As the CEO of a creative services company, there are no shortages of networking events or conferences or even cocktail parties that I attend where the conversation inevitably goes the route of: “So, tell me what you do.” As my business has grown and evolved, so have my responses to that question. If it’s local to Kansas City, T2 (taketwo) is pretty well known — so I inevitably say that I’m sure you know us best for film and video production — both corporate, commercial and entertainment projects — but you may not know how we have evolved in the past few years into a multi-platform creative services company.

These days, what I say I do is — “I’m an online content producer.” Sometimes they look at me blankly — but my guess is that they won’t for long.

With the advent of Google TV, which I mentioned in a post last week) and Apple TV and other online viewing options, consumers can have online content delivered via their television set. As a result, being an online content producer is where it’s at. The Diffusion Group did a recent study called The Economics of Over-the-Top TV Delivery: How Television Networks Can Shift to Online Content Delivery predicting that by 2020 more Americans will be watching online video than TV. There’s more, in a recent study by Edelman, the Internet IS entertainment – especially among 18-34 year olds, rising from 27% in 2009 to a whopping 42% thus far in 2010. These days, the Web is literally where people go for entertainment, information, gaming and more – and Edelman’s study supports that. In the U.S., 32% of 18-54 year olds head to the Web for entertainment, which compares to 58% of that same age group watching TV. As an aside, a weekend poll called Will You Buy a Google TV, indicates that some 30.9% of respondents are at least interested in investing in the opportunity to stream the web to TV, which is a trend smart marketers – and smart business people will be paying attention to.

Bottom line — it’s clear that consumers are interested in online content and, whether they view it online or opt for Google TV or some other solution, I’m happy to be in the business of creating and providing it to them. For years, we’ve been in the business of telling stories through beautiful imagery and strong messages and, ultimately, compelling consumers to action. We still do that –- and lots of other things – but we also are in the business of producing content – for any platform out there. Things are now changing faster than we can come up with ways to describe it. Anybody think it might slow down anytime soon? Hmmm.

Last year I was eager to find an up and coming Director of Photography that had an interest in directing. I asked a former colleague in Los Angeles if she had come across anyone – and she suggest that I take a look at Joshua Reis’s work. She wasn’t sure if he wanted to direct, but she said he had a fantastic DP reel, and was full of energy and passion on set. Perfect. When I first reached out to Josh, he said that my call came a couple of years before he had expected it to. But, it was a resounding “YES” when it came to his desire to combine his passion behind the camera with his goal to direct.

This past week we booked another job for Josh, and he will have his first opportunity to team with the creatives at VML – We couldn’t be more excited. Josh has now shot in Kansas City on multiple occasions and has come to understand what drives our passion for production…Great creatives, great crew and BBQ.

It’s been such a pleasure working with Josh as he continues to seize every opportunity that comes his way. I think a director should always take advantage of any opportunity where they can hone their skills, and grow in their ability to make the most of any concept. Obviously creating spec work allows any up and coming director that opportunity – So I asked Josh to elaborate on spec work. “My specs give me an opportunity to try something new and experiment.  They allow me to be simultaneously in the director and DP seat.  Thus, I think a lot of my best stuff is my spec and low budget work, which I can maximize the resources at hand and focus purely on the story or concept”.

Where I have seen the most growth in his transition into directing, has been Josh’s ability to translate his knowledge as a DP, and apply that knowledge directly to the outcome of the concept. Josh is able to elevate compositions by expanding upon the various tools of his trade. He encourages creatives to explore these tools and push their concepts further. Josh says, “Its probably the most exciting time in cinematic history to be a director/DP.  Never before has there been so many photographic tools to choose from.  This includes 35, Super 16, compact HD, 2/3, and 35mm sensor digital cameras.  The latest film-stocks continue to push the envelope.  New cameras such as the Canon 5D, Red, and Sony F-35 seem to hit the market annually if not monthly.  One of the best aspects of being a director/DP is to be able to be at the forefront of the technology and test the waters as they say.  I enjoy experimenting with the latest tools/technology and use that in conjunction with my post production skill-sets.  I have lensed a music video in 3D.  Filmed a handful of videos and projects at 1000 fps.  Last week, I shot my first motion control project.  Being at the forefront of technology is one of the best aspects of being a DP/director.  However, I am an owner of an Arri SR3, Super 16 camera package, so I am still a big fan of film.  Nothing is as raw and gritty as shooting with a hand crank converted Arri 2c.  I enjoy having a diversified vocabulary in both film and digital toolsets.  Its hard to imagine what will be new in the next two years…

Indeed it is – And working with Josh, it’s even harder to imagine how much he’ll continue to grow as a director/DP over that time.

