Anthony Mendez' Post-amp

What happens outside of my voiceover studio

Are we being overprotective?

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In my previous post, I spoke about idea killers. Now, since the news of Google vs Microsoft and Apple, I'm starting to wonder if we are being overprotective of our ideas and, more importantly, is it hurting innovation?

On Facebook, I read about people in the intellectual property business referring to patents as "hunting licenses." That seems like an accurate description when you take into account the existence of companies, called non-practicing entities, that exist solely for the purpose of filing patents and defending them (i.e., suing others that may not have done due diligence when launching a product or business or filing their own patents.) I got into the wrong business.

While I have entertained filing several patents on inventions I've thought up, the cost of - or at the very least the time invested into - filing those patents is extraordinary when you take into account the research required in order to avoid infringing on an existing patent. There's something wrong here.

At the 2009 PromaxBDA Conference in New York, I asked Mike Walsh whether he believes that we are being overprotective when it comes to intellectual property and, as a result, are we being left behind? His answer, in a nutshell, was "Yes." Mike specializes in the "digital future" and emerging markets. His presentation, on how working together other countries' consumers are leveraging their collective power, was almost foreshadowing our present economic state. Just look at how the US's GDP growth percentage pales in comparison now to other countries like China, India... even Peru!

I'm no financial expert, so I don't want to digress too far toward what has already been hashed and rehashed by current local news outlets. In a nutshell, I am concerned that if we don't start to come together and share ideas instead of clasping on to them so tightly (like we do now) the negative effects will reverberate well beyond creative.

Let's be clear. I'm not referring to giving away your marketing tactics or ideas on growing your business (although, to a degree, there is value in that.) I'm referring to innovation; Inventions or ideas that can help individuals or society as a whole. It's an "open source" mentality for creativity. Where do we begin to loosen the reigns for the sake of growth? Despite Google's litigation issues, I think Google+ is a big step in the right direction. The term social-network no longer applies. It's an idea-network.

-Anthony

Don't kill my ideas...

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create your own.

What is it about us that we thrive on building people (and their ideas) up and then, inevitably, tearing them down? Is it our nature? If it is, then our nature is one of insecurity. We have a pack mentality that, as advanced as we consider ourselves, is much closer to our animal nature. Look, I'm not a psychologist, sociologist, or any other "gist" for that matter, so I can't say with certainty why we do this. However, I can tell you that it makes me sad.

Ever since yesterday's news that Google+ is seeing a decline in users, the stones have begun to be cast. I have no interest in Google, other than using their services for both business and personal. But I can't help but think that some people were just waiting for this news and that those same people were all over G+ when it began, touting it's many advantages over its social-network predecessors. That's just one example of a great idea that the public will initially love and then yell, "I told you so" at it's first stumble.

I'll give you another example. A talented colleague, who has become a friend of mine, voice-over artist Donovan Corneetz, just recently signed with a new West Coast talent agency. While the congrats were plentiful, I'm sure the unsolicited advice (and "warnings" about agents) were just as numerous. It's a shame. When Donovan told me the news, I celebrated as if it were my own (if not more so.) Why? Because it's inspiring to see a fellow freelancer grow.

When it comes to ideas, it's the same. There are those that will be naysayers from the beginning. I like those people. You can always count on them for negativity and in being such consistent downers, you learn to not share your ideas and good news with them. The challenging ones are those that will tell you how great your idea or news is, and then - at the first sign of their perception of failure - will backpedal and withdraw their support. The few that remain supportive, those are your friends; Your allies. And you would do well to remain close to them.

With that said; When someone asks me how did I get my agents, I tell them that the best way to get an agent is not to need one. In the same way, Hugh MacLeod, author of "Ignore Everybody*," says, "The best way to get approval, is not to need it."

In short - and to borrow from another author (Russell Simmons) - "Do YOU."

-Anthony

*affiliate link

Are You Infected With "Yeah-But"

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Every year, millions of creative people encounter others (creative or not) afflicted with "Yeah, but." It's a virus that spreads from person to person. It's infected corporate environments. It's infected creative environments. It's even infected mommies and daddies at home. Yeah-but. Your best protection from acquiring yeah-but-edness is to distance yourself from those infected; family, friends, co-workers.

