TSC: THE COLLECTIVE; Hello YELLOW

Okay, beautiful artists. Last I heard someone named JOHN SULLIVAN asked for a visual of what the contents page for THE COLLECTIVE would look like. Well, here is a shot.

(for those of you who come to this site, and are like, "Dude, where are the comics? I need my fix. Give me an interview. Shit, man, something. That comice was too short." I will draw something just for you. It's called, "HELLO YELLOW." Keep reading. The Search Continues...)

NOW onto THE COLLECTIVE...


JIMMY SMITS are friendly site user is back. He dug the story by DYLAN HOCK so much, he wanted to post his own. In order to do so, he simply goes to the HOME PAGE, and clicks FICTION, then UPLOAD CONTENTS. This takes him to the UPLOAD page above.

He fills in his NAME, the pdF from his BROWSER, TITLE, BIO, WEBSITE LINK, an AUDIO EXCERPT, and picks his GENRE.

[Now GENRE is an interesting thing. Why have a different drop box for each art form. Lets make it simple. I am all for what is simple. Here it is...the GENRE drop box will be the same as your BLOCKBUSTER: COMEDY, DRAMA, FOREIGN, ACTION, HORROR. I think this will be funny. Maybe, we could add another category like, CRUNCHY or STALE.]

Anyway, JIMMY SMITS clicks on CRUNCHY, because he's curious. Then he clicks SUBMIT. Boom! And just like that, he's got something up on THE COLLECTIVE...




JIMMY SMITS also has a short film, and after seeing PAIMAN'S newest short, he decides to submit his horror film, MUHAHA.

He clicks FILM on the HOME PAGE, and then UPLOAD, and he's golden. It's just like submitting a story.

Now JIMMY SMITS doesn't have a painting, but he thinks it might be a generous gesture to put his daughter SAVANNAHA'S watercolors on THE COLLECTIVE. It's lickety split. He fills out the info, but this time he has a choice to make it PUBLIC or for AUCTION. He chooses AUCTION.


The AUCTION upload is an add-on. Very simple. How will the bidder pay and delivery costs. That's it.

Of course, the auctions may have to wait for a bit. I have no idea. Is this something that can be created easily. I do not know. Since John is the resident, technical JUGGERNAUT, we will have to wait for word.

Any ideas? Some BLUE SKY THINKING? What up?

***

In other news, I have fallen in love. I will make a movie of my heart. It sounds like a SAXOPHONE. Hear it bellows:












to be continued...

On Being the Next ITUNES: A COLLECTIVE of ARTISTS

Okay. Before we were talking about creating a host site that would be able to house our paintings, photographs, audio, video, fiction, poetry, photography, and have it all linked together, uploadable and downloadable--a combination of itunes, amazon, and netflix, for the blogging artist--for the VIRTUAL ARTIST.

In SHORTSPEAK,

A LINKED COLLECTIVE LIBRARY.

(Charging for downloads or to be a part of the group, I still haven't figured out yet. Maybe, it will be free until we have a library of 10,ooo users.)

So in essence, it is a searchable and easily accessible linked format that will allow artists outside the corporate structure to build financial stability, community, an easy way to put work out to the world, recieve feedback, and link up with other artists.

Here it is visually.




The home page. It links you up to what you want to upload or download. Jimmy Smits, our frindly site user comes to THE COLLECTIVE SITE. He likes movies. He clicks FILM...



This takes JIMMY to the FILM page. He can browse by GENRE. He could even SIGN IN or UPLOAD now as well. JIMMY decides to find a COMEDY...




On the COMEDY page, JIMMY can search by DIRECTOR, LATEST UPLOADS, view his PREVIOUS PICS, other USER'S PICS, etc. JIMMY decides to click LATEST UPLOADS...



LATEST UPLOADS lists the COMEDY films. They tell JIMMY the TITLE, the LENGTH of the film, a brief description, USER REVIEW ratings, and a little pic that goes with the film. JIMMY clicks THE CHUMP link from the pic on the left.



This takes JIMMY to CHUMP page on THE COLLECVTIVE. This gives a detailed description, more user reviews, a LINK to other ITEMS jimmy might want, the CHUMP BLOG or WEBSITE, an ABOUT THE DIRECTOR page, and a CONTACT...JIMMY pushes ABOUT THE DIRECTOR...





