How do I use this thing? It's been so long since my last blog post, I hardly remember how it even works. I'd like to think or make the excuse the reason why I don't blog as often is because I'm too busy. I am very, very busy but there is always enough time to say a few words.

Maybe it's because I think I'm a deep guy, who needs to say profound things when I write? That I have to have cool images to go with my posts? That I have to "wow" the audience. I do have deep topics that I want to write about and share. I imagine I've lost any audience I once had. There were times when you'd email me, asking for more. Those emails have subsided, to now once and a while a friend may casually mention, "man I miss your blogging."

It has to be a thing of habit. I keep saying I'm going to start and get a regimen, but it's just like dieting and/or working out, you want to do it and you know it's good for you, it's just getting started is so hard.

So what's been going on? How far back should I go and how much time do you have? Let's see, so I'll give a little update from January until now. I went to Salt Lake City for the X-Dance Festival. It's kind of like Sundance, but in Salt Lake City and without all the Hollywood types. It's an action sports film festival, where some 300 films enter, then 40-50 are selected and a few win some awards. It takes place over the course of five days, with back to back film screenings with a few seminars and question answer series. I saw some amazing surf, skate, motto, enduro, ski and snowboard films.

So I was there to represent my favorite client, Nimbus Independent. I had submitted our ski film "Hunting Yeti." We did pretty well for a first year film company, just being an official selection was an honor, then we got nominated for Best Core Film, Best Soundtrack, Best Cinematography and Best Editing. To think, with our little film budget, that we could compete against the likes of million dollar budgets is pretty astonishing.

So at the same time, I was staying with my friend Jon Atencio. Him and I go way back. He's a nice guy, whom I used to party pretty hard with. Now he still gets it going, but now he has a lovely wife and two kids. Jon works for Backcountry.com, so while I was there, figured I should stop by the office and try to sell them some Spacecraft goodies.

It was an eye opening experience. Backcountry.com is an e-commerce force. I felt like my parents must have when I explained to them DVD's were going to replace VHS. These guys have it pretty well dialed in. So I met with a bunch of different people on numerous topics.

It was great to hang out with Jonny and his family. They showed me a great time and drove me all around SLC. So right when I was leaving, I got to meet the guy who sources our music for the ski films, Chad Davis. The whole Poor Boyz ski film crew arrived and we got a second to chat. Then off to the airport.

So home for a couple days, then packed and went to Aspen for the X-Games and Powder Video Awards. I barely made it there and back. I mean we tried to come in and land four times, finally touching down and the last attempt. When I left, it was just as much a miracle I made it home. Flying is not what it used to be, it's now a huge hassle instead of a fun adventure.

But Aspen was awesome. Ran into a ton of friends and people from the wintersports industry. Started out with Poor Boyz Productions and came to an agreement that I would become their business manager. One more client for the G Brand. I'm excited as there are a lot of economies of scale between Nimbus and PBP. It's going to be rewarding, as I love the film industry.

Then it was off to the Powder Video Awards, where "Hunting Yeti" was nominated for Movie of the Year, Best Concept, and Best Editing. We won for best editing and I got up on stage and accepted the award on behalf of the Nimbus Crew.

Nimbus award for Best Editing and PBP award for Movie of the Year (I held on to it for safe keeping that night, so it wouldn't break in the celebrations.)

After the ceremony, it was off to the Helly Hansen after party at their Aspen flagship store. It was one big hug fest with my old boss and co-workers. It was very rewarding to be standing inside, watching Hollywood types and the main TV personality for the X-Games having a tough time getting in. My old boss Cory and I dreamed of that moment years ago, when we could barely get anybody to come to a HH party.

That's my old boss Cory, me after too much Red Bull, and Mike, who has my old job at HH.

My friends at MSP.

Eric Hjorliefson, me, and my marketing chins. I gotta get some exercise.

Next morning it was a few meetings with Oakley, Red Bull and then off to fly home. In and out, get home, unpack and repack. I am leaving the morning after I return home from Seattle to go to Las Vegas and the Snow Sports Industry Trade Show.

Got down there, set up the Spacecraft booth, which was an art project in itself, and then started to conduct business. Meetings, drinking water all day, more meetings, then drinking booze and eating all night, with more socializing and parties. It's a very trying week. Kind of like a marathon that leaves you exhausted upon completion. Since this was the last year for the trade show in Vegas, it was in over drive.

This is our booth, made of hollow core doors with hinges, unfolded and wheat pasted.

Sell it ladies!!!

Beers and beanies.

I'm going to skip much of what happened while I was there, as what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Let's just say there were some amazing VIP parties. Saw Snoop Dawg perform, that was a highlight for sure.

Whew, it's always tough to get home when the sun is just coming up. Time to shut the blinds and grab a few hours sleep.

So then home for pounding out some serious work. I have been knee deep in websites for what seems like forever. I'm not even that web savvy, but I had two sites that just were a mess. I can't say either were my best work. I had them organized and well thought out, they just took forever to get done and were two steps forward and one step back. So glad that they are done. The first was the main Spacecraft website. The second was their online storefront which features art and collectables. Trying to save money sometimes ends up costing you time and more money in the end. It's all about execution.

But all of that frustration was made up for with probably the best web project I've been apart of. The last three weeks I have been working with some great people in launching our new website for Nimbus. I mean, we delivered on exactly what I had envisioned. How often does that happen? It was like magic. Granted we still have some tweaks and more phases to roll out, but the infrastructure and CMS is there.

The Nimbus Crew also launched it's first websiode, En Route - Japan. I can tell you that this is it. This is my future. I can see it clear as day. We have a great product and I think I have the business plan that will yield great success. If you like what you see, please tell your friends. Below is the webisode.

There is more I could type, report on, but I've already written a small novel. I hope this update finds you all doing well, even in these tough economic times we are facing.

To see the En Route -Japan webisode as it should be, go to our website and click on the HD button to the left of the player. The download is a hefty file coming in at just over 800mb, but it's well worth the space on your hard drive.

En Route Japan from Gary Winberg on Vimeo.

Posted by Gary at 12:54 PM | Permalink