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A decade inToday is a very special day for me. It marks a personal, private milestone of my own. Most of you know April 1, 2003 as the official start date of Rooster Teeth and our flagship show, Red vs Blue. However it was Sept 5, 2002 that I uploaded the first ever RvB video to the web -- The Blood Gulch Chronicles Trailer. This was long before I had ever heard the words "machinima" or "youtube" -- I was just creating a funny video to make my friends laugh. In fact, the trailer was a way to actually show people what I was talking about, a proof of concept in a way. It only features two RvB characters for a brief moment: Grif & Simmons at the end of the video wondering what the hell they just watched. The red soldiers don't even have their guns down in the shot; I hadn't discovered that bug yet. The whole purpose of the video was to test the idea of using a videogame to make movies. We have added a lot of indispensable, talented people over the years but I will always remember that first weekend, sitting alone in a room making a project -- just a guy and an idea coming together. When it was done, I would watch the trailer with people and say "the two guys at the end were talking to each other, get it?" Everybody got it.
It's crazy to think I have been working on this show for an entire decade of my life. I have had other productions come and go in that time -- some successes, some failures -- but RvB has always been a constant. It's always on mind and gives me a stable base from which I grow and develop all this other crazy stuff I get to make. I love making this show and I am grateful and proud for every day I get to show up for work at the greatest company in the world. I have had personal ups and downs as well. I made this trailer literally one month after my mom passed away. I worked on the video as a way to take my mind off that grief. It's hard to believe one of the most important people in my life never got to see even the beginning of my biggest journey. I always wonder what she would have thought of all this nonsense.
In that ten years I have raised two awesome boys, built an incredible company, met thousands of amazing people, flown all over the world, and helped my dearest friends build their careers. I even got the chance to contribute to a franchise that is as important to me as any other work of fiction. There have been hard times too, but I tend not to share those. You always have to grow and learn as a person -- I would like to think that I have had the opportunity to do a lot of both. I would change a few things, but only a few.
The next ten years are wide open. This little company has grown to be a leader in an industry that didn't even exist when it started. I can't tell you what I'll be writing about on Sept 5th 2022. I had no idea ten years ago that uploading a little two minute video to the internet would change my life forever. But it did and I am grateful for the path it set me on. There will be a bigger celebration when we hit our official ten year milestone, but for today I will enjoy this personal anniversary.
I don't know how long Red vs Blue will run. As far as I'm concerned, the agreement I made with all of you ten years ago still stands -- if you keep watching 'em, we'll keep making 'em. If you have come this far, maybe you're willing to come just a little farther. Deal? Deal.
Thanks for ten years of watching a show about a handful of idiots stuck in a canyon in the middle of nowhere. Thanks for sticking around. Thanks for supporting my work. Thanks for everything.
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We've all had a great time!
And I will continue to sponsor & watch as long as y'all want to create.
Thank you for this amazing community, where geeks and nerds can be geeks and nerds, and everyone gets each other's jokes. Where we can make friendships and more across distance because we found a kindred spirit through our love of this company.
Thank you for being a part of that community, rather than merely standing aside as it builds. You guys are wonderful, and family, to your fans. And we love you all the more for it.
Post edited 9/05/12 10:51AM
I would like to think your mom would've been proud in whatever it was you decided to do and this would be one of them.
As for the Red vs Blue videos, as long as you keep making 'em i'm sure we, your fans would continue watching.
Thank you very much
Here's to ten more years at least, I'll be sure to have a drink in your name this weekend.
You keep making content, whether it be RvB for not, and I'll keep watching.
RvB, the Podcast and everything else you guys do has gotten me through some really dark and difficult times. I know Im not the only one you guys have made a difference to, and Im sure that if nothing else, the money, the fame, the travel and the creative career you've created, your mother would have been proud of the difference you've made to me and who knows how many others. Thank you to you and everyone at RT. I know there is so much more to come.
May RoosterTeeth continue to prosper and entertain, and thank you Burnie and the crew for everything. No way will I get bored of this.
Thank you for being such an inspiration to others in so many ways, for the way your eyes light up when fans bring you gifts and show you what they've made, whether it was based on RvB or no.
Thank you for being so friendly and outgoing, for putting up with the fangirling and fanboying.
We love you, Burnie