Bean Counters Don't Own the Beans

Bean counters don’t own the beans, yet they treat the funds like their own private stash.  Counting them doesn’t give them ownership. The beans always have and always will belong to the depositors and investors.   It is a very simple concept, yet the money managers have forgotten that they are stewards not masters of the funds that have been entrusted to them.

Innovators create the products and services.  Workers make the products and service available for purchase.   It is their combined efforts that create prosperity.  Without them, bean counters would have nothing to count. Yet in the recent decades the focus and power has shifted away from those, who actually keep the country financially strong to those who live off their work. 

The money in the banks belongs the individuals and companies, who deposited it there for safe keeping.  However, it is the cycle of saving and lending that benefits everyone. Without depositors, the bank has nothing to lend.  Without lenders, the bank can’t pay the depositors interest.  The money managers only keep the records of transactions.  Yet, the upper management, especially the CEOs, find new ways to siphon off funds to benefit themselves.  High salaries and perks for the upper management have become the norm rather than the exception. 

Investors may help financially create innovation, but without the innovators there would be product therefore no profit.  Paying investors a return balances out the financial risk they took by supporting the individual or company.  Again this is a very simple process, which has been corrupted by money managers, who have injected themselves into the process.  Hedge fund managers, stock brokers, etc. contribute very little and risk even less, yet they make a profit from both sides.  

The bean counters thinking they own the beans, instead of just managing this country’s wealth has created the imbalance that keeps the country from financially stabilizing.  Money managers have usurped financial control, because individuals and companies let them have it.  In 1929, the stock market crash and banks failed, because people pulled their money out.  They stopped buying what the money managers were selling and there was nothing they could do about it.  Yet, whether an investor or depositor, they continue have all the power; they just don’t see that they have alternatives.  Credit unions and smaller banks focus more on supporting the both the depositor and the borrower, rather than creating a top heavy corporate structure.  Private investment, otherwise known as a non-public offerings, holds the same risk as investment in the stock market or through hedge funds, but it excludes the middle men, who profit without risk.   Private investment makes the financial agreements more personal and profitable for all involved.  Without the intermediary fees, the company receive more funding and the investor receives more of a return.

The ghost is a murdered child bring his parents back together after they have reincarnated.  He needs them to remember their lives together and forgive.  If he succeeds, they will all heal and he will be freed to also reincarnate.  If he fails, their need for revenge will damn them all 

Never Can Say Good-bye is a Paranormal Thriller, which is comparable to Ghost, The Others, and the original Dark Shadows TV series.

Website 

 

Dear Film Investor.

Dear Film Investor,

With all the industries that are looking for investors, why have you chosen to support film and or television? Yes, it can be profitable, but so are many other kind of businesses. So why have you chosen to risk your money on projects that are solely based on the whims of the audiences?

I chose to be a writer, because telling stories is how my soul breaths. I became a producer and editor to bring quality to those tales. I am a creative with a good business sense. It is this blending from which profitable films and television projects are born.

I would like to speak with you about the qualities that make a successful and profitable film. It's easy to describe the traits in hindsight. Think about your favorite films. Does list contain sequels and remakes or does it have the original movies? If your list is like mine, it contains the original projects. So many filmmakers have been remaking the great films, while I on the other hand want to work with those that made them great.

Audiences are very fickle and unpredictable. Project that shouldn't work by the numbers some times are the biggest successes, while those, who should be the big hits, flop at the box office. That is the name of the game. The summer of 2014 was cold and rainy, which should have driven people to the box office, yet it was the worse in 20 years. The studios keep making excuses and pointing at reasons that were out of their control. This year they are bragging about the big box office receipts, but are their films really as popular as they are claiming when you factor in the huge cost of movie tickets. It's easy to rack up big sale numbers when you are multiplying by a large number. How profitable will they be after you factor in their immense production and marketing budgets?

It may sound like I am trying to talk you out of investing in the entertainment industries. But that is far from the truth. I'm asking you to actually think about why you want to invest and then really look at the industry.

