Awesome story Mark! Thanks so much for sharing.Originally Posted by Mark L. Pederson
OMG. #6!
I'm having a flashback to 2006.
Ted Schilowitz told me at Sundance that we was going to leave AJA and work with Jim to build this crazy, revolutionary 4K camera. He was so excited. He pitched me the concept, which I loved, but when I asked if he had the sensor and he replied "we're gonna build it" - I got a little worried. But I could see how sincerely excited Ted was about the project and I just had a feeling there was something there. Sometime in March I got a phone call from Ted - he said he & Jim were going to have a booth at NAB and announce the camera to the world - and he wanted me to be a part of it and just be around and help in the booth. I asked if they had a working prototype - "nope". I asked if they had a sensor working - "nope". I said "Ted, sure I'll help you out - but what the hell am I going to do in the booth?" And Ted says "Don't worry. Just be yourself".
A week or so later I'm on a conference call with Jim, Ted and a bunch of folks - some who now work at RED, some were folks Ted picked to help in the booth. The purpose of the call was to discuss what was going to happen during the trade show. Ted & Jim explained that we would take $1000 deposits for a serial number, a place in line - that it would be fully refundable, etc. Everyone on the call was very quiet. It was really just Ted & Jim talking. I asked if we'd be starting with the number "1". And there was a quick side-bar between some of the folks on the call and then Ted announced that serial numbers 1-5 would be Jim's cameras. So then I asked, really without even thinking, "Can I have number 6?" and there was silence - some chatter between Ted & Jim and then Ted said "Sure". "And number 7"? And Ted said "Sure, Mark has number 6 & 7". And the thing I remember most about that call was that I expected everyone else on the call to ask for a serial number - and it was just silence.
Ted called me after and said "I can't believe you did that! One day … you will understand what a big deal that was."
That day is today.
I look back at the early days when we only had #006 (Elvis) and #007 (Bond) - no audio - no slow motion - no 16:9. A new firmware build every day. It was a blast. I called Stuart at his home so often his wife would just answer the phone "Hello Mark". I remember countless meetings trying to convince people to use these cameras. Countless demos.
Things are VERY different now. RED is everywhere. I'm proud to have been right inside that revolution.
And now - the next chapter begins. EPIC.
Helmet on. Let's do this.
