2007: The Year in Review

Wow. This first year in my new job just flew by. I didn't keep this blog updated like I wanted to. So as this year winds down, allow me to sum up what all has happened. Mainly, I did a lot of business travel. I made trips to:
Washington D.C. (twice),
San Franciso,
San Jose (CA),
Denver (twice),
Lexington (KY),
Lynchburg (VA),
Halifax (Nova Scotia),
Kansas City (MO),
Philadelphia,
Boston,
New York,
Nashville
and Clearwater.

Whew! In January, I produced a promotional video for Human Life International. In March, I interviewed a famous Filipino movie actress. Through the spring, we shot interviews for two different documentaries. The first was about the False Gospels. The post-production on that lasted into the middle of August. This included me directing shoots of dramatic recreations, which was a lot of fun.

In the fall, I found myself in the National Shrine in D.C. shooting behind-the-scenes footage of an event there. We also picked up interviews in Boston and Florida for our second documentary: an exploration of the Biblical account of the Resurrection. As the year ends we are deep into post-production on that. We are scheduled to have it completed by the end of January.

Along the way during these trips, I saw the Colorado Rockies play the San Francisco Giants as well as the Padres host the Devil Rays. I attended my first MLS game: Colorado vs. Chicago. I saw the Rocky Mountains, the Bay Bridge (SF to Oakland) and the aircraft carriers in San Diego. I had my first looks at the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. In fact, I now have the experience of being in a car in the middle of Manhattan at exactly five o'clock. I've seen Fenway Park, Giants Stadium and the Captiol Building. Quite a year.

But none of that compares to the joys I have at home. I have continued to love my life as husband and father at home. Kim and I never ceased to be amazed by our son. Jackson's now approaching his second birthday and is becoming more of a handful every day. A funny thing happened back in the summer when he was around nineteen months old: he quit being work and became just plain ol' fun!

He's talking more and discovering the joys of things like Hot Wheels and coloring books. He insists everyone be in the room when it's time to say the blessing for a meal. He loves to watch his animated Jesus video. He loves to read his Elmo book. And he loves to wrestle daddy! There were many days this year when I would take no more than a step out of my car at the end of the day and Jackson would be at the door jumping up and down in excitement. As soon as I stepped inside, I'd drop to the floor and we'd wrestle. I'm afraid we'll have to stop that game because apparently he's wrestling all the other kids at the church nursery.

In August, Kim and I took a vacation to the Ring of Kerry on the southwest coast of Ireland. The week we spent there was wonderful as we were able to enjoy some of the most breathtaking scenery still left on this planet. We celebrated our third anniversary in November. Kim is just amazing. Three years ago, I had no idea I was marrying such a great mother. Her dedication to raising and training our son is unbelievable. We are so extremely blessed to be able to keep her at home with Jackson. We started seeing the fruitful returns on that long ago.

We also consider ourselves to be extremely blessed by our church home. Mountain View Baptist has proven to be the perfect match for us, as we are continually challenged and have experienced tremendous spiritual growth over the course of the year.

My nights at home are usually filled with freelance work. I edit HR training videos for a local construction company and I pick up editing work from a small wedding video company. But in what I laughingly call my spare time, I have undertaken as a hobby a completely new creative endeavor. I have started writing my first novel. I wrote a short story back in February and it will be published soon by a friend of mine. I guess that caused me to get the writing bug. Hopefully, by this time next year I'll have the Christian sword & sorcery book finished. We shall see.

And as the year winds down, we have just enjoyed a fantastic Christmas and are looking forward to bringing in the New Year with friends in Savannah and then watching the Georgia Bulldogs take on Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl.

Happy New Year!

--The Birmingham Wrights

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello, everyone. I guess I've just about let this whole year go by without an update. Sorry about that. Between the new job and spending Dad Time with Jackson, some things got away from me.

I just wanted to take the time to list some of the things I'm thankful for. I'm thankful for my family, especially my wife and son. I'm thankful for our church home. I'm thankful for the opportunity I have now to produce Christian documentaries full time.

