Match Cut: Chris Vanderloo
Meet Chris
Nickname: CJV
Astrological Sign: Cancer
Favorites
Favorite color? I've noticed recently that a lot of my clothing is black. I am not sure if this is because I am drawn to black, because it is a favorite, or if I have prioritized less thinking when getting dressed.
Movies? Or what movies inspire you? I have been trying to watch SOO many movies over the last few years. I have two young kids and I haven't prioritized watching films in that time. I have missed so many good ones and have felt out of place in so many convos where people are talking about the great films they watched at that time. Glass half-full though, I have been fortunate enough to catch nearly all of the new and classic kid films. Disney's Luca is fantastic, and if you didn't love Disney's Coco you have a cold heart.
Bands? I don't have a favorite band. Music wasn't something that was a big part of my life growing up, or during HS or college. I was way more into sneakers and sports than music. Nike had these magazine ads in the 90's where it was just a profile of a soon-to-be-released sneaker on a white page. Just the sneaker, the swoosh, and a 1-800 number. I had about 10 of those magazine pages torn out hanging on my wall as a kid. Tinker Hatfield, there's a genius.
Favorite song? What's your history with it? Sirius by The Alan Parson's Project. As I mentioned before, music wasn't my thing, but I was a huge sports fan. Specifically in the 90's when two of my teams were the best of the best and they both used this song to enter for home games. The 90's Nebraska Cornhuskers tunnel walk and the Chicago Bulls lineup announcement, "A 6'6" guard from North Carolina..." I mean, c'mon! Haha. If you're curious what my favorite sneaker is... Jordan IV Bred. It was the sneaker that started it all for me.
Foods? A grilled ribeye steak and a twice-baked potato. I grew up in a city known for its beef, we even had an Arena Football team named the Omaha Beef. There were so many great steak houses and meat markets in Omaha. Any time there was cause for celebration steak was usually on the menu.
Favorite places to eat? La Casa Pizza, Omaha NE - This place has been family-owned for 70+ years and makes a super unique thin-crust pizza topped with romano cheese. Absolutely delicious. Joe's BBQ, KCMO - This is the best BBQ in Kansas City which makes it some of the best BBQ in the world.Kitty's Cafe, KCMO - Great burgers and fries, but do not leave until you've tried the pork tenderloin. Also, bring cash they're old school.
Three people to have dinner with? They can be dead or alive.
Kobe Bryant - I was a Kobe hater for most of Kobe's playing career. I didn't like the Lakers - still don't - so, I mostly rooted for his demise. However, I did start following and rooting for Kobe after his playing career. His passion and drive are unrivaled. The Mamba Mentality is real and it applies to all walks of life.
Charles Barkley - The Round Mound of Rebound - what a character. He's blunt, funny, and antagonistic yet compassionate all at the same time.
Tinker Hatfield - Tinker's sneakers and designs are some of the most impactful visuals and memories of my life. My sneaker obsession was a talking point amongst family members and is still a connector for me to family and friends of all ages, including my kids. Tinker started that fire and probably dumped gas on it as well. haha
Favorite places on Earth? Oh man, I still have so much of Earth to see! If I had to pick today it'd be between Victoria, BC, and Lahinch, Ireland. My wife and I had our honeymoon in Victoria and we had such a fantastic time exploring the harbor. My brother and I stumbled upon Lahinch while visiting Ireland. It's a tiny little surf town on the west coast of Ireland. It also has great golf, if that's your bag.
Who would you like to meet? Right now, I'd like to have a chat with Ryan Holiday. He's a business owner, author, and parent. I've read a few of his books and tuned into his podcast over the last few years. He is really big on Stoic principles and how those principles can be used to remain present and disciplined as a leader and as a parent. It all kinda hits home at this point in my life.
On Producing
Why do you produce? I played team sports in college and I always loved being a part of a team. Working together towards a shared goal was very fulfilling. Now I enjoy helping build the right team for the task at hand. I think one of our strengths at Lucky Day is understanding the needs of a project and assembling the best team to deliver that work.
What is your biggest challenge as an Executive Producer?
I think the biggest challenge is allowing the creative process to be a creative process. It can be challenging to wrangle creativity into a schedule or a deadline. You don't want to interrupt or impede the artists, but you also have to make sure the clients have what they need. Navigating that grey area can be stressful at times, but it's all worth it when you deliver great work.
What do you think are important characteristics of a good post-producer? In my opinion, a good post-producer has to be super attentive to detail. Building post-review schedules, consolidating and relaying notes, and QC'ing final outputs are just a few of the responsibilities of a post-producer. It's really important that the post-producer is dialed in throughout. If they lose focus in any of those areas, it can complicate the post-process.
Reflections
What is something you want to work on? I'd like to work on being more present. Both professionally and personally. The world moves so fast and the role of an EP/Producer can be so reactionary. It can be tough to stay in the moment. As a business owner, I always have something I could be doing, but I am working hard at being more present at home. I have two kids and as excited as I am for them to grow and experience life, I know I'll never get this time back.
What is something you dream of doing? I've been kicking around the idea of running the NYC marathon. I've never had a desire to run a marathon, and I don't even think I have a desire to run a marathon now. However, If I was going to run a marathon what better city to run through than New York City? Seeing the city from that perspective would be a pretty unique experience.
What are you most proud of? Taking the plunge and starting Lucky Day. I always knew I wanted to run my own business because it was important to me to work with my friends. One of my closest friends, Zach Jones, is my partner at LD. This company has given us the opportunity to make a lot of new friends since opening Lucky Day in 2018.
Anything you want to share? If you need anything, holler. I'll listen.
More Chris Vanderloo here
