I seem to be stuck.

I don't have any pressing projects or anything like that, but I am beginning to feel like I am losing that creative spark that I usually carry around (maybe it's the lack of pressing projects). School's going to start in a few weeks and I am going to need it back so I don't fall behind. That's where y'all come in...

What inspires you? What kind of process do you do to turn on the creative juices? I was hoping y'all would share some ideas with me. Post them in the comment section and I'll read them over, give 'em a shot and report back here what I find out.

Looking forward to hearing some great ideas!

Brett Favre.

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Brett Favre?

BRETT FAVRE! B-B-B-Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre.

Favre Favre Brett Favre Favre Jets Favre Brett Favre. Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre. Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre. Favre Favre Favre, Brett Brett Favre.

Brett Favre.

It happened again! (sorta)

Everything's been done before. I've come to terms with that.

There are only a certain number of possible combinations of images and ideas. I've come to terms with that too.

What I can't seem to grasp, is how ideas that I am either currently working on or recently completed seem to pop up in the real world. Absolutely amazing, and not in a good way.

Read this for an example.

Now check out this campaign that Travis Kragh and I worked on (Andy Cosgrove did the photography and Justin Bigger is the model):






















































Now that you've seen the campaign up close, I would like you to look at the last one specifically. The lighting is exactly how we envisioned it. The mood is just what we wanted. Now look at this ad for Wrangler. (wouldn't let me upload a picture... may try later) This comparison is different then the last ad of mine that appeared in the wild because the concepts are different. The problem here is that the styles are almost exactly the same. That generally wouldn't be a huge deal, except in this case where the competitive ads are for jeans too. You can't look like your competitor.

Grrrr.

Whatever happened to...

Max Wright? Now that we have Billy Zane pretty much covered, I'll give you three guesses as to who Max Wright is. Ready?

1.___________
-Nope. Not the computerized talking head in a box. That's Max Headroom. One of my favorite concepts of all time. I'll probably blog about that in the future.

2.___________
-Wrong again. Max Powers was the name Homer Simpson changed his name to. Greatest TV show of all time: all in favor, say "I."

3.___________
-Correct. Max Wright played Willie Tanner in the watershed television show "ALF."

ALF was the pinnacle of the "suspension-of-belief-because-that-character-is-definitely-a-puppet" sitcom viewing trend in the eighties. The writing was good. Better-than-Webster good. Max Wright made the most of it. His incredibly dry delivery made all the over the top one liners ALF threw out that much better. In fact, his incredible verbal cadence would have made him a great fit in my concept for the ultimate buddy movie. ALF and Max have a place in my heart, and only in part to the anti-cat message (I don't like cats.. they aren't trustworthy).

I did check IMDB.com right away this time and he does still work, but generally in really small roles not befitting of a man with the acting chops of Max Wright. Someone should start a petition to get ALF rereleased so a new generation of TV viewers can see Max at his zenith. I'm to busy to do it right now. Any volunteers?

I still have all my teeth.

Last week, I made a really cool rope swing in the giant old maple in my backyard. It's the kind of swing that has an arc about 30 feet wide, can comfortably go 10-12 feet in the air (and higher if you're not afraid to do it), and is just plain fun. Tucker, who'll be 3 this month loves it. He flies a good 4 feet above my head and screeches and giggles the whole time.

Sounds good, no? Well, we have a neighbor that has four girls that range in age from 1-11. The three oldest, 4, 9, and 11, like coming over and playing with Tucker. However, they love playing with his toys even more. They have been over way more often now that the rope swing is up. Today, I caved in and said I would push them in the swing.

So for about two hours, I pushed the three girls and Tucker on the swing. It was a lot of fun for all, but it did eventually start to tire me out. after a good five turns for every kid, I was pushing the 9 year old girl by running and pushing her over my head as I run underneath. She swings away. I start talking to her sister thinking I'm out of the way.

Without warning, I get a completely outstretched flat foot to the jaw. I heard a loud clicking sound, then I think I was technically unconscious for a split second. I do remember seeing white that turned completely black (I think that's where the term "knock your lights out" comes from, duh). I didn't fall, I hardly moved at all really. I tasted that tooth drilling flavor and blood. One of the girls asked me if I was OK. I said no. Then I walked to the house. I checked my teeth with fingers and tongue on the way there. Lucky for me, I still have all my teeth. The blood is from a hole in my lip. Good times.

Now it may sound like I'm overreacting, but let me reassure you, a nine year old girl on a swing that big could knock out anybody. Let's do the math. A 60 pound nine year old going approximately 25 miles per hour focusing her kinetic energy into a 2.5 inch area equals, I don't know, probably 300 lbs of pressure per square inch. Seriously. A LOT of pressure. I'm lucky I can still eat, but that hurts like the dickens. It's 10 hours later and it still hurts. I have to keep opening and closing my jaw or it sort of seizes shut for a while. I ain't going to the doctor, so don't bother. Worst case scenario, it's cracked and I have to get it wired. I won't give my wife the satisfaction of that.

I found out something important today: I can take a fairly serious blow to the head and still keep my wits somewhat about me. I feel like a real man and all it took was a nine year old girl on a swing.

Update on Billy Zane

If you are a long time reader of the blog, then you know that I have been worried about Billy Zane's career. I haven't seen him in anything since Titanic. Turns out I wasn't looking hard enough. Check out his entry on IMDB. He's been a busy, busy dude. Just look at the amount of work he has in post production. I wish I was that busy.

In fact, look at his past credits. The two that stick out the most for me are Back to the Future (which looks like his first movie) and Back to the Future II. I LOVE those movies and had no idea Billy Zane was in those. What kind of fan am I? I thought he was sitting on his butt, cashing his Titanic checks waiting for the phone to ring. I was wrong. I'm truly happy for Billy Zane, so Billy if you are reading this, congratulations.

And now begins the Billy-Zane-major-motion-picture-lead-role-watch. Join me, won't you?

p.s.
I would still love to see Billy in this movie.