Thursday, December 31, 2009
PBS KERA Interview
Last week I had the opportunity to give an interview for KERA and discuss some of the ways technology breakthroughs over the last decade have changed art and media. One of the largest is the huge advent of social media. I talked about how Reel FX has been involved in utilizing this technology for current and future projects.
Here is the link for the interview:
KERA Link
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Debra Medina for Texas Governor
We finally have a principled candidate running for governor of Texas. Unfortunately, there has been a near blackout by the media on her candidacy.
The media is throwing up all the same dogs for our consideration. Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Rick Perry have been disasters in their current roles as Governor and Senator. They both continually vote for HUGE government and bailouts. It is beyond me why people continue to go back to the well with these crooks.
Debra Medina actually wants to take the state and country back to the roots of the Constitution. I am extremely excited about her running for governor. I just hope enough people find out about her candidacy so she has a fighting chance to win.
Take a look at her website:
Debra Medina
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Don't Play Scared
I played football in high school, and truth be told, I still really miss it. It wasn't just that I loved to play, but I think football taught me more about life than just about anything else I have experienced in my life. It has such a profound affect on me that at one point in college I switched my major in order to be a football coach. I realized soon there were certain family sacrifices that go along with being a coach that I wasn't willing to make. But everything about the sport appeals to me on different levels (teamwork, motivation, responsibility, leadership, etc).
One of the largest lessons I learned from playing football was something referred to in sports as "Playing Scared".
For those who don't follow football or familiar with the Dallas Cowboys, above is a picture of cornerback Larry Brown. He was the MVP of Superbowl XXX in 1996. He was a 12th round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys in 1990 (they only have 7 rounds now). He had little to no chance of making the team, much less being the starting corner on a 3 time superbowl team, much less the MVP of their last superbowl victory.
So, how did Larry Brown succeed with the Cowboys?
When Larry came into training camp before the season started, he knew he had little chance of making the team. After all, he was a 12th round draft pick, that no team cared about or thought very highly of. In fact, in the first week he actually walked out of camp and quit because he didn't feel like he was getting a chance.
However, when he came back to camp he decided that he now had nothing to lose. Any fear or insecurities he had were buried and he just played without fear. Low and behold he started making plays all over the field in practice. He could miraculously cover some of the best wide receivers on the team and in the league. He became a starter two games into the his rookie year, and went on to earn all rookie honors and nearly won rookie of the year. He played 7 seasons with the Cowboys and earned 3 superbowl rings as part of the team of the 90's.
For 6 of those years he played as if he had nothing to lose. But his 7th and final year with the Cowboys, they brought in Deion Sanders to play cornerback opposite Larry. Deion was flashy, and flamboyant and a fantastic player. This caused teams to start throwing the ball at Larry more often. Early in that final season Larry gave up a few long touchdowns to the opposing teams. It was obvious this affected his confidence, and you could see with each game he played more and more uptight. He was afraid of getting beat, and that caused him to play worse and actually get beat more often. For the rest of the season this sent him into a death spiral with his confidence and his play. He was playing scared.
His final game with the Cowboys, he caught 2 interceptions in Superbowl XXX to earn him MVP honors. It seemed for one game he was able to get his confidence back up enough to make those plays. Shortly after however, he signed a contract to play for the Oakland Raiders but never regained his confidence and played very poorly. He was out of the league in less than 2 years.
Larry Brown is a great example, and I saw it with teammates growing up playing football; those who played scared found ways to lose. They were so afraid of making a mistake they would either make more mistakes or even get themselves hurt from not going full speed.
When you aren't playing scared in life, you make decisions and conduct your life without fear of the mistakes you might make. You are playing to win, rather than playing to "not lose". And the simple fact you are working hard going 110mph, you can actually make a mistake and just as quickly correct it. It was that way in sports, and it is that way in life.
This is a very important principle and life lesson that I have to continually remind myself of. We only have one life, and to live it in fear or scared of making a mistake make it a sad life indeed.
God has given all of us strengths and weaknesses and the ability to reason. He has given us talents that He expects us to use, and use with boldness. Not cockiness, and not conceit...but with confidence in who we are and where it comes from.
I hope as I move forward with my career and my life that those words and are ever etched on my mind and heart...
Don't Play Scared.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
My New Favorite Show
I wouldn't say that I am a big TV watcher. I actually try to avoid most reality shows, and I didn't get caught up in the LOST obsession like the rest of my friends. But every so often a show comes along that really peaks my interest. And even more rare is a reality TV show that makes me look forward to the next week.
I have found my new favorite show...Shark Tank on ABC. Granted, so far there has only been one episode, but I have watched that first episode twice already and looking to the next one.
The show is a creation by Mark Burnett, who also created Survivor. Personally I don't like Survivor, but I guess the guy knows what he is doing since many millions of people love that show.
Shark Tank will obviously cater to business buffs, and entrepreneur wannabees. The idea of the show is that five successful businessmen and women judge budding entrepreneurs to determine whether to invest in their ideas or not. The panel actually uses their own money when investing or striking a deal with entrepreneur contestants. Just in the first show alone 2 people have been willing to sell the majority of their company to the judges. Those were the good outcomes.
Others have been destroyed on the show for their business plans. Whether they have some loony idea like implanting humans with blue tooth devices, or mortgaging the entire future of their families to chase this entrepreneur dream, the judges let them know and don't hold back. It really is interesting to watch.
Anyway, everyone has their flavor of TV. I guess this happens to be mine. :)
So check it out when you have a chance.
Shark Tank
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Ft. Worth Star-Telegram Article
The folks from the Ft Worth Star-Telegram came out to Reel FX recently to do a profile on the studio. They sat down with some of us to talk about the history of the company, where we were and what the company hopes to accomplish in the future. Overall I think they did a nice job.
The only bummer was the last quote in the article, as I didn't get credit for the quote. But it is all good. Always a good thing for the studio to get some pub.
Check it out:
http://www.star-telegram.com/living/story/1513796.html
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Siggraph AM Panel in New Orleans
I'll be in "N'awlens" this week for Siggraph and sitting on Shawn Kelly's AM Q&A panel on Wednesday. Reel FX and Animation Mentor are also having their Siggraph party as well that night.
I hope I'll get a chance to see some folks I haven't seen in a while. And I don't think I've been to New Orleans since I was 10 years old. So, it should be fun.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Success
It has been a while since I've read this quote, and honestly I had forgotten about it until I stumbled across it today. It is definitely a helpful reminder. Enjoy.
"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career, I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan
Archives
March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 June 2007 August 2007 January 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 December 2008 February 2009 March 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 December 2009
