Schreiner’s Media Landscape

March 29, 2010

Online Reunions Put the Face Back in Your Book

Filed under: California, Internet, Schreiner Productions, journalism, media, television, video — Ken Schreiner @ 4:38 pm

One of the great underestimations of the power of the Internet is its ability to bring people together. While the same thing was said of TV in its heyday, I can say from experience that, unlike TV which merely gave us all the chance to see the same things at the same time, the Internet’s interactive nature allows us not only to see, read and know things at the same time, but to talk with each other, write to each other, and share our experiences at an entirely new level.

Since I “discovered” Facebook, LinkedIn and other non-activist social networks, I’ve been surprised and pleased at how many old friends, business associates and others from my past I’ve reconnected with. In the case of my business trip to California and Michigan last week, I was able to meet with a number of old pals, including photographer Jeff Simmons (left) and editor Marcia Wolfe (center) whom I worked with at KUSA/Denver back in the 1980s. While I occasionally saw them a few times after that, I lost track of them and hundreds of others through my many moves and finally when I exited TV altogether.

Thanks to Facebook though, I looked up and found them and knowing they were both in San Diego, I drove down there after I finished my work in the LA area and enjoyed a few cold ones on the beach. I wish I was able to spend more time- to enjoy the fantastic weather as well. But now I feel like I can go back any time or, if they move, find them easily.

This ease of tracking down people also made a couple folks I talked with out there uneasy. In fact, they don’t participate in Facebook or other social networks for that very reason and because as one of them told me, “it gives me even more people to feel guilty about not getting back to.” I used to feel that way. But after my California experience, I’d have to say the pros of being on Facebook right now outweigh the cons. Unless- who knows- I lose touch with my bank account from zooming around trying to reconnect with folks.

March 14, 2010

Kevin Garn Scandal: Utah’s Church, State, Corporate Media Out of Touch With Morality

Filed under: California, Children, God, Salt Lake, Utah, dualism, journalism, media, politics, religion — Ken Schreiner @ 10:21 am

“These are tough times. We, as legislators, live in a fishbowl down there. It’s hard to hide anything.”

- Utah Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City

Yup, “tough times”, Scotty. Remember the good, old days when you could take lobbyist money, romp with teeny boppers, drive around drunk and not have to WORRY? Anti-Mormons, religious fanatics, and media watchers alike are in a feeding frenzy over one of Utah’s top politicians and an LDS church leader confessing to molesting a 15-year-old girl, paying her off, then getting the help of the church, corporate media, fellow legislators and others to cover up the whole thing. This is one place where the comments to articles about it are more interesting than the facts as they come to light. They tell the bigger story here.

Because the victim is an adult now and has decided $150,000 wasn’t enough to stay silent forever, it begs the question “Why wasn’t there an investigation?” especially when the incident was reported by the victim to the LDS church but apparently never reported to the police by either party. There’s evidence local media also knew about the incident but didn’t report it even once.

It also is bizarre that Kevin Garn, the perpetrator, makes his confession in front of all his colleagues in the legislature with his “good wife” sitting beside him, after the statute of limitations for any crime possibly committed runs out, and receives hugs and a standing O. An incredibly disturbing show of support for someone who might otherwise be doing time. Truly, exploitation of women is cultural out in Utah. But this was way beyond creepy. It’s as if Garn was being congratulated for getting away with it.

Which begs the final question: how many other Utah politicians are doing the same thing? If they’re that sympathetic with Garn, you know what their mentality is: it’s the GIRL’S FAULT. But if it is, why must it be HIDDEN. If they’re finding it all out from Garn, you know they either didn’t investigate him deliberately, didn’t care about the victim, or are even more ignorant than their crazy, social-engineering legislation (though there’s already lots of evidence to confirm that).

We’ve already seen institutional abuse inside religious corporations with the Catholic church’s priest-boy abuse scandal. We know these monoliths should not be trusted regardless of their power, wealth and self-appointed moral superiority. Combined with the state senate’s leader resigning earlier in the session for a DUI, the continuing defeat of any campaign or legislative ethics reform, the ongoing contempt for voters by government leaders, and the meddling of the LDS church in the affairs of another state’s social issues- California’s Prop 8 banning homosexual marriage- it’s clear that Utah’s leaders are out of touch with morality as well as reality while trying to tell the residents of Utah and the rest of the world how to live.

But don’t take my word for it. Read the comments.

December 23, 2009

Anderson Valley’s Solar-Powered Brewery: Greatest Beer on Earth

Filed under: California, Solar, Utah — Ken Schreiner @ 6:35 pm

boont-amber1I was absolutely blown away by the quality of Anderson Valley’s Boont Amber Ale of Boonville, California after my wife bought a 6-pack the other day. Then I looked at the bottle cap: “Solar-Powered Brewery.” It doesn’t get any better or more sustainable than that. Unless you’re straining hops and water through a sock.

