I am a firm believer that leaders are always supposed to be learning. Not only because you can’t take others where you’ve never been, but because that’s the nature of being in the motion design business.
To get into the industry you have to do a lot of learning. And I’m not just talking about the technical side of things – although there’s no argument that this is critical.
But to stay in the industry you have to learn even more and at a much quicker pace. There’s new versions, new app’s, new gear, new territory, new techniques, new clients. new jobs, new plugins, new business angles and more. So instead of just doing your full-time production job to pay the bills, You always have to be learning as well to keep up with your clients and your own personal goals.
As a father of five with our sixth on the way, it’s sometimes difficult to find a balance between work (paying gigs) and play (non-paying, or for hire learning opportunities), but both are required for a business to succeed. If I get too unbalanced in either category, the business will fail.
So today was a day for learning. I’ve been receiving more frequent requests for 3D work in the past quarter, and actually done a few jobs dabbling in Cinema4D, but now it’s time to get serious. I have so much to learn – and it’s a great reminder of what it is like to be a student after spending some time being the teacher.
All in all, i think it was a day well spent. I’ll be back on the other side of the business model tomorrow.
{ 8 months & 4 weeks ago →
1 comment }
Pulse UND was amazing. It was an honor to be there.
Thousands attended – and hundreds of them heard for the very first time that, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17) It was a beautiful, loud, and thrilling night to be a part of – and a great way to get in the spirit of Christmas.
This time, my role was to shoot behind-the-scenes footage of Nick Hall, the founder of Pulse, as the evening progressed. We also had additional crew members shooting the 5DMKII and a 7D to get event coverage for future promo videos.
As an added bonus, we were invited to play a pickup game of football with the some of the band members after the event. Who knew Toby Mac was such a football strategist?
I love my job.
{ 9 months ago →
1 comment }
Today we’re wrapping up animation projects and getting ready to shoot Behind the Scenes footage for PULSE UND. The event features TobyMac, Kutless, Stephanie Smith, B.Reith, crazy sweet videos, and a message of hope.
With an estimated attendance of 10,000 students, we’re in for a Party. Event is free with a current college of ID or a GF base ID.
For more information, visit pulsemovement.com
{ 9 months ago →
comment }
What designer can’t use a couple more free textures in their arsenal? So, here you go – 11 high-quality textures for your projects direct from the streets of Ethiopia. And don’t think these shots came easy – I took a fall off a dirt pile onto a barb wire fence getting one of these textures – but thankfully there were no serious injuries – and I got the shot.
Anyway, I enjoy the textures – and use them freely. I’d love to see what you come up with.
Download the textures here.
We’re home… and they’re home. And after all the trials of adopting, we’re really excited about that.
It’s been difficult to summarize our adoption experience, and as a result, I’ve been fairly quiet on the matter. But, if anyone had told me 2 years ago that I’d be writing this post today, and be as excited as I am about doing it, I would thought they were crazy.
Our reason for adopting, as strange as it may sound, is sin. Adoption exists because of sin. In a sinless world, no child would be left an orphan. There would be no disease, or famine, or war to take away their parents. There would be no poverty or destruction to force parents into the difficult decision of feeding their children, or taking care themselves. And there would be no abandonment, or abduction, or trafficking, to rob children of their future. Adoption only exists because sin does.
However, if there were no such thing as sin, it would also mean there would be no need for an even greater redemptive force in the world – and the contrast between the two is more beautiful than an absence of both. When sin is defeated, which is what Christ does, sin looks all the more sinful, and Grace looks all the more glorious. That’s what Jesus did by way of the cross (Col. 2:15), and that’s what adoption aims to do in terms of redemption; namely, adoption makes God and His grace look great.
While we were in Ethiopia, I had my video camera confiscated in customs because it was “too professional” – so we were only able to get a little footage using the video mode on a point-and-shot camera. Thankfully, our photographer, travel companion, and good friend, Rowan Gillson, (Whom many of you should hire for your next international adventure) was able to get past customs with his stills kit intact. Out of all the images we took throughout the week, this one stands out in my mind as the most representative of our view of adoption.
I love the contrast between shadow and light. I love the joy in my son’s step. I love to know that they’ll never be orphans again – and most of all, I love to be reminded that I too have been adopted by Christ and welcomed into His marvelous light.
Marvelous Light, Words and Music by Charlie Hall, Six Step Records
I once was fatherless,
a stranger with no hope;
Your kindness wakened me,
Awakened me, from my sleep
Your love it beckons deeply,
a call to come and die.
By grace now I will come
And take this life, take your life.
Sin has lost it’s power,
death has lost it’s sting.
From the grave you’ve risen
Victoriously!
Into marvelous light I’m running,
Out of darkness, out of shame.
By the cross you are the truth,
You are the life, you are the way
My dead heart now is beating,
My deepest stains now clean.
Your breath fills up my lungs.
Now I’m free. now I’m free!
Welcome home boys, you are truly loved. Forever.
{ 9 months & 1 week ago →
4 comments }
