Office Management

    I have been engaged in setting up an assortment of workstations for the numerous operations going on within the current 10k sq ft studio space. I make mention of some of those operations throughout the assorted blogs associated with IMS.

   As is to be expected at this time of year, my mind has turned toward accounting and the Management Office. I have, for many years, experimented with an array of accounting methods and processes, none of which have really been properly effective, thus creating a mire of ineffective garble. So it is the I have turned my attention to the facilities, equipment, resources, systems and personnel required to correct this problem.  

   That being said, I am looking to locate personnel that can work on that aspect of the operation. This something that will take time to restructure and it is also something that I want to build upon, not something that I want to dive into, until it is clear that the working relationship are copasetic.  That being said, I continue to look for a CFO to supervise those matters. I welcome inquiries from those wanting to work out of our physical facilities in Southampton, Pennsylvania.  AG

A New Look for the Book

Printer's Layout, On-Demand Limited Edition Books

There were numerous unseen anomalies and corrections to be made. 

The end result was a shift in the overall look of the pages.

I opted to lessening the amount of ink on the page

by reducing the opacity of the outer page.

I like it better.

BOOK ONE will go to the printer today for a Limited Quantity as I start to build inventory.

If all goes well, BOOK TWO will follow shortly.

UPDATE: 3/23

   This post was a draft, an outdated draft because circumstances changed, but here's the skinny... The On-demand books will begin with jobbing out the printing for the limited quantities required to build inventory. Once the inventory is up to speed, I'm very much looking at putting a printing press in the studio. Beyond publishing the seven book series, there is the music score, which in itself, is larger than the Illustrated Storybook and the Libretto combined. It rather depends on the demand and how the licensing turns out.   I am set on the design and implementation of the Hand-stitched Books, but the reality is that those books must remain Limited Editions, simply because of the time factor of making those books cannot meet any large quantity orders. If another publisher steps up to license the Perfect-bind books, then production and distribution of the Unlimited Editions will be out of my hands. This is probably the most advantageous situation, since I need to focus on theatre activities and not get tangled up in book production and distribution.

Check;

www.thegnomesofnewhope.blogspot.com

Sound Stage & Studio

Here's a truck I'm either going to sell or rebuild into a Cabover.

image.of.thge.mind.studios@gmail.com

    I started to plan out the construction of a Sound Studio, when I realized that the stage I am installing should serve as a sound-stage. If it becomes necessary to have a sound proof room, we can add that later. I like the idea of a sound studio, but one critical aspect of that is the overhead issue. If I can succeed at garnering the funds to support overhead on the studio for a twenty-year period, which is my goal, then installing a sound studio would be more practical. It simply is not advisable to invest the money in facilities that may come under threat in terms of operating funds. My interest is to build the facilities within an environment that is completely secure for the long term. I do not want to have to seek clients to use the facility, I would rather have the facility available for in-house operations exclusively. That's not to say that outside client might not want to use the facility, but such application and use of  the facilities cannot depend upon it. To put it simply, external application must be gravy for the operation.

"Swedenborg Designing a Flying Machine"

used by permission of 
The Swedenborg Library in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 
for the cover of
"Nunc Licet"

   So, I am redirecting my energy toward building the stage and installing a 50+ seat peanut gallery. I have 80 Art Deco Theatre seats left from the 120 that I had, the reduction being a result of water damage and an urgent forced move, whereby I needed to rescue what I could from the larger quantity. Those seat need to be restored and reupholstered. Well, it seems appropriate to  set up to do the seat restoration and to install the tiered platforms required for the peanut gallery. I have the borders and legs, the lighting and sound equipment, the wiring, cables, battens and chains, so I will be moving to setup and install that equipment. I also have the drops, for both backdrops and green screen. It's only a matter of cleaning out the stuff that occupies the space. That shouldn't be too hard.

   Part of that is also rearranging some of what is already set up. I am installing a paint booth in one bay and setting that up for both spraying the automotive work I need to do and the painting that comes into play for set construction, furniture refinishing and fabricating, which occurs from time to time. 

   All of this points to the fact that all production activity is centered around in-house studio production as opposed to location or remote work. This is something that must be understood when engaging with Image of the Mind Studios. All activities are taking place in Southampton, Pennsylvania. My days of traveling around freelancing are over. I just want to be clear about that. AG

Studio Update 12/31/22

I am rebuilding two 1961 Corvair Trucks as my work vehicles, one Rampside, for light hauling          and one Corvan, for deliveries and moving equipment

In addition to converting my 1962 International Loadstar CO1600 into a mobile workshop.

2023 Arrives

The end of another year.  Well, things just keep plodding along. As you may have seen on The Gnomes of New Hope blog I keep working toward finishing the Illustrated Storybook. That remains the priority because after working for nearly twenty five years to initiate this project, it simply has got to be finished.

 Many things need to be done in the studio, for set up and operation, but everything must take a back seat to the publishing endeavor.m I continue to work on setting the work areas up and securing additional supplies and equipment, which will be needed to fulfill the vision of projects that are in process, but as I said, I cannot get distracted from completing the publishing endeavor and putting the Seven Book Collection into production and distribution.

There are significant advances lingering at th edge of activity with the studio. Some possible business dealing are way larger than I want them to be, given that I am nearing 70 years old, but It seems that I must take on the challenge of establishing the studio as a larger operation that will "have legs".