I'm thankful there are men out there like Roy Moore who are willing to take a stand and simply say that it's okay for the government to acknowledge God. I'm thankful there are still plenty of us out there that know our history enough to know that America was founded on Christian principles.

And I hope many, including some of the liberals and athiests that took Thanksgiving Day off of work, will take the time to reflect on the First National Thanksgiving Proclamation, words from George Washington in 1779:

"Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; Whereas, both the houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me

"to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness!"

Now therefore, I do recommend next, to be devoted by the people of the states to the service of that great and glorious being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be, that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country. "

Amen.

What's Yours?

by Kim Wright
How many of us have noticed in the past 2 yrs. that more and more stores are asking not only for your zip code, but now also for your personal phone number when you are checking out at the register? Radio Shack is the worst as everyone knows, but it is becoming more and more mainstream now. Some stores even go a step further and ask for your address on top of that. Gone are the simple days of paying for your items and leaving. Does this strike anyone else as an invasion of privacy?

According to internet research- yes, a lot of people refuse to give out personal info, although they are in the minority. Most people just go along, probably figuring it’s required of them. Not so. We always refuse to give out any personal information while making a purchase. We don’t care what great reason the store may want it for, like marketing or otherwise. My phone number is not their business and has nothing whatsoever to do with the transaction at hand. You do not legally have to give out ANY personal information to make a purchase. If an $8.00/hr sales clerk is stumped by a “no” in the crowd, (and they will be), just ask for a manager. We have done this time and time again and it’s never a problem.

The clerks are only doing their job,(and aren’t paid enough to care anyway), so we aren’t rude to them, but we just deal with the inevitable delay. We actually feel sorry for the clerks, who are being used by corporate headquarters to collect data for the marketing departments of the stores. What an awkward position to put these people in. Corporate knows these people are going to make some people mad with these questions- they don’t care. And we know that they use the info. for marketing, research, coupons, etc. but that is all their problem. If you want coupons, then go ahead and give your number. But somehow we still manage to get a mailbox full of coupons every week without giving retailers our personal information.

Some stores say getting your phone number is also used for returns- if you don’t have a receipt. That may be true, but I keep my receipts, so that’s a moot point. To me it’s just the point of privacy. Their marketing is their problem, not yours. If you are not the kind of person who just can’t say “no”, you can always respond with “it’s unlisted” or, as someone else suggested, ask the clerk “what’s yours?”, ha ha.

My New First Day

It's been over eight years since I've had a "first day on the job". It was in 1998 that I began the cable advertising phase of my career. I've certainly grown a lot as a producer in those eight years and I am very grateful for the opportunities I had.

I spent most of my time with Charter Media in Birmingham, Alabama. I managed to produce a handful of commercials that I'm proud of (which you can find on my website) and a ton of commercials that I'm not (which you can't!). But I certainly improved my skills, particularly in the area of lighting scenes and people and in directing large projects. I suppose my crowning moment was in 2004 when I was awarded a CAB award for a commercial I directed a year eariler.

But it's hard to feel like you are doing much to glorify God when you are working in cable television. And to glorify God in all phases of my life is something I want to do. Whether it be my personal life, my family life or my professional life.

Ignatius Productions has hired me to a full time staff position. I have done plenty of work for Ignatius on a freelance basis over the last several years, most notably in a trip to Sudan. I now look back over my career and see that God had me in advertising for a reason: to hone my skills over time in preparation for this very opportunity.

I'm excited about the next phase of my career. I will now be producing Christian documentaries on a full-time basis. These projects will have me traveling the globe and they will often air on national networks (or otherwise be distributed on a national basis). It's unbelievably fulfilling to know that I'll be working on projects with a Christian theme and that these projects have the potential to reach audiences far greater than I've previously experienced.

I thank God for this exciting new opportunity.

I will miss working at Charter. What I will miss most is the access to the city of Birmingham I had. I've been everywhere from the kitchen of the top gourmet chef in the city to the projection booth of the Alabama Theater, from the top of Vulcan park to a close look at the city water management system, from the offices of mayors and county commissioners to the locker room of Legion Field. I've even run live jib shots for the local NBC station's coverage of a parade (and once for a newscast).

