Risking life and limb, PZN's own sexy chief Photogzilla went under cover this past Sunday to a secret meeting that was called the night before Escalate Live was to begin. After he managed to leave undetected, he was kidnapped by two assailants and driven all night to an unknown location.
After bribing his captives, he managed to escape and hitch a ride from a chicken farmer. His camera was lost amongst some hen cages, however, the farmer was kind enough to come back and returned it to Photogzilla.
Without further ado, PZN is proud to take you behind the closed doors of Escalate Live to show you everything the organizers don't want you to see:
Branding. You work your ass off creating one for yourself and your business. You want to have an appealing image that tells people your ass is successful, reliable, trustworthy, and just the whole kitchen caboodle of the century. All this is what makes people volunteer over their checkbooks to you...You're a freakin' rockstar and everyone wants a piece of your ass.
Public Relations. This is the hand that wipes that hard working ass when it gets dirty or when you need someone to get you more ass. Funny enough, it also requires to kiss a lot of ass. Yes, there's certainly a lot of ass involved in public relations. Networking is also a part of this, so there's multiple asses available in one room at one time.
Google Search Results. Your branding and public relation butt cheeks both come together to form a nice ass that can be seen by the world. You want great search results if anyone Google's your ass. You want your hard working ass to look fiiiiiine.
The Photogzilla Effect. When your egotesticle ass gets a well deserved reality check spanking and no furious, amazing SEO bullshitter, or PR can save your ass from the natural algorithms of the beast known as Google.
PZN is proud to share with our readers the result of what happens when your ego gets bigger then your ability to think logically, rationally, and most importantly, with good old common sense. We hope this lesson on The Photogzilla Effect helps save your ass in the future.
Chris "The" Becker Search Result on Page 1:
Dane Sanders Search Result on Page 1:
David Jay Search Result on Page 1:
Scarlett Lillian Search Result on Page 1, Just For Ol' Shits & Giggles:
PZN Staff Pleading: For your own good, our entire PZN staff agrees that you just not mess with our sexy chief Photogzilla. Your ass will be grass if you step out of line. Just sayin.
Who knew Photogzilla was so popular? He's so famous, it hurts. Now that he's ranked so high, you have to acknowledge his awesome sex appeal and rockstar popularity. The numbers don't lie. Of course not. (flame on!)
Don't believe everything someone tells you. PZN doesn't buy the above numbers either because its not based on the whole truth because you're only shown a part of the story. If you're not privy to internet statistics and such, it's no different then being a newbie to the photography industry. The whole truth is that the above numbers are actually reflective of the blogspot.com main site. Not necessarily Photogzilla's blog per say, which is a sub-domain. The numbers are skewed, just like self-proclaimed leaders who try to skew reality and their own image to gain your trust, only to profit themselves. If you believe anyone who blogs how amazing your life will be by buying their workshop on a DVD, how your life will be 'transformed' after you give them your mortgage payment for attending their workshop, uses Twitter to do nothing but spam-promote and not truly interact, constantly tells you are worthy of being fabulous, or any other cheap marketing techniques,.....THEN, feel free to believe the above numbers as true: Photogzilla is the #7 most visited site in the world.
Now some people want to believe that Escalate Live was supposed to offer free online streaming from the beginning. Well, PZN always likes to let you know; the spin stops here. We have yet to see any proof of this, except evidence to the contrary.
April 21st Tweet by Chris Becker:
We have a lot of hearsay from witnesses saying they heard Dane Sanders or someone else or someone's mom saying that the stream would be for free. If that is the case, how does it make any sense to sell $250 tickets? That's like releasing a movie into the theaters, but then telling everyone they can see the movie for free from the comfort of their homes. Certainly doesn't make business sense, but more importantly, it doesn't make common sense for the average person who may have booked travel thinking it's only an in-person event. Ask the person who's booked their airline ticket to attend this seminar and they will have some choice words to share with you at this point.
The most humorous part is that most of the documented 'free' online streaming announcements began after PZN revealed the unethical tactics by the Escalate Live organizers. This was just part of the PR spin. Here's Photogzilla:
"If you wanted to allow a free show online from the beginning, why not put the option to sign up from the very beginning as soon as you started selling tickets. Why HIDE it?? It doesn't do much good if its in your head as the organizer, told to 3-4 people in person...Put it where ACTUAL attendees can see COMPLETE information. That tells me these greedy folks wanted to milk whatever they could from naive ticket buyers. It's only recently they officially posted an option for the online streaming AND it was only a week ago did they FINALLY put a program description on the site.
April 23rd Tweet by Dane Sanders of program details, finally weeks after tickets went on sale:
It gets even more retarded; the program description is STILL incomplete even NOW. The blind continue leading the blind. And the blind keep falling for these unethical tactics. Just look here....As of TODAY, May 5, 2010, David Jay STILL has no clue what he's going to be talking about...'Topic Coming Soon??' You call this an organized event?"
