Drew Francis » Student Life

Camp sort of Daytona Camp

drew — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 01:04:30 +0000

Well. We are winding down camp. If you were wondering where I was for the last couple of months that would be the answer. This past week I was in Daytona. I don’t get a lot of tasks so my goal of this visit was to show one of of our producers the event. The great Erin Moon also known as Madam Fatima. I was also there to be of help where needed oh and I figured I would take some photos and video. Really needed my staff there to do it right but as always we had other stuff that we were doing in the home office. Anyway I was at camp or as some like to say Daytona. This event is a little different. I don think just because of size. Everyone seems to come for different reasons just like any camp but when you have more of them well you have more people for more reason. A group at the front stage left side caught my attention. I think mostly because they were turned around with their back to stage while Louie was talking. I kept think I wish they would get it. I pray they would get it. As soon as the music started they rose to their feat…some started to hold hands with each other in the air while others hugged and swayed slowly. Go figure. I pray they get it. I hope they get it. Louie kept pleading with them to not waste their life. Lets hope. Sometimes I hate and love what we do. I wish I could go home with each of them to say do you understand what just happened….Here let me help you. I guess if there is any room that I want them in is ours. Chris and Louie do a great job in preparing for the stage. I don’t say this often but those guys are the real deal. Well this was Dayton Beach 2010

Burn out

drew — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:30:18 +0000

Let me first say I’m not burned out. I actually got a good energy boost from some new people that have joined us at the office. That got me thinking about how do we stop it. I think I’ve written on this topic before. I really dont have any answers. I was hoping that some of you creatives out there may have some. What do you do when you don’t think you have anything left. I hope the people that work with me never get that way or I’m in trouble. I do like it that they don’t try to please me. They actually don’t know what I’ll like so that makes it real easy. Here is what I do.

Lost. Lost has rescued me from burn out many a times. I think part of it is that I never liked the show. I only got into it because of peer pressure. So I guess what I do some times to get out of my burn out is to watch other people. My title is creative director So many times I tell my self hey, I only direct creatives I don’t actually have to be creative. I dont really know if that’s true but that’s how it is. I also take pictures. I do that because no one pays me to do it. You know it’s all coming back to me. I have spoken about it before. So really what do you do?

Homeless shelter fish fry and more

drew — Sun, 02 May 2010 13:48:59 +0000

Giving some time. So yesterday Jared and I went to Brother Bryan to help with a fish fry that my church was putting on. I have to admit I wasn’t looking forward to do it. I had just finished moving Hannah which gave me just enough time to eat lunch then head back. The thing that my church has done is made me uncomfortable. That has been great for my spiritual life. It was a great time. If you would like to know more about what Brother Bryan does just click the link. I said I would start May 1 and this is my answer to why that didn’t happen.

We will return to new music Fridays, office talk, creative and stuff I don’t know anything about. There are a ton of goings on and I’m trying now to put it all together. This is what Erin and I have been doing at work lately

SLNation – Episode 5 from Student Life on Vimeo.

Early Adopter

drew — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:47:43 +0000

I dont really know if I can call my self an early adopter. I usually wait for one generation before I adopt anything. This has come to mind because I’ve just became the owner of a Kindle. The Kindle is an e-reader device. It allows you to buy books, magazines and newspapers that are delivered right to your portable device. I have always enjoyed reading but it was in spurts. I would read heavy for a month or so and then not read anything for weeks. I am hoping to change that. I bought the iphone months after its release. That happened because I saw too many youth ministers walking around with them at a youth specialties event. I remember the day when I said I’ve had enough. Anyway it was great buy and so is my Kindle.

Is being an early adopter a good thing? I dont know. I got my twitter account soon after it was made public but didn’t do too much with it. We talk at work about trying to be at the front end of pop culture. Talk would be the word. We were a nimble ship and slowly we have become and destroyer still agile in the water but a little harder to turn. So what’s harder leading or following the leader. It may be safer to follow the leader but does it end it up costing you more? It may, if you miss an opportunity. I don’t want to miss an opportunity but I also what us to be around in the next 10 years. We’ll see how that goes. I have high hopes. I wish I adopted more things earlier. Maybe that will be my new years resolution. Adoption. Do you have something that I need to adopt.