I have always kept activities at low key, mainly because I was focusing on development and not so much production. I had my day in production, with over 350 productions under my belt. I know full well the foibles of finding and keeping a crew together, not to mention to outlay of production expenses that occur on a continuing basis.

So, the Illustrated Storybooks are designed to build an audience and create cash flow to maintain the studio. The great expanse of production possibilities will all take place after the studio is fully funded as to it basic operating expenses. It is already funded for the low key level of operations, but that is not what I am seeking. I am seeking to refine it's facilities and equipment, cover the overhead for the long term and initiate new activity on old projects that were pushed aside for the sake of the Gnomes. Therefore The Gnomes must provide that funding, in addition to it's own production funding for other ancillary markets. I go into detail on that on IMS Management (although not fully, because that is reserved for IMS Producing Partners).

Those additional blog sites (and others) are not fully developed as to their intended purpose, but work proceeds in that regard. For now, the publishing layout takes precedence.

Once the Illustrated Storybook layout (REV 450) is published and a specific quantity inventoried, I expect I will be taking a break and spending time rebuilding my vehicle, of which I have number requiring attention. So my goal upon publishing will be to find someone to oversee in-house production, marketing and distribution. Interested parties are welcome to discuss that with me. There are any number of ways to communicate with me, which I have provided before. But image.of.the.mind.studios@gmail.com is overwhelmed with solicitations and other "mail" that is jamming things up. So you might choose another method of conveying your thoughts, or make it very clear in the subject line wht you are seeking. I am uncertain how much gets lost in the fray at this point.

I'll add more later. Happy New Year. 🥂 AG

Design Concepts;

I have had these ideas, for Desalinization & Air Filtration, in my head some time.

So, I decided to just sketch them and post the drawings. Obviously they are very rough, but they convey the general idea.

I have to wonder, with all this talk of going solar, why these concepts have not been developed further. Here we have whole systems built in sucking water out of the Colorado, when we have a whole ocean of water, yet California does not develop that resource for themselves and others. I won't go into the stupidity and selfishness involved in the political behavior, but I mention it in the context of that energy, which is destructive and wasteful, not being applied to innovation.

These sketches call for ocean water being transported, via pipeline, to the deserts, where the use of solar power can be applied to powering the pumps, and the evaporators that are in the system and use the force of nature to desalinate the salt water and to purify the air.

An added concept, not present in the drawings, would be a return pipeline, that would flush the hyper-salinated residue back into the ocean. 

There are many applications to each stage of this process. I suppose I may expand upon these ideas. But I'm posting these sketches in case I never get around to it.

The air filtration concept came to me back in the eighties when I was drowning in California air pollution.

Studio Space

 Can you imagine living in one of these during the Studio System days?

     Well, Here's a photo of my Antique Star Trailerized Home which sits in the back lot of my studio. I'm in the process of gutting it and rebuilding it with new materials. 

I have owned it for over twenty-five years and I lived in it for four years.   I had it looking real good back then, with a deck and a fire ring. In the back there was a path into a nice sitting area in the woods and I even created a pond from run off water.  That was fun while it lasted.

       I acquired it from a woman who bought it with her husband when he came out of the war. They bought it to live in while they build their house. Since it was titled in 1944, I assumed she meant WWII. 

   Someone suggested it must have been The Korean War because they claimed it has to have been sold in the 50's. I don't know, someone told me he'd lived in one on the base during WWII. 

But I understand their position 

 When I acquired it, I thought I might use it for location shoots with my filmmaking, but then I got involved in writing The Gnomes of New Hope and ended up writing the beginnings of the show in the office (at the end where the picture window is). 

It became my writing retreat. I'm anxious to rebuild it using new materials. Some roof damage has made it impractical to restore it using the original materials. After all, the title says it is a 1944, but trailer aficionados claim it must have been made in the 50's.

I'm not arguing with anybody about it. Any way you look at it, it's around 75 years old. 

So I am stripping it down and rebuilding it with new wood. 

I'm looking to make it a  museum piece and use it as a mountain retreat. 

My floor plan is different than the one in the brochure.

It's still very cool.

AG

The Creative Archive Project

UPDATE 7/22 - So this post was created 11 years ago. None-the-less there are aspects of this that still hold true.

My concentration for so long has been on The Gnomes of New Hope, that it's simply has not been possible to pursue some of these other goals. After reviewing this post, I see that this goal still remains an important one, but one that will be acted upon after I build the studio facility. The Studio facility that I have been using for the last ten years has developed nicely and many projects are under way, but it is time for me to seriously look into constructing the right and new facility. That facility will be the foundation for a compound sitting on between 25 and 100 acres. That is my goal. I will expand upon that in other posts and likely create another blog for that project. In any event, just because a post is old and hasn't been looked at for some time, that doesn't mean it is nullified. If you find a post that you would liket o talk about, send me an email. AG

UPDATE 12/11 - After reviewing this posting, I realize that this is one of the more important projects that I would like to see realized.   

My intention has been for this to be part of Image of the Mind Studios and the Studio compound which I intend on building and eventually turning over to The Alpha & Omega Society.  However, there are other buildings available where this concept could be implemented and there is one in particular that would be well suited for this project. That building has a significant cost attached to it, so in order to pursue this project (in any instance) I will need to see the Board of Directors built.  If there are any of you who feel inclined to get involved with this to a significant degree - with confirmed dedication to seeing this fully implemented, then I am open to discussion in that regard.

