The Plank

Paul

I apologise on a weekly basis to all the kind subscribers who send in photos, grabs, articles, emails, tapes and discs, and I'm up to my knees in these

The site to date has received more than 2.5 MILLION hits, costs me a fortune to run, gives pleasure to thousands, and now, unhappily,increasing pain to me.

I have several "real" businesses that I run, which provides the cash to keep ReelStreets afloat.

Yes, Culpa Mea, my fault, for creating such an interesting site. I know. But "tigers by the tail" and all that.

The material hasn't been lost, it's in the pipeline. My techies have had a frenzy of rejiging the site over the last four months, and tell me on a weekly basis that all will be well ............................... soon.

Patrick has recently started to help and has sorted out some of the longer and more outstanding tasks that I haven't been able to cope with.

What I think I must now do is to create space for local advertising on the site, and, under "The Plank" for example, get sponsors/advertisers to help with the funding. This in turn will enable me to find more staff to help which will, hopefully create more efficiency. I don't need to make any money out of the site, but the outgoings of about £1500 per month on my "hobby" is a bit steep, and to take on board more staff before cash starts to come in is something I don't wish to do.

I'll blog this letter and maybe you or one of the others will find a way to contact your local suppliers, the wood-yard in your case, plus the local pubs, cafes, b&b's, hotels, car-hire, bus and train companies, tour operators, libraries, tourist offices, video/cine/fim/photo clubs, local and social history groups................to advertise on the relevant local pages on the site, Alfie, Brixton, Notting Hill, Kings Cross; Americanisation of Emily, Muswell Hill, City of London, etc.
The phenomena of Film Induced Tourism (FIT) is now well established and is widely accepted in the travel trade as a reason for visiting certain areas. So therefore I need local representatives, area managers, and perhaps a national co-ordinator, paid on results, to pull in adverts for all our films to earn the money to pay the staff to put up you kind contribution of the Plank.

Best wishes

John Tunstill