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Crazy Times

 

So…. here we are.

With the way that events have played out, there is no way that either of the mafia books (Frank Goes to Vegas or the one of the mafia in Buffalo) will be able to finish this year. Originally it was expected that Frank Goes to Vegas would be done around June and Mafia in Buffalo around August but it has been a strange year. And that’s putting it lightly, since it just continues to get weirder. As much as I was looking forward to the books, events can (and do!) dictate actions and with my appointment coming up I will not plan anything after this year.

So I could go looking for another co-writer but that’s not going to happen. Most feel they should get a car and a mortgage payment as a fee and I will not be able to find someone I trust like Zack Long. Men like him are hard to find and as hen’s teeth.
So rather than just having that info for the books live on my hard drive, I will post it to my blog so that others may read it and gain a better understanding of the topic and perhaps they’ll even be able to use it in books of their own.
As you may or may not know, the Mr. Big Talks line of books are starting to come out with:
both out now
 
and Mr. Big Talks Texas Hold ‘Em Poker and Mr. Big Talks Slots to be out late April to Mid-May. All will be in ebook format, though I may combine them together to make for one big paperback. All links will be posted.
I also have a notebook you can get as well.       https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0863RMSQ3
Oh and Frank got a new cover
    Get The Kindle Here that make Frank happy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S15JL4B
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Frank Goes To Vegas The Fund Raising

 

 

Frank Goes to Vegas Crowd Sourcing and Sponsorships

(Not so) Fun fact: It costs money to create a book, even if you are self publishing it. Readers want (and deserve) a well written book with a great cover and top-notch editing by an expert so that their money is well spent on their purchase. Each book needs to be a reward for the reader, a joyful experience, because (let’s be honest) we’ve all suffered through books that could have benefited from that extra investment.
In order to ensure that Franks Goes to Vegas is of the highest possible quality, we will be obtaining documents for research through the Open Record laws and The Freedom of Information Act. Doing this requires funds, however, and so we are asking if you would kindly help. We have set up two ways in which those interested can help ensure that the story of Frank Balistrieri and the Vegas Skim is captured with as much quality as possible:
1) We have set up a GoFundMe campaign and welcome any donation that is offered. Even just sharing information with us is welcomed. You can find our campaign at: http://gf.me/u/xfcq2p
2) We are also offering sponsorship for Frank Goes to Vegas at a cost of $50. As a sponsor, a hyperlink to a website of your choosing will be added into the book. Our thought here is that Casinos or Hotels in Vegas could include a link to a discount code (perhaps for a free meal or upgraded room). We believe that many of our readers are also interested in visiting Vegas, both for gambling and out of history interest, and we are convinced that they would jump at the chance to get and use a discount code. At $50, this is an affordable marketing cost that we’re convinced will easily pay for itself.
Questions or to sign up for a sponsorship  please Email me at wclingman@wi.rr.com
Thanks!
Wayne (Mr. Big) Clingman
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Frank Goes To Vegas

 

 

I proposed on my @TheMilwaukeeMob Twitter account the idea of doing a six part YouTube series on the Vegas Skim (with each episode being about 60 minutes).

This project would have production values above what my first documentary of Frank Balistrieri had and aim to dispel the myths around the skim and ask questions for the viewers to meditate on.
The ballpark number to put this together would be around $5000 to $7000 and would take about a month to film and edit.
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Time away spent well

 

Took some time to reflect, plan,, and find alibis. Thought the crowd funder do better then it did. Taking the time to understand why not had me do some soul searching on why not and steps to take.

What I leaned

  1. There are lot of projects looking to get money one needs to stand out to attract interest , the project I had did not
  2. Branding issues, Chicago Outfit Blood in the Streets pushing the Milwaukee Mob confused others, who did not understand how the Outfit was over Milwaukee so being confused did not care
  3. No push at the beginning, should had had between 5-7 ready to go in buying from the list of perks from what I understand a very standard kick off event for many crowd funding efforts a BIG mistake on my part.
  4. Fan base age, what was a big shocker is seeing no traction I had others look at my Indie Go Go project to see what was wrong with it if anything.  Shock came when one of then a young man of about 25 who likes Mob shows said that he had no idea of what the word surveillance met… That was wild is the population becoming that dumb ?

Even with over 250,000 to have seen the tweets on the project less then 1% took the time to see the information, speaks to the idea that most rather see a rerun of Casino or Good Fellows then a documentary I get that with so many just being very very slow and uninteresting.

Again learned a lot paid attention to what I was being told taking that into mind as we plan other ideas

 

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Well the results are in the fans have spoken Mafia Documentaries have little love

Well the results are in the fans have spoken, there is 0 backing for either Milwaukee Mob Editors Cut or Milwaukee Mob Frank Goes to Vegas, with so little backing on the Indie Go Go tells me that to go ahead with either project at this time would be a mistake.
Even after being on a popular Popular Podcast  “Uncle Frank’s Place”, a Statewide Radio Show out of Janesville WI, a few free ads given to us by our pals on the Web  and well over 150,000 reached on Twitter there no interest. The numbers tell us that less then 20 saw the Indie Go Go page.
We could debate the why, that’s  just crying in my beer, instead after talking with others , going to doing a Live Action Web series and using Machinima for another. Many actors from an earlier projects will be uses (some in both)
We will be using not only fan based low cost bling backing (T Shirts and stickers) as well Ad Sales to fund the efforts.
We do what we do we drive on

 

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Our Fund Raiser

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/chicago-outfit-blood-in-the-streets/x/75891#/

Our project on Indie Go Go.

