New Year Resolution – Go to the Center of Our Core

“… and do an in-depth self-examination to realize health, happiness, fame, and fortune.”

I promise you’ll see tons of “Top Ten Lists” for New Year Resolutions. Totally random stuff; about losing weight, hitting the gym, eating right, fixing our relationships, crossing things off your bucket list, and getting your finances in order.

That’s fine and dandy. If you love New Year Resolutions, and they work for you, then please, have it! Also, comment below that they work for you because I don’t have any friends that say New Year Resolutions work!

As for me, I’ll jump straight to the point of this article: with the New Year upon us, it’s not time to start a trendy Resolution just because of a date change at year end.

Here we go…

The Observation:

There are times when life seems to stagnate and that starts to build frustration. Some of us may just keep doing the same thing day-in and day-out hoping for a better outcome.  Others may make some changes in their life and life style.  However, small changes to our comfort zone may fail to alleviate any sense of stagnancy or frustration in our life… and we may need to examine our lives and ourselves more deeply to find the right place to start the journey to a more satisfying better tomorrow.

The Realization:

Everything we need for success and joy lies within. But so often, life’s debris accumulates, building layers around our core that makes it difficult to access the truth that resides within. To reach the depth we wish to access, we must dive below these layers to the deepest parts of ourselves.

The Evaluation:

The first layer can be found in our minds. Our to-do lists and busy work are usually less important than we think, so we must look past them to examine the thoughts that matter most to us.

The next layer can be found in our hearts, where past hurts and disappointments can sometimes cover up our vulnerabilities, as well as the truth of who and what really stirs the love and trust within us.

The Action:

We can and we must to go even deeper – to our center. If we can go beyond anything that has affected us to the point that it blocks us at the gut level, we can reconnect with our power, our raw instincts, and our natural organic evolution.  Here, at the core, lies our truth. Our core is our foundation that supports us and what we’d like to build our authentic life upon.

The Summation:

When we examine ourselves to these depths, we are able to find what we wish to bring to the surface and what we wish to let go. When we re-discover what lies beneath our layers, we can look at what was floating on the surface, causing blocks and pains, and understand the purpose that they served.

The Wisdom:

Go deep, live life from your truth within, and watch your innate beauty manifest outward… with fame and fortune as the by-product of your journey.

The Question:

What do you think… can it work for you too?

Anant B. Goel

Producer CEO – RKNet Studios

LinkedIn Connection: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/anant-goel/47/526/328

News Article: http://www.prweb.com/releases/RKNet_Studios/Bollywood_Movie/prweb9897532.htm

[Based on excerpts from posts, blogs, media articles, and sponsored research]

Do you really want to be an Actor?

I got into the movie business only recently; and as a producer I receive, almost weekly, half a dozen calls; e-mails; and Facebook messages from aspiring actors… all seeking the chance to act in the next big movie. The irony is; I’m not even a producer of any significant fame or fortune.

So, I reached out to my Hollywood/Bollywood friends─ producers and directors; with an objective to do some fact finding research on this so desirable and sought after career of becoming an actor or a model. In this article; I’ve used Hollywood as reference… but it applies equally well to those heading out to Bollywood.

Well, first let me tell you this…

“Acting is hard work, and it’s extremely competitive.  If you are easily discouraged; then this is not the career for you. If you can’t take criticism; you should explore another career. If you are self-conscious about your appearance; this is definitely not the path you should take.”

“Actors not only need to be able to work hard, but they also need to be able to work well with people of varying backgrounds, temperament and personalities. Taking harsh criticism and experiencing rejection is an everyday occurrence for an actor or a model. You need to have a thick skin, take rejection, and be able to listen.”

Having said, that let me introduce you to some harsh realities of this business.  And after reading all the good advice, if you still want to be an actor or a model… then read the last part of this article for unbiased advice.

Many people are given false hope about their chances to “get a role in a nice movie” and think all they need to do is move to Los Angeles [or Mumbai] and “get discovered.” It is VERY depressing when it doesn’t happen.

Since I’m not related to you, I’ll give it to you straight…

If you are not related to someone already in the industry, your chances of getting any featured role are minuscule. Think about it. How many people in the business marry other people in the business? How many have children? How many of those children also want to be in the business? Add on all the nieces, nephews, grandchildren and cousins, and there is no more room left at the top.

In my research, I found out that an average of 125 wannabes (people who hope to act in feature films) from around the world move to Southern California every day.

Every single day?

I have heard about casting calls where 500 people are called in for one part in the movie.

One single part in the movie?

The truth is, there are many more actors than roles. Big films in nearly every case want only A-list actors… or at least B-list actors from the top 12,000 on IMDb. No matter how great an unknown actor you may be, audiences won’t pay money to see someone they don’t know, and studios simply can’t run the risk of using an unknown. Even featured extras usually have at least an IMDb profile.

Wannabes must spend lots of money on acting/singing/dancing lessons, and there are plenty of teachers, but without a good one, you waste both time and money. You probably can’t even get in with the best, because you can’t afford them, and they won’t take you. Trouble is, even the best teacher can’t get you work.

Actors new to Tinseltown* know they need an agent, but can easily fall into the clutches of agents who charge them for “lessons” or “photographs/headshots” or “reels.”  If you’re with such an agency, run away! No Legitimate Talent Agency Charges Actors to Represent Them.

[ Tinseltown: slang term for Hollywood as all celebrities and glitter but no real substance]

Every actor needs an agent on their side, to put them up for only the decent roles. Agents know the sleaze-bags, and steer clear, but getting a good agent is tough. I know a world-class actor who has been in Los Angeles over nine years and still hasn’t found an agent. Sad to say, most of the time it doesn’t matter how gifted, determined, talented, hard-working, beautiful, tenacious, young, educated, or perfect-for-the-part someone is…if they haven’t got an agent willing to do everything in their power to push their client for a role, they will never work in this town.

Most people who try to act in Southern California end up leaving within six months. Of those who stay, most end up in other jobs not even related to the film industry. Of those who do find work in the business, much of it is unpaid “internships” which in many cases are closer to slavery than anything else, and will never lead to an acting role. Others end up deciding to “be close” by filling jobs in crew positions, and can be happy there and make a contribution, but those jobs are also few. People going to [Hollywood or Bollywood] do not realize how hard it is to get a job doing anything at all in Los Angeles or Mumbai. There are usually more people than acting roles [or other jobs] in the movie business.

I’ve heard it said…

“… If you can do ANYTHING else, do it.”

I’ve also heard…

“… If you must act, move to a small town with a good community theater, and perform there. It’s not usually paid, so you will need to have another job, but you can act in front of a live audience and it may be enough for you.

Now many cameras have HD capability, and Indie producers are cropping up everywhere, and starting to make films. This is a good opportunity for actors, as these men and women work in cities all over the world not just Los Angeles or Mumbai.

Sadly, you will also run into the same trouble-creeps who only want to make porn, and are often deceptive… or some terrific, determined filmmakers committed to create, but who sold everything they owned just to buy a Canon Mark 5 and now can’t afford to pay their actors.

