On Mentoring

Brien Lee

I’m a mentor. I don’t know when I figured it out, but it is what I’ve been doing most of my life.

I’ve been the owner, creative director and head writer for three of my own companies, and people working at those companies left a lot smarter than when they came in. (Of course, one thing they may have learned is “I’ll never work for that guy again!”)

I’ve taught creative theory, writing, direction, sound design, industrial theater techniques, short and long form video editing, and much more.

My past employees have gone on to success– some running their own creative companies of note and accomplishment.

I’ve helped clients improve their communications efforts, taught both the creative and technical at workshop and university levels, and started friends, relatives and customers on their way to achieving their dreams of being writers, producers, and entrepreneurs.

And this is what I want to do now that I’ve relocated to the New York / New Jersey metro area. Teach. Cajole. Foster learning by doing. Create a few success stories.

You’ll soon see more about this on my various websites– videostory.com, videostorysecrets.com, moderngeezer.com, and avsquad.com (I think that’s all of ‘em.)

I plan on offering a lot of quick-start knowledge for free. Some podcasts, some tutorials, reviews and recommendations, and some running off at the mouth.

It’s taken a while to settle down. Now it’s time to saddle up!

Sincerely,

Brien Lee

No Soup for You? Soupy Sales TV Legacy

I was lucky enough to grow up in New Jersey when Soupy Sales, who died yesterday at 83,  was in his heyday. Us high-schoolers rushed home for his antics every day at 4, Saturday as I remember at 6:30 (Saturdays were when the big stars showed up to be pied.)

I loved when he tuned in the radio on the windows sill with the puppet Pookie. It was a pop culture explosion– bits of teen hits of the day, followed by old time radio like The Shadow, The Hindenburg, and audio skits recorded for the radio bit, etc.

The song, “Do the Mouse”  was hilarious, as was the dance, which it was supposed to be– defining “irony” as a form of humor where bad equals good… or something.

When he returned from his suspension (for asking the kiddies to go through their New Year’s Eve hung-over parents clothes for pictures of George Washington) he blasted “Happy Days are Here Again” and showed film of silent movie pie fights, car crashes, etc. for almost five minutes before walking on set.

I did attend his big Soupy Sales Easter show at the Paramount Theater which featured The Hollies, Little Richard (and his guitar player, Jimi Hendrix), and as they say, many others.

Almost every TV show he did– five days a week– was outlined, but not scripted. And for all the hub-bub, he was only on in New York for two years.

But I think his kind of show– outlined, live, adlibbed, supposedly for kiddies, but really for teens who wanted to be treated like adults– was the exit point for the afternoon kiddy show and the entry point for things like SNL and “Fridays”– on the air barely ten years later. Letterman and Conan followed.

Just more proof that creativity is a continuum. Thanks, Soupy.

Playing in Traffic in NYC

Doing a video shoot in New York City can be a bit more complicated than in the Midwest. There are people everywhere, traffic galore, and we were shooting taxicabs in the middle of the street.

A few observations:

To work in NYC, You need permits and insurance to shoot. You need to provide a schedule. You need to stick to that schedule, especially when you’re in no parking zones or other heavily trafficked areas. However, the process is easy, and the city is very welcoming. The traffic police sometimes don’t get the message, however.

Pedestrians don’t care that you’re shooting– they just keep walking. There’s no gawking, no "What’s this for?", no "When is this going to be on?". They’ve seen it all… entire blocks have been roped off for big-time Hollywood shoots, and a one-camera industrial isn’t worth their time.

Local NYC suppliers are plentiful, and I’d dare say that where once you might claim we can do it cheaper and better in Milwaukee, now the cheaper part is not a total given.

In Milwaukee, I know my suppliers and they know me, we know each
other’s approach to things, and I can expect a high level of quality
and craftsmanship. That’s the only way for a good supplier to survive
in Milwaukee. But there is a limit to that supply, and the rules of
supply and demand come into play.

In NYC the supply is plentiful and there’s a lot of competition for shooters, editors, graphics, etc., and they respond quickly and are very educated and accomplished. But there are lots of them, so supply and demand works in our favor.

The difference is made in the ideas and the direction (that’s a pitch, folks.) Given our growing list of partners in NYC, and our existing base of talent in Milwaukee, we’re feeling very confident about our quality / value mix. We’ve got the experience to control the budget, the ideas, the strategy, and the execution.

And as I’ve said, the last year has been really satisfying in terms of the creative results on both "coasts."

It’s fun being flexible.