Find Your Passion, Change a Life
Here in Chicago, the first day of SOBCon ’07 has drawn to a close (sound of the day drawing to a close), and man, I’m bushed! Christine Kane’s concert was great; about 45 minutes or so of good music, followed by the meal (and by then I could have eaten the table!)
Afterwards, we had an experimental, never-been-done-before ”Live Open Mic Night”, and everyone discovered it’s not quite as easy without keyboards. The main difference is that on computer, you can pretty much talk whenever you want, and easily follow several threads of conversation. In person, though, it’s only one person talking at a time. Very linear, and very different in “feel”. Still lots of fun, though.
My most fascinating conversation of the night was with Tom Clifford, when I asked him which of the hundreds of films he’s made during his career was his favorite. I expected him to stop and think about it for a moment or two, but he surprised me.
He immediately told me about an award-winning short, “Don’t Freak Out”, he made several years ago for the Epilepsy Foundation, which featured seven high-school students who suffer from epilepsy. During the filming, one of the students, who at the time had been suffering from severe self-worth challenges, came “completely out of her shell”. The opportunity to tell her story triggered something in her, and she began to change right before his eyes!
Pretty cool, wouldn’t you say? Tom was doing something he has a genuine passion for (making films), and a life was changed! Now there’s a reason to find your passion and follow it!
You can view the 4-minute film on YouTube here. Well worth it.
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Fanstastic! I look forward to hearing more of these stories as the weekend unfolds. Take good notes at the sessions today – I don’t want to miss anything. Oh, and tell everyone I said hello.
Howdy, Char! I’ll do my best!
Hey Bob,
Great to get news from Action Central. My suggestion for Live Open Mic Night would be to get half a dozen bullhorns and let people pass those around. That would eliminate the completely single threaded challenge!
Mike
Mike, have you ever played the card game called “Pit”? It’s a simulated commodities exchange where everyone is trying to find and trade matching cards by shouting what they have in their hands to everyone else – at the same time. Within seconds, everyone is shouting at the top of their lungs. Lots of crazy fun and hoarse voices!
Alas, I can’t think of any other medium except via computer where multiple threads can be followed at the same time.
Bob,
I have a great story about “Pit”. Ask me about it over a beer sometime.
I think that a discrete number of bullhorns, which have to be passed around, might chop the conversation into manageable bursts, but who know?
Thank you for tipping us to Tom’s video. That was well done and very much worth watching.
Mike
Hey, no problem, Mike – that video is really something!
And maybe you should hold the “Pit” story for the next story-telling project!
Thanks for the post Robert.
I’ve been really fortunate to have captured some remarkable stories on video for organizations.
Let me assure you…corporate videos have and continue to change lives every day. I know. I’ve seen many times.
Be well and thanks for sharing the story.
You’re welcome, Tom! What a priviledge to actually see a life changed, right before your eyes!
Robert, Director Tom is a great guy whom I had the pleasure of eating lunch with on Friday. I was inspired by his passion for filiming “heroes” in te corporate world. Cool stuff!
Thanks for mentionting this video, I’m going to have a look right now in fact!
Howdy, Mike! Yep, it’s a great film. It’s amazing how much he packed into just four minutes!