Hey David! I love all of your work and have been so excited to follow webworm. I was wondering how you sell your more unique concepts like "Dark Tourist." I always wondered how people get the support for more unusual subject matter. Thank you for the opportunity to ask these questions, and I hope you have a great Friday!
There is no set way really... like with Tickled, that was a Kickstarter. That went well... and I ended up in a meeting with Netflix, that went OK! There are lots of meetings that don't, though. You only see the results of the good meetings. Thanks heaps - and a good end of week to you, too
Hi David! I really enjoyed Dark Tourist and Tickled, and Webworm has been a great distraction during the lockdown so firstly, thank you for that. My question is; near the start of Tickled there's some legal issues that mean the documentary almost never saw the light of day - does that happen a lot? Do you have a stash of 'banned stories' that you can't share?
Hi David. Do you remember a TV3 campaign in the 90s called “teledots” where you’d place an adhesive dot on the corner of your tv screen during a specified program to “activate” it - and then you’d mail it in for a chance to win? I think about it all the time and would love to know if there was actually some sort of chip inside or if it was just clever marketing. x timothy
In New Zealand it often seems like you need to hustle to get traction, have 50 irons in the fire and still it's hard to get projects off the ground. How do you determine which projects to pursue and how do you keep motivated and in action when something you've spent time, effort and money on doesn't fly?
Most of my ideas collapse. And die. Or collapse and die and then come back to life years later. Then die again. Or don't! I think you have to hustle wherever you are. I don't have a particular technique or workflow.. I just pour my energy each day into what my brain finds appealing. I have about 20 cue cards with ideas written on them slapped on a wall that is usually in sight... I take them down, put them up - it's visual and it helps. But yeah, you gotta have irons in the fire. Just part of the buzz. It's both good and terrible at the same time!
Hey David, you've spent a lot of time looking at some pretty heavy/horrifying/depressing aspects of humanity... What do you do regularly to look after your own mental health?
Hi David, massive fan of all your work by the way. I live in Scotland and all going well with this covid business I’ll be going to university in September to study Journalism. Since I have a few months before then, I was wondering if you have any essential book recommendations or tips on writing articles for people like myself? I look forward to checking out your next project!
Just read what you want to read. Read what inspires you. If it's non fiction, read that! If it's fiction, read that! But to be specific... I really like Anthony Bourdain's books. Any of his. I think John Pilger is smart and great. Escaping The Rabbit Hole is a book on conspiracy culture that I am loving, written by a fantastic journalist. But honestly - just deep dive into a topic you love. Read about it. Podcast it. Deep dive in. That is all journalism is - deep dives.
hi from australia, david! not really a question but more of a thank you, i just finished one year of immunotherapy on last wednesday and i wanted to thank you because your various projects/writing really helped me have something to enjoy and focus on, it was a wonderful and much needed escape! i hope your friday is going well! :)
Mikey Havoc did some dark oddball diving with his 'Quality Time' TV series ... the wellington episode is a real deep slice of the phi ... worth seeking out
I think it's rough getting in, but just get in. You should never have to do this, but work for cheap. Just get in a foot in the door. Run cables. Run scripts. Go in to follow someone for a day that let's you in (no stalking). And once you're in, be passionate. Find a unique thing you are into, and run with it. Apart from that - build you own empire. Create. Make. Put things out. Just do. Stop thinking about it, and do. You will fail, you will suck, you will break, but just keep on having a go.
Hello David, it's just gone 8am on Friday on the UK. I'm in a funk at the moment - grieving my wonderful, kind grandad since the end of May. Because of the death stuff and my general blues, I've avoided books, TV, podcasts, and films where I'm unfamiliar with the plot because I'm 'scared' there'll be a really sad moment or a sudden shock and it'll send me back into the dumps again. You know?! So basically I'm wondering how you'd recommend getting over this fear and/or, if not really possible, what more gentle books/films/TV/podcasts might I watch that won't devastate me? Only so many times I can watch the Winnie the Pooh movie in a week haha. Thanks.
