You can download them directly on Soundcloud here or preview them in the player below.

Greetings from Storybrooke!

If you listened to this week’s episode you already know what is coming and if you haven’t then I need you to stop reading, download it, and listen….then come back to me….don’t worry, I’ll wait.

*insert Jeopardy music here*

*tapping my foot*

*getting another beverage*

Welcome back!! How’d those beans treat you? It was a little long, but good stuff, now on to the contest!!

We all want to see Once Upon a Time’s ratings go up….Bill and I would like to see Greetings from Storybrooke’s audience go up so let’s see if we can do that and give away a prize in the process.

We have two ways to enter, and the winner will be announced on our episode discussing the “Straight on till Morning.”

1. Comment on our episode BLOG POSTS – Make a comment with your favorite part of either “Regina’s Beans” or our episode about “Second Star to the Right” (coming next week). We want to KNOW that you listened so make sure you mention something we talked about. You can post once for each episode which will constitute one entry.
2. Get us some Facebook followers – Share your love of the show with your friends. I am going to pin a post about this contest on our Facebook page and everyone you send needs to like us and then comment on the post that you sent them. Every person you send counts as an entry for you.

At the end of the 2-ish weeks we’ll pick one of you at random to recieve a free DIGITAL copy of the new Once Upon a Time book Reawakened from the Amazon Kindle story.

Emma Swan’s life has been anything but a fairy tale. She’s been on her own since she was abandoned as a baby–that is, until the night of her twenty-eighth birthday, when Henry, a ten-year-old boy, shows up on her doorstep. He’s the son Emma gave up for adoption, and this surprise visit turns her life upside down.
Henry takes Emma back to his home in Storybrooke, Maine, where, Henry claims, all the residents are actually fairy tale characters who can’t remember their true identities. And if Henry’s right, that means that his sweet-natured, lonely schoolteacher Mary Margaret Blanchard is really Snow White, the iconic princess … and also Emma’s long-lost mother.
In Fairy Tale Land, we meet Snow White as a bandit on the run, forced into exile by her stepmother, the Evil Queen. Snow’s a young woman learning to become a hero, who will do anything to live happily ever after with her one true love, Prince Charming.
The closer Emma comes to Henry in Storybrooke, the harder it is for her to ignore the dark curse that haunts this small New England town and binds her to Mary Margaret. If Emma can learn to accept her destiny as Storybrooke’s savior and break the curse, she just might get the family reunion she’s dreamed about her entire life.

I am actually kind of jealous. I want the book, but obviously I can’t win. I might just have to buy a copy for myself…or request one for Mother’s Day or something. Oh, that’s the ticket! I digress. Let’s all work to try and up OUAT’s viewers this week because we all want to make sure they have a full season next year!

-          Anne Marie

Find our ONCE podcast at Greetings From Storybrooke.

With the help of Videographer Bill Meeks, Recording Engineer Harvie Dixon and the Art Institute of Atlanta engineer crew, Ben Hernandez, and the Flying Penguins Bobby Andre, Colin Gardner, Simon Xulu, Havalyn Reuber, Doug Rolph and AVIVA . . .we present . .. CHANGE, the VIDEO!!! ENJOY!!!

It’s been awhile since I’ve promoted any podcast appearances so I figured I’d throw a post up with all of the ones I can still find. In other news I want to appear on 20 podcasts as a guest in 2013 so if you have a podcast and need a guest feel free to drop me a line.

Want to hear me talk? Follow the links below!

Greetings From Storybrooke (I actually co-host this one).

My So Called 8bit Life Episode 77 – Jet Set Hunger Games – All about my trip to San Francisco/Indonesia.

My So Called 8bit Life Episode 67 – The One Topic Episode – Talking about copyright justice

Chaos Buffering 40: Awkward Erection – Talking with Josh Hilp and my buddy Patrick about all sorts of crazy stuff.

Book Guys Episode 064 – The Simpsons – I join Paul & Co. to interview Alex Ruiz, animator for The Simpsons. We also talk a bit about my upcoming novel towards the end.

Book Guys Episode 050 – Talk Like A Pirate Day – More fun with Paul & Co.

The Citadel Cafe Episode 50 – New Media: Vomit Is Happening - I join Joel Duggan and Johnny Feisty to talk New Media Expo, comics, and Django Unchained.

20 Questions Tuesday: 231 – Bill Meeks – Not a podcast per se but a wide-ranging text interview I did back in January.

Once Upon A Time Podcasters Roundtable (Youtube)(Audio) – I joined a bunch of other Once Upon A Time podcasters to discuss the show during it’s mid-season break.

Tadpool Tech! Episode 30: Meeks Meedia – I join the crew over at Tadpool Tech to discuss Google I/O, Steven King’s town preparing for one of his books to come to life and MORE!

Backstage at Mahakarya Magician

At the end of summer 2012 I had the honor of being the Director of Photography (a fancy name for a cameraman) for Revision3′s Scam School. The episodes followed host Brian Brushwood as he traveled to Jakarta, Indonesia to appear on the national TV special Mahakarya Magician. It was a total rock show and a total blast, and I got to cross international travel off my bucket list as well. I also got to visit the TWiT Brickhouse for 5 hours or so which was amazing. I talked about the experience in detail in this episode of My So-Called 8bit Life, and here are the Scam School episodes I shot as well as some other videos related to the trip.

All 3 episodes in a handy playlist

Brian appears on Mahakarya Magician 2012

A video I edited of Brian and his co-host Justin Robert Young rallying the troops to promote their prank book The Diamond Club.

Overall it was a great experience and one that I’ll remember for a long time to come. Thanks again to Brian Brushwood for hooking me up with such a sweet gig, and an ample supply of booze.

I’ll leave you with a few more pictures from the trip:

Greetings From Storybrooke

Here’s the blurb from our podcast site:

Join Bill Meeks and Anne Marie DeSimone as they discuss new episodes, news, and theories about the ABC series Once Upon A Time.

