Inspiration

“Produce!” a great team effort for Thornberg & Forester

One of the highlights of working with the bright and innovative talents at Thornberg & Forester (T&F) over the past year was helping to write the script for the promo I’m embedding above. This project is a teaser for a colorful and informative interstitial series that T&F created for Cooking Channel which the network started … Read more“Produce!” a great team effort for Thornberg & Forester

Motionographer spotlight

Motionographer (pronounced like “oceanographer”) seeks to be a source of inspiration for filmmakers, animators and designers by sharing: . outstanding work from studios, freelancers and students . feature stories that give readers a closer look at influential studios and individuals . commentary that sparks discussion or introspection about the creative process . miscellaneous items that … Read moreMotionographer spotlight

More branding and communications essentials

The Blake Project is a Los Angeles-based brand consultancy that helps companies design, manage and build brands that drive profitable revenue growth through differentiated customer experiences. Publishers of the book Brand Aid, the group also regularly stages Brand Positioning Workshops, and its principals share their considerable knowledge through their Branding Strategy Insider blog and newsletter. … Read moreMore branding and communications essentials

Sharing secrets: Fast Company

When I was an account manager for high-tech PR firm The Terpin Group in Los Angeles back in 1999 and 2000, my colleagues and I constantly set our sights on helping our clients place their stories inside the world’s leading business publications. Many of the media outlets then considered top-tier have come and gone, while one of them has continued rising and shining: Fast Company. Each phenomenal issue of the magazine is an education in itself, while its newsletters offer a steady stream of invaluable insights from world-leading journalists and business leaders. I am especially grateful for the 30 Second MBA series, where lessons like the video above featuring Kevin Prentiss, CEO of Red Rover, are short and always impactful. If you’re ever on-the-spot and trying to decide how to handle some pressing business matter, I highly encourage you visit www.fastcompany/mba to tap into platinum advice from proven leaders on key topics, like those listed below.

Read moreSharing secrets: Fast Company

Scion and ATTIK rev up…

So far, 2012 has proven to be a very exciting year for Scion, the automotive brand from Toyota Motor Sales USA developed specifically for the new generation of youthful buyers. Focused on providing distinctive products, opportunities to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level, Scion supports originality through its programs in the … Read moreScion and ATTIK rev up…

Killer reels: Uniform

Uniform is a strategic, brand communications agency based in Liverpool. “We help our clients create brand stories that deliver measurable results. We believe every brand has a story to tell. We find the random and the relevant, and bring it all together as effective, compelling communication.” For further information, visit www.uniform.net.

Joe Hutto, Passion Pictures and PBS: Thanks for the documentary

Almost eleven years ago, my wife and I moved from Los Angeles to North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and the small college town of Boone, North Carolina, which is home to Appalachian State University. Among many new family-focused joys of life we’ve experienced here, this move has truly immersed us in mother nature’s richness. Many species of wild flora and fauna flourish in the sprawling patch of woods right outside our windows. We can view wilderness each day, and when we’re especially lucky, we see wild turkeys.

Until recently, most of what I’d learned about these creatures had come from my personal observations of them; through different seasons over the years, our homestead has been a regular daily stop for flocks (sometimes with dozens of members), as well as the occasional lone wanderer. My basic curiousities were extremely well rewarded when I watched “My Life as a Turkey” late last year on PBS. Produced for the network’s award-winning Nature series, I highly encourage you to watch the complete episode now available online (in the U.S. and its territories), which I have embedded above. I promise you, it is a fascinating window into a secret world.

Read moreJoe Hutto, Passion Pictures and PBS: Thanks for the documentary

Bravery from Brand New School and Antidote rewarded…

When Antidote (www.antidote.co.uk) was approached by Diesel founder Renzo Rosso to create a call-to-arms to inspire and mobilize the world’s youth to join the fight to help end extreme poverty in Africa and around the world, Antidote’s creatives wrote a manifesto for The Only The Brave Foundation and approached Brand New School to create a short, powerful animated film. In his treatment, BNS founder and executive creative director Jonathan Notaro proposed the unique storytelling approach that helps the foundation deliver its message in style in the finished production. The presentation is also taken to new heights by the score from Human Worldwide.

Read moreBravery from Brand New School and Antidote rewarded…

Thornberg and Forester does Bob Odenkirk

Last month, Adult Swim aired “Let’s Do This!” — a new live-action comedy pilot created and produced by Bob Odenkirk, Brian Jarvis and Jim Freeman. Among many well-known comedic talents, the show stars Odenkirk as Cal McKenzie-Goldberg, who runs independent movie studio Cal-Gold Pictures from a strip mall in North Hollywood, USA. In the show’s pilot, Cal is contracted by a drug lord in Uganda to make a wizard movie, with hilarious results. By visiting this link, you can watch – and even embed – the entire show.

Read moreThornberg and Forester does Bob Odenkirk

The Children’s Playhouse shines on

Great Friend to Families

The Children’s Playhouse was launched ten years ago by a group of local citizens in Boone, North Carolina, who wanted an enriching play environment for children from birth to age eight that at the same time offered parents and caregivers friendly support in the important job of raising children. Ann Kiefert, Kathy Parham, Cathy Riggs, Heidi Campbell and my wife Beth Darnell were all members of the founding board. Under Kathy’s leadership, The Playhouse has not only become a widely renowned creative play space for families, it has also become a very powerful force for community goodness.

This past weekend, The Playhouse held its fourth annual Great Friend to Families Awards reception. Launched by Kathy and her forward-looking board members in 2009, this event has honored dozens of Hometown Heroes for their sustained contributions to the well-being of young children and families in our area. Proceeds from this annual event help support The Playhouse and ensure the facility remains accessible to families who might not otherwise be able to use its services.

Read moreThe Children’s Playhouse shines on

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