OpenHort

Click to download a synopsis.

I am making a short documentary film called, “Green Screen: Cultivating Life in the Digital Age.” You can find out all about it in this PDF.

What it’s about.

The film tells the story of the development and launch of a new Facebook game called GardenQuest, which is sort of like Farmville for ornamental plants. Springing from the story is an examination of our digital culture, how technology is changing us, and why plants and gardening will remain important and relevant to life on planet earth. The message is simply: technology tends to be bad for both nature and human nature; gardening is good for both nature and human nature. What happens when the two are combined? Who wins?

Why we’re making it.

We are interested in two things: plants and pop culture. A gardening video game? That sits pretty much in the center of where these two subjects intersect. Also, we want to make films. This seems like a good place to start. We hope the film will cause people to think about plants and gardening in a new light, and with a new determination to actually do something positive and reconnect with nature through gardening.

Who’s the audience?

The GardenQuest game had over 80,000 fans pre-launch. Farmville and other social media games have many hundreds of millions of players. We think this story will be of general interest. This is not an “industry-focused” film. The intention is for our industry to speak to the world, not (as we do on OpenHort) speak to the industry itself.

Where’s the money?

This is self-funded. GardenQuest is giving us access and liberty to tell the story. There is no financial relationship. This is not a puff-piece infomercial.

When will it come out?

Not sure. The original plan was to film this summer then edit in the winter (my “slower” times, when the nursery isn’t quite as busy). However, it remains to be seen what exactly will happen to the GardenQuest game? Will it suddenly become a big hit in October? Will the company go bankrupt in December? The story may change!

How can you help?

We’d love your help! First, we’d love to know if you think this is interesting. Second, tell us what you think about the subject…what do you think we should be telling the world? Third, tell us who you think should be in the film? Fourth, volunteer to be in the film yourself!

We are looking for:

1. People who love the game or the idea of the game.
2. People who hate the game or the idea of the game.
3. People who can speak to why gardening is good and beneficial.
4. People who can speak to how healthy the industry is.

Sneak Peek

This is a brief video we made from some footage we filmed on the day GardenQuest went live (in “beta”).

It’s nice to meet people at tradeshows, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming ANLA Management Clinic. But, if our interaction doesn’t happen here, or some other site, where it is in the open and archived--it likely won’t push innovation forward. Why?

Have you heard of TED? It’s an organization that has really smart people give talks chock full of “ideas worth spreading.”

I’m not a TED fanatic, but I’ve watched a few talks. They’re good stuff. But I want to share with you a TED video I’ve watched several times. I think it contains a crucial lesson for our industry.

The director of TED, Chris Anderson, has given two talks. The first was titled, “A Vision for TED,” which he made long ago in 2002 prior to taking over TED leadership. His second came this past July: “How web video powers global innovation.” Basically, he says that naturally innovative people will put their talents into overdrive when they have three things: an audeince, an open stage and talented competition.

Watch this video and ask yourself, “When it comes to convincing the world the value of our plants, do we need to step our game up?”

So, what’s the prospect for the Green Industry? Do we have talented innovators in our industry? Do we have the desire?

Anderson says, “The hardest part is the light, because it means you have to open up and show your stuff to the world. It’s by giving away what you think is your deeepest secret that [others] are empowered to improve it.”

What is “light?” Andersen says that light is “comments, links, Facebook, Twitter, number of views.”  This is where we stink as an industry. We are absolutley lame. Yeah, I’m calling us out. We think of ourselves as being perhaps the most “open” industry, where we share trade secrets and swap propagation techinques. But, according to TED, that kind of “good-ole-boy” openess is not what drives innovation. It’s light, and as he defines light, we are almost completely in the dark.

OpenHort is a site that wants to be a source of light. The innovators in our industry need (as Anderson lists) commenters, trend-spotters, cheerleaders, skeptics, mavericks and super-spreaders. Which one are you going to be?

You’re more than welcome to do it right here at OpenHort! Leave a comment to let me know that you are willing to do your part. I ask, not to build my ego or to make money off of you, but because for innovation to accelerate we need light!