Thursday, December 6, 2007

Hey everyone,
i wanted to address Nichole's email.
First the biz part. One of the ideas behind the show is to demonstrate and show the world this kind of technology, and that it is real and exists and can be used for many good things. Within the show's budget are the necessary experiments funded and performed. The idea behind the show is not only to achieve this, but if we deficit finance the show ourselves (as opposed to the network funding it) then we have a good shot an owning it outright, which means owning foreign markets and ancillaries, which means at minimum doubling show revenue.
The important thing to realise is that the idea here is to make the show itself a 'safe' investment - ie investors know they're getting their money back no matter what because we've sold it to a network. If we own the show outright, then there is a further good investor return from foreign tv sales, dvds, ancillaries, etc. The other part of that 'owning it' puzzle is organising the sponsors and product placement, which i am working on now with one of the largest if not the top product placement companies here in town, Legacy. Coincidentally, i have been in talks with them about partnering on the space show, and the owner loves and funds and invests in new technology - and last week he brought John's name up out of the blue when we were talking about future science. Literally Nichole this was the day before you called. Serendipity, as they say.
So i think it's really important to recognise that step one for me is making sure investors feel secure they're getting their money back no matter what, and John's experiments get performed and the world gets to see them. This establishes John as the real deal, and importantly people get to know who he is and what he's about from the show, including personality-wise and philosophically, and his unique circle of friends, which adds a bonus.

Undoubtedly because of such exposure, John will get a new flood of offers for all kinds of ventures, but while the show company is not looking to own any patents, what potentially could be done for show investors is what is called in Hollywood a 'first-look' deal - in essense where the show investors have the right to 'first-pitch' John for their own individual ventures, and John gives those investors priority over the other people who pitch him 'like' projects, and also gives the show investors the right to match any best offer for that venture. It's all about relationships and trust anyway, so if we organise the show, everyone in that group appreciates and trusts each other anyway, which in the end is what everyone wants. i've never mentioned this potential clause to Rob or John before, it came to me thinking this through, but i think everyone would agree it's reasonable and fair and fits this situation as far as business is concerned and would make everyone happy for now and in the future.

Additionally as far as how the business of the show can also be structured - this also could be done as Rockwell Collins coming in as a corporate tv show sponsor. Besides deficit financing, the other half of getting a show on the air is filling out the commercial hour with sponsors. Rockwell Collins undoubtedly has an advertising budget, so show sponsorship could potentially come out of that. i'm talking to several other potential people/groups who could deficit finance show productions costs, so i'm just piecing all this together, and i thought i'd throw out there that Rockwell Collins could come in on that commercial sponsorship level too, and could play some great ads we could even help them make at cost in return for sponsorship (i began my career in commercials - did over 100, major top national brands).

As far as addressing the skeptics - well, John gave the knock-out list. From my area, there is plenty of video from independent production companies from many countries that have come and shot their own footage themselves, witnessing everything themselves. In putting together the US tv pitch, i will probably string some of this footage together and will forward it to you. This on top of credible scientists like Hathaway who have been with John.
Taking this further, i'd like any skeptic to consider the amount of times John has been on everything from Fox to Discovery Ch - this year a nice spike in appearances alone. Why? Because he can't do it? If he couldn't, and all those crews from around the world and witnessed and shot their own footage themselves and broadcast it but knew it wasn't real would all liable for fraud. Japanese tv, Discovery Ch., Fox (who i'm in negotiations with now for space show), etc. -- they're all in some sort of conspiracy together to enable this fraud? Of course not. People here have greenlighted broadcasting the information, and we have an opportunity to guide that the right way now besides John being a segment or guest on somebody elses show.
Also, my agency is CAA, and i would never risk my relationship with them over something i didn't think was real - never ever - if this was fake this could be career-shattering stuff for me, so i thought i'd throw that in. People tend to think that Hollywood is all about red carpets and premeires and parties, but i assure you it is not. It is run on pure, cold and very hard business, and getting the agency's backing is a big deal here as CAA is the most powerful and influential agency in this town. If they back it, your credibility with the networks goes up by ten, and you have them negotiating your deal - which is substantial.
Also, why would John risk his credibility by agreeing to a television show and then not being able to do anything? Bones laid bare there.
A few months back i asked John to float specific objects (potential sponsors products) and within two days he sent me the footage.
Just want to emphasise that besides my personal full confidence in John, there is also solid business structure involved here that protects the private investor and is beneficial to the corporate investor. In other words, there are multiple options, which is nice.
Hope this helps. i'm working on the show outline now - been going over mountains of material and rehaving my mind blown. Also makes my mind race with the scientists/mathematicians i know i'd love to have John visit on the show for an episode. Will be done with this within a few days. Biz-wise i have approvable showrunners avail from CAA, but meeting one in a few days who works for Mark Burnett and has been offered three shows by Discovery and has turned them all down because he'd have to relocate to NY and doesn't want to. This show would be run out of here, and he likes the topic.
Let me know if i can give any more info about anything, or answer any questions regarding anything above.
Cheers, kevin

satinverse@aol.com wrote:
John who can put your work into a business plain to present your work professionally to investors. What happen in 1991?? Tod said something about you not being able to reproduce your work. Pluse we have to show your Hutchinson cell an the other stuff your working on. Tod seem's to be lacking the info on you an couldn't find much when he goggled you. I have to show him your the real deal. There's still some skeptic people out there when it come to you i guess. So if Kevin or Robert whom ever can help with this I'll be able to show Tod an get things going on this end, it's sad people here in America are so reluctant to new age science you really have to have your work in a presentation that is credible an persuasive for investors to really even look at your work. Love you much miss ya silly hobbit let's getter done aye :) Southern Hobbit cheers
P.s. who are some of the scientist you have work with an can account for you work??

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