Lydia. Sorry to hear about your dear grandad. That's really sad. But I am glad you are giving yourself time to grieve. I think a podcast worth tuning into is The Tobolowsky Files. It can be sad, but it's wise and full of advice. Stephen is a friend of mine, and is such a great storyteller.
But maybe you just need to dive into some comedy! Or some rom coms! Keep it light and silly. Give yourself some time. Or some old classics.. Jurassic Park? Keep it light. Be entertained. And.. go easy on yourself. It's okay to not be okay.
If I may... To get in a better mood, I've been using stand-up specials, I revisited 'New Girl' (which perhaps isn't for everybody but I find it consistently lol-able), and 'Queer Eye' is a great show to inject a little positivity in one's life!
Hi David! I know everything in the world is shit and I should be making a more poignant statement/question right now but... really I’ve been working on trying to making my brain go numb lately so I don’t go insane. In my efforts to achieve psychological stupefaction I’ve noticed that a number of shows and movies I’ve watched have orgies in them and all of those orgies have a buffet. I’m slightly obsessed lately wondering if orgies in real life have buffets and if they do oh my god then I have so many more questions. What kind of food? Is it a catered buffet? If it’s catered does some one stick around to replenish the dishes? What about food allergies? Hand washing station?
Do you have any ideas? Or is this something television and cinema have made up? It is possible I am also just a weirdo that needs to stop watching so much tv lol.
Thank you. That honestly means a lot to me. I’m not sure how an old boring mom like me would research orgy buffets. But now that it’s more socially acceptable to wear masks, gloves and carry Lysol spray who knows.
I know you didn't ask me, Melodie but there is a terrific documentary on Plato's Retreat called American Swing. Plato's Retreat was a swinger's club in Manhattan that operated from 1977 to 1985, it used to advertise on late night television and one of its selling points was....the buffet. Go figure.
Any chance you've come across one of many Always Sunny in Philedelphia's favourite scenes - "Why is there a buffet at a goddamn orgy, Frank?" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY8BSHVWGxk
Yes!!! That’s one of my fav orgy buffet scenes. But also one of the reasons why I’m questioning if there’s regularly buffets at orgies. If those guys are making a joke out of it it can’t be a thing right? But then there is one in season 2 of True Detective so maybe? lol
Hey David, loving Webworm! My friend and I message each other without fail to discuss every article of yours published on The Spinoff, so to be able to get that even more regularly straight to our inboxes is bloody good. Pretty stoked to see there's gonna be more to the Bashford Antiques saga, can't wait to see Clamped.
Where are most of your followers and subscribers from? Are there any unexpected places where you have lots of followers?
Cheers from a wet and windy Wellington (so, just a regular Wellington)
You have 30 seconds to choose a pet dog, what type are you choosing? Go!
Lab. Or an Australian Shepherd.
Hey David! I love all of your work and have been so excited to follow webworm. I was wondering how you sell your more unique concepts like "Dark Tourist." I always wondered how people get the support for more unusual subject matter. Thank you for the opportunity to ask these questions, and I hope you have a great Friday!
There is no set way really... like with Tickled, that was a Kickstarter. That went well... and I ended up in a meeting with Netflix, that went OK! There are lots of meetings that don't, though. You only see the results of the good meetings. Thanks heaps - and a good end of week to you, too
Hi David! Hope you’re having a good day. Since following you on Instagram these questions have always kept me up at night:
1) Is New Zealand secretly run by cats?
2) Where do you buy your shorts?
3) Where are you going once travel is safe again?
Yes
All over the place... always have an eye out!
Back to the USA, I think. The best and worst place there is.
Hey David, would you consider going on a date with me next time you are in London? Louise xoxo
Very flattering Louise but you can do better, I assure you!
That’s sweet! Im sure my cat would think you’re great.
