| Subject: Experienced Freelance Marketing Copywriter |
| From: "Barrett Brown" <barriticus@gmail.com> |
| Date: 9/11/07, 09:13 |
| To: job-418580311@craigslist.org |
I understand that your company is in need of a copywriter to handle various projects on a freelance basis, and I'd like to be considered. I've performed work under similar arrangements both for ad agencies as well as my own clients, including tech, energy, and real estate firms, my other freelance work has appeared in dozens of publications ranging from humor mags like National Lampoon and The Onion A.V. Club to B2B pubs covering dining, nightlife, and retail, and my first non-fiction book was released last March to praise from Rolling Stone, Air America Radio, Skeptic, and Harvard constitutional scholar Alan Dershowitz, among other sources.
Along with my resume, I've pasted a couple of samples below; the first is a pretty straight-laced pamphlet for a tech company based in New York, the second is a series of restaurant write-ups, the third is a short B2B piece on gadget accessories aimed at retailers, the fourth is a sales letter for an architectural design rendering firm, and the fifth is from a pamphlet for the Young President's Organization 2007 seminar series. Please take a look and let me know if you'd be interested in discussing this further.
Thanks,
Barrett
Brown
Brooklyn, NY
512-560-2302
(Cover)
Organic Motion
Reinvisioning Vision
"What's not to like here?" - Newsweek
(Page One)
TBA Reinvisioning Motion Capture
After four years of under-the-radar development, Organic Motion Inc. is set to release the product that will not only redefine motion capture as we know it, but will also bring the technology into the day-to-day lives of those who may never have even heard of it.
Organic Motion's newly-released TBA system shatters the barriers inherent to pre-organic motion capture implementation by ditching the assumptions that have limited the field's potential for more than twenty years. TBA is not an incremental advance in established mopac techniques rather, it is a comprehensive, top-down overhaul of the entire process, fueled by scientific breakthroughs in computer optics, AI, and the methodology by which the two are combined, and further augmented with a streamlined workflow implementation that cuts time, cuts costs, and cuts manpower requirements. We haven't improved on the wheel; we've reinvented it.
Fundamental to this reinvention is TBA 's extraordinarily unique optical computer intelligence engine, which allows for computerized visualization of the actual human subject itself by way of a pre-programmed conceptual "map" of what a human body looks like, how a human body moves, and where a human's natural body points are located. Bringing the human into human movement detection is not only a natural progression of mocap tech, but is also one of tremendous benefit to every stage of the process, from initial capture to finished product.
The extent of TBA's strength and accuracy is such that one major Northeastern research hospital has partnered with Organic Motion to obtain a grant from the National Institute of Health to use the technology in a study of the effects of cerebral palsy on human movement; the extent of TBA 's customability and ease of use is such that several diverse firms are already making plans to implement it in ways that would have been previously impossible due to the constraints of earlier mocap. Imagine what it can do for your studio.
(Page Two)
Reinvisioning Entertainment
Whereas pre-organic mocap systems required a human subject to be clad in an expensive, cumbersome bodysuit studded with reflecting markers, TBA requires no suit, nor any prep time at all; subjects may simply walk onto the camera zone dressed in street clothes, and the system will immediately capture their every move. Whereas previous mocap systems recorded the positions of a few dozen attached markers, thus giving only a general impression of the body's movement, TBA tracks the body itself and does so at thousands of natural points recognized by the system's advanced visual mapping AI, from the joints of one's limbs right down to the corners of one's eyes. And whereas previous mocap systems entailed a severe degree of lag between capture and usability, the necessity of technician oversight during use, and weeks of manual data cleanup before an accurate recording could be put into play, TBA eliminates all of these things, delivering clean, usable data in real time, not at some unknown time in the future.
The implications are profound for game developers, 3D animators, university project managers, special effects broadcasters, and anyone else who has already incorporated mocap into their studio output as well as those who haven't. By lowering the financial threshold for mocap implementation, we turn it into a viable option for those entities engaged in lower-budget projects of the sort that might not have justified the advantages of the technology due to cost considerations. And with the hundred-fold increase in capture accuracy, teams of every shape and size will see dramatic benefits in the quality of their finished product and they'll see those benefits immediately, thanks to the clean, real time feedback which allows animators to get a full sense of how the data is playing out during the recording process itself, thus freeing them from the technical concerns inherent to pre-organic mocap (did we mention that TBA's organic approach to point tracking entails absolutely no occlusion whatsoever? Pretty sexy, huh?) and encouraging them to get more closely involved in every stage of the creative process.