The Modus Operandi and management systems manual need to be confirmed and this will be proceeding. I will post what I can, when I can here. AG

       * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

One of my most pressing issues is the establishment of, not only a long term facility, but the establishment of a Creative Archive. I have made it one of the objectives of The Alpha & Omega Society to maintain & support an archive of creative materials as a service to artists wishing to feel secure that the work of their life will be preserved for posterities sake. The operating proceedures and management of such an archive will be determined by the board of directors when the time comes for implementation. The archive will in all likelihood require a warehouse, but that is something that will be delt with in the future. For now, I'm posting this as an announcement of intention and as a way of informing members of the A&O Soc. of one of the objective we are going to work towards. AG

Archive Facilities- the design that is beginning to come forth is much like that of a storage facility. Temperature & climate controlled units connected to a central gathering place or community room which can serve as a gallery for exhibition of the artists work. The units are for the storage of completed work, manuscripts, portfolios, sketch books, works in progress, casting forms, etc.. No personal property or raw materials may be stored in the climate controlled lockers.

It is likely that additional units will be attached to the facility, which will essentially be the size of a one or two car garage. This unit may serve as a working studio. There is a design for the larger studio compound which takes into account studio space. If the compound is implemented before the archive facility, then studio space will not be integrated into the archive. However, if the archive is developed as a satellite of the IMS studio compound (which would be placed in numerous cities) , then studio spaces will need to be integrated into the design. This is obviously a long term vision of the archive concept and implementation of these thoughts will depend upon what kind of response, encouragement, and resources I receive to move forward.

As I write this, I realize that this Archive Project is integral to the larger Studio Compound and the management parameters of the archive are directly related to the Spiritual Retreat/Artists Colony Project. The management of this Archive will take the basic principles seen in retirement centers and charitable foundations and merge them with some of the methods used by an assortment of artist's co-ops. Thus, the artist will be a member of the archive by buying their storage space, much like a condominium. Further, their work will be assigned to The Alpha & Omega Society for protection and management under specific terms. The artist's heirs will be co-owners of the work with The Alpha & Omega Society the terms of which are subject to bi-annual review. AG

Parade Floats and the Mobile Rental Stage

    As I have mentioned elsewhere, I am moving toward constructing a Parade Float, based on a Corvair Forward Control platform. You can read more about that on The Gnomes of New Hope blog. But I thought I would start a post here on the subject. It is my intention to document the process and to post it here. It may be a slow process at this point because we need to finish the illustrations for the Seven Book Companion Editions.

   My current thinking is that we may well produce more than one of these "mobile stages", possibly for our own use, but also as a rental stage for people who may want us to construct a Parade Float for them. So in that way, ur process for the Gnomes, is much like a templet for one or more of these Parade Floats. I say this because if there is someone who does want to have parade materials constructed for them, it would be good to know that. Here is the email; image.of.the.mind.studios@gmail.com

Here is a diagram showing the Corvair Forward Control platform:

This is one of the FC trucks that will server as a donor for the Parade Float:

This was the Stage we built in Tamanend Park, which we will be emulating with the Parade Float.

The Center section will be the Parade Float, while the side wings will be add-ons.

   Thus, the Parade Float will also serve as a stage for Festival presentations, concerts and such. It may be that the Gnomes of New Hope, as presented in GnomeFest will use the expanded stage, depending on how the Stage Musical is adapted for outdoor Festivals. I expect that the stage will likely incorporate a backdrop frame as well. The backdrop shown here was destroyed by vandals while this stage was set up in Tamanend Park. As a rental stage, it may be reconstructed with more durable materials.

The Vairod Project

 

This is a Monza GT, an experimental Corvair.

Mid-Engine Corvair Turbo Power-plant

One of my projects is the creation of a Kit Car called 

"The Vairod Project"

The "Vairod" is founded on a chassis constructed to replace the Unibody design of the Corvair. Basically it's like this; there are hundreds of Corvairs sitting around rotting in fields. Why? Because the Unibody design is not sound after a time, being that structural components become impaired to the degree that the vehicle is no longer roadworthy. However, other components of the vehicle are still usable; suspension, powertrain, steering and many other parts. Many people are loathe to scrap the dead Corvairs that they have, They simply are not making anymore of them and people LOVE their Corvairs.

An example of hundreds of the Corvairs sitting waiting to become useful again

So, the premise of the Vairod is to create a rolling chassis with those usable components. 

Once there is a rolling Corvair Chassis, any number of bodies can be put on that chassis 

to create a new car from the old components. 

Eventually those components can be upgraded to newer technology.

Imagine being able to build yourself a Monza GT or even a Super Spyder, 
both cars that never made it into production but are most excellent in design. 

A variation on these and other Corvair designs offers a new line of Corvairs. 

For anyone who knows, they will admit that in the heyday of Corvairs, before Ralph Nader 
 the Corvair Power-plant was very popular and used in many applications.

So, I have been thinking about this project for many years and now I am rethinking it. 

The First step is to create the rolling chassis.

Will I create a body from my personal Corvair, which is heavily modified? 

Maybe.

I have owned this car for 53 years.

AG

Some Thought About Cinema

Here is a link to a post, which I meant to put here.

