Starry Expectations

Build-A-Bear Workshop just picked up my commercial. Check it out here:

And to think I almost didn't take this assignment. I had sold my third ad and I was about to get lazy, thinking I'd just work on my movie and skip the next assignment on Poptent, which would be to make an ad for Build-A-Bear. But I did it anyways. The need to make something heartfelt at 60 seconds run time, appealed greatly to me.

So much of what I do is either comical or horror based (or both). I was just aching to make something more dramatic and heartfelt. And since I finally have all my music tools (software, mics, keyboards, etc.) I could really create a proper score for it. I'm quite proud of the music.

As you may or may not know, my brother Robert passed away earlier this year. So I named the bear in this ad after him. The bear itself was actually an old bear that was given to my wife's mother, Brenda, before she passed away. This was my little way of paying tribute to both of them.

I just had this feeling that if I would win this one, it would be because of them. I have to thank them both for this.

Special thanks to Alicia Frizzell and her adorable daughter Reagan. Thanks to Kelly Emerson for putting me in touch with her daughter Alicia, and for also always being so supportive of my work. Thanks to Eve Butler for her great voice over work. Can't wait to finally work with her on REDD.

It's been a rough and special year all at once. Starting with my friend Julie Keels passing away, continuing on with my brother Robert's death, throw in the usual aches and pains of life, and my wife still dealing with her Mom's death. It's all made it especially rough. But on the creative side, this has been an amazing year being able to make some real money through my movie making skills. Plenty of small projects to pay the bills, and thanks to Poptent and brands like Boise Paper, CVS, and now Build-A-Bear, I've been able to make a living out of making videos.  I've done it in the past, but this year has been VERY successful.

And because of those opportunities I'm able to work on trying to make a living at making movies. REDD is coming slowly, but it's coming. And my goal of finishing it for the world to see is more of a possibility. Still plenty of work to be done, but I'll finish this, and you'll all get to see it this year. And I'll keep my promise to my brother, that'd I'd finish this.

In other news MAJOR CONGRATULATIONS TO CRYSTAL AND JAMES. two very good friends of mine that are FINALLY getting hitched. I am so immensely happy for the two of them. This greatly adds to the major UPS of this year. Juli and I will do our very best to head back to Texas for the wedding.

Too many times this Christmas I'd gotten caught up in the drama and the depression, but I think I've done pretty good as far as being able to pull away for a little bit to see there is much more light than dark. I cry often. Many times it's because of my brother, but other times, it's because I know how amazing life is, and how beautiful it all still is. I look at what I've lost. But I'm so very thankful for what I have. My wife, my life, and the ability to make my dreams happen. I thank God every day for that.

Ok, much to plan for, getting back into shooting for REDD this Thursday, and I've got a new web series I need to prep for a January debut on Youtube.

More later.