Show E-mail: greetingsfromstorybrooke@gmail.com

Show Twitter Account: @GFStorybrooke

Bill’s Twitter Account: @billmeeks

Anne Marie’s Twitter Account: @amdesimone

Website | iTunes | RSS Feed

Dragon*Con 2012: Cosplay, Time Travel And The Bleeding Fool
Dragon*Con 2012: The Parade, Burt Ward And Adam West
Dragon*Con 2012: Billy West Dean Cain And Plenty of Cosplay To Go Out On

And here is an embedded playlist with all 8 videos, including interviews with Batman & Robin from the 60′s TV Show and Billy West from Futurama:

I want to thank my sponsors, Dragon*Con’s Director of Media Reations Dan Carroll and his team, Billy West, Adam West and Burt Ward, Matt Campagna, OMGChad, Dave Nelson, Patrick Anderers, Jaime Ruiz Avila, Rick Foster, the girls who slapped me, the girl who bit me, the folks at the Blood Drive, and of course Bleeding Cool’s Rich Johnston for giving me the opportunity to goof around at one of the world’s biggest and best geek conventions for the 2nd year running. Here’s to 2013!

Last year I produced 8 episodes of a podcast called Old Wide Web. It was an ambitious NPR-style production that I ran out of time for once our new kid came mid-summer. Episodes generally took 8-10 hours to produce! Anyway, I’ve uploaded all of them to Youtube in this handy playlist for your educational listening pleasure. Lots of fun guests on this too. Tom Merritt plays the time traveler John Titor, I interview the guy who created the ‘Ate My Balls’ meme, one of the first big Web memes, and most of the milestone events in the first 8-10 years of the web get a segment. The first 3 episodes include a ‘Brief History of the Internet’ as well, speeding through over 50 years of development in about 20mins.

Please enjoy! Also, anybody want to buy OldWideWeb.org?

After we got them cleaned up and back down I decided to watch a documentary on Netlix before falling asleep. I chose a documentary on the animatronic band The Rock-afire Explosion that featured at the Showbiz Pizza Place in the 80s. (Documentary can be found here: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_Rock-afire_Explosion/70218315/ )

Cute, quirky documentary that left enough of an impression on me that I mentioned it to my wife the next day. Her family arrived late Saturday afternoon and we ordered some pizza from one of my favorite clients Peace, Love, and Pizza and sat around chatting. As is usual when I talk with her Uncle Bill we both discussed work things as we both work in the audio-visual field. He was telling me about a project he worked on in the 80s and it turned out to be the very same Rock-afire Explosion!

If that wasn’t coincidence enough the following evening after we got the kids down we randomly decided to watch the new episode of The Simpsons and left the premiere of the Napoleon Dynamite cartoon on for the heck of it. About mid-way through the episode there was a scene set in a pizza place which featured a parody of… you guessed it… The Rock-afire Explosion. Everything down to the Gorilla front man. Turned out to be a semi-major plot point as well.

I’m no believer in fate and by the time the Explosion sang three times I was right in the center of a nasty flu bug, but part of me wonders if the universe is trying to tell me something.

1. +Tijuana Jackson – Prison Logic Motion Graphics

Over the course of several weeks in the summer and early fall I was the motion graphics point man for the web series Prison Logic with Tijuana Jackson. Allegedly staring 40 Year Old Virgin, Weeds, and now The Good Wife actor Romany Malco it’s a highly offensive, horrifically funny, and mildly motivational half hour.

Working on it has been a creative blast. I’m usually given a general idea or sometimes even just a segment title and am allowed to pretty much go wild and have fun with it. If you’d told me a year ago that this year I’d be animating sex in a prison trailer, an MSNBC-style prison opening, or a sperm flying towards and egg I’d have called you crazy. But, it happened, and I’m all the better for it.

On a very positive note Tijuana will be making a return as soon as his ‘manager’ Romany can pull himself away from being on a hit TV show and everything. Looking forward to more Prison Logic in 2012.

2. Peace Love and Pizza – The Delivery Dudes

For as long as I’ve been making videos there’s one pitch I’ve offered to almost every client… My superhero pitch. I adapt it for every client, product, and situation but no client has ever bit. That is, no client until I met Dave and Rich at Peace Love and Pizza.

Peace Love and Pizza is a local pizza joint that’s been operating in Kennesaw, Georgia for almost two years. The second I met with Dave and Rich I knew it was going to be a great project. Basically the ‘Delivery Dudes’ are pizza-themed superheroes who (in their initial adventure) go up against The Pizza Connection, a rag-tag cartel of parodies of all the big chains. Led by Papa Don (voiced by +Adam Paulauski ) they do everything in their power to stop the Delivery Dudes from moving their tasty pies.

We have two episodes in the can and on the web, and the third one is coming the first couple weeks of January.

3. Hipcycle (+Hipcycle )

This one was fun not just because I got to be the on-screen talent but because I got to build a teleportation device and do some fun visual effects. The device was constructed from an old radio, ipod speaker, phone cords, and a baby carrier I picked up at a thrift store for around $15. The money shot at the end contrary to popular belief was not done using a green screen. I shot a plate and rotoscoped myself out as I teleported away. Where did I teleport to? That information remains classified.

4. fired – A 10 Second Film

This one was done in about 30-40mins from concept to finished video. I did it as part of the latest NSFW Show 10 Second Film Festival, and I think everybody enjoyed it. Both of my sons appear in the video as they were availible. When I was editing I also noticed my performance has a bit of Saul Goodman from Breaking Bad in him which is fun. I’ve had a change of heart and hope Liam will return some day soon.

5. Android Arena

This is a little bump that was made for with and . I actually wasn’t watching live when they proposed the concept but contacted me on Twitter and let me know there was a need. Within a few hours I had it completed and it’s been played in every episode since. I tried to pull off my best Mexican wrestling announcer voice and depending on who you ask succeeded.

Well, that wraps up my top projects of the year. Thanks for allowing me to gush about my year and here’s to 2012. End of the world, Ma!

Look at all this stuff!

Weapons? Multiple colors? Lines? Text? That doesn’t look minimal to me! In the spirit of pushing the movement forward I’ve created my own series of 5 minimalists movie posters which I’ve included below along with a brief description of each for those who might not “get them.” Enjoy!

Thor

Thor – Here we see the God of Thunder basking in the glow of Asgardian lightning. A striking image, and one that indicates the power his hammer truly wields.