Be careful! People with Yeah-But will sometimes hide behind the mask of being realists (as if that's any better.) It's another limiting facade; so limiting, in fact, that it will sometimes kill the initial spark of your creative genius; an abortion of your ideas before those ideas have had the chance to come to full term and flourish.

At other times, you might be approached by Yeah-But people looking for advice. Looking for the answer to what ails them. Don't fall for it. Mid-sentence or, if you're lucky, mid-presentation, you will begin to hear the telltale signs of their affliction, "Yeah, but..."

No one goes to a concert and yells, "Yeah!!!!! Buuuuuut!!!"

Stop it! Try to notice if you've been infected. Listen for the words "Yeah, but" coming out of your mouth. Then take action to eliminate that phrase from your vocabulary. It will make for a much better performance! Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

-Anthony

P.S. The picture is of a Mariachi band playing "La Bamba" at my daughter's school for a Hispanic Heritage Month assembly. I'm sure that when Ritchie Valens wanted to record "La Bamba" he had to overcome "Yeah, but it's in Spanish" (or some other form of "yeah, but." I'm glad he did.)

Ideas as currency

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Since attending Adage's IDEA Conference, I've had a renewed sense of purpose for something I've always loved to do - generate ideas. At no point in my life did I ever see such value in the practice of thought and creation like I did that day. I went to college for architecture, but my true love was simply expression; art, if you will. I only chose architecture because, at the time, it seemed the most "professional" of the arts. I later tried my hand at the music business. I was a better listener than a singer, so I started engineering. Audio engineering led to voice-overs. Through it all, generating ideas has always been at the heart of what I do. "Expression" is born out of those ideas. Simply put - I'm an idea man, but not one without action. If there's a challenge, I'll figure out a way to overcome it even if it means using outside resources. So, in that sense, I'm a producer as well.

However, at some point, I lost my motivation for creating. I think it's because I started to think that its purpose was to create and sustain a business. Therefore, the primary motivating factor became money. I forgot what I had learned many years ago in architecture school - that an idea and, consequently, the design are solutions to a problem not a means to an end. Besides problem-solving, intentionally generating ideas has other benefits, as well. It re-connects you to one of humanity's greatest and most powerful gifts - imagination. And if it's true that we are all a piece of our Creator, then we are all creators as well.

The idea of "ideas" is something that has been showing up with quite some frequency lately. The recent mid-term elections are proof positive that ideas are powerful. Let's face it - there are policies and rhetoric, but we vote on the basis of ideas (both ours and those put forth by others.) That's quite a case for ideas. Where good ideas come from is also the topic of Steven Johnson's book. And, of course, "ideas" took center stage at the IDEA Conference.

But now what? How do you begin this process of generating ideas? Do you do it alone or with others? There are arguments for both. What's most important is to understand that the idea is the beginning of a solution to a problem or challenge. I've stopped sending out postcards to producers. I've stopped handing out business cards. And I even wiped out my entire newsletter database of agents, producers, and casting directors (and started over with a 100% opt-in list. Hi, Mom!) The ideas behind those approaches to marketing no longer solve a problem, because the problem itself has changed (and will most likely continue to change.) Unless you sit down and take into account what today's challenges are, you will never gain any ground using yesterday's ideas.

I used to brainstorm on a blank sheet of paper or send myself emails whenever an idea came to mind, but recently I've started to use Accidental Creative's Personal Idea Pad. Some people, like Steve Rubel, use mindmaps. Others use an almost physical form of a collaborative mindmap, if you will, in the form of an unconference. I personally like the idea of writing on paper because, to me, it's the beginning of physical manifestation. Use whatever approach feels best to you, but pick one and get started.

I've said it before, ideas are currency; but couple that with Ernest Chu's philosophy that your soul is currency too, and as long as you truly love generating ideas, you're building wealth (and are a step ahead of your competition.)

