Going Green Webisode Series Is About To Go Into Production

Requirements (Photo credit: katerha)

We are about to begin our production of our social marketing project – a 15 minute weekly webisode.

The webisode reality TV series will be weekly upon full production implementation, comprising of approximately 3 segments or stories per week. The style will be “Bravo Reality TV meets Jon Stewart humor meets music video.”

In other words, creativity, humor and smart production (on all levels) are required.

We will be shooting on everything from “professional” gear to cellphones and tablets.

The focus of the program is to show individuals, companies (large and small), nonprofits and policy makers focusing on sustainability strategies and how to get there in the most efficient and cost effective manner (i.e. management by objective). That said, the format will be overwhelming funny, engaging, informative, educational, and unique. We value creativity.

Some of our programming will be done on set(s). Some of it will be done remotely.

We are currently organizing our sales and management team (to pay for production).

However, we are also looking for the following to be paid individuals as we grow, and frankly, will give first preference to hire those who help us out with a little skin in the game now. Including things like internships, work-for-credit programs at any kind of learning institution, and just people out to learn new skills that are transferable to many industries.

Starting with IT, Sustainability, green engineering, green energy, transportation, HR, and green (or triple bottom line) business models.

This is who we are looking for now:

Blogger(s)

Requirements: Background and or interest in new media, including web writing and knowledge of SEO or willingness to learn. Creativity that can be focused into the niche we are creating on our blog to date. Payment will be negotiated and based on overall earnings of articles written per internet standards. This means willingness to also work with more IT and SEO integration, as well as a highly sophisticated ability to write about all aspects of sustainability, from government policies (globally), business trends (globally) “green” economics, urban planning, slow food movement, people with disabilities, and if not expert, know how to do fast, credible internet research to write a standard daily blog of between 500-1,000 words in approximately an hour or two. See style of our current blog.

Standard web knowledge including how to use WordPress, Microsoft professional software, experience or willingness to learn other relevant software, including video editing required or willingness to learn.

Some kind of transportation (even on flex schedule and work at home availability). First preference given to vets, people with disabilities, and NoDa residents.

Flexibility built in (this is perfect job for part time working moms and dads, students, writers wanting to build a portfolio) and those interested in writing about a broad range of “sustainability” issues.

Production Folks
We will be paying for freelance crews to produce our weekly webisode series. Our preference is to pair the right production folks with the right stories, but we are also open to pitches from anyone (standard pitch sheet to be posted soon). However, please start sending us your information/websites/interest/rates/flexibility and interest now. We will also work to team experienced production folks with students in some cases and as we get going to create a win-win for everyone involved. We will also accept fully produced student productions if they meet our quality guidelines, as well as content.

This is also a brilliant and unusual opportunity for students to get real production experience (and not just crappy logging assignments), but only for those who also know how to deliver on a professional timeline. In production there is no “cat ate my homework” excuse come broadcast time. Or webcast for that matter.

This would include:
1. Production people. Preferably those who have solid background in all aspects of production or are willing to learn, including skills from pre-production to “post” and distribution. Not to mention story development, documentary and/or reality “TV” or production experience, and writers. We are also looking for clever musicians, particularly in folk, country, rap and even “mainstream” pop music (in other words cool stuff from every genre from good artists established or no). We are also looking for very clever digital photographers who are also willing to learn some IT stuff that will help animate, manipulate (as in animation), and maximize impact of your work and or can be used for advertising purposes.

2. Advertising and marketing gurus. We are planning on doing a lot of innovative advertising, including product placement and of course social media. At minimum, we will need a team (even if part time) of people who are used to selling ads for new media, including product placement and other techniques used in both old and new media. Experience in, or willingness to learn techniques for mobile apps and market of primary importance to us. Obviously, interest in, experience in, or willingness to learn and innovate in online and viral marketing is also a requirement. You Tube will always be off limits.

3. Business Development. This will run the range of developing business relationships with strategic companies, identifying opportunities for additional revenue, creating coalition of “syndication” (on traditional media side as well as “new” media and other appropriate web sites) and integration of web production with app integration. Opportunity for this role (or roles) to also integrate with our sales efforts on transportation and fuel side as well as technology vendors and partners.

3. Talent. We are building a team where everyone is “talented” and we expect our “talent” where they are used in traditional sense in production lingo, to also work on other parts of production (whether editing, shooting, pre-production, marketing, graphics etc.) We are not an ego shop, we are a production one. Just because you communicate well on camera does not give added status in our company. Production, like anything else, is a team effort. Further, even if you go on to greater fame, glory and higher paychecks as “on screen talent only”, learning how production works even if you want your future career to be in front of the camera, helps you understand how to hone that skill too.

4. Set designers and event managers (also known as pre-production prep); Willingness to work with ad team, production team, and wear a few hats required;

5. Graphics, Social Media Network and SEO Gurus
People who are skilled in the overall art and science of all of the above. Google proficiency (i.e. ad words and ad sense) not enough. Neither is Facebook (for privacy concerns). We will be doing some groundbreaking work in this area, so creativity is a must;

6. Executive Editor (who will be responsible for editing three packages a week plus wrap-arounds, inserts, etc.) into final webcast weekly.

