Tag Archives: Mark Zuckerberg

Famous People Who Didn’t Go To University

Posted on by

Zac GoldsmithI have a confession to make. I find the whole snobbish going to university thing stupid. If you want to actually study something or be a doctor, then obviously go and reach your potential, but one of the things I find most stupid about social pressure is that everyone should go to university. At least if they want to be middle class.

Tuition fees are now appallingly expensive, and the most annoying thing I found about the recent BBC class calculator is that they still put going to university and owning a home as an indicator of class. Even though people buying homes they could not afford was one of the factors in the recession, and a recent study said that most students would never be able to pay of the debts they had incurred.

I recently saw an interesting meme on Facebook. It said, “Modern education: creating people who are smart enough to accurately repeat what they are told and follow orders.”

You don’t have to agree with me. I know it is a controversial thing to think. However, have a look at just a few of the famous people who did not go to university.

Apple founder Steve Jobs dropped out of Reed College.

TV host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres dropped out of the University of New Orleans after one semester.

The creator of Tumblr David Karp never even graduated from high school.

Walt Disney left school at 16 to join the Army. He couldn’t get in because of his age so he joined the Red Cross and left for Europe.

Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard but later got an honorary degree.

Paul Thomas Anderson dropped out of NYU film school.

Zac Goldsmith MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston did not go to university, instead deciding to travel the world. He told the Financial Times: “I think university is hugely overrated for most people,” he says, insisting that a wide range of good apprenticeships is more useful than three years of light work and heavy drinking. “I would not encourage my children to go to university.”

Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to work full time on Facebook.

Yoko Ono dropped out of Sarah Lawrence College

Woody Allen was thrown out of New York University after one semester and later dropped out of the City College of New York.

James Cameron studied physics at Fullerton College. He dropped out to become a truck driver.

Thomas Edison left school to work on the railroad at the age of 12.

F. Scott Fitzgerald dropped out of Princeton.

Coco Chanel dropped out of school to become a cabaret singer when she was 18.

Whole Foods founder John Mackey dropped out of the University of Texas.

Pablo Picasso dropped out of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

The founder of WordPress Matt Mullenweg dropped out of the University of Houston in 2004.

What do you think? Is going to university important?

Visionary Steve Jobs Dies At 56

Posted on by

‘Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose’

Steve Jobs, 2005

The world mourned today as Steve Job lost his eight year battle with cancer. He was only 56.

Steve Jobs was called a ‘visionary, who had changed people’s lives’ by President Obama and Mark Zuckerberg praised his ‘mentor and friend’.

The internet was flooded with tributes within minutes of his death being confirmed. His family thanked ‘the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve’s illness’ and Apple’s board of directors released a statement saying; ‘We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today, ‘Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve’.

The Apple founder died yesterday, six weeks after stepping down as Apple CEO and a mere one day after the new generation iPhone was launched.

Apple’s homepage is a full-page image of Jobs with the text, ‘Steve Jobs 1955-2011.’

Jobs leaves behind a wife, a son and two daughters.

His family released a statement saying that he had ‘died peacefully today, surrounded by his family.

‘In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve’s illness.’

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, New Frontiers in film financing.

Posted on by

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold directed by Morgan Spurlock.

Where and When: Thursday 29th September at BFI Southbank

On Thursday I saw Morgan Spurlock’s new documentary about branding, advertising and product placement, which is entirely funded by branding, advertising and product placement.

Afterward, a panel of experts from film and advertising discussed how producers can create new synergies and forms of production finance without losing their artistic integrity. The panel included; Pippa Cross, Producer of Chalet Girl, Duncan Forrester, Head of Public Affairs, Volvo, Darryl Collis, Director of Seesaw Media, Pete Buckingham, Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the BFI

“Nothing like a cold call to let you know how little power you have.” Morgan Spurlock.

What I learned:

1) The Greatest Movie Ever Sold was the first film to be in profit before it hit theatres

2) Spurlock ‘didn’t negotiate for success’ so the brands didn’t have to pay him any more money when the movie became a runaway success.

3) In the first few months, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold had over 900 million media impressions.

4) Spurlock called over 100 ad agencies and 650 companies to contribute to the documentary, only 15 companies said yes. A success rate of only 2%.

5) Pom juice is 40% as effective as Viagra for helping a man sustain an erection.

6) Volvo did not pay to be in Twilight, the filmmakers stayed true to the fact that Edward drives a Volvo in the book. But they have people come in and buy the car Edward drives after seeing the movies, even though it’s a £35-50,000 investment.

7) A big champagne company turned down the opportunity to be in The King’s Speech because they ‘didn’t do period films’.

8) Morgan Spurlock could not legally disparage the entire country of Germany in or around the Mini that he was given for the film. Most of the contracts had a non-disparagement clause.

9) Spurlock said all of the brands asked for ROI (return on investment) but not of them got it.

10) Ditto for the final cut, Spurlock says: ‘Retain final cut or it’s not your film”. However, if your film costs more than $40-50 million, you will not get final cut.

11) Spurlock’s advice to filmmakers when negotiating with brands and advertisers is: Always know what you are willing to give up. Integrity is valuable.

12) Fed ex did not pay to be in Castaway.

13) The film uses all of the things it criticise in the beginning to sell the film to you later

14) Old Navy gave Spurlock a cheque for £200,000 after seeing the documentary at the Sundance Premiere.

15) The brands have bigger lawyer than you.

16) Pippa Cross had to spend 2K on CGI to get ride of a beer bottle on Shooting Dogs because the beer brand did not want to be associated with the genocide.

17) The Social Network has Mark Zuckerberg and the rest of the cast using Sony laptops, but, factually, the real people the film is based on would have been using Apple Macs.

18) Pippa Cross got Tesco vouchers for Chalet Girl, and the best Ski brands on board.

19) Morgan Spurlock made a deal with a tri-state pet discount store; you could get a goldfish and after the first one died, use a voucher to get another one. Like Spurlock does in the film.

20) Spurlock tried to get a gun company onboard, but they all said no.

21) The lawyer Morgan interviews in his documentary tells of of the term ‘Faction’. Where fact and fiction meet, and what advertisers use to confuse you and integrate their products into your favourite TV shows and Films.

The documentary is essential viewing for anyone interested in film, or raising finance.

Facebook to add facial recognition to tagging {Social Networking}

Posted on by

Following the news that Mark Zuckerberg has been named Time Magazine’s Person of the year 2010, Facebook are continuing their “we’re developing it whether you like it or not” mission and have announced their latest development.  Facial recognition tagging for photos will make it easier and quicker to tag people in photos. Similar to the facial recognition software in photo editing tools, the function will learn your friend’s faces and suggest them when you upload new photos.

You can turn off facial recognition if you’re really panicking about being tagged on that bender-you-never-went-on-honest-boss. To disable suggested tags go to your Privacy Settings. Just click “Customize Settings” and “Suggest photos of me to friends.” Your name will no longer be suggested in photo tags, though friends can still tag you manually.

Hands up who’s thinking “will it work on my dog?”