Introducing Inside|Out Global™

Back in 2009, I went to New Zealand for 15 days to be part of a group that taught filmmaking to urban youth as a way for them to discover their strengths, tell their stories and influence their culture.

A year later, I joined them again in Washington DC to do the same workshop with Metro DC youth. Two weeks after that I found myself moving to Alexandria VA with only what I could fit into my SUV.

So what have I been doing this past year in DC? Helping to get Inside|Out Global (IOG) established as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We’re finally official!

The mission of IOG is to empower young people to tell their stories and discover their gifts and strengths through filmmaking and the creative arts. Our vision is to see the world’s youth find, embrace and offer their unique gifts to influence and enrich their cultures.

Bonus: now that we’re a 501(c)3, means that you can make a tax-deductible donation to help us do this year round! (We accept checks of all sizes *wink).

This year, in 2011, we’re bringing the same workshop that’s been done in New Zealand and DC to the Denver area at the end of the month! I’ll definitely be blogging more about this experience as it unfolds.

Be sure to check out our brand new website and watch some of the videos the students have done. Keep in mind, these are filmed by students that (in some cases) have never picked up a camera before or seen the inside of Final Cut Pro. The stories they tell are true. I’ll post more videos this week as we gear up for Denver.

planned community makes their own movie

When I heard of this yesterday and then watched the trailer for the film I couldn’t believe it. Ditore Mayo Entertainment was asked to make a promotional video for a new planned community in Dallas called “Castle Hills.” They came back to their client and said, “We’ll see you one promotional video and raise you a real movie.” (Or something to that effect… I wasn’t there so I can’t say for sure.) A real movie based on a planned community?! Branded entertainment?! I love it.

Never mind the plot or the characters of “Cooper & The Castle Hills Gang“… I want to acknowledge the creative genius of this idea! It’s one thing to have Castle Hills be the location of a film. It’s another thing entirely to make a movie that SELLS Castle Hills. See the difference?

I’ve often said that Franklin, TN planned community “Westhaven” is much like a movie set. It was created by the same developer (Southern Land) who built “Seaside“, a charming & magical community that looks so fake that it was a perfect location for the film “The Truman Show” (of which I auditioned for three times and never got a chance to be in. I digress.)

When places like Castle Hills are created and are made to be so magical, it only makes sense to make it the location in a movie. Movies, after all, allow us to imagine and dream and see what it’s like to be on the inside of the character’s lives. Why not show (sell) those characters (lifestyle) to the country in a 50 minute film about the place and the charming people who live there.

From the first frame with the Jeep driving by against the bring blue sky, I knew this was Grade-A work; that it wasn’t B-Rate at all. From the lighting, camera moves, score, these guys have made a stellar piece of art that tells a story, but also (hopefully) sells homes within the Castle Hills community.

I’m all for new ideas and going beyond what’s been done before. Have you heard of something like this being done before?

the #hiretoby campaign

It’s no surprise that I’ve been trying to get a full time job for the past two years. Why it hasn’t happened yet is beyond me, but I continue to trust that God knows what He’s doing.

For the past year, I’ve been working as Communications Director for Inside|Out Global (much more on this later…) but since we don’t have any funding, I’m needing to find something “officially” full time (salary & benefits). It’s time. I’ve been on my own for the past three years operating my own design company and it’s time I get paid twice a month every month.

That I want a job that uses is social media is the reason I’ve decided to use it to get a job. Enter the #hiretoby campaign. What better way to show I have a good grasp of social media than to actually USE it.

I’ve created a website aptly called http://hiretoby.com that houses a general cover letter and includes my resume. My social media links are listed there as well as my references. It’s a place free of distractions, ads, and other people. It’s all about me, my abilities and experiences.

On twitter I write tweets as if they were coming from a personals ad in the paper: “ENFP seeks employer with benefits. http://hiretoby.com #hiretoby” and so on. I include the hashtag #hiretoby so I can search who’s talking about it and track the response.

Feedback for #hiretoby:

“…I love your [#hiretoby] campaign! Smart use of SM!” – @BevJack – Marketing & Social Media engagement for the GRAMMYs

“@tobysturgill love your use of twitter for seeking employment. Perfect example of what I was teaching career transition group, thanks! – @barnettwebsites – web designer, graphic design

“…[#hiretoby] is brilliant!” – @EmoryColvin – actress, production geek, founder of @dramaticncountr

So check it out, RT my #hiretoby tweets and get me a job! :-)

Augmented Reality… beyond the QR Code

I first started talking about QR Codes a year ago this month. That print is now interactive with them was my main statement and to my disappointment, none of my clients at the time wanted to utilize this new technology. “We want to see other people do them successfully before we jump in.” (Not something you say to an early adopter.) Since then, I’ve seen campaign after campaign successfully using Quick Response Codes. I’ve seen them on business cards (they’ll be on mine), on billboards, and catalogs. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve entered the Early Majority crowd. Come on in, the water’s fine!

As with everything these days, this concept has already evolved into Augmented Reality (AR): “in which a view of reality is modified (possibly even diminished rather than augmented) by a computer. As a result, the technology functions by enhancing one’s current perception of reality.” – Wikipedia.

I’m not concerned with how they do it. I’m more interested in how we use it. Marketers and advertisers are constantly having to break through the clutter and noise to get our attention. And since our smartphones and iPads seem to have a lot of that attention, it only makes sense for said groups to figure out how to use them. Enter QR Codes and AR Codes.

Here’s a great practical way to use AR Codes thanks to USPS:

And a brand becomes interactive in London with the same technology:

How can your business or product utilize this technology? The sky’s the limit. Hop on the bandwagon, there’s still room.

look around you – maths

“Maths” is another installment of the Look Around You series that teaches us to look around us and see our world in a new light. Maths is all around us. Watch the video to learn more about this amazing phenomenon.

an interview with samaritan’s purse

Those of you that run in Christian circles probably have heard of Samaritan’s Purse. They’re a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. And I have an interview with them on Friday!

The position I’m interviewing for is their Social Media/Marketing Specialist/Communications opening. What’s even cooler is they contacted ME. They saw one of my shamless #hiretoby tweets on Facebook and wanted to set up a phone conversation. That led to a few more phone calls which led to a face-to-face meeting at their International Headquarters in Boone, NC tomorrow.

Continue Reading

epic movie trailer proposal

Wow. A lot of work went into this project to pull it off without a hitch. Good work, sir!

And thanks for raising the bar that much higher for the rest of us.

instagram, my new favorite app

The older I get, the more I seem to enjoy older things. Not things intended for older people, mind you. Rather, things that were once new, but are now old and considered “old fashioned.” Antiques without the stuffiness. If its hay day was between 1920 and 1960 I’m all about it these days. That’s why I LOVE taking photos with this new app: Instagram.

Instagram allows you to transform everyday photos taken with your iPhone into works of art. Most often giving them that “old timey” look and feel. The app is 100% free and comes with heaps of custom filters, borders and depth-of-field options to make your photos as unique as you.

Continue Reading

step-saving kitchen demonstration from 1949

I’m always so fascinated with stuff from the first half of the 20th century. This video demonstrates the step-saving “U” kitchen design, a revolution in farm kitchen design. It’s small, but not cramped and has zero wasted space. It’s a great example of where form and function meet. I really like how much research and thought went into this design. Update the hardware and I’ll take it.

stan walker | black box

I love when I’m introduced to new music. This one comes from Stan Walker, Australian-born winner of 2009′s Australia Idol. Enjoy!

Stan Walker – Black Box by jinzo