Our reinvention of mocap promises to similarly redefine the industry, which is why TBA's unveiling at the 2007 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco and subsequent demonstrations of the technology's revolutionary potential have so far won us some rather unreserved accolades from Newsweek, Macworld, Engadget, Game Daily, Gamasutra, and others. Organic Motion has already received deposits in advance of the initial product release, with the first one hundred units set for delivery in September 2007.
Get on board. We're reinvisioning vision.
***
Fran's Hamburgers
With the faux-classic hamburger stand being a moderately popular motif among several large fast food chains that shall remain nameless, it's refreshing to hit up a genuine article in which the waitresses are caustic in a cute, endearing way and in which the interior is done up all wacky not out of purposeful irony, but because the Eisenhower-era designers really thought that this was how a restaurant should look. Fran's is a burger-lover's burger joint, offering their wonderfully greasy item of specialty in three sizes, and further supplementing one's caloric intake with sides representing the fries-and-onion-rings school of understated accompaniment. Things tend to get understandably hectic around midday; resign yourself to lunchtime delays. Great For: Cheap burgers, people who enjoy being called "darlin'." Entrees: $2-6 (1822 S. Congress, 444-5738; 6214 Cameron, 458-6007)
Freda's Seafood Grille
Although the restaurant's billing of itself as "American-Cajun" may be technically redundant, the description does get the point across - in matters of decor, Freda's opts for Upscale Antiseptic chic over the Anarchic Crawfish Shack Out In The Swamp sensibility which has served so many informal Cajun joints so well for so long; in matters of cuisine, Freda borrows liberally from all comers, with the result being such things as bacon-wrapped sea scallops, pine nut-crusted trout, and a selection of steaks and pastas benefiting from the sort of ingenious Cajun culinary preparation in exchange for which the rest of the nation has duly forgiven Louisiana its rampant, eternal corruption. Great For: When only the fanciest gumbo will do. Entrees: $14-29 (10903 Pecan Park, 506-8700)
Green Mesquite Barbeque & More
Green Mesquite is pretty serious about the "more" mentioned in its extended moniker; beyond brisket and such, the Barton Springs mainstay (and its West Oak counterpart) deals in catfish, po' boys, burgers, tacos, chicken fried steak doused in enough gravy to drown a baby elephant, and even jambalaya; all of this is made more accessible by way of the restaurant's all-you-can-eat option, which goes for even cheaper on Mondays and Tuesdays, when it becomes one of the city's truly great culinary bargains. In a nod to Texas BBQ orthodoxy, Green Mesquite offers bottles of Sunkist and Big Red; in rebellion against same, it also offers salads and even veggie burgers. Great For: Getting stuffed after a dip at Barton Springs. Entrees: $3-14 (1400 Barton Spring, 479-0485; 710 Highway 71, 288-8300)
***
The Restaurant at The Mansion on Turtle Creek (1980?)
2821 Turtle Creek Boulevard
Dallas, Texas
75219
214-559-2100
If the walls at the Restaurant at The Mansion on Turtle Creek could talk, they'd probably bore you to death with real estate lingo and commodities jargon, such things being the most common topics of conversation on the premises. Rather than talking to the walls, then, visitors are advised to instead focus on the award-winning menu that's brought in so many real estate moguls and commodity traders over the years in the first place; awaiting the diner are such high-end treats as wild river salmon served with braised bok choy, green curry and coconut sauce, and red curry foam.
St. Martin's Wine Bistro (1977)
3020 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, Texas
75206
214-826-0940
Whereas most restaurants pair wine with food, St. Martin's Wine Bistro pairs food with wine over two hundred varieties are on hand. Consequently, the menu is dominated by steak, seafood, and pasta dishes seemingly chosen for their vino-complementing attributes (fairly representative of these is the Farfalle Pasta, a compilation of shrimp, scallops and crawfish served in a tomato pepper-jack cream); meanwhile, nightly specials help to keep things even more interesting. Similarly, the restaurant space itself complements both food and wine alike by way of an elegant, pre-war interior first built in 1925 and carefully renovated on a few occasions since.
The Grape (1972)
2808 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, Texas
75206
214-828-1981
Over the course of a storied history spanning several decades, The Grape has been the scene of countless first dates - along with countless wedding proposals, countless wedding anniversaries, and countless rare nights out for couples with young children and spotty babysitter access. The menu itself fairly reeks of romance, listing such items of amorousness as steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels prepared with white wine and Warmed Blood Oranges with arugula and toasted hazelnuts. And despite the nuanced offerings to be had here, The Grape features a surprisingly cozy and unpretentious dining room that's as suitable for popping the question as it is for popping out of the house for a casual night out.