Don’t get depressed and never do anything to compromise your values. And after reading all the good advice, if you still want to be an actor or a model… then read the rest of this article for some unbiased advice…

• For most actors, it can take a lot of time and effort to get consistently paying work in the movie business. One true thing about the business is that it’s really about who you know… and even then it often does not happen. Actors need to build their network and constantly make connections with other actors, directors, producers, casting directors, writers and everyone else involved in the business.
• Taking classes and going to film screenings can be just as important as auditioning because most significant roles that pay will not be advertised to the unrepresented non-union actors… unless the producer is looking for something very specific that is difficult to find. I see so much competition for the very few good gigs out there.
• The best actors are all “naturals” and don’t need any training? The handful of talented and successful untrained actors is the exception that proves the rule. The greatest actors from [write your list] to [write your list] all received extensive training and continued to train throughout their careers. Training enhances your talent and gives an actor the tools to be able to sustain a career on stage and screen.
• Actors must be thin and beautiful? Look, it definitely helps to be stunningly beautiful, but you can carve out a successful career even if you don’t look like a supermodel. It’s important to know and understand your type (something we’ll discuss in detail later). A film or play or television show is a snap shot of the world and the world contains people of all shapes, sizes and colors.
• Everyone’s financial situation is different, so I can’t suggest what you should do while looking for the paying acting jobs. I can only suggest that you find something that you enjoy because so many actors become miserable and jaded because they have soul sucking day jobs. I hope more actors recognize the value of a day job that puts food on the table and roof over their head; and consider the acting as their happy place and the second job they really love.
• You also might want to build your résumé by doing student films, shorts, YouTube videos, and other no or low paying projects. These projects can offer meaty roles to non-union actors. Today’s students are tomorrow’s professionals and many student films and shorts go on to festivals where your work may be noticed by people in the industry.
• As for joining the union, only you can decide if you are ready for that step, but there are a lot of talented people in SAG-AFTRA and just being in the union is not enough.
• Other agents and casting directors may disagree with me, but I think mailings are rarely helpful. I have owned several small businesses and I do not have time to go through all the mail I get. If you are looking for paid roles in fully budgeted films you will need good representation, and to get that representation it takes a body of work as well as a recommendation from a teacher, CD, or manager as well as luck and timing.
• On the subject of nudity… it’s a personal matter and you are the best judge of it. However, be aware that if someone asks you for sex up front, they are not SAG signatories or are mainstream producers. If their last name is Shyamalan, Coppola or Lucas however, get naked, if not, seriously reconsider. Chances are slim that anyone can make it in this industry to the degree they can support themselves but, if a part calls for nudity then your agent should be able to advise you.
• Last but not least, the subject [or issue] of casting couch syndrome.  Careers which are highly desirable and traditionally difficult to break into, such as the movie, television, and music industries have been the subject of casting couch stories in popular culture. Such trading of favors is an abuse of power, and can become a wider sex scandal if deemed newsworthy.

Things are getting so bad right now with people showing up from developing countries, where their entire neighborhoods pooled resources to get the one talented kid a one-way ticket to Los Angeles [or Mumbai], and expect her to play opposite Brad Pitt [ or Salman Khan] by next Monday, when her weekly motel bill comes due.

Social workers in Los Angeles [and Mumbai] are pulling out their hair, because the “come and be discovered” story is alive and well in the corn belt of US, Calcutta, and N’djamena.

Young women are often targeted… and if they get on the plane for Los Angeles, or slow train to Mumbai, I am sad to inform you, they are often taken advantage of in an unfortunately thriving area of the city. http://www.weaveinc.org/post/facts-about-human-trafficking

I am very glad to see that there really are many good guys left in the industry, but sadly, people with no connection to it whatsoever are using it to coerce beautiful young people in to real danger. My hope is that the bad element can be stopped… and one way this can happen is thru education. Anyone who promises to “put you in a movie” based only upon your pretty face is probably not really a filmmaker, and could put your health and your life in real danger.

Here’s the bottom line…

Do you really want to be an actor?

So many people go into the movie business for the wrong reasons or they think that success as an actor is all about the accumulation of wealth. The fact is that most actors are far from wealthy, and it is important to define how you measure success. Here’s a test from a blog by Destiny Lilly…

1. Which is more important to you?

a. taking on challenging roles
b. having a role (of any size) in a big budget feature film
c. walking the red carpet at major Hollywood events
d. proving your haters wrong when you become successful

2. Which actor’s career is most like the one you wish to have?

a. Will Smith
b. Jackie Chan
c. Anthony Mackie
d. Wilmer Valderrama

3. Besides acting, what other job would like to take on?

a. Something creative
b. Medicine or maybe the law
c. A job that is very hands on
d. A cushy desk job
e. I couldn’t do anything else except acting

Responses: Give yourself points for the answers as follows…

1. a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4
2. a. 3    b. 4 c. 1 d. 2
3. a. 1 b. 1 c. 1 d. 2 e. e. 4

The Results:

A score of 9-12 means that you are probably more interested in the fame and fortune or you are not realistic about the day-to-day struggles of an acting career. I suggest finding a different path, or if you really want to act and you are able to see your career realistically, maybe you should take a step back for now and develop some interests. Read, see the world, learn to cook, and then take another step into the acting world.

A score of 5- 8 means that you have some of the right mindset, but you still need to develop a little before you will be ready to start a successful acting career. I suggest you look at your definition of success and see if you can broaden it to include goals outside of your career. What makes you happy besides acting? If you can’t think of anything then you should find something, your happiness should not be tied exclusively to your work.

A score of 4 or less clearly means that you are on the right path. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders and even though you have big goals, you understand that success and fulfillment do not necessarily lie in your next acting job.

In closing…

“… I don’t sell false hope to anyone. I actually encourage people to examine their choices. No one is forcing you or anyone else to pursue this acting career.”

Nepotism:

The subject of nepotism in the movie business comes up very often and the reasons and concerns are valid.  It seems the relatives of important [and famous] people in the movie business are hired more often compared to the unknown talent… especially in Bollywood.

In Hollywood, the circle of nepotism is larger and includes not only the relatives but also the friends. The part about hiring friends is important because… living in Los Angeles [or Mumbai], you and I hang out with a lot of other filmmakers in all of the various crafts, and each time when we scrape together enough resources to shoot something, obviously the first people we’re going to call first are our friends who have stuck by us through the lean times.

It only makes sense, right? My friends are professionals in their various fields─ including as actors─ so why would I look for people I don’t know to fill roles that can easily and effectively be filled by people I know, respect and love?  Granted, that for every job in the entertainment business there are hundreds of people who want that job and many of those people are extremely suited at that skill-set.

Many, many people have talent; and some of those fewer people that have talent are also my friends. So, when it comes time to spend 18 hours a day, for four to six weeks, on the pressure-cooker that is a film set… why would I want to do it with people I don’t already know?

All of which is to say…

If Hollywood/Bollywood ran purely on nepotism, you’re screwed if you’re not related. Fortunately that is not the case.

Hollywood is a bunch of friends who want to get together and make cool stuff and have fun.  And if you want to make cool stuff and have fun AND you get to know the people who are doing so [on any level] without an agenda or demands, eventually someone will invite you to come and play in their sandbox and build a fantastical castle with them…

…that’s how you break into the showbiz and the movie business.

Anant Goel

Producer CEO – RKNet Studios

LinkedIn Connection: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/anant-goel/47/526/328

News Article: http://www.prweb.com/releases/RKNet_Studios/Bollywood_Movie/prweb9897532.htm

Blog Article: https://rknetstudios.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/hollywood-vod-is-the-beginning-to-an-end/

[Based on excerpts from posts, blogs, media articles, and sponsored research]

How to Succeed as Chief Marketing Officer in the Internet Age

“Marketing is the management process that identifies, anticipates and satisfies customer requirements profitably” … definition by The Chartered Institute of Marketing

“Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they want and need through creating, offering and exchanging products of value with others” … definition by Marketing Professor Dr. Philip Kotler 1991

Well, there are dozens of other definitions of marketing floating around that are penned by some very important and famous teachers and marketers of our time. 

However, “…there is no simple or one single definition of marketing in the 21^st century.”

Having said that, it only makes sense to point out that the marketing is evolving and is getting more complex, and in this day and age one simple definition of marketing does not suffice any longer.

Let’s take a look and see what the modern age marketers are dealing with…

In this age of one-stop jetliners and Internet; we are all connected across continents and engaged in a global economy. Trading on the global platform to buy and sell products/services is necessary and not an option.

With technological changes─ like the Internet, the Web 2.0, social networks, and mobile smartphones ─ that are continuously challenging our traditional marketing strategy mixes, many of us marketers may feel like we can’t keep up. Despite all of these changes, a lot of the fundamental marketing practices still work. However, changes are necessary and must be implemented to stay relevant and be a dynamic vibrant business entity… and not just become yesterday’s news.

Integrated Marketing:

A new breed of executive level professional marketers [CMOs] is emerging with demonstrated expertise in Integrated marketing… which includes best of breed Traditional Marketing, Inbound [or Internet] Marketing, and Social Media Viral Marketing.

In the Internet driven global markets, Internet Marketing and Social Media Viral Marketing are the two new buzz words that must be added to our Traditional Marketing channel.  Online viral marketing strategies include the best of breed from Internet Marketing and Social Media Marketing for products and services.

The purpose of this report is to summarize the key elements of Integrated Marketing that the CMOs must implement to succeed… for new age promotions, advertising, reputation management, business funding, business development and business growth.

Business Development:

Business development is a combination of strategic planning, analysis, marketing, and sales. Business development professionals can be involved in everything from the development of products and services, to the creation of marketing strategies, to the generation of sales leads, to negotiating and closing deals.

The job of the business development professional is typically to identify new business opportunities─ whether that means new markets, new partnerships with other businesses, new ways to reach existing markets, or new product or service offerings to better meet the needs of existing markets─ and then to go out and exploit those opportunities to bring-in more revenue.

What is Online Viral Marketing?

Viral marketing is about encouraging customers, investors, and other people─ from the B2B and B2C food chain─ to actively participate in the sales process and spread the word about your company or organization.

When people share information about their experiences with your company, they play a role in creating positive word-of-mouth advertising for your business… assuming that the experiences they choose to share are positive. Simply hoping that customers decide to spread the word on their own isn’t enough. Effective viral marketing campaigns have to be based on quality, appealing content that gives customers a reason to want to pass on information about your company to their friends and contacts… but it’s also important to make it easy for them to do so.

Five Elements of Success:

Here’s my five point list for Chief Marketing Officers [CMOs] and is in order of relevance…

1) CMO’s should formulate and frequently visit the ‘Demographic Marketing’ strategy for products and services offered by their company. Unless you are P&G selling toothpaste to every single mouth [with teeth] on this planet, you must focus your resources on demographic marketing to…

a) Identify the target market for your product [or develop a product for the target market],

b) Establish where to find your target market, and

c) Find ways to reach this target market cost effectively.

Know and get a grasp on generational marketing in the context of their demographic relevance. Understanding your target customers’ demographics helps you determine exactly what your products or services will be, and what kind of marketing/customer service tactics work best. If you don’t speak to their lifestyle, a customer will tune you out. Get a firm grasp on the lifestyles of the four very distinct generations:

• Gen I: The Internet generation, they’re the children of the youngest boomers. Because this generation is still very young, marketing and demographics theories are still developing. One huge distinction, however, can be made: this generation is the only one to be born entirely in the Internet era, and to parents who are generally more accepting and knowledgeable of such technology.
• Gen Y: Also referred to as millenials or “echo boomers,” they are the children of boomers, ages nine to 27. Because of higher costs of living or, in some cases, the over-protective nature of their boomer parents, many are choosing to live at home. University of Michigan professor Bob Schoeni told Time magazine that the percentage of 26-year-olds living with their parents rose from 11 percent to 20 percent between 1970 and 2004. They’re 75 million strong and they have disposable income because of their parents’ support. Growing up with computers means this generation is especially responsive to Internet campaigns. They process information quickly and are especially brand loyal. Gen Y like innovative marketing approaches and advertising that uses humor or is “outside the box.”
• Gen X: They are perhaps the most overlooked generation, falling in the shadow of the powerful baby-boom generation. The 44 million strong Gen X; born between 1965 and 1975, are entering their peak earning and buying years. They’re tech-savvy and love to shop. They have a high value for education and knowledge. Unlike Gen Y, brand prestige alone won’t woo this generation… let them know why your product is a good value. They are independent and like to save.
• Boomers: It’s only recently that the marketers are awakening to the buying power of this 76 million-strong group. On average, boomers spend $400 billion more per year than any other generation. They’re at many life stages: empty nesters or full nesters, boomer grandparents, single or married, etc. What they have in common is exceptional drive and the ability to evaluate advertising and determine its value to them. Between 2005 and 2030, the over-60 group will grow by 80 percent… and as they age, be careful not to label them as “old.” This generation has a Peter Pan complex… play up their youthfulness in marketing.

2) CMOs should be consistent in their marketing message across all Marketing Channels─ including Traditional Marketing, Internet Marketing, and Social Media Viral Marketing. Too many CMOs focus on the ‘big brand’; and then totally ignore what happens in social channels, on their own corporate website, in the traditional sales channels, and at events and promotions, etc. Everyone may love that 30-second TV spot or that billboard on Interstate 95… but when your brand advertising is totally disconnected from the experience that customers, prospects, media/press/analysts/ partners have when dealing with your company’s brand─ then it all fails.

3) CMOs need to consult and get feedback from front line producers─ people that actually DO THINGS vs. simply managing the operations. For example, CMOs should meet regularly with sales/support/service leaders within the company─ senior people who actually participate in sales pitches and deal with real issues on a daily basis, and also talk to old and new customers, etc. Often times CMOs feel so ‘above the fray’ that they make decisions without consulting the very people that make their organizations run.

