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application videos, areallygoodejob, dream job, ed thralls, fun, goode job, i need a drink, job application, Murphy-Goode winery, pr, the visionaire group, todd havens, video-cast, Wine Biz Radio, wine tonite
So the big question which is slowly going to drive us to itch over the next few weeks is gonna be: Who is gonna make the cut? And for those of us who still have not got their videos together: How are the guys at Murphy-Goode gonna make the cut?
Well, did you hear the Wine Biz Radio programme with Dave Ready as a guest last week? (If not, you can click on over and let her run while you read the rest of the post here.) There we learned that the guys at Murphy-Goode actually will not be the ones to make the first cut: this has been outsourced. With 115 videos up and running todate, this seems to be a very wise decision.
Ed Thralls (aka @WineTonite) had a good thread over at his place touching on the same subject. I would love to share some insights from Todd Havens ofThe Visionaire Group… — Todd has five years of experience in casting reality shows for MTV. It might interest you what he has to say:
We often accepted video submissions and it was not, ultimately, very difficult to whittle down to the top tier of applicants. Most people you couldn’t see or hear because the production quality was so bad. Many didn’t submit videos, either, just the application. (Murphy-Goode is expectedly seeing their fair share of that, too.)
Most of the other videos submitted didn’t “bring anything new to the table” for the show. The best-edited videos weren’t always the winners, either. Hollywood has yet to learn this lesson, but flashiness doesn’t necessarily equal value.
If someone were genuine enough…interesting, funny…and all they did was sit in a chair and talk to the camera…that was often all we needed.
I find this to be tremedously hopeful news! Although there are some wonderfully crafted videos out there (and you definately can see who has done this type of work before) — there is still a chance for you and I to actually make the first cut. Keep it real. Keep it you.
Todd does go on to note:
Casting someone in a show with a cast of other characters under the direction of savvy producers vs. casting a correspondent to manage a corporate brand’s online reputation, however…not exactly apples and oranges…but Fuji apples to Granny Smith, perhaps.
You know what Todd, I am probably too wound tight for the job… I think it is apples and grapes 
. And this opens a whole can full of beans for me… In any case, it has been an incredible two weeks of learning for me. I have had a great time watching the videos so far, at times I think: yeah, I can do that. And after some of those high gloss submissions I think: oh. Drat.
Questions upon questions. It is so fascinating, really. How to tell with a 60 sec. video? I am off to go ponder…
How do you figure they will make the cut? Any suggestions for me?
Andy,
Good points here.
What I wonder is how important are the things that are done outside of the video?
Video is only a part of the final position.
Ha! Apples and grapes…you win for best contexting!
Thanks for re-posting this. People asked us everywhere what we were looking for in their MTV videos and, as cliché as it sounds, all we could say was to “just be yourself.” If you’re not genuine (or don’t know how to be), the camera will pick it up and everyone will see it. “Next!” And that’s not just limited to those of us with a casting background…with the proliferation of contestant shows like American Idol et al., everyone’s more tapped into their inner Genuine BS Detector these days, I think.
Andrea, you are certainly out there communicating and adding great value to those who have already thrown their hat into the ring…and those of us who will deliver in the upcoming weeks. I’m amazed, like you, at how little conversation is happening outside of the “vote for me” pleas. VinTank is getting some valued back-and-forth (as they should!) with the timely release of their great white paper, but otherwise not much engagement.
Hardy, that’s a question I’ve been wondering, too. How important are the things done outside of the video? There doesn’t seem to be a Council of Murphy-Goode Elders around that we can ask these questions of.
In my opinion, they’re certainly not going to pick people just because they got the most votes. Everyone’s basically just “stacking the deck” (a potential MG poker reference…go me!) for their videos, after all. If Bob from Idaho (I’m making all this up and hoping there isn’t a real Bob from Idaho in the mix) picks his nose for 60 seconds but rallies 3,000 people to vote for him, he may just be owed a lot of favors, but he certainly shouldn’t be a top contender for the position, right?
