Can busking under a tunnel change your identity?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAward winning writer, performer and nametag expert premieres a concert documentary that sticks.

Scott Ginsberg made a name for himself wearing a nametag twenty-four seven. He built a brand, a business and a career as an author, professional speaker and business strategist. But after fifteen years, he decided to branch out into an entirely new medium of creative expression.

I’ll never forget the first time I strolled through the tunnel under the historic Meadowport Arch in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. The aesthetics were inspiring, the architecture was stunning and the acoustics were shattering. There was no way I wasn’t coming back with my guitar. And after a few months of busking, there was no way I wasn’t coming back with a production crew.” 

When in doubt, hire yourself

Ginsberg wasn’t waiting around for somebody to greenlight his creativity. He didn’t have to ask permission to innovate. He simply took advantage of the invaluable production value and decided to make a documentary about the transformative power of performing in the tunnel.

Tunnel of Love: Songs, Stories, Sermons & Scenesis a feature length concert documentary written, produced, directed and scored by Scott Ginsberg. The film explores the intersection of identity, belonging and creativity. The movie takes a look at the transformative power of live music, both on the audience and the performer. It pays homage the sonic potential of natural acoustics. And it’s a playful narrative about two young lovers in the process of changing their pronouns. Through live performances, playful and romantic exchanges, unexpected creative moments of conception and behind the scenes storytelling, Ginsberg’s film takes you on a heartfelt journey about what it means to be an artist, a romantic and an opportunist.


Don’t be stopped by not knowing how

Scott, however, had zero experience writing, producing, directing, scoring and funding an independent film. But that didn’t stop him. Because if there’s one thing he does have experience with, it’s undertaking creative projects in which he has no idea what they hell he’s doing.

Scott partnered with Emmett Williams of Mission Man Media, an award winning artist, internationally known musician and nationally exhibited photographer. He served as director of photographer, editor and overall production manager. He used Elance to find local audio technician, Jared Alder, to engineer the sound for the film and produce original motion picture soundtrack, which was released as a stand alone album.

 


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What happens inside the tunnel of love? Kids biking. Families picnicking. Tourists dancing. Friends singing. Couples dancing. Family clapping. Babies crying. Teenagers yelling. Police patrolling. Birds chirping. Balloons popping. Dogs barking.



Adopt the direct to consumer channel Tunnel of Love will be initially presented as a serialized, episodic documentary. Since the movie’s centerpiece is a live concert, Scott is premiering each song as a stand alone chapter on his website and social channels. There are 14 songs in the concert, so the distribution timeline will occur over a period of 14 weeks, from September to December. Every Monday, fans will get a new song emailed to their inbox. And by the end of the year, the entire movie will become available online for free, forever.

Ginsberg, who writes books and conducts seminars about the digital revolution, says the direct to consumer era and the infinite shelf space of the internet have changed everything for creators and entrepreneurs. When it came time to decide on a distribution strategy for his documentary, there was never really a question: 


Of course I was going to give the entire movie away. Of course I was going to stream the whole thing on my website for free. Of course I was going to adopt the direct to consumer channel. Anything that’s a barrier to getting my work in people’s hands is a problem. Most of the world’s independent documentaries that premiere each year never even see the light of day anyway, much less secure theatrical distribution or achieve commercial success, so I see no reason to exhaust and expense myself in the process. Middleman, schmiddleman.”

But the film isn’t a complete vanity project, Scott laughs. The documentary homepage also offers discussion guides and curricula for educators, learning institutions, companies, congregations and other organizations to help spread the messages of identity, belonging and creativity.


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“I wanted Tunnel of Love to be more than just a movie, but also a platform for education and connection. Because strategically, I’m always searching for new ways to deliver my unique value to society. So I trust that the offering of these educational materials, free of charge, will lead to some exciting new opportunities.” 