My first job in production was to watch director reels so that I could familiarize myself with the work, and the talent behind the work.  I had a grading system that filled notebooks full of my green critique – Back then, we had the giant ¾ inch tapes that needed an entire room of their own just to be housed. The room had a metal chair, no windows and sat directly across the hall from one of the most notorious office smokers in our building. As dreary as that Barney Miller-backdrop-of-an office was, it also came to represent the room where I would find my escape from the day to day. A new world opened up to me behind those closed doors, one that gave me a glimpse into the creative talent that I knew I wanted to work with one day.

The grading system was based on points, 10 being the highest. I hadn’t been exposed to advertising long enough to know how important any kind of relevant brand message was in commercials, so my grades went something like this – If there was anyone in a bikini, it got a 10. If there was a Harley spot on the reel, that director got a 10. Anything with Bo Jackson got a 10. But then my grading evolved as I watched reel after reel…I came to appreciate good composition. I started to recognize good acting. I began to see simple concepts make a very lasting impression. My notebooks grew in size, as I wrote about everything I saw and the emotions each spot would evoke. Some directors faded while others started to rise. What became obvious were the directors that stayed relevant with new work. Sure, it was easy for some who had a super bowl spot on their reel to stay relevant and get new bud light work each month. But, what caught my attention were the directors that flew under the proverbial ad-rat radar. These directors stayed busy by passionately driving the work on seemingly unknown and irrelevant brands – and in doing so, they became relevant in my eyes. I associated with their desire to make the most out of every opportunity you’re given. Spoon wrote one of my favorite lyrics – “You got no fear of the underdog, and that’s why you will not survive”.

At Back Alley, we’re building a team of artists –  those artists are a combination of visionaries with disciplines in directing, photography, writing,  music, art, and just about any imaginable creative outlet that defines and shapes their ambitions. Our job is to guard that ambition and throw our net as wide as we can in 2010, providing them with every opportunity to channel those disciplines into creating relevant work that will build brands, grow relationships with customers and create friendships with like-minded creatives & clients.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be blogging with our artists to capture what’s on their mind and relevant to them. I hope it will be information that becomes relevant to you. It’s the dawn of a new decade – one that will be defined by the underdog, and who chooses to seize the opportunities that others fear are no longer there.

Well, I think Mr. Florida may have been a bit ahead of his time – or maybe the rest of the world was just lagging behind. But now, it looks like all the planets are aligned and, for a growing number of business leaders and big thinkers, the word “creativity” has swelled in stature recently.  Maybe it’s the recent shit storm that swept our country – thanks in large part to the “creative geniuses” on Wall Street. Or maybe it’s just that the combination of creativity and technology is the only way to survive now. Art and commerce have finally merged – and the world we are facing is a much different place than the one we lived in before.

Creativity is much broader, too – and much more collaborative.  It feels like the secret source of creativity now is about getting creative people in all different fields and genres working together – and sharing ideas – all under one roof.   Because creative people are curious – not just about what they do – but about everything.  I’m seeing this firsthand in our new T2 Experience Lab, as well as in the way our sister company, Back Alley Films has evolved.

Suddenly, “Experience” has become the buzzword in marketing. There are Experience designers – and whole new Experience companies — and new divisions in traditional  agencies are being formed to focus on touching the customer in unique ways.   And the coolest thing now, is that it’s moving beyond digital – and beyond specific technologies – and into a world where two-way interaction with a brand is possible anywhere and any time.  This has opened up a world of possibilities for the “creatives” in the T2 Experience Lab.