Most studios are part of large corporate conglomerates, who frequently use them tax write offs. For this reason, they choose projects that won't be successful, then further hobble their ability to be profitable by inflating the budgets. Their corporate accounting voodoo blackens the entertainment industry's reputation with the high risk label. Is it really the industry or the bean counters who are at fault when a film or television project doesn't make a profit?

Think about your favorite films. Were they remakes or were they original projects. Was Jaws 2 or 3 as good as the original? Or was it the originality and the innovation that made it your favorite? Great films start with a solid, original script. Revamping an existing script and adding the latest special effects isn't creating a new film; it's producing a rerun.

To expand the concept, did the actors make the film your favorite or was it the film, which made you a fan of the actors? A list talent guarantee nothing but a larger budget. This is a fact that has been proven many times in the past decade as films starring the biggest names crash and burned at the box office. A list talent doesn't make a film profitable; casting the right talent in the right role makes both the film and the actor popular.

A quality film starts with a sold, original script that has well develop characters and plot. Quality comes from properly preparing during pre-production to develop and incorporate the creative elements, while factoring the budgetary restrictions. If you properly plan, you don't have to waste money fixing in post. Once the film is ready for the audiences, the promotion and marketing campaigns need to showcase the film through all media venues. However, for good or ill, the best marketing tool is still word of mouth, which is why the initial presentation to the target audience is so important. It is the hub to reach the general audiences.

When you give your customers what they want, when they want it in a cost effective way, your business will be successful. This especially applies to the entertainment industry. People can't live without food, shelter, or energy, but entertainment comes from disposable income. When that budget is tight, audiences become more particular with how they spend their time and money. With all the new venues, you have to give the audiences a reason to choose your project. Our projects are build on solid original scripts that have strong casts and crews. . At Cosmos Productions we combine originality, innovation, and common sense budgets to produce both film and television projects about people who are forced to face their fears. Sometimes they win. Sometimes they lose. But either way, they will inspired the audiences to laugh, cry, and care about the characters as if they were friends, family, or the person they see in the mirror. In short, we give them a reason and permission to become emotionally involved with others.

We keep our budgets reasonable and responsible, which allows us to produce more projects and spread the risk among them. I can't legally guarantee that our projects will make a profit, but when you give the audiences what they want, they have proven they will come. I invite you to join our team and enjoy our amazing journey.

Website

Our current slate of projects:

 

Never Can Say Good-bye

Love can be a blessing or the curse that destroys a town.

Comparable to Ghost, The Others, and Dark Shadows

Genre: Paranormal Thriller feature film

Status: ready for pre-production

Have you ever met someone and suddenly felt love or hate? Did you wonder why? What if you had forgotten the reason? Would you want to remember if it could save you life 
 
Elizabeth was asked by her mentor to teach a writing course at a small college. Since she never forgets a kindness, she reluctantly agrees. Arriving in town, she instantly regrets her decision. She wants to run, but she is honor bound to stay. Even as the ghost of a small child begs her to forgive, the memories of another time arouse feelings of hatred that she doesn't understand and cannot control. When she meets Shane, all of their lives are thrown onto a dangerous collision course from which they can neither run, nor can they hide. The question is, "Can they overcome their tragic past or will they be doomed to repeat it?"



 

Horses and Heroes

Although veterans can't go back and make a brand new start,

they can start from now and make a brand new end.

Comparable: I have not found another show like it.

Genre: Documentary/talk show TV series

Status: ready for pre-production

Horses and Heroes combines the concepts a talk show with that of a documentary, by intertwining the spontaneity of a talk show with the scripted informational aspects of a documentary. It will utilize both interviews and practical demonstrations of horse therapy to give the audience a full understanding of how and why working with the horses help veterans heal. Although Equine Therapy will be the stage, the primary focus will be on the veterans as they sharing what they experienced while they served our country and how those events had a lasting effect on their lives as well as on those who love them.