Call to Action

Can we interest you in a feature story, an interview with Scott Ginsberg or a review of his new documentary? For those who might be wonder about how to overcome the challenges of identity, belonging and creativity, Scott’s movie offers up the smartest answers to the toughest questions that plague all of us. If you’d like to watch his full movie, please contact below. Media review copies, high resolution photos and interviews available upon request. This article may be used in whole or part, with short bio and links to website please. Special feature story inquiries and blog posts welcome. Email questionnaires, permission to use excerpts or fresh articles available to meet your needs. Fire away and let Scott know how he can help you!


Quotes from Scott Ginsberg


“The only artistic goal worth pursuing is freedom, and that everything else flows from there.”

 “Put whimsy on wheels. Give yourself permission to follow ridiculous ideas to fruition.”


“Generosity is the tax you pay for talent. If you’ve been given a gift, you have an obligation to share it. To regift it so it brings joy to others. Anything less is an act of ingratitude.”


“Every interaction is a relationship. Regardless of how long it lasts, you’re still relating to the other person. Belonging is about learning to find joy from whatever people have to offer.”

Learn more at www.tunneloflovedoc.com.

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Tunnel of Love — Chapter 1: Alibi (2014) — Scott Ginsberg Concert Documentary

Tunnel of Love is a feature length concert documentary written, produced, directed and scored by Scott Ginsberg. The film explores the intersection of identity, belonging and creativity. Through live performances, playful and romantic exchanges, unexpected creative moments of conception and behind the scenes storytelling, Ginsberg’s film takes you on a heartfelt journey about what it means to be an artist, a romantic and an opportunist.


Watch the trailer. Meet the creators. Go behind the scenes. See the episode schedule. Download the discussion guide.

www.tunneloflovedoc.com




Tunnel of Love will be presented as a serialized, episodic documentary. The movie’s centerpiece is a live concert, so I’m premiering each song as a stand alone chapter. There are 14 songs in the concert, so the distribution timeline will occur over a period of 14 weeks, from September to December 2014.

Here’s chapter one:

ALIBI

Prophecy, she is a lonely business.
Ain’t not fumbling for first time lovers
Dancing right there under the covers
So won’t you be my alibi.

Poetry, means getting back what disappeared
Ain’t got no rolodex of opinions
Breaking bread with cupid’s minions
So won’t you be my alibi.

Jealousy, where is she going with that halo
Ain’t got no time to piss away my chances
Taking my lightning for granted
So won’t you be my alibi.

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter. 

[email protected]


Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2014-2015.

Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!


Moments of Conception 111 — The Haircut Scene from Edward Scissorhands

All creativity begins with the moment of conception.

That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here.

And so, in this new blog series, I’m going to be deconstructing my favorite moments of conception from popular movies. Each post will contain a video clip from a different film, along with a series of lessons we can learn from the characters.

Today’s clip comes from the haircut scene in Edward Scissorhands: 

What can we learn?



Mixing up your vehicles helps you stay innovative. Edward begins by trimming the hedges. Then he starts
grooming the neighborhood dogs. Soon he’s cutting the hair of the housewives.
And by the end of the movie, he’s creating ice sculptures that create an effect
of falling snow. It’s not just a reminder to create art, but also to explore
new ways of being an artist. To search for new methods to circulate our views
and extend our sentiments. The hard part is, we have to trust our audience,
believing that if people really do value our work and appreciate us as
creators, they will follow us down whatever new corridor we travel. Dylan, for
example, recorded over forty studio albums, but he also published six books of
painting and drawing. According to his biography, visual arts always played a
significant role in his worldview. Drawing and painting served as an outlet for
his huge creative energy. And once he finally began to use those mediums to
reveal yet another dimension of his poetic vision, his audience responded to
his extraordinary talent and treasured the work. Dylan’s paintings were shown
in dozens of galleries and exhibitions around the world. And visual arts became
one more shelf in his creative room. How can you
avoid limiting yourself to one vision of your creative capabilities?



