16 September 2009

MEDIA RELEASE

Black Mermaid Productions ™ Launches New Baby Black Mermaid™ Product Range

Black Mermaid Productions™ (BMP) has just launched its third range of Black Mermaid™ brand goods, gifts and collectibles – Baby Black Mermaid™ – on its CafePress Black Mermaid Shop.

The Black Mermaid™ range of images is based on the popular BMP corporate logo – a reclining mermaid silhouette that has become an identifiable part of the BMP business brand for over 15 years. BMP is, in fact, an Australian creative team made up of Jozef Szekeres (artist) and Julie Ditrich (writer) that specialises in fantasy and mermaid-related comics and graphic novels.

There are six designs in the Baby Black Mermaid™ range featuring a infant version of the enduring BMP corporate logo – “Sleeping”, “Drifting”, “Cutie” [pictured] , “Tummy Roll”, “Tail Flip” and “Floating”. There are 24 products for each design, and the items range from organic infant and toddler wear to teddy bears, throw cushions, environmentally friendly water bottles, greeting cards, and framed prints that are perfect for nurseries.

BMP artist, Jozef Szekeres, designed the collection and says, “We absolutely adore our Black Mermaid logo so it was exciting to re-conceptualise her as a baby and to open up the brand character and reputation to a whole new audience”.

“This series of designs has drawn a collective ‘awwww’ from the people who have seen them,” says BMP Director, Julie Ditrich. “So far the ‘Sleeping’ and ‘Cutie’ designs have been the favourites of new mums and grandmothers we’ve talked to face-to-face here in Australia, although we’re interested to see which designs will appeal most to our customers from other parts of the world.”

Baby Black Mermaid™ will now be joining the Undersea Black Mermaid™, as well as the limited time release Celebration Black Mermaid™ ranges on the CafePress Shop. During the next week, BMP will be adding two more Celebration designs, which are timed to holidays and festive occasions – Halloween (which will be available until 31 October 2009 – 11.59 US Pacific Time) and Christmas (which will be available until 25 December 2009 – 11.59 US Pacific Time).

“The feedback we’ve had on our Black Mermaid products has been excellent. People enjoy looking at her over and over again and carrying her with them in the form of accessories or even drinking their cup of coffee every morning from a travel mug emblazoned with her image. We’d like to thank all our loyal fans for their support and for also joining our FaceBook group for friends and supporters of the Black Mermaid logo," says BMP Director Jozef Szekeres. “In fact, we love wearing her ourselves and are in the process of starting various collections of specific products – the throw pillows are our current personal favourites.”

You can visit the CafePress Black Mermaid Shop at: http://www.cafepress.com/black_mermaid.

For further information contact Julie Ditrich or Jozef Szekeres on:

Phone: (61 2) 9606 4728
Email: blackmermaid@blackmermaid.com
Website: http://www.blackmermaid.com
Blog: http://www.blackmermaidproductions.blogspot.com
FaceBook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=55107681807&ref=ts

8 January 2009

MEDIA RELEASE

Black Mermaid Productions ™ Launches Black Mermaid™ CafePress Shop

Black Mermaid Productions™ (BMP) is proud and exceptionally happy to announce the launch of its online CafePress Black Mermaid Shop, featuring several lines of Black Mermaid™ brand gifts and collectibles. The Black Mermaid™ range of images is based on the BMP corporate logo – a reclining mermaid silhouette – which has become an identifiable part of the BMP business brand for over 15 years. BMP is an Australian creative team made up of Jozef Szekeres (artist) and Julie Ditrich (writer) that specialises in fantasy and mermaid-related comics and graphic novels

"Our logo has been extraordinarily popular since her first global public appearance on our website in 1998 where she featured in many design variations in her role as hostess," says BMP Director, Julie Ditrich. "We regularly have to turn down requests from people all over the world who want to use the Black Mermaid artwork on anything from fishing adverts and menus to burlesque costumes and wedding invitations. We even had a copyright breach nearly three years ago when somebody used one of our images without permission on a T-shirt range which was sold through some Sydney markets. This matter was pursued legally and settled to our satisfaction."

Designed by BMP artist, Jozef Szekeres, the BMP logo has been described by many as "sexy", "fun" and "absolutely lovely" and will now feature in many different design ranges on the CafePress Black Mermaid Shop over the upcoming years. The first range on offer is traditional in its association and feel as it features the Black Mermaid™ in her underwater environment interacting with various ocean creatures. BMP has, therefore, named this range the "Undersea Black Mermaid™".