Operation Home Base

Helping others heals our wounds

Comparable: MASH, The Waltons, and NCIS

Genre: Scripted Drama -Action TV series

Status: ready for pre-production winter 2016

Not all scars show. Not all wounds heal.
Author unknownn
Missing limbs can be replaced by the miracle of modern medicine and technology. They are functional, but not the same. But what of the pain that is unseen yet goes soul deep? These are the wounds that bind us to the past. Some use it as an excuse to hurt others. Some hurt themselves. Yet there are the few who channel their pain into helping others as a way of healing themselves or to pay penance for the harm they caused.
Facing their own demons, veterans and civilians come together to actively make a difference through legal, medical and logistics systems, to help active duty, reserves, and retired military personnel, veterans and their dependents. Their motto is: “We've got your back” What if, in their dedication to help, the founders of Operation Home Base stumble upon an international cover up; putting a target on their backs? Do they shrink in fear or do they “damn the torpedoes” to face the challenge with a “gung-ho” mentality?

Eye of Ra

Envying others murders the best of ourselves.

Comparable: Exorcist and Amityville Horror

Genre: Occult Horror

Status: Spring 2016

All families have natural gifts that they pass down through the generations. Yet these gifts are not always equally shared among family members. Sometimes generations are skipped or given the talents that are more passive than active. Not all gratefully accept their destiny; instead, they choose to steal what belongs to others--even if it means murdering their own children.
Katherine was born with the power to control the elements. Her whistle called the winds. Her tears refreshed the earth. She sees into the realms where fools and angels fear to tread. Yet her daughter Sandra's gift were complimentary—or they should have been. Katherine created life. Sandra had the ability to nurture and heal. She could see their destiny and helps them to release their fears. Instead she envied the talents others. A voice from the dark void asked, “What she would do to have their power. Sandra replied, “Whatever it takes.”

Why investing in independent films is safer than the stock market

As with all investments, Never Can Say Good-bye brings with it some risk. However, it is likely to be profitable because of its genre, its cast, and its low budget.  Paranormal films nearly always do well, especially in the foreign markets and with the 18-35 demographic.  Our cast includes very talented experienced actors with strong fan bases as well as upcoming newbies.  Our low production budget with innovative production values will produce a quality film that will have a low breakeven point.  The high P & A budget combined with the new digital marketing techniques  will increase our exposure both in traditional venues as well in the new Internet and with the mobile devices.  Never Can Say Good-bye will intertwine  the best of the traditional with the best of the modern to create a film that has the right message at the right time and the ability to reach not only the specific target audience, but it will also attract the general audiences as well.  Additionally, the paperwork has been done to grandfather Never Can Say Good-bye into Section 181 of the Jobs Act, which gives investors a special K-1 federal tax deduction.

"Instant karma is going to get you."

John Lennon

Have you ever met someone and suddenly felt love or hate? Yet for the life of you couldn't remember meeting them. Did you wonder why? Would you want to remember if it could save your life?

Elizabeth was asked by her mentor to teach a writing course at the small college. Since she never forgets a kindness, she reluctantly agrees. Arriving in town, she instantly regrets her decision. She wants to run, but she is honor bound to stay. Even as the ghost of a small child begs her to forgive, the memories of another time arouse feelings of hatred that she doesn't understand and cannot control. When she meets Shane, all of their lives are thrown onto a dangerous collision course from which they can neither run, nor can they hide. The question is, "Can they overcome their tragic past or will they be doomed to repeat it?"

To learn more please visit Never Can Say Good-bye's website.

Paranormal Film Seeks Investors and Distribution

" Instant Karma is going to get you."
                                       John Lennon
Have you ever met someone and suddenly  felt love or hate? Yet for the life of you couldn't remember  them.  Would you want to  remember? Would you want to know if it could save  your life?

Never Can Say Good-bye is a paranormal thriller  feature film with the  logline love and hate survives death

http://tirgana.wix.com/never-can-say-good-bye/home

Please like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Nevercansaygoodbyeparanormalfilm/info Courage isn't the lack of fear, but the ability to set it aside and  focus on what is truly important

Film Financing

 Until You Walk The Path, You Won’t Know Where it Goes is hosting  director  and producer Steven Rumbelow of Renegade Motion Pictures Corp.  at 1 pm eastern on  June 14 as we talk about film financing.  This is part two of the discussion.  We will be talking about how to find financing for the first half and answering questions during the second..