As you can see we are looking to raise $9500. to film Milwaukee Mob The Editor’s Cut and Milwaukee Mob II Frank Goes to Vegas.

We have a range of “perks” or I like rewards better, to say thanks to the folks to give us money to help make the films.

Take a look and send what you can or tell others about what we are working on doing.

Simply speaking we can not do this with YOUR help.

$5. gets your a sticker, $15. gets you digital copies of both films, a sticker and a shout out on Twitter !

We are counting on YOU!

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Milwaukee Mob Film Makers Announce Fund Raising Effort

Milwaukee Mob Film Makers Announce Fund Raising Effort

Racine documentary film makers Wayne Clingman and Jason Love announce the crown sourcing effort to fund upcoming Mafia documentaries on the Mafia in Milwaukee Wi.

As Mr. Clingman explained ” We turn to the fans of our first documentary, The Milwaukee Mob, to help fund our next projects, The Milwaukee Mob the Editor’s Cut and Milwaukee Mob II Frank Goes to Vegas, to get the backing of the fans going forward. We will find out if the over 80,000 viewers, on You Tube and Amazon Prime, of our first film; trust us to continue to tell the Story. The adventurers of Frank Balistrieri, how he helped to bring the investments from the Teamster’s Central States Pension Fund to some of the Casinos in Las Vegas. By engaging in the making of the films, on the Indie Go Go page Link here https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/chicago-outfit-blood-in-the-streets/x/75891#/ our fans can act to help fund the film from a range of actions such as a Twitter Shout Out, buying digital copies of the films or being part of an elite group to have a Sit down over Pizza as Gavin Schmitt, author of Milwaukee Mafia, tells more stories of the Milwaukee Mob and Vegas.

As Wayne went on to say ” The best thing is there is no risk, if the set amount is not raised no one is charged! How can you beat that? ”

For More information contact Mr. Clingman at wclingman@wi.rr.com

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Racine WI. Filmmakers To Continue To Explore History of the Mafia in Milwaukee

For Immediate Release
Racine WI. Filmmakers To Continue To Explore History of the Mafia in Milwaukee
Filmmakers Wayne Clingman and Jason Love announce the start of preproduction on the next in the series exploring the history of the Mafia in Southeastern Wisconsin and links to The Las Vegas Skim.
As Mr. Clingman tells it, “many of those who have seen our first film on the Milwaukee Mafia, ” Milwaukee Mafia – Frank Balistrieri, The Longest Running Mob Boss in Milwaukee’s History ” have expressed an interest in seeing more on this topic. So after much thought we are going to do just that. The first of this effort will be the rerelease of  ” Milwaukee Mafia – Frank Balistrieri, The Longest Running Mob Boss in Milwaukee’s History ” as an Editor’s Cut where Mr. Love will add content not used in the first release, adding a bit on Felix Anthony “Milwaukee Phil”.
Mr. Clingman goes on to explain “…in the second Film Milwaukee Mob II Frank Balistrieri Goes to Vegas, will tell the story of the alleged role of Frank Balistrieri in the joining of the Mob, The Teamster’s Central States Pension Fund, Fremont Hotel and Casino and the Stardust, as would come out in incitements in Federal Court. You might have seen Casino, the real story is far crazier’
In Milwaukee Mob II we introduce local Mafia Buff Paul Peterson as an on screen spokesmen
Both films are expected to be out by Mid Summer 2019.
For more information on the films and or the fundraising efforts  contact Wayne Clingman at wclingman@wi.rr.com
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Lets welcome Paul Peterson

Mr. Peterson will be part of Milwaukee Mob II Frank Goes to  Vegas
Paul Peterson is from the Southwest suburbs of Chicago.  He enjoys films about the Italian Mafia because of the epic narratives (with warring families, and all), and because Mafiosi are outlaws who make up a secret society, and seemingly aren’t confined to the same rules that law-abiding citizens are; thus, Mafiosi exist in kind of a dark fantasy world.
In short:  For a film goer who works an average 9-5 job, films about the Italian Mafia allow the viewer to experience being part of a dangerous, but potentially thrilling, world, without having to suffer the real-life consequences.

 

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Our Thanks Frank Balistrieri,

 

My thought is that anyone who has been to Las Vegas needs to thank Frank Balistrieri, for without his efforts to bring millions of dollars from the Central State Teamster’s Pension Fund to invest, yes invest  for my understanding is that the fund’s investments were profitable in returning a profit to the Pension Fund during the time frame of Mr. Ballistrieri , this investment allowed Casino’s such as The Fremont and The Stardust to exist.

  Fremont      

 

 

The Stardust Hotel

Yes we know that the Mob was in Vegas long before Frank came in, A shame he has not gotten the credit I believe he is due with the creation of the Vegas, we know today.

Interesting to note that in 1976 the fund had about 249. Million investing in Casinos,  getting interest on those loans, in the years to come after the Skim was discovered, the Mob kicked out.

The years of  Junk Bonds used to finance deals in Vegas that would not be the case, for investors   being taken for a ride.

To think that the Mob would help retired Americans with good investments is well, crazy, but perhaps true