Going into the
world.
Edward’s
inventor suffered a heart attack and died during his process of creation, leaving
the young man unfinished forever. That’s why he’s
spent most his life as a recluse, living in his hilltop mansion. But once he
comes down that hill and meets the world, everything changes. He finds family,
finds love and finds a home for all of his talents. Yet another example of
what’s possible when we participate in the we. Humans, after all, understand
the self in the context of other people. And if we truly want the highest
understanding of who we are, eventually, we have to reach for the other. We
have to cocreate with people. This movie always struck a social cord with me.
Because for
the first twenty years of my songwriting life, I treated music as an escape. As
a way to hide from the world. Until one day, I read an interview with one of my
songwriting heroes, who famously said, you have to get out of the basement and
go out and play for people. That sentence changed my inner geography. Something
very real inside of me shifted that day, and I haven’t been the same since. And
so, now I perform every week. I’ve come out of music hibernation, hungry and
active for nourishment. I don’t need to hide from the world anymore. Music let me share another part of my heart. Playing
and singing songs in real time, in front of real people, about real emotions,
is fulfilling on a level that is hard to express. Will you let the craving for togetherness trump the seductiveness of
isolation?



Leaving no creative asset unharvested. Edward is putting himself on the line in front of an
audience. First, by trimming shrubs and dogs, and later by sculpting real human
hair. That’s what I love most about his creativity. People keep laying down
track in front of his train. They use him like every part of the buffalo,
tapping into his natural genius and talents. And for the first time in his
life, Edward has purpose. He can finally use his gifts to contribute something
of value to the world. The danger, however, is that he has no conception of boundaries.
No moral code. Since he’s been living without a sense of reality and common
sense for his whole life, he doesn’t realize he’s being taken advantage of. And
so, housewives attempt to seduce him, kids take advantage of him, even bullies exploit
his ability to pick locks and break into people’s homes. Because they know
he’ll say yes. It’s a devastating reminder that if we don’t set boundaries for
ourselves, other people will set them for us. And then they will violate them.
And they will tell all their little friends to violate them too. All because we
failed to set a precedent. Is this an
opportunity, or an opportunity to be used?

What did you learn?

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter. 

[email protected]


Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2014-2015.

Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!


Moments of Conception 110 — The Budget Scene from Dave

All creativity begins with the moment of conception.

That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here.

And so, in this new blog series, I’m going to be deconstructing my favorite moments of conception from popular movies. Each post will contain a video clip from a different film, along with a series of lessons we can learn from the characters.

Today’s clip comes from the budget scene in Dave:


What can we learn?



Susceptible to executional inertia. The creator is in the business of giving shape and forward motion to his ideas. Turning the obsession that fascinates him into something real in the world. However, while this work is intellectually and existentially rewarding, it’s not cheap. The purchase price of creativity is uncertainty. Not knowing always accompanies the artist as an unwanted lifelong companion. And unless we learn how to circumvent it, the process will continue to feel like walking backwards into a dark tunnel. Dave is a celebrity impersonator, not the leader of the free world. He smiles like a schmuck. He doesn’t know the first thing about being president, much less balancing the federal budget. And now certainly isn’t the time to learn. But this is a national emergency. If he doesn’t cut a half a billion dollars, he’ll never be able to restore the children’s homeless shelter. And so, he enlists his accountant friend to help him rewrite the budget. Together, the two of them discover myriad ways in which the government can tighten its belt, reprioritize their spending and focus on the issues that matter most. I’ve always loved this scene. It reminds me that what we lack in knowledge we can make up in resourcefulness, courage, passion and commitment. Because if we always waited until we knew what we were doing, we’d never do anything. What is waiting getting in the way of?