Rumbelow has directed over 200 productions in all media (9 feature films, about 70 major stage productions, 64 episodic TV productions, scores of music videos, about 20 commercials, TV Specials, opera and dance).  These productions have won over 100 awards between them including several Bessies for the commercials, three Outstanding Film of the Year awards at the London Film Festival and his production of Moby Dick (starring William L. Petersen and Ted Levine) was nominated for 11 Chicago Jefferson Awards of which it won four. His reputation has been built on cutting-edge and high-quality independent productions in all media that are conceptual and visually dynamic.

Renegade Motion Picture Corporation is dedicated to high-concept, low-budget production in all media. Renegade's impressive list of productions includes feature films, TV specials, music videos, commercials and live theatre. We do things differently that's how we get things produced. Renegade is at the forefront of technology in the film industry, and has established itself as a leader in digital production that works to achieve continuous self improvement whilst upholding honesty and integrity in creative standards.

The company is headed and founded by award winning, writer/director Steven Rumbelow.   Chairman of the company, from it's inception was Frank Capra Jr. who was responsible for the production of four of the 20 top grossing indies of all time. Sadly, Frank passed away in December of 2007.
  
Rumblelow’s website http://stevenrumbelow.com/
Renegade Motion Picture Corp. http://renegademotionpictures.com
Beyond The Series http://beyondtheseries.com/

To learn more about film and television financing  please join us at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theresachaze on June 14  at 1 pm eastern.  The phone lines and chat will be available for those who wish to participate. The phone number is (347) 838-9927.

The interview will be available in the archives at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theresachaze/2012/06/21/until-you-walk-the-path-you-wont-know-where-it


To listen to part one go to  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theresachaze/2012/06/14/until-you-walk-the-path-you-wont-know-where-it

Kickstarter: Some Dreams Are Big Enough to Share

Some dreams are big enough to share. When I was 12 years old and I wrote a poem for my mother as a Mother's Day gift, it was the beginning. When other people daydreamed about being their favorite TV or film character, I would invent my own character and totally change the story. The first short story I wrote was the first time my soul really breathed and I found my place in the world.

Since then there have been many stories. Each had their place. Each taught me something new about myself and the world. In the 1990's I wrote Never Can Say Good-bye. Me being me, I sent it to my favorite actress Katherine Hepburn. I wanted her to star in it as Amanda. I got two very nice notes from her, saying that she though it was wonderful, but she had retired. Life and other challenges changed my life's path for a while.

Three years ago my life changed again. I was a big fan of Days of Our Lives since Dark Shadows ended, but the writing had gotten so bad that the show was unwatchable. Me being me, I knew I could do better. I started writing alternative storylines and posting them on the NBC Days of Our Lives boards. It was just to be snarky. But it actually turned into something. I had people from around the world asking me to finish the story. So I did.

I didn't get the head writer gig, but it did start me writing script again. I created Operation Home Base after talking to a friend who used to work at Red Cross. She was one of the workers who took and received messages for military personnel. Although what she did wouldn't sustain a series, it was a starting point. I combined the concepts behind some of my favorite series like MASH and NCIS, but it wasn't enough. OHB had to be more. When you serve, it is not a single individual who is in harms way; it is everyone who loves them.

Once the pilot and first season Bible were finished, I started looking for a production company to partner with me. Through a series of coincidences and synchronicity
I learned that I’m good at producing. I am a natural scrounge and networker. It is what prompt me to create Cosmos Productions.

Never Can Say Good-bye was good script back in the 1990‘s, but after rereading it I realized I could do better. I rewrote it. As a person I’ve grown a great deal, which has made me a better writer. Never Can Say Good-bye has become a story of love, romance, forgiveness and second chances.

