A retrospective looking at all the Speakers Bureau films we have developed for the Detroit Creative Corridor Center. Go go gadget creative economy Detroit!

Bethany Shorb, Cyberoptix Tie Lab:

Rola Nashef, Gas Afterhours Productions:

Tim Smith, Skidmore Studio:

 Bethany Betzler and Matt Clayson, The Detroit Creative Corridor Center:

Chazz Miller, Public Art Workz:

Dan Kinkead and Melissa Ditmer, Hamilton Anderson Associates:

Philip Lauri, DETROIT LIVES!:

Josh Dahlberg, Blank Artists:

Jeevak Badve, American Specialty Cars:

Noah Stephens, The People of Detroit Photodocumentary:

WillDo Designs:

Oliver Ragsdale Jr., Carr Cultural Arts Center:

Patrick Thompson, Patrick Thompson Design:

Two days ago, Michael Silver wrote an article about the Detroit Lions for Yahoo! Sports (read it here). The message was simple and clear: these Detroit Lions are not backing down from anyone. Many members of the press are calling the teams actions controversial. Sure they have a fired-up coach in Jim Schwartz, and sure some of the Twitter comments or touchdown celebrations get a little edgy, but you know what? This is a team full of pride and excitement. This is a team that is no longer willing to bow down and take the lashing of an 0-16 season.

That courage and pride doesn’t start and end with sports. The same message is coming from the creative sector and a guy like Tim Smith, President and CEO of Skidmore Studio, the design firm that recently relocated their entire office from Royal Oak to the Madison Building in downtown Detroit. Tim’s message via the move: Bold creative is here in Detroit, we’re proud of it, and there’s no reason to be going to LA or New York for your business. Not only is Detroit good, it’s excellent, and Skidmore is putting their money where their mouth is to tell you why.

It’s always easy to be a cheerleader on the heels of development and such in the city (that’s us!). The difference here, and the added edge, is saying that we’re f*#%(ing excellent and capable of scrapping with the big boys. We’re not just “good,” in many cases we’re stronger than the others. The Detroit Lions, though maybe a little brash and rough around the edges, are very directly saying that they’re a championship team in the making, not just a good team. Tim Smith says that not only will his firm’s creative work be excellent, stop going anywhere else to get it done. These are just two bold statements of progress and achievement. This city isn’t just emerging from the darkness, it’s a world-class place. It’s worth it to take a few cues from this mentality and to act accordingly in our daily movements.