Tim Einenkel

Community voting on SXSW 2025 speaking proposals begins on Tuesday, August 6. This voting occurs through the PanelPicker interface. After you log into your account (or create an account if you don't have one yet), paste this URL into your browser. https://lnkd.in/ge3Vgh9B Use the search bar at the top of the page to find the topics that interest you the most. For speaking proposals that you like, use the upvote function (and feel free to add a comment on why you feel this proposal belongs at the SXSW Conference) By contrast, give a downvote to the proposals that you dislike. Whatever you like or dislike, just please don't delay. The PanelPicker voting process ends on Sunday, August 18. In addition to public voting, each speaking proposal is graded by the PanelPicker Evaluator Committee, as well as by SXSW staff. #sxsw, #sxsw2025, #community, #usergeneratedcontent, #UGC, #content, #vote, #voting, #creativity, #innovation, #PanelPicker, #PanelPicker2025, #newideas, #tomorrow, #trends, #ATX, #Austin, #MarchMagic

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Please join us this Friday, April 26th, at 10 am PDT for a special episode of Virtual Producer! We'll be chatting with Bryan Pratte about Hallway, creator of Avatars supercharged with artificial intelligence. Please reserve your spot on the event page now and join us live! You can answer questions, network and comment, and we'll reply live during the show. If you're at all interested in the possibilities of AI, this is the episode for you. And here's the event link for more details: https://lnkd.in/gyHT8nEn #virtualproduction #linkedinlive #generativeai #artificialintelligence

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As a #voiceover and #weather guy, I've been putting the two together in these audio updates for my Heads Up Weather page (New England area). I did this for a while during my radio weather days so might as well, right? If you're a weather geek like me, I have more posts, updates, and videos diving into more weather details on my Facebook page. https://lnkd.in/eVuNZBxP #weatherforecasting #meteorology #weatherforecast #forecasting

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We understand the challenges faced by independent filmmakers and content creators in finding avenues to distribute their work and connect with their audience. Therefore, we are excited to offer you an opportunity to feature your content on our platform. Illadelphia Radio TV’s Multiple Streaming App: Illadelphia Radio TV is a dynamic media platform dedicated to providing a curated selection of high-quality content across various genres. Our Multiple Streaming App offers a diverse range of programming, including independent films, documentaries, series, and more. With a growing user base and a commitment to promoting independent voices, our platform serves as a gateway for filmmakers and content creators to reach a global audience. Collaboration Benefits: Exposure and Recognition: By featuring your work on Illadelphia Radio TV's Multiple Streaming App, you gain exposure to a diverse audience eager to discover new talent and creative voices. This exposure can lead to increased recognition and opportunities within the industry. Creative Form: We believe in empowering artists and creators to express themselves authentically. As part of this collaboration, you will retain creative control over your projects, ensuring that your vision is preserved and respected. Promotional Opportunities: In addition to featuring your content, we offer the ability to include ad insertions and promos for the duration of our agreement. This allows you to promote upcoming projects, events, or initiatives to our audience, maximizing visibility and engagement. Collaboration: Submitting projects which would include relevant details about your work such as synopsis, genre if any, runtime, and images to upload to our server. Ad Insertions and Promos: Upon acceptance of your content, we will work with you to incorporate ad insertions and promos into the streaming experience. This may include pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll placements, as well as dedicated promotional spots during breaks. Duration of Agreement: The duration of our collaboration will be determined based on mutual agreement and the terms outlined in our partnership agreement. We are committed to fostering long-term relationships with emerging talent and supporting your growth as artists and creators. If interested, let us know: https://lnkd.in/eYWrBFSf

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What a difference a year makes. Last October, I had the pleasure of attending Johnny Heller's New England Narrator Retreat for the first time. I was told it was a fantastic and intimate industry event for audiobook narrators, and as a bonus, it was held just a short drive from my house in eastern Massachusetts. So, of course I signed up and went. 🌟 It was as amazing as advertised. Not only was it a deep dive on all things audiobooks, but it was much more a cozy, social atmosphere than a conference (and thus well-named as a retreat - I would expect no less from an event focused on books). I met some wonderful new friends and industry contacts, and learned a ton. Since that retreat, and as a direct result of it, I've made a ton of progress in my audiobook career: 📚 Redid all 14 of my audiobook demos because my technique improved. 📚 Co-narrated a book with a friend I met at the retreat 📚 Upgraded my DAW and editing/mastering workflow (Thanks, Don Baarns!) 📚 Narrated (or am in the process of narrating) books for 4 major publishers - none of which I had worked for previously. 📚 Gotten accepted into Audiobook Empire - a pretty cool company. 📚 Consistently gotten great feedback on my auditions, whether I've booked the book or not. When you look at the price tag of a small industry event, it's sometimes hard to justify the cost in your mind. But I can honestly say that not only has it paid for itself several times over in the past year, but so much of the progress in my career (professionalism, technique, contacts, confidence, and more) is a direct result of that retreat. So suffice it to say, I'm going back this October. Here is one of my demos that I redid after that retreat - it's my non-fiction demo, in 3rd person, focused on the genre of history. #audiobook #audiobooknarrator #voiceactor

