Here is more detail about their goals w/ this move:
http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2980-were-looking-to-hire-a-f...
37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move
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Re: 37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move
#22I'm not sure if this is complete egotistical wankery, or awesome. I'll get back to you after I watch the movie.
I think this could fall mighty close to the category of jumping the shark.
Re: 37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move
#23Joel did that with Aardvark'd. A single feature-length movie was fine, but I'm not sure if people who are (mostly) sitting at their desks are the best subject for an ongoing series...
Re: 37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move
#24Every time the 37signals topic ends up on the table, people talk about how they went against the flow, how they are not running on huge funding round and basically how they are an exception.
Let me get this straight. Huge funding rounds is the exception. Startup is the exception.
I work on OpenSource stuff everyday, get to play with the same technology as the next startup guy and I'm very proud of calling my company (ie. the one I work for) a Company. I'm proud and happy to have the chance to participate in growing this company and our technology and it's a battle of every contract.
There are millions of us.
Re: 37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move
#25Every time the 37signals topic ends up on the table, people talk about how they went against the flow, how they are not running on huge funding round and basically how they are an exception. Let me get this straight. Huge funding rounds is the exception. Startup is the exception. I work on OpenSource stuff everyday, get to play with the same technology as the next startup guy and I'm very proud of calling my company…
I think there is some validity to the idea that 37Signals went against the flow, though I agree that bootstrapping and substantial founder ownership and only minor outside funding is not remarkable in the world of business.
What is somewhat against the flow is the degree to which 37signals pivoted and the degree to which its founders continue to influence the conversation regarding software via their writings and other public communications.
Re: 37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move
#26[deleted]
Re: 37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move
#27This story has taken on a life of its own.
Let me clarify: There's no reality show.
We're doing the same thing we've always done - we're just bringing it in house. We used to outsource the shooting, editing, and production. Now we hired someone in house to do this for us.
We've been making videos for years.
From trailers for our book REWORK: http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2137-rework-trailer-1-staying...
To parodies of political ads: http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2209-karl-roves-book-vs-rewor...
To interviews with founders: http://37signals.com/founderstories/slicehost
To customer stories: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEoAN06Nllk
I hope this helps erase the sensationalism and wild speculation.
Re: 37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move
#28This story has taken on a life of its own. Let me clarify: There's no reality show. We're doing the same thing we've always done - we're just bringing it in house. We used to outsource the shooting, editing, and production. Now we hired someone in house to do this for us. We've been making videos for years. From trailers for our book REWORK: http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2137-rework-trailer-1-staying... To parodies…
Thanks for clarifying this. I honestly love the style of videos you guys create, and I am glad you guys are putting more resources into creating more.
Best of luck!
Re: 37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move
#29I hope you do more like the Ryan Singer play by play peepcode videos.
Those were some of the best I've seen
Re: 37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move
#30It used to be a golden rule for investors that they should see signs of needless ostentation (e.g. a fountain in reception, limos for all executives) as a danger signal. Excuse the pun but making a film about yourself does not send out a good, signal about 37signals.
These guys sell 1.000.000-ish licenses of, say, $40 on average every month, with 25 employees (or something like that). Do the math on how much profit they're making. Now that they got bored of buying exclusive cars that match the Italy villa, they hired a filmmaker. Why would they care what an investor thinks about that? The message to customers is, and will be, "so many people chose these products, they must be goo…
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