4) On average, most CMOs last about 23 months in the job. If the CMOs follow the first three steps; and use their time on the job to find out what’s really going-on, and formulate a strategy to solve problems and take advantage of opportunities… perhaps their tenure will not be so short. If they follow points 1 thru 3; they will also have the support of those who matter most.

5) With the mass adaptation of Internet, Web 2.0, and mobile smartphone technologies; there are many more people who SAY they know what they are talking about vs. those who actually KNOW what they are talking about. So, before hiring a big brain, ask what THEY HAVE DONE lately. Discount what company they have worked for. Discount the books they have written about social media to build their brand. If the ‘expert ‘ doesn’t have any tracks on the dirt; you know they are totally full of it.

In the 21st century, good marketers practice best of breed Integrated Viral Marketing [Traditional Marketing, Internet Marketing, and Social Media Viral Marketing] on a Demographics platform for both functional effectiveness and cost effectiveness.

Sadly, there are lots of bad and pretend marketers out there. No wonder the average tenure of a CMO in the US is about 23 months.

The Internet, the Web 2.0, and global social media networks have leveled the playing field by offering the small business owner the same global market opportunities as presented to a multi-national public corporation.

Effective Integrated Marketing and Online Viral Marketing will bring you customers; boost your sales, enhance your credibility & patronage… and eventually add to your revenues and profitability.

Anant Goel

CEO – EZ Marketing Inc.

Producer CEO – RKNet Studios

LinkedIn Connection: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/anant-goel/47/526/328

News Article: http://www.prweb.com/releases/RKNet_Studios/Bollywood_Movie/prweb9897532.htm

[Based on excerpts from posts, blogs, media articles, and sponsored research]

VOD and Home Theater to Rescue Indie Films | Threaten Hollywood

The box-office numbers make clear that releasing an independent movie on the big screen is a high-stakes gamble with long odds. So far this year, only six out of 274 movies that opened in a handful of theaters expanded to more than 600 locations, the threshold commonly used to define a “nationwide” release, according to Hollywood.com.

“The statistics are extremely sobering,” said Tom Quinn, co-President at Harvey and Bob Weinstein’s Radius-TWC partners. “The traditional model only makes sense anymore if you believe in your heart of hearts that your movie will gross more than $20 million.”

“It has become harder to generate revenue from independent movies [in theaters] and VOD is our next best option,” said Kevin Iwashina, managing partner of film production and sales company Preferred Content. “This is how we’re putting a Band-Aid on our business.”

Since the advent of videocassette in the 1980s, film fans typically had to wait at least three months after a movie opened at a local cinema until they could rent it at home through cable or the Internet.

But in a market with theatrical advertising costs rising, DVD sales plummeting and the local multiplex dominated by films about superheroes and cartoon animals, independent movie producers are desperate for alternatives. With VOD, the returns may be smaller than for a box office smash, but the odds of turning a profit are higher.

Video On Demand

The dark comedy “Bachelorette” exemplifies the trend: It has grossed about $5.5 million from video-on-demand (or VOD) rentals since premiering in August last year, compared with a paltry $418,000 earned in theaters.

In addition to “Bachelorette,” other recent VOD hits include last month’s critically acclaimed drama “Arbitrage,” starring Richard Gere. And late last year the simultaneous VOD/theatrical release of “Margin Call,” an independently financed picture about the financial crisis, was a critical and commercial success and earned an Academy Award nomination for original screenplay.

Struggling to compete with big-budget movies at the box office, indie films are increasingly finding a lucrative niche in one of Hollywood’s fastest-growing markets: Video on Demand. The number of films released in theaters and video on demand at the same time nearly doubled from 2009 to 2011 and is projected to jump about 30% this year, to 68.

VOD transactions have surged by 1 billion to 8.8 billion in 2011, according to a new study by Rentrak, but most of the movies released directly in this format have been low-budget art house fare like “Margin Call.” But Mel Gibson movie “Get the Gringo”, which the actor stars in, co-wrote and produced, is a relatively lavish action film that theoretically could have enjoyed a wide release at the multiplex.

Mel Gibson’s new movie, “Get the Gringo,” rolled into a handful of theaters for what is certain to be the shortest theatrical run in the actor’s history: one night.

That’s because Gibson’s latest self-financed film, a $20-million, south-of-the-border crime drama set in a Mexican prison, won’t appear in theaters beyond the one night premiere in Austin, Texas, which was simulcast into a few auditoriums around the country. Instead, “Get the Gringo” skipped theatrical run entirely; and did a digital distribution on the satellite service DirecTV in one of the boldest bets on video-on-demand programming.

Mel Gibson, in addition to all of his legal problems, has struggled at the box office recently. Last year, “The Beaver” failed to gross even $1 million, and the year before his $80-million drama “Edge of Darkness” sold just $43.3 million in tickets domestically.

“We’re just in a different era,” Gibson said at an Austin theater following the film’s premiere. “Many people just like to see things in their homes. It’s just another way to do it and a better way to do it. I think it’s the future.”

Mel Gibson is bypassing theaters and releasing his latest $20 million picture ‘Get the Gringo’” on pay-television, a move other producers are pursuing as consumers spend more to watch movies from home.

“Get the Gringo,” which stars the 56-year-old actor as a career criminal who finds himself in a Mexican prison, will be available solely on Direct TV for $9.99, before its DVD release. The satellite service is promoting the film to its 20 million U.S. customers on TV, via e-mail and on its website.

Gibson track record means the so-called Mel Model will be watched. His 2004 independent release, “The Passion of the Christ,” grossed $611 million in worldwide ticket sales. While his reputation may have made it difficult to get theatrical distribution, the VOD experiment will appeal to other filmmakers who don’t have the same resources, said Phil Contrino, editor of film researcher BoxOffice.com.

“This is a way that his fan base will find the movie,” Contrino said in an interview, citing Gibson artistic respectability. Smaller-budget films may not warrant a $30 million outlay to get into theaters, he said.

“Get the Gringo” could have had traditional theatrical distribution, said Mike Dunn, president of Los Angeles-based Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, which is distributing the picture. He said he’s gotten calls from other producers asking about releasing a film first on pay TV.

“It’s a new model that goes broad quickly,” Dunn said. “A lot of films will go this direction.”

Smarter Way

Gibson, who financed the $20 million production cost, will get a larger share of revenue from DirecTV, receive payment sooner, and shell out less in distribution fees than with a traditional theatrical release, according to Mark Gooder, chief executive officer of Icon Productions LLC, the actor’s Santa Monica, California-based company.

“We’d been having conversations about digital platforms,” Gooder said in an interview. “We said to ourselves, we’ve got this film here, we paid for it, is there a smarter way of getting it out?'”

Right on!

A major-studio cutback in the number of film titles has forced some independent filmmakers to look for alternatives. The major studios released 141 movies last year, a 31 percent decrease from 2006, according to statistics from the Motion Picture Association of America.

Home Theaters

The estimated the cost of advertising and printing copies of a movie for a 2,000-screen release is at $28 million. “The theatrical experience is still a huge driving factor, but there is parallel model,” Gooder said.

Home-theater systems have improved the living-room viewing experience, and audiences have gotten used to VOD options from the likes of Netflix and Amazon.  A high-definition version of the movie ‘Get the Gringo” will cost $10.99, according to Fox.