There are 15 products in the basic range and an additional 12 in the special lines. These include clothing, homewares and papergoods. BMP will also be releasing various limited edition ranges, as well as those limited by time such as the Celebration Black Mermaid™ range which will be tied to holidays and festive occasions such as Christmas and Halloween. The first image launched in 2009 in the Celebration Black Mermaid™ range is the Valentine's Day "Heart of Hearts" design, which will only be on sale until 14 February 2009 (11.59 US Pacific Time).

"We predict that the Black Mermaid™ products will bring much enjoyment to those who buy them. We have it on good authority that people love – and feel good – just looking at her," says BMP Director Jozef Szekeres. "We have done some quality control tests, and we already have a HUGE line of friends, family and professional colleagues who have given us extensive shopping lists or who are grabbing specific pieces for themselves from the online shop. It will be interesting to see which designs are the most popular and we will soon poll our subcribers and readers to see which are their favourites".

You can visit the CafePress Black Mermaid Shop at: http://www.cafepress.com/black_mermaid.

For further information contact Julie Ditrich or Jozef Szekeres on:
Phone: (61 2) 9606 4728
Email: blackmermaid@blackmermaid.com
Website: http://www.blackmermaid.com
Blog: http://www.blackmermaidproductions.blogspot.com

26 November 2008

Jozef Szekeres Interview with Yanni (posted on YouTube 15 November 2008)

26 March 2008

AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF AUTHORS MEDIA RELEASE: ASA Comics/Graphic Novel Portfolio

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) recently formed a Comics/Graphic Novels Portfolio—an advocacy group that aims to provide industry support to Australian artists and writers currently working in the comics medium and, in particular, the graphic novel format.

The major objectives of the Portfolio are to:

(1) Protect and promote the professional interests of comics creators (both writers and artists);

(2) Form a professional community of active members who operate in this specialist discipline; and

(3) Liaise and cross-pollinate ideas with like-minded Australian and overseas organisations whose focus is on the promotion of the comics art form.

Dr Jeremy Fisher, ASA Executive Director, says, “The ASA wants to actively support a neglected (and often vulnerable) group of literary creators in the Australian comics/graphic novels community who have never had the opportunity to be part of a professional association or been exposed to prior formal or consistent intellectual property rights education before”.

Dual portfolio holders Jozef Szekeres (artist) and Julie Ditrich (writer) of Black Mermaid Productions who contended with their own legal challenges by a US comics publisher several years ago, proposed the idea for the portfolio because they wanted to prevent Australian comics creators from signing away their intellectual property rights. Julie Ditrich says, “Several years ago the ASA contract advisor saved 22 of our original characters from extermination and being absorbed into an intellectual property owned by our then publisher, by insisting our contract contain a reversion of rights clause. We now want to return the favour to Australian comics creators and hopefully prevent them from going through a five year legal battle like we did”.

Portfolio activities for 2008 include:

* Information and seminar sessions through WritingWA in Perth, and through Supanova, the pop culture expo, in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney;
* Preparation of minimum approved ‘work-for-hire’ and ‘creator owned’ contracts for both comics publishers and mainstream book publishers;
* Preparation of Minimum Rates for comics writers, artists, colourists, inkers and letterers;
* Compilation of an online portfolio members’ Talent Register for comics writers, artists, colourists, inkers and letterers which will be promoted to publishers;
* Ongoing communication with portfolio members through the mechanisms of the ASA website, a regular column in the ASA Newsletter, as well as an upcoming e-zine highlighting opportunities, contract issues, training and events; and
* Compilation of resources aiding portfolio members to expand their business marketing skills.

Future activities include master classes, research into the Australian and overseas comics distribution model, formation of a printing cooperative for comics self-publishers, and research (as well as special deals for portfolio members) into print-on-demand technology.

Portfolio member and award winning writer/artist of The Arrival Shaun Tan says, “This is timely initiative given that a broad audience interest in comics and graphic novels is growing, and is keen to keep up with the enthusiasm and dedication of its creators. From a professional point of view, such a portfolio can offer much needed support, business standards, and discussion forums for all artists, writers and publishers looking for some perspective in an extremely diverse field”.

The ASA has received enquiries about the portfolio from all over Australia, and membership is rapidly growing with some members already availing themselves of the ASA’s legal advice to resolve contract problems.

For further information contact:

Dr Jeremy Fisher
Executive Director
Australian Society of Authors
Phone: + 61 2 9318 0877
Mobile: 04383186734
Fax: +61 2 9318 0530
Email: jeremy@asauthors.org
Website: www.asauthors.org