Yesterday evening I ventured down to the Hyatt hotel where Morristown was holding their Green Drinks event. I have been tied in as of late with all the happenings sustainability wise in town, so I was naturally excited for the event. My expectations were surpassingly surpassed. I talked, chatted, and mingled with multiple different individuals for over 2 hours, not once having a spare moment to myself. It was great to see so many familiar faces that I have started to become acquainted with over the past several months. You can definitely see that there is some sort of (open) circle within the community that relates to sustainability, and it’s awesome to start feeling like I’m apart of it. What was even better, was meeting with those whom I hadn’t known previous. Hearing their stories, their plans, and what motivates them proved to be inspiring. I left the event with a feeling of excitement, one that I can’t exactly put my finger on as to what directly I was excited about. I believe it was a culmination of things.. the fact that their are so many like minded people right here in Morristown is motivating, and makes me want to continue to pursue my vision for films in this town. It’s equally as satisfying knowing that their is a “market” for such products.. Yet this market is truly only a group of good-hearted individuals all looking to make a contribution. I believe that with the culmination of minds and talents in the room last night, there definitely could be and will be progress to a future of sustainability. But the main point I think I got from last night was something I heard from Marty of Marty’s Reliable Cycle. It related to the overall sense of a community that Morristown has. What makes a true community, be it transportation, retail, neighborhoods, events; all these things in combination all add up to create our ideal vision of a place we want to live. Being able to work, play, and enjoy life all in the same location says something about the community. Events like last night bring that sense our community straight to the surface.

I am in the classroom again this week, both today and tomorrow. It’s amazing how well the kids are taking to the idea and are excited about film. For this being a pilot program, I couldn’t have asked for things to have gone this well or this smoothly up until this point. The footage is even turning out great, making the possibilities of a good end product more and more likely.

Brandon and I are starting to do this podcast, 10PHX.tv to give some insight into what we do behind the scenes with our company Ten Phoenix (Productions). I hope these will evolve to become a resource that people can use to learn production tips as well as an understanding to the business side of creativity. Premiere episode 01 above.

I have been working on a school film project the past few days (see post two previous) that is getting students from K-8 engaged in the filmmaking process. Yesterday, after one of the most well behaved classes, a 3rd grader comes up to me and asks me how I spell my last name, followed by “are you on Facebook?” I was, to say the least, shocked. You’re in 3rd grade and you’re on Facebook.. incredible. Do 3rd graders even know how to read yet?! This question got me to thinking about the world we live in today, technology wise. I love how connected I am able to be and the resources that are at my fingertips. Being someone who is less than a year out of college and having such incredible opportunities to market and promote yourself on the web is something that I am very grateful for; grateful that I’m at where I’m at in my stage of life and in the progression of the world. But I start to reconsider things when an 8 year old asks me if I’m on a site that started when I was in college.. I wouldn’t want to be in a position where all my friends were on Facebook, and had cell phones, and probably their own laptops at an age where I didn’t need any of that. Their is something about the imagination that kids need to explore.

I don’t know if it was because of my parents wise influence or my personal preferences, but I was never a one for video games. Sure I played, but not for hours upon hours like many others did. I think that when I spent this time instead, building forts and climbing trees and playing Army, it helped me get to where I’m at today. “If you can dream it, you can do it” (Walt Disney).. the problem with today, and perhaps even more so in the next generation, is that there will be far less of those dreaming and using their imagination.. instead they will use only what they know from playing Farmville on Facebook..

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the Air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back.

But the other four Balls – Family, Health, Friends and Spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it.

-Bryan Dawson, Coca Cola CEO

For the past two days, and for the next several upcoming weeks, I have been and will be working on a film project in Franklin Twp School. Basically, we will be creating one film throughout the K-8 school, with each class focusing on one aspect of filmmaking (storyboarding, prop making, production, editing, musical score, etc). I believe it is a neat approach, one that will play out nicely when everything is wrapped if all goes to plan. I’ve always liked working with youngsters (was a camp counselor back in the day) but have never done so while trying to make a movie with them. It’s a big undertaking, but it’s one that I have enjoyed thus far. It’s great to see kids respond well the the things you say and the material you present to them, especially when its about the field I work in and am so passionate about. I’ve started a blog for the school that will detail each step along the way.

Music Producer Rob Freeman discusses The Pilot Studio and the exciting work being done by bands and musicians. Another Ten Phoenix production.

compliments of Nick Campbell.

I don’t think I could live anywhere that it doesn’t snow like this. Sure there’s a bunch of freezing cold days with no snow and a lot of rainy dreary days in March, but when I wake up and see the street blanked like it was this morning I still get gitty like a kid. The 2-day storm finally passed and the sun broke to an actual pleasant afternoon. Took a run around town with Brandon, which are always nice as we talk business, life, and all the in between stuff, but today particularily so because it was exceptionally nice with the fresh snow and sun as our scenery.

You’re allowed to put your car in the parking garage 2 blocks up the street overnight when it snows, for free. Adam and I chose to do this, Brandon did not.