Business Plan and Contracts

With the Storybook and Libretto now integrated as a companion set, so a comparison can be made as to how the story interprets on the stage, certain contracts are under review and refinement. Most specifically, the Front Money Agreement. My immediate goal with Front Money is to raise 150k. We need to finish the artwork for illustration and I want to upgrade some equipment.

Although these producing activities are critical to advancement, I have concluded that my focus of attention needs to be on refining the studio environment. The Studio is the foundation of our producing activities and the assorted work areas and resource management elements need to be as refined and functional as possible to meet any demand that we generate. So rather than push for external production activities, I am focusing on internal activities. I expect to employ, or partner with, other producers who will supervise the assorted external production in accordance with the range of venues that we will be approaching.

From my point of view, there are a few primary areas of attention in regard to internal activities; 1) product development/prototyping of animatronics 2) little theatre production, which may utilize puppetry and animatronics 3) preparations for a parade presentation, also utilizing puppetry & animatronics 4) animation/claymation and puppetry for cinema. 5) redesign of the larger show for smaller venues and a Premiere at the Bucks County Playhouse leading into a tryout tour.

There are casting issues with the show as a whole. I have always been concerned with how to convey the Gnomes using live actors. Besides a very delicate casting in terms of size and shape, it is difficult to add the performance abilities required in terms of musical theatre. So that being the case, I believe that a film production should be mounted simultaneous with the stage presentation. In this way we will be able to capture the performances for film, when we do find a suitable cast, before the ultimate and inevitable decay of the production activities will occur.

In this way we can capture the freshness and enthusiasim of the first (fully balanced) production company. It is possible that waiting on the film might produce better results, but I am leery about that. I'd like to avoid having it become stale or loosing momentum.

In my mind, the full range of production activities benefits from interacting on a synchronious basis, if for no other reason than that the risk is amortized, but also because the marketing elements are not only shared, but also retain their effectiveness and support multiple markets.

So to address the Business Plan; the plan calls for four organizations. Presuming this project isn't sold outright, the organizations are as follows; 1) Image of the Mind Studios; development/manufacturing 2) The Elder Gnomes Joint Venture; finance/management supervision/implementation 3) IMS Management, Incorporated; logistical support across the board 4) The Gnomes of New Hope Productions; theatrical/cinema/television/media production implementation.

The details of all these activities and review of the Core Creative Materials requires a signed Restrictive Covenant Agreement, which I believe is posted on IMS Producing Partners blog. I always invite serious investors or producers to visit the studio to discuss this, as I expect this will be the only way to engage, since I am up to my ears in work to do there and I am not planning on doing much road work for the foreseeable future.

I'll try to post more definitive information on IMS Producing Partners, but for now I am building an internal server which is required for improved management of that blog site as a tool for communicating with our investors and principle personnel. So more detailed information will most likely, if not certainly, wait until that server is up and running.

AG

A Quick Note

Busy composing and reviewing The Business Plan in regard to Production Management, Finance, and Contract Materials. All discussion on these matters will take place out of my studio location in Southampton. Until that brings about major changes, I will be continuing to prepare the production materials and refine the studio space to accommodate production. All this activity is non-union. When it comes to Union activity I will be jobbing that out when the time is right, but for now we have a lot of Development and pre-production work that needs to be done. The focus of attention will be on fund raising and I am reviewing the Front Money Agreement to assure that all the terms & conditions are properly represented. Anyone who has already invested  using the Front Money Agreement will not be in any way adversely affected by the updated agreement, in fact the new Revision is better. The basic terms remain the same, the only additions are benefits that tie into the other production agreements for a quicker and more secure payback.

Anyone interested in providing Front Money can contact me. The minimum investment is 10K and it is a phenomenal 300% return. I am looking to raise at lease 150K to complete the Core Creative Materials and set up for production of the published goods. I am looking to put a printing press in the shop, so that cost is not included in the 150. Check out IMS Producing Partners for other discussions about investment. I do not have an extensive selection of postings there because I'm also too busy to manage these pages right now. but those discussions and details need to take place personally at the Studio. That includes discussions with theatrical agents and producers, so if anyone sees the potential and wants to consider availing themselves of it, you will need to come to me. I know I said that before, but I am reiterating it, because I keep getting more and more busy and simply cannot get away from the studio, there is too much to be done. AG

Industry Review Package

  Well, as you can see from recent postings, I've been concentrating on the functionality of the e-Storybook. There are issues of DRM and file size, which have frustrated me, even as I have been advancing toward completion.

   Today I had an epiphany. Rather than concerning myself with the Retail aspect of the e-Storybook, I now believe that integrating the e-Storybook with the Libretto and the Score as an overall production tool is the best approach.

   In order for the e-Storybook to be ready for public release, there is a significant amount of artwork that needs to be finished, anyway. Although relatively speaking; there is much less than has already been done.

   So, in this context, I will be shifting the e-Storybook into a reference document for the stage and film productions. This seems most appropriate, since the timing of the release of all product lines needs to be intricately linked. My intention is for Licensing and Options to pay for the support of facilities and the production costs (of both the published products and further advancement the media products).

   I do intend on putting a printing press in the studio, since that seems to me to be advisable for on-demand printing and control over the design elements. This will also allow us to maintain (at least) minimual capabilities to meet demand, while retaining control over inventory and distribution. For the most part, that will keep billing and such idiosyncracies down to a minimum, and also simplify contracts in terms of outside vendors.

    Of course, for the right price & terms, I would be willing to sell the publishing rights, but nonetheless I am putting a press in the shop, since there are another five stories attached to The Gnomes of New Hope as The Gnomic Tales, in addition to at least a half a dozen other scripts/projects which would avail themselves of that capability, not to mention other publishing product lines, which exist in the files of Image of the Mind Studios.

   So the composite of the Industry Review Package will be more specifically oriented toward funding the overall project without the presumption that income from retail will be directed towards production.

    It is true that the e-Storybook is designed to support the other products at a foundational level and I have designed the book products (both digital and hard copy) to be fully refined for the marketplace, but there is an issue with file size of the digital product. It is heavily laden with artwork and that increases the file size, even after compression. So until I can figure out how to surmount that problem, for the sake of efficiency and expediency, I need to focus the energy to the most productive use of resources.

I am pleased with this (somewhat) new perspective, so long as it produces the desired results. Even if it does not produce the immediate result of funding operations, it is required to bring to production activities the most efficient tools for advancement.

That all folks!  AG