We have all these amazing people already attached to Never Can Say Good-bye. What we don't have is the financing. We have joined with Kickstarter to prime the pump for our financing. I am asking for your help to make this happen. The minimum is a dollar. The incentives start at 25.00. If you know of anyone who has the ability and desire to create good entertainment, please share this email and links.

My website: www.theresachaze.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Never-Can-Say-Good-bye-when-love-and-hate-survive-death/169328909795139

Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theresachaze/paranormal-romance-film-and-ghost-story-seeks-inve

Interview with the Creator of the Newest Military TV Series

Interview with the Creator of the Newest Military TV Series
By
Stephen Mitchell

Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to writer Theresa Chaze about her new military series, Operation Home Base, and her other upcoming projects.

Stephen: I’ve read your proposal, pilot and the first season. You have been describing Operation Home Base as the newest military series, yet most of the stories are civilian based.

Theresa: First and foremost, OHB is about people. Although, I decided focus on military personnel, vets and their dependants, civilians also faces the same issues. I know the military and I care. I never really had the discipline to enlist myself, but I have a great deal of respect for those who do put their lives on their line. Like so many people, I never really considered what the families go through when their loved ones are deployed. Those who have loved ones who serve pull double duty with one foot in both military and civilian worlds.

Stephen: What inspired you to create OHB?

Theresa: A very good friend of mine used to volunteer for the Red Cross. The stories I heard planted the idea. But passing messages wasn’t active enough to create an hour drama. After doing research, I found several organizations who were helping military families, including one called Operation Homefront.



Stephen: From where do your your story lines come?

Theresa: From the back pages of newspapers. Unless a vet or military personnel does something really naughty, their stories don’t make the front page. I will also be using history. WWII, Korea, and Vietnam--they all have stories that need to be told. Some of them won’t be so nice to hear. But the healing has to start somewhere. So many vets came back and just buried what happened. But no matter how deeply they dug or how much denial they dumped on top of it, those experiences don’t just disappear or heal themselves.

Stephen: Can you give a few more examples from the first season?

Theresa: A Marines therapy dog was killed by two people just for the hell of it. His story will not only raise awareness about therapy dogs, but it is also the basis of a fund raiser on the show that I would really like to see blend into real life.

Someone in the had intercepted letters sent to military personnel, serving over seas, and wrote “Returned to sender. Deceased.“ Can you imagine what it felt like for the friends and family members to get their letters back? The Post Office traced the letters back to one of their hubs. Toward the end of the first season, this real life event will become Michael’s obsession.

Stephen: How does OHB compare with other dramas?

Theresa: I looked to the most successful dramas as my models: MASH, Medical Center, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons, The CSIs. I took the best pieces of all of them, added in real life and mixed well.

Stephen: I'm surprised to hear you list Little House and The Waltons.

Theresa: Both shows were about family. That is the foundation OHB is build on. Not only the families of vets and military personnel, but the brother and sisterhood of the military. The Marines say Semper Fi, but the concept applies to all the branches as well as to service in general. The Army vs. Navy game might have them fighting on the playing field, but when push comes to shove there is only one team--The United States.

Stephen: Which is your favorite character?

Theresa: I love them all, but I have a special fondness for Walter. He is going to be a lot like JR; the viewers will love to hate him. The thing about Walter is that he is all about family and country. Everything he does is motivated by those two things. It is the blind spot that others will use against him. He is the apex of the conspiracy or so it will seem, but even Walter doesn’t know who he is actually working for. But that is further down the road than I would like to talk about.

Stephen: I’ve noticed that most of your cast choices are older. Why?

Theresa: The characters and actors have to be older to have the experience to truly understand. Until you lived a little life, there is no way you can bring that kind of wisdom to the table. It would be very easy to bring beef cake and bikini’s to the table; that is what most shows are doing these days. But OHB is swimming in the deep end of the pool. The characters have issues. They are damaged on many levels, but in spite of all their pain, they still are willing to help others heal even if they can’t help themselves.

My site address is www.theresachaze.com. It’s the best starting point to learn about me and Operation Home Base.