30 Days of Night

30 Days of Night – A depiction of the bleak Alaskan landscapes that are a staple of the film.

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters – What image comes to mind when you think about this ethereal comedic romp? The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man of course! Here we see him in extreme close-up. Can’t you just taste the marshmallow fluff? Probably my favorite one of these, and the most unique.

The Matrix

The Matrix – My favorite scene in the Matrix was always when they enter The Construct, a stark space where the rebel humans go to train. Here, I’ve depicted it moments before Neo and Morpheus show up, patiently waiting for it’s users.

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight – To be honest this one got away from me a little bit. I think the use of color might be a little too complex for what I’m trying to accomplish here, but who doesn’t love a good Batman pin-up?

Well, my part is done here. Hopefully this will inspire all those wannabe ‘minimalist’ designers to up their game. And if any movie studios/houses/fans want to commission their own minimalist movie posters from me you can contact me here on the site.

EDITED TO ADD: A lot of people have asked me why I didn’t include the film’s titles. I figure if you know the movie then you’ll recognize the reference, and if you don’t I’d hope my strong, dynamic, minimal designs would draw you in to the theater regardless. Also: Haters Gonna Hate!

I shot and edited this 1-minute short film for The Morning Stream‘s Film Festival. It didn’t win (seems like they were looking for more funny/jokey kind of stuff), but I thought it turned out pretty well.

Listen or Download

Tom Merritt, host of Tech News Today

In this Episode I talk with TWiT’s Tom Merritt about TWiT’s Live Coverage of Dragon*Con, Tribbles, and comfortable shoes.

Links:

Tom Merritt

TWiT.tv

TWiT Live

Sword and Laser Podcast

Skeptic Track Schedule

Podcasting Schedule

Listen or Download

NSFW Live @ Con of the Dragon!

In this Episode I talk with Justin Robert Young about the first live NSFW for the TWiT network that will take place in Hilton Room 204 on Friday night at 7pm. We discuss the show, renaissance fairs, and the importance of fans to a podcast.

Look out behind you, Scalzi!

Now that the contest is over and winners have been declared we have been encouraged to share our entries in the contest.  If you didn’t hear about it here is the gist from the original post on John Scalzi’s Whatever blog:

For the benefit of the Lupus Alliance of America, John Scalzi, Wil Wheaton and Subterranean Press are running a fan fiction contest, in which contestants write a 400 to 2,000 word story describing the picture above.

Please enjoy my first attempt at fan fiction… And don’t judge me too much, it was for charity!

The Ogre’s Revenge

In Which the Servant of the King of Kinternet Saves the Kingdom and Rides a Flying LOL-Cat

by Bill Meeks

Young Wil wasn’t much for pleasantries. Born into servitude to King Leo (the mighty) of the majestic Kingdom of Kinternet he woke up early, went to bed late, and made sure his master’s every whim was satisfied. Whether mending King Leo’s robes, pumping up his royal throne, or feeding the dreaded Lol-cat imprisoned in the deepest depths of the castle, Young Wil was always loyal to his king.

He was a frail thing but sported a potent beard that was the talk of many of the female servants in the castle. Sometimes he feared it might take glory away from the king but he could not bring himself to shave it. His uniform was simple but symbolic. A pair of pale blue shorts to allow him to move freely and an enchanted tunic that was fashioned from the skull-meat of a court jester by the king’s enchantress F’licia after they conquered the nearby kingdom of Beebes. It protected him from falls, tumbles, and other minor accidents.

On this morning, King Leo sat atop his spherical throne staring at his scepter, utterly lost in thought.

“M’lord,” said Wil, “thine posture appears heavy. Thou art mighty, but appear troubled. Might I assist you in some way?”

“Mine troubles are mine own, beloved servant,” answered King Leo, “These shoulders have borne the weight of worlds. They will not break.”

Wil nodded and bowed his head.

“Forgive me, m’lord,” he said.

“Never mind it, Wil. All is forgiven. Can thou fetch me mine noontime meal?”

“At once, your majesty!”

With that, Wil was off to the kitchen to fetch the royal artichoke salad for his master. He took it from the grand wooden table and ran as fast as he could back to the throne room. As he stepped back through the grand marble doors he could not believe his eyes. King Leo was gone, his throne popped and impotently lying next to the window that stood over the great Kinternet Canyon. King Leo was gone!

Wil stood there for a moment, staring. Suddenly, he heard a large crash. He was in such disbelief that it took him a moment to realize that he had dropped and broken the royal salad bowl. On a normal day he would have been horrified to break the 1000-year-old, jewel-encrusted treasure. But this was no ordinary day, and even though he was in shock he still had a duty to his King.

He ran through the halls of the castle looking for the enchantress F’licia. He found her in the courtyard staring into her mystical mirror. She noticed him and quickly waved and her hand over the mirror causing the image of an epic war to disappear.

“Wil,” she snapped, her eyes filled with fury, “What are you doing here? I am keeping watch over our armies as they battle in a distant land and cannot afford to be interrupted!”

“Pardon, m’lady, but we have more serious concerns at the moment. King Leo has been taken… or he jumped into the canyon… or something!”

“The time has finally arrived,” said F’licia, “we must prepare you at once!”

“Arrived?” asked Will. What had arrived? Prepare him? He feared his one hope for finding the King might be drunk or mad or both.

“The King and I have known this day was coming. This is the day the ogre Scalzi has made his play for our fair kingdom.”

Wil knew the legend of Scalzi the Ogre well. It was told in to children across Kinternet whenever they misbehaved. The land the kingdom was built on supposedly was once known as Eyohel and ruled over by Scalzi. It had been taken from the ogres and Scalzi had been banished to the depths of Kinternet Canyon. It was said he fed on bad children and would abscond with them in the night. Wil always thought these were simply legends. Now he wasn’t so sure.

“But Scalzi would surely be dead by now,” said Wil.

“Ogres can live quite a long time,” said F’licia, “and hold a grudge for twice as long. It appears he has finally decided to enact his revenge.”

“You said you must prepare me? What did you mean?”