At the end of this month, 150+ members of AIGA will host their 20-year anniversary at our new event space, The Venue. They’ve asked our team at The Experience Lab to step in and create something magical. It will be creativity in design AND in technology – and it promises to be an amazing experience.

And our team at Back Alley Films has recently retooled their roster and re-named the folks on it – they are no longer directors, they are artists.  And they are multi-talented artists – editors who shoot – or write – shooters who direct; award-winning documentary film makers who are now creating content for the web at budgets that are miniscule compared to the commercial budgets of the past; still photographers who have expanded into motion and can capitalize on an integrated messages. It’s all about creativity, but without the limiting parameters of specialization. The focus at Back Alley is about creating live action content – content that is media agnostic – and more in line with the production company of the future – and the budgets that have become a reality.

So, I say, this is our time. Not a time for doom and gloom — but a time for seizing the opportunity.  Sounds trite, I know. But seriously, there has probably never been a better time to be in a creative business. So, stop the fear and negativity. The more fearful we become, the more we will fall back on tried and tested formulas for what we do – and that would be the kiss of death. It’s a brave new world – and it requires courage to move beyond our comfort zone. But isn’t that music to the ears of “creatives?”  I know it is to mine. What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts.

On a recent holiday trip to Denver, I chose to bring the “Looking Back” issue of Boards magazine with me.  I read it cover to cover and learned a few things I didn’t know. I especially enjoyed reading about the new “Crowd Sourcing Agency” located in Boulder, called Victors and Spoils. Curious name – bold business model. It made me think about Boulder BCPB (before Crispin Porter Bogusky) and what it is like now. A mini “thought leader” mecca, no doubt. And, now that Colorado is a medical marijuana state, the head shops have likely been replaced by new “dispensaries” on every corner, like the Starbucks invasion of the 90s.

My point here is that whether you’re in the publishing industry – or any industry – you’ve got to be committed to being, and staying, on the cutting edge. Continually learning, adapting, growing and changing as the community around you changes. That’s called staying relevant – and in order to be successful, we all need to be relevant.

But, I digress…back to Boards Magazine. I’ve always liked their voice. Their writers make advertising fun and exciting, and video production and post production described like we’re saving lives or something. Which, of course, we are (please note: dripping sarcasm). Editor Rae Ann Fera sets the bar on writing pretty high and she always gets a smile out of me. She’s edgy, irreverent and funny and, even more impressive, wrote her column for this year-end issue sitting on the South Bank in London, eating a bowl of mussels, and typing on her iPhone. Brilliant! But, most importantly, she’s relevant. And under her leadership, Boards stays relevant, and totally dialed into the continually changing culture of the ad industry.

I guess the thing I like the most about Boards, other than its relevancy, is that reading it always provides an affirmation that our team of talented and innovative folks at T2 and Back Alley Films are doing work that is right there, on the cutting edge, right along with other major players who are regularly featured in their pages. Whether it’s motion graphics, augmented reality, crowdsourcing or anything else that we experiment with on a regular basis, those are the kinds of things that are producing results for clients and making us proud to be doing what we do on a daily basis. Ergo, we are relevant. And always striving to remain so. And when I feel that way, I know all is right with the world.

I heard today that 2010 is the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac. I have no idea what that means, but I like the sound of it.

2009 had a dreary vibe to it, even if you were making money. Every one seemed to be waiting for the other shoe to drop and even the most ostensibly creative projects seemed somehow drained of energy. People walked around with dull looks in their eyes and no one ever said anything funny.

But this year will be different. Remember that scene in Apocalypse Now where the troop is walking through the jungle and that massive tiger comes out of nowhere? Every day is going to seem like that. Or most every day.

There will be a lot of negative surprises and there will be a lot of positive surprises, but there won’t be the boring, grey predictability that seemed to take hold for weeks on end in 2009.

The dull folks had their year. Now it’s time to let the fun people shake things up a bit.

Enjoy the tiger. I hope it doesn’t eat you.

A show of hands….. 

Well, I do. In fact, I love them. I love the organic nature–the actual HUMAN aspect. It always amazes me what a camera can capture when somebody is not scripted. I mean, that is real. Real life. THAT interests me.