In the US, pay-TV purchases increased 8 percent over the past two years to 278 million videos, according to Bruce Goerlich, chief research officer at Rentrak Corp., which compiles industry statistics. Video-on-demand sales rose 6.8 percent to $505 million in the first quarter, according to the studio-run Digital Entertainment Group.

The financial-crisis film “Margin Call” was released simultaneously last year in theaters and on pay television, generating 600,000 video-on-demand transactions, according to Peter Wilkes, a spokesman for Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. The movie grossed $5.4 million in domestic theaters and $4 million in video on demand purchases.

Studios have also weighed so-called premium VOD. Comcast Corp.’s Universal Pictures abandoned a plan last October to release the Eddie Murphy film “Tower Heist” for $59.99 on pay TV three weeks after its theatrical release, after exhibitors threatened a boycott.  Can you believe charging $60 for a video-on-demand screening of Eddy Murphy movie?

In closing…

Mel Gibson is going straight to VOD with his latest film “Get the Gringo”.  He financed the $20 million film himself and wants to see if he can do similar numbers to how he did with self releasing “Passion of The Christ” in theaters. It will be an interesting experiment; since going straight to VOD means he doesn’t have to spend even a fraction of what he would spend on marketing a theatrical release, so it could potentially mean more profits for him. BUT, the questions remain will people choose to actually consume his movie on the VOD medium (in this case it’s only on Direct TV) vs. going to the movie theaters.

What do you think?

“If you take four people to the cinema you’re paying 100 bucks for the babysitter and something to eat and everything else,” he said. “With this VOD screening on Home Theater it’s just 10 bucks.”

“This will eventually work out to be a great business model but the first movers on this are going to have a tough time,” said J.C. Spink, a producer of “The Ring” and “I Am Number Four.”

Nonetheless, many filmmakers remain skeptical that VOD can bring them the same prestige, not to mention profits, as the big screen, where quality movies have always premiered.

Future of Video on Demand

Just about a year ago; former Magnolia execs Tom Quinn and Jason Janego were hired by Harvey and Bob Weinstein to launch Radius-TWC, their first division dedicated to releasing acquisitions in a multi-platform strategy where films premiere first on VOD at a $10 price that drops to $7 when the film reaches theaters.

This VOD-centric business is still being honed, and it’s a lightning rod for debate.

Theatrical release traditionalists call it a second class way to release films, little more than shuffling the deck to place the ancillary revenue cycle before the theater part that always came first. Exhibitors, concerned that giving screens to films that go VOD first is potentially harmful to their business, are also torn. Stars accustomed to seeing their work on big screens with big P&A commitments are also worried.

At the same time, Margin Call, Bachelorette , Get the Gringo and other films show there is a viable business here, particularly for films that don’t justify a big P&A spend. Considering how Harvey can dominate the festival acquisition market, everyone’s waiting to see how Radius-TWC will influence the multi-platform game.

Quinn and Janego made their first splash with Bachelorette, a pitch black comedy acquired during Sundance for $2 million, and which topped the iTunes movie rankings before it rolled out to the theaters.

Where to from here?

Movie: Pyar Mein Kyun

Well, we just have to wait and see. However; the prospects for quality VOD screening first, or simultaneously with platform theatrical release, look bright considering the success of recent indie movies and, of course, the bold VOD business strategy by Harvey and Bob Weinstein to launch Radius-TWC, their first division dedicated to releasing acquisitions in a multi-platform strategy where films premiere first on VOD at a $10 price that drops to $7 when the film reaches theaters.

To this witches brew; if you add VOD experiment of Mel Gibson going direct with his movie “Get the Gringo”… we have some explosive possibilities that may shake the very core of Hollywood as we know it.

Anant B. Goel

Producer CEO – RKNet Studios

Producer – Movie Pyar Mein Kyun

Based on excerpts, news articles, blog articles, and sponsored research.

RKNet Studios and Aary Films Announce US Premiere of Romantic Thriller PMK as an Exclusive Red Carpet Bollywood Event for New York

Movie personalities and celebrities are expected at this event that will be the first ever full-fledged Red Carpet Premiere for an independent Bollywood movie in New York City.

New York City, New York (PRWeb) September 10, 2012

Why In Love ?

RKNet Studios and Aary Films will host the USA premiere of Pyar Mein Kyun (PMK) on Tuesday, September 25th─ at SVA Theater on 23^rd Street, to celebrate the VIP screening of an extraordinary Bollywood motion picture that is produced in the US for the 700 million English speaking global audiences.

Movie PMK premiere guests, media, and VIP celebrities will be given an evening of fabulous pampering treatment with Red Carpet walk… while photographers take celebrity pictures and ‘live’ TV shoot of interviews is taking place.  Select Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities and our own celebrity cast and crew will conduct interviews with our guests on their recount of the experience at the Red Carpet event. After the Red Carpet walk, guests will enter the SVA Theater for a lavish reception followed by the premiere screening of movie PMK.  After the exit interviews, VIP guests are invited to an after event party at Empire Room in the New York City Landmark─ the Empire State Building.

Created by award winning film writer/director Hyder Bilgrami; the movie PMK is a classy romantic thriller with twist and turns that provide drama, entertainment, mystique and a thrilling experience. Hollywood movies can take the age old story of love between a man and a woman in the most intriguing and authentic manner; to produce one box office hit after another… then PMK is as authentic in its story and storytelling. It is the story of 2^nd generation South Asian love, romance, feminine mystique, and heart wrenching drama between an older man and a 19 year old girl in the globally connected socially networked generation. The story portrays Feminine Mystique: a young girls journey to becoming a woman and revealing seven different dimensions of her persona [typical of most women] over a very short period of time. This gives a new definition to ‘Three Faces of Eve’… movie PMK reveals 7 faces of Eve to be exact, an acting marvel.

Pyar Mein Kyun ?

The star cast of this much anticipated Hindi movie includes actors Obaid Kadwani and Khatera Hakimi; with Sonny Chatrath, Deena Safi, and Michael Dean in supporting roles. This movie has all that it takes to entertain and captivate its audience in vast numbers… that’s our market research talk based on movie Facebook ‘Likes’ and YouTube ‘Views’. We plan to use the Internet, Social Media Marketing, and digital distribution─ to fully realize the potential of this superb movie. Our on-going promotions will target over 100 million impressions globally within the next six months.

RKNet Studio and Aary Film movies are aimed at younger audience worldwide that’s looking for more realism and spice from Bollywood. Our films are produced in Hollywood style with Bollywood sensibilities… right here in New York / New Jersey using local resources and global talent.

PMK is proudly donating a portion of the net proceeds to the charity project “A Slice of Hope”.  Reported by TV and radio stations across America; A Slice of Hope raises joy and hope in America’s homeless shelters and was founded by Obaid Kadwani─ the star cast of the movie.