F’licia took Wil’s beard in her hands and stared into his eyes.

“Simple, simple Wil. This is the quest you were bred for. Why else do you think King Leo would have trusted you with that most valuable Jester’s tunic? Why would he allow you to grow a beard so… grandiose? Like every servant to the king before you, you true function was never to serve the king… It was to save him!”

Wil could scarcely believe it. Him, the savior of the king? He had never cleaned a weapon, let alone used one.

“I’m sorry, m’lady,” Wil said, “I think we need to try something a little less… dangerous.”

“Be quiet,” shouted F’licia, “Follow me as I lead you to your destiny!”

Wil, as always, did as he was told.

Wil stood at the door of the enchantress’s chamber as she rummaged through an old wooden chest. She pulled out weapons and animals and bits of cloth, and after a moment Wil wondered how she was able to fit so much in such a small chest… perhaps it was bigger on the inside?

“I’ve found it,” F’licia said as she pulled a spear that was easily twice as long as Wil was tall, “This spear was enchanted by my ancestor and used millennia ago to banish the Ogres from our burgeoning kingdom. Your tunic and beard shall protect you, and this will deliver the killing blow.”

“I am no soldier, m’lady,” Wil said.

“You needn’t be. Enchantments I’ve placed upon you link you to the spear. Simply take it with you and it will find its target true.”

Wil took the spear in his hand. At once it felt comfortable, as easy to wield as the mop and broom he used to tidy throne room.

“But how shall I reach King Leo? The canyon is very deep and very dark and very dangerous, but I am but a man.”

“Worry not! Now Go to your quarters and prepare! Meet me in the courtyard in an hour and all will be answered.”

An hour later Wil entered the courtyard. It was empty save for the king’s pet Flying Spaghetti Monster who was resting underneath an apple tree. Wil sat on a bench and waited.

Suddenly there was a loud MEEEEOOOOOWWW from the sky. Wil looked upward and saw the lady F’licia atop the dreaded Lol-cat soaring through the sky. The Lol-cat had the body of a kitten, the wings of an eagle, the horn of a unicorn, and the deadliness of something very deadly indeed. Wil had always feared it, and dove under the bench as it landed in the courtyard.

“How now? Our kingdom’s only hope hiding in fear? Wil,” F’licia said as she dismounted, “I think it behooves us both to leave this out of our telling of the tale when we are done.”

Wil climbed out from under the bench. He approached the Lol-cat cautiously. To Wil’s surprise the Lol-cat kneeled and bowed it’s head.

“Thou art the Lol-cat’s true master, Wil,” said F’licia,” He will do as you command. You will ride him to the bottom of the canyon where you will find the ogre and defeat him. Your destiny awaits.”

Wil gulped in a breath and climbed atop the beast. It let out a gentle PUUUURRRRR as it stood and spread it’s wings.

“To victory, Wil!” said F’licia.

Wil raised the spear over his head.

“To victory!” he yelled. The Lol-cat lurched into the sky, circled the castle, and descended into the canyon.

The farther they flew the darker it became. Wil looked up to the top of the canyon, which at this distance appeared as a tiny sky-blue dot.

“Faster, Lol-cat,” Wil commanded, “we may already be too late!”

The Lol-cat doubled it’s speed and in a moment Wil could see the dull glow of a fire and a small cottage. The Lol-Cat alighted near the fire and snarled towards the building.

“Scalzi the Ogre,” Wil shouted, “release our king at once or today shall be your last!”

Scalzi exited the cottage. A small, green, goateed ugly thing. He wielded a mace and a giant wooden shield.

“Who dares enter my camp?” asked the ogre.

“Tis I,” said Wil, “the king’s humble servant, here to save the king and end your mad quest to destroy our wondrous kingdom.”

“T’was mine first, child, and it shall be again. Now be gone, or else I shall have two dinners tonight!”

“Fat chance, ogre! Lol-cat, attack!”

The Lol-cat launched into the air and aimed for the ogre. Scalzi leapt in the, swinging the mace over his head and landing a crusher of a blow into Wil’s chest. Luckily, the Jester’s tunic absorbed the blow. Wil guided the Lol-cat back around and rushed back towards the ogre.

“Eat spear, Scalzi!” Wil screamed as he chucked the weapon towards the monster. It stuck in his chest, slowing his charge until finally the ogre fell to the ground.

“It’s not possible,” Scalzi whispered.  “If only I had used the bacon on that cursed cat!”

The ogre’s breathing slowed as Wil leapt off the Lol-cat and approached it.

“Dare I say, Ogre, you’ve been beaten by Wheaton!”

Scalzi coughed up a little blood as he groaned “What… ev… er….” and his body fell lifeless to the ground.

Back at the castle, King Leo stood looking out the window into the canyon as Wil pumped up his replacement throne.

“Finish your task and leave me, servant,” he said, “I am in need of rest after our ordeal.”

“Of course, your majesty,” Wil said.

Wil placed the throne back in it’s place and strolled towards the exit. As he reached the door he turned back to the king.

“Sir?”

“Yes,” said King Leo, “what is it, servant?”

“I enjoyed our adventure together.”

The King looked Wil up and down with a serious expression. For a moment Wil thought he might have offended the king. He needn’t have worried. King Leo’s frown flipped into a smile and he said the thing Wil most wanted to hear.

“So did I.”

Earlier this year Personal Finance expert Farnoosh Torabi interviewed me about Meeks Mixed Media for her new book Psych Yourself Rich. The book came up for Kindle this week and the hardcover release is imminent.
Here’s a small blurb from my section of the book:

Intrigued? You can purchase the books using the links below to read my full interview:

Kindle Version
Hardcover Edition

In anticipation of the DVD Release of the Atomsplit Animated Series I worked on last year I’ve animated this music video for the Atomsplit Original ‘Find You Flair,’ and it features all the best shots from the 12-part animated series.

My First Story on Weird Things

Starting this Monday I’ll be a regular contributor to Justin R. Young‘s Weird Things blog. I’m most aware of Justin from his co-hosting duties on the NSFW podcast on TWiT, but he’s also worked for several newspapers and was an associate producer at G4TV in 2009. Here’s a description of the site:

Weird Things is a blog dedicated to people who love both science and are fascinated by the impossible and fantastic. It’s for people who believe a mystery is interesting no matter the outcome.