7. Games Developers & Animators
Clever, user friendly, cross browser and platform (Android and Apple), cutting edge. Creativity required, along with HTML5 and experimenting with different apps development techniques and tools. Further, working with ad and production team is required;

8. Webmaster(s) and wireless WAN/LAN consultants;

9. Online researchers (to be discussed, but will include research into everything from current product discount codes to story ideas for our daily blog and weekly webisode);

10. Production Accountant

All successful applicants must also be experienced in or willing to learn mobile techniques, apps, and implement strategies that maximize the same.

Requirements for all positions:

Signature of an NDA (non-disclosure);
Willingness to sign “work for hire” contracts (part time and full time) unless there is a project you are involved in where all parties involved decide to mutually fund and create and profit share (defined in writing and agreeable to all relevant Parties) in which case IP rights and any income generated therefrom will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis;
Legal right to work in United States (and/or go to school here);
Passionate desire for the goals of sustainability and want to put skills to good use even if in voluntary, training or apprentice-ship role;
Absolute commitment to diversity and dignity for co-workers and colleagues in the workplace of all ethnic backgrounds, gender, age, gender role, gender orientation, “able-bodiedness” religions, or even time out of work etc. We have a no-tolerance discrimination policy.
Willingness to participate in (fun) non PC training and skills required to create 508 compliant media and other associated spin offs associated with the same including apps and website applications and design;
A working knowledge of the federal laws that we must be compliant with (appropriate to the job, and outlined for the most part on our website already); Additional training will be provided as necessary.
High IT literacy or willingness to learn. This includes everything from old and new SEO techniques, affiliate marketing, and “traditional” IT skills and proficiency, to learning and actively seeking out new software packages that will make us all more proficient, productive and exceptional. Excellent opportunity to have creative input into which additional packages we buy and use. Adaptive technology use also highly sought by us. Either familiarity with the same, or learning to use it more effectively;
Willingness to work freelance and or for free until we have ability to pay. Our sales staff are all going to start on commission and we anticipate that we should be able to start “paying” decent rates pretty soon (after month 2 of production or about eight episodes). We want feedback from our initial production teams about how much time it takes to do average story (approximately 4 minutes), so we can create budget and workable time schedule with deliverables that pays you for your time and set goals for ad team to meet.
Flexibility but also dedication to strict timelines and deliverables. Webisodes, like trains and “regular” TV, have deadlines which can’t be broken.
Our company has no “PC” rules, but we are dedicated to diversity. Willingness to work in highly diverse background (including for and with people with disabilities) in a non-discriminatory way is REQUIRED. It is also federal U.S. domestic law. We have received federal funding and therefore, by federal law, are required to follow federal civil rights and labor law, even if our full-time staff at moment is fewer than 15 people. We further intend, as company policy, to adopt best practices of all civil rights and labor law, including the ADA in terms of compliance and enforce it per best practices specifically written into both legislation, and progressive decisions based on best practices, national, state and federal case law precedent, as well as best practices we have developed to the best of our ability of international law and labor practices in particular for those with disabilities. Obviously all EEO standards and regs will be followed scrupulously. We look for the “ability” not the disability. The qualified able-bodied are of course also highly encouraged to apply.
Ability to travel to NoDa (36^th and Davidson area) at least once a week, and further as decided in formal job descriptions and per job type (and per reasonable accommodations that we anticipate will be easy to implement). We want to have one staff meeting a week at our offices both to review week’s episode and to plan for coming ones. We will try to experiment with Skype and/or other conference call/video call type technology to create additional inclusiveness and accessibility, but those who come to work for us who are now on Disability Benefits (I.e. through Vocational Rehab Program) also have access to transportation. There are also two bus lines that stop directly outside our offices. We plan to be as flexible as possible with this policy to the maximum benefit of our employees and thus our company. We look at the ability, not the disability, but remember, we are a private company and we do have deliverables. Our offices even have “Handicapped” Parking spaces directly in front of them. Our offices are fully ADA compliant and accessible.

Desirable Job Skills
We are a new kind of for-profit company, and further a startup, so willingness to wear several hats and multipurpose is required. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, time out of work, or any other prohibited practice that creates disparate impact and unfair if not discriminatory hiring and employment practices.

Bi, Tri or plus fluency (in any other language than English) from Spanish to higher maths, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and all programming languages) a major plus. Not to mention willingness to learn.

We also look at skills, and both informal and formal education. Going to Harvard or CPCC doesn’t give you an advantage at this company. Creativity, dedication, and problem solving are, not to mention customer service. We are an information age economy company. Further, productive workers are ones that use their skills, seek out new ones and are committed to a life time of learning, no matter where it takes place. That philosophy is one that we will instill company wide.

If all or any of the above describes you, send us a resume, website, audio cast or other easily acceptable and decipherable reasons why you are perfect for this company and better yet, what you can teach us, if not compelling reason why you want to join the team.

Send all materials to: marnold222@gmail.com. Use header: “Going Green Applicant.”