This Saturday, August 20th, at 8p, the ‘Outdoor Cinema Lot’ won’t show a well-worn movie favorite. Instead, still bringing in their own chairs, visitors to the parking lot at Fremont Studios (155 N 35th) will enjoy something much, much more provocative, innovative and enlightening as they encounter Ignite Seattle 15.
Throughout the year, the King Cat Theater accommodates well their crowds of 600+. Bradley Vickers, an Ignite Seattle organizer and occasional speaker, admitted the shift to Fremont appealed to them for several reasons. The parking lot will open the series to all-ages, potentially expand the audience (particularly passer-by who can check out an Ignite presentation without having to pay the $5 entry fee onto the lot,) and challenge the organizers with new problems, and new opportunities.
The official Ignite tag line is ‘Enlighten Us, But Make It Quick.’ After speaking with Vickers, it sounds like it also might be, ‘give us new ideas and perspectives!’
What It Is
Ignite Seattle gathers people together for story telling – telling stories that are true, kept to a quick pace, and use visual aids. “It’s new,” Vickers admitted, “but at its core, it’s nothing new. It’s something that’s been going on for millennia. It’s got this new little twist on it.”
On YouTube, Scott Berkun gives an Ignite talk – five minutes long and accompanied by 20 slides that auto-advance every 15 seconds – and provides a crash course on how to give an Ignite talk. “You work to convey a lot of information in a short period of time,” Vickers acknowledged.
Ignite presentations began in Seattle, in December 2006. Now the series happens in locations all over the world – in Portland, Sydney, Boulder, Dublin, Baltimore, etc. The second Global Ignite Week held last February counted over 100 cities hosting these community-powered events on at least six continents.
‘Community-powered’ by a 100% volunteer effort, Vickers confirmed. He joined the fun with Ignite Seattle 10. Vickers, who rowed the Atlantic Ocean with O.A.R. Northwest, works in the marine trade and has a burgeoning professional speaking career, put to rest the idea that this is just a techno-geek activity. Instead, he described the gatherings as the coming together of many different groups.
“That’s part of what’s fun about Ignite,” he enthused, “someone is always geeking out on something.” The term ‘geek’, Vickers pointed out, usually describes someone deeply involved in a specific subject or activity, and an Ignite speaker, “is someone very passionate, very obsessed,” about their topic.
“I know someone who is building a bamboo bike,” he described. His friend has researched cycling, bike building and, particularly, building and riding bamboo bikes, and, “they are becoming a bamboo bike geek.”
Who Is It
On Saturday, August 20th, fifteen speakers will share their stories. Topics include circumventing internet censorship, unparenting, being a Christian, collecting (vinyl) records, hula hooping and providing security for the Solstice Parade. The speakers include a 9-year-old (talking on ‘hacking parents,’) at least two circus performers, and professional speaker Berkun on ‘Teaching Seattle How to Drive.’ (The list of speakers can be found on the Ignite Seattle website.)
Ignite Seattle finds their speakers through an open submission process. “It doesn’t require you to be a polished speaker,” Vickers explained, “it should be someone that has something to share.” The proposal review team will often have little more information at the event than the audience members. “As an organizer,” Vickers admitted, “I’m not enthralled with all the speakers, but there is always a gem. You are there for the one you are waiting for, and then there are 2 or 3 that really get you going, that you weren’t expecting.” And, he reassured, “even if you get the most boring, frustrating and annoying Ignite talk, it’s over in five minutes!”
“The thing that drew me to it was the opportunity to speak to an audience,” admitted Vickers, “but what drew me back were the people involved.” This is not a poetry slam, stand-up comedy or an open mic. Vickers, and Berkun, insists that Ignite audiences provide a consistently supportive atmosphere.
What It Provides
Ultimately though, Ignite Seattle provides “the opportunity to entertain new ideas,” Vickers said. “Even if all they have is that 5-minute exposure to that new idea,” he explained about the audience, “sometimes it gets them to take action.” Not all presentations expect action, and the screening process deliberaly looks to weed out rants, lectures, and/or sales pitches. They do look for speakers that know their topic, feel passionate about it, and are determined to convey their passion to the audience.
In Fremont, to add to that passion, as a pre-show to Ignite Seattle 15, Dorkbot-sea will host a special, free festival of DIY home-made electronic gadgets called ‘ThingOut,’ starting at 4:30p. Unfortunately, Ignite Seattle must charge $5 to cover the costs of putting on their show.
Vickers hopes attendees will willingly fork over the $5, which could make it more likely that Fremonsters can look forward to more Ignite, and more enlightenment, next year too!
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Thank you to Randy Stewart and Erinn J. Hale for the use of their photos!
©2011 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.