TECH TALK AMERICA
Teaching Technology To The World
David A. Cox & Tech Talk America:
A Brief History
I grew up in Natick, Massachusetts. As a kid, I wasn't exactly popular in school. Natick was a big sports town (still is) and I was a hybrid between a theater kid and an AV geek. My father (pictured left) introduced me to the Mac in 1985 when he brought home a Macintosh Plus.
In school, I was a solid B student. Back then, having the last name of Cox wasn't exactly a plus and by the time 4th grade rolled around, the bullies spotted an easy target.
A major defining moment of my childhood was when I discovered my school's media lab, which was packed with the first generation of iMacs. I started using the original version on iMovie and by age 16, I was editing on a $30k Media 100 System that someone had donated to my high school (but no one knew how to use). It was then that I truly discovered my love for creating video content.
After high school, I attended Emerson College in Boston, MA, and earned a degree in film production. For my final semester, I moved out to Los Angeles, California, and learned the ugly truth about Hollywood. Three words: narcissism on steroids. I loved video production, but only if it could be on my terms.
I then moved back to Massachusetts and ultimately discovered my way to Cape Cod. During that time I started managing an Apple Computers dealership. My boss saw that I was really good at working with people and asked if I'd enjoy teaching classes. I accepted and after only a few weeks, word spread like wildfire. Suddenly, I was traveling to different locations all over Cape Cod; community centers, retirement communities, etc., spreading the Apple gospel. It was during these years that I learned that my gift wasn't the fact that I was tech-savvy, but I had a knack for communicating technical concepts to people who were NOT tech-savvy.
I was working harder than ever but was barely making enough to pay the bills. One day, my boss sat me down and told me I was making the maximum amount that I would make at that job. I did some quick math and offered my resignation. For the first time in my life, I then started to work for myself. It was a scary thought at first, but then, just like with my classes, word spread! I started making house calls and offering private tech support to (what felt like) half of Cape Cod. The money was wonderful, but there was still something missing.
Tech Talk America was born when I decided to marry my two passions together; video production and teaching tech to people who do not identify as being tech savvy. YouTube has been an amazing blessing because it allows me to have 100% creative control over the content I create.
A lot people don't realize how rare that is in this world.
Droning Provincetown
In 2014, I started an experiment by the name of Droning Provincetown.
Provincetown, MA is known for its summer theme weeks including Bear Week, Family Week, Women's Week, etc., many of which cater to the LGBTQ+ community. I began to capture many of these events and would pick a song well in advance to use to montage the event. I would then direct crowds, couples, and individuals to lip-sync lines from that song, and edit it into an elaborate production.
You can view all past Droning Provincetown videos at DroningProvincetown.com
Palm Springs
After ten years of living in Provincetown, I felt like I needed a change of scenery. Having visited several times on vacation, Palm Springs seemed like the most logical choice. I've always loved the contrast of palm trees against the snow covered tops of the surrounding mountains.
When I first arrived, I made a conscious decision to volunteer my time to try to help save a local theater from closing permananetly due to COVID. The Purple Room immediately stood out. If you've never heard of it, The Purple Room is one of the laster surviving supper clubs in California. It is also known as where Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin originall y formed The Rat Pack act.
I wrote to the owner and offered my services to create a GoFundMe video to save the venue. He accepted, and thankfully, people responded. The campaign was able to raise over $160k and the venue is back in business.
Living in Palm Springs, has been such a blessing. I love living here and getting to do what I love for a living.