Some time in LA.

I recently went back to LA to direct a couple of Nike shoots. It was a great trip, beginning to end. Not just because I had the opportunity to work with talented athletes like Serena Williams and Shawne Merriman, but because I got to spend some time with friends I hadn’t seen in awhile as well.

I’ve been reading a lot on separating one’s self from the ego; how easy it is to attach our sense of self to our possessions, to our points of view, and to our likes and dislikes. I (or my ego, which perceives itself as “I”) have done this with the cities I've lived in too; certainly with L.A. I still feel very attached to this place, and my old friends. But look, I made a new one! Serena.

She was great to work with; fun, smart, and able to deliver what was needed on cue. At one point, we were checking something on my MacBook, and I asked if she was a Mac or PC person. Without missing a beat she answered "HP." I forgot she was one of their spokespeople. Her agent, hovering nearby, couldn't have been happier. I think they both get a cut each time she says those two letters.

Merriman was great too. We asked him to step outside his normal football comfort-zone, and try his hand at some comedy. It's always tough when non-actors make these attempts, but he got it. He has a great personality, and was willing to be a little self-deprecating on camera. Kudos to him.

Okay, I'm a big time director now. So I have no more time to talk to you. Goodbye.