***
Go Go Gadget Retailer!
Nothing sets the summer heart aflutter like that perfectly stylish, ever-so-necessary electronics accessory and that goes double if you're the one selling it. But with fashionable designers increasingly jumping into a product genre that not so long ago was dominated by geek chic, as opposed to chic chic, retailers are facing a similar increase in mind-boggling stocking decisions and that goes double for those whose fashion sense may have frozen in time in 1986. Never fret; we'll bring you up to speed on the things everyone needs.
Laptop Cases
The girl-friendly gadget community is all abuzz about the Lexie Barnes 2007 Echo line of laptop carriers not so much due to the water-resistant fabric and extra pockets perfect for power cords and old-fashioned reading material; rather, it's the neo-retro (yeah, you heard us) design scheme that has everyone excited.
Mouses
Well, it's finally happened - someone's gone and blinged out the mouse. The culprit in this case is British design firm The Crystal Chick, whose 2007 lineup includes a three-button optical laptop mini-mouse that's encrusted with swarovski crystals and available in clear, topaz, rose, and sapphire color schemes. Will wonders never cease?
http://www.thecrystalchick.co.uk
Portable Comm Cases
For those whose tastes don't quite run to the jewel-encrusted, Otterbox is set to release a decidedly utilitarian see-through Blackberry case that allows for total functionality while protecting the device from liquid, dust, crushings, and other hazards of the modern workplace. It's a must-have for today's busy klutz-on-the-go.
Gaming Cases
Billing its product line as being "For People Who Hate Wallets," Jimi seeks to serve as savior to portable game enthusiasts with its Jimi Game Shell, a shockproof, liquid-resistant polypropylene case that keeps Nintendo DS and PSP game cards safe from the elements (not to mention their owners).
***
Don't Love Us. Love the 3d.
3d is easy to love, particularly for those who've come to experience its charms. Between the presentational beauty and overriding utility, 3d's pull is strong enough to have cajoled us Adam Kruvand and Adam Felchner out of our near decade-spanning careers spent working in the offices of such prominent architecture firms as Kohn Pedersen Fox, Rafael Vinoly Architects, and Hellmuth Obata Kassebaum. As our commitment to architecture has come to rely more and more on fully accurate modeling of the sort that simply won't allow for errors, the technology's appeal has roped us in further. 3d demands much, but delivers more.
With our combined expertise, we can do things that would have been impossible just a few years ago and we can do them in a way that no other visual design firm can emulate even today. Studio2a can transform a standard design plan consisting of sketches, photos, CADs, and the like into a visually realistic architectural rendering that brings a project to life, from the overall structural concept of a building's exterior to the dozens of nuanced details that make up its interior. The texture of a fabric, the luxurious hue of a leather chair, the smooth golden finish of a wooden cabinet, the delicate sunlight filtered by a flowing curtain each facet of any given design is considered, and our end result is a visual representation that's virtually indistinguishable from the finished product itself. 3d's sensuality is of that sort which simply cannot be ignored.
Having on hand a high quality, photo-realistic rendering of your project solves quite a few of the more irritating problems of the sort that were once considered unavoidable costs of doing business. Studio2a's pioneering genre of total design representation provides for a similarly total understanding of what the finished product will consist of. Our end result is technically comprehensive, yet still easily accessible to all parties involved regardless of background or expertise. Reducing communicational friction reduces confusion in turn, thus minimizing overhead, change orders, lost man hours, and other, similarly unnecessary nonsense. 3d is every bit as clever as it is beautiful.
Perhaps more importantly, Studio2a's finished product helps to ensure that your product gets finished as well. A realistic model of a proposed architectural design project is of obvious benefit to those in need of a green light; whether you're planning a presentation, hoping to generate interest from potential user groups, or trying to loosen up a little capital, our methodology for bringing project to life for any imaginable audience is a fundamental asset in the effort to bring that same project to eventual realization. When your project, like love, is indescribable, we'll help you describe it.
Together with our diverse array of clients, we've fallen head over heels for 3d. Call us romantics. Better yet, call us for a free estimate and find out what Studio2a's advanced approach to 3d rendering can do for your company.
