The Woodlane Philosophy

Text From 2018

I hope that people understand the basic "why" behind this page because for those with more than a casual or passing interest, I feel it necessary to explain how I see the circumstances surrounding and influencing my desire and effort to create Woodlane Enterprises company and the brand.

While the end of net neutrality could eventually be an obstacle, the emerging talent and proliferation of user created content like the web series T@GGED on subscription services such as YouTube Red, etc., means that more competition is emerging and more content now exists than even the major studios could ever buy, market, and distribute, themselves. (I think Verizon bought the rights to T@GGED) Like others, I feel this represents tremendous opportunity, particularly for people like me - otherwise limited by geography, personal finances, physical limitations, etc. - to participate in the entertainment industry and contribute in meaningful ways. That said, we live in an age in which no idea given utterance is likely to stay private or secret for very long, regardless of what might be done to protect it. Being strategic, aggressive, smart and specific about what will be done to take advantage of this opportunity as well as how and with what specific resources can be vital. Venture out totally unprepared and the opportunity could be squandered. Wait too long or just consult too many of the wrong people and the opportunity could pass and easily be scooped up by someone else. This is why I'm being so insistent upon harnessing and combining certain resources in certain ways. I know from personal experience that two people can have the same idea even a thousand miles apart, and at roughly the same time, and that whoever acts first cannot necessarily be said to have cheated or plagiarized anything.

Though fundamentally positive, I believe that further growth of this specific trend depends greatly upon who and how many choose to take risks and continue to innovate when it comes to development, marketing, and especially distribution. My first goal is to launch and produce my own projects because only then will I be in a position to help others do the same, but besides being possible, I believe it is necessary for any community with talent that wants to play a larger role in the industry. I've seen with my own eyes that incentives aren't always enough. Infrastructure and a stable source of talent and craftspeople per region are key, but even then, it takes a certain amount and quality of well-organized and funded production activity to sustain. As it is, Hollywood studios already have healthy and long-standing relationships with facilities in Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand just to name a few - with more being added as more places around the world compete for its business. Domestically, the support of INDIVIDUAL producers and directors and their larger, feature film and/or television productions separately (particularly if projects are budgeted at or below $1-5 million each) often hits a brick wall. Studios subsist on SLATES containing multiple productions, which individual, independent feature filmmakers are rarely able or willing to plan for. The surrounding community often lacks the infrastructure to support their growth as artists and professionals, as well, necessitating their move to New York or, preferably, Los Angeles. That, in turn, perpetuates the industry's still highly centralized status and slows the rate at which real and meaningful jobs and opportunities can and are created for other deserving people and communities outside of temporary gigs on typically large event films with a lot of stage work and several locations around the world.

All of that is why, with Woodlane Enterprises and this web page, I'm launching a site about a COMPANY and a BRAND with EXISTING MERCHANDISE and more in the works, establishing potential revenue streams up front. For now, at least, I am also honing in on filmed entertainment for online distribution and exhibition because it is the one area of the business that not only has room to grow, but one in which I (and Woodlane) am most likely to be able to afford to work while still being able to offer quality, yet efficiently produced content and maybe even innovate on some level. I am also NOT launching any crowd funding campaigns right away. If you pay me anything any time soon, it will be for something you buy online and receive in a matter of days rather than months - fair and square. Will there be such campaigns in the future? Probably, but if and when that happens, it will be more than just some speculative cash-grab to support a company or a project that WILL be launched and MIGHT work.

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