Mario & Crayon
A lot happened in 2016. I got married in May and we elected a new president in November. I'm loving one and exhausted by the other. Last year I had the chance to work on quite a diverse set of projects, but a few stand out that I wanted to share.
Growing up my mom refused to buy me any sort of gaming system. Nintendo was a dream. Sega was out. And Game Gear wasn't going to happen. Of course I managed to play Contra and Duck Hunt at friends' homes, but as a result I never developed that tactile skill. To this day I'm terrible at video games, can barely work a Game Boy, and suck at games on my iPhone. Nevertheless, I had enough contact with Nintendo to be familiar with the Super Mario series and in December had the chance to meet the voice behind Mario, Luigi, Wario, etc. His name is Charles Martinet, and he's one whacky guy. His career in acting and voice acting spans decades, but what he's best known for is the development of Mario's personality. In any normal conversation it quickly becomes apparent that there's a very narrow separation between Charles Martinet and Mario. It's hilarious, refreshing and endearing all at the same time. Charles truly is Mario. Check out the video on Great Big Story.
Finally, Three years ago I met Velvet Crayon (aka Erik Paluszak) at the Coney Island Circus Sideshow setting up a guitar, ukulele and an array of pedals for his opening set. A talented musician, self-proclaimed natural born freak, and sideshow performer, Crayon was at a major crossroads in his career. Crayon moved to New York City with his manager, Maryn Marston, determined to grow his career and find a foothold in the industry. Since these first few months in NYC, three years ago, Crayon's career and life has blossomed. He has traveled internationally on to tour with the Squidling Brothers, released a new music album called Ampersand Imperfecta, and found a partner in life. His life has changed dramatically since Drew Jordan and I produced Make or Break for Verse, but it was quite an honor to be witness to such a pivotal moment in his life. Check out Velvet Crayon's story and don't miss the wonderful interactive content along the timeline. My favorite are the performers' portraits.
Enjoy!