A serious discussion about building intrest in bonsai for the 15-35 crowd

[Woody Carverton]

So out of sheer curiosity I asked a professional documentary film maker friend of mine what it would cost to put together a serious bonsai documentary with a lot of the concepts from this thread added in. Not the typical documentary like we have all seen about bonsai before, but something modern, all inclusive, and more in depth than just sequenced together vid's of the old Japanese trees we see in nearly every bonsai film.

His answer; "$1,000 - $3,000 per finished minute of the film is pretty much industry standard."

From a purely educational / promotional standpoint I think a good documentary should fill an hour time slot don't you?

Using that industry standard, I've got about enough to fund the first 3-10 minutes of a documentary. I'm NOT ASKING anyone here to donate so please lets not go down that road YET. But in your opinions as all of you also lurk in other corners of the bonsai community beyond the forum. Do you think if i chipped in the first $10K and set up a something on a site like GoFundMe or Indiegogo that there would be a chance at raising the remaining funds to have a new, modern bonsai documentary produced? Or do you think it would just insight endless pages of controversy and discussion on what the documentary should cover and who should be in it that would make it hardly worth perusing production?

 

[_#1_]

Um. I'm not sure about that road. A documentary is only as affective as people willing to watch it. And even if they do, will they be compelled enough to give it a serious try?

Do the 180k include marketing/promoting/distribution and wutnot?

 

[Smoke]

I would spend the 10K on a good therapist if I was you.....

....or stand on a street corner and give a dollar to 10,000 homeless people cause it would do as much good as a documentary on bonsai.


or....tie bonsai into climate change and at least 50% of the USA might watch it.

 

[justBonsai]

I'd say it be far fetched to expect donations to the degree of funding a film.

I would be interested in watching a documentary though with a different take or perspective. Would probably be an immense amount of work to produce something of good quality.

 

[defra]

Call discovery channel and national geo and ask them to make a nice film about it or a episode about bonsai in an existing program thats worth a try i think...

Im 28 and got hooked when i was 27 by stumbling upon a book

Just a tought :
A plant or seedling will take forever and the youth is way to impatient for that ... however making a penjing is something you could do instantly put a young plant in a flat pot prune it in the shape of a tree and start landscaping as well the plant will be cheap and the matterials for the landscaping could be free or cheap
It ads extra creativity
as they do research they will discover what bonsai means and might buy some more trees to create bonsais out of them

World is getting more green and green electric cars etc recycling, produce your own oxygen with your own bonsai collection lol

 

[sorce]

$1,000 - $3,000 per finished minute

The mallsai industry makes that much profit every minute too!

There is no competing!

Or....

You could probly contact the mallsai importers/growers and ask them to put
Bonsainut.com on their tags.....

Free.....

And way more effective!

Hell....driving people here in any manner would be more effective.

We could probly convert a few Trump supporters!

Hell, Tweet Trump the link for the thread!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

I slept in my AAC shirt last night, sweated in it a bit, I'll put it back on later.

It Will be nice when I have my BNUT shirt, then I can just switch back and forth.

I'm trying to save detergent money to spend on trees!

Anyway.....

If you want to know how to attract 19-22 year old boys, the AAC is the place to go.
We are mostly that age, trapped in older, nearing useless bodies!

Seriously though.....

Here is Leo talking to a 19 year old Fresh Nut.

@MaxTheSpy - Hi Max, For azalea, the one with the flowers, read through the "Flowering" sub forum here on BNut, lots of good information, Especially posts from Mellow Mullet, and JohnG.

John has 9 videos on You Tube videos on azalea, and many on other bonsai topics, including one or two on Juniper.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAm05iqaJR1M1rEhmaUwK1Zp9sOs82U0q

Nice trees, I like them both. For the azalea, you have your picture of it in bloom, you repotted this year and started pruning, both activities stress the azalea, cut those blooms off so it can use that energy to recover. Seriously, I used to scoff at those who preached cutting the blooms off, otherwise, what is the point of raising azalea? But after a decade or so of raising azalea, I found out the hard way, blooms, especially allowing all the possible buds to bloom really does stress the tree. I cut off all but maybe 3 blooms from azalea I am planning on working on, or ones I worked hard the year previous. Much better results. Only let them bloom out fully if the year previous you did no root work, and no drastic pruning, and are not planning to do drastic pruning and root work the season you let them bloom. In other words, only let all the flowers come when you are planning on showing the tree. I do usually leave between 1 and 6 flowers to bloom, just because I need something to inspire me to keep working the tree. (I loose interest in boxwood, because they have no flowers and autumn color is boring - they stay green).

