Nerv with Ryan Williams (technology)

This week, Barbara Dunkelman, Community Manager of Rooster Teeth, details the journey of how she began working at Rooster Teeth.  While her job is Community Manger in title, she wears many hats in her community and fan driven role.

She and Gus Sorola are Co-Directors of the RTX Event, a fan and industry gaming conference hosted by Rooster Teeth in Austin, TX. The Event in 2014, featured over 30,000 attendees.  Barbara chats about what it’s like interacting with Rooster teeth’s impassioned fans both online at RTX.

Barbara tells Ryan what she’s learned working for Burnie Burns and the story about she found herself working at Rooster Teeth, after growing up a fan of the series Red vs. Blue in Canada.  She also talks about what it’s like voicing the character Yang in the Rooster Teeth anime-series RWBY, and gives Ryan pointers on what makes a good pun.  Finally, they discuss Project Lazer, the recent IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign, where Rooster Teeth shattered film crowdfunding records by raising over $2.4 Million dollars.

Barbara’s Greatest puns video (created by a RT fan)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ59UVFQJII

Follow Barbara on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/bdunkelman

Find Barbara on the Rooster Teeth site:  http://www.roosterteeth.com/barbara

 

Learn more about the RTX Event:  http://rtxevent.com/home.php

 

Rooster Teeth’s Lazer Team:  https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/lazer-team-by-rooster-teeth

 

Watch Episode 1 of RWBY:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sGiE10zNQM

 

Barbara in the Daily Dot Ryan referenced: 

 

http://www.dailydot.com/geek/barbara-dunkelman-rooster-teeth/

In this episode you’ll learn:

 

  • What makes a good community manager
  • How to create a community of lifetime fans
  • How Barbara Dunkelman got started at Rooster Teeth
  • What makes the RTX Event special
  • What is the anime series RWBY
  • What is the machinima series Red vs. Blue
  • What it’s like working at Rooster Teeth
Direct download: Barbara_Dunkelman_RoosterTeeth_RedvsBlue_RWBY_RTX.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 2:08pm PDT

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This week Ryan chatted with Michael Wolf, host of The Next Market Podcast. Michael and Ryan discuss the art and science of podcasting, Michael gives the podcast download.  He's somewhat of a podcast historian (even though the industry is very young), and Michael started podcasting in 2006.  He is also a writer and researcher, who has written for GigaOm, CNN, New York Times, Forbes.

Michael shares insights into how to start a podcast, and they chat about the Mt. Rushmore of podcast hosts.  Michael talks about some of his favorite podcasters like Bill Simmons, Roman Mars, Ira Glass, The Accidental Tech Podcast (Marc Ament), and Adam Corolla - and what makes them so good.

Michael’s start-up podcast network: Technology.fm, which is a collective of tech/media podcasts to help listeners discover great technology shows.   His new podcast is:  Smart Home Show, where talks about home technology (think Nest and Dropcam).

Michaels podcast:  The Next Market Podcast, features "conversations with technology and media makers. Topics include digital publishing, web, investing, podcasting, crowdfunding and pretty much anything else on the frontiers of tech innovation.” 

 If you want to check-out his Next Market Show (which you should), The Next Market Podcast: http://www.technology.fm/nextmarketpodcast/

Technology.FM: http://www.technology.fm

Michael on Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelwolf/

Smart Home Show:  http://www.technology.fm/thesmarthomeshow/

What you'll learn in this episode:

  • How to start podcasting
  • How to book guests on a podcast
  • How to build a podcast business
  • The reasons for starting a podcast
  • Who are the podcast leaders
  • What is the ROI of podcasting
  • What is Technology FM
  • What's the Next Market Podcast
Direct download: MikeWolf_How_to_podcast.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 1:35pm PDT

In Part 2, Ryan talked with Andy, about "Making A Living Doing What You Love," and how Andy launched the XOXO Festival.  The next XOXO is coming up in September, 2014 in Portland, Oregon. and you can register/view the speakers: http://2014.xoxofest.com/ Dan HarmonHank Green, and Kevin Kelly.  (You can listen to Ryan and Earwolf CEO Jeff Ullrich, talk about Kevin Kelly's inspiring  1,000 True Fans article on Episode 7 of the Influencer Economy).

Andy chats about how a theme of the XOXO conference is about "going independent" as a creator, and how it is difficult to go independent, often the pros outweigh the cons. When someone by-passes publishers in the book/gaming/board gaming/movies world (all creative industries), it can be incredible to see how far people's ideas can go.  

Ryan asked Andy about creating projects online (Kickstarter or otherwise), without having a large (pre-existing) fan following, and how one goes about that.  Or if it's even possible.  Andy said creators with free-standing ideas that are high concept can often succeed, if you tap into a subject that people care about.  

Andy sites Indie Game the Movie as a great example of a project where you don't need a pre-existing fan-base to get off the ground.  By inviting people into the story& engaging people through the creative process, you can build a base in the process, like the creators of Indie Game did.  (You can listen to Ryan chat with VHX Founder Jamie Wilkinson about Indie Game the Movie on Episode # 8.

 

On this podcast you’ll learn:

  • The story of Upcoming.org: the launch, acquisition and re-birth
  • How to leverage the power of Kickstarter
  • How to run successful Kickstarter campaigns (Andy’s projects as examples)
  • How Kickstarter was founded
  • What the XOXO conference is all about (you should sign-up for updates: http://2014.xoxofest.com
  • How awesome the internet is and can be for givers
  • How to "go independent" and by-pass publishers as a creator
  • How Indie Game the Movie, built-up a fan-base and launched a movie with a large (pre-existing) following
  • How board games were re-vitalized via crowdfunding 

 

Andy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/waxpancake

Sign-up for updates on the XLXL Festival: http://2014.xoxofest.com

Sign-up for the re-launch of Upcoming.org: http://upcoming.org

Direct download: AndyBaio_XOXO_EP2.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 8:33pm PDT

Ryan spoke with Michael Goldfine, producer of the ultra-successful film, Camp Takota.  The summer camp comedy movie, Camp Takota stars YouTubers Grace  Helbig, Hannah Hart and Mamrie Hart.  The film was distributed exclusively online, and turned a profit within four days of its release.  It is an online film juggernaut based on the passion of their Takota Nation fan base. 

 

Michael’s company Rockstream Studios, produced the film, where it was #3 on the indie film iTunes charts, behind major studio films like Dallas Buyers Club and 12 Years a Slave.  Ryan and Michael talked about the dilemma that every person creating in media faces:  Do I go traditional or exclusively digital?  He elected for digital only, and the film was a massive success – without any initial mainstream attention.  It was independently financed, distributed, and marketed.In this episode you’ll learn:

 

 

·      The benefits of releasing your movie, book, music album exclusively on digital platforms. 

·      How to persist in business when you keep talking to people who say “no, no, no”

·      How to launch a film or idea, without mainstream press

·      How to create your ideas in film, and break into the film industry

·      How to create a new business and distribution model for your passion projects

 

Website:  http://camptakota.com

Tumblr:  http://camptakotathemovie.tumblr.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/CampTakota

Direct download: MichaelGFINAL.mp3
Category:technology -- posted at: 2:44pm PDT

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