In the Movies
Glass is the hero in a new movie
I did not plan to start this week off with a rundown of the animated movie Elemental, but after seeing it and its connection to the glass industry, I had no choice.
This is a movie via Pixar and Disney, and those of you who follow closely know my son Zach is heavily connected in that world with his Boardwalk Times website (the ultimate destination for the Disney fan) so I joined him in seeing this one when hit theaters this week.
I did not know what to expect, and overall the movie was well done— really was a Hallmark level “Rom Com,” but the use of glass was the kicker here. Yes our beloved product played a pretty major role. The movie is about Fire and Water, and those elements interacting and growing to get along. Early on we see the Fire lead character break a glass display case, and then with her fire hands create a brand-new piece of bent glass to replace it. (Bent so good that I think my pal Tony Kasprzak sold it since he’s a big-time bent glass rep, and also a Disney guy).
At that point, I’m thinking “Cool, neat to see.” Well, as the movie continues, the Fire character creates a glass wall to save a community from flooding. When it was done, one of the characters exclaims “She did it. It’s tempered glass,” and when that was said, I yelped. Loudly and embarrassingly.
I mean I don’t think I ever heard the words “Tempered Glass,” and in a positive manner in a movie setting before, so I was out of my seat with it. I’m thinking, “This is what the NGA preaches—glass really can save the world. (Which it can, and we all know that).
Anyway, the movie continued and spoiler alert (skip to next paragraph if you plan on seeing it) the glass ended up breaking, and it was not truly tempered. While still happy we got a plug, I was bummed that the glass broke and know for sure the SGCC would not be happy with the mis-labeling. LOL.
No doubt I’ll take the excitement of the glass coming through, and hopefully someday Disney will ask me (or probably my son) what sort of glass would truly be best to stave a flood off. (Surely 2022 Glass Magazine Award Winner Fenex would be raising their hands? Right, Juan Posada and Brian Johnson?) Yep, so there ya go—and by the way I think I am banned from that theater too for being too excited.)
Elsewhere…
NGA Debuts New Podcast
A special summer series of podcasts made their debut this week. Glass Cast: From the NGA dropped episode one, and it’s a perfect quick bite of insight and info. The great duo of Katy Devlin and Sara Neiswanger hosted this episode that led into a monologue from Jeff Haber of W&W Glass via this past spring’s BEC.
The subject was ESOP’s and Jeff’s insight was spellbinding—this quick pod covered it nicely. There are a handful of episodes coming, and I think it’s a nice series for the quiet summer news season. Check it out, and big kudos to Katy, Sara and Melissa Fischer the editing wizard at NGA for a job well done!
AUDIO
(and on Apple and Spotify, search Glass Cast)
New From the Fabricator Pod
Speaking of podcasts, the next From the Fabricator podcast drops next week and I am pumped. Unless something crazy happens, I have two awesome glaziers and an impressive architect lined up. Stat-wise, I continue to be amazed. The video stats are meh—this is just not a format that lends to video, especially long form.
But audio, my numbers are mind blowing. They keep growing each show and more and people are finding older episodes and listening. It’s incredibly cool, and I thanks to everyone who checks it out. If you have not heard any, search “From the Fabricator” where you listen to your podcasts.
By the way, geographically the update is thanks to Eliot Benor of Building Envelope Testing, New York, surged into the lead of the city that listens the most to the podcast. And we’ve seen nice runs from Philly, Seattle, Atlanta, and Chicago joining Houston, San Antonio and Los Angeles as popular areas for listening. Absolutely awesome.
CRL Releases New Reference Guide
Thank you to Scott Goodman, my good friend and superstar sales hustler from CRL for the heads up on the CRL releasing a new reference guide at AIA. I missed this and it is super resource and good to have handy!
Vitro’s New EPDs
Kudos to Vitro Architectural Glass for their latest EPD effort. Check out the story from Glass Magazine as it explains it very well, but this was an excellent step forward in an area that will continue to grow and be a very important part of the commercial glass project realm. Get familiar with the EPD angle, folks, and good on Vitro for their latest breakthrough!
New ABI Coming this Wednesday
Last this week. I’ll be watching this Wednesday for the newest Architectural Billings Index. So much has eroded on the banking side, and more and more investors have grown skittish that I am curious to see if that feeling has hit this index harder. Good news is, when I feel negative the index usually goes the other way. We will see…
