Darren Roberts’ Post

The Power of Weekly Focus: Building Assets That Create Value When you’re developing a movie as a bootstrap project, the to-do list can feel endless. Script tweaks, content creation, budget refinement, audience outreach—it’s all happening simultaneously. But here’s the truth: trying to do everything at once is a recipe for burnout and mediocrity. Instead, focus on one big project each week. Why? Because completing one well-executed asset creates value that compounds over time. This week, our focus for The Quiet Canadians is crafting a sponsorship package. This isn’t just a pitch deck; it’s an adaptable asset we can use to connect with brands and companies who align with our project’s vision. Each sponsor adds momentum and funding, bringing us closer to making this film a reality. Here’s the mindset shift: • You don’t “build an audience.” • You build a library of assets that add value to your movie. For The Quiet Canadians, every new asset—like the sponsorship package—brings us closer to creating something extraordinary. Lesson of the Week: Pick one project you can reasonably complete, make it your North Star, and execute with focus. One week. One asset. One step forward. What’s your focus for this week? Let’s hear it! And don't forget to check out our movie at https://lnkd.in/g7934Dns and join our community to follow the movie's progress.

A needle in a haystack in the crowded online space?? - You’ve got the skills, the passion, and the drive, but your audience isn't seeing you. It's frustrating to feel invisible when you know you have so much to offer. - Imagine feeling invisible, like the child in the video "Invisible." She tried everything to get noticed but eventually accepted that no one would see her. Then one day, someone accidentally bumped into her, and she was finally noticed. This unexpected moment changed everything for her. - But as coaches, we don't need to wait for an accidental change. We can take proactive steps to ensure we're seen and valued. - Let’s change that! - -By refining your message and -optimizing your online presence, -we can amplify your visibility and -attract those clients who truly resonate with you. -Consistency is key. Show up regularly and engage genuinely with your audience. - Don’t wait for accidental chance! - Ready to be seen? - Book a free strategy call with me today, and let’s start building your magnetic online presence! - Comment “yes” or send me a message! https://lnkd.in/dCsfzKhJ).  Credit goes to the owner of this video clip! Žan Stermecki

Here's the full video that won and put my name on the international stage. I still remember every idea, every decision, every take, and every edit that finally brought this project to life. Will always be grateful for the opportunity it provided me to explore different ways we can make a difference as healthcare professionals. In this era, I believe that using creative mediums like video content is an effective way to reach and educate the common people. Give it a watch and let me know your thoughts! https://lnkd.in/gvex47cD #informedconsent #internationalcompetition #awarenessvideo

ATTENTION PUBLISHED AUTHORS! Beware of scams that are a very slick and devious enticement to adapt your novel into film. They impersonate real film agencies, film companies, and professionals. I think most of us seasoned authors will not be seduced by these cruel emails, but because I have novels that could be cinematic and I have written screenplays, there was an immediate surge of hope when I was contacted. But then it was followed by skepticism and anger that there was this evil bait that lured me to search the internet. Real agencies, real film companies, but impersonated by heinous scams. A film agency emailed and then a few days later, a film company emailed who said they were associated with the agency. The film company really did exist (but had gone bankrupt years ago, although this information was not easily found on the internet). Although I did not ultimately get scammed, I resent the very private appeal to a dream and mostly the time it took away from my work to have to investigate. Here are the names being impersonated: Gina Welch, Los Angeles Talent Agency, Kathy Jordan, First Look Studios, and Pamela Goldstein, Verve Talent & Literary Agency in Los Angeles. Finally, I was able to phone the Verve Talent & literary Agency who verified there is impersonation of Pamela Goldstein and the agency that has been happening in the last couple of weeks. BEWARE! And while I'm on this rant, those who have asked to connect, be clear and real, please. I'm not interested in paying anyone for marketing and promotion, so don't send me fake appeals...as if you already read my books and want to represent me. Really? If there are any real film agents or film companies out there who have integrity and are interested in my work, see my web site: www.cynthianeale.com but know this - I will never sell my soul for any amount of recognition, fame, or money. "Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self." (Cyril Connolly)

Is your blood rebel ? If the answer is YES and you weren't at this event, then what are you even doing? If you were there, can you spot yourself in the video ? What a turnout with Kate Hutchinson and Bolu Fagborun as our hosts and the amazing Daneile Moore and the AD:VENTURE team putting it all together. Bear with me, this is my first try at making a video, I'm sure Tom Whitton is sitting there thinking "I would have gotten fired for posting that..." The event was better than my camera, my camera skills AND my editing skills, I promise. A lot of catch-ups with people that I haven't seen in 3 lifetimes, everyone excited to learn how eZpZe is developing and share what they have been up to in the meantime. Stuart Brown Stephen Waud Gordon Bateman Stewart Eccles Mai Mai Steele Ben Vollans Victoria Garcia Abby Thorp and so many more I could be here all day listing. Also met some entirely new faces and connections Matt Cochrane Sherin Mathew Jamila Juma-Ware Leeds, Yorkshire Matt Cooling Sarwat Murtaza Katharine Shipley to just name a few A lot harder to get around everyone with 400 people there, but I managed a good portion of it haha. I didn't get ANY footage of the tons of food and cakes because I was a bit busy stuffing my face..... Sorry, but there was a lot of it and tasty as well. The speakers were amazing, however I always attend more for the people in the room. It is all about creating and building relationships and if I became a master at it.... Anyone can. #Connections #Networking #Event #BusinessEvents #bizgrowthgathering #KeepGoing #Chats #CatchUps #Speakers #Panels #BusinessNetworking