Just a helpful suggestion, try to get used to using the names for the trees. I had trouble figuring out which tree you were talking about, as you started with talking about Bristlecone pines. Use azalea, or juniper, or what ever the name of the tree is. If one were to drop into the thread, and not see the photo, or if you talk about ''the tree'' two posts past the photo, it is not clear which or what you are talking about. Just a helpful suggestion, it takes time to get used to the names, all Latin or Greek, but eventually it will get easy, and it really helps when looking for advice if others know right away what genus or species of tree you are talking about. Just trying to be helpful. It took me a few years to get used to the botanical names, but eventually it becomes easy.

THAT is how you create interest.

Speak to these youngins we get with respect and understanding.

They have friends who they can get interested better than we can!

How about another from Sandy, to hmmmmmm......coincidence?
A 19 year old young lady....

I am sorry to tell you this, but your juniper bonsai will not survive in your dorm room. They are outside trees and they need to be outside 24/7. Eventually they will slowly start to turn brown and get crispy and die. People that sell these things dont tell people that they need to be outside. They call them indoor plants so when they inevitably die, you go back and buy more.

However, the only way to get rid of scale that is safe to use indoors is spraying every week with a mix of 1 cup rubbing alcohol, 2 tablespoons of dishwashing soap or similar (I use simple green in my mix), 2 tablespoons of dormant oil or neem oil and then add enough water to make a quart. Put the pot in a plastic bag and put the tree in a sink or a shower and spray it down thoroughly. Let it dry before you remove it from the bag.

Well thought out responses to these youngins is all we must provide.

No more....

"That tree should be outside (stupid)."

More....

"They call them indoor plants so when they inevitably die, you go back and buy more."

.......................

Donate the


To Bonsainut!

Sorce

 

[mj_barb]

To Bonsainut!

Great idea!

 

[AZbonsai]

Great idea!

DITTO

 

[M. Frary]

Tell them bonsai is illegal.

 

[0soyoung]

How many here were influenced my Mr. Mayagi?

 

[defra]

Tell them bonsai is illegal.

Its kind of an addiction tough lol

 

[AZbonsai]

How many here were influenced my Mr. Mayagi?

How many know who Mr. Mayagi is?

 

[StoneCloud]

So out of sheer curiosity I asked a professional documentary film maker friend of mine what it would cost to put together a serious bonsai documentary with a lot of the concepts from this thread added in. Not the typical documentary like we have all seen about bonsai before, but something modern, all inclusive, and more in depth than just sequenced together vid's of the old Japanese trees we see in nearly every bonsai film.

His answer; "$1,000 - $3,000 per finished minute of the film is pretty much industry standard."

From a purely educational / promotional standpoint I think a good documentary should fill an hour time slot don't you?

Using that industry standard, I've got about enough to fund the first 3-10 minutes of a documentary. I'm NOT ASKING anyone here to donate so please lets not go down that road YET. But in your opinions as all of you also lurk in other corners of the bonsai community beyond the forum. Do you think if i chipped in the first $10K and set up a something on a site like GoFundMe or Indiegogo that there would be a chance at raising the remaining funds to have a new, modern bonsai documentary produced? Or do you think it would just insight endless pages of controversy and discussion on what the documentary should cover and who should be in it that would make it hardly worth perusing production?

Not sure if the above is the way to go however to answer your question on will you raise the remaining funds?

Short answer yes, easily.

It's all about how you pitch it and who you pitch it to. Your funds will not come from the gofundme site per se. But if you pitch the right manufacture's and nurseries and professionals and explain how making this doc will increase their bottom line and fame along with including their goods on the documentary, well they will go to your gofundme and dump money. I would also email blast every bonsai club in the world the gofundme link.

Any gofundme page marketed correctly will raise more than you need for the project in question.

 

[bwaynef]

The best way to get any age person involved is to show them high quality trees. Show your trees. Donate your trees to start a collection. Set up displays at fairs, conventions, street festivals. I don't think YouTube videos or hour-long, well-produced documentaries will draw new folks to the hobby*, but showing them what is possible will.