Now JIMMY SMITS gets to read about JOHN MITCHELL, the director of CHUMP. This is all text that JOHN added to the COLLECTIVE, when he uploaded his short film. The UPLOLAD page asked him to put in a description, the actual content. The COLLECTIVE automatically lists JOHN'S 5 NEWEST FRIENDS, as well as JOHN'S most recent DOWNLOADS from the COLLECTIVE.

This makes JIMMY SMITS curious. He doesn't want CHUMP anymore. He is curious about WHOLE MILK by JIM GOAR. He clicks this link and it takes him to the WHOLE MILK page...




Like the CHUMP page, WHOLE MILK talks about the book, allows a partial download, a sample audio track, and a purchase button. The purchase button will take SMITS to either a website provided by the author (lets say EFFING PRESS), or if the author is self-publishing; his own website, or (this is a possibility): the COLLECTIVE has 10,000 users, and links up with some print on demand company (cafe.com) that provides books, audio, prints, dvds, etc.

Why not make trades possible as well. We could create a link, whereby, one artist sends another artist an email that says,

"Pirooz" has invited you to be his friend. Have a free download on him."

WILL YOU ACCEPT?

***

For those of you (ALAN) actors out there, this is a great venue for putting your face and work out there. Use the VLOGS to make short clips. Improv, some HAMLET, a short 5 minute sketch, an interview, read a poem (voice over) while you film a cow's backside. We could have a separate link called THEATER. A sub-division called IMPROV...

There are infinite possibilities.

To learn more about self-publishing visit DAVID ST LAWRENCE.

To learn how to create a vlog (video log) click HERE.

To learn how to put out a nonfiction book visit SETH GODIN.

To email me click Pirooz M. Kalayeh


TO visit our PREVIOUS TRAIL on THE COLLECTIVE idea. Click HERE. or HERE.

To read about the economic idea behind the COLLECTIVE visit THE LONG TAIL.

To become a part of THE COLLECTIVE. Make some comments. Tell your friends. Lets make this thing grow into a beautiful butterfly.

Latest News

Fire in L.A. Not very fun. Ash all over the place. At work, FITZ was pretty funny when he just walked out and lit one up.

"You going to smoke?" M. asked.

"Yeah," he said, and chewed on his butt. "Why?"

M. shakes his head. We walk around the corner. Girls wave hello. We wave back.

***

Was on the 'puter. It gave me a message. HORSELESS PRESS wants a comic. I said okay, and sent it off.

Thank you Jen and Erika. Smooches, P.

***

Tonight is the L.O.U. Otherwise known as the Loggers BBQ. Tonight we will be celebrating the end of another week, Panauh's graduation, and his first night in Los Angeles. As of today, my youngest brother, by over 10 years, will be my new roommate. I have already made dishes the priority.

"Just do the dishes and we're cool," I tell him.

"Cool," he says.

We're cool.

***

I have been thinking about this combo between itunes, netflix, and amazon. I like the idea. The support from the world too. I will try and draw a schematic of what the page will look like. I am going to take this thing as slow as an onion inside the ground. I am not very clear yet. I am hearing all the ideas though. JIM GOAR says to have downloadable poetry. WWYISG wants to create a host site that houses other website, a collective as they said. JOHN SULLIVAN is encouraging to use MCS or web format that is not based in a chronological fashion i.e. Blogger, Blogoshpere, etc.

I hear all of that like a bag of chips under my chair. Although I will try and illustrate this point visually, there is one which may need text, and that is the idea of format. It may be possible to have poets and writers (not the magazine) record their material as audio or vlog tracks as well as pdf formats. Then users of this site we are creating would be able to download a record, or say a dvd with short films or a mixed cd of original music and literature.

If we create some type of cooperation with satellite radio. Maybe, we could get our library aired as either podcasts or (once the library is extensive), simply play the material at random 24 hours a day. (This second tangent came just now, so you can see there is some sitting to do with this thing. I get excited and just fly.)

