
37signals has hired a full time filmmaker to document its every move - bartjacobs
http://thenextweb.com/entrepreneur/2011/11/06/37signals-hires-filmmaker-to-document-its-every-move/
======
jasonfried
This 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...](http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2137-rework-
trailer-1-staying-late)

To parodies of political ads: [http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2209-karl-roves-
book-vs-rewor...](http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2209-karl-roves-book-vs-
rework-what-the-american-people-need-to-know)

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.

~~~
JonLim
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!

------
nakkiel
Every 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.

~~~
brudgers
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.

------
brudgers
<I'm sorry> The first thing that crossed my mind when I read the headline was
"The Office."

However, it isn't a bad approach to marketing. Considering that many of their
users are captive - i.e. are required to use their product by their employer -
showing the thought that goes into their product is likely to create buy-in
among the worker bees of 37signals' customers.

------
epo
It 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.

~~~
jbarham
Given that 37signals don't have investors, why should they care?

(I know that Bezos has tossed some money their way, but the terms were
apparently in exchange for his advice, rather than for an eventual exit.)

~~~
shareme
It does in fact have investors

~~~
jmonegro
Not in the traditional startup way. They took some money from Jeff Bezos (in
exchange for a little equity) a while back but it was so they could cash out.
They didn't need it, and I'm pretty sure Bezos doesn't give a single fuck that
they're doing this.

They aren't going to sell out, so Bezos wasn't looking at an exit as a return
on his investment (and he doesn't need it either).

------
rabble
I know this sounds over the top, but 500 Startups hires <http://www.micro-
documentaries.com/> to shoot for them all the time. I'm sure at some point
it's cheaper to hire a full time person than constantly be hiring out to a
shop.

------
Andrenid
I'm not sure if this is complete egotistical wankery, or awesome.

I'll get back to you after I watch the movie.

~~~
16s
My vote is for complete egotistical wankery... mostly because I like the sound
of that. It fit's the fart-app/social generation very well I think.

------
raheemm
Here is more detail about their goals w/ this move:

[http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2980-were-looking-to-hire-
a-f...](http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2980-were-looking-to-hire-a-filmmaker)

------
BerislavLopac
Joel 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...

------
kens
This brings to mind the documentary "Startup.com", where the startup
GovWorks.com brought in a film crew to document their success. Hopefully it
goes better this time - GovWorks ended up going bankrupt in the 2000 tech
bubble collapse, which makes for an interesting movie but wasn't the ending
they were expecting.

------
scottschulthess
I hope you do more like the Ryan Singer play by play peepcode videos.

Those were some of the best I've seen

------
evlapix

      The plan? To release approximately 25 videos over the
      course of the next year sharing 37signals'
      stories inside the office and out.
    

Sounds like a reality tv show to me. Something like Pawn Stars or Orange
County Choppers.

------
clyfe
This is a brilliant PR move.

