportunity of our time is to support the weird, to sell to the weird and, if you wish, to become weird.”

Like most “normal” processes of the world, the Internet and the hyper-connectivness it allows, is making weird the new normal. I know, that seems an oxymoronic phrase, but I get where Godin is coming from. As the “mass” decreases the old normal gives way to the new, weird, normal.

As with most of Godin’s books, this one gets me thinking, and making notes and instituting changes in my own marketing policies even as I am reading. You may have to think deeply about how to implement some of the ideas here, but I think there is something for nearly anyone who wants to reach a particular audience with a particular message. This can be anyone from a non-profit out to change the world to a corporate hive worker trying to keep their company relevant in the new weird, normal world.

We are all weird is available from Amazon.com as both a paperback and Kindle book. Use the links above to find out more information, read reviews and buy the book.

Disclaimer: I received an early, e-gallery version of We are all weird directly from the Domino Project. The opinions here are my own and no payment was made for this review.

Find more great New Media-related books in the Careers in New Media section of the WelchWrite Bookstore in association with Amazon.com

Elsewhere: Why is Video Hard? Five Shots and Patterns

October 2, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

Never heard of this method before, but it sounds liks something that could jumpstart a lot of beginning new media people. Give it a read! — Douglas

Why is Video Hard? Five Shots and Patterns

[…]

“One of the most famous, and useful of these, is Michael Rosenblum’s “five shot” method that he developed training journalists from the NY Times to the BBC. It’s actually something he’s preached since the late 1990s, and those who are fortunate enough to learn it get an insight into shooting better video, immediately.

I’ve successfully used this in the classroom to teach visual literacy, because it hones in immediately on what’s important. The five shot method always prescribes these, shot in this exact order (my handout here):

A closeup on the hands of a subject – showing WHAT is happening

A closeup on the face – WHO is doing it

A wide shot – WHERE its happening

An over the shoulder shot (OTS) – linking together the previous three concepts

An unusual, or side/low shot – providing story-specific context”

Read the entire article

eBook: Social Media Self Preservation (Kindle) by Douglas E. Welch

September 28, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

My first Kindle-format eBook is now available on Amazon.

The great thing is that is doesn’t require a Kindle to read. You can get free Kindle software for nearly any device (Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, Blackberry) and read the book there.

Please share this with your friends using the email and social media icons below.

Description:

Social Media Self Preservation: Taking advantage of social media without losing your mind

7100 Words

Price: $4.99

Using social media as part or business or personal life can seem overwhelming and fraught with pitfalls. There is a way, though, to make the best use of social media without falling into the traps of lost privacy and social media burnout.

This guide explains what you need to know as you start your journey into social media and how to make social media productive for you.

Table of Contents:

Introduction: Why Social Media?
Chapter 1: Which social networks should you join?
- Be Found!
- Reserving your name
- A few social networks to get you started
Chapter 2: How to decide who to include in your online community
- It is all about value
- Where to begin building your online community?
Chapter 3: Maintaining your online community
- Re-evaluation
- No longer needed
- People Change
- Too much information
- Information you can find elsewhere
Chapter 4: What to share online
- Share your knowledge and expertise
- Share your work
- …but my work is secret!
- Share your life
- Balance in your social media sharing

Video: Panel: Tips on Creating and Distributing Mouthwatering Multimedia Content

September 26, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

Techmunch Panel: Tips on Creating and Distributing Mouthwatering Multimedia Content

Moderator: Douglas E. Welch (@douglaswelch), New Media Consultant & writer/producer of A Gardener’s Notebook. More at DouglasEWelch.com

Sara O’Donnell (@averagebetty), Producer and Host of AverageBetty.com

Diane Cu (@whiteonrice), Photographer and Publisher of White on Rice Couple.com

Sandi McKenna (@McMedia), Host of Midlife Roadtrip.com

John Trefry Video Producer, Docstoc.com (formerly Video Producer Mahalo.com for Recipe.com Videos) and founder of 4wordthought.com.

Douglas moderating panel at Techmunch food blogger conference

September 25, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

I had a great time moderating the panel “Tips on Creating and Distributing Mouthwatering Multimedia Content” and spending the entire day at Techmunch food blogger conference on Friday. We were talking about the technical aspects of creating multimedia content for food blogs. There were lots of great questions and some great answers from the panel.

Video of this panel will be coming soon, so watch this space!

What I’m Reading…Zarrella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas

August 28, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

Zarrellas

Zarrella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas

by Dan Zarrella

Want to learn how to maximize social media? When to do it, what words to use, who to tweet at? Look no further than Zarrella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design and Engineering of Contagious Ideas. Social media master Dan Zarrella has amassed years of experience helping people negotiate the often mystical place of social media marketing. Now, he has condensed those well-tried ideas into this concise and conversational book. Zarrella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness demystifies and deconstructs how social media works, who it benefits and why we all depend upon it to help our good ideas spread.

Find more information on this book on GoodReads.com

Douglas is moderating a panel at TECHmunch Food Blogger Conference

August 24, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

I have just been asked to moderate at panel discussion at the TECHmunch Food Blogger Conference being held in Santa Monica, California on Friday, September 23, 2011.

TECHmunch is a series of conferences in cities across the U.S. designed to help food bloggers gain the hands-on digital media, marketing and business skills they need to make their blogs more personally and financially rewarding. Each conference features leading experts in a range of disciplines — from digital publishing and search engine optimization to public relations and online advertising. TECHmunch was created by BakeSpace.com Founder Babette Pepaj, who serves as its producer and host.