Merging-departments

drew — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:52:22 +0000

Over the past 10 years I’ve had to do a couple of things that I know nothing about. Actually that can go back to college where I had a different job every year and sometimes 2. Ive been a fitness instructor, an actor, runner for a law firm, I did account receivables and much much more. Last year which was just a couple days ago I was asked to take on another part of the company. I had to do that when we put creative and technical together. It wasn’t easy but it was something. So here we are at the start of new adventure. With this one merger the males were quickly outnumbered. Conversation about films have been replaced with the bachelor conversation and I love it. All we need is to hire a black female video director and we may have a hat trick. Any way I’m looking forward to it. So how am I going to do this? I don’t really know yet. Here’s what I think.

I think inspiration counts. I dont want to be a dude that feels that his mark has to be on everything. I hope that I can inspire people to do more than I could ever do.

I think there is something about being challenged by your peers even when they don’t exactly what you do.

I think them knowing that they have a direct line to you ahead of others is a real good thing. I had meant to let the team know that. They can pull me out of a meeting or stop me in the hall. They have access. (that sounds bigger than it is)

Ok. I’ve already broken a rule and updated my blog during work hours.

Peace

drew

Adversarial Partners

drew — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:32:31 +0000

How do you work with conflict? Some of us are really good at it and some well suck. It seems more and more that I’m in a constant state of conflict. This doesn’t mean that if they were about to go over a cliff i wouldn’t grab them. It does mean that I can be pretty exhausted at the end of the day.

When dealing with this I try not to do a couple of things. One I try not to chalk it it up to a personality trait there by giving them or me a bye. I try to understand how they are feeling. That I think is pretty important. People are people and conflict can have some happy surprises. We’ll see how this partnership turns out. Happy monday to you.

drew

We all work for someone

drew — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:00:48 +0000

The older you get I think the more we all realize that we work for someone. Even if you own your own business you work for the client, the customer, the eh. It can be some what demoralizing when you come to that realization. I work for someone. When you work for someone your realize that your’s and the person you work for may have different goals, dreams, aspirations. You may have complete different philosophies about life, politics, family and yes even church. I’ve tried to make a happy balance between the two. Me and the person I work for. I try not to answer emails on the weekend unless it affect what happens Monday at 8:30. I try after 8 o’clock not to exchange calls and emails. You bought my service not my life, right. It’s not easy. You find that the longer you work for anywhere the more parts of your life are intertwined with your own. Sometimes I succeed sometime I don’t. But I am trying. This philosophy if you call it that works great when you are doing some thing you may not agree with. We all work for someone. This seems like a bit of downer but its more of a “Take your life back” You work so you can live you don’t live for your work.

Peace in the middle east

Pimping ain’t easy

drew — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:03:43 +0000

And the hits keep coming. Not only am I in the process of hiring one person but I have a second one that is pretty much a big deal. I’m in the middle of looking for a graphic designer to complete the team. I said this before but I’ll say it again. I hate this process. I know that you are trying pimp yourself out during those times. You will do anything and learn anything. My heart does break for you that I have something that you want but there is a line behind you that also wants what you want. I do believe its a crap shoot. The odds are a little better but a crap shoot none the less. You can interview, have an awesome resume go to the best school and turn out to be crazy. It takes having a couple come through your life to know what I mean. It’s pretty shocking the first time it happens to you. You wonder what you did wrong. That’s probably why I take more time just shooting the breeze during an interview. If I can get along with you then things are going to be ok. I also try to have a second person in the room just in case my crazy meter aint working. So here are 5 steps on how to Pimp your self if you are planning on applying to student life well let’s just say to interview with me.

1. Don’t wear a tie. I know that its respectful. I know you were probably taught to over dress rather than under dress. If you are going to wear a tie at least look hip about it. Your paisley purple tie doesn’t make it happen. If you drop off your resume in person you would be able to see the culture.