The Gnomes of New Hope; Zach and Zebby's Grand Adventure

It addresses the larger game plan for assorted productions.  AG

Required Work

As a means of providing an update to this page, I am wanting to discuss the work that is required in order to bring the floor space under control in the Studio and also some of the other work that is calling for my attention.

When I began setting up at my present location, it was more a matter of storage than full intent. The buildings I am in were built by my grandfather, some sixty-two years ago. There are four building in the complex. I am occupying the two rear buildings, while RCK, Inc., originally a Swiss Automatic machine shop, now a CNC shop, resides in the front two buildings.

Here was an early set of floor plans for the way I intended to layout the studio, in the back buildings.  Of course, it didn't really end up that way. Because I included a gallery and a sound stage.

Before I took over the rear buildings, they were rental spaces and for many years, I was in charge of maintenance on the property. Another person did maintenance for many years before me, and some of his methods were, questionable. Leaving me with other issues that need to be resolved. 

The experiences of renting the 20k sq ft of space in the rear buildings was less than stellar. Numerous tenants came and went over the years, leaving behind them unpaid bills, rent, and a litinany of assorted damage to the buildings. In fact, I ended up in the buildings, for the most part, because they were no longer rentable, due to the outlay for the cost of repairs, when weighed against the rental income.

 

We are in the process of reaching a conclusion on these matters, so I can not say definitively what the scenario will be, but it is moving in the direction of keeping the operation intact and developing a new modus operandi. I will discuss that when the resolution is concluded in that regard.

June 19th is fast approaching. I am beginning to effect repairs on the Dragon puppet and will be clear-coating it this year to make it water repellent in the event we get caught in the rain during the pagent. I noticed that a good coating of glossy clear really makes the colors pop. It will be great. Come see it at the Bryn Athyn Cathedral on June 19th at around 7:00 pm. The cathedral is also illuminated when it gets dark and classical music is played to enhance the experience.

This isn't mine, but I'd love to have one of these 1909 Buick Speedsters to drive around. That would be fun, assuming it worked well.

In the meanwhile, as I have most likely said before, I am returning to focus on my machinery and vehicles that have been neglected, in lieu of working on The Gnomes of New Hope. You can check that blog for discussions on how that project is advancing. For the sake of  clarity on the rebuilding of the vehicles, I am going to begin another blog. 

A portion of my service bay, with a chassis and body from a 1931 Ford Model A Roadster being restored.

Years ago, I had a business called "Just Vairs" rebuilt Corvairs, did repairs and restorations. I used to imagine buying an "art deco" service station and setting up Just Vairs. Who knows, someday that may happen. In any event, I am returning to my work with Corvairs for very practical reasons. My main work truck, when I ran around doing Theatre Tech work, was a 1961 Corvair Rampside truck.

 Of course, I have spent the better part of, at the least, ten years, working on publishing the Gnomes books, and not engaging in hands on tech or acting. In fact, I used to engage in, or at least pursue producing film and video projects and that has gone into status as well.

But to return to the subject at hand, my vehicles. My 1961 Corvair Rampside sits in the shop and is taking up space in my service bay. It is up on blocks and awaits my installing a new engine. My other Corvair, a highly modified 1966 Monza Convertible, is taking up space in the other bay, which I intend on turning into a spray booth, for both automotive and set/drop paint work. 

A few of my custom design modifications. Flared fenders and air-scoops provide forced air for the air-cooled Corvair engine. This car is my lifelong project car. I consider it my metal canvas. I bought it in 1970, when I was fifteen, from my newspaper money. That too, needs an engine that has yet to have been rebuilt. It sits on jackstands with the suspension removed.

So, on just those two vehicles alone, I have a great deal of work to be done. And still, I have other vehicles, including an International Loadstar CO1600, that needs a new motor, which sits in my shop awaiting a rebuild. That is the big work truck which is under construction as a mobile workshop, but it also has a dumping stakebed, a crane arm, and a snow plow. I intend for that to also have the capacity to carry a water supply. 

Then there a Dodge/Fargo RV that I use as a mobile office. The RV is currently being restored, after sitting unused for a number of years. 

That will also be a pull vehicle for at least two trailers, one of which is a 1944 Star House Trailer, which I have owned for about twenty-five years and at one time lived in for three and a half years. That too, now needs restoration.

On top of this, I just bought another 1961 Corvair Van, which needs some restoration and which, is stored in a remote location an which, I intend on turning into a delivery van for the studio.

As you can see, I have much to do.

 I will be building a blog for Just Vairs, so that I can post the progress on the Corvair work. I may just pursue the Deco Garage concept and transfer all the Corvair activity there, if it becomes possible.

All of this remains secondary to the work on The Gnomes of New Hope, but clearly, how I manage these other items will affect my work on The Gnomes.

Stage Facilities

As I may have mentioned, it has been my intention to set up a stage in the studio. Not a stage for public presentation, but a sound stage for production purposes. 

I have the space delineated, but for other reasons I have not been able to set that stage up yet. I now have another piece of that puzzle- stage curtains and drops.

A theatre associate, Tony Cantore, who owns the largest collection of costumes in Bucks County and probably the general region, has lent me his collection of curtains and drops. 

