As you know, I'm in Redmond this week to film videos for Microsoft AppSource birthday celebrations. It's all part of our fairy tale, and the amazing growth of Hubdrive with over 1000 leads a month coming from Microsoft AppSource. Becoming a Hollywood star was definitely not part of the plan, and that's just as well because let me tell you - I've developed a lot more respect for the work of actors after my experience filming the ad. It's hard work!

At the studio

When I arrived at the studio, the production team greeted me warmly. They really took great care of me, ensuring that I had food, coffee and even providing moral support. I guess they are used to dealing with people who are out of their comfort zone, calming their nerves and making the experience an enjoyable one.

Make-up

The make-up artist got to work. She joked that she had the invention of the HD camera to thank for all the work she was offered. Every detail is highlighted with these cameras, which is why I found myself agreeing that she could trim my eyebrows. I left the chair feeling rather self-conscious about myself!

Once on the set I was advised not to drink the water on the table as it was just a prop! I had an extra glass of water off set for actually quenching my thirst.

Film. Camera. Action!

We started filming and I soon realized why this process always takes so long. Sometimes the first shot was fine, but very often it took four or five shots. I can tell you, after the fifth time saying the same sentence, you start to sound like a robot. My interviewer Satish Thomas sometimes also needed a couple of shots for some questions, so that calmed me down.

4 hours for 4 minutes

It took four hours to film an advert that will be cut down into four minutes! I'm really looking forward to seeing the completed advert. Do send me a quick message if you see it anywhere. It will be interesting to see how many people spot it around the world.

Experience

My thanks again to Microsoft for this amazing experience, especially Satish Thomas, Yvonne Haarloev and Rüdiger Meyer. As much as I enjoyed it, you'll all be happy to know that I'm sticking to my day job! Being an actor for a day was fun but being CEO of Hubdrive is truly a dream come true.