There is nothing to do but begin. Moliere famously said that theater was just two planks and a passion. Notice he didn’t say anything about writing scripts, securing royalties, casting actors, designing costumes, building sets, booking space, acquiring financing, hiring staff, booking security, choreographing dances, scoring music, selling tickets and contacting promoters. Because none of that matters. If you really wanted to put on a show, you would have done it by now. You’re the only thing in the way. Knowledge isn’t the thing that sets your dream free, you are. Dave, then, is a master of negative capability. He’s honed the skill of being in uncertainties, living with mysteries and dwelling in doubts. And if he knows anything, it’s that not knowing has zero bearing on whether or not his dream becomes a reality. It’s simply a matter of will. Ultimately, each creator owes it to themselves to hone this capability. Because while we can’t control life’s waves of uncertainty, at least we can improve our surfing skills so we’re ready when the big one comes crashing in. How could you lower the threshold for getting started?



A little ignorance goes a long way. Dave brings perspective from an unbiased source. He’s just a regular guy whose intellectual limitations free him to consider the winning solutions our government has long since taken for granted. Someone who knows there is no prerequisite to giving good ideas a future. I’m reminded of a client meeting from several years ago. The president of the company said they needed someone who could come in and ask the dumb questions that they stopped asking long ago, because they just know. And I told him, that’s why I’m here, because I know nothing. And they hired me. Why? Because a little ignorance goes a long way. Because objectivity is equity. And because sometimes it takes a person who knows nothing to change everything. Consider that as a permission slip for your own creative process. Focus on moving forward without moving flawlessly, focus on occupying your imperfection and adding energy to the system, and you’ll have no trouble making your dreams a reality. What if you don’t need to know as much as you think you do?

What did you learn?

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter. 

[email protected]


Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2014-2015.

Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!


Moments of Conception 109 — The Typing Scene from Misery

All creativity begins with the moment of conception.

That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here.

And so, in this new blog series, I’m going to be deconstructing my favorite moments of conception from popular movies. Each post will contain a video clip from a different film, along with a series of lessons we can learn from the characters.

Today’s clip comes from the typing scene in Misery:




What can we learn?



If you do it right, you never start with nothing. Everyone has the equivalent to a blank page in their
lives. It’s that intimidating,
torturous, paralyzing and dreadful part of the work that requires you to
confront an empty canvas and create something from whole cloth. Cartoonists
even have a name for it. They call it the blazing island of white. But while
many artists romanticize the notion of the blank page, it’s actually a
profoundly unhealthy and inefficient way to work. What’s smarter is to dig your
well before you’re thirsty. To accumulate
an ongoing reference file for your brain to work on through a passive,
unconscious process. Think of it as forced savings
account for your ideas that always has a high enough balance to make
withdrawals. That way, when you sit
down to create, the blank page is no longer ground zero, your life is. Because
your intellectual reservoir is constantly replenished, the blank page has
become a moot point instead of a massive pain. Paul, on the other hand,  doesn’t have a choice. Instead of completing
the first draft of his novel in his usual historical, elegant hotel room, now
his most loyal, but most psychotic fan is holding him captive. And when he
fails to populate that blazing island of white, she smashes his ankles with a
sledgehammer. A good reminder that our
creative blocks could always be worse. Are
you fortifying your intellectual inventory with an organized, trusted and
robust system?



Pave the way for prolificacy. Paul’s writing process may be interesting for the
screen, but it’s impractical for the career. No wonder he has writer’s block.
Sitting down at a blank page is a cold
start. It’s too overwhelming to the brain, which pushes a person to do too much
work inside their head. And it creates too many outstanding thoughts that plague
the consciousness, which makes it harder for a
person to think creatively. It’s like walking
into a factory and forcing the machine to run before it’s been brought up to
operating temperature. Talk about misery.
And so, the smarter approach to creating is much more gradualistic.
Digging your well before you’re thirsty. Living your life in a way that
your art gets done over and over. Making
sure that the heavy lifting is everything that comes before your eyeballs stare at the blank canvas. That way, as
soon as your butt hits the chair, you can hit the ground running instead of
killing yourself trying to will ideas into existence. It’s the difference
between sitting down because you have something to say, and sitting down
because you just have to say something. Are
you
making it too
hard on yourself to
allow for psychic fuel to show up?