I have been keeping him abreast of the progress of "The Gnomes of New Hope" since we first met around twenty years ago. His shop originated on New York, and Tony was associated with Arthur Gerold, who owned Brooks/Van Horn Costumes.  Tony's Collection includes the Cardell Costume Collection from Broadway.

My buddy Arthur as a younger dude.

So, I'm happy to have a collection of stage curtains and drops, which initially, I thought to use only for my sound stage. But the truth is, that these curtains will accommodate a forty foot proscenium. Well, not only a full set of blacks, but a number of sky drops and greens (which might be forest). Luckily for me, Tony is ok with me repainting the drops, which means that the forests for the center of Gnomeville will probably end up on at least one drop.

I'm thinking through how to best use these drops. Unfortunately, my shop only has a fourteen foot ceiling and the stage space I have delineated is (at most) 20' for the proscenium, 8' in the wings and 18' deep. That's pushing it, I originally set the depth at 16', figuring it would match a "Little Theatre" scenario. This size configuration will also work in prepping the Show for houses like The Bucks County Playhouse. In that instance, we need to cut the stage in half and playstage down on a thrust, because we need to avail ourselves of the turntable for set changes.

I'm not sure how the Bucks County Playhouse will come into play, but we have a long process to go through before we will be ready to open a show.

In the meanwhile, I am focusing on in-house activities that will take advantage of the sound stage, puppetry, parade float, and film/video/animation. Putting the stage musical up will depend largely on getting "The Elder Gnomes Joint Venture" up and running with a Vested Board of Directors and initiating the Ancillary Markets to support production. If we can create a cash flow from Ancillaries, then we will be better off then begging money in a Limited Partnership. That may come into play, but not until it can be managed under another organization, such as the Elder Gnomes or IMS Management. 

Further along those lines, "The Gnomes of New Hope Productions" needs to be formed.

More later.  AG

Studio Facilities; design, construction and relocation

Although IMS is currently in a 10,000 sq ft space, there really is not enough space to grow. At this point, it appears that, certain growth potential will require either adding another location or relocating entirely. Cost factors indicate relocating to a less expensive locale with reduced overhead may be advisable.

 As you may know, Image of the Mind Studios is a proprietorship. This poses difficulties for production activities. There are certain things that cannot be done under that business model. This is, in large part, why IMS remains in the design, development and pre-production end of things.

 One significant concern is the longevity of IMS. If IMS remains a proprietorship, it will die when I do and that is becoming more a probability than not. Unless, of course, I build a Board of Directors. That will only happen if Board members buy into IMS with a significant buy-in, basically somewhere around seven.

This is one reason that I have been seeking to change the business structure. For me, the difficulty in that lies in the amount of other work that I need to tend to. Simply put, I cannot get away from finishing the work that is before me. The managerial work of shifting the business model cannot interfere with the creative work that is under way and demanding attention. Otherwise, those creative details will wither under the pressure and never reach fruition.

Some History

That leads me to the current facilities. The building I am in, (Image of the Mind Studios and I are one in the same under the proprietorship model) is a building that was built by my grandfather. IMS is using half of the 20k sqft building. The other half is the machine shop, which he founded and my father, followed by my brother, ran. Of course, I worked in that business too, for a large part of my life, before my brother became involved, but Image of the Mind Studios has been my mission since I formed it in 1977.

I discovered by trial and error, that it was best for me to focus on pre-production. I have always been very involved in theatrical production and I would say, what has become (relatively speaking) nominally involved in film production. I was heavily involved in photography for most of my life. I transferred my technical capabilities, gained by my background in the machine shop and automotive work, over to technical theatre. Early on I began studying film, acquiring equipment and making films. It was my dream, to make movies. However, I fell into theatre, rather by accident.

I went to college to study photography and was led into studying film and television. My studies resulted in an Associates Degree is in Mass Media/Cinema, but that finishing work of that degree was exclusively in theatre. 

However, that degree did not come easily. Every step along the way, I was being directed back into the machining business. When the pressure became too much for me, at 21, I fled to California and sought to pursue a career in film. I returned to Bucks County years later to finish that degree, with an emphasize on theatre.

 "The Gnomes of New Hope;

 Zach and Zebby's Grand Adventure"  

has been designed & developed to account for the variances required for primary market saturation. The writing takes into account Theatre, Cinema, Television, Audio Book, e-Storybook, Animation, Illustration, a Companion Graphic Novel format and a particularly new product line/business model that incorporates all of the above.

The development of this project takes into account aspects of the storyline components, designed specifically for use in simultaneous exploitation of numerous Ancillary Merchandizing markets. Not a blatant insertion of Merchandizing from an opportunistic perspective, but the use of storyline aspects that blend well with expanding the awareness of the storyline into additional arenas, as a means to support the overall immersion into the story, culture and history of The Gnomes of New Hope. This is a key to giving this project legs.

The many other projects I have worked on, written, designed, or otherwise attempted to produce have all led up to and affected the extent of the Core Creative Materials for this project. Because of what I have learned over the years, it has taken me over twenty years to create and develop this project to this degree and to include the widest practical range of critical components, developed as fully as possible, so that this project may succeed in the greatest possible degree. 

California back in 1974, was an eye-opening experience for me. I won't go into it here (check my bio) but let me say;  my starry eyes were tainted by the realities of seeing all the dead bodies on the side of the road to stardom and worldly success. 

