Tips and Tricks
At Zeros 2 Heroes, we believe in breaking down the barriers surrounding the creation of genre entertainment in all forms: comics, films, animation... and games. So we want to make this process as transparent as possible.
You may have seen this philosophy at work in our relaunch of the ReBoot franchise or in our more recent Comic Creation Nation campaign. In both cases, we have let our members have a say in how properties are being created and, more importantly, a direct hand in helping other fans go from zero to hero.
To get our community behind you, here are a few time-honored techniques that have never failed:
- Communicate Regularly — not only does this build a rapport with the community, it keeps your name and hopes front and center in their minds. For best results, pick one channel (like our blogs) and use it religiously.
- Engage the Audience — when people post comments on your pitch, respond to them. If people ask questions on your blog, take the time for a considered response. This builds a sense of connection with you and your work.
- Build a Personal Brand — and make sure it isn’t “that asshole with the hat”. Present your ideas and arguments with a dash of humility and take any criticism constructively. That doesn’t mean selling out, but it does mean being a mensch (look it up).
- Make High Impact Update — the Personal Pitch Doctor is designed to allow you to go back in and refine your personal pitch as often as you like. But rather than diddling with your comma placement, make significant upgrades and let people know. Above all, make sure you have a COMPLETE personal pitch... including video.
If you are curious about other tactics that have worked well in our community, reach out to past winners. Drop them a line, ask their advice and see if they can give you some pointers.
And who knows? They might even become your biggest fan.
What Else You Need to Know
Winning the crowd is an essential ingredient in your personal NSI playWRITE success story. Demonstrating your zeal for games and showing how responsive you are to community feedback speaks volumes to how successful you will be... but these aren’t the only factors that will be taken into consideration.
Take the time to really polish the formal application that you will be submitting to the National Screen Institute. Make sure you complete all of the fields at a minimum and don’t be shy about including other material that might support your candidacy. Be imaginative, think outside the box and give the selection committee a sense of who you really are.
After their deliberations, the NSI jury will pick the lucky candidates and we’ll post the winners here at Zeros 2 Heroes. But the initiative doesn’t stop there — you’ll be able to track their progress throughout the
NSI playWRITE program, watch their rise and fall, and determine if a career in the game industry is something that you would like to pursue.
After all, this is only a pilot program... if successful, there will be other game initiatives coming to Zeros 2 Heroes. So stay tuned!
NSI playWRITE is presented by:
