Since “Inked in Erie” launched on Facebook in February as a preview to our Regional Cable TV Show, the response was immediate and beyond any of our expectations.
Since launch, it’s been a widely interactive experience on the web with many people ‘sharing’ and ‘liking’ and spreading the word of what we were setting out to do. Our ‘Viral Reach’ (which just means the number of people ‘connected’ thru interaction with ‘likes’, ‘shares’, posts, comments, etc.) has grown on average of 200% week to week and continues to grow at an alarming rate. So far, we’ve reached close to 85,000 people in 8 different countries.
In March, we launched the Official Inked in Erie Web Site and within 2 weeks the site ramped up to almost 1,000 viewers a day.
It was all leading up to our premiere TV Episode, which began airing on Time Warner Cable in Erie County on the I AM TV Erie Network (Channel 180) on March 21st and across the web on Youtube.
When we began shooting the show in February, we called, emailed and ‘Facebook’d’ every artist and shop in Erie County we could find. To our surprise, there’s 17 established Tattoo Parlors in our region. We contacted them all in some way.
Among the first to respond were legend “Phat” Pat Stephens, Jimbo at Bay City, and Fred Zeiber at Zink Tattoo. We began filming stories at their shops and continued to solicit other artists, many of whom booked shoots with us.
As our first shoots began to hit Facebook, the fans and clients in the Ink Community started sending us suggestions of their favorite artists and even putting us in touch with some of them directly. We booked even more shoots.
“Inked in Erie” is committed to covering the ‘Ink Community’ at Large. It’s not a popularity contest. We’re not looking for the “Best Artist” or the “Best Shop”, we’re not comparing style, or technique, or focusing on any single shop or artist, or even section of town.
I say this, because well… we’re on the internet, and it didn’t take long for these kinds of accusations to get slung around.
Like “Fight Club”, at “Inked in Erie”, everyone gets to decide their own level of involvement. Everyone’s invited to the party, regardless.
Now, at least one artist has already headed for the side door, because he believes his art is above what we’ve featured thus far. Other artists have called the show ‘sketchy’, and more have insisted that Tattoo Art should be an ‘underground’ sport, and not for ‘mainstream’ consumption.
I’ve said before, the best part of Erie’s Ink Community is it’s diversity. Lots of art, lots of artists, and just as many personalities and opinions about it. It’s our goal to cover ALL of it.
So, if your favorite artist or shop is not on our show, it’s not because we haven’t asked. It’s not because we haven’t extended the invitation.
Next time you go to get your next tattoo, as him or her why they aren’t on the show. You’ll have your answer.
In the meantime, we’ll still be hitting up any shop that lets us in the door, and we’ll be talking to every artist that lets us point a camera at them.
No one is excluded.
And friends, “Inked in Erie” is just finding it’s legs. With one episode on the air, and another 8 or 9 episodes filmed with more shoots booked, when we get on our feet, there’s A LOT more in store.
Thanks for watching.
- Paul Gorman
Executive Producer
”Inked in Erie”
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