Well... I departed my first visit to Hollywood with a strong dose of reality. Although I have to say, Gene Roddenberry reading and liking the first draft of my screenplay "I Am Alpha & Omega" is a very good and encouraging memory, I made some other pretty significant advances on that leg of my journey as well.

 None-the-less, I departed Hollywood with some very important bits of information; besides 1) "watch your back" and 2) don't present your raw ideas to strangers; make sure that - 3) what you present is ready to act on immediately 4) you are prepared to act immediately 5) your creative material is legally protected in multiple ways, under the terms that are acceptable to you as an artist. 6) don't sign ANY agreements without legal representation and review 7) don't let your ego get in the way.

Soon after obtaining my Associates Degree, I began to pursue and interview a plethora of colleges to advance my to a Bachelor's Degree and move towards a Master's Degree. When they discovered my proclivities and my technical background, surprisingly, virtually every one hired me, or offered to hire, to work on their stage. The exceptions being NYU, Julliard, and Emerson. I was hired by Bucks County, Harvard, MIT, Boston University, Boston Ballet, Boston Opera as well Joe Papp, Lorne Micheal, Camera Mart, Beverly Hills Playhouse, MGM/Gerber, A&E, The Bucks County Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, The New Hope Arts Commission and many more. 

I won't go on, because; when I stopped keeping track, after I began working on The Gnomes, I had 350 shows under my belt, and more since then.

So, back to the subject at hand; facilities. I set up IMS in it's present location for a few reasons 1) the building was owned by my family and I had an office there for forty + years. This was in exchange for helping my father with his business, while he also helped me with mine. 

The back buildings were rental properties and they had become emptied because the latest tenant was perturbed that we would not sell him the buildings, so they vacated the premises. The problem was - that they left the property unrentable. The damages imposed by them (and previous tenants) were severe.

It came to be that I was in charge of much of the maintenance on the buildings and we began using the empty building for maintenance supplies and tools. That led me to begin setting up various workstations and such. At first those workstations pertained exclusively to building maintenance procedures and the assorted supplies needed for such.  Because, simply put; the building were unrentable without a large outlay that would not be recouped for twenty years worth of rentals. So having me implement the maintenance was less costly. The space started to be used for storage as well.

As it turned out, my folks, being in their 80's were less and less concerned with the details of the business and the buildings, which rather left me holding the bag in certain ways. While my brother was running the business and excluding me from participating, I needed to bring The Gnomes of New Hope up to par to create sufficient income to support the building operation and maintenance in the long term, since only nominal support was coming from elsewhere to do that and I had no knowledge of their finances.

I was informed that I would inherit the building, in particular, at the very least, the portion I was using.

Hence, I buckled down and began using the empty back buildings for my work as well. The buildings did not need to be renovated for me to use them. So it became an exchange. I continued to use the buildings in exchange for maintenance and other assistance to my folks, under the understanding I was to inherit the building.

So now my folks have died and I am embroiled in a Will Probate that mostly ignores what I was promised and is involved in legal battles between my siblings. Once again I am at the short end of the stick. I will not go into it, but the circumstances are unacceptable for me to create a productive work environment. 

Therefore, I must relocate IMS again, for the twelfth time. This will not be an easy nor an inexpensive task. If I remain in Bucks County, it will cost millions to build another facility and a significant amount to maintain that operation. I will not rent. If I am forced into it, I will pack my gear into semi-trailers and shut down. If that happens, it may be for good, because it takes a massive amount of energy to set this deal up again and get things going. 

I'm two years away from seventy, so I hope you see that dilemma.

I am looking at relocating to the Pocono Mountains in upper Pennsylvania. If that is to happen, I will be building "The Theatrical Development Centre" there. I like that idea and I have multiple designs that I have developed over the years for just that goal. But I have to find the right land, build a shop space, and move six semi-trailers worth of gear. It's a major endeavor. I'm willing to do it. I have some capital to work with, but really, not enough.  I need to sell the movie rights to The Gnomes of New Hope to secure additional funds.

I have some basic designs, but to do it right I need proper architectural drawings and a contractor to oversee construction of a facility. That facility needs to include a substantial legit theatre. So, you can imagine that I would drop ten million to pull this off correctly, at the very least.

I don't have that much to work with yet, but that's the goal.

If you're onboard with that. Let me know via email.

AG

Animation, Sculpting & Publication

As I've said before, I intend for us to create animated skits, almost GIFs, to insert into the e-Storybook, almond side of, and in some instances instead of, the illustration panels. In this vein, I would like to associate with another producing organization who will implement the feature film presentations. In terms of the feature films, there will be two films; one animated and one live action. Now, these films will include the music from the show, because the show is a musical. So, that being the case, I am looking for a partner to license those rights. 

On my end, I am looking at buying a church and renovating it to serve the dual purpose of a church and a theatre. That conceptual project also involves another property to serve as the administrative offices and assorted studio spaces, like a recording studio. I will discuss this project elsewhere when the time is right.

So the licensing, including merchandising, needs to provide sufficient fund for me to implement that plan. As I've said before, I will post the business plan on IMS Producing Partners, which will outlines the business structure and some budget and funding stats. That blog site is closed to the public, so if you are interested in engaging at that level, you need to tell me so I can set you up to sign into that blog site.

