Freakonomics author Stephen Dubner says magazines can learn from air-conditioner companies — which confuses me a little, but it’s something about when independent writers should get paid by magazines for the work they do. While I’m not sure I understand the analogy, I do know that for the past 17 years, Hammock enters into its payment system the invoices of writers — and photographers — “upon acceptance,” not “upon publication.” Publication dates can be months after the photo is shot or article is written and accepted, but that shouldn’t have any impact upon when the contributor gets paid.
We don’t often have the kind of major assignments that involve the long lead times that Stephen describes in his blog post. However, on a few occasions, we have contracted with independent editors and videographers for such projects and set up a relationship that takes into consideration the need to “advance” such individuals for work they are being commissioned to do.
Being fair makes a lot of sense to me.
Always an exception to the rule: I double-checked with our accounting department to make sure our policy adhered to the post I was about to publish. It does. However, on very, very rare occasions, I was told, in the tsk-tsk sort of way that accounting department people are known for, an invoice may disappear into thin air. (Translation: It gets stuck on an editor’s or art director’s desk.) Again, that’s very, very rare. And even more rare now that this post has be made.
It’s hard to believe that Hammock Inc. is 17 years old this month. However, when you publish recurring magazines, it’s easy to prove. We’ve created a Flickr set (or at the end of this post) that includes a magazine cover from each of those years, starting with one from our first year in 1991.
Many of us at Hammock are amateur film buffs, and our staff meetings often end with a thumbs up/thumbs down of the weekend’s top movies. At the risk of nominating myself for the ultimate film geek award, I have to admit that, for the past two or three years, I have been on a pursuit to watch all the movies in the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time. Now, I realize that all lists are arbitrary and subjective, but I figured the AFI list was probably better than most, as it was voted on by an army of film experts. I was this close to finishing when, last year, AFI did the unthinkable: They REVISED the list.
After calming down my Taxi Driver-like rage, I started comparing the lists (bemoaning the exclusion of epics like “Doctor Zhivago”) and added the new films to my queue. A few nights ago, I viewed the final movie on my list, “Sunrise,” a 1927 silent film by F.W. Murnau, that tells a beautiful story of forgiveness and redemption.
As a result of my self-imposed cinema class, I’ve created somewhat of a monster. I continue to add new films to my watch list and annoy friends as I pontificate on the finest work of Orson Welles, John Huston and Billy Wilder. If you don’t have time for your own reel-to-reel movie festival (i.e. have more of a life), take a look at a few of the AFI films by genre that earned my critical nod—and beware of a few I wouldn’t rewind:
Western: Most unexpectedly complicated: My dad loves Westerns (he watched double features every Saturday growing up), but I’d rarely agree to watch with him, assuming all were too predictable and cookie-cutter for my taste. But after connecting with Gary Cooper in “High Noon” (1952), Humphrey Bogart in “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” (1948) and John Wayne in “The Searchers” (1956), it’s possible that I’m a new convert to the genre. And who doesn’t enjoy the ironic humor and undeniable charisma of Paul Newman and Robert Redford in 1969’s “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”?
War: Most surprisingly touching: “All Quiet on the Western Front,” a WWI film from 1930, still has relevance in its depiction of the horrors of war (though it fell out of the list in the revised version). It was just as moving to me as 1978’s “The Deer Hunter,” another devastating look at the sacrifices that war demands. And I’m not sure if this fits in the genre since there are no scenes on a battlefield, but I cried like a baby at 1946’s “The Best Years of Our Lives”—a story of three WWII veterans adjusting to very different lives when they return home.
Epic: Most disappointing: For all the films that connected with me, there were many that I just couldn’t recommend, even if I knew I was supposed to like them. David Lean’s 1962 “Lawrence of Arabia” is famous for its lovely cinematography, and the iconic desert scene is definitely a stunner, but it often bored me. Blasphemous, I know.
Probably the worst thing about AFI updating its list is that it forced me to watch two movies by D.W. Griffith. After suffering through three-plus hours of the 1915 “Birth of a Nation,” the AFI gurus of 2007 then said, no, his 1916 “Intolerance” is the superior masterpiece of the silent film era. Another three hours I will never get back.
