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Staring into the Dragon’s eye
16 May 2018

Staring into the Dragon’s eye

Staring into the Dragon’s eye

Two years ago, in a Polish Castle, I met Mark Odesky. You see, he knows a thing or two about Dragons, the fear they invoke and how to slay them.

Sketch-note; Ambitions and Constraints.

Mark who? In some way or another, his work might have touched you. He‘s the ambitious man who executive produced the Lord of the Rings trilogy. While at the castle, he shared thoughts on the power of human imagination and the techniques used to develop immersive experiences.

It was also a story of constraints. They would have never been able to render every detail of the story. The project had to ship on time, and on budget. They solved this by making use of a technique he referred to as the ‘Dragon’s Eye’. It relies on using strategic queues, just enough detail about a certain subject, leaving the rest up to the audience’s imagination. As Mark mentioned, our imaginations create the most elaborate detail; in some instances, aspects they would never be able to re-create on screen.

He not only neutralised his constraints but transformed them. The last film performed beyond their wildest ambitions, winning in every nominated category at the Oscars.

Mark’s ability to transform a constraint into an asset is evident, his ambitions realised. Except for the obvious life lesson, what does this have to do with Werner [ME]?

Well, I’m the damn Hobbit.

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

I’ve been staring into the eye of the dragon for far too long. Fear has become my most significant constraint. Fear of failure, letting my family down and not living up to expectations of loved ones and fellow professionals.

I created the dragon. Paralysed and unable to leave the shire, missing out on numerous adventures. The shire is safe; we play bingo every Friday at 6 pm.

If ‘constraints’ are the dragon, then ‘ambition’ is noise that might wake the dragon. I concluded that I’ve been setting my ambitions way to low.

Is this realisation enough to slay every dragon? Perhaps not, it needs more rigour. However — I know the dragon doesn’t exist, its only a small annoying lizard in my head and I can handle that.

Sketch-note; Ambitions and Constraints.

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