*"hobby" tends to make the artistes squirm.

 

[Yosemite Goat]

I cannot remember who said " the key is creating the seed......."

I was interested in bonsai for a number of years(about age 20) But as everyone mentions: school, traveling, cost, settling, love and lust, time..... These factors are key reasons I never truly started. I had a few bonsai books for years before I had started to truly bonsai trees. Sure, i had many potted plants. Nothing to the likes of beautiful trees I had seen hiking Mountain Ridges.

The creation of an idea about bonsai, "Wow, I'd love to do that or have a tree that beautiful." That is the seed you should try to disperse nationally or globally. We who grow bonsai do so for the simple reason, it is fun to do.

Trying to create small showings such as sorce mentioned is what will truly expand the hobby..... by placing that seed in a young mind until the day comes where time and energy are placed towards the hobby. Through small intimate venues the shy teenager can ask a question or two. Then, when the time comes for those individuals to participate, the internet can and will be the source of information (look at all of us).

From there it is our job as bonsai enthusiasts to continue the passion. Help them learn, continue to grow, and they will have the opportunity to surpass our work and continue on with what we have begun!

 

[Shima]

Most of the young people we see who are seriously involved in bonsai are the returning apprentices, but generally in clubs not so much. At least in the US. In Europe it's a different story. A much higher percentage of young folks are involved there. And a higher attendance of the general public at exhibitions. Why? Europe is an art culture and the US is a sports culture.

 

[Daluke]

A lot of people come and go in bonsai.

But people are still coming more than they are going.

What's making people think bonsai is declining?

Has someone conducted a statistical analysis?? Bonsai is as popular as ever now. The way it's practiced though may have changed - YouTube, study groups, books etc.

 

[RileyJFDB13]

As a Local 22 year old Ill chime in. Been doing Bonsai for just over a year now and Ill list some issues I have had.

1.) Proffessional information is not always easy to find.
-getting involved with a club is not always the easiest answer for someone who is young would irregular hours to go to school full time and have money.
-Information about clubs is not always straight forward and often information is very outdated, I took the day off to attend the "Inland Empire Bonsai" Club's show when I first started which I was under the impression was in Riverside California because Bonsai Empire's website said that was the Name of Riverside's club but rather the site that I was dirrected to was for a different Inland empire in Spokane Washington. This led me on quite the chase for information and most would have given up at this point in this age group.

-Young people typically dont have money to spend on Trees much less information, Ryan Neil charging for information as completely backwards to his whole model of trying to give the US more information along with Bonsai Empire doing the same. Young people wont pay for that.

2.) Patience, Responsibility, and Misconception.
- Very self explanatory, the age of instant gratification is upon us with the lack of thought past that. No responsability and most young people believe bonsai to be a indoor plant with very little upkeep.

3.) When a plant dies they give up, people dont know how to fail.

That brings me to how do you reach the youth, well one awnser for that.
It has to be a cool trend, then through the many people that fail and stop doing it there will be those who find a passion a persevere. Cactuses and succulents as the cool hip thing to do right now but hopefully Bonsai can get there some day.

I dont knwo how you start that trend other than making it cool but I do my best every day to represent Bonsai with a passion! Im your guy if anyone wants a safe place for their trees to live a long time if anyone ever sizes down!!! Haha!!

 

[Anthony]

Riley,

reality - Ryan's education had to be paid for.After you learn what he knows for free [ what stops you from charging when you teach ? ]

Years ago at our local Horticultural show - the old ladies taught us this ----------- Make them pay for it or they won't value it.

Takes 3 to 5 years to master -watering - so we give newbees Ficus b. plants and send them away for 6 months.
Most never come back.
Lost interest in watering and the plant.

You have to have love for tree, shrubs / plants or it won't work. Looking after a living thingee.
Got a neighbour here who went away for 4 days, left a 2 month puppy to fend for itself. Someone drops off a handful of chow, once a day.
Really nice huh ?
[ not to fuss the neighbours have been going in and playing with the pup, feeding him, making sure he isn't too lonely.No one can take
him home due to his having no shots and parvo]
Imagine a tree being subjected to a whim / fancy and slowly dying.

It has to be love.
Good Day
Anthony









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