Hollywood2020

Hollywood2020.net Podcast With Fav.tv Co-Founder direct from DEMO Fall, 2011

By Joyce Schwarz blogging at Hollywood2020.net on 9/16/11

FAV.TV podcast direct from DEMO Fall, 2011 

As many of you know I've launched more than 75 venture funded companies ranging from emusic.com to Primesense, it's still fun to look at what's new and relevant at Demo Fall, 2011. Even though I couldn't be up in San Jose for the event, I scanned the news and found one company VERY appropriate for Hollywood2020.net looking at the future of media an entertainment. 

FOR THOSE OF YOU who prefer just to cut to the chase and listen to the podcast here's that link click on the yellow arrow to play the Hollywood2020  podcast with Saverio Mondelli Fav.tv co-founder. 

The company is called Fav.tv and according to the Market Wire press release: Fav.tv is an interactive guide for keeping up with all things TV. With Fav.tv, you can discuss, follow and get notified of everything relevant to your favorite shows. Unlike other sites that only tell you what's on or provide news, Fav.tv fills the gap between TV and its audience by bringing color to your favorite shows making TV watching better. Founded in 2011, Fav.tv is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. (here's the link to that press release for more details on the features of Fav.tv See that release at: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/favtv-launches-interactive-tv-guide-at-demo-fall-2011-conference-1560032.htm

For more information and to start using fav.tv today, visit http://fav.tv.

Saverio Mondelli, CEO and co-founder, Fav.tv says in that release that:"TV brings people together -- and so far, tools to socialize the experience have failed because they demand more work and split attention from the viewer. You shouldn't have to live by someone else's schedule or try to keep up with online chatter when watching your favorite shows. We just want to create a better experience for people like us, people who love TV. Fav.tv lets you watch and enjoy your favorite TV shows, without interruption, and then take part in those interesting TV conversations after you are done watching. Don't you have to juggle enough? TV should be all about you -- and Fav.tv is here to help you enjoy it."

During Joyce Schwarz podcast with Mondelli, she asked what about the 20 something's that DON"T WATCH TV ...and he responded that the Fav.tv service is aimed both at the avid TV watcher and the TV fan who watches just a few special shows. 

At first glance at www.fav.tv -- I like the name -- awesome name and it is pronounced like the slang FAVE. The interface is very clean -- perfect for IPad and other tablets. And the founders have a background in mobile having started and sold a firm called ENORMIGO.

BUT THE CHALLENGE IS THE BUSINESS MODEL and the competition -- back in 2007 SOCIAL TV was the rage there were dozens of start-ups and variations on the mainstream TV GUIDE (TM)  At that time I called the EPG (electronic program guide) the last best real estate available on TV. Since then TV GUIDE itself has divided its screen and offers it's own programming including RED CARPET arrivals for Emmy's, Academy Awards and other event and even movies. What they haven't changed much is the interface for the TV screen itself.  

 

BACK TO THE FAV.TV business model obvious choices other than Google ads and banners which would muck up the cleanness of the interface would be White labeling the product for TV networks or cable companies (although most of the TV shows on Fav.tv now are mainstream network TV) and sponsorships and/or special pay per view events that Fav.TV could program themselves or user-generated content that could be written PBS style. In the podcast, co-founder Mondelli mentions that they are leaning toward serving as an analytics/research service for production copanies, networks and media and entertainment brands and I'm assuming ad agencies too.

What makes it so fascinating is that this indeed could be a killer app for Fav.tv. The co-founders actually have a background in this arena that shows they can aggregate statistics and if they can go mainstream with this talent it could be a buy-out. Otherwise it goes the way of all the "bigs" (boxes in the garage that have tried to do variations of enhanced TV services. 