Our goal is to bring our readers interesting content on a daily basis; consisting of original features and links worth looking at.

I’ll be writing an article 5 days a week starting this Monday, June 7th. You can follow my articles specifically here, but please visit WeirdThings.com for all the latest in the world of weird from Justin, Andrew Mayne, Matt Finley, and myself. And there’s already one article up: Werewolf Teenagers Grip West Texas.

Youtube on the Roku

EDIT (April 4, 2013) Turns out the Private channel VideoBuzz works great for Youtube on Roku. Follow that link and sign in to your Roku account to add the channel. Word on the street is the Roku may be getting an official Youtube channel soon.

EDIT (March 30, 2012): Matt in the comments recommends RateRix, which can be found in the Photos and Videos section of the channel store. You can even set up playlists. This seems like a pretty good replacement to the original NowhereMan Youtube channel. Here is a good review I found of the channel. Matt also offers this handy tip: ‘If you search for any music artist with the word VEVO behind it you can access all their HD content.’

EDIT (March 13, 2012): According to user Garivel in the comments you can also add a 1080p Youtube channel here. Be warned, my original Roku recently kicked the bucket so I can’t test this out. Let me know in the comment if it works.

EDIT (February 28, 2012): While new users can no longer sign up to the Nowhere Man’s channel some commenters on this post have found a slightly complicated workaround. If you have the Facebook  channel you can post any Youtube link you want to watch to your Facebook wall and then watch it from within the channel under Newsfeed Videos. If you don’t want to spam your friends with random cat videos just set the post to be visable ‘Only to Me.’ Thanks to Paul and Meghan in the comments!

The Roku Digital Video Player is a great little set-top box that brings tons of online video content (including Revision3, TWiT.tv, Netflix, and Amazon). You may have seen my post back in November which outlined a way to use the new Mediafly channel to play Youtube videos. Hours after my post went up the work-around was displayed somewhere along the supply chain and I was without further recourse to pull Youtube clips onto my TV without the aid of a laptop.

Thankfully I did what I normally do, waited for a solution to come by. Hobbiest Roku Channel Developer TheNowhereMan has developed a private channel that allows you to access Youtube videos straight from your Roku. It’s as simple as linking your box to the Roku.com website and entering a Private Channel code. He has full instructions and the code at his site. as well as instructions on adding his other awesome channels like Pod TV and Woot!.

By the way, you can always find experimental channels to put on your Roku over at the Roku Forums.

From the demented minds of wonder tonic comes this funny, fun tool that will send you right back to dial-up! Simply enter any website and The Geocities-izer will convert it into a site that looks like it’s straight from the web’s dawning years. Animated GIFs, fallacious counters, an auto-playing MIDI pop song, and MADE WITH NOTEPAD bragging honors made the web so much better. Let’s bring them back!

Here’s The Geocities-izer applied to The New York Times homepage:

I Am Curious… Yellow.

Visit The Geocities-izer.

Chaplin

A sketch of Charlie Chaplin.

Diana’s Still Waiting

Superman House Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony DVD

At long last the ribbon-cutting ceremony that took place last in July 2009 is available to purchase for your own DVD collection. Includes the FULL ceremony as well as an interview with comic book writer and leader of the cause Brad Meltzer. And at $15 it’s a great value. Here’s the official description:

Ribbon Cutting ceremony at the house where Superman was created on Kimberly Avenue in the Glenville area of Cleveland, OH July 11, 2009. Features speeches by Siegel & Shuster Society President Dick Pace, the Plain Dealer’s Mike San Giacomo, Mike O’Shesky, Joanne & Laura Siegel, Shari Cloud, and Kevin Conwell.

Click the button below to buy from Lulu.com right now!

EDIT: Looks like Google has requested takedown on this method via MediaFly. Contact Youtube customer support here to lodge your complaints. The real kicker is they requested a takedown on MY Youtube channel.

Thanks to Mediafly it is easier than ever to watch Youtube videos from the comfort of your couch. Mediafly integration has been available to Popcorn Hour owners for awhile now, but now users of the Roku Digital Video Player (formerly the Roku Netflix Player) can acces it through the new Channel Store. While many Roku users are complaining that there is no Youtube channel and Popcorn Hour users have just recently lost their access to Youtube content there is a simple process to get Youtube videos back on your television. To do this you’ll need a Mediafly account as well as a Google Feedburner Account, so if you aren’t signed up for both go ahead and sign up before we start.

Step 1: RSSHandler

RSSHandler turns various Youtube collections into a video podcast feed. For the purposes of this tutorial we’ll be converting a Youtube channel, but you can make feeds for your Favorites, your Playlists, or any of the Youtube standard feeds. The site gives you all the details you’ll need to grab from Youtube to make your feed. To create one from a channel, simply copy and paste the channels url (example: http://www.youtube.com/user/meeksmixedmedia) into the site like the picture below:

Creating a Feed from a Youtube Channel

Make sure under ‘Format’ to select HD (MP4) to ensure your feed is of the highest quality. After that, simply click generate and wait for the site to do it’s magic.

Copy your feed link when the site is finished working.

On the page you’ll be brought to you’ll be presented with a link to your feed. Go ahead and Copy the link to your clipboard by right clicking it or selecting it and hitting CTRL + C. This feed, while accurate, will not be recognized by MediaFly so we’ll need to run it through one more site before we can add it.

Step 2: Feedburner

Once you are signed in to Feedburner paste the feed from the previous step underneath where it says Burn a Feed Right This Instant and then click Next.

Paste your feed into Feedburner

You’ll be brought to a page where you can title your feed and give it a unique URL. These will be filled in with information from Youtube but you can change them if you like. Once your done click Next.

Add a title and custom URL

Feedburner will tell you that your feed is live and give you the new feed URL. Copy it as you did in the previous step and we are ready to import it into Mediafly.

Copy the new Feed Link

Step 3: Mediafly

Go to the Mediafly homepage and sign in. Scroll to the bottom and click ADD YOUR RSS FEEDS.

