Intergalactic Daydreaming
I'd seen quite a few movies at a young age, but none captured my imagination like George Lucas and
Star Wars. Half of my awe probably came from John Williams' amazing soundscape/soundtrack, and it sparked the daydreamer inside of me. I remember obsessing over my Star Wars figures. I played alone for hours with my toys, laying on the ground trying to see my “sets” from Luke Skywalker's perspective. Today, that daydreamer is the side of me that comes up with a lot of out-of-the box solutions for clients.
Quiet on the Set
In the summer of 1999, I had a life-changing internship with the award-winning cinematographer Ralph Linhardt that taught me the importance of collaborative work. In addition to incredible opportunities like working on a Disney film, I also learned firsthand what it takes for more than 100 people to collaborate and accomplish a common goal. No film comes together without a cohesive vision set by the leadership and a total buy-in from the crew.
Jump, Jive, An' Wail
When I first learned to swing dance I was frustrated by its confining structure. But once I got the steps down I realized that there's room for flexibility and improvisation within the structure. And unless you want to be the awkward guy in the corner doing the Charleston by yourself, you need a partner. Although I lead, my partner can improvise, and the better I got at leading, the more she trusted me and the more we both enjoyed the song. I think working with clients is a lot like dancing. I know the song and can lead and that frees up my clients -- you -- to enjoy the process. When you come to us, you trust us with your brand and oftentimes your livelihood. I do not take that lightly and, as with the trust of a dance partner, it makes room for more creativity.
Introduction
I’ve been hooked on creating visual experiences since my teens. I have vivid memories of working on a project for an interactive multimedia class in high school and begging Mr. Dixon to let me to take the classroom Macintosh Performa 6200 home so I could work on it over the weekend. What was I thinking? I loaded it up in my trunk and when I got home from football practice I got to work. Hours flew by. When I won an award that year at the technology fair, all the hard work paid off and I knew what I wanted to do for a living.
As Bay Area native, I love where we live and I don’t take it for granted. Eight years in Southern California and 2 years in Seattle made me feel a bit like Goldilocks and the Three Bears — it was either too hot or too cold. But in the East Bay, the temperate climate and inquisitive personality seems to be just right.
Experience
During our 2 years in Seattle, I was an award-winning web designer/developer for Seattle Pacific University where I designed and built marketing web sites and email campaigns in the communications department. I also had the incredible opportunity as an adjunct professor to teach young, brilliant designers the ins and outs of the Adobe Design suite.
Before my time at SPU, I was the Art Director at an eco-luxury start-up brand, Organic Bouquet, located on the Sausalito waterfront. I worked on diverse projects like directing product photo shoots, developing package design, e-commerce web design, marketing campaigns, PR Kits, print ads and web banners. I even worked on co-branding and promotional materials with some top green brands.
Education
I have a liberal arts education and received a B.S. in Art with an emphasis in Graphic Design from Biola University (Los Angeles), in spring of 2000.
The art program emphasized conceptual thinking and technical proficiency. My college education combined classical courses such as figure drawing, painting, photography, illustration, typography, art history with unconventional courses like art video and screenwriting, which shaped me as a well-rounded artist.
Living in LA gave me the opportunity to gain additional multi-media experience as a creative set decorator for independent films and television shows, and work as a production designer. I even hosted a teen television show for three years, and hosted and produced open-mic and comedy performances.