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🎙 Is requesting auditions for a voiceover job the same thing as asking for free spec work? 🤔 I started thinking about this question after seeing two posts about “free work” in the hiring process within the video production industry. 🎞 The first post I saw was by a good friend and video editor, Brian Alves, who shared a post about a millionaire entrepreneur Alex Hormozi, who received 1200 applications for a video editor position. To narrow down the candidates, Alex asked them to create an edited video of the same clip. Only 5% responded with a custom sample and Alex criticized the applicant pool for being lazy. Brian pointed out, “Expecting someone to do unpaid work to ease your hiring process is exploitative,” and the video editors of the world agreed. ☝ I chimed in on that thread to say that in my line of work, it’s only by providing custom voiceover samples that I will even be considered for a job most of the time. But I learned that this is not how it’s done in other areas of the video industry. ⚖ The second post was by content creator, Kevin Rapp, who posted about his moral dilemma about asking voice actors for auditions, when as a rule, he will never ask for free spec work from other video collaborators, and preaches this philosophy to his followers. ❓ These two posts got me pondering, is auditioning exploitative?  And my answer is, I don’t think so. ❓ Why is it that voice actors aren’t hired off of their demos and work samples more? I don’t have that answer. But I think it may have to do with the specificity of the message - clients aren’t just hiring us for our voice, but for our connection to the piece itself. ❓ So what can video producers do to make asking for an audition (aka free work - maybe) feel less icky? 🖼 If hiring voice actors off their portfolios isn’t a possibility, then I think the next best solution is for the creative director to provide a vivid description of the project, so VOs aren't forced to take a shot in the dark. 👇 Here are my suggestions to make auditions fair and effective: 1️⃣ Keep the Script Short: Make the sample script brief. If you have a 2-10 minute script, just choose a 30-second segment. 2️⃣ Share Visuals + Music: Include storyboards, music beds, or example videos to help voice actors tailor their auditions. 3️⃣ Be Specific about Tone: Use colorful and precise words to describe the desired tone (e.g., wry, upbeat, authoritative). 4️⃣ Format for How you Hear it: Format the script to indicate pacing, pauses, and flow, which helps convey your vision.

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I’m thrilled to share the Race Call Creator—a custom internal tool I created for VoteHub’s 2024 election coverage! This app enabled our team to quickly produce consistent, high-quality race call graphics for local, state, and national elections. I developed it by scripting an automated After Effects process to generate over 150 templates. I then coded a Python-based app that combines the images based on user input. This setup allowed anyone on our small team to produce election call graphics effortlessly. With the Race Call Creator, we generated dozens of unique graphics on election night, each in about 10 seconds, resulting in over 3.5 million total impressions. Check out the short demo below, and take a deeper look at the content production system I built here: https://lnkd.in/gDddgAnv.

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https://lnkd.in/eMxwkYC8 The "Survive until '25" axiom typically puts the attention on studios and their executives. Not to let bigwigs off the hook, but the way the American film industry is currently set up, much more of the return of film/TV production depends on Wall Street and their control of the spigot. Unfortunately, what Wall Street looks at isn't scripts or production strategies. It's profitability, defined a very specific way. The hyperfocus on streaming has damaged the industry, but turning this thorny model into something "profitable" is one of the cited incentives to start more investment. Instead of diversifying distribution or creating enduring tentpoles, it could mean more cuts, more use of AI to grow margins, or more mergers and acquisitions, as we just saw with Paramount getting billions from the CIA-linked Oracle company. The return to a health American film production environment most likely would include a divorce from the heavy dependence on Wall Street and hedge fund money. How to do that? Good question.

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Ever wonder if you could cheat death? Cryonics offers a way to freeze yourself after death, hoping for future revival! Meet notable figures, explore costs, and discover key players. Watch our story on "Connecting the Dots" for more on this fascinating topic! #cryonics #cryogenics #technology #science Watch the video here! https://lnkd.in/gGguffVx

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10/10 in this review of my latest #DoctorWho audio story. Bonus points to the reviewer for including the words “Anghelides elides” in his review. https://lnkd.in/eM8Y84GE

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I spoke with the creators and actors behind INDUSTRY for The Ringer and wrote about the Season 3 finale and the show's trajectory from here. (Article contains spoilers; you've been warned!) Is vulnerability a risk or a resource? Where's the line between persuasion and predation? Would you rather work with Sweetpea or The Bandits? And what's the deal with the short story collection about the ad exec? "Nothing comes from nothing," so here's something to read. https://lnkd.in/gxDycVTy