Movie Red Carpet Premiere New York City Tickets: http://pmk.eventbrite.com/

Movie Website: http://www.PyarMeinKyun.com

Movie Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pyarmeinkyun

Movie Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn5iflpypS8

Movie First Look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg3i5vwwptk

Movie Song Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2CGgThOcMk

We are proud to have the following media icons as our sponsors…

• Radio Asia asofficial Radio sponsor
• Sahara One as the exclusive TV sponsor
• aapka colors TV Channel sponsor
• JUS Punjabi TV Channel sponsor
• ITV New York – First Desi TV in the US
• Namaste America – South Asian TV Network Sponsor
• SAAVN.com as the official online sponsor
• BiBiMagazine.com online sponsor

# # # # #

Contact:

Anant Goel [Producer]
RKNet Studios
732-224-0445
Email: abgoel@RKNetStudios.com

Ritesh Parikh [Producer]
Aary Films
732-742-6621
Email: aaryfilms@gmail.com

Nutan Kalamdani [Publicist]
Cine Views
732-803-4776
Email: nutan@cineviews.com

Time to Change Hollywood | Aftermath of Massacre at Dark Knight Movie Premiere in Colorado

The deadly shooting that killed 14 people and wounded 60 others at an Aurora, Colorado Movie Theater was featured on the covers of most of the world’s newspapers on Saturday.

Shot at Gunpoint

While many focused on the scene of shooting, its aftermath and the grief-stricken residents of the Denver suburb, others featured James Holmes─ the suspected shooter in Friday’s massacre.

You can see the media coverage here…

But the bottom line is…

“14 are dead at Dark Knight screening and 60 injured in the Movie Massacre, at midnight in Aurora Colorado. And there was a 6-year old girl shot at gunpoint range.”

United States of America is a Republic, the land of “Violence with Freedom and Law”.

This is a culture with too much anger, too little reflection, and too many guns.  The Second Amendment was designed to ensure our safety, but the way it is interpreted by the gun lobbies it endangers our safety instead. As a patriotic American, does that sound right to you?

Movies like ‘Dark Knight Rises’ are impressionable on our young and seduce the masses into believing violence is acceptable in a society with Freedom and Law… and that promotes anarchy.

Two days ago, before the Colorado massacre at the Dark Knight premiere, I saw a review of the movie……

“Potent, persuasive and hypnotic, The Dark Knight Rises has us at its mercy. A disturbing experience we live through as much as a film we watch, this dazzling conclusion to director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy is more than an exceptional superhero movie, it is masterful film making by any standard.”

Right…

“…Potent, persuasive and hypnotic, The Dark Knight Rises has us at its mercy. A disturbing experience we live through as much as a film we watch…”

Perhaps not coincidentally, Christopher Nolan’s Batman series is a study of terrorism─ of the perpetrators who are driven by madness, piety, or a combination of the two, and of those victimized by it. The villains all have similar motives and methods: plague the public with random violence and see how they turn in on themselves. The actual violence itself seems of less importance than the satisfaction that the public will abandon their basic human decency in moments of crisis. Every terrorist act is an experiment, a test of our humanity. This massacre in Aurora was nothing less than that.

How will we respond?

“The victims in Colorado, they were part of someone’s family. These young men and women in cities across the country had hopes and dreams that will never be met. And until we get serious about the causes and effects of gun violence everywhere, we’ll continue to compile statistics on the epidemic.”

What I want us to do; is to start working to save people from it.

The only way we can can stop the productions of this type of entertainment is if we no longer subscribe to it. The director Christopher Nolan said:

“I believe movies are one of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold on screen is an important and joyful pastime.”

“Mr. Nolan surely must be full of himself; if he thinks that what he has created here is an art form that is joyful to watch. These type of movies have no plot just onslaught of violence being hurled at the viewer in 2D and 3D.  We have to become more selective and refuse to just shell out our money for this trash. My kids have stopped going to the movies lately as they have told me these type of movies are not entertaining to them.”

My 12 year old son Alan plays the shooter games on his X-box all the time; and can shoot countless terrorists, aliens and strange creatures.  He knows that he is playing just an animated game and it’s not real… and he is in control of the game.  However, he will not watch a movie with violence, mass killings and gore─ that visually depicted realistic looking physical injuries involving blood, flesh, bones and brain matter.

According to 12 year old Alan…

“I shoot and kill the terrorists, aliens and strange creatures all day because I know it’s just an animated game and I’m in control.  But in the movies; it’s all so real and that’s scary.  I can’t sleep for days thinking about the life in such a violent world.  It scares me and depresses me to be living in such a violent society where there is no law n’ order… where people don’t care and abandon their basic human decency in the moments of crises.”

Maybe it is time to change Hollywood!!!

Obesity, violence, and moral decay they are all directly caused by Hollywood. Children set and watch shows with extreme violence, then play violent games, and somehow people want to point to food as the reason why they are fat, angry, violent and depressed. Why don’t we remove all junk food and soda ads from the TV to stop the obesity…. and remove violence from movies and TV and you will stop violence… or at the very least not glorify and propagate violence.

Washington, California, and host of other states give Hollywood enormous tax breaks. It’s about time to stop the feel good ads from the government, and regulate what can be put in front of the public… in the form of movies or TV shows.

Warner Bros and other studios did the right thing in muzzling the box-office machine this weekend. Counting dollars is trivial in light of the tragedy in Colorado.  But then, is it any less trivial than this weekend the other 51 weekends of the year?

Save your money. Wait for the DVD to come out and watch it on a ‘something to do’ rainy day. Or watch the first 15 min, then go shopping and come back for the last 15 min. The last Dark Knight movie was fantastic. This one is boring and has a stupid plot. And that Bane guy─ the terrorist, why does his voice overtake everyone else’s?  Are they trying to make him like Darth Vader?

Watch all clips from the movie The Dark Knight Rises: http://goo.gl/VI646… unfortunately these trailers are better than the movie. I found the movie to be boring… with no plot, just onslaught of violence being hurled at the viewer in 2D and 3D.

I do not see how the Batman franchise is to blame for the Colorado movie premiere massacre and why America has almost completely banned the airing of TDKR movie advertising because BATMAN PROMOTES PSYCHOTIC TENANCIES! Surely that’s exactly what Batman opposes! Maybe we Americans should take a look at our own country, with rising poverty level and diminishing quality of law and public reforms.

Anant B. Goel

Producer CEO – RKNet Studios

Producer – Romantic Thriller ‘Pyar Mein Kyun‘

Movie Fecebook Page

Based on and excerpts from media articles, blog articles, and sponsored research articles.

RKNet Studios and Aary Films to Launch Bollywood Movie ‘Pyar Mein Kyun’ Trailer at The Trump World Tower Event in USA

RKNet Studios and Aary Films will launch Pyar Mein Kyun movie trailer and also announce the US premiere in New Jersey/New York for September, 2012.

When He Met Her !

Edison, New Jersey (PRWeb) July 19, 2012

Created by award winning film writer/director Hyder Bilgrami, the movie PMK is a classy romantic thriller with twists and turns that provide heart wrenching drama, lively entertainment, insight to feminine mystique, and a thrilling experience.