With so many people trying to get rid of their tickets now, the number of tickets sold from last time PZN reported the total of 220 tickets sold to over 15 days later now is..........228 222 tickets sold. This tells us only 8 additional people have bought a ticket to attend in person. PZN believes these people probably missed the free streaming option or they really believe that they will be cooler people by meeting these speakers in person. Of course, the return in investment will still be nil and will be realized after attendees walk out. They will be inspired to take on the world, but a week later they will simply be ordering plugged products like a Showit site, a Shootsac bag, buying Dane's book. Ironically enough, their photography skills will still, for lack of a better word, suck.
Does anyone else realize these speakers don't even make majority of their income from...wedding photography?
The fact is, there is no truth in advertising with Escalate Live and its organizers, along with similar seminar workshops promoting themselves through spams on forums, Twitter, and other social networks. They have demonstrated irresponsibility in not only marketing the event unethically & incompletely, hiding important purchase options from attendees visiting the Escalate site, but also how desperate their attempts are to create a perceived value of something that simply will mostly benefit the ones collecting money from ticket sales & DVD sales.
People will have to choose if they want to be a sheep and follow this train wreck.
New development: PZN has been keeping a close eye on ticket sales, and with only 26 days left to sell tickets priced at $256.22, the organizers of Escalate Live have sold ONLY 220 tickets. This is a far reach from the 600 seats of cash flow Dane Sanders & company were looking forward to pocket. With numerous attendees jumping off after realizing this train was taking them and their wallets for a ride, they are looking to sell their prematurely purchased tickets to someone who doesn't mind lining the pockets of people that rely on taking advantage of those too naive or blinded by savvy marketing. Many more have lost interest in the event and more so, have lost respect for the speakers of this event.
PZN may have already taken out all the hot air that part time photographers Dane Sanders, Chris Becker, Jasmine Star, David Jay, and the rest of the company were planning on using to float across beautiful California blue skies with wads of cash in their pockets. Dreams of starting a seminar that would could someday become a lucrative cash flow for the speakers who could use a controlled platform to promote their own products, services, and workshops to an unsuspecting audience, assuring an annual pay day for giving inspiration speeches without much substance. A private little WPPI if you will. Only this time, a handful of part-time wedding photographers/full-time motivational speakers & bloggers would be collecting bags of booty as they made their way to the banks.
PZN asked Photogzilla for a comment on the pathetic ticket sales for an event with less then 26 days away.
"This is a clear sign that professional photographers everywhere are far more intelligent then these speakers give them credit for. Hard working people don't want to waste their money on fluff, and they're sending these 'self-proclaimed leaders' a clear message that they cannot be taken advantage of anymore. This gravy train on biscuit wheels, thinly disguised as some kind of educational seminar, is now coming to a slow grind before it has even left the station. My objective from the beginning was to educate the masses about these unethical and veiled techniques these people are using to make money. This is a big step in helping our industry realize it needs to realign back to the thinking that hard work and dedication based on a solid foundation is what is required to be successful as a photographer."
PZN will continue to keep a close eye on any new updates and whether the organizers will cancel the event. We do know for a fact that the speakers have had numerous discussions on how Photogzilla has thrown off their entire plans and have been redoing their speeches and presentations in an attempt to salvage their reputation. However, what is worse is that none of the speakers have responded to Photogzilla's numerous attempts to get even a comment. No one from Escalate Live seems to really care what people have to say and simply block anyone from following them on their Twitter page that they don't agree with. We feel that if you are a person has who has chosen to lead a public figure life, you cannot ignore the public that questions you and be selective to keep as an audience only those that you are able to fool. Photogzilla commented, "Not only did most of the speakers block me on Twitter, even @EscalateLive blocked me for asking some tough questions. David Jay even called two people 'clueless' for asking why doesn't he respond to questions. These people have some really huge egos and history teaches us this is the downfall of many."
PZN knows all of the speakers have been keeping a close eye on Photogzilla, because the organizers have even changed the iStock micro stock images they were using on a...wait for it....photographer's conference! One of them went out and took a few snaps to change around things on the Escalate Live website. PZN broke this news to our readers in an earlier report how EscalateLive had used a selective coloring image. What's really sad is that the images being used now are actually far worse in quality then the iStock photos. Photogzilla fell out of his chair when he saw the new images, "And these are professional photographers?? Can't even take high quality images themselves? What is wrong with these people?!? The humanity! If you DON'T know how to take professional quality images, what are you doing teaching a conference about photography? I guess, when your best is just not good enough as a wedding photographer, you become a motivational speaker for other wedding photographers. This is such a train wreck."
Now, the PR minds at Escalate LIVE have decided to offer a live stream for free. The speakers are trying utilize any method they can to salvage their reputation, so they'll do anything to save their public image. Here is Photogzilla again.
