From 1997 to 2003 I worked a series of M&M television commercials. I was fortunate to work with a broad range of celebrities. The most humble celebrity I worked with was Patrick Warburton. Patrick didn’t have an entourage. He didn’t disappear into his trailer between scenes. He hung out with us. He ate lunch with us. We both had an appetite for Craft Services cookies. Patrick is a Christian.
One of the somewhat less humble celebrities I worked with was Stephen Baldwin. Later, Stephen would go on to become a Christian. The book he wrote after his conversion was perfectly titled, The Unusual Suspect. The day I saw his book in the Christian bookstore I was surprised and elated. I do suspect that he is becoming more Christ-like over time.
The M&M commercials were commonly created by shooting live action film of the actors and actresses first, and then later, the animated M&M digital elements were integrated into the final images.
I worked as a digital effects artist. On the live action film shoots I stayed close to the camera, the director, and the talent in order to make sure we could easily integrate the digital elements into the scenes after the film work was complete. If I did my job correctly, I would save the studio a lot of work in post-production.
This was quite a bit of fun. I saw our work on national TV and during the Superbowl. I was also given tens of pounds of M&M candies. This made me very popular with the children at our church.
We often filmed in Los Angeles. When we worked outside in public areas, large crowds would form. Beefy, well trained, security folks were put in place to maintain space between the onlookers and the crew. Still, people pushed forward, trying to see what was going on, trying to get as close as possible to us. They had one thing in common, they were curious.
We turn to Dr. John Medina’s twelfth brain rule: “We are powerful and natural explorers.” Curiosity itself is perhaps the most important brain rule.
When my daughter was very small and could walk, my wife and I would take her outside for expeditions around the block. Here she would have her first encounter with everything from earthworms to cigarette butts. She had no prior context for these items and she was fascinated by them. She wanted to know what they were called. She wanted to pick them up. Smell them, taste them, and see if they moved. She, like the crowds in Los Angeles, was curious, and had a deep desire to explore.
Even though I’m not a child, I have child-like curiosity for Scripture. I think the Holy Spirit awakens that desire in us. When I read Scripture I have questions. I need to find answers. With the aid of commentaries, study bibles, pastors and the Holy Spirit, I usually find them.
Ask. Seek. Knock. Keep that childish curiosity alive and the answers will come.