Anyway, I will take more about this later. I just wanted to put out the idea of changing the format in which poetry is presented. Why not move things away from the text? What if we started releasing our books straight to itunes. These are thoughts I have been having--encouraged by MOKSHA and holy snails.

***

What else? Courting some agents for "...Strategies." We will see what direction this book takes. It seems to have a trajectory all its own. Let me take this virtual space to say, Thank you, and love to all those who are offering such kind words. It was uplifting to see all your comments on the GOAR side, and also for ELLIPSES to offer their kudos.

KYLE KAUFMAN is a cutie. Check out DACHEUX's latest painting. What else?

I don't know. I still can't get over it. Tonight the 3 brothers will be reunited. We haven't been together in years. Now we are rocking the same city. What will L.A. do? There might be mass hysteria. I will put up pics of the festivities.

Lots of love to all,

Pirooz

Jeffrey Peterson: Bringing Laughs to Burning Man

Q. What is Burning Man?

A. Burning Man is an annual experiment in temporary community dedicated to radical self-expression and radical self-reliance.

-from The Burning Man Website

Pirooz: Burning Man seems an interesting idea. An entire city built in the Nevada desert, only to be burned down a week later. It must be quite an experience with its own rules and community. What was it like? You say you feel a changed person. What happened?

Jeff Peterson: The Burning Man is so much more than a party to me. It's a life changing event that puts us in direct contact with the kindred spirits that we seek instinctively in the modern world. For seven years I have made the spiritual journey to an enchanted city that exists for 7 days each year but has a lasting impression that extends a lifetime. The art is amazing, the visuals are astounding, the celebration is overwhelming but it's the people of Black Rock City that makes this an oasis.

People from all walks of life gather together in this temporary community to free themselves from the trappings of the "real" world. In Black Rock City you can reinvent yourself or in my case, rediscover the true self that has been chiseled down by the cycle of life. Getting in tune with what really matters is at the heart of the Burning Man and the hugs are healing to a soul in need of understanding and compassion. The barriers break down and we let down our guard for this brief window of opportunity.

This wonderland cannot fully be explained in words, it must be experienced to grasp the love energy that exists in this limited time space. With the positive vibrations that are flowing in me at this moment, I am a far better man after my vision quest in the desert and I have a much deeper understanding of my place in the universe. Love is the recurring theme, love of expression, love of people, love of life. Come, see for yourself the undeniable power of the Burning Man.

PK: Man, that makes me want to go. I had visuals of a city burning to the ground; music like "Chariots of Fire" busting in the background. Tasty. What'd you do this year? What community were you part of?

Jeff Peterson: My community is the city itself. I am part of the hub of Burning Man, Camparctica- the ice vending camp. There are only two things that are for sale in this gift society; Coffee and Ice. Coffee is a luxury, while Ice is a necessity. I lifted up to 14 tons of Ice in a 40 degree truck for 3 hours over five days. Volunteering puts you in the center of the action. Giving back to the community is so rewarding. The people that I work with are the cream of the crop, top notch folks from all over the place. Under the direction of our beloved leader The Ice Queen, Camparctica is the most vital component of the festival. Being a member of this fold is something that fills me with pride and joy. This is my home away from home.

PK: In past conversations, you've said that Burning Man helps you put away the work grind for a community that is more your people. That sense of community. I can hear it in how you talk about this place. It sounds very magical. How has the Burning Man experience changed your view of the corporate life versus your comedic night life?

Jeff Peterson: The Burning Man equips me with the mindset to keep things in perspective. The Corporate world is stitched into the fabric of America. It is a fact of life that must be taken into account. My daily bread and butter comes from the corporate structure and my creative ambition of being a successful stand-up comic also relies heavily on that corporate structure. Performing stand-up at Burning Man blends my desired occupation with my ultimate location.

Being at Burning Man refreshes my faith in humanity and thus makes me a better, more sensitive individual in this society. The way things are in Black Rock City is how we burners feel things should be, but until things change, we'll take seven days of revolution. John Lennon would feel right at home.

Pirooz: I read the Rolling Stone article. The reporter didn’t seem to think Burning Man was anything but an excuse for people to party.

