A FORCE FOR GOOD: The Dalai Lama's Vision for Our World
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, WRITER, CO-DIRECTOR

SHORT FILM - 5 MINS

About a month after completion of 18 formal study courses and over 8,9 years practicing Tibetan Buddhism. I was asked by humble and Melcher Media to come up with a campaign film for New York Times science editor Daniel Goleman and His Holiness the Dalai Lama to promote their Force for Good movement. Auspicious timing, so i'm, like,"Thank You game-on!"

While reading the book you can't help but get into the head space of the Dalai Lama. You just become incredibly optimistic and filled with new choices and options as you go about your day.

PROCESS.

So we had about 36 hours left before we were due to pitch our ideas and I'm feeling pressure to show up for Sam and Persis, this is my subject, i mean i've been studying Buddhism and Yoga for 8-9 years now. And I'm sitting there on the Subway trying to power-read through this book, and i'm watching myself get hung-up on re-reading the words "Dalai Lama" and "Compassion"  and i hear a homeless woman begging for change 2 ft in front of me on the train. And i look back at my book. I'm making deals with my self, "Next time I'll put an extra buck or 2 in my front pocket in case this happens again." "This train is just too crowed." The persons next to me are jammed in too tight for me to reach my wallet" I've got half-full cup of coffee at my feet, what if i knock it over jostling for it"..." What if I only have $20's!". "Yeah Chris!!! , just keep reading, its really important you finish this book, Everyone is counting on you to finish this book!!" ... And im just stuck there ping-ponging, back and forth on the words "Dalai Lama" and "Compassion" while feeling this sickening burn-pain of apathy and thank god a sense of humor about the hypocrisy.... washing over me. She was almost out of the car when I caught her and gave her some cash.

Before i got off the train I saw her looking over at me still smiling quietly. No one else gave her money, nor did she ask. I could see even though it may have been super super, tiny, things changed for her. things changed for me, and i think for all the people on that car.

There was something there. Everyone goes through these moments. This is how you change yourself. This is how you change the world. This is how to tell this story. 

I ended up Writing the initial Story-lines and concepts and pitched them to Dan and Tara Goleman. Once they got on board. humble's ECD, my creative partner for years Sam Stephens EP Persis Koch  and i figured we should model our process on the ideas on the book, compassion, teamwork, empathy. It was totally rad we ended with a total of 6 directors coming together, and over 70 people total. Many  donated their time and resources because they believed in what we were doing. I am extremely grateful to everyone involved. I have to give a nod to the directors, who dipped into there talent pools and resources, and all generously took these ideas and made them their own while being extremely gracious in passing these 4 babies back and forth to Sam and I as we worked to put it all together.

We accomplished something really unique here. A Force for Good is told through Four separate but intertwined films united solely by the theme of compassion. The Mother by Sasha Levinson, The Driver by Rudi Schwab, A Broken Jar by Sam Stephens and Chris Wolfgang Mauch and Plastic Beach by Samuel+Gunnar – show how small acts of kindness can make a difference in the world. Over 70 people involved!! Huge thanks to Humble.tv, and Melcher Media.

take a moment to check out Daniel Goleman's  8 Principals.

http://www.joinaforce4good.org/understand/free-the-mind-and-heart

BOARDS.

To unify each of the directors visions, I sat down with each one of them and boarded each sequence out

This is one sequence from "Broken Jar" This is quite typical of how I approach boards on a first pass for myself or especially when we are on a time crunch and I know the director i'm working with. I'm thinking, how do I quickly get in there and organize the shots, without getting bogged down in unnecessary details