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Campfire.net is created by Richard King and some very talented folks for storytellers like you. Richard first wrote about Campfire in 1992 which is included below. It was originally conceived as an interactive television network for storytelling - which hopefully one day it will be. For eleven years, Richard has served as the CEO of VideoCall, a provider of interactive video networks for schools in Texas. But it wasn't until 2001 when Al Reinert came along and kicked Richard's butt that this site was developed. Al's vision for an IMAX movie about Texas is what did it. In the Spring of 2001, Al was invited to present his ideas for creating such a movie to the board of the Texas History Museum. As a Texas film director / screenwriter twice nominated for an Oscar, Al soon realized it is impossible to make a movie about Texas in 40-minutes! But he had an idea. It could be representational - impressionistic - showing the vast and varied landscapes and animals of Texas, the wild mustangs, the early cotton farming, Spanish vaqueros, the great ranching industry, the beginning of the cowboy myth, Hollywood's version of that myth, small tenant farming, high school football, then the explosion of oil and gas, Texans and cars, agribusiness, urban sprawl, semiconductors, missions to the moon, software, the arts, multinational corporate headquarters, metroplexes and the Texas myth today. He told Richard for this to work, he would need quotes about Texas - lots of them - from family letters, diaries, memoirs, Texas literature and oral histories. Al described how these quotes from history could be voiced by famous Texas actors over today's images of Texas, connecting the past with the present. And how they could also give special meaning to our future. This notion appealed to Richard. Particularly, how a Texas movie 6-stories tall could be produced not only by a small group of highly talented filmmakers - but also with the help of all Texans. And for those of us willing to share their favorite quotes in this campfire - they will be attributed to the original author on screen - spoken by famous Texas actors - and shown in IMAX theaters all over the world. And you thought Ben Hur had a cast of thousands! Now here's the kicker: Never for a loss of ideas, Al envisioned that a web site would be needed to help collect and manage all these thousands of quotes from the people of Texas. "Hmmmm … sounds like Campfire", thought Richard. This was the swift kick to the rear that Richard needed! He brought Campfire out of the attic, dusted it off and brought it to his cousin Gentry Johnson, the CEO of web developer Computer Consulting Company. Together they developed the ".net" makeover you have in your hands today. Welcome to the Campfire ~ have fun! Amazing the power some boots have... |
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