Comments on: Sometimes it is that easy. http://www.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/ Meditations on strategy and life Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:06:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/#comment-8265 Ryan Holiday Mon, 25 Jun 2007 17:22:39 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/#comment-8265 1) No one is reading 30 scripts a day. 2) It works in the sense that everything in Hollywood works--"that's how we've always done it." The idea that skinny type-writer font is the most appealing to the eyes is absurd. And would people really have that hard of a time adjusting to a new ratio? Scripts are passed around and read first for their literary quality. The format should accommodate that first and foremost. Again, who the fuck cares about the equation? How's sticking to the equation sufficient justification coming from an industry that leaves an estimates 60% percent of the market on the table, continually pays more money for smaller results, produces worse and worse product, refuses to update and doesn't even understand its own business? Fuck the equation, it's not working. 1) No one is reading 30 scripts a day.

2) It works in the sense that everything in Hollywood works–”that’s how we’ve always done it.” The idea that skinny type-writer font is the most appealing to the eyes is absurd. And would people really have that hard of a time adjusting to a new ratio?

Scripts are passed around and read first for their literary quality. The format should accommodate that first and foremost.

Again, who the fuck cares about the equation? How’s sticking to the equation sufficient justification coming from an industry that leaves an estimates 60% percent of the market on the table, continually pays more money for smaller results, produces worse and worse product, refuses to update and doesn’t even understand its own business? Fuck the equation, it’s not working.

]]> By: Alex Jeffries http://www.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/#comment-8264 Alex Jeffries Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:22:25 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/#comment-8264 On the screenplay comment, there's more to it than just how it's been for a hundred years. I mean, that's how it started, but it works. The way it is now, a page equals roughly a minute of screen time... changing the font would mess up that equation. Also, if you're an agent/producer/whoever reading twenty-thirty scripts a day, wouldn't some sort of consistency be a nice thing? It's like teachers telling you to write in blue or black ink, because if anyone can write in whatever color they want, people start writing in pink bubbly ink, and it all goes to shit. On the screenplay comment, there’s more to it than just how it’s been for a hundred years. I mean, that’s how it started, but it works. The way it is now, a page equals roughly a minute of screen time… changing the font would mess up that equation.

Also, if you’re an agent/producer/whoever reading twenty-thirty scripts a day, wouldn’t some sort of consistency be a nice thing? It’s like teachers telling you to write in blue or black ink, because if anyone can write in whatever color they want, people start writing in pink bubbly ink, and it all goes to shit.

]]> By: Robert http://www.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/#comment-8263 Robert Sun, 24 Jun 2007 17:56:40 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/#comment-8263 "Nerds are just too fucking stupid to think outside the box." I found this comment to be hilarious, but at the same time wonder if it was needed to be said. “Nerds are just too fucking stupid to think outside the box.”

I found this comment to be hilarious, but at the same time wonder if it was needed to be said.

]]> By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/#comment-8262 Ryan Holiday Sat, 23 Jun 2007 23:59:44 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/#comment-8262 When I say that Tim did that I mean it as a slight to the tech community, not to him. He's a genius. He saw an opportunity and exploited it. He saw how memes propagate on the web--people helping their friends and then went out and made friends with everyone. Without letting anyone know, he went out and become close with every major blog on the internet so then when his book was released, they each felt they were doing him a personal favor by promoting it. Tim Ferriss looked at the situation like Billy Beane or a Wall-Street trader. He saw the easy in and took it instead of the beaten path. Everyone thought they were writing about a great book, but really they were writing because Tim Ferriss got them to. Tim is absolute star and he made himself one. Again, the ultimate caveat is that the product has to be stellar. And Tim's book is exactly this, just as Andreessen's blog is too. When I say that Tim did that I mean it as a slight to the tech community, not to him. He’s a genius. He saw an opportunity and exploited it. He saw how memes propagate on the web–people helping their friends and then went out and made friends with everyone. Without letting anyone know, he went out and become close with every major blog on the internet so then when his book was released, they each felt they were doing him a personal favor by promoting it.

Tim Ferriss looked at the situation like Billy Beane or a Wall-Street trader. He saw the easy in and took it instead of the beaten path. Everyone thought they were writing about a great book, but really they were writing because Tim Ferriss got them to. Tim is absolute star and he made himself one.

Again, the ultimate caveat is that the product has to be stellar. And Tim’s book is exactly this, just as Andreessen’s blog is too.

]]> By: Tom http://www.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/#comment-8261 Tom Sat, 23 Jun 2007 17:00:41 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/sometimes-it-is-that-easy/#comment-8261 Can you elaborate or link to something on why you're saying Tim Ferriss "has massively played and manipulated" tech bloggers? I read the book and personally thought it was pretty good, especially for a "self-help" book. He even preaches some of the ideas you just wrote in this post, like contacting someone that's your mentor, because everyone wants to but no one actually does. I haven't looked much at his blog; are you talking about that specifically or am I out of the loop on something here? Can you elaborate or link to something on why you’re saying Tim Ferriss “has massively played and manipulated” tech bloggers? I read the book and personally thought it was pretty good, especially for a “self-help” book. He even preaches some of the ideas you just wrote in this post, like contacting someone that’s your mentor, because everyone wants to but no one actually does. I haven’t looked much at his blog; are you talking about that specifically or am I out of the loop on something here?

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