Be
interesting before you open your mouth.
I wrote my first book during my
senior year of college. Not bad for my literary maiden voyage, but overall, it
was a paragon of imperfection. It had design flaws, grammatical
inconsistencies, even a couple of printing errors. But it didn’t matter. It was
done and it was mine. I could touch it and smell it and hold it. And nobody
could take that away from me. The best part was, because of the book, I now had
something to do the talking for me. It was a hundred page calling card. A proxy that could do a lot of the heavy lifting
before I opened my mouth. And that was something my mentor always stressed. He
said that the greatest competitive advantage is, they’ve heard of you before.
Meaning, your strategy as a creator isn’t to build a hype engine around your idea,
but to physically make that idea. To build
a prototype people can smell and touch. That way, when the time comes, you
can slap it down on the table and let it do the talking for you. That’s not
high concept, that’s high context. And it’s what makes your work stick. What could I
you do to establish instant credibility in this moment?

What did you learn?

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter. 

[email protected]


Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2014-2015.

Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!


Moments of Conception 108 — The Harvard Scene from Legally Blonde

All creativity begins with the moment of conception.

That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here.

And so, in this new blog series, I’m going to be deconstructing my favorite moments of conception from popular movies. Each post will contain a video clip from a different film, along with a series of lessons we can learn from the characters.

Today’s clip comes from the Harvard scene in Legally Blonde:




What can we learn?



An ocean under a fickle moon. Life has a funny way of raising our fuel grade.
Elle’s original incentive to pursuing a law degree is to win back her ex, but
once she finally realizes he will never respect her, she’s determined to
succeed on her own. It’s the classic story of how the rules we navigate by at
the beginning shift by the time we get to the end. How what we think love is
differs from what we find love to be. But it’s not just a pattern in couples,
it’s also a phenomenon in creating. My original motivation for making a
documentary was purely creative. I just wanted to share my art with the world.
To build a visual archive of ideas things that were important to me at this
stage of my life. But that was a year ago. And now that we’ve entered into post
production and can see the light at the end of the tunnel, new motivations have
surfaced. Bigger ones. Better ones. More mature ones. Now I’m making the movie
because it’s an opportunity to fire on all cylinders. To engage in a process that draws out
my full ingenuity. To take hidden skills and talents I have not
yet tapped into to create value. And to up the emotional, psychological and
financial ante, trading in my current
success for something better. I believe that’s why the process has galvanized
me in such a profound way. It’s demanded that I move to a courageous place that
I rarely occupy. How do your original
motivations differ from your formed motivations?



Be responsible for your own evolution. We all get trapped on the creative treadmill eventually.
Running but never getting anywhere new. Executing but never elevating the work.
And when we do, there will always be a ceiling on what we can accomplish.
Success will remain asymptotic, always approaching infinity, but never actually
getting there. And unless we break the pattern, unless we change the user
interface of our realities, we will fail to develop as creators. Elle breaks
the pattern. She could easily blend in and bow to the common will, using her
beauty and money and personality to life a charmed life. But she’d rather aim
herself in the direction of her own creation. And so, instead of becoming a
washed up suntan lotion model, she goes on to become happily married and a
successful lawyer and politician. Not bad
for bratty cheerleader
. That’s the thing about going your own way. You have
to leave room for the unexpected. Elle probably never could have predicted
she’d grow up to become an attorney. But when she looks back on her life, odds
are, she’ll think to herself, that sounds about right. How can you design and develop a future that
you really want for yourself?