Hi David! I really enjoyed Dark Tourist and Tickled, and Webworm has been a great distraction during the lockdown so firstly, thank you for that. My question is; near the start of Tickled there's some legal issues that mean the documentary almost never saw the light of day - does that happen a lot? Do you have a stash of 'banned stories' that you can't share?
It happens sometimes, yeah. The thing is, legal letters are usually a sign you are onto something. It's a good thing!
Hi David. Do you remember a TV3 campaign in the 90s called “teledots” where you’d place an adhesive dot on the corner of your tv screen during a specified program to “activate” it - and then you’d mail it in for a chance to win? I think about it all the time and would love to know if there was actually some sort of chip inside or if it was just clever marketing. x timothy
Oh my god I missed this. It sounds amazing! It also sounds like a huge scam!
I managed to find an image of them! I'd completely forgotten about these! https://www.flickr.com/photos/48502235@N08/15205248286/in/photostream/
Great find! I’m glad to have visual confirmation I’m not imagining this.
In New Zealand it often seems like you need to hustle to get traction, have 50 irons in the fire and still it's hard to get projects off the ground. How do you determine which projects to pursue and how do you keep motivated and in action when something you've spent time, effort and money on doesn't fly?
Most of my ideas collapse. And die. Or collapse and die and then come back to life years later. Then die again. Or don't! I think you have to hustle wherever you are. I don't have a particular technique or workflow.. I just pour my energy each day into what my brain finds appealing. I have about 20 cue cards with ideas written on them slapped on a wall that is usually in sight... I take them down, put them up - it's visual and it helps. But yeah, you gotta have irons in the fire. Just part of the buzz. It's both good and terrible at the same time!
Hey David, you've spent a lot of time looking at some pretty heavy/horrifying/depressing aspects of humanity... What do you do regularly to look after your own mental health?
I walk a lot. Long walks, music, petting cats I meet along the way. And I have a few close dear friends I unload thoughts and feelings on.
Hi David, massive fan of all your work by the way. I live in Scotland and all going well with this covid business I’ll be going to university in September to study Journalism. Since I have a few months before then, I was wondering if you have any essential book recommendations or tips on writing articles for people like myself? I look forward to checking out your next project!
Just read what you want to read. Read what inspires you. If it's non fiction, read that! If it's fiction, read that! But to be specific... I really like Anthony Bourdain's books. Any of his. I think John Pilger is smart and great. Escaping The Rabbit Hole is a book on conspiracy culture that I am loving, written by a fantastic journalist. But honestly - just deep dive into a topic you love. Read about it. Podcast it. Deep dive in. That is all journalism is - deep dives.
Cheers David!
:)
hi from australia, david! not really a question but more of a thank you, i just finished one year of immunotherapy on last wednesday and i wanted to thank you because your various projects/writing really helped me have something to enjoy and focus on, it was a wonderful and much needed escape! i hope your friday is going well! :)
This is so fucking cool to hear, Bella. I am glad you've wrapped it up! Go you. Fucking a.
thank you so much David!! :)
Hi David, loved Dark Tourist!
Any chances of a sequel in NZ? Might be less raunchy but surely there’s still a few oddball attractions and places around the country 🙂
New Zealand has plenty of dark shit, but I am not sure I am the one to cover it.
Mikey Havoc did some dark oddball diving with his 'Quality Time' TV series ... the wellington episode is a real deep slice of the phi ... worth seeking out
Love his stuff. Newsboy, too.
hey david, what are your favorite movies to cry to? (if you have any)
Hooooooo boy. Grave of the Fireflies. Upstream Color. The Florida Project.
Hi David! First of all - loving web worm and the content within. Such an awesome forum.
Do you have any tips / words of warning for anyone looking to enter NZ's media industry?