Click on Add Your RSS Feeds

On this page you’ll simply want to paste your feed from Feedburner. You can post as many as you like, one per line. When you are ready click Import.

Paste in Your Feedburner Feed

It will take a moment to process your feed, when the button is available click Continue. On the page it brings you to you can add the feed to one of your existing channels or create a new one. Once you place it in a channel click Update then Continue.

Add the Feed to a Channel

That’s it. Now the Youtube channel should be available on your Mediafly-enabled device under Username’s Video Channels, where Username is obviously your Mediafly user name. Just scroll to the channel you added the feed into and you should have the latest videos ready to stream and play.

Run into any issues? Add a comment to this post and I’ll try to help you out.

Get Freelance Work on the Web’s Best Freelance Marketplace

Life as a freelancer can be hard. Some freelancers try to gain steady clients in the ‘real world,’ but when that fails they turn to the web. While there are several freelance marketplaces, the largest selection of work can be found on eLance.com . There are other worthy contenders such as Scriptlance, Rent-a-Coder, and Freelance. eLance provides a perfect balance of security, quality clients, and varied projects.  A freelancer looking for freelance projects may be overwhelmed with the large selection on eLance, but by following my simple advice you can maximize your edge in finding freelance jobs.

Tip 1: The Early Bird Gets The Worm

Freelancers can increase their chances of being selected by being the first to bid on a project. When you are the first person in for a job the buyer will remember your name throughout the selection process. There is a danger of underbidding, but luckily eLance allows you to adjust your bid later on. To find projects that have just been added subscribe to the eLance newsletter, which will send you the latest jobs every day in your categories as well as a weekly listing on the top-budgeted freelance projects. While searching through jobs you can also sort by bids lowest-to-highest by clicking on bids twice in the project listings. I’ve also found adding the ‘New Jobs’ RSS Feed into Google Reader allows me to get in on jobs even quicker.

Maintaing your profile is vital to success on eLance.

Tip 2: Maintain Your Profile

Your profile is (usually) the closest you’ll get to a face to face meeting with your client, so you want to make sure it’s up to date with your latest samples. You can also add your logo to your profile which makes you look more professional to a potential client. Also, consider making a promotional Youtube video (or outsourcing it if you aren’t a video wizard) that a client can access from your profile. This can be a short video of you describing your skills, a ‘demo reel,’ a funny viral video, or testimonials from your clients. The key is to give the client an instant insight into the quality of your product. Most clients will check you profile before even reading your proposal, so this is the first and best way to make an impression.

Tip 3: Have Good Samples

The emphasis on a quality portfolio cannot be underestimated when trying to get freelance work. It’s the only criteria your client can judge you on, so you want to put your best foot forward. Ideally you will want to have a website to showcase your stuff, but for individual freelance projects you’ll want to link to specific relevant examples. If you don’t have web hosting there are many free sites you can use to host your samples:

VIDEO: Youtube, Vimeo, DailyMotion

PHOTOGRAPHS/ILLUSTRATIONS/SCREENSHOTS: Flickr, Deviant Art,  Imgur

WRITING: Blogspot, WordPress, Scribd

The key is to convince your potential client that you have the skills to complete their project. Don’t get downhearted if a client declines your bid because they prefer another style. They have a specific image of what they want the project to be and if you aren’t it it’s better to move on to other prospects. Sometimes I use their examples of what they want as a jumping-off point to create a new sample for my portfolio. Next time a similar project comes around I have a perfect sample to forward to the client.

Tip 4: Don’t Copy and Paste your Proposals

Sometimes it might seem more efficient to come up with “boilerplate” proposals for different kinds of projects. This is dangerous because most buyers are looking for a freelance programmer who is speaking to their project’s specific needs. While coming up with a list of relevant samples for, say, animation or web design is appropriate, tailor your proposal to the buyer’s talking points. Also, make sure to answer any questions the buyer may pose in his freelance project description. I wouldn’t go as far as doing a free mock-up to establish authenticity, but if they confuse you for a scammer make sure and point them to your feedback and refer them to former clients for a recommendation.

Tip 5: Make Your Proposal a Sponsored Proposal

While it will generally cost you twice the ‘connects’ to make your proposal a sponsored proposal it shows your excitement and investment in a specific project. Do this sparingly, but if an awesome project that suits your creative side comes up don’t be afraid to let them know your serious! I did this for a project to create a multi-media 80′s slideshow a month or so ago and the client hired me within the hour. If you put across your passion for the project the client will be much more likely to select you.

Tip 6: Follow Up

Until you see that the project has been awarded to somebody else never consider yourself out of the running. If the project been closed for bidding for over a week with no programmer selected make sure to message the client and ask if they needed any more information. Don’t be pushy, but let them know you haven’t forgotten about them and point them to additional samples if available. It won’t always work, but often this extra attention will tip a client who’s been on the fence between two freelancers.

Tip 7: Get An Upfront Payment!

I can’t stress this enough. I’ve had several run-ins with clients who didn’t pay upfront and took off with the final comps with only a partial payment or no payment at all. Since then I’ve generally broken down the payments as follows:

• 33% – Upfront Payment
• 33% – 1st Draft Submitted for Approval
• 34% – Final Project Delivered

This protects you from the client pulling the plug on the project half-way through as well taking off source files without paying for them. I’ve never have a client say no to this payment structure. If you are just starting out you might be afraid you’ll scare away the client, but the type of person that would not consider you for such a reasonable request if probably the type of person who would try and take advantage of you anyway. If you have a contract you use for real world clients consider adapting it as a standard contract on eLance as well. Have a signed copy will help you with any disputes with no-goodnik clients.

Lastly, if you’ve followed these tips and still aren’t finding yourself getting freelance projects you make consider upgrading your account above the free or individual levels. This suggests a more professional operation and may make clients more comfortable with you. It also gives you more pitches in the form of ‘Connects.’ Also consider completing the eLance skills tests, which show your competency in certain areas.

To get the most out of eLance you have to be a professional. Following these tips will set you above the rest of the competition, whether it be from bored high school kids or Indian programmers.