You don’t have to compromise your originality. Harvard has never seen a colorful student like this
before. Elle sprays perfume on her college application and records a video
essay in a hot tub while wearing a string bikini. Not exactly ivy league
material. But although the board of admissions is bewildered at her style and
approach, they’re still impressed. So she gets accepted. Now, what’s interesting
about her character is, the value proposition evolves. Elle proves to the
university that she’s more than just a pretty face in a cute dress when she
taps into her extensive expertise in cosmetic surgery, fashion merchandising
and perm hairstyling to expose multiple lies in the murder trial, thus
exonerating the falsely accused fitness instructor and identifying the murderer.
Beauty and charm may have opened the door, but intelligence and judgment keep
her in the room. It’s a helpful reminder that if you have shtick, support it
with substance. Otherwise it’s just empty calories. You’re multiplying the
brand by zero. Do you understand the fine line between purpose
driven human uniqueness and a patchwork of weirdness?
 

What did you learn?

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter. 

[email protected]


Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2014-2015.

Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!


Moments of Conception 107 — The Taxi Scene from Fame

All creativity begins with the moment of conception.

That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here.

And so, in this new blog series, I’m going to be deconstructing my favorite moments of conception from popular movies. Each post will contain a video clip from a different film, along with a series of lessons we can learn from the characters.

Today’s clip comes from the taxi scene in Fame:






What can we learn?



Don’t chase the high,
follow the heart.
During a recent podcast interview, I heard a hugely
successful actor offer a great piece of advice to young performers. Don’t be famous, be legendary. Fame is
the industrial disease of creativity, he said. It’s a sludgy by product if
making things. That’s a bold statement. Considering we live in a world where
attention trumps accomplishment, where a person’s fame tends to eclipse their
actual contributions as a creator, his advice is sorely needed. And yet, that
doesn’t give us permission to hide from the world. If we insist on keeping our
music locked up inside ourselves, we’ll always be winking in the dark. There’s
a balance. That’s the theme in this movie. Not just fame, but shame. The
crippling fear of creative vulnerability. The willingness to stick yourself out
there, quite literally, even if that means dancing with your friends down a
crowded avenue. Because even know the father and son constantly argue over the
boy’s reluctance to play his music publicly, the kid’s gotta learn to love
what’s good for him eventually. That’s the only way to become legendary. How time did you spend working on your
legacy today



Don’t be stopped by
not knowing how.
This scene represents the herald in the hero’s journey. The
act to signal change. The moment that invite the character to answer the call
to adventure and motivate into action, despite his frequent desire to maintain
the status quo. Bruno resists, though. He complains that his tapes aren’t ready
yet. That they’re not supposed to be played. But his father is right. Look at
the people.
They don’t know it’s not ready. They like it. Is he really going to try and argue with a dancing mob of
teenagers the middle of the busiest street in the nation? Do the math, kid. And
that’s what I love about the creative process. You’re never really ready. If
you always waited until you were ready, you’d never produce anything. Just aim
for eighty percent and jump. You’re the only one sweating over the twenty. The
point is, whether you’re writing dance music, making abstract paintings or
hosting your own cooking show, finished is better than perfect. Failure stems
less from poor planning and more from the timidity to proceed. Don’t make gods
out of your plans. Just go. What inner
conflict is slowing your creativity down?



All love is saying
yes to something.
Bruno was right, that lunatic stole his tape. But it’s
still the best thing that could have happened to his career as a musician. He
doesn’t know it yet, but the whole course of his life will pivot on this
encounter. People will remember his
name. And in five years, he’s going to look back and think to himself, boy am I
glad that my dad blasted that song from the roof of his car. In fact, every
artist should be lucky enough to have a parent like that. Relentlessly
affirming, instantly encouraging, endlessly participating, radically accepting.
That’s the kind of support system that makes or breaks an artist. This scene
actually reminds me of my own family. Growing up, we seven grandchildren were
never met with tilted heads. Whatever artistic endeavors we pursued, whatever
magnificent obsessions we turned our brains over to, there wasn’t an elder in
the room who wasn’t on board at a moment’s notice. And that’s the reason each
of us went on to have unique and interesting and meaningful creative lives. What are the characteristics of the most
supportive possible environment you can think of for your own creative work?



