Iraq Archives - WK Studios

Breweries Bars, Beer Food, Flying High, Orphans, and Adventure Travel

One of the coolest parts of our job is the variety that it affords us.

Sure, there are the countless hours in the editing bay when you would trade your right arm for simple human interaction, but then there’s also the times you get to hop on a plane and go to Chicago, or Houston, or Mexico, or Guatemala. Right now, Marshall is starting his third week in Iraqi-Kurdistan. He threw his trusty 60D in a bag with a couple of lenses, a pretty rockin’ business plan designed by our friend Noel at No. 5 Creative, a couple of shirts (and pants), and headed out to pitch an adventure travel show to the Kurdistan Regional Government. Along the way, he got to hang out with the locals, drank a lot of tea, went mountain biking, climbed mountains, enjoyed amazing food, and got a letter from the Mayor granting him access to the entire countryside.

Back in the US, Paul’s finishing up a TV pilot about Craft Breweries, Craft Bars and the food that pairs with them. This pilot was filmed at the amazing Deschutes Brewery and Public House in Bend Oregon. We got to see parts of the brewery that are off-limits to non-employees, film on the floor of the bottling line, visit the top-secret barrel room and meet some really cool people who love their job.

Another project with Electronics International allowed Paul to fulfill a dream he’s had since moving to the Northwest. He and Duane Shrode jumped in a four-seat Navion and took a short filming flight to the Cascade range. They buzzed mountains, flew over beautiful lakes and even flew between the peaks of Broken Top. Of course, filming a really great pilot doing takeoff and landings was pretty cool too.

Yes, we love our jobs, we love telling visual stories, love the experiences, and love it when our friends meet their storytelling goals.

I make friends where ever I go. I believe part of this comes from my upbringing in Northwest Oklahoma and another part is just how I was made. Early on in my relationship with my wife she found me in the tire section of our local big box store talking to an older gentleman. I introduced the two, shook the gentleman’s hand and said my goodbyes. On the way out of the store, I shared the man’s stories of his grandchildren, his health and other details of his life. Tabitha turned to me and asked, “Where do you know him from?”

I smiled and said, “The tire section… just met him”

I love people and the stories that make up their lives. I guess that is what helps me make friends where ever I go. I truly do care for the people I encounter. I believe that no matter how brief the encounter that we affect one another.

This is is also why I am driven to be a filmmaker. I have heard so many stories. How can I keep them to myself? So here I am in Iraqi-Kurdistan making friends and learning their stories. And my hope is to share them with you someday.

There was a man I met at the airport. Long ago he fled Saddam’s Iraq, making his way to Greece, much of it on foot. He fled in such haste that he had left his passport and other documents behind. It was of no concern. Whatever he would face as an undocumented immigrant in other countries was better than what he had left behind. He found a home in the U.K. and after the fall of Saddam returned home.

Years later, standing outside an airport checkpoint he met me. Another stranger in a strange land. He shared his story and then I shared mine. He offered me a ride to my hotel and I accepted. We may never meet again but I will always call him a friend.

I am collecting stories like this every day. My hope for you, my friends is that you will take the time to get to know the strangers around you, listen to their life and share yours with them.

Tomorrow I go mountain biking in Iraq with new friends I met today. I will update you soon.

Peace,

Here’s an update from the road.

http://youtu.be/IOFDWjk9phE