And who wants a Budweiser?

November 8, 2009

No More FedEx Runs: New TurnHere Digital Upload System Heralds Better, Greener Web Video Future

Filed under: California, Internet, Salt Lake, Schreiner Productions, conservation, media, video — Ken Schreiner @ 10:41 am

turnhere-logoOne of my major clients is a company in suburban Oakland, California named Turnhere. They are the world’s largest processor of web video for marketing, advertising and promotion in the world. I’ve been producing material for their various clients like YellowPages.com, CitySearch, OrangeSoda, Simon & Schuster and others for two years now. I’ve done 100 videos for them, each one entailing a fair bit of shooting, editing, burning to DVD and shipping via Federal Express. 100 trips to the FedEx dropoff box wherever I was: Salt Lake, Chicago, Sheridan, Montana. I often edit the material on planes, in cars and hotel rooms, and elsewhere on the road while doing other jobs.

But now the run to the FedEx dropoff is over. Turnhere has launched this outstanding new system where all the materials we contractors generate is sent to them over the Internet. Sending video and other data to FTP sites is nothing new. But to process literally thousands of large-file videos like this every week is a monumental task. Because I’ve been out of town on assignment for a few weeks, I just used the system for the first time the other day. It’s amazing how it’s streamlined my workflow, saves me time and money and eliminates the use of paper, gasoline, packaging materials and other junk that eventually clogs our landfills and lungs.

Turnhere didn’t do it alone. They consulted a lot of us who make videos for them regularly to get our opinions. We told them what we wanted and they listened. This shows again how a truly progressive company can make incredible progress by listening to the people who work for them and always keep their eyes on the prize: serving their customers. I still love FedEx (I will never use UPS again since one of their drivers nearly killed me while I was shooting in Maine in 2004). But I love the Earth and my customers more.

November 3, 2009

After a Month on the Road, I Know I and America are Cookin’ Despite What Right Wingers Say

Filed under: America, Bush, California, Obama, politics — Ken Schreiner @ 4:11 pm

The last few weeks have been encouraging both for me and for the people I’ve done business with. After going through Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Toronto, Chicago, Fort Wayne, IN, Rochester NY and a few other places since October 9, I can say that I’ve learned a number of things. The most memorable one is how optimistic American business people I’ve met are despite what you might think.

These are people who’ve fought the past eight years to survive and put themselves in positions to prosper in the new, resurgent economic situation in the USA. I consider myself among them. The air of partnership, cooperation and momentum is palpable. It’s a slow recovery but good business people are patient. I’m not patient my nature. I had to learn it. Now, I’d like to believe it’s helped make me better, both as a person and business person.

Traveling is not the goal for me or my business. It’s building my life and the lives of those I touch. I’m not a big fan of traveling. What I am a big fan of is learning and sometimes you have to travel to learn. And knowing what I know now, I’m more excited about the future than any other time in my life, except perhaps when I got my first major market reporting job in Denver in 1981.

Bottom line: I was concerned about the future about six months ago. But now, I’m convinced: Things are going to be bigger and better than ever for those working and making it so now, and even those who are still sitting around whining about Obama, liberals, immigrants, gays, and the demise of their white male-dominated fantasy world. I encountered very few of them. Maybe there’s just not as many of them out there as they would like to believe. But I’d like to believe that maybe- finally- they shutting up and getting back to work like the rest of us.

October 14, 2009

Autumn in Southern California’s High Country: Great, But Not Utah

Filed under: America, California, Nature, Sierra Club, Utah, conservation, forest, mining, water, wildlife — Ken Schreiner @ 5:55 pm

lake

Rivalries are an American tradition. Yankees-Red Sox. North-South. Dodge-Chevy. And in the American West, the most intense rivalry is between states who feel theirs is the most beautiful. Most Americans would probably say California is more beautiful than Utah. That’s probably because they’ve never been to Utah.

I’ve had the good fortune to spend the last few days before a major business trip relaxing in Big Bear Lake, California. It’s a long-time resort area built around a human-made lake in the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest about 90 minutes east of LA. The Hollywood elite used to make this their playground. Names of the pine-lined, winding roads include “Wendy” and other characters from Disney’s “Peter Pan.” Now, it’s a resort area that time forgot: without the huge luxury homes you see in a lot of newer areas because the lots are small, Hollywood now owns its vacation homes in Spain, and the lake cabins and cottages, probably luxurious back in 1940, look worn, cramped and ancient. But that’s the source of Big Bear Lake’s charm.

