Well, hello there. I have put this off long enough. I am a 34 year old man trying to stay connected with my ephemeral youth, so I am joining the ranks of the Bold and the Blogged. I don't understand entirely what this is or why I feel compelled to try it, but more to the point, I really question why YOU would be reading this. (There is a marketing executive cringing somewhere because I just made you ask yourself why in fact you are reading this.)
Perhaps a little background would be in order. I live in Dallas, Texas and am a filmmaker, photographer, graphic designer, and whatever else can hold my fancy for more than five minutes. I got started in the film business at the ripe old age of 18 on a fun film titled City Slickers. Showing a little interest and perseverance as an observer of the process, I was quickly and rather surprisingly offered a job as an apprentice editor. I didn't understand what editing was but was immediately engaged when I saw the power it had to make or break a film. Editing is about timing, storytelling, and finesse, and if you are a movie buff and don't understand what an editor does, please take a few minutes to learn about it.
I had the good fortune of meeting O. Nicholas Brown, a man that had no agenda and was more than willing to act as a mentor to me. Sure there were bad apples in those early days, but the memory of those kind-spirited "helpers" hold sway over the bad. I felt my way through the industry for a little while working on sundry projects ranging from America's Most Wanted to Karaoke videos. Eventually I made my way back to Dallas and was hired as an editor in a small boutique firm with more than its fair share of weird, unhealthy energy.
Despite that, within a month I was given a "nuisance project" by the owner-- an African wildlife film that wasn't able to hold his interest from a client that he found it difficult to work with. That client and I quickly hit it off and a strong friendship and collaboration was born. He took me on my first African shoot at the age of 21, and I have been fortunate to have traveled that route many times since. Our collaborative efforts have resulted in a large collection of award-winning films for broadcasters including National Geographic and The Discovery Channel. Whenever I hear someone say they want to visit Africa, I always imagine that I played a role in that desire.
I also have a passion for photography and shoot the things that excite me (women and nature) and even had the good fortune to have done the photography for a high-end art book. I don't have the fortitude to market myself aggressively in the photography industry, so my passion stays just that.
New projects are in the pipeline, including a travel series with none other than the aforementioned friend as on-camera host! I am also trying to bring to life a film that has been gnawing at my creative soul for some time.
No comments:
Post a Comment