Though not an epic, the Marx Brothers’ 1933 movie, “Duck Soup,” was just as difficult of a slog. It’s safe to say that the humor of Chico, Harpo, Groucho and Zeppo is lost on me. I did, however, get the unintentional humor of the interminably long “Spartacus” (1960), but I doubt my laughter at the famous “I am Spartacus” scene is the takeaway Stanley Kubrick had in mind.
Romance: Most joyful: I was completely charmed by the 1934 Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert romantic comedy “It Happened One Night.” Its elements—the meet-cute device, the fiery chemistry between the stars and screwball humor—are mimicked in a lot of romantic comedies today, but it did it first and best. All others should bow before this delightful movie’s throne.
This genre is all about the right mix of chemistry: I wasn’t expecting Katharine Hepburn and Bogart to give off quite as much spark as they do in the fun 1951 adventure “The African Queen.” The clever ways that director John Huston shows their affection growing is sweet to watch.
And I better understood Charlie Chaplin’s charm after the bittersweet romance “City Lights” (1931), a story of the Little Tramp’s love for a blind flower girl. You’d have to be made of stone not to tear up at the final scene.
Thriller: Most deliciously creepy: I’ve long been a Hitchcock fan, but I found new things to appreciate in re-watching “Vertigo” (1958), “Psycho” (1960), “North by Northwest” (1959) and “Rear Window” (1954).
The 1950 psychological drama “All About Eve” features a fun twist; the turn Anne Baxter makes from innocent to manipulator, one-upping the great Bette Davis, is chilling to watch.
And I loved the distinctive styles exhibited by Kubrick in the satiric “Dr. Strangelove” (1964) and by Arthur Penn in the taboo-breaking “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967).
That’s (Almost) a Wrap: Finally, here are the AFI films that made it into my top 10:
1. “Casablanca” (1942)—The beautiful cinematography, the unforgettable characters, the spot-on acting, the can’t-it-be-different ending, the memorable dialogue: Not sure what could knock this out of my all-time No. 1 spot.
2. “Citizen Kane” (1941)—You know how some movies get so hyped there’s no way you could ever appreciate them? Orson Welles’ mysterious, spooky, flawlessly constructed masterpiece is not one of them.
3. “The Graduate” (1967)—Benjamin Braddock perfectly embodies the disillusionment of youth. It’s made me a life-long Dustin Hoffman fan, and 1982’s “Tootsie” is another gem. (We’ll forget about the Ishtars.)
4. “On the Waterfront” (1954)—I loved Marlon Brando’s “coulda been a contender” scene, a touching illustration of longing and regret, and it made me better appreciate the actor’s status as the greatest actor of his generation.
5. “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962)—Has there ever been a more heroic character than Gregory Peck’s Atticus Finch?
6. “Chinatown” (1974)—The film’s eerie tension and shocking violence bowled me over. Faye Dunaway is amazing in her freakout scene, and Jack Nicolson’s gritty detective made for just the right anchor for this cool, creepy film noir.
7. “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)— Jimmy Stewart has never been more appealing than in this Frank Capra classic. (I won’t even try to count how many times I’ve seen it.)
8. “Vertigo” (1958) or “Psycho” (1960)—Don’t make me choose!
9. “The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946)—In the taxicab scene with the three war heroes, watch how well the actors play their characters’ ambivalence about returning home.
10. “It Happened One Night” (1934)—Wonder who wins in the Clark vs. Colbert hitchhiking contest?
If you’re a fan of anyone or anything, it’s always great to be around other people who share that passion. But if your coworkers, family or closest friends don’t share in that excitement, where is a fan to turn? Online, of course.
Several of us here at Hammock are fans of the TV show LOST. (The new season in February can’t start soon enough!) But any time we want to talk with like-minded fans when we’re not in the office with each other, a simple Google search of “LOST fan forum” will bring up 984,000 results.
If you are like most marketers and are looking for ways to stretch your advertising dollars in 2009, a new report by Marketing Evolution has the answer for you—magazines. According the report, magazines beat out TV and online media in terms of effectiveness when it comes to influencing audience behavior.
The study focused on an ROI “cost per impact” model that measured brand awareness, brand familiarity and purchase intent. Magazines were especially successful in the categories of branded familiarity and purchase intent. Defining ROI is always a tricky thing, but in this study they use three measurements as a guide:
As you work to finalize your advertising and marketing budgets for 2009, keep in mind these latest research results show that in terms of advertising, magazines are the most cost-effective medium for influencing consumer behavior, a critical part of the sales cycle.