There aren’t even any bears around Big Bear Lake. Unless you count the countless wooden carvings, statues and paintings of bears that are everywhere. Like the Golden bear, California’s official state symbol, which was wiped out by hunting and gold mining more than 100 years ago, the black bears here have long been extirpated. Another victim of our increased need for risk-free vacations. But it’s still a pretty place with lots of restaurants, recreational opportunities and tourists from all over the world. And at 7,000 feet, it’s retained its quietness and remoteness.

But the long-term drought in California has taken its toll. The ground is dry, the trees look parched. There’s a noticeable lack of color compared to New England, Indiana and other places where autumn is startling in its colorful complexity and natural simplicity. Meanwhile, in Utah, the high country is ablaze in color after a normal summer of rain and sun. Reds, yellows, oranges, light greens and near purples splash the mountainsides of the Uintas, Wasatch and other parts of Utah. There are probably parts of California that are similar. Just not this one. And being here now, comfortable and fun as it is, make me look forward to returning to Utah after my business trip, hoping that there will still be enough autumn left to remember- until the next one.

October 12, 2009

Oktoberfest in Big Bear Lake: California Doesn’t Need Schwarzenegger to Get Its Kraut On

Filed under: America, California, Utah — Ken Schreiner @ 6:41 pm

oktoberfest

Big Bear Lake, California: It’s actually a fascinating and easy ten-hour drive from Salt Lake City to this old and popular resort town about an hour-and-a-half east of LA. That is if you don’t mind driving I-15 through Las Vegas or looking at literally miles upon miles of yucca, sand, mountains and blue sky.

For a ski town, Big Bear Lake is less like Aspen and Park City and more like Alta: no frills but a lot of character. When we decided to come here, we didn’t know what it was all about except for hiking, water sports and the usual trees and mountains. But I found out while Googling on my phone while driving back from Montana a few weeks ago that they have an annual Oktoberfest celebration in Big Bear. The highest one in North America according to their web site. And that’s just the altitude without the beer.

Having just attended the Oktoberfest in Snowbird outside Salt Lake just last week, I can safely say Snowbird is higher: 8,000 feet vs. Big Bear’s 7,000. But I must say the Oktoberfest here is a lot crazier than Snowbird’s. Maybe it’s beer, maybe the number of ethnic Germans. But it’s essentially the difference between Los Angeles and Utah. SoCal knows how to party- and where.

Big Bear’s Oktoberfest is their 39th, the same as Snowbird’s. It’s probably more than coincidence. In 1970, America in general and California specifically had finally forgotten about World War 2, Hitler and that ugly episode and was in a party mood thanks to the prevalence of pot, LSD, free love and other fun aids. Unlike California, Utah hit its party wall with Donny and Marie.

Snowbird had several great oompa bands, good local beer and marginal food. Big Bear had one band equipped with headset mics, electric instruments and a repertoire befitting three wedding bands. Better than at Snowbird, they got the people out of their seats and on the dance floor doing everything from the chicken dance to the Munich three-step. And they played for twelve hours.

So as a battle of Oktoberfests, I’d say it’s pretty close to a draw. Big Bear had a smaller facility but packed more people and beer and food stops in it. Snowbird’s tent and dance floor were bigger but not as intimate and not nearly as fun. The important thing here is that the world has apparently moved on from Germany’s “little problem” from about 1930-1945 and is happy to celebrate America’s Teutonic heritage, if only for a weekend. Then again, maybe it’s just about the beer.

May 19, 2009

OK, OK- I Love L.A.: Maturity, Earthquakes, or Just Tired of Fighting It?

Filed under: America, California, China, Hollywood, Nature, Schreiner Productions, Tibet, dualism, media — Ken Schreiner @ 10:52 am

I just spent the last three days in the greater Los An-guh-leez area (as David Letterman used to call it). I shot a couple of videos for Delcam, my British machine tool software client. Delcam is not only the largest companyof its type in the world. Some of its clients are the biggest in their fields as well. In this case, Garner Holt Productions of San Bernardino is the largest maker of animatronics (moving statues) for the theme park industry. And Glidewell Labs of Newport Beach, California is the largest dental machining firm on the planet.

Regardless of their size and stature, the folks at both companies were warm, welcoming, personable, helpful and downright pleasant. A lot of that may have to do with being, as most people are here, in the beauty and entertainment industries. Maybe it’s the perfectly regulated temperatures, ocean and mountain views and beaches. But the general atmosphere in L.A. and southern California has a lot to do with it as well. Despite its reputation of being somewhat kooky and unconventional, the people of this much maligned and worshipped part of the globe are some of the most interesting, outgoing and fun folks anywhere.