2. Always, always research on what we do. Nothing irks me more than someone asking “So what type of work will I be doing?”

3. When I ask if you have any questions, come up with one. We have sat here listening to you talk you’ve got to want to know something.

4. When I say “tell me about your self” and you ask “What do you want to know?” It is to give you an opportunity to tell me not only about yourself but you get to tell me the things you think are important about you. I dont do it to try to stump you.

5. I know you are nervous but I’m going to try to make it as fun as possible. Take a deep breathe and have fun.

Ok so these are hard and fast rules. These are ways to work here for me. Try them don’t try them.

Peace in the middle east

New Music- John Mayer

drew — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:07:06 +0000

I don’t know when I became a John Mayer fan. I think it was actually during the chappelle show when he did a guest appearance. I like him and I like this album. I once again bought and LP off of Itunes. This one wasn’t as cool as the Jay-z album but it was good. It had a couple of videos and of course the lyrics. Ok this is going to be real short. I may give a little write up later but for now give it a listen give it a try.

I’m going to let this speak for him. One of my favorite michael jackson songs.

Not reading email + Throwing something together = being unprepared for meeting

drew — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:46:58 +0000

So I’ve noticed that I have spoken about pop culture in about a week. There will be a new music Friday this week but it seems I’ve been on this work kinda kick lately. Maybe its the added responsibility. I dont know. Its just where I am right now.

So yesterday. I was asked about a week ago to come to a meeting and pitch along with others some ideas for a new project we are working. With this being part of my job I gladly accepted. That was about the end of me thinking about it. We had a follow up email to ask about what time. I gave what time I could attend and said meeting was even reschedule to accommodate me. That was my second opportunity to engage. There were follow up emails giving instructions. I once again did not read. Then came the day of the meeting. When we are talking about lesson ideas I sometimes like trying to think up with those right before the meeting. This though is different. You have to search and look and dream. I blew it and it showed. Never throw that kinda stuff together. This goes back to how a meeting should be run. From the moment I started talking I knew I was in trouble especially when you see people who had thought about it working. I suck. Because of my guilt I bought the staff breakfast. A kind of hey please like me and because they are pretty awesome . They continue to take up my slack. I have a list for being ready for a meeting.

1. Read all correspondence

2. Prepare to prepare for a meeting

3. Know when you can’t contribute.

4. Don’t be afraid to say you are not ready.

5. You are to be a help not a hindrence

6. Don’t be stupid.

Peace

Meetings (persudae or defend)

drew — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:18:53 +0000

I think its hard to actually get anything accomplished in a meeting. I don’t know if that’s universal. NO. I think it is. Here is what happens in a lot of meetings I’m in. Ever person has a certain agenda. We don’t always know what that agenda is. So we spend most of the time trying to persuade or defend our agenda. That happened to me recently. Two people were engaged in discussion where I do think they both were speaking different languages. It was like the tower of babble you know. Right after the fall or Pentecost. So, the rest of us also not knowing what language this was just kinda waited until the dust cleared. Two people trying to persuade and defend. The funny thing is I don’t think either person was necessarily wrong. Both had great points and both wanted the other person to understand.

I don’t have a list of things to remember. Well I do have one. Let your agenda be known. You may find that when each person does that you start with what you all hope to accomplish from this meeting. I do work with one guy that is very good at that. He starts his meetings with “here is what I hope to accomplish with this meeting” From the start we are all on the same page. Good job you. I may bring you a cookie today.

Peace

Resume Reading

drew — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:00:34 +0000

So we are in the hiring process here at the old office. It’s a process I hate being in just as much as I hate having to do. I try not to take out my aggression on applicants. They are in the same boat that I was once in….You send in your resume hoping that someone on the other side picks you to look at. When you are in the business filed I would think you look at where they worked before and what school they went to. In the creative world its a little different. Yeah I could look at your school maybe if you just graduated but lets say you’ve been out a couple years. Do you think I care where you went to school or your G.P.A? Not so much. I’m going to look at your body of work and what people say about you. So if by chance you are applying here and if by chance its for something in my department here are a couple of hints or suggestions.