Maybe its because I am a former newsie. Yes, in a past life I was a TV reporter. ( I had the hair–the blond bob. You know what I am talking about.) I was out finding the stories that would *hopefully* lead the 6 pm and 10 pm news. My beat was crime. Sounds glossy and glamorous, right? WRONG. I worked on so many shootings, rapes, burglaries….blah. I found myself de-sensitized to humanity. Fast forward to today (and minus the bob). It seems that my news background is feeding/fueling my curiosity and passion for real life stories.

One of the last docs I saw was on Roman Polanski. “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired” was an HBO Films piece. I must say HBO Films ROCK!! They have such intriguing docs. Fantastic!!!

One of my faves was on Ted Haggard–“The Trials of Ted Haggard”. Remember that guy? Let me refresh—God fearing minister who admitted to “sexual immortality” and some drugs. Banished from his church, etc.

The filmmaker was Alexandra Pelosi. I love her. So does THAT name ring a bell? Yes, her momma is Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House. Great genes must run rampant in that family!!! Baby Pelosi did a great job. Her doc just draws you in.

Enough of my ramblings. I want to know what YOU have seen lately!!

Later!

Nicole

There’s too much info
for one to read in a day
Hence the haiku blog

— Michael Ong

Footnote: It all started as a tongue-in-cheek idea during a discussion on the appropriate length for a blog entry. Between daily emails, MMS and Facebook posts, do people really have time to read through all the things they need to read in a day, and still have extra time to read the things that they enjoy reading? I often find myself skimming over emails longer than two swipes on my iPhone. I also judge the effectiveness of billboards by the highway based on if I could finish reading the headlines while I’m driving at 65 mph. If Steve Jobs is right about the fact that “People don’t read anymore.”, then what are you doing right now, you might ask.

Being a visual person and a minimalist, I like the challenge of distilling concepts from any visual clutter to their cores. A picture is worth a thousand words. But if one has to use words; less is more.

My subsequent entries will be Haikus and I welcome comments written in the same format.

Fortunately, in the re-birth, I’m just one of the writers. I’m hoping it won’t kill me — or, even worse, bore you. So, get ready, the T2 blog is about to get active and, hopefully, “relevant”  – at the end of what Andy Serwer of Time Magazine dubs “The Decade From Hell.” Staggering really.  No wonder we are all reeling from the psychic pain.  Will America ever be the same?  Will we?

I can tell you with complete authenticity — and some cautious excitement —  that T2, coming out of this decade, will never be the same. And I suspect we’re not the only ones.  Like most companies, we’ve used this past year and a half to reevaluate and reinvent who we are — and it’s been both scary and exhilarating.

When we started the process, we knew we were in a space that was expanding with nimble competitors on a daily basis.  T2 (Take 2) had been around a long time — and Back Alley Films was in its infancy. The Advertising business was changing at an unthinkable pace — and there wasn’t a corporation or client anywhere in sight that felt confident doing “business as usual.”

So, we really had no choice except to rebuild the “enterprise” — and, truth be told, that’s what we love doing.  So that’s what we did. And now, T2 isn’t just a post house and motion design company doing commercials and some corporate work.  These days, we’re also creating amazing content through animation and design for multiple interactive and experiential platforms.  T2 has also created and launched our brand new Experience Lab, headed up by one of our new kids on the block, Garrett Fuselier – so watch for his blogs about it.   And Back Alley Films — well they’ve grown into a curious toddler —  with a new roster of multi-talented artists/directors who create content for way more than just commercials.  In a nutshell, our business has gotten fun again — and that’s what’s better about it, for sure.

So, we’re moving into the next decade, appropriately dubbed “the teens,” with youthful optimism. We have added some amazingly talented and creative up-and-comers to the T2/Back Alley Films team, and they are complemented and tempered by the reality that comes from the experience and talent for which T2 has been known for many years. As a result, we are both wise and wide-eyed. Hopefully, that means we are looking at the world on behalf of our partners and our clients in ways that are not only more meaningful, but also more effective. And hopefully that also means more “relevant.”