Let me know what you think -- if I had an iPad I know I'd give it a whirl. The interface is actually clean enough that it could serve as a window within a window too that links you to cached mainstream TV content to serve as your own bookmarking service for a customized on-demand experience.! Good luck guys!Q

ABOUT JOYCE SCHWARZ:   (sorry about the large photo of me I'm having some issues with images on typepad right now. Anyway you can see more about Joyce at www.joycecom.com and meet her live on 10/17/11 as she moderates the the opening session for the preview day for Digital Holywood Fall, at 10 am at the Ritz Carlton Resort, Marina Del Rey, CA for more details, email: [email protected] her at www.twitter.com/joycecom and invite her to be part of your network at: Joyce Schwarz | LinkedIn

inkedin.com/in/joyceschwarz

 

Hollywood2020 Blog Founder Joyce Schwarz Interviews TropFest Winner Abe Forsythe Creator of TOMORROW GPS Short Short Film

 

By Joyce Schwarz, blogging at www.hollywood2020.net  Earlier this summer I became entranced (there is no other word for it) with the short film that won the Pepsi Grand Prize with a project called "TOMORROW (GPS)" that I saw online. Here is a link to that earlier blog post I did: see earlier Hollywood2020blogpost on Abe Abe Forsythe produced, wrote, directed and starred in the Overall winner of the Mofilm 2010 Pepsi Short Film Competition called "Tomorrow (GPS) http://www.mofilm.com/competitions/pepsi2010 So I blogged about it in July  and then was fortunate enough to get ahold of Abe (thanks so much) to get some background on this amazing film that tells us about what I call in my books the WHO OF THE HOW! See my previous blog post on Abe and his award winning short film "TOMORROW (GPS)"  see Joyce's previous blog post here Thank heavens Abe took the time to answer some email questions -- he's in preproduction on yet another new TV series!  SO ENJOY (PS I scrounged up a great pix of Abe online -- so thanks to the Australian website for using it here. The vibrancy of the background and the joy he exudes is just so, well FUN!    HOLLYWOOD2020.net EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ABE FORSYTHE by Joyce Schwarz, bestselling author THE VISION BOARD book. Who is Abe Forsythe? According to Wikipedia: Abe Forsythe (born Abraham Forsythe on 26 July 1981) is an Australian film and television actor, director, writer and producer. He is the son of actor and comedianDrew Forsythe. Forsythe has also guest starred in several Australian TV shows, including Blue Heelers, All Saints, Water Rats and Blue Water High. In 2009, Forsythe wrote and directed the Tropfest short Being Carl Williams. The short won second prize and the Best Comedy award.[1] The 2010 Tropfest saw him win first prize with Shock, a short tribute to Radio Personality Kyle Sandilands. He first appeared on the TV series The Miraculous Mellops. He has since appeared as Campbell Todd on the Australian TV seriesAlways Greener, starred in the mini-series Marking Time and starred and directed the 2003 film Ned. He also directed and starred in a parody of The Matrix called Computer Boy. Forsythe has also written a number of acclaimed sketches for the late night sketch comedy series Comedy Inc - The Late Shift. He also stars in the Australian/British television series co-production Tripping Over.Forsythe is married to Helen Dallimore, star of the musical Wicked.       JOYCE SCHWARZ interview with Abe Forsythe follows here:  ***Do you have a personal mission or vision statement?  If so what is it  Not consciously. Starting to notice similar themes now I have work and life to look back on. Rather not say what they are as they are personal - but they're there for everyone to see. *** Do you have a life motto? If so what is it?  I don't. Other than trying to live a good one. **Would you describe yourself as religious or spiritual?  Not at all. I'm amazed by how insignificant we all are in the scheme of things. **How long did it take you to produce TOMORROW GPS?  Wrote it in one afternoon and shot it in another. It was edited over a weekend and then sent away to a competition on that sunday night. So from start to finish probably 4 days. I didn't think about it too much and just followed my instincts. ** What makes your character listen to the GPS -- he could have just "shut it off" or "drowned it out" or screamed expletives at it -- but why did he just listen to it and act albeit reluctantly? Or was it reluctantly?  He just does what he's told. I think you can maybe read into that without me going into too much detail. ***In being the character (and I am assuming that IS you?) how did your character feel when he saw the woman at the beach? I would rather not go into detail about this. I think it's best left for the audience to interpret what this moment means.   ***Is the GPS an angel or telepath or  ?? See the above answer for this one too. ***was your purpose to be inspirational and take their shoes off? The film seems so "sincere"  The GPS is just forcing him to do something which people like him should do every day. ***are married people or couples as affected by the film as singles?  They seem to be. It seems to resonate in different ways for all types. What else would you like people to know about filming the project ie backstory etc?  Over the years I've learnt to only pursue things I'm passionate about on multiple levels. If you can make something that people experience on an emotional level (whatever the emotion) then it's going to be worth peoples while in watching and re-watching. So the trick for me is not to pursue working on something unless I can do it without instinctively and without thinking. GPS was like this. What is your GPS? Or WHO?  Didn't really have one until recently, and now it's my son. I've now got no excuses to waste my time working on things that don't mean anything because it would be wasting his. Which is a great position to be in. *************************************** THANKS ABE ! YOU ARE AMAZING -- such an inspiration or should I say GPS for many of us!  *************************** For more info on Abe's strategy for winning Tropfest see this article on the web:  www.smh.com.au/.../how-to-make-a-winning-tropfest-entry--by-someone-... How to make a winning Tropfest entry - by someone who did