1. You’ve got about three minutes of my time. [edit] Oh I will watch a DVD of you

2. If you send me to your portfolio site… do me a favor. Make sure I can download your resume and your portfolio. If I can’t make sure I can find it easily. Nothing frustrates me more than an overly creative site where I can’t find anything.

3. On your resume… in the objective line… if its too generic I assume you don’t want to work here you want to work anywhere.

4. Yes we are a christian org. but you actually have to have skill in what you are applying for. You can’t just want to do anything or just be interested in the field.

5. Related experience should actually be related.

6. You can actually find out who is hiring. If you type in “creative director” “Student Life” andy blanks comes up third.. who works here at student life who wrote a post about me. There you will find my name. Ta-da

Seems simple enough. We also post our stuff on employment sites so we get people who aren’t so much interested in us as they are a job. I know times are tough and it sucks but I wont give it a second look if it seems generic to me. Well that’s all I got. Happy hunting to those out there looking for work. Keep at it. Stay in the fight.

Great Surprises

drew — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:11:42 +0000

Something that we have to do here in the creative department is try to discover new ways to entertain people. Well not so much new ways but new expressions. This past year we created a character. Well not so much a new character but a new expression on that character. There was some nervousness about that character. I had my reservations but this was one of those instances where I don’t “legislate from the bench” I encounter many ideas that I may not be a fan of but I think its my job to also read where I think the public is. This could also be prime example of where market research would be a very good thing. We don’t really do some much of that here its more of a gut feeling or we use our experiences or we ask one dude. The one dude thing doesn’t really constitute a sampling but hey we are still here. Anyway in honor of thanksgiving I now present to you Edwin.

Edwin’s Corner – Happy Thanks Givings Craft from Student Life on Vimeo.

Praise Creatives

drew — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:58:30 +0000

Praising creatives. Doesn’t seem like something you should have to do…. Aren’t these the people that have so much energy and ego that they don’t need some halfhearted thank you. I’m starting to find out that they are the most in need feedback. I think whether its positive or negative they need something.

I tried something the other day in a meeting. It’s something I’ve done with my boss about the people I work with and I’ve done just for my own satisfaction. I came in before a meeting and decided to make a top ten list of the great accomplishments that we had last week. Well because of my tardiness in starting this project I was only able to get out six. I know we had more but I wanted to be specific and I didn’t want it to look like everyone got a participation award. When I was a program director I used to do something called a game ball. It was done pretty much in the same manner. Anyway I went around the room and talked about the great things we did last week. I did take some shots at THE MAN which isn’t always the best thing to do but I was on a roll. So how do you praise a creative? I’ve got three ways for that.

Way #1 Try to be specific. Don’t just give a hey you did great last week. They would probably ask, “With what?”

Way #2 Be immediate. You don’t have to wait until some special moment. If you think they did great on something that you are looking at say it.

Way #3 Believe it. Don’t just do it out of rote learning where you don’t really know why you are doing it. Really believe the things you are saying.

Peace

Do you call yourself creative?

drew — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:37:24 +0000

I took a small break to collect myself. That’s only part of the story. The other part of the story is that I went through a pretty stressful week before that and for some reason I continued trying to keep up on my self-imposed writing frequency. Anyway I figured I should regroup myself. Well I’m regrouped.

I ask that question (The one in the subject line) because I work around people who say that all the time “I’m not creative so can you come up with something.” I don’t think that’s their fault. Here is what I think, creatives have long ridiculed the so called non-creative so much that they feel that their opinion doesn’t matter. I am here to apologize to anyone who’s been told “you’re not a designer or you’re not creative” You can be the ultimate creative in the business world and the only place your stuff will show up is in communication arts magazine and be the most uncreative (hope that’s a word) person and have a product line like the snuggie and have it take off. You never know where inspiration will take you. We also do create for the non-creative world. If they can’t understand it what good is it? I could be wrong on this part. As I wrote that I questioned myself.

Here are three things

1. Inspiration can come from anyone or anything

2. Being creative shouldn’t have rules

3. Design is in everything.

Have a good Monday.