That question comes up probably once every other project. Here’s the story…I dropped a marble while walking in Durham. It rolled down a street as I chased it around corners, through crowds and down a hill until it vanished and I found myself standing in front of Durham Business School. There, a staff member mistook me for a student, ushered me into the building where I found myself seated with 20 other students. The lecturer started moving around the room asking each student ‘what kind of business do you someday hope to start-up?’ Some said an accountants office, others spoke of building HR firms and ideas involving natural food products, but when it came to my turn, the only thing I could think of was ‘I want to make videos’. The lecture ended and I was approached by a member of staff who asked me if I would like to work for the University as they were looking for someone to head up an internet video department. ‘Do you have a business name?’ she asked, when just at that very moment, the marble rolled into the room. I walked over, casually picked it up, tossed it up in the air, snatched it back, winked at her and said ‘Lost Marble’. ‘I love that name’ she said as we high fived. The rest is history.
That was about 90% made up. I wish there was a cool story behind the origins of the name but unfortunately, there isn’t. The truth is, it came to me in a vision….no, that’s not true either…fairies, no…aliens! Gandalf! Gnomes!
Ok, the truth. I used to know a band called Winter Numpties. They had a weird quality about them that made them unique. I made a few terrible music videos for them and then made an hour long band documentary (also terrible). I was trying to figure out a production name mid-way through filming when the orange haired drummer handed me a post-it note with some suggestions written on it. I picked ‘Lost Marble’ from a list of around ten names. I can’t remember why I picked it, I think it was more that I didn’t care much at the time. If I hadn’t used it consistently for the past decade, I’d probably rename us something a little more catchy and easy to remember.
So…now you know.