I've also worked with a pretty good list of athtletes with varying degrees of fame: Bart Starr, Mia Hamm, Everson Walls, and Al Del Greco to name just a few. Heck! One time Christopher Martin came by the studios to work! That would be "Play" from the 1980s rap duo "Kid n Play"!

I will always remember my eight years in advertising fondly. But now my interview subjects will shift from athtletes, politicians and business owners to bishops, priests, authors and scholars. I've been working professionally in video production since 1993 and I feel that God has spent that entire time preparing me for what's about to happen next.

Wish me luck and pray with me that God will continue to bless Ignatius Productions in the years to come.

MIA in the NIV

Everyone, get out your New International Version Bibles.

Turn with me to Matthew 18:11. I'll wait while you find it, go ahead: look it up.

...still waiting....

Can't find it, can you?

What about Acts 8:37?
No luck? How about 1st John 5:7?

Amazing, isn't it? Those verses just aren't in your NIV. They just blatantly skip right over them.

And listen to what they say:
Matthew 18:11 speaks of Salvation: "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost"

Acts 8:37 mentions the diety of Jesus: "...I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God"

1st John 5:7 speaks of the Trinity: "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word,and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one"

Whoa! Why would you leave that stuff out? So is NIV really the inspired Word of God? Don't these Scriptures sound like Truths that God desires for us to know? Or are these minor points worth skipping?

These aren't the only verses the NIV omits. Try to find these:
Matthew 17:21
Matthew 23:14
Mark 7:16
Mark 9:44, 46
Mark 11:26
Mark 15:28
Luke 17:36
Luke 23:17
John 5:4
Acts 15:34
Acts 24:7
Acts 28:29
Romans 16:24

These versions all deal with such doctrines as the Trinity, Hell, Salvation and Prayer. No biggies, right?

Did you know that the King James Version of the Bible (first published in 1611) is the only version available that is in the public domain? Anyone can publish it, there is no copyright holder.

Paul says in II Thessalonians 3:1 that "...the word of the Lord may have free course" and in 2nd Corinthians 2:12 he hopes that "we might know the things that are freely given to us of God".

Any of the modern translations, including the NIV, have to make a minimum number of changes in order for it to be recognized as a new work so that they may own the copyright. So it seems like every year some publisher comes out with the "latest Word from God", hoping of course, that you buy it from them.

Interesting, in this light,what the NIV does with some of the verses concerning money. In the KJV, I Timothy 6:10 says "the love of money is the root of all evil". But the NIV changes this to "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil". Wow. Look at the changes there and consider the difference in meanings. Pretty major.

Not surprising then that the NIV changes Mark 4:19 from mentioning "the deceitfulness of riches" to "the delight in riches".

Do you use the NIV or some other, more modern, translation? Do you even own a King James Version? What version does your preacher or priest read from in his sermons? What version is waiting for you in the pews of your church? If it's not a King James, could you ask your preacher why that is? Do you think he even knows about the nature of these changes?

If you've learned something from this, I encourage you to point others to this page. It's all been very eye-opening for me.

Amish Paradise

Hey, everybody. This is Mrs. Def Dave, Kim, writing this post. We recently took a vacation to Lancaster County, PA. This is a trip that we have wanted to take for several years and we finally did it. I have always had a fascination of the Amish, but it wasn’t till I was older and noticed so many changes in our culture that I really have come to have a tremendous amount of respect for how they live. Our first night there we stayed on an Amish farm, in the guesthouse. It was a dairy farm and they sell their milk to Land O’Lakes. The boys showed us all around the farm. The whole family was very kind. They brought us the most delicious breakfast in the morning, everything made from scratch of course.

The next day we went for a buggy ride around some of the farms with an Amish driver. We had some questions for him, as did other people in the buggy, for instance we were all curious about their education. He explained that even though the children go to school through the 8th grade, it’s actually a 12th grade education; being done in 8 years (yes they learn trigonometry and all the other difficult subjects, ha ha). All of the Amish we came into contact with seemed very well educated. Yet what strikes you is their humbleness. And the children, they are so well-disciplined!(and none of them are drugged, which is a foreign concept to them). Amazing considering how many siblings each family has. They are like miniature adults. I noticed how happy they seemed to be. We saw several parents shopping with young children in the Amish stores and the children seemed so happy and obedient, although you could tell they were unsure of “us”, sticking really close to the parent when they would see us, and looking away from us. Not one child was screaming or crying or begging for candy. They have some of the most beautiful children we’ve ever seen too.