I will be moderating the session titled, “Tips on Creating and Distributing Mouthwatering Multimedia Content” with panel members Sara O’Donnell (@averagebetty), Producer and Host of AverageBetty.comDiane Cu (@whiteonrice), Photographer and Publisher of White on Rice Couple.comSandi McKenna (@McMedia), Host of Midlife Roadtrip.comJohn Trefry Video Producer, Docstoc.com (formerly Video Producer Mahalo.com creating videos for Recipe.com).

If you are a food blogger, or just thinking of becoming one, TECHmunch could be a great way to jumpstart your knowledge and connections. Join me on September 23, 2011!

TECHMunch Web Site

Video: WGA “Toot your own horn” New Media Panel

July 7, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

I was part of this panel a few weeks ago at the Writers Guild of America West here in Los Angeles. You’ll find my section around the 36 min point as well as during the small group discussions after the panel proper, but the entire panel is worth a watch.

Here is the info from the WGA web site…

“TOOT YOUR OWN HORN: SELF-PROMOTION IN THE DIGITAL AGE”

In these challenging times, it is imperative that writers take control of their own careers. Be proactive, “do it yourself,” especially regarding publicity and marketing. Technology has swiftly changed, providing writers with new avenues to promote themselves and their work. Have you tapped in?

A DIY panel features publicist Henri Bollinger, president of the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society, discussing personal publicity vs. when to bring on a “professional”; screen and TV writer/author/award-winning columnist W. Bruce Cameron (8 Simple Rules, A Dog’s Purpose); Zoanne Clack (Executive Producer – “Grey’s Anatomy” and former Writers’ Program student), Gregg Kilday (film editor at The Hollywood Reporter); psychotherapist Rebecca Roy (TheIndustryTherapist.com) to broach writers’ resistance to self-promotion; and independent new media consultant Douglas Welch (also a Writers’ Program instructor) addressing new media and social marketing platforms.

Panel followed by smaller hands-on breakout sessions. Moderated by Bill Taub.

Watch “TOOT YOUR OWN HORN: SELF-PROMOTION IN THE DIGITAL AGE” – iPod Ready Video

MediaCampLA is in the planning stages — Become an organizer!

June 27, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

Following my successful founding of CareerCampLA and CareerCampSCV, I am moving forward with another unconference idea I have had for a while — MediaCampLA.

This unconference will focus on New Media of all sorts including online video sharing sites, podcasting and social media like Facebook, Twitter and more. I have attended many New Media conferences over the years, but it always seemed odd that Los Angeles — the main hub of entertainment in the US — didn’t have its own conference. There are so many people that could greatly benefit from such a conference — both in entertainment and other businesses — so I wanted to develop some sort of event here in my own backyard.

Having attended several BarCamps and other unconferences, I am sold on the concept of a conference organizing and structured by its attendees. Instead of calling in the typical A-list speakers, unconference draw on the large amount of amazing talent and information that exists locally. It provides a space for the underseen and underheard people to start sharing their message. Often these messages turn into something much larger, but these people and their ideas need the opportunity to be heard and spread. MediaCampLA hopes to provides a platform that allows for creation of “The Next Big Thing!”

If you are interested in helping to organize MediaCampLA, you can join the mailing list for MediaCampLA and check out he MediaCampLA blog. We are also on Twitter at @MediaCampLA and Facebook.

For more information, read What is MediaCampLA?

Project: Videos for UCLA Extension Writers’ Program Publication Party

June 27, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

We just completed a project for the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program where we recorded their annual Publication Party and then created videos for each of the speakers which could then be used on their instructor information pages as well as on YouTube for the world to see.

This is a great way to promote your projects and events and you can and should do the same. Capture the content you are already creating and share it with the world!

Watch this video and others from the Publication Party on YouTube

My wife, Rosanne, and I have worked as instructors for UCLA Extension for many years so when this even was scheduled they came to us knowing that we worked in New Media. Rosanne, has taught television writing and together we have taught “Podcasting and New Media for Writers” both online and as a 1-day workshop on the UCLA campus.

I was out of town on another project during this event, so Rosanne acted as the on-site producer and our good friend, Liam Johnson (@editorliam) handled the shooting and the editing of the final videos. If you are looking for an editor for your project, I highly recommend Liam. He is quite creative and dedicated.

You can find all the videos on the UCLA YouTube channel (you will need to scroll down a bit to find the videos), as related videos to the one embedded above or on the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program Instructor Bio Pages.

Photo: WGA “Toot your own horn” Panel Discussion

June 16, 2011 by Douglas E. Welch

Here is a picture from the panel discussion I was part of last night at the WGA. Here is the description from the WGA Web site…

“TOOT YOUR OWN HORN: SELF-PROMOTION IN THE DIGITAL AGE

In these challenging times, it is imperative that writers take control of their own careers. Be proactive, “do it yourself,” especially regarding publicity and marketing. Technology has swiftly changed, providing writers with new avenues to promote themselves and their work. Have you tapped in? Co-presented by the WGAW’s Writers Education and Publicity and Marketing committees, this DIY panel features publicist Henri Bollinger, president of the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society, discussing personal publicity vs. when to bring on a “professional”; screen and TV writer/author/award-winning columnist W. Bruce Cameron (8 Simple Rules, A Dog’s Purpose); Zoanne Clack (Grey’s Anatomy, co-executive producer); Gregg Kilday, film editor at The Hollywood Reporter; psychotherapist Rebecca Roy (TheIndustryTherapist.com) to broach writers’ resistance to self-promotion; and independent new media consultant Douglas Welch addressing new media and social marketing platforms. Panel followed by smaller hands-on breakout sessions.”

I will post more photos and, hopefully, some video as soon as I receive it.

Careers in New Media

Helping to Build New Careers in New Media

Author Archives: Douglas E. Welch