Thursday, March 31, 2011

Found: Adventure

Wanted to share with you's another cool project by a local improviser.  Have you read about this yet?

BrooklynFoundFilm began on December 30th, when improviser/ writer/ comedian Todd Bieber took his cross-country skiis to Prospect Park.  New York was covered in snow that week, and while skiing through the park, Todd found a film canister.

He developed the film and decided to try to return the pictures to their as-yet-unknown owner.  He took to the internet to see if anyone could help him determine who are the people in the pictures, and thus who is the person who took the pictures.


The internet responded to Todd's video.  "We're in.  Game on.  We'll help!" said the internet.  Todd received advice and offers from help from all over the world.  (Love how far-reaching connections can be forged online.  The internet in it's best light.)

It took awhile.  Two months, about.  But Todd got a lead in the case, and it led him all the way to Europe.


I just really love this story.  I like how he starts with an acknowledgement that, this year, he wanted more "adventure" in his life.  So when the opportunity for adventure presented itself - though to some it may have looked like just a dinky film cannister in the snow - Todd recognized it as a ticket to ride.

I also love how his story pulled people in.  He couldn't have gone it alone, it wouldn't have been the same story.  The people he encountered along the way - who offered both funny/helpful advice, who offered places to stay, who offered prayers - these people gave the story breadth and depth.  They made it bigger.  They made it less about the end goal and more about the journey.  As Todd says at the end of the second video: "...it's pretty cool to know I'm surrounded by nice strangers.  And we're all in this adventure together."

You know?

(You can read more about Todd's quest here.)

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