I have had recent discussions regarding the CG 3D work that needs to be done on our characters. As it stands now, we will be pursuing both CG and classic drawing/sculpting methods to create the animations, figurines, and puppets (both manual and animatronic). The manual puppets will be both stick and marionettes. These represent two shows in themselves. The animatronic puppets will first be applied to the Parade Float, followed by a walkthrough cyclorama, and ultimately, a theme park application.

So this is a very wide ranges of activities, which in truth, extends even further when you consider that "Zach & Zebby's Grand Adventure" is one story of seven that comprise "The Gnomic Tales". But that's "another story".

Normally this subject is reserved for The Gnomes of New Hope blog, but it ended up here.

In regard to publishing. We have started the process of completing the remaining illustrations. All told we need 345 illustration panels. After all, the book collection is nearly 800 pages in seven books or three volumes. The first step will be to fill in the pages with sketches. The work I have done, has been to complete all the technical layout for the books so that they can be published without any snags. In the instance where I did not have artwork for any given page, I inserted description panels of what the illustration needed to represent. That allowed me to move forward with the printing layout. Well, we have now started developing the remaining illustrations.

So, the final prototype is nearly ready to print. I will be printing the entire collection of books, focusing on the Gnome-sized books as the first items to inventory. Where appropriate I can give the Gnome-sized books away as samples. I will not be giving any Big People books away, they are too costly. I have other details regard the books sales and distribution, which I will discuss elsewhere. Suffice it to say that the books will be available via The Gnomes of New Hope blog, which will provide a link to the shopping cart page. There, you will be able to buy both retail and wholesale. In that regard, the hand-stitched books will be exclusive sold by IMS Publishing, by special order. Retailers can also order hand-stitched books for resale, but quantities will be limited due to more complex assembly processes and slower production capabilities. Pricing for the hand-stitched books is higher than machine bound books. So those details will be provided elsewhere once the production lines are fully established. As it stands now, we are set up to produce prototype materials. The production line needs to be restructured to accommodate higher quantity orders. Also, the packaging/shipping/recieving area is also being organized and constructed, as that is critical to delivering product.

That's all for now.  AG

The Gnomes of New Hope

I recently did a Google search of The Gnomes of New Hope. One of the results was a post on this blog. A post created in 2013. Gadzooks! I forgot I had even written that post. I scanned it briefly and it does appear to touch all the bases, of course, the thinking in that post may be outdated... But then again, it may not. I had no idea that preparing the books for publication would take so many years to achieve. I am about ready to print the final prototype run. Part of that process has also included setting up the production line requirements for in-house publication. So that has added to the time frame. In any event, I can recommend that any of what I have, or will say on these pages is valid, if even somewhat dated. In regard to this older post, from what I saw, it was a good overview. Maybe I'll transfer it over to www.thegnomesofnewhope.blogspot.com and then update it. AG

Santa and his Elves

I've moved this post up, since it is the Christmas Season.

I may work on this project some more, because interestingly, 

I'm looking at doing The Garden Gnomes in much the same manner.

This is a Christmas Project that I never got around to pursuing. I had investors lined up to foot the fifty grand I needed to publish as 4' x 8' sheets and distribute these as Lawn Displays to lawn centers, either as a "Do-It-Yourself" kit or Turnkey finished product. I found a very high degree of interest from numerous Lawn Centers, but when it came down to push vs shove, the investors chickened out. 

So that, and other changing circumstances, put the kabash on my effort at the time.  

But I am still very interested in pursuing the entire line of designs.

   This was put on hold when I got wrapped up in The Gnomes of New Hope. Now I'm thinking of doing the Gnome characters as lawn displays. I did move forward to do Garden Gnomes, 18" cultures cast in cement, but I think that doing this flat lawn displays would work well, so I'll be constructing some prototypes. 

   Certainly I'd be interested to hear from anyone with a marketing/sales/partnership interest. Now that Image of the Mind Studios is more stabilized and set up in an excellent facility, this Lawn Display project could be readdressed, but to do so, I would need a Project Manager, funding and guaranteed sales. I am simply too busy with The Gnomes of New Hope producing activities.

  I'm posting this image here so anyone who wants to can print it out and use it for a Christmas Card. I will produce them (cards, table or lawn displays ) if you want to give me an order for quantities more than 100. Just let me know. I think I have an email link in the sidebar of this blog.  AG

Telephone Calls

For those of you calling me via the number ending in 87, that number is my personal cell phone. I simply answer it with "Hello". I do not answer " Image of the Mind Studios". I realize that a number of people expect otherwise, because I get a lot of hangups or no responses. That is either my fault, or it is because people are ignorant. If I get a robo call or an aggressive solicitation I do hang up.

 For unrecognizable numbers, I most often let it go to voice mail. If you want me to answer your call, you will need to give me a heads up via messenger. 

I generally avoid solicitations and cannot afford the time with salesman pitching me, so don't waste your time. I seek what I need, not what someone wants to sell me.

I prefer communicatimg via email, text, or Messenger. 

That's the way it is for now. I'm considering hiring a receptionist, but that isn't an immediate priority, simply because the work taking place is mostly internal and IMS is not a service agency. The focus of attention is on building IMS Publishing and setting up numerous other operations.