The favorable comments regarding eLance are based on my own opinion. Although I use the site to make a living I have not been paid to promote them. If you would like to hire me on eLance you can find my profile here.

Brad Meltzer recently released this video as a bookend to his original video calling attention to the plight of the Superman House. Get more info on the project at OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.

Buy the Superman House DVD by clicking on the icon below:

Leo Laporte Eats Fire during a taping of TWiT

The Internet is considered by some to be both the future and the end of traditional media. Many new players are entering the podcast market every day, and most new shows fail within the first few episodes. Not so with any show produced by the TWiT network. From Steve Gibson’s Security Now to the usual gang of fanboys on MacBreak Weekly, TWiT podcast always show up at the top of iTunes’s podcast directory and are enjoyed by thousands of geeks. But what is TWiT, and how did it come to be? To know that, you first have to ask “Who is Leo Laporte?”

Leo Laporte, the self-appointed “tech guy,” began his media career in 1991 when he co-created and co-hosted Dvorak on Computers with John C. Dvorak. He developed and hosted several other radio programs over the years (including his current program The Tech Guy which broadcast on KFI and the Premiere Radio Networks) but he was barely known until NBC decided to collaborate with Microsoft to create a 24-hour cable news network.

MS-NBC launched in 1996, and in 1997 he developed the classic tech show The Site. Hosted by Soledad O’Brian (of CNN fame), it featured Laporte as the first live 3D-Animated character (Dev Null). His performance would earn him an Emmy, which made the cancellation of the show less than a year after it was first broadcast an even harder blow.

Laporte rebounded quickly, however, and in 1998 he created what may be his most famous show to date: The Screen Savers for ZDTV (which was later renamed TechTV). Along with many big names in the tech news sector (Kevin Rose, Alex Albrecht, Martin Sargent, and Sarah Lane to name a few) The Screen Savers quickly became well-know in tech circles as the smartest technology program on the air. Laporte also co-hosted Call for Help, a call-in tech support show which had a loyal following. This following would lay the foundation for what was to come later.

In 2004 Laporte was ousted from his position on TechTV because of a dispute with the owners of the channel. The ScreenSavers was re-branded Attack of the Show and continues to air to this day. It’s more of a “pop culture” show than The Screen Savers was. Many fans of the show left when Leo did. He re-located to Vancouver, BC and started a new version of Call for Help called The Lab with Leo Laporte. By March 2008 that show was also canceled.

This succession of failures should have spelled the end for Laporte, forever doomed to be nothing more than a radio pundit. Luckily, Laporte had culled a huge audience of like-minded geeks due to his friendly delivery and high journalistic standards. When he decided to begin a Podcast (This Week in Tech, or TWiT) with his old friends from The Screen Savers it instantly became one of the top podcasts on the net. This encouraged Laporte, and within a few years he built a network of over a dozen popular podcast. He now broadcasts a live video stream from the studio, and has hosted famous guest from LeVar Burton to Wil Wheton to Steve Wozniak.

In 2009 Laporte announced a move from simply “netcasting” to delivering TWiT content to televisions throughout North America on the Roku Digital Video Player, as well as net-enabled HDTV’s.

While Laporte’s career may be said to be filled with one impressive failure after another, those failures have allowed him to become one of the biggest names in technology news. With new media deals to distribute TWiT into every living room is certain that his latest venture won’t be failing any time soon.

In the internet age, the media isn’t limited to the networks. Anyone with a camera and a good story can find an audience.

Pre-Production

A news package is only as good as what your covering, so the first thing you must do is find an appropriate subject. Depending on the theme of your podcast this might be self-evident (i.e. a podcast about comics would do a story on Batman’s death), but sometimes you’ll have to do some brainstorming to find an interesting subject.

So, how to choose a subject? Find something that gets your motor going. If you don’t find it interesting, odds are your audience won’t either. What kinds of news packages have had an effect on you? – Think about news packages you’ve seen that made an impression. If you can’t think of any, go to Youtube and search for TV news. You can also get inspiration from reading national and local news stories. Get the local angle on national news, or find a great human interest story close to home.

Local newspapers are an excellent source of story ideas. Find a small story that you think deserves better coverage, or attack a national story from a local angle.

Contacting sources is usually easy. Most people love to be interviewed, even if they won’t admit it at first. Most times you’ll find all you have to do is ask. Of course, if you are trying to interview Brad Pitt or President Obama odds are there are a whole lot of people in front of you.

Once you have your sources put together a list of interview questions. Always research the subject matter. Try and find other interviews the subject has done so you aren’t asking the same questions they always get. Above all, leave room in your questioning for things that come up on the spot.

Production

Once you have a topic and sources to interview you’ll want to start shooting footage. There are three kinds of footage you’ll need for your package:

B-Roll: B-roll is incidental footage that relates to your subject. For example, a story about a local school could have shots of the school’s exterior, kids walking through the hall, etc.  A common type of b-roll is called an establishing shot. It is usually the exterior of a location of significance to the story. You can purchase your b-roll footage from sites like iStockPhoto or shoot it yourself.

Footage of your subject in their natural environment humanizes them. Make sure to get a few shots while you have them!

Interviews: If possible, have your shot set up and the sound levels adjusted before the subject gets there. Your subject should have a drink availible in case his throat goes dry from the lights or nervousness. Don’t be afraid to look away from your list of questions and have a conversation. Look the subject in the eye. The more relaxed the subject is, the better the interview. Make sure to thank them when it’s over and offer them a copy of the finished product. You may need them again.

Setting up the cameras and lighting before the interview will keep your subject from becoming distracted or bored while you set up.

On-Screen Talent: Get shots of the reporter introducing, transitioning, or concluding the presentation of content within a story. These are sometimes performed live on-air over the final edit, but usually are recorded in the field. Try and limit these to two or three, as a narrative voice over  your b-roll will resonate with your audience more than a talking head. For the introduction try and incorporate pans, zooms, or dolly shots to bring people into the segment.

