Under the sea

News that Sam Morgan, Stephen Tindall and Rod Drury are banding together in a bid to lay high-speed undersea cable between Australia, New Zealand and the US (potentially revolutionising our woefully behind-the-times broadband) had the industry buzzing yesterday. The Pacific Fibre cable is projected to take less than two years to build at a cost of around $900 million, and Peter Griffin offers his take on the matter here. Sam Morgan himself said plenty more about it, too—the story’s not online yet but you’ll find it in Idealog on sale now.

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Good for a giggle

Production company thedownlowconcept has built a business out of taking the mickey, but that doesn’t mean they don’t take their day job seriously. And it’s paying off. The boys have dabbled in everything from short films to commercials to music videos, but it’s their television work that’s really taken off. Florence Noble charts their rise from obscurity to fame as the group behind TV3 comedy 7 Days.

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It's crunch time

This week in the Idealog guide to monetising your ideas, Andy Kenworthy continues the series with some sage advice for budding entrepreneurs. You’ll need to finance your startup, of course, and that means polishing up your pitch—because whether you’re begging, borrowing or stealing some face time with an investor, the window of opportunity is small. Not to mention arranging adequate protection for your brilliant idea and ensuring you haven’t wasted your time by inadvertently reinventing the wheel. And the work doesn’t end there. A successful business has to be seen living and breathing its brand; authenticity can’t be faked.

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All in the details

Good designers make it all look so easy, but there’s plenty of hard work going on behind the scenes. Lauren Panepinto of Orbit Books takes us through the process of designing a kick-ass book jacket from start to finish in this time-lapse showcase. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoDCiTsS7dU

Waste not, want not

According to the United Nations, almost half of the earth’s population does not have access to basic toilet facilities. Now enterprising Swede Anders Wilhelmson has created a biodegradable plastic bag that doubles as a one-use toilet, targeted at nations in the developing world. He plans to sell the bags for 2-3 cents, which he says can be reused to grow crops. Once the bag is filled and buried, urea crystals breaks down the waste into fertiliser while killing off harmful germs. Wilhelmson tested the concept in Kenya and India and has plans to begin mass production later this year.

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Pimp your garage

“Garage doors have until now mostly been mouse grey and ugly, and often spoil the appearance of well-maintained homes. But now, the days of those hideous garage doors are numbered!” So says German firm Style Your Garage, which manufactures posters especially for garage doors designed to resemble your garage’s interior and contents—or, alternatively, what you wish you had. Whether you’re out to impress, intimidate or just irritate the neighbours, there is a multitude of designs just crying out to see the light of day. Check out the full range here.

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Escalate your enterprise

Top US angel investor Bill Payne is in town and Idealog, in conjunction with Escalator, is offering you the chance to pick his brain. Come along to Meet an Angel Day on April 15, and share a coffee with Bill and NZ-based investors Phil McCaw, Andrew Turnbull and more as they explain what it takes to attract investment. Learn how fellow entrepreneurs have succeeded or failed in gaining the attention of investors and gain insight to what an angel investor is looking for in an investment opportunity. Hear from experienced angel investors’ tips to increase your likelihood of attracting investment. What does it cost, you ask? Absolutely nothing. Register online, by calling 0800 822 748 or emailing karen@escalator.co.nz and spend a day working on your business, not in it.

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All in a day's work

A short film about New Zealand has won one young filmmaker from Argentina the grand title in Tourism New Zealand’s 100% Pure ‘Your Big Break’ short film competition. Andres Borghi (pictured with People’s Choice winner Aya Panimura) was one of five finalists who travelled to Queenstown last month to direct their films alongside Lord of the Rings producer Barrie Osborne. Entrants were asked to write a screenplay that “captured the spirit of 100% Pure New Zealand—the youngest country on earth” for the chance to shoot the movie and see their finished works screened at the Independent Spirit Awards in the US.  Judge Sir Peter Jackson praised Working Day as an original and “extremely accomplished” piece of storytelling. High praise indeed, especially as it beat out pool of more than 1000 entries. Watch the winning films here.

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Man behind the mag

Original Mad Man George Lois’ wildly successful stint with Esquire in the ‘60s propelled the magazine to new heights with a series of iconic covers. Turns out he and then-editor Harold Hayes were a match made in heaven. In this slideshow, he explains the stories behind his 12 favourite covers, from the ‘first black Santa’ to the ‘Andy Warhol drowning in a can of soup’.

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Weighing in on Wellywood

There’s a storm brewing over the proposed Wellywood sign and everyone’s got an opinion to share. Even Hitler has weighed in. And he’s not a fan of the idea. (Disclaimer: the opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of Idealog — we are devoted fans of Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk-OYfY6vOA

Last call

If you haven’t already registered to attend Creative Entrepreneurs—a series of industry events brought to you by Idealog and the Chamber of Commerce—you can fix that now by emailing events@chamber.co.nz (don’t forget to state ‘Idealog’ when registering if you’re a subscriber). Come along to Orams Marine Boatpark, Westhaven for an evening of cocktails, canapes and plenty of creative fodder on March 31. You’ll get to hear director Jonathan King talk about the creative process, working with Weta Workshop and the challenges of funding, plus at just $42+GST for Chamber members and Idealog subscribers (or $64+GST for other creatives) it’s a steal.

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Quote of the week

“The key is to keep on hunkering under a tree in a storm with a piece of corrugated iron over your head every night … wearing metal boots.”

— Jarrod Holt explains the secret to persevering and prevailing.