AG

Vested Partners

I thought I'd broach the subject of shifting IMS away from a Proprietorship and into a Corporate structure. I have designed multiple divisions of IMS Management, to accommodate varying degrees of operations, in order to allow for expansion into higher levels of activity. Those divisions are discussed in the Business Plan, which I will be posting on the IMS Producing Partners and IMS Management pages, but my current thought is to sell Image of the Mind Studios outright. The only reason I am considering this is that I need to plan an exit strategy. My approach to doing this will be to take on Vested Partners and build a Board of Directors and shift IMS away from me over time.

 Of course, there are numerous levels of Vested Partners who sit on various independent boards, before getting to Image of the Mind Studios, Incorporated.

They are;

1) The Elder Gnomes Joint Venture

     (funding)

2) IMS Management, Inc.     

     (logistics)

3) The Gnomes of New Hope Productions 

     (production)

4) RCK Technologies, Inc.   

     (manufacturing)

5) Image of the Mind Studios

     (design & development)

I'll discuss this more later. AG

Update 7/21; Regarding Communications and Other Business.

I just looked at my last post and was surprised to find the absurdity of how auto correct changed what I wrote. Egads! I fixed it.

This is my front office, which, some time ago, I started turning into the art department, with a video editing suite. I have been in this office for forty years, albeit, on the road alot doing theatre and film. This is in Building Two.  I have expanded into Buildings Three and Four and moved my production office into Building Three. So if you come looking for me, the front office is closed. I am in the back buildings and for now the front Buildings One and Two, which contain the machine shop, are shut down, including my front office.

I have been deeply occupied with the writing/publishing activities of The Gnomes of New Hope, so I have not been very attentive to the other matters pertaining to Studio structure. Yes, I have been reorganizing the shop, in order that I can, not only, be more efficient with the ongoing projects "under roof", but also in order to make it possible to hire people to work there. You see, the work stations must be under control, tools in their place, the building up to code, and other like matters, before I can effectively allow activities to step up to the required production level. I also need to get the account office under control before and of course, sufficient funds, before I can start hiring personnel. Nothing would be worse than starting the engine, heading out on the highway at 120 mph, only to find that the bridge over the river isn't finished, if you get my drift.

Further, for those of you who choose to use the telephone to communicate with me; the line I have posted as the contact for Image of the Mind Studios is my personal cell phone. I answer with hello. Don't let that throw you off. I can't seem it bring myself to respond to answering the phone any other way, I've tried and I always revert to hello. I say this because I get a lot of calls where there is no response on the other end of the line and if I get no immediate response, I hang up. I don't have time for robo calls or idiots.  Your best bet is a text, but you need to identify yourself. I don't respond to solicitations or unknown links. Generally, I'm pretty busy and often don't get to the phone before it goes to voicemail. So if you do leave a message, I will get back to you, if you are talking business and not just trying to sell me something. Eventually, I will set up a receptionist, in which event those communications will take a more standard form. For now, all those resources are directed toward building other aspects of studio operations. Keep in mind that my primary modus operandi is design, development and production (mostly prototype materials). Manufacturing, marketing and distribution are developing under specific parameters, which are not yet active. 

My history in manufacturing goes back to my grandfather and father running our family machine shop, so I do have a history of working in that arena and an understanding of the depth required for those activities. In fact, the machine shop is still intact, although shut down right now. If it goes this way, I will be looking to build a board of directors to take over operations of the shop. It started out with Swiss Automatic and all the necessary secondary operations, but it's set up now for CNC. Ask me if you are interested. The company was RC Kletzing Inc. If I restructure it, it will become RCK Technologies, specializing in design, development, production of robotics and animatronics... and, of course portions of the business activity that it has always been a part of; a job shop.

 We're also engaged in platform medical technology as well. That is a cutting edge new application of known technology, which has already had six million invested in it. It needs to be brought to market. Another project you might inquire about.

So that's all for now. AG

Operations

Here's a Photoshop version of my RV. The paint may end up different, but the "Woody" aspect will remain, when I get around to doing the vehicle over again. This RV made a great mobile office, and I used it for that purpose for a few years.

Well, overall work in the shop is proceeding slowly, primarily because the priority has to be on completing the publishing layout for The Gnomes of New Hope Illustrated Storybook Collection. I have been setting up a production line for producing the Hand-Stitched Edition of the books. That also involves inventory management and shipping/receiving. Sales will be wholesale only, with the Hand-Stitched books being primarily part of the investment strategy. If it turns out that retailers are willing to pay the extra cost and wait for delivery of the Hand-Stitched Edition of the books, then they will go out to retail as well, but for now hand-stitched bindings will apply to investment in the Theatrical production work.

I will need to actively start pursuing the establishment of The Elder Gnomes Joint Venture, not only for the production of The Gnomes of New Hope, but because I need to build another Board of Directors for The Alpha and Omega Society. Part of the larger plan is to build IMS Management as well, but I'm slowing down considerably, so all that will depend on who chooses to be involved. Any of those board positions will require investment in both time and money. It would be nice to establish those boards and see them advance without my impetous. I mean generally speaking. I'm at the age where people usually retire, and although I don't see that happening, it would be nice if I could do so without damaging the growth and operation of Image of the Mind Studios, et al. 

So, that being said, I will be looking to reorganize with a mind to realize that I need to implement an exit plan. If that is of interest to anyone, let me know.

I still have a lot of writing to do, so establishing another modus operandi for IMS is a good idea, in order to give me time to do that. It seems that everything I do these days takes a lot more time than it used to. Oh well.

AG