What did you learn?

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter. 

[email protected]


Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2014-2015.

Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!


Tunnel of Love Official Trailer (2014) — Scott Ginsberg Concert Documentary

Tunnel of Love is
a feature length concert documentary written, produced, directed and scored by
Scott Ginsberg. The film explores the intersection of identity, belonging and
creativity.



It’s a look at the transformative power of live music, both
on the audience and the performer. It’s an homage the sonic potential of
natural acoustics. And it’s a playful narrative about
two lovers in the process of changing their pronouns.



Through live performances, playful and romantic exchanges, unexpected
creative moments of conception and behind the scenes storytelling, the film
takes you on a heartfelt journey about what it means to be an artist,
a romantic and an opportunist.

Tunnel of Love is a full length, feature documentary, but will initially be distributed in a unique way. I’ll be sharing the film as a serialized / episodic project. Since the movie’s centerpiece is a live concert, I’m premiering each song as a stand alone chapter. There are 14 songs in the concert, and so, the distribution timeline will occur over a period of 14 weeks. 

For now, here’s the official trailer:

To learn more about the film, please visit the movie homepage:

www.tunneloflovedoc.com

Moments of Conception 106 — The Hospital Scene in Overboard

All creativity begins with the moment of conception.

That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here.

And so, in this new blog series, I’m going to be deconstructing my favorite moments of conception from popular movies. Each post will contain a video clip from a different film, along with a series of lessons we can learn from the characters.

Today’s clip comes from the hospital scene in Overboard:






What can we learn?



A labor for which no adjective applies. Overboard is one of my top ten movies of all time. My brother and watched it almost every weekend growing up. What’s interesting is, as an adult, I view it as movie about reinvention. Either of your own violation, or with the help of a vengeful, sweaty carpenter. But here’s the thing. Reinvention isn’t about turning everything on its head for the sake of change. Sometimes, it’s a simple matter of upping the creative ante. Sinking your teeth into a new project that’s bigger than you. Pursuing something that’s more of a gamble than a guarantee. Something that requires you to hold and nurture a large idea. Something that forces you to expand as you the idea comes to fruition. That’s one of the reasons I decided to make a concert documentary. I wanted to feel engaged and tested and stretched. To travel with an idea to a deeper place, one that I had never dared ventured before. And as we wrap up production, the feelings of fulfillment have never been stronger. Turns out, there’s a unmatched sense of pride you feel from having lived up to the higher expectations set for yourself. When was the last time you reinvented?



Try to surf whatever wave is out there. Joanna’s real husband had his chance. After seeing her mental state and watching how horribly she treated the staff, he actually denied knowing her, walked out of the hospital a free man and returned to their yacht to embark on a spree of parties with younger women. Dean, on the other hand, has a strong opportunity agenda. As a poor widower living in redneck clutter, he exploits the situation to remedy his own domestic problems. Which makes total sense. The man is a carpenter. His job is to repair damage, install structure and efficiently contribute to the home owner’s total satisfaction. The only difference is, instead of swinging a hammer, he’s stealing a human. Which is definitely immoral and probably illegal, but you have to admit, it’s also devilishly creative. Dean may not have a lot of money, but the man knows how to be resourceful. And that what creativity is all about. Wherewithal. Buttressing the opportunity to make art with whatever knowledge, resources and courage are available to you. Even if that means breaking the rules once in a while. When was the last time you felt fully resourced, and abundant?



Mutual musedom magic. Joanna struggles to adapt to her new lifestyle, but eventually she masters her responsibilities with wisdom and grace. The best part is, she ends up helping her new husband’s dream come true by working with him to design a miniature golf course based on her untapped knowledge of the Seven Wonders of the World. Which proves, a good muse is hard to find. But if you’re lucky enough to fall in love with one, that person’s work becomes a labor for which no adjective applies. Tom Waits frequently espouses the benefit of marrying your muse, pardon the pun. He famously said that as a songwriter, he’s often in a stroller waiting to be pushed out into traffic, but his wife is the one that will do it. That she has a remarkable imagination, and that’s the nation where he lives. In another bizarre and heartfelt interview about the secrets of their collaboration process, he also said that his wife doesn’t like the light of the business we call show. She stays hidden, but that’s where she likes it, and that’s why she’s an amazing collaborator. If your family would support anything you chose to do, what might you try?

