Looming Large…

big global sized brands or persons with transatlantic brand reach; often an over-shadowing of culture, those cultures in which branding should reflect.

What is a blockbuster economy and what is a blockbuster star, Hollywood style?

We live in an interesting era of many global movements, and the digital revolution is over. Really, it can’t be debated the digital revolution hasn't created new and revolutionary tools to communicate, globally in a second. YouTube, SnapChat, Twitter, Facebook and a ghost town called Google-Plus. Digital graveyards of what was Myspace, or Friendster, while AOL and Yahoo struggle again to become relevant outside of banner advertising, and [Click Bait Content]. People now seek equality in voice, and their own abilities to show and tell organic narratives. However, there are more digital tools and tech gadgets then most consumers fully know how to use. Basically, the old term of Digital Darwinism.

The world has quickly changed and the complex manner we communicate will forever be a distant memory from what was the original meaning of a phone. In fact, over the past few years we've seen the leading photographic brand, Kodak, claim bankruptcy while the digital imaging startup Instagram was purchased by Facebook for $1 Billion.

About seven years ago I was sitting in the warm afternoon sun, drinking from a nice glass enjoying a smooth distinctive red wine, looking out the window we chatted about the crowds of people down on the busy street. Reaching over, Alina opened her Apple laptop and read thoughts that must have begun when she was a young curly haired girl in Poland, ideas that she carried fleeing Poland with her family during the 1970's civil uprising, carrying them into Berlin Germany, and they seemed to grow in cinematic scope when the Berlin Wall fell. She read what sounded like a rough essay, jumbled thoughts littered with questions that confounded my mind on this warm afternoon. A small boombox on the desk played music; 2pac rushed in loudly with deep full west coast bass, it bounced.. thoughts of the park, the red and blue, crips c-walkin' rollin' deep, young women braiding hair, and scenes of police lurking by real slow faded in my mind. Now, fading to John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things".

Alina continued to read steady, and confident. Glancing over, I noticed what she was reading had images, and scenes of the local cultures. Alina explained that it was the base research for a film, one in which she dreamed of since 15 years old. There was a slight pause, the room became still and I recall as if it was yesterday.. "William, maybe you will help me make my film." And so I did; the documentary was shown in over 50 international film fest, and won a bunch of awards.

Without giving away the ending too soon; this is my essay as a branding communicator,cultural image essayist and it is an homage to the process of Alina's base research, knowing we have several documentary projects in motion, until we go our separate ways.

“This is my statement to those that support this work, to those helping to guide my insights, and creative soul as we share in producing a wonderful story, one that will reflect many experiences in the dark.

That is the essence of any great film, in any era or culture.”

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