Posts Tagged ‘Twitter’
interview with amc’s blogger
30 Jan, 2009 • posts i've written • No comments
A while back I did a quick phone interview with John Frankfurt who writes AMC’s Mad Men blog. John just posted the interview and sent me some nice schwag to say thanks.
Q: How are characters assigned or chosen from the show in Twitter?
A: Originally it was anyone who jumped on it and registered that account, because that’s the way Twitter works: If you have the account it’s yours. Main characters like Don Draper and Peggy Olson were picked first. After that, we see one person will run three or four accounts to pick up some peripheral characters so they can do really interesting things together. I think you’re seeing that with Francine’s character and Betty Draper, so they can experience what’s going on outside of Manhattan. For other people, it’s what resonates most with them.
I definitely prefer email interviews to phone, there’s always a good bit lost in translation, but I was happily surprised when AMC’s blogger reached out to me. The next step is talking to AMC proper, then Matt Weiner.
mad recognition
28 Jan, 2009 • posts i've written • No comments
What a week! First off, Henry Jenkins himself, the father of Convergence Culture, posted an entry about my report into my time as one of the Mad Men characters on Twitter. And then New York Magazine online picked it up and wrote a little ditty.
I’m pretty elated by Henry’s recognition of my blood, sweat, and welling of tears. Henry’s work, along with the work of his research assistants and students, is absolutely essential to the future of entertainment and culture (and more importantly to me, Henry has given me immeasurable inspiration). Beyond my mere involvement, I’m excited at how much attention fan work is receiving these days. It’s a good sign of the times. But it means there’s so much more to do and say and explore. Are you game?
After Henry posted his thoughts, a representative of Deep Focus quickly commented on the piece. Although I disagree with some of what he said, he was absolutely right by pointing out the hard work of the other Mad Men characters. If they do ever choose to reveal themselves publicly, I hope they finally can receive the personal recognition they deserve. You guys and gals really did blow me away.
I guess I need to add a press page to my site. I’m kind of a big deal on the internet now. 
more learnings from becoming a mad man
22 Jan, 2009 • posts i've written • 1 comment
Flourish Klink is consumed. She co-founded one of the largest Harry Potter fan fiction sites, FictionAlley.org. She was one of the young fan fiction writers interviewed for Henry Jenkins’ Convergence Culture. Currently, she attends the Comparative Media Studies program at MIT, focusing on fan culture, and is co-chair of Formal Programming for Azkatraz 2009, a Harry Potter conference.
And she just interviewed me over at her new Fandom Blog.
In “Becoming a Mad Man,” you identify yourself as a fan, going so far as to defend that identity to Deep Focus, Mad Men’s digital marketing agency. How would you define that identity, “fan”?
I define a fan simply as someone whose enjoyment of something becomes part of their expressed identity.
I’m loathe to think of myself as a marketer first, or even a consumer first. It’s too convenient a trap to fall in to. Deep Focus didn’t know how else to treat me beyond the accusatory; but even your last post identified me as a marketer. In the digital space, I’m hired to help people think more like human beings; to rid themselves of the artifice of the Madison Avenue castle. Oversimplification is why we all feel insulted these days.
Go on and read the full post (and subscribe to the blog).
If you haven’t already, now’s a good time to read my full report on being a Mad Men character on Twitter.
Oh, and just a reminder, I want to write for your blog. Gratis. But you have to give me a great question or profound thought to ponder.
promoting the beast
06 Jan, 2009 • posts i've written • No comments
Here’s a free idea. I just saw a billboard for the new Swayze vehicle, The Beast. Swayze is an iconic actor. Good or bad, his performances are pretty memorable. And if my memory of him on SNL playing a Chippendale’s dancer along side Chris Farley serves correctly, he knows how to have a chuckle at himself.
I think it’s time for Swayze to take over the internets. I want to see PointBreakSwayze, DirtyDancingSwayze, WongFooSwayze, GhostSwayze, and RoadHouseSwayze interact with each other and everyone else in places like Twitter and Tumblr. I want to see mashed up trailers for The Beast featuring those Swayzes. I want to see Swayze himself cut some new clips for YouTube of those characters. Swayze’s recovery from cancer is a great story, and I think people would find Swayzes popping up across the web pretty hilarious and fun. And it might just get them interested in his new series, which besides Swayze, sounds like a pretty familar conceit.
No More Mildewy Undies, Thanks to the Twittering Washing Machine [Hacks]
If you get distracted with brilliant blogs written by unspeakably handsome writers and forget about your laundry only to find your clothes smelly and gross in the machine five hours later, this hack’s for you.
Ryan Rose added an ethernet port and a limit switch to his washer to detect on/off cycles and transmit the data in a more forceful way than some lame “ding” sound. When Ryan’s drawers are done, his washer sends the signal to a couple of LED signs in his living room that flash “WASH,” as well as sending Tweets to his questionably-named Twitter account, Pimpy3Wash. It’s actually pretty useful; clothes can get nasty when left to ferment in the machine, and I know I’m not the only one to get distracted by all the shiny things on the internet instead of keeping a careful watch on my duds. [MAKE via Technabob]
we are sterling cooper
08 Dec, 2008 • posts i've written • 1 comment
I must confess. I’ve been leading a double life. On Twitter, I’ve been masquerading as Bud Melman, a mailroom clerk at Sterling Cooper Advertising in 1962. I also built WeAreSterlingCooper.org. And for a short period of time, I ran a wiki where I tried to get many of the other Mad Men characters to play along and create story arcs between episodes.
I’ve written a full report about my other life, along with what it could mean for the future of entertainment. Download Becoming a Mad Man.
So why did I do it? Because I’m a fan of the show; maybe even the biggest fan. Sunday nights were a solemn ritual of tuning in (ask Vanessa). I’d even buy the episode off iTunes the next day to watch on the train. I didn’t let anyone out of my sight without going on and on about what a great show it was. That’s what fans do, turn on new people to your show, product, etc. The more creative we get (like Mad Men twittering), the more effective we can be.
I wasn’t the first to come up with the idea of bringing a Mad Men character to life on Twitter, though. I just thought the idea was insanely brilliant and I wanted to play along, too. It didn’t work out quite how I had hoped, but I’m incredibly thankful for all the new people I’ve met and the support they’ve given me.
UPDATES
In a bit of “holy shit that’s awesome” news, I see that my report, Becoming a Mad Man, is part of Henry Jenkin’s syllabus for the fall course he’s teaching on Transmedia Storytelling at USC. It’s sure to be poked, prodded, and maybe even dismissed, but I’m incredibly honored for its inclusion in the course.
In addition, the report and my activities were recently cited in Grant McCracken’s latest book, Chief Culture Officer (p. 91)