Middle East Event
With the debate over U.S. Middle East policy intensifying ahead of the '08 elections, it's our honor to host a presentation by the man whose unique role in defining the nature of Iraq's governing body renders him among the most interesting and lucid sources on a topic of pressing national concern. Noah Feldman is perhaps best known for having served in an advisory capacity to Coalition Provisional Authority head Paul Bremer in the early days of the U.S.-led occupation, during which time he was involved in the development of the nascent Iraqi government's first constitution.
It was a natural choice for an unusual task. As a Rhodes Scholar and former Supreme Court clerk who holds degrees from Yale, Harvard, and Oxford and who currently serves as the Cecelia Goetz Professor of Law at the New York University School of Law in addition to his role as a senior adjunct fellow on the Council of Foreign Relations, Feldman has focused much of his scholarship on two fields of study which might at first appear to be mutually exclusive: American constitutional law in general and the implications of the Establishment Clause in particular, and the feasibility of democracy with Islamic characteristics. As Feldman has argued in such books as After Jihad: America and the Struggle for Islamic Democracy (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003), Divided by God: America's Church-State Problem and What We Should Do About It ( Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2005), and What We Owe Iraq: War and the Ethics of Nation Building (Princeton University Press, 2004), each of these issues may have deep implications for the other and, with care, may be successfully navigated.
BARRETT BROWN________________________________________
37 Park St. #2, Brooklyn, NY
512-560-2302
COPYWRITER/ FEATURE COLUMNIST/ CONTRIBUTING EDITOR/ BOOK AUTHOR
Published Work/ Freelance Media Experience
The Onion A/V Club
Current, ongoing copywriting for The Onion's features department.
Studio2a, Inc.
Undertook copywriting of print and online marketing collateral (web text, press releases, etc.) for Chicago-based architectural design firm in September 2007.
Anglesey Interactive, Inc.
Undertook copywriting of online marketing collateral (web text, press releases, etc.) in support of firm's "Riight.com" integrated search engine in June 2007.
Organic Motion, Inc.
Undertook copywriting of both print and online marketing collateral, general marketing consultation for noted New York tech start-up in May 2007.
Sterling and Ross Publishers
Nonfiction book "Flock of Dodos: Behind Modern Creationism, Intelligent Design, and the Easter Bunny", political humor, authored in 2006, released in March 2007. Received praise from Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, Rolling Stone, Skeptic , Air America Radio, Huffington Post, other sources.
Avacata
Occasional freelance work starting in 2007 for Dallas ad agency, researching and creating entertainment/dining/venue blurbs for clients' marketing collateral, including that of luxury resort real estate firm.
National Lampoon
Occasional contributor; past features included "Pick-Up Lines That Don't Seem to Work," "Craig's Conspiracy Corner," "A Guide to Dealing with Housecats," more.
Weekly columnist for political analysis site from October 2004 to November 2005
Features included - - "JohnKerry.com is Web-Tastic!" "Politicos Should Heed the Perry Incident," "Hot Senate Races," "Hot House Races," "109th Congress - What They Really Wanted for Christmas," "Political New Year's Resolutions," "State of the Union 2005: Dreams and Ironies" "The Long Kiss Goodnight," "The Strange Case of Jeff Gannon," "Libby Indicted, Dems Excited," "The Best Little Decoy in Texas," "Faith of Our Fathers: A Mildly Mean-Spirited Review," "McClellan is No Fleischer," "A Response to Our Catholic Readers," "The Known Unknown," "Dr. Frist Prescribes Himself a Dose of Moderation," "Meet John Roberts," "2008 Preview," Roberts Confirmation Hearings Largely Bloodless," more.
AOL CityGuide
Web content writer from Summer 2000 to December 2003 Researched/ created content coverage of event and entertainment venues. Served as regional correspondent for Dallas, Austin, New Orleans, Houston and Little Rock markets.
Additional magazine work
Ongoing, have contributed feature articles from serious political commentary to humor pieces to children's recreational activity coverage to fine dining overviews for outlets including business-to-business publications Pizza Today, Club Systems International, Dallas Market Center, D.C.-based public policy journal Toward Freedom, London-based public policy journal Free Life, humor magazines Jest and McSweeney's , regional publications The Met, Austin Monthly, and Dallas Child, men's magazines Oui and Hustler , literary journal Swans , dozens more.
Additional writing projects
Have created marketing copy for Verizon via Dallas ad agency Sullivan Perkins, produced website copy for design firm NPCreate.com , provided public relations pieces for Texas energy company EBS and Dallas real estate firm Dunhill Partners, more.
Education
1999 - 2003 University of Texas at Austin, College of Communications