“inner Genuine BS Detector”… I like
!
Well, perhaps it is time I step up my campaign and do some savvy niche marketing… (yikes, hope I am not biting off too much here!).
But what good is it to me to have the wine-dudes on this blog commenting? It is the competition I would love to engage… (is this a sign of how well they understand social media — their abscence — or a sign of how poorly I am reaching them?). It has to be more than the “vote for me” self-spamming, right? ‘Cause they are gonna wake up one day (perhaps soon) and see that their friends have grown tired of this horn-tooting noise…
On the other hand some of those who submitted a video are beyond my scope and power to “find” them. I am continually frustrated by Google (a real draw back to being in Germany–this geography sensitive searches are driving me to drink
— grape juice!).
Here I go ranting again.
So if I submit a video application, do I add the URL for this blog? Leave a “paper trail”? Or will they “find me” if my video tickles their pink?
sixty.seconds.
point.
yikes.
(I wish I was Bob from Idaho, then at least I would have 3,000 make-belief friends
!)
Andy and Todd-
In my mind (which may be way off base) candidates need to be engaged, and working already (votes may be of least concern).
Yes- I’ve tooted my horn a lot, and will still toot it some more (most likely), but due to some conversations w/ you, Andy, I’ve been trying to get more of the tooting done for me. So far so good. It frees me up for more strategy, more interaction, and for the social part of social media.
Cheers!
My Q
Hardy, it has been a great joy to meet you and see you evolve in this journey… and life would be so much easier for us all if more people were willing to really shine by figuring out how to leverage, leverage, leverage.
Murphy-Goode will have to somehow have a keen eye for this aspect and it is my beliefe that the best candidate will be able to do what you are learning, Hardy. And you are so right: to leverage frees one up to go out, socialize and have a honking great time with it all!
(So keep your eyes peeled, by the weekend I hope to have more tips up to help all who are interested and take the time to find me/read me — all for you guys out there because I feel that simply the best person must be well equiped to work for MG!)
Good points. This really isn’t a contest, it’s a hiring process.
A hiring process. True, true.
But how do you think the dice will fall? The first cut, will it purely be the 60 sec. or do you think they will have enough “likeable” videos to delve deeper?
How do you think the voting will weigh in?
Your campaign is really picking up and has inspired me for my next post in my “A Goode Application” series… I will be sure to let you know when I get that finalized *smile*.
Rick, thanks for joining the conversation and thanks as well for introducing me to VinTank! What a shame that they have not got an rss up on their site… syndication is KEY in social media marketing… if you ask me, anyway. Marry syndication with a great personality and WHAM, Murphy has it Goode!
On that note, I have one more question for you, Rick, how do you manage to be on the pulse and first to answer this Mashable article? — with 891 retweets, you have some key real-estate there! We would love it if you let us in on your secret
…
I feel fortunate to have met Dave Ready Jr. today during his whistle stop tour of the U.S. Got to ask him some questions pertaining to this very subject.
One thing he mentioned is the video HAS to be 60 seconds. He went on to say they’ve had more videos rejected than accepted because they go over 60 seconds. They’ve been getting calls from people asking them to bend the rules and make it longer.
As for the Mashable thing, that was partly due to goode fortune, and partly due to having a significant reach. There are all sorts of ranking engines out there that measure someone’s influence or Twitter grade.
On most of those ranking engines I usually score as the #1 or #2 wine tweeter on all of Twitter because I’ve been doing it consistently for a year or so. When the job description came out, I had the response many candidates had, which is, “I’m perfect for this position.” Either way, having fun with it.
Cheers,
Rick
Rick,
what I meant with Mashable is the fact that you were the first to comment: how did you get there so fast? I am a bit slow and do not understand how your reach has anything to do with that. I was just wondering if you used a special software to be right-on-top of their posts?
