Anything Goes

Out of deference, I won’t specify or go into complete detail as much as possible; let’s just say I received a message from a stranger I’ve never met who turned out to be a very important figure. He had found about me and personally sent me a message asking if I’d be interested in reading “an advanced copy” of a work he had written. I will admit that I truly found it both flattering and an honor that he would take a leap of faith to contact me, and to show me his “baby,” and to have me read it and tell him what I think. I also admit that I was interested and eager to read what he was going to share with me. Therefore, the advice I want to share is to how I responded. Years ago, I resigned from a job in which I did not give a two week notice. Days after my resignation, I attempted to return to that job, but because I didn’t give a two week notice, I was ineligible for rehire. Since then, I have viewed that experience as a learning experience in which I learned that I shouldn’t be impulsive. Instead, I ought to think it all through before making an official decision. So when I told this writer I was interested in his reading his “advanced copy,” he then asked me for my personal information, that way he could send his “baby” to me. Rather than responding to him without forethought, I responded by giving him a condition. I sent him a video of myself acknowledging: “Hi, my name is Sergio Cardenas. As you can see, I’m not a robot. This is not AI. If you could please prove to me that you’re neither, then we can proceed.” One should understand that I was doing both him and me a favor. The writer may have been a household name, but that doesn’t mean I ought to give to him my own personal information without forethought. After all, I hardly know the guy. But I wanted to get to know him and I wanted to build a rapport with him-built on trust and in a professional manner that is-because not only what he did was a leap of faith, it was also a risk. And because I was very flattered that he took the time to personally reach out to me, I wanted to treat him with fairness and with the utmost respect by making it very clear to him that he can trust me and could continue to trust me. In response to the video I sent him, he replied back with a video of himself confirming that he is who he truly is and that he’s not a robot or AI. I’m happy to admit that we both it took it well and that we even laughed about it. Since then, part of my daily routine is to read one chapter of his “baby” per day; I’m looking forward to telling him what I think the moment I’ve read it from beginning to end.

Hello. Maybe some of you encountered this problem and know what to do about it.

I was receiving in the Yahoo mail some messages which I considered were spam, so I selected and sent those to spam, but I think I selected also many other messages that were not spam. I found all those messages in the Spam folder and I selected the ones that were not spam and marked them as not spam, but I don't receive anymore messages from some senders (Stage 32 included).

I tried some things - to whitelist them, I looked through the blocked list to see if there are some blocked senders and I tried other things that were suggested on some Google searches, I tried also to subscribe again to some of the senders but I still don't receive messages from some senders.

I was getting notifications from Stage 32 when someone posted in a discussion I was following, but now I can see this only if I come to Stage 32 website and click the notification bell.

 If you know what it can be done about this, please tell. Thank you.

This is terrible. Surely J Lo deserves another Razzie. You can't watch this movie. AI couldn't have created a film as bad as this How do I recover? Its number 1 on Netflix.

I hope all of you meet your goals this week!!! :D

This is an interesting list. I've seen all of the films listed save for two, My Big Fat Greek Wedding had no appeal to me. Rom-Coms just don't do it for me. And then there's Billy Jack (1971) - hands up if you've ever heard of it? Maybe it was an American phenomenon?

Oh yes, then there's a little glitch in my matrix of not watching rom-coms - Shakespeare in Love - because I'm fascinated by The Bard and I was enthralled by the screenwriting and character development. Back in 1999, it made me want to become a screenwriter. I have to say, that it's not that I wanted to write that kind of stuff, I simply wanted to enthral people watching a film I'd written.

Was there a film that you watched, that propelled you towards a career in screenwriting?

https://www.cbr.com/highest-grossing-indie-films-of-all-time-ranked/

Did anyone go? I live in Southern New Hampshire and I want to hear your thoughts on it.

This Unbelievably Bizarre Modeling Casting Call Happened To Me

https://youtu.be/eX-tOeIL7sM

Have you ever experienced a bizarre audition or go-see? If so, share it with us so we can learn from you.

Hello:

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.". - George S. Patton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-ZCvBct6lA

Thankful for your roads.

God Bless,

John German

Does anybody have a sample written pitch that they have used to pitch their film that I can look at? I am not sure how I should do a written pitch.

In a world where artificial intelligence (AI) has infiltrated every corner of the media industry, the landscape is starkly divided. On one side, media moguls wage a desperate battle against the encroaching tide of AI, fearing the loss of jobs, creativity, and control. On the other, some have chosen to embrace the inevitable, cutting deals with tech giants to secure their place in this new order. This is the story of a dystopian future where the media industry stands at a crossroads, torn between resistance and capitulation.

The Resistance: Fighting the AI Tsunami

In the heart of the media world, a group of defiant leaders stands firm against the AI revolution. Robert Thomson of News Corp is at the forefront, warning of a "tsunami" of job losses that could decimate the industry. The statistics are grim: from 2008 to 2020, 57% of newsroom jobs in the U.S. vanished, and AI threatens to accelerate this trend. The fear is palpable as AI's relentless march continues, threatening to replace human journalists with algorithms and automated systems.

Legal battles rage on multiple fronts. The New York Times and DMGT, owners of the Daily Mail, are considering lawsuits against OpenAI and Google, accusing them of using their content without permission. Smaller outlets like The Intercept, Raw Story, and AlterNet have already taken legal action, seeking to protect their intellectual property from AI's voracious appetite. The courts are flooded with cases, each one a desperate attempt to stem the tide of AI encroachment.

The Capitulation: Embracing the Inevitable

Yet, not all media leaders are willing to fight. Some have chosen a different path, one of negotiation and compromise. News Corp, for instance, has secured significant payments from Google in a multi-year partnership, opting for financial gain over legal strife. The Associated Press and Axel Springer have also struck deals with AI companies, securing substantial annual sums in exchange for their content.

These deals, however, come at a cost. By aligning with AI firms, these media companies risk undermining their own arguments for seeking billions in damages. The Financial Times, for example, has opted for paid deals, weakening the collective bargaining power of the industry. The divide between those who fight and those who join grows ever wider, creating a fractured landscape where unity is but a distant memory.

The Ethical Quagmire

As AI continues to reshape the media industry, ethical concerns loom large. Algorithmic bias, privacy issues, and the displacement of human labor are significant challenges that demand urgent attention. The rapid development of AI necessitates a constant reevaluation of current practices, with media firms struggling to keep pace with emerging trends and best practices.

The industry grapples with the implications of AI-generated content, which often lacks the nuance and quality of human-created work. Major news sites like The New York Times, Reuters, and CNN have started blocking AI software from scraping their content, fearing the spread of biased and low-quality information. The battle for ethical AI deployment is a complex and ongoing struggle, with no easy solutions in sight.

If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them

In this dystopian landscape, the choice becomes stark: fight a losing battle or join the ranks of those who have embraced the AI revolution. For many, the latter option offers a semblance of control and financial stability. By negotiating deals with AI firms, media companies can secure their future, albeit at the cost of their autonomy and creative integrity.

The Associated Press, for instance, has negotiated the right to reset its payout terms if another publisher secures a more favorable deal with OpenAI, a strategic move to mitigate risk. This pragmatic approach reflects a broader trend within the industry, where survival often trumps idealism.

As the media industry navigates this treacherous terrain, one thing is clear: the age of AI is here to stay. Whether through resistance or capitulation, media leaders must find a way to coexist with this powerful technology. In the end, the choice may not be between fighting or joining, but rather finding a balance that allows for both innovation and integrity in a rapidly changing world.