AND IF YOU MISSED THE LINK TO SEE TOMORROW (GPS) when I wrote about it in July -- here it is again and of course from Youtube.com 

Hollywood 2020 Blog CALLS NIKE MAG BACK FOR THE FUTURE "ENTER-TAILING HIT"

By Joyce Schwarz, Hollywood columnist blogging at www.hollywood2020.net. 

Who says that cause-related marketing is dead? Not so! And if you want a great example look at the Nike Mag "Back for the Future" release of the shoes that were yes, in the original BACK TO THE FUTURE movie. Now on auction at eBay at the latest count the first hundreds of the limited edition of 1500 shoes were going for an estimated average of $3500.00 a pair. 

The Nike Mag looks like it came out of the future check out www.back4thefuture.com for details and links to bidding for Michael J Fox chairty on Ebay. 

It's said that a British rapper Tinie Tempah actually bought a pair in advance for $37,500 YOWZA! Why Did Tinie Tempah Pay $37500 For A Pair Of NikeAir Mag Sneakers?

WHAT MAKES THIS SUCHA BRILLIANT combination of entertainment and retailing is that it involves: 

A)Celebrities and Athletes

B) Limited edition shoes

C) Ties back to the movie BACK TO THE FUTURE

D) Original creative and themed website called BACK4thefuture.com be sure to watch the trailer --which is also on Youtube

E) Special celebrity, star-studded event launch

F) TIe in with Michael J. Fox's Charity

G) Ebay exclusive auction

H) Social media and more! 

 The 
The Nike Mag limited edition shoes are selling at $3500 average as of 9/10/11 at least that was for the size 9 that I checked. I'm assuming they could be unisex too. 

NO POWER LACING -- as shown in one of the videos promoting the shoes or rather entertaining you and teasing you at www.Back4thefuture.com site and also on Youtube and other social media sites you'll find out that no there is NOT power lacing -- you'll have to wait until 2015 for that. 

The battery in the Nike Mag lasts 5 hours without charging and the details of the lifetime for the battery are explained in the next JPEG (below)

Hollywood2020.net was established in 2007 and has featured more than 2000 posts about the future of Hollywood & beyond. The blog and syndicated column was created by founder Joyce Schwarz, media futurist, keynote speaker,moderator and author of some of the earliest books on Digital Media, new media and Multimeida. You can see more about Joyce Schwarz at www.joycecom.com and of course tweet with her at www.twitter.com/joycecom  Email her at joyceschwarz(at)gmail.com 

 

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