Went to see the amazing #Tindersticks last week. Their latest album contains a song called Nancy, which features the line: “Nancy answer me. Your silence is worse than what you might say.” Which brings me to #ghosting. Like many agencies our size, we invest a lot of time and money in marketing. Our website is strong, our #SEO works, we network — and we’re pretty good at PR, leading to many referrals. All this generates interest in our services, so the team and I spend a lot of time developing ideas and turning them into proposals. We do our research, #brainstorm ideas, meet prospects face-to-face or online… meet the deadline. Then we wait… And sometimes — far too often — we hear nothing. We chase. We call and write to Nancy, but… nada. In a service world where relationships are everything, few things feel more demoralising than ghosting. The PRCA recently issued a great report on pitching. Here’s a stat that resonated: 63% of agencies feel that clients going silent during or after the pitch is a significant challenge. Ghosting in the agency world isn’t just about lost business; it’s about wasted time, resources, and emotional investment. But more than that — it’s a missed opportunity. How can we improve if we don’t learn anything? And don’t get me started on how rude it is. So here’s my plea, Nancy. We’re grown-ups; we can handle rejection and take any criticism of our offer on board. Silence is worse than what you might say. #GhostingInBusiness #AgencyLife #PitchingProblems #ClientCommunication #PRInsights #OpenToFeedback #RespectfulBusiness #BusinessRelationships #MarketingChallenges #PRAgency

Smita Rajgopal Poliak, Founder & Global Creative Director at SMITTEN® speaks with Patrick Charron, Director of Business Development at Board Studios, about leaving a little room in the communication for the audience to fill in and see the complete picture, leading to that 'tadaa' moment! Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Interesting article about Channel 4 Alisa Pomeroy's commissioning strategy and update on their latest commissions... I've picked out a few snippets. Alisa Pomeroy has ordered fact-ent series Go Back to Where You Came From (w/t) from Minnow Films. She has also recommissioned The Jury: Murder Trial (ScreenDog Productions) for a second outing. Speaking to Broadcast as she unveiled a slate that also included second series orders of Top Guns: Inside the RAF and To Catch A Copper, the head of documentaries and factual-entertainment highlighted these titles as the types of “eye-catching experiments with a sense of purpose” her team is seeking for the fact-ent genre.  “The real challenge with documentaries is how to make subjects that aren’t true crime do well on streaming. All of those old subject matters that we used to look at and that we need to still look at – leisure, poverty, holidays, education, etc – we need to work out a way to make them in a streaming world,”... Her team is also looking for “schedule-punching” singles akin to last year’s Partygate that only C4 would make and that stand out in a “crowded marketplace”.   She added: “We’re really keen on experimentation and leaning into risk and doing things a bit differently. I think that’s what we’ve got to do more of, rather than just fall back on things that we know are bankers.” “Observational filmmaking needs to have its day in the sun again, because past tense storytelling has become so predictable and I think people are getting bored of them,” she stated.  “While we are commissioning past tense stories, there is nothing as exciting as unfolding documentary storytelling. I really want to try to bring that back and bring back those skills: there are loads of young directors who have grown up just with the rig and past tense storytelling, but we have an amazing history of doing incredible observational documentaries and my hope is that we can revive that genre and that skill.” “I think we’re being choosier than before, but we’re open for business and we’re commissioning things,” she stated. “It feels like the industry is turning back towards us; I’ve had some brilliant ideas in the last few weeks, and I feel optimistic and like we are back in business – we’re able to commission and we’ve got the resources to do it.”  https://lnkd.in/eKgbfY-3

This is the definition of a purposeful and fun campaign. One human insight led to an award winning ‘budget friendly’ idea. The beauty of comms continues :) https://lnkd.in/d_-mHFDY

The Anatomy of a Killer Brand Story-Here’s the scoop: great brand stories need structure, relatability, and a splash of magic. Nail this mix, and you're not just telling a story; you're creating an experience. ✨ @patagonia did it again! with humour, unapologetic language and the most punching👊 message. A brilliant example of "owning (and knowing )your s*&#!👏 https://buff.ly/4dojE2G #BrandStorytelling #MarketingMagic #Communication #sustainability # Impactbranding