Jeff Peterson: Once again, Rolling Stone missed the point. This rag mag has been out of touch for too long and this article is a shining example of their lack of knowledge on the counter culture they want so badly to represent. The Bozo they sent was no mere reporter, he was what we refer to at Burning Man as a "spectator", a non participant. How did he miss the point? He was never "at" the event, he only observed those around him. You had to "be" there is not just a quaint expression in the case of Burning Man. The event must be experienced to have a viewpoint. The citizen of Black Rock City is part of a collective conscience and onlookers will never get that. It's too bad that all this reporter saw was naked yuppies in a homo erotic, drug induced frenzy, staring at glow sticks while listening to techno. He overlooked the love of humanity and community, the relentless self expression on a mass scale and the joy that comes with letting go. I guess he'll never know.

PK: Was this the first time you performed at Burning Man?

Jeff Peterson: I brought my gifts to the playa in the past. I've sung with bands, created artwork, dressed in costumes, read my short stories. This year my gift was to make others laugh with my original stand-up comedy. This is a novel concept for Burning Man, one that may take years to establish but from an acorn an oak will grow. I got some laughs and wonderful feedback and that's a good thing.

PK: When's your next gig?

Jeff Peterson: I'll be at the Ice House Annex on Thurs. Oct. 6th for some more rock-n-roll comedy, so grab your bong, it's 4:20, time for funny. Thanx bro- see you there, next year!

PK: No doubt.

Jeff Peterson is a comic in Los Angeles. He will be at The Ice House Annex on Thurs. Oct. 6th. Click the above link to reserve tickets or Email Jeff for more info. on his upcoming performances or his journey to the post-burn in L.A. and Frisco. Jeff is also the creator and author of SHEEPMAN.

SELF PUBLISHING: ON BEING THE NEXT ITUNES

It seems the decision is coming together in larger bits. Like DACHEUX says, "Little bit, little bit...BOOM!" Luckily, I am getting several BOOMS in such a short time frame, that I cannot stop myself from giggling or shoving my hand in my mouth like, "Can it be this easy?"

The answer is yes. DAVID ST LAWRENCE makes self-publishing sound like a joy and much more in-depth with the advent of blogs and THE LONG TAIL. His advice is simple:

1. Get your book made by a printer.

2. Get a 1800 number and business name.

3. Use your blog to create traffic with BlogAds or another group, or even get your friends to host some real estate space on their blogs with a pic of your work.

4. Make a partial download of the book available for free.

5. Sell the book directly to customers through paypal, and skip out on the whole Amazon experience.

If you click on his SELF PUBLISHING category, you'll get a more through look at these steps.
There is also SETH GODIN who is specifically trying to help nonfiction authors, but whose advice applies to all artists within this corporate mania. So does David's.

Are you trying to get some music out there? A photograph? A painting? It all becomes simple with these two. They are definitely delivering the goods, and giving my some very juicy ideas on the possibilities of book publishing. Isn't it possible to have downloads cost money? Couldn't you have downloads in multiple formats?

The possibilities are endless. JIM GOAR is looking to publish his new book. TE BALLARD and others in her community want to see their book in print. KYLE KAUFMAN and SARA LARSEN are working on EL POBRE. NIKKI WIDNER and DAVE GARDNER are rocking ONE LESS. MELISSA BENHAM kicking ARTIFACT funky fresh freestyle. DECHAUX is trying to get those paintings out there. THE STARVING ARTISTS are trying to release music. DOWNTOWN HARVEST is looking for a record company...

Well, maybe, we don't have to look any further. Maybe, it's pooling our resources together to create a host site, where all these items are linked, downloadable, interactive, etc. Maybe, it's time we created a format like ITUNES, that moves beyond music to include books and paintings. Maybe, we can create our own expanding roster of art available on the world wide web.

We could invite other artists to post with us. A rock band from Kansas, a string quartet from the Adirondacks, a poet in Schenectady, a children's book author from Rhode Island, even a novelist from Los Angeles.

How do we house something like this? All it takes is a blog. All it takes is traffic and word of mouth. Please, friends, hear me on this one. Talk to me. What have you got? Can anyone see it? JOHN SULLIVAN are you there? WSSIYG? What are your ideas? Is this possible? Is it easy?

TSC: Sorrow, My Friend