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🔹 Producer101 Series: Delivering News as a Producer 🔹 Delivering news, especially bad news, is never easy. Here are three crucial steps to ensure you handle these situations professionally and empathetically: 1. Be Direct When delivering difficult news, such as firing someone or changing an actor, it's essential to be straightforward. Clarity helps to avoid misunderstandings and shows respect for the recipient. 2. Do It Soon Timing is critical. Don't delay delivering bad news. Prolonging it can create anxiety and worsen the situation. Addressing issues promptly demonstrates decisiveness and leadership. 3. Be Considerate and Empathetic Always approach the situation with empathy. Acknowledge the impact of the news on the person and offer support where possible. Being considerate fosters respect and maintains professional relationships. In production, handling challenging conversations with transparency and compassion is key to maintaining a healthy, productive team environment. 💡 #Production101 #Leadership #Communication #FilmProduction #ProducerTips #Professionalism #producerlife #bitcoin

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The Dean Scream is fake news. One of the most difficult aspects of video production to this day, August 8. 2024, is how to share 2 microphone recordings of the same event, with a client. Clients would ask why is one microphone so far away, why is the other microphone so crisp and clear but they can't hear anyone else? To this day, every post game sports interview with athletes and coaches still face this issue, why is the coach or athlete so easy to hear, but the sports reporters just 10 to 20 feet away, cannot be heard? Dean was screaming and the crowd was screaming back, except the crowd audio feed was never mixed into Dean's Scream, which was into a highly isolated microphone designed to pick up Dean's voice, and not much else, making him look like a fool as he screamed, because it looked like no one was screaming back. I don't understand why the Dean story still has legs since this was an audio mixing technical error, not something Dean did wrong. In other words, it was the stupidity of the media and how they reported this story, that has given it legendary status. Just another example of how the mainstream media rewrites history on a daily basis.

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My first article for Screen Rant is out now! Check it out below, and visit my author page to keep track of much more to come.

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Unfortunate lesson learned during 17 years in the industry: If a casting director or producer makes talent overly confident during a call-back session -- for example complimenting the talent profusely, telling them they'll hear from them soon with good news, telling the talent they did a perfect job and they "absolutely nailed it" -- it usually doesn't lead to booking the job. And when I say "overly confident" I'm not alluding that the talent might be reading into something doesn't exist. I mean that producers and casting directors told them in many ways that the job is "theirs". Clients who feel assured post-call-back are often the ones I end up informing didn't get the role. I call it the "kiss of death". I tell my clients to take the call-back session for what it is -- just another in a series of experiences that makes them better and more confident in their career. The difference between booking and not is often something very intangible, but call-backs mean they are on the right track. I have my theories, but why do you think that is? Have you had this experience?

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Over the last few years I've tried to write articles, tips, and posts that hopefully taught folks a thing or two. There was... -"Weekly Screenwriter Top 10." -"Screenwriting Tips for New and Aspiring Writers." -"Sunday Screenplay Sessions." -"Blueprints for New Filmmakers." And a slew of one-offs, challenges, and what not to do's. Now, my latest and hopefully worthwhile new series of posts called... "BEHIND THE VELVET ROPES." My new series of upcoming posts about some of Hollywood's inner workings for those trying to get their foot in the door. With that, today let's talk about... --OPTION(ING) AGREEMENTS-- Imagine you're at a bookstore where every book is one-of-a-kind with no other copies. You walk in, glance around, and suddenly find a book that looks super interesting. You like it alot BUT... You’re not ready to buy it yet. At the same time, you don’t want anyone else to grab it or have it either. So... You tell the store owner, "Here’s a small fee for your book I like... please hold onto this for me for a while." That’s basically what an option agreement is, but instead of a book, it’s a screenplay or a concept. A producer, production company, or studio will pay a screenwriter a fee to "option" their script. This means, said people, get exclusive rights to develop the script further and decide if they want to eventually buy it and make it into a film. The "option period" can last anywhere from six to eighteen months, sometimes even longer, depending on how much everyone likes each other (and, of course, the script). During this "Option" period, the studio or producer might... -- Make changes. -- Attach talent (directors, actors, etc.) -- Get possible funding. -- Figure out if your project has enough potential to go to the next level. For the screenwriter(s), it’s like being in a "maybe" relationship—exciting because someone is interested in your work, but also a little nerve-wracking because "Nothing is guaranteed." If the studio or Producer truly love what you have after the option period, they could potentially exercise the option and buy the script outright. This is when the $$big money$$$ comes into play for the writer(s). Thus, your project officially moves toward production (cue your happy dance). On the flip side, If the option expires... The writer gets their script back, free to shop it around elsewhere again. Essentially, the writer gets a little money and a lot of hope, while the studio gets the right to put the project in a holding pattern while they figure things out. Many great scripts, you've never heard of, get optioned and never made. It’s what the industry has coined "DEVELOPMENT HELL. DH is where dreams go to either eventually soar or get stuck forever. Listen to me... "Don't rely on that one great script as your way to stardom or recognition. That's why it's important to keep writing. Eventually one project is bound to capture attention." Thank you and I hope you enjoyed this post!

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What the FCC has Against Audacy • The unspoken damage the FCC is doing to Audacy. • Why other radio bankruptcies got the green light to emerge quicker. • How this delay jeopardizes the Soros plan to rebuild Audacy. • The delay’s effect on Audacy’s plan to sell, consolidate or shut down some stations. https://lnkd.in/eh8pVJnY

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