Glad you are having fun with the Murphy-Goode candidacy — although you may think you are perfect for the position
, this was not my initial reaction! Mine was: wow, what a great learning experience for Murphy-Goode… because I know how much I have learned along the way, they will make awesome discoveries and really enjoy this trip.
Yay! I like an engaging discussion. Thanks for hosting here at your pad, Andy. I love what you’ve done with the place.
Looking forward to your future posts, too.
In response to your question about whether the 60-sec videos will be enough to winnow down to the Top 50, I have to ask about the phone interviews a lot of people are getting. They tweet that they have phone interviews and then that they’ve JUST had them…but they don’t say what the conversation was about.
I was curious that the Murphy-Goode-related 3rd party peeps were doing follow-ups so early in the game…but I don’t blame them. Perhaps they’re just looking to round out peoples’ online applications if they’re incomplete or just getting some more info to round out an applicant’s profile.
Eh…glad to hear that they’re aggressive and have the manpower to follow-up.
Follow-ups? Per phone interviews? This has totally flewn over my head — yikes! Do you think they would go to the trouble to call me out here in Germany?
Hey Hardy and Rick, did you guys get phoned?
Are these people allowed to talk about the phone call or is it hush-hush??? *my brain is spinning*
Have you noticed the curtains here? I hung them out for you, dear Todd… thought you would like them. I crocheted them myself — according to a pattern from my late Auntie Beanie…
— if you say pretty please I will start on some for you right after I land the MG gig!
Crocheted curtains are my favorite…how did you know?
Reminds me of the macrame projects we had to do in 3rd or 4th grade. I distinctly remember that I macramed an owl which then hung in my parents’ living room for years.
Now THAT’s supporting your kids, right? That or no one came over that they wanted to impress.
Another phone interview was mentioned on Twitter today. I think it’s just their next stage in the process. Additional vetting, I bet.
Yes, macrame flower pot holders… every fourth grader’s nightmare
…
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I’m a little late to the party, just this week, so I knew it was a big giant leap in the dark to begin with. I’m trying to just have fun with it, knowing that.
Thank you for posting this.
Welcome to the party, Lee!
*she passes the wine bottle* Soooo, where have you been hiding all this time?
(Show us your video so we can vote fer ya!–Don’t be shy…)
Working. Writing my cookbook. Working. My wife, who works at home online, found the Really Goode Job and it seemed, like I’m sure it seemed to everyone else, exactly what we’d been dreaming of.
I don’t have the equipment others do (I’ve really been enjoying all these videos btw) but I think I would have regretted not taking the chance.
You want to see my video? Okay! Here’s the link
http://www.areallygoodejob.com/video-view.aspx?vid=9dcOuHDqFxc
Hey Lee,
Great video! I think your personality totally shines in it. You got my vote!
Be sure to tweet your link to it and append a #areallygoodejob so others can see it and vote, too!
(What is up with all my exclamation marks? Holy cow. Something about commenting on Andy’s blog, I guess.)
Goode luck! (There I go again…)
A little known fact: With WP you can embed videos in the comments (like meaning *you* can set videos on *my* blog without asking me first — but shhhhh, don’t let the *wrong* people in on the loop!)
And then we say:
Go Vote HERE a little bolder so that everyone can actually see it is a clickable link
…
Great video, I agree with Todd… (only I don’t have the exclamation marks problem, I have the dot, dot, dot problem…).
I forgot to say thank you for asking! And for the wine
Tell me Lee,
now that we are sharing wine,
where else can we connect online? Surely not just here?
Todd
Thank you for the compliment and the advice! (I like exclamation marks too)
Andy
I’m working on a blog and website for the cookbook, neither of which is up just yet, but I’m Chef Lee on Facebook and you know my twitter address
I plan to have at least two cooking albums up on FB per week, and I’m working on starting a youtube channel.
-Sorry, wine makes me chatty
From phone via wife
Wife: Hi all! LOL
Lee: It’s been gracefully pointed out to me that I should post my Twitter link.
<a ref="http://twitter.com/ChefLeeK"
Thank you