One of the perks of my work at Hammock Inc., is the chance to visit interesting, often unusual places in order to immerse myself more fully in our clients’ activities. Or maybe embed is a better word to use when describing my trip to the annual Modern Day Marine Military Expo aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA.
Co-sponsored by our client, The Marine Corps League and the Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM), the event brings together Marines of all levels of experience and military suppliers for three days of equipment inspections and discussions.
The show has grown steadily over the years, and took an enormous leap this year, growing by 30 percent over last year, with 400 vendors and 8,200 attendees. Besides producing the League’s member magazine, Semper Fi, we also produce the Expo directory; we increased the number for this year by 16 percent, and they were all gone halfway through the three-day show.
Besides attendance, this year’s show may be regarded as a turning point because it occurred as the Marine Corps reshapes itself for future challenges. Every few years, The Marine Corps steps back, looks at the world in which it has to function and makes shrewd calculations about how that world will change in the near future and what the Corps must do to adapt.
This year, the Corps’ new Commandant General James Conway signed off on the Vision and Strategy 2025 report.
Traditionally, the Corps has been America’s “First to Fight” force, moving first and fast to trouble spots to take and hold positions, then turning them over to more permanent forces such as Army troops. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, however, the Corps has maintained an ongoing military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It’s not unheard of for the Corps to play this role, but it’s not their preferred modus operandi. The Corps’ leaders are looking forward to relinquishing that role in the near future and resuming its “expeditionary” function – with Marines based on ships close to potential trouble spots and areas with critical American interests at stake.
The report sees the Marines of 2025 as lean, agile and flexible – able to fight or conduct community and ally building activities or both at the same time. And, as General Conway said at a formal dinner during the Expo, the vendors have to bring the Corps the tools it will need to turn that vision into reality.
Those tools will include new land, sea and air craft, new weaponry, new armor for vehicles and troops, integrated and protected digital communications that will give corporals battlefield awareness and intelligence that today’s commanders lust after.
They will also include robots – which were a special focus of the show, at an “obstacle course” where ‘bots ranging from lawn-tractor sized automatons to toy-like devices the size of shoeboxes. Far from your sci-fi robots such as that on Lost in Space or “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” these machines can nevertheless save lives by doing reconnaissance, bomb detection and disposal, retrieval of wounded and, yes, fighting.
As for the Marines at the show, their interests seemed to correlate with rank and experience. Junior Marines – including a number of newly minted lieutenants, boggled at all the “toys.” Many went for personal items – knives, boots, lights, weapons, flame-resistant apparel. Older, more senior Marines spent more time examining critical tools for battlefield success; their recommendations could soon show up in their hands.
There was a celebrity sighting – R. Lee Ermey, of drill instructor fame from “Full Metal Jacket” – is a regular guest at the show, playing in a golf tournament and signing autographs to help raise funds for the Marine Corps League’s Young Marines program.
More photos of the event may be seen here.
Think about your favorite websites, the ones you frequent most often for news, sports, shopping and entertainment. What do they have in common?
Now think about your own website. Does it have those same characteristics? If not, it may be time for a simple update or a total redesign. Here are five questions to ask yourself:
Our client, NFIB, believes strongly that the decisions voters make on Election Day at the polls will have profound effects on their lives—and that the effect is even stronger for those who own or work for a small business. That’s why we dedicated more than half of the pages of the October/November 2008 issue of MyBusiness, the magazine we publish for NFIB, to the election—specifically to the information small business voters should be armed with before making those important decisions on Nov. 4.
For those still trying to make sense of the issues and where the candidates stand, we compiled the reader-friendly Voting for Small Business feature, which outlines the issues (think healthcare, taxes, energy and labor) affecting small business and both Sens. John McCain’s and Barack Obama’s positions on them.
Every two years the National Federation of Independent Business holds its National Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C. The event brings together America’s most politically active entrepreneurs as well as key congressional and business leaders.
In 2008, NFIB turned to Hammock to help solve two of their post-Summit needs: 1) Provide members who did not attend the Summit highlights of the event beyond the traditional few pages of coverage in MyBusiness, NFIB’s member magazine, and 2.) Generate additional advertising revenue. To meet these goals, Hammock worked with NFIB to create and distribute a special, multimedia, digital edition supplement of MyBusiness covering the highlights of the Small Business Summit.