I think it's rough getting in, but just get in. You should never have to do this, but work for cheap. Just get in a foot in the door. Run cables. Run scripts. Go in to follow someone for a day that let's you in (no stalking). And once you're in, be passionate. Find a unique thing you are into, and run with it. Apart from that - build you own empire. Create. Make. Put things out. Just do. Stop thinking about it, and do. You will fail, you will suck, you will break, but just keep on having a go.
Hello David, it's just gone 8am on Friday on the UK. I'm in a funk at the moment - grieving my wonderful, kind grandad since the end of May. Because of the death stuff and my general blues, I've avoided books, TV, podcasts, and films where I'm unfamiliar with the plot because I'm 'scared' there'll be a really sad moment or a sudden shock and it'll send me back into the dumps again. You know?! So basically I'm wondering how you'd recommend getting over this fear and/or, if not really possible, what more gentle books/films/TV/podcasts might I watch that won't devastate me? Only so many times I can watch the Winnie the Pooh movie in a week haha. Thanks.
Lydia. Sorry to hear about your dear grandad. That's really sad. But I am glad you are giving yourself time to grieve. I think a podcast worth tuning into is The Tobolowsky Files. It can be sad, but it's wise and full of advice. Stephen is a friend of mine, and is such a great storyteller.
But maybe you just need to dive into some comedy! Or some rom coms! Keep it light and silly. Give yourself some time. Or some old classics.. Jurassic Park? Keep it light. Be entertained. And.. go easy on yourself. It's okay to not be okay.
If I may... To get in a better mood, I've been using stand-up specials, I revisited 'New Girl' (which perhaps isn't for everybody but I find it consistently lol-able), and 'Queer Eye' is a great show to inject a little positivity in one's life!
Hi David! I know everything in the world is shit and I should be making a more poignant statement/question right now but... really I’ve been working on trying to making my brain go numb lately so I don’t go insane. In my efforts to achieve psychological stupefaction I’ve noticed that a number of shows and movies I’ve watched have orgies in them and all of those orgies have a buffet. I’m slightly obsessed lately wondering if orgies in real life have buffets and if they do oh my god then I have so many more questions. What kind of food? Is it a catered buffet? If it’s catered does some one stick around to replenish the dishes? What about food allergies? Hand washing station?
Do you have any ideas? Or is this something television and cinema have made up? It is possible I am also just a weirdo that needs to stop watching so much tv lol.
Thanks,
Melodie
Melodie... this is a great story idea. Go research it. And write about it. I love this.
Thank you. That honestly means a lot to me. I’m not sure how an old boring mom like me would research orgy buffets. But now that it’s more socially acceptable to wear masks, gloves and carry Lysol spray who knows.
I know you didn't ask me, Melodie but there is a terrific documentary on Plato's Retreat called American Swing. Plato's Retreat was a swinger's club in Manhattan that operated from 1977 to 1985, it used to advertise on late night television and one of its selling points was....the buffet. Go figure.
Great input, Bentia. Jump in anytime!
Oh I’m definitely going to check that out! Thank you Benita.
You are very welcome!
Any chance you've come across one of many Always Sunny in Philedelphia's favourite scenes - "Why is there a buffet at a goddamn orgy, Frank?" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY8BSHVWGxk
Yes!!! That’s one of my fav orgy buffet scenes. But also one of the reasons why I’m questioning if there’s regularly buffets at orgies. If those guys are making a joke out of it it can’t be a thing right? But then there is one in season 2 of True Detective so maybe? lol
Hey David, loving Webworm! My friend and I message each other without fail to discuss every article of yours published on The Spinoff, so to be able to get that even more regularly straight to our inboxes is bloody good. Pretty stoked to see there's gonna be more to the Bashford Antiques saga, can't wait to see Clamped.
Where are most of your followers and subscribers from? Are there any unexpected places where you have lots of followers?
Cheers from a wet and windy Wellington (so, just a regular Wellington)
Thanks Steph. I think it's like 30% New Zealand, 70% elsewhere. I like the mix. It's fun, and keeps my writing more wild, I think.