This is despite the constant voluminous traffic and resulting noise, continuous Man vs. Nature calamities like wildfires, mudslides and other unstable geological conditions producing regular tremors like the 4.7 earthquake that happened there Sunday night as I sat peacefully in room in Anaheim (which was so close to the highway that I may have felt it but couldn’t tell the difference between it and a 20-ton semi trying to make Vegas by midnight).

In all my travels over the past year and throughout my life, I take mental notes on how the people living in all these places behave, take care of their properties and children, and generally feel about their communities. Not surprisingly, the people of Detroit are perhaps the most angry and miserable of any I’ve encountered (no offense to my friends still there, but it’s true). Ironically, the people of Tibet, after fifty years of genocide and political oppression by their Chinese captors, are perhaps the happiest I’ve experienced. Maybe its their Buddhist-based culture. It sure isn’t the food. Detroit’s problems are so deep and plentiful (economic, racist, traffic, political corruption to name a few) that they almost challenge those of Tibet. Yet the attitudes of the people living in these places could not be more different.

So it is with L.A. I’ve been there a bunch of times over the years. At first, I hated it. Then I found it rather amusing. Now, I enjoy it. As the rest of the world reveres it as the cultural center of Earth, most of America derides it as elitist, anarchist and just plain loony. Regardless, Los Angelinos happily live on through the good and bad karma without remorse, retribution or even recognition of their critics. They don’t appear to care or even notice how unhappy all the people are who insult and degrade the Kingdom of Kal.

My bet is that, contrary to most Americans, they “relate” more to Tibet than Detroit. Which tells me that, despite their many deficiencies and a lifestyle revolving around cosmetic beauty, visual action and the celebration of lunacy, as Randy Newman sang, they still and will always “Love L.A.” And for me, being a little loony is a whole lot better than being really angry.

April 16, 2009

Viral Video of the Week: No, It’s Not LDS Easter or The Latest Glenn Beck Freak-Out

Filed under: California, Hollywood, Internet, media, video — Ken Schreiner @ 2:44 pm

The LDS Church is making a big deal over how their Easter video was tops among viral videos last week. With a network of members as big and Internet-savvy as the Mormons, it’s not that big an accomplishment. What is an accomplishment is when someone creates a viral ad that has no built-in fan base like Fox News Channel or other ideologically-enslaved mass audience and is BOTH effective and entertaining.

That’s what this viral video by the makers of Alpo dog food is: a classic.

February 22, 2009

Chris Buttars’ Ironic Crusade: Utah Legislators Hail Hollywood- Hold the Homos

Filed under: California, Legislature, Utah, documentary, dualism, media, politics, religion — Ken Schreiner @ 11:26 am

One of the great things about the Radical Religious Right (just connect the tops of KKK and you get RRR) is that they provide an inexhaustible supply of irony and hypocrisy. Nowhere is this more evident than in the current debate over homosexual rights in the Republican-dominated Utah legislature. In yet another flaming example of money-based ideology and shaking someone’s hand while stabbing them in the back with the other, Utah’s elected “leaders” are bashing gays and lesbians while courting an industry those people helped create and are instrumental in running.

David Geffen, Barry Diller, Isaac Mizrahi and other openly gay media moguls are probably laughing their- no, not going there- off right now as Utah Republicans push a bill giving the film industry incentives to produce here just as the same political geniuses allow boneheaded bigots like Chris Buttars to slobber about homosexuals being “more dangerous than al-Qaeda” and an “abomination.”

Forget that the party disciplined Buttars for spewing his hate to a documentary producer in violation of the party’s secret agreement. The GOPhers admit “agreeing” with most of what Buttars says and clearly support his political position while merely slapping him down for not following instructions to keep their institutionalized hatred in the closet.

If I was a Hollywood executive, crew member or big star- many of whom are already boycotting Utah after the LDS church’s active support of California’s anti-gay Proposition 8- I wouldn’t take their stupid incentives unless they made homosexual rights part of the bill. I mean, if you follow Chris Buttars’ logic, why don’t we just invite Osama bin Laden to visit Utah and stay free at Grand America?

In the meantime, the Republican Party here continues to alienate the very industry they court. That’s HURTING UTAH’S ECONOMY and local media companies like me who fuel state commerce. HOLLYWOOD GETS IT, UTAH’S REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS DON’T. It’s political hardball, something Utah’s Republican legislators understand and love to play. But what they don’t get- and maybe never will- is that when it comes to human rights, justice and freedom, it’s not just about money. Cash is just the weapon, not the war.

And that’s why this a battle they will lose.

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