Hollywood movies are known to take the age old story of love between a man and a woman in the most intriguing and authentic manner; to produce one box office hit after another… then PMK is as authentic in its story and storytelling.  It is the story of 2^nd generation South Asian love, romance, and heart wrenching drama between an older man and a 19 year old teenage girl in our globally connected socially networked generation… where things are not quite what they seem!

The star casts of characters in the movie are actors Obaid Kadwani and Khatera Hakimi… with supporting roles played by Sonny Chatrath, Deena Safi, and Michael Dean.

RKNet Studios and Aary Films  movies are aimed at younger audience worldwide─ over 500 million English speaking middle class─ that’s looking for more realism and spice from Bollywood.  We’re just keeping it real, entertaining, and thrilling. Our films are produced in Hollywood style with Bollywood sensibilities… right here in New Jersey/ New York using local resources and global talent. The language in our movies is Bollywood Hindi and English… with English and Spanish subtitles.  Future versions of the movie will be released in Spanish and several other languages.

Why in Love ?

We are live; and on-line with the launch of new movie trailer, the first look, and the song trailer launched earlier.

Movie Website: http://www.pyarmeinkyun.com

Movie First Look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg3i5vwwptk

Movie Song Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2CGgThOcMk

Movie Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pyarmeinkyun

Contact:

• Anant Goel
  RKNet Studios
  732-224-0445
  abgoel@rknetstudios.com
• Ritesh Parikh
  Aary Films
  732-742-6621
  aaryfilms@gmail.com

# # # # #

Eulogy | Rest in Peace Rajesh Khanna | Bollywood Superstar

Absent from the body,
Now present with the Lord,
Dust returns to Earth,
Spirit goes to God.

Rajesh Khanna Good Bye

Popularly called “Kaka” by his fans, the actor Rajesh Khanna won a host of film industry awards during his long and illustrious career spanning four decades… although he was only recently seen in his first and the last television commercial.

Bollywood’s original superstar Rajesh Khanna, who charmed his way into the hearts of millions of swooning women in the 1960s and 70s, died in Mumbai on Wednesday.

The 69-year-old Khanna, who shot to superstardom with the 1969 hit─ Aradhana ─ opposite Sharmila Tagore, passed away at his home a day after being discharged from the hospital. He had been ailing since April.

He leaves behind an epic legacy of films… films that make us cry, songs that we still hum today and will continue singing as long as we cherish the cinematic moments we shared with him on the silver screen.

Rajesh Khanna

During the height of his popularity, there were reports of female fans getting married to his life size photographs. The mega star had humble beginnings in Amritsar, India.  He was born as Jatin Khanna on Dec 29, 1942… and was adopted and raised by foster parents. He went from being Jatin to Rajesh, thanks to his uncle who changed his name, when Jatin decided to join the film industry.  In 1965, the journey to filmdom started after he won the All India Talent Contest organized by United Producers and Filmfare. He made his debut with “Aakhri Khat” in 1966.

Rajesh Khanna was recently seen in his first television ad for Havells fans, which also was his last appearance on screen.

The Havells fans commercial from their campaign ‘Fans are forever’ featured the 69-year-old actor going down the memory lane, remembering how his fans used to follow him everywhere when he was a superstar. The ad features a young and handsome Rajesh Khanna being mobbed by frantic female fans… and continues with the classy older version of himself surrounded by Havells fans.

Rajesh ends the ad with the dialogue “…., mere fans mujhse koi nahi chheen sakta.”

True to his last words in public, even after his death, fans will always fondly remember him as Bollywood’s “first superstar”.

We join hands with the millions who wish Rajesh Khanna good bye and peace…

“It’s well known that power of prayer can heal… so we join hands, just a few or many, to wish you peace and a good bye.”

Our sympathy and heart felt condolences go to the grieving family…

Tribute to Rajesh Khanna

Life is a journey and we all travel alone with encounters with many fellow travelers. It’s the harmony and unconditional love we hope for in all our encounters. For harmony to exist and unconditional love to grow; we must recognize that…

“For everything in this journey of life, there is a right wing and a left wing: for the wing of love there is anger; for the wing of destiny there is fear; for the wing of pain there is healing; for the wing of hurt there is forgiveness; for the wing of pride there is humility; for the wing of giving there is taking; for the wing of tears there is joy; for the wing of rejection there is acceptance; for the wing of judgment there is grace; for the wing of letting go there is the wing of keeping.”

It has been a fabulous journey so far [for all of us] and [sometimes] by letting go─ things, people, power, and places─ we still get to keep the memory in harmony… and find happiness in our unconditional love.

Rajesh, our love for you is unconditional and we’ll remember you for a long time to come.

Anant B. Goel

Producer CEO – RKNet Studios

Producer – Romantic Thriller ‘Pyar Mein Kyun’

Based on and excerpts from media, blogs and sponsored research articles.

Cancer | Byproduct of Adaptive Evolution

Despite decades of research and billions of dollars, cancer remains a major killer, with an uncanny ability to evade both the body’s defenses and medical intervention.

“Cancer is not a random bunch of selfish rogue cells behaving badly… but a highly-efficient pre-programmed response to stress and trauma, honed by a long period of evolution.”

Have you ever wondered why cancer cells deploy so many clever tricks in such a coherent and organized way…

According to Astrobiology scientists…

Humans are multi-cellular organisms… and it took billions of years for loose collection of cells to begin cooperating in the lead-up to fully developed multi-cellular life. But, the genes for the early looser assemblages are still there… forming an efficient toolkit. Normally it is kept locked, suppressed by the machinery of later genes used for more complex and sophisticated body plans. If something springs the lock, the ancient genes systematically roll out the many traits that make cancer such a resilient form of life – and such a formidable adversary.

Researchers say it’s because cancer revisits tried-and-tested genetic pathways going back a billion years, to the time when loose collections of cells began cooperating in the lead-up to fully developed multi-cellular life. These early assemblages fell short of the full cell and organ differentiation associated with modern multi-cellular organisms – like humans.

“Tumors are a re-emergence of an ancient world when multi-cellular life was simpler.”

“In that sense, cancer is an accident waiting to happen.”

If the researches are correct, then the genomes of the simplest multi-cellular organisms will hide clues to the way that cancer evades control by the body and develops resistance to chemotherapy.  And their approach suggests that a limited number of genetic pathways are favored by cells as they become progressively genetically unstable and malignant, implying that cancer could be manageable by a finite suite of drugs in the coming era of personalized medicine.

“This gives oncologists new hope because cancer is a limited and ultimately predictable atavistic [primitive] adversary.”

“Cancer is not going anywhere evolutionarily; it just starts up in a new patient the way it started up in the previous one.”