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Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter. 

[email protected]


Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2014-2015.

Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!


Moments of Conception 105 — The Pep Talk Scene from Swingers

All creativity begins with the moment of conception.

That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here.

And so, in this new blog series, I’m going to be deconstructing my favorite moments of conception from popular movies. Each post will contain a video clip from a different film, along with a series of lessons we can learn from the characters.

Today’s clip comes from the pep talk scene in Swingers:

What can we learn?



Reduce anxiety by reorienting your focus. Managing anxiety is a slow, frustrating and circular process. It feels like all the work we do to become less stressed becomes the very thing that stresses us out even more. What kind of sick, twisted infinite regression is that? Fortunately, anxiety is what keeps us tuned into our circumstances. It serves a purpose because it allows us to focus our energy on the future. It’s a symptom, like the engine light on the dashboard, which illuminates to let us know that something is wrong with our engine. And the good news is, like most of our emotions, anxiety vanishes once spotted and labeled. Once we name it, we claim it. Once we love it, it can’t hurt us anymore. The anxiety we’re currently feeling starts to subside to the point of irrelevancy. Mike hasn’t figured this out yet. Rob, on the other hand, sees his friend slumped in a corner, slicing pepperoni with a pocket knife, knows the truth. That we always have a choice. We can design a way out of our anxiety, we can design a way of living with it, or we can wait it out and let it starve itself to death, trusting that eventually, anxiety will briefly let its guard down and allow happiness to take hold. Are you prepared to do whatever work is necessary to reduce your experience of anxiety?



Don’t scratch unless there’s really an itch. Commitment is more than just choosing, it’s bravely dealing with the consequences of your choices. Following yourself down the rabbit hole of yes. Taking responsibility for the life you’ve chosen. Not always looking for the closer parking spot, as I like to say. Mike relocated across the country to follow his dreams, which meant leaving past love behind. But now he regrets the decision he made. He’s become a slave to his own judgments. Instead of getting on with his new life comfortably, he’s plagued by doubt, wondering about what could have been a marginally better option. Creative people struggle with this all the time. We hold ourselves to a high standard, and yet, once our experience matches those standards, we don’t give ourselves permission to be satisfied with results. Schwartz famously dubbed this phenomenon the paradox of choice, whereby the ability to change our minds about a decision does nothing but set the stage for future anxiety and lower ultimate satisfaction. Because sometimes the best choice is the decision to stop choosing. Sometimes it’s smarter to put a stake in the ground before we get seduced into the stressful spiral of perpetual improvement. Are you focused on making the right choice or making the commitment to choosing?



You can’t fake momentum. It’s something you either have or you don’t. Think of it from a mechanical engineering standpoint. You need mass, meaning some form of creative output; multiplied by velocity, meaning some form of physical movement. Without those critical variables, all you’ve got is a pile of dirty clothes and a floor covered in orange juice containers. Mike is in desperate need of momentum, and that’s exactly why his friend stops by his house. Rob is there to give him hope and courage and a psychological pat on the back. To convince him to start adding energy to the system. To inspire him to move the story forward. Because that’s how momentum works. It’s built upon small, consistent victories. Of course, that’s not enough. You also need to keep momentum alive. One way of doing so is with a victory log, which is a visual record of progress that saturates your consciousness with victory. A strategy of surrounding yourself with concrete evidence of improvement that makes you more inclined to take further action. I use mine every day. How will you create more mass and velocity?

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter. 

[email protected]


Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2014-2015.

Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!


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