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Nice Fish Films | Michael Sean Wright

The Blog of Director Michael Sean Wright and Nice Fish Films

Crowd Sourcing VS Smart SourcingNovember 14

Who do you follow? Today we are faced with many social-info options. Gathering interesting news items has never been easier. With a little effort, you can build a dynamic web of information based on your interests. You no longer have to follow the crowd.

Many of us start with seeding our RSS Readers with hand-picked writers, blogs and news networks that meet our personal interests. The next step is joining social-net sites that thrive on compelling conversation though info-bulletins and posts. As communities grow it can get harder to sift through noise and find the articles that matter to you. It takes some work to keep the flow of data from becoming too wide (unless that's your goal.) At first, I love seeing everything that members are sharing. I start trimming back and tuning more intently on voices that appeal to me within a couple of months of monitoring the fire hose.

FriendFeed is still my favorite gathering place for interesting discoveries and engaged conversation. After tweaking the stream through the use of various filters, FriendFeed can be an invaluable resource. I understand that I'm the only person in the world looking for exactly the same thing as me. I tend not to look at what was most popular on FriendFeed as a way of discovering new items. The most "liked" items favor funny posts. If you need a good chuckle,

The Day Social Networks Blinked, Sputtered and Shook My WorldNovember 11

For those of us who rely on social networks to feed us the latest news, tips and conversations even a little down-time can really shake up your normal routine. I depend on multiple layers of social-nets to keep me plugged into the happenings of the world. Today, I found myself at a loss, confused and a bit dazed. I realize how much I count on functioning info-tubes only when there's a brief interruption of the free-flowing data.

First, my trusted Feedly RSS Reader/ Magazine went down for awhile. Of course, I could just jump back into my gReader but I'm adjusted to the layout, features and connecting tools that Feedly provides me. Reverting back to gReader had me feeling a bit woozy- where am I? How do I get the latest news feeds to sort just the way I'm used to seeing them?

Next up on the wobble wagon was FriendFeed who experienced some down-time. The remarkably stable social aggregator didn't respond to my multiple requests for connection. What kind of a world is this?! Then TinyUrl stopped working, wakoopa wasn't updating my program usage, what next? I kept checking my net connection just to make sure I was still up and running. Within just a few moments, things started to return to normal, phweeh. I started to breath normally, pulse rate stabil

As a Writer- Are You a Mac or PC?October 21

What is the philosophical difference between a Mac and a PC? A Mac inspires you to create something different. A PC lets you work.

As a writer, do you inspire or inform? Do you bring something new to the conversation; encourage empathy through connection that results in response? Some writers perfectly punctuate the pretense of the present. Other writers painstakingly purvey probabilities.

The majority of the films we see have a simple premise- meet the hero, hero wants something, hero cant get it, hero gets it. Pretty boring stuff until a writer injects vivid descriptions of the why. A writer aspires to go beyond retelling a situation. A writer wants you to understand the motivation, the struggle and the process of discovery. Its about personality.

Apple has successfully put personality out front in the computer wars. Nobody can argue that Microsoft rules the world in sheer numbers. Apple is able to slice a pretty nice market share through their practice of originality. We should be mindful of this when we approach writing. A Mac stands out in a crowd, evokes an elevated sense of style. A PC is just functional.

We are to stimulate emotion not regurgitate some words. Bring me the heart, pull me into the world of your story. Im searching for that rare voice in the crowd that makes me feel their passion. Each one of us has a different take, a unique experience- stand out by being you. It really doesnt matter what processor or computer platform you use to write life. A writer remembers that in a clone world, it doesnt take much to be different. Being different isnt much of an accomplishment unless combined with authenticity. Too often, we see thousands of the same posts, stories and news items that redundantly report repeated renditions of the same things. Instead of filling the page, fill the imagination of the reader. Take a page out of the Mac playbook, stand firm on who you are. Be excellent.

It only took one ad from Apple to effectively counter the recent flurry of commercials from Microsoft. They pointed out that marketing isnt about selling something that youre not, its about highlighting what you stand for.

Feedly Introduces Ads and I Could Not Be HappierOctober 7

Feedly is the Firefox extension that turns your Google Reader into a conversation. Feedly empowers conversation by tightly integrating Google Reader with social media services like Twitter, FriendFeed, Delicious and others. The Feedly team has put countless hours into the development of this great service and has been quick to respond to community needs. A few days ago I noticed that Feedly has replaced their right corner blank box that formerly read - "Sponsor This" with a DonorsChoose.org widget. This is a wonderful development.

Services like Feedly must be profitable in order to continue their innovative work. I am a big believer that you should support "free" services by clicking on a few ads now and then. During this shrinking ad dollar market environment, advertisers are seeking quality. gReaders are information seekers, trend makers, educated and social by nature. They share news discoveries with their own networks and are influencers. I am pleasantly surprised that the first uses of this valuable ad space is being used for a great cause. Now more than ever, we must invest into the future of innovation. Education is the most important element in a free market. Thanks to Feedly, I am now aware of the tech. com

Shhh- Warren Buffett Speaks We Should ListenOctober 3

The great Charlie Rose sits down for an exclusive conversation with the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett. He believes in the resiliency of the financial markets but cautions it may get worse before it gets better.



Confidence in markets and in institutions, its a lot like oxygen. When you have it, you dont even think about it. Indispensable. You can go years without thinking about it. When its gone for five minutes, its the only thing you think about, - Warren Buffett.


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