In summary, Cancer is a byproduct of human spices evolutionary process and has been around for millions of years in one form or the other.  As humans, all we can hope for it to stay dormant during our 70 to 100 yrs life cycle…

“In the on-going process of human species evolution, human body slowly adapts to its environment─ like quality of air, water, food, radiation levels, stress, trauma and the physiological impact of its social networks.  It’s perhaps only during the initial transition phase that adaptive change is not recognized, and therefore, is dealt with as a foreign object initiating a cancerous reaction.  Eventually, however, the DNA is ever so gradually altered that we continuously become mutants of ourselves.  Think about it! Ten thousand years from now, we won’t look anything like what we look like today… but our mutants will be healthy in their own way─ after having adapted to their environment and with altered DNA.” … Quote by Anant B. Goel

Anant B. Goel

Producer CEO – RKNet Studios

Producer Romantic Thriller ‘Pyar Mein Kyun’

Movie Facebook Page – Pyar Mein Kyun

Based on articles, blogs and medical research publications

Are the Rich Smarter Than Us… or Aliens in Human Form?

Growing up, I always wondered why some people are so damn rich and most others just getting by on the fringes of poverty.

Smart or Aliens in Human Form

My grand mother, a very wise woman, bless her soul, always said: “If your stars are in the right configuration… then, it’s the family that you are born into”.  And later in life, as I grew older into a young man with some looks, she would say: “It’s your luck… if you are lucky enough to marry a rich man’s only daughter.”  I never ever heard her say that it could be because “you’re smart”… or “you’re hardworking”… or “they must be Aliens from another planet”.

As I grew older, finished my education, and got a decent professional job… but still wondered: “Why some people are so damn rich”.

Soon after I got married, I found the answer to my question when I got into an argument with my wife─ ex-wife now, when she would sometimes resort to the nuclear option, her tried-and-true conversation stopper.

Putting her hands on her hips and using the worst faux South Asian accent imaginable, she’d say, “Well if you’re so damn smart, why aren’t you rich?”

I never knew how to respond to this. Of course, I was still very young at the time and just making a Professional Engineer’s salary. Still, it ingrained in me the notion that the rich must have a little something extra going on upstairs or may be they are aliens from other planet… otherwise we’d all be rolling in wealth.

Right?

There is, in fact, some evidence to support this… the “smart” part of my speculation and not the Aliens from another planet.  According to a recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau, there is a strong positive correlation between income and education.

Over an adult’s working life, on average…

• High school graduates should expect to earn $1.2 million;
• Those with a bachelor’s degree, $2.1 million;
• Those with a master’s degree, $2.5 million;
• Those with doctoral degrees, $3.4 million;
• And those with professional degrees, $4.4 million.

But here’s the rub. Studies show that those who earn the most aren’t necessarily the richest…

What Is Real Wealth

To determine real wealth, you need to look at a balance sheet – assets minus liabilities – not an income statement. Just ask Dr. Thomas J. Stanley, the bestselling author of The Millionaire Next Door and perhaps the country’s foremost authority on the habits and characteristics of America’s wealthy. Many of his findings are just the opposite of what you’d expect.

For example, we generally envision millionaires as Bentley-driving, mansion-owning, Tiffany-shopping members of exclusive country clubs. And, indeed, Stanley’s research reveals that the “glittering rich” ─ those with a net worth of $10 million or more─ often meet this description.

But most millionaires─ individuals with a net worth of $1 million or more─ live an entirely different lifestyle. The findings show that the vast majority:

• Live in a house that cost less than $500,000.
• Do not own a second home.
• Have never owned a boat.
• Are more likely to wear a Timex than a Rolex.
• Do not collect wine and generally pay less than $15 for a bottle.
• Are more likely to drive a Hyundai Santa Fe than a Beemer.
• Have never paid more than $300 for a suit.
• Spend very little on prestige brands and luxury items.

This is certainly not the traditional image of millionaires. And it makes you wonder, who the heck is buying all those Mercedes convertibles, Louis Vuitton purses, and $2,000 bottle of Latour Bordeaux? The answer, according to Dr. Stanley, is “aspirationals,” people who act rich, want to be rich, but really aren’t rich.

Many are good people, well-educated and perhaps earning a six-figure income. But they aren’t balance-sheet rich because it’s almost impossible for most workers─ even those who are well paid─ to hyper-spend on consumer goods and save a lot of money. And saving is the key prerequisite for investing… which, as you will discover later in life.

This notion shocks many Americans. I recall from a recent Oprah show; when a member of the audience asked the question, one we all have heard hundreds of times before:

“What good does it do to have all this money if you don’t spend it?”  She was angry and sounded annoyed when she said: “These people couldn’t possibly be happy.”

Keeping Up With the Joneses

Like so many others, this woman [from the audience] genuinely believed that the more you spend, the better life is. Please understand, we’re not talking about people who live below the poverty line. Clearly, their lives would be better if they were able to spend more.   However, we’re talking about middle-class consumers and higher-up the scale… those who often live beyond their means and then find themselves under enormous financial pressure, especially in a weak economy.

Some folks are overly optimistic about their earning prospects. Others don’t even realize that they are up against an army of the best and most creative marketers in the world, whose job it is to convince you that “you are what you buy,” that you need to outspend… to out-display others. The unspoken message behind the constant barrage of TV, Internet, and billboard ads featuring all those impossibly good-looking men and women is that you are special, that you deserve, and you need to look and act successful now.

According to several research reports, “The pseudo-affluent are insecure about how they rank among the Joneses and the Smiths. Often their self-esteem rests on quicksand. In their minds, it is closely tied to how long they can continue to purchase the trappings of wealth. They strongly believe all economically successful people display their success through prestige products. The flip side of this has them believing that: “people who do not own prestige brands are not successful.”

Yet “real” millionaires see things differently. Most of them achieved their wealth not by hitting the lottery or gaining an inheritance, but by patiently and persistently maximizing their income, minimizing their outgoing expenses and religiously saving and investing the difference wisely.

You Aren’t the Car You Drive or the Watch You Wear…

They aren’t big spenders. They just recognize that real pleasure and satisfaction don’t come from the car you drive or the watch you wear, but time spent in activities with family, friends and associates.

They aren’t misers however, especially when it comes to educating their children and grandchildren… or donating to worthy causes. Although they are disciplined savers, the affluent are among the most generous wealthy in charitable giving.

Just how prevalent are Global millionaires? According to The Boston Consulting Group’s Global Wealth study, there were 5.2 million US households with a net worth of at least $1 million at the end of 2011. Very few of them won a Grammy, played in the NBA, or started a computer company in their garage. Clearly, thrift and modesty─ however unfashionable─ are still alive in many parts of the country.  There are now 12.6 million millionaire households globally, according to BCG.

So while millions of consumers chase a blinkered image of success─ busting their humps for stuff that ends up in landfills, yard sales and thrift shops… disciplined savers and wise investors are enjoying the freedom, satisfaction and peace of mind that comes from living beneath their means.

These folks are turned-on not by consumerism but by personal achievement, industry awards, and recognition. They know that success is not about flaunting your wealth. It’s about a sense of accomplishment… and the independence that comes with it. They are able to do what they want, when they want, where they want, with whom they want.

They may not be smarter than you, but they do know something priceless: It is how we spend ourselves and our time─ not our money─ that makes us rich.

Work hard, be thrifty, save, invest wisely, and play hard… and enjoy life with your friends, family and associates.

Best wishes for health and happiness.

Anant B. Goel

Producer CEO – RKNet Studios

Producer – Romantic Thriller ‘Pyar Mein Kyun‘

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