"This is another clear sign that Dane and company are desperate to save themselves. They are going to try to play this giveaway free seminar to gain points from sympathizers. It's just so sad. What's even more moronic is what they will have to do with the 220 people that HAVE bought a ticket already to attend what is now a FREE seminar. Who's the moron running this train wreck?? Oh yeah. The speakers. I think they need to focus on their wedding photography business. They apparently aren't making enough money on that, so their wasting everyone's time and money on this recycled and regurgitated garbage. I can tell you right now, they have changed their entire presentation to NOT plug their products and are going to try to look like angels by trying to give away a free presentation. They should just cancel the event and go home. Cut your losses. Focus on becoming better photographers or seek another line of work. Don't try to be the next Tony Robbins, who I might add is who Dane & company have been ripping off and plagiarizing. Oh, and did you know that line Jasmine always says 'I'd rather fail at something I love then succeed at something I hated' that you hear at every seminar she speaks at...She says her husband JD said it to her. Turns out, it's also ripped straight from the Cameron Diaz movie "What Happens In Vegas," where Cameron's character turns down her promotion in the board room scene. Go check it out for yourself. Unoriginal. Fluff. Empty motivations. Just full pockets with money from deceived photographers who trusted these people. Very sad."
If you would like for the speakers to respond, ask them on Twitter by pasting the following: @DaneSanders @_DavidJay @JasmineStar @JessicaClaire @theBecker Why are u ignoring legit questions from @Photogzilla - http://bit.ly/aATAN7
We also invite our PZN readers & Photogzilla followers from Twitter to take our poll to see what should happen next.
Dear Escalate Live Speakers: PZN has received numerous requests from concerned photographers who have either bought a ticket to Escalate LIVE or were thinking about going but have now changed their mind. Some are even trying to get a refund or sell their ticket to some other poor chap. They are really worried and would like to know exactly what are they getting for letting each one of you make over $10,000+ to just talk about yourself for 2 to 4 hours.
Chris Becker - Besides the blow me pose and how to throw network parties, what else will you talk about?
David Jay - Can't remember the last time you shot a wedding. But you're great at quoting others. Do you plan to just plug Showit Sites?
Jasmine Star - You sound pretty busy most of the time. With the blog, JD, and the dog. Besides ghetto fabulous marketing, what else do you have planned to discuss?
Jessica Claire - We have a pool going to guess how many times you will say Shootsac during your speech, mention your own wedding, and talk about Jose Villa.
Dane Sanders - Will you plug your book, your ownership of OSP forum, investment in Showitfast, or even when is the last time you shot an actual wedding. Now you're just an 'author' of 'Fast Track Photograher?'
Jerry Ghionis - Really? What are you doing at this thing with some of these people? We're slightly confused. What do you plan on talking about?
Jeremy Cowart - You spent a lot of time with Britney Spears. That must have been fun. Everyone else is a wedding photographer. You're like the third wheel. It almost feels like you're supposed be the different dish on the table for the sake of being different.
One other simple simple question for the speakers of Escalate LIVE:
In 2009, how much did you gross for shooting weddings and how many did you shoot?
We know all of the speakers are very nice people. We just don't know how honest some of them are, exactly how justified this money making seminar really is, and most importantly, how much value is it for a paying attendee? As seasoned photographers are professing, they would NEVER recommend this seminar to any photographer, newbie or not. Why do you think professionals who have been in this business for years not supporting this cash cow seminar?
After all, many people used to think Tiger Woods was as good as they come. Boy, were they wrong. Image & branding can really fool many people. Unfortunately, the photography industry has more flocking sheep then actual professional photographers. And sadly, there are some 'self-proclaimed leaders' that are clearly taking advantage of many of these people.
We would also like to know why with over 10 hours and 43 minutes still left in Tier 1 ticket discount pricing did you have a 'Sold Out' status marked on the following purchase page? The reason we ask is because we know, and you well know, that you still have not sold 300 seats at the stated time or even now, as 300 is the exact number of seats that were made available at Tier 1 pricing. Was this done to create a sense of urgency? Is this part of some strategy to sell more tickets by creating false demand?
This above example just shows us ticket buyers have a justifiable reason to question the organizers about this event.
So, if you're one of the speakers, go ahead comment to this post.
If you have a detailed syllabus for topics to be discussed, please share. We know you wouldn't take people's money without giving them something to value. So share the details.
Photographers, newbie or not, don't need to pay for inspiration. That's like cans of hope; all you get is hot air.
For all you photographers out there: know someone who's thinking about going to this event? Spread the word by Tweeting the following:
RT @photogzilla Why z @escalatelive refusing 2answer HARD questions: Creating FALSE DEMAND? Ask WHY, leave comment: http://bit.ly/b1DdOO
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