We stayed at a Mennonite Bed and Breakfast for 2 nights, and that was nice too. One night we had dinner with an Amish family. They raised crops and also had some dairy cows. They had 5 children. This is the family that we got to talk to the most and ask the most questions. I got some great child discipline and potty training tips from the wife, and while talking to her I found out that she is familiar with the book we are using to train Jackson. She also told us that divorce, violence, suicide and depression are unheard of in their culture. Wow. The men are very masculine and authority just emanates from them, whereas the women are very feminine, but gosh do they work hard. The women definitely are quiet and submit to let their husband do most of the talking when he’s around, but you can tell it’s out of an utmost respect for the husband as the leader in the home, not because he’s some evil tyrant. But the women will talk your ear off later, ha ha.

These people were very kind, welcoming, talkative, and funny. They are very social with each other too. They get together with neighbors and friends several times per week, and they write lots of letters. Even though they don’t have tv, they read the newspapers so they know what’s going on in the world, however they don’t approve of any outside wires coming into the home that could even possibly affect the family bond in a negative way. They weigh every decision on how it will impact their families. They do have gas lights that basically are equivalent to the lights in our homes, and they are plenty bright. They use gas-powered washing machines, but they line-dry their clothes. They have phones but not in the home, usually in the barn or guesthouse.

For these people family is the most important thing besides devotion to the Lord (they are Christians). Most married couples meet at church, which takes place at a different home in the community every week and lasts for 4 hours. Children sit quietly during church also. There is no such thing as a “nursery” or anything remotely similar in their culture. Dating usually starts at about 18, and is closely monitored (hmm…. That sounds like a familiar plan!) and the boys approach the girls’fathers for permission to see their daughters (another thing we plan to do). Everyone marries, there are no “singles” in the Amish! (unless you are widowed of course), That is good for any society, it is a stabilizer as they told us. They also do not believe in having insurance of any kind. We didn’t ask why, but we just assumed that it was because it means to them that you do not trust the Lord to provide for your needs.

We did some other things nearby also such as ride a steam train through the countryside, and we took a day trip to Philadelphia. On our last day, we spent the whole day touring the Gettysburg battlefield. One day isn't nearly enough time to take it all in, but we really enjoyed walking on such historical ground. We spent a lot of time just driving around looking at the country. It was a great trip and we hope to take Jackson there someday. We highly recommend it.

--Kim

Kenny G Without The Horns

Most people know who Kenny G is, right? He's this famous musician that most folks I know enjoy making fun of. He's known for his instrumental pieces where he is featured on a soprano sax. Okay, just checking.

I work as a producer in local advertising. Sometimes, as I'm sure is the case in most lines of work, the clients can just drive you crazy. Although "the customer is always right" isn't exactly true, it is true that "the customer always gets his way". But sometimes it sure is hard to keep a sense of professionalism about you as the client looks you right in the eye and with a completely straight face requests something utterly ridiculous.

Several years ago, I once edited a car spot together for an agent that had a reputation for being hard to please. I added music to the spot that I thought worked well. He then told me he had something different mind: something a little laid back, but not too laid back (???), something kind of like --you guessed it-- "Kenny G...but without the horns."

I was speechless. How the heck do you get THAT? You take Kenny G's horns away and you've got NOTHING.

This incident has now gone down in company Legend. Whenever someone asks for something crazy or impossible, we refer to these clients as wanting "Kenny G without the horns." Last year, though, was an example SO classic it almost won the title:

I had finished a spot with a political candidate's advertising consultant. After we had it done, the campaign manager walks in and watches it. We can tell he wasn't entirely happy, so we braced for his complaint. He opened his mouth and said, with complete sincerity:

"I know we want to grab people's attention, but that red text just screams 'Look at me!'"

...[sigh]...