my name is Stephen Ellis so she said I’m a filmmaker and inventor I started my
a filmmaker and inventor I started my
a filmmaker and inventor I started my career working for the comic book legend
career working for the comic book legend
career working for the comic book legend Stan Lee yeah yeah however after the.com
Stan Lee yeah yeah however after the.com
Stan Lee yeah yeah however after the.com bubble I found myself bewildered and
bubble I found myself bewildered and
bubble I found myself bewildered and unemployed a colleague of mine asked me
unemployed a colleague of mine asked me
unemployed a colleague of mine asked me if I wanted to come work on a coal movie
if I wanted to come work on a coal movie
if I wanted to come work on a coal movie which ended up being the matrix two and
which ended up being the matrix two and
which ended up being the matrix two and three but before that I had asked myself
three but before that I had asked myself
three but before that I had asked myself a question when he said do you want to
a question when he said do you want to
a question when he said do you want to come work on a cool movie because we
come work on a cool movie because we
come work on a cool movie because we didn’t really know the title at the time
didn’t really know the title at the time
didn’t really know the title at the time and so I said why not so looking back at
and so I said why not so looking back at
and so I said why not so looking back at that moment I thought to myself well if
that moment I thought to myself well if
that moment I thought to myself well if I never asked myself the question was
I never asked myself the question was
I never asked myself the question was asking the question equally as important
asking the question equally as important
asking the question equally as important as the answer flash forward I’m a visual
as the answer flash forward I’m a visual
as the answer flash forward I’m a visual effects artist working and something was
effects artist working and something was
effects artist working and something was lacking in my life so I decided I would
lacking in my life so I decided I would
lacking in my life so I decided I would go out around Hollywood and pitch this
go out around Hollywood and pitch this
go out around Hollywood and pitch this story about noah’s ark but specifically
story about noah’s ark but specifically
story about noah’s ark but specifically the animals that got left behind this
the animals that got left behind this
the animals that got left behind this was a unique way at looking at a very
was a unique way at looking at a very
was a unique way at looking at a very classic story although the pitch was
classic story although the pitch was
classic story although the pitch was very successful and Dreamworks ended up
very successful and Dreamworks ended up
very successful and Dreamworks ended up buying the movie but this was the second
buying the movie but this was the second
buying the movie but this was the second time that I asked myself an important
time that I asked myself an important
time that I asked myself an important question that changed my life what if or
question that changed my life what if or
question that changed my life what if or why did I decide to be in the film
why did I decide to be in the film
why did I decide to be in the film industry in the first place that was
industry in the first place that was
industry in the first place that was something that I took a long time to
something that I took a long time to
something that I took a long time to kind of figure out and I decided I was
kind of figure out and I decided I was
kind of figure out and I decided I was going to quit my visual effects job and
going to quit my visual effects job and
going to quit my visual effects job and pursue becoming a writer and director
now I asked questions for a living I
now I asked questions for a living I find that I like to take big ideas and
find that I like to take big ideas and
find that I like to take big ideas and deconstruct them to figure out how they
deconstruct them to figure out how they
deconstruct them to figure out how they work and how they come together and
work and how they come together and
work and how they come together and ultimately try to find questions that
ultimately try to find questions that
ultimately try to find questions that are new and innovative ways into looking
are new and innovative ways into looking
are new and innovative ways into looking into a film property for example what if
into a film property for example what if
into a film property for example what if we
we
we genetically engineer a human being only
genetically engineer a human being only
genetically engineer a human being only to find out that you cannot engineer the
to find out that you cannot engineer the
to find out that you cannot engineer the human spirit that’s apex what if you
human spirit that’s apex what if you
human spirit that’s apex what if you could embark on the first mission to
could embark on the first mission to
could embark on the first mission to colonize a new earth only to discover
colonize a new earth only to discover
colonize a new earth only to discover that you’re not the first you’re the
that you’re not the first you’re the
that you’re not the first you’re the last and that’s arc what if machine had
last and that’s arc what if machine had
last and that’s arc what if machine had to merge with man in order to ensure
to merge with man in order to ensure
to merge with man in order to ensure their survival bolas these questions
their survival bolas these questions
their survival bolas these questions have led me to work with films film
have led me to work with films film
have led me to work with films film studios like DreamWorks and New Regency
studios like DreamWorks and New Regency
studios like DreamWorks and New Regency and also filmmakers like david fincher
and also filmmakers like david fincher
and also filmmakers like david fincher and Kennedy Marshall these questions
and Kennedy Marshall these questions
and Kennedy Marshall these questions have also paved the way for me to
have also paved the way for me to
have also paved the way for me to innovate in virtual production and mixed
innovate in virtual production and mixed
innovate in virtual production and mixed reality filmmaking but these questions
reality filmmaking but these questions
reality filmmaking but these questions were always at the forefront of my
were always at the forefront of my
were always at the forefront of my career yet these questions had always
career yet these questions had always
career yet these questions had always been at the forefront of my entire life
been at the forefront of my entire life
been at the forefront of my entire life you see when we r 3 to 5 years old we
you see when we r 3 to 5 years old we
you see when we r 3 to 5 years old we explore the world through one of the
explore the world through one of the
explore the world through one of the most powerful questions we all know
most powerful questions we all know
most powerful questions we all know which is why why is the sky blue why do
which is why why is the sky blue why do
which is why why is the sky blue why do I have to eat my broccoli why do I have
I have to eat my broccoli why do I have
I have to eat my broccoli why do I have to go to sleep somewhere along the way
to go to sleep somewhere along the way
to go to sleep somewhere along the way we lose this curiosity and for me
we lose this curiosity and for me
we lose this curiosity and for me questions have been such an important
questions have been such an important
questions have been such an important part in changing my life starting with a
part in changing my life starting with a
part in changing my life starting with a simple question such as why not
simple question such as why not
simple question such as why not ultimately leading to a deeper question
ultimately leading to a deeper question
ultimately leading to a deeper question of why am I in the film industry in the
of why am I in the film industry in the
of why am I in the film industry in the first place and then ultimately leading
first place and then ultimately leading
first place and then ultimately leading to I asked questions now because I don’t
to I asked questions now because I don’t
to I asked questions now because I don’t want to wait for life to throw them at
want to wait for life to throw them at
want to wait for life to throw them at me so the next time that you face a
me so the next time that you face a
me so the next time that you face a question or asking for an answer
question or asking for an answer
question or asking for an answer consider this the act of asking creates
consider this the act of asking creates
consider this the act of asking creates the possibility and in a world of
the possibility and in a world of
the possibility and in a world of infinite answers with infinite questions
infinite answers with infinite questions
infinite answers with infinite questions think about the questions that you want
think about the questions that you want
think about the questions that you want to ask because the answers the right
to ask because the answers the right
to ask because the answers the right answers are right there and if you
answers are right there and if you
answers are right there and if you continue to ask questions you can always
continue to ask questions you can always
continue to ask questions you can always make the impossible
make the impossible
make the impossible possible thank you
possible thank you
possible thank you [Applause]
”
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