Here’s a good example of an effective and interesting intro transition:

[flv:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vI-3Fk5das&fmt=18  476 333]

Post-production

Now that all the footage is taped it’s time to start the edit. Editing is a complicated art and you’ll need at least a basic understanding of your video editing software to accomplish this

To begin, go through the interviews and find the best sound bites from each one. A sound bite is a small snippet of speech that has a high concentration of relevant information. Take these bites and organize them in a sensible order. Group bites that address the same subject together. Sketch a rough outline of how you see the story. If it helps you can start by asking the standard questions of Journalism:

• Who is involved?
• What happened?
• Where did it happen?
• When did it happen?
• How did it happen?
• Why did it happen?

This list is purposely simplistic. Try and put the content of the story in a cohesive, logical order. Organize the interview clips on one track of your timeline in accordance with your outline. Go ahead and put your shots of On-Screen Talent on this track to, again according to your outline.

Next, record a voiceover for each main bullet point on your outline. Guide your audience through the story, and never assume that something about the story is common knowledge. A Martian who just learned English should be able to understand the major beats of your story. Review your b-roll and record any descriptions that might be needed. Import the audio clips onto your timeline. Arrange them on an audio track below your interviews and on-screen talent audio. Arrange them so that they don’t overlap. You now have your entire story on the timeline.

Now to cover your edits: Use your b-roll on top of your voice overs so the audience doesn’t see a black screen. Any jump cuts (cuts between separate moments in the same steady shot) need to be covered. Place your b-roll on a new video track above the old one to cover these.

Your final time line should look something like this (Click to Enlarge). Make sure there are no black frames!

Now, simply add any music you might use as well as any on-screen text or graphics you may need and export the project.

By no means is this meant to be a comprehensive guide. There are many techniques and style not covered. Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of how a news package fits together. Once you master this form feel free to experiment.

Any other tips for news reporting? Post them in the comments!

If you need coverage of your event in the Pittsburgh area or in Northeast Ohio, hire us!

An interview with Brad Meltzer, novelist (The Book of Lies), comic book writer (Justice League, Identify Crisis), and driving force behind Ordinary People Change The World, the website that united Superman fans to save the house where he was created. Recorded at the Screaming Tiki Con July 10, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Buy the Superman House DVD by clicking on the icon below:

Completely unedited footage of the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Superman House in Cleveland, Ohio on July 11, 2009.
Buy the Superman House DVD by clicking on the icon below:

UPDATE: To help the load on our web server (and to make it easier to navigate) we’ve also split the video up on Youtube. Links after the jump:

Part 1:  This section includes National Anthem and opening remarks by Mike O’Shesky.

Part 2: This section includes National Anthem and opening remarks by Mike O’Shesky, a speech by City Council members Shari Cloud & Kevin Conwell and the unveiling of the street signs for the newly christened Jerry Siegel Lane, Joe Shuster Lane, and Lois Lane (in honor of the inspiration for the girl reporter Siegel’s wife Joanne)

Part 3: This section includes remarks and presentation of bricks from the house by Siegel & Shuster Society President Dick Pace, a speech by reporter for the Plain Dealer Mike San Giacomo,

Part 4: This section includes remarks and presentation of bricks from the house by Siegel & Shuster Society President Dick Pace, and a speech by Jerry Siegel’s wife (Joanne Siegel, basis for the Lois Lane character) and daughter Laura.

Part 5: This section includes remarks and presentation of bricks from the house by Siegel & Shuster Society President Dick Pace, and the ribbon cutting.

The Superman House

I spent this weekend in Cleveland, Ohio covering the dedication of the house Superman was created in. I got to talk to Brad Meltzer and some relatives of Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman. It was such a great event, and so many people did so much to restore this historic house in Glenville that it was hard not to be moved.

Rita Hubar, niece of Jerry Siegel

I especially enjoyed my chat with Rita Hubar, Siegel’s niece who recounted tales of her Uncle Jerry teaching her why a typewriter isn’t in alphabetical order. She admired her uncle a great deal, and is convinced that Superman’s morality and sense of right and wrong was informed by Siegel’s own good nature.

The cutting of the ribbon

The ceremony was eventful. They christened the street the house is on as Jerry Siegel Lane, Amor Avenue where Joe Shuster grew up as Joe Shuster Lane, and the adjoining street was renamed Lois Lane in honor of Siegel’s wife Joanne, the inspiration for the classic character. Even when it poured down rain the enthusiastic crowd of 150 or so stood vigilant.

Cleveland from the Rooftop nightclub

On Friday night (when I interviewed Brad) I started out at a rooftop nightclub and I was the only person there. Even with the bartender in the Superman shirt I was starting to wonder if the cake cutting for Joe Shuster and Superman’s birthdays I was supposed to meet Meltzer at had been canceled. Dick Pace, chairperson of the Siegel & Shuster Society called and said they were cutting the cake at the nearby Screaming TikiCon Comic Convention. He came and met me on the rooftop and we rushed down Prospect East downtown.

Dick Pace, chairperson of the Siegel & Shuster Society

A shaggy man came up and shook Pace’s hand. He smiled cordially as the man recounts their intertwined history and long standing acquaintance. After shaking my hand the guy took off, and Pace waits about 10 seconds before saying “I have never seen that man in my life.” Seconds later he spotted a man in a Superman suit and chased him down to make sure he knew where the cake cutting was. The after party was taking place at the nightclub we had just left and this costumed fan of Superman was ready to have his first of presumably several night caps.

Brad Meltzer

My interview with Brad Meltzer was really great (look for it this week). We talked about his organization Ordinary People Changed the World who had a huge role in saving the Superman House, and even got to meet the reporter Mike San Giacomo who brought the house to Meltzer’s attention about eighteen months ago.

Mike San Giacomo & Brad Meltzer

In fact, that’s a sentiment I heard from everybody from the creator’s families to the caretakers and project managers of the house’s renovation: It’s hard to believe we accomplished this dream and this duty to preserve the history of one of the world’s greatest fictional characters in only eighteen months. A tremendous accomplishment for the caretakers of one of the world’s greatest characters.

Overall it was an amazing weekend, in some ways almost a spiritual experience for this content producer. Look for several pieces from the footage I got later this week.

Superman Plaque 1

A trolley drops off fans

Joe Shuster/Superman’s Birthday Cake

Siegel & Shuster Society Banner

Buy the Superman House DVD by clicking on the icon below: