Happy to be Second

So, Shoot The Summer (a film I made last year) has been shortlisted for 2 awards. The first being a MediaGuardian Innovation Award and the second being a Webby (the Oscars of the Internet apparently). It's great news and I'm happy in the knowledge that I probably won't win either.

I have this knack of coming second, it's what I do best. And I'm cool with that too. It all started when I was in scouts. I picked up 3 silvers in one swiming gala (backstroke, crawl and breaststroke) and I think that set a trend for the future. An ARG I did a few years ago called Frozen Indigo Angel narrowly missed out on several golds and was part of the Sony Silver Award we picked up for Radio 1's Big Weekend interactive offering, whilst Band in your Hand suffered a similar fate in numerous marketing awards. 

I've watched many people getting upset at not picking up the big prize at awards and find it amusing. It's as if all of a sudden being second/third or even fourth best in their field is failure. The Webbys receive 10,000 entries each year so to be up there... well put it this way, it's better than digging a hole for a living. I'm chuffed to bits and am in no way embarrassed at being so.

Besides, if I did win I think I might start getting worried that it was a sign that my ideas were thinning, diluted to an extent that they could be explained easily in the 500 words you are allowed on your entry form. If I could do the ARG justice in 500 words then it wouldn't have been much good to begin with. Similarly, Augmented Reality has to be experience to be believed it's that incredible, no words can ever do it justice and neither can this video.

Having said all that if this doesn't win gold at the Sony's then then I'll eat my swimming certificates for dinner. It's a simple idea executed brilliantly by the team, filled with showbiz DJs and stars, being judged by 'Radio' people. Big stars in videos is much easier for a judging panel to get their heads around than The Fratellis performing live in your hand. It should be right up their street.