-Anthony

EDIT: Immediately after posting this (via email) I noticed an email inviting me to a Meetup called "Entrepreneurship 101: Turn your ideas into a successful business." The idea of "ideas" is snowballing. Start yours. (For the record, I can't attend, because I will be at Promax's "Emerging Media Workshop.")

iPads, Pizza, and Cocktails at AdAge's IDEA Conference 2010

I went to an all-day party yesterday with a few new friends. It had to be a party, because there was music, laughter, and drinks. They called it the IDEA Conference. Creatives, marketers, and artists gathered to discuss ideas. Sounds like an excuse to party to me. Had it not been for the absence of dancing, you wouldn't be able to tell me otherwise.

The new friends I speak of were sitting at my table and in my Blackberry. Since I had been following the twitter hashtag #IDEAConf, I had already made a few friends before the conference. We shared laughs, conversations, and ideas - just not all in-person (since I didn't get to meet everyone at the actual conference.)

It was quite an experience being surrounded by such creative and brilliant people. Working in an isolated environment, as a voice-over artist, I'm not usually involved in the thought process from the "other side of the glass." Not to mention, that by the time a voice-over comes into the picture (no pun intended,) much of the ingredients are already in the pot and cooked. So, this was an opportunity to learn about the ideas that generated not only some of the most recognizable recent commercial campaigns, but some of the most forward-looking businesses and products as well. Little did I know that I would also come away from this conference inspired and with a few new friends.

I arrived relatively early at the venue and grabbed some breakfast from the wonderful spread. The setting was intimate and seemed to be intentionally set up for conversation and brainstorming. Which is exactly what we did during one of the afternoon sessions, called the Interactive Workshop, where together we worked on tackling the challenge of education in this country and around the globe. Each group was assigned a creative director and off we went. Not only were the ideas being exchanged lofty yet thought-provoking, but I got to see firsthand how creative directors can bring several ideas from several different people into one cohesive thought and presentation.

Although I missed two presentations (Gagan Biyani of Udemy and Nathan Martin and Eamae Mirkin of Deeplocal) because I had to run out for a voice-over session for the NBA in the middle of the day, here's a rundown of the rest of the presenters and what I learned from each one:

  • Chris Czarkowski, VP Sales for Syfy, welcomed us. He set the tone for what this conference is all about - an appreciation of great ideas that come from great imagination.

  • Tony Post, Pres & CEO for Vibram USA, told us the story of their Fivefingers shoe and was a testament to believing in yourself and your ideas even in the face of underwhelming support.

  • Christine Mau, Brand Design Director for Kimberly-Clark, illustrated how design can not only overcome internal objections but change external perceptions as well.

  • Rana Sobhany (pictured,) iPad DJ & author of "Mobilize," almost made me get up and dance (I'm sure I wouldn't have been alone,) but, more importantly, was an example of how someone can position themselves first in a previously-non-existent category and use that platform to send a message that people will listen to (and maybe even move to as well.)

  • Tim Westergren, Founder of Pandora, looks at music as an incredibly powerful way to allow people to re-connect with life. I learned that a powerful idea will grow organically.

  • Mick Ebeling, Founder, Not Impossible Foundation and Eyewriter Project, pushed us to think with no limits and not to judge your ideas too early in the thought process or risk creating mediocre work.

  • Mary-Ann Somers, VP Strategic & Operational Marketing for Coca-Cola, made me realize that there is indeed a balance between gut instict and research where one doesn't necessarily override the other in creating success.

  • Russell Weiner, CMO of Domino's, and Tony Calcao, VP / Group Creative Director of Crispin Porter + Bogusky, wowed us all with what it really means to be both transparent and relentless.

  • Michael Shuman and Adam Kidron of 4food taught me that there are new ideas hidden within old ideas (healthy and delicious ones at that.)

  • Finally, there was Dushan Zaric, Creative Mixologist and Partner at Employees Only and Macao Trading Co., taught me that in order to be great, "you have to give a piece of yourself." Perfect technique without the right energy eminating from your mood (and your heart, if you will,) yields less than stellar results.

I can't say enough about the IDEA Conference. It truly was a mixed bag of wonderfully talented and creative people with nothing but the desire to do great work born out of great ideas and no-limit thinking. If I can sum up this learning experience in one line, it would be this:

The IDEA Conference teaches you that your strongest currency is your imagination and ideas.

Bravo! See you next year. Thanks, AdAge and David Teicher for the invitation and the opportunity to tweet on your behalf.

-Anthony