Why Artists Should Love This "New" Economy

A Bamun artisan at work in Foumban, West Province, Cameroon. 2004.

Even before the economic downturn, I was beginning to feel that—especially with the existence of the internet—the days of working in a factory or a cubicle were either decreasing or coming to an end. I couldn't articulate it but this post by James Shelley sums it up.

Ultimately, we all need to change our thinking, our attitude and our actions. We're no longer in the '50's nor the '80's; it's a new time with new rules that benefit those of us who aren't afraid to go out there and make our own way.

Also read these comments from columnist Thomas Friedman. Words to live by.

What is the "extra" that you bring to your work?

Final Animatic—New Opening Scene II

Below is the new opening of the animatic that follows the storyboard thumbnails from this post:

I am REALLY liking this new opening! There's an economy of storytelling of which I'm proud (although I am second-guessing that all of this takes place in a mere 52 seconds. Am I rushing it?) Do you think these new scenes work or that they are better than the first version? Leave your comments! Thanks!

106 Excuses That Prevent You From Ever Becoming Great

I just saw this and HAD to share it! I'm even borrowing the perfect photo from the post. It was written by Tommy Walker—online marketing strategist and principal at Tommy.ismy.name—as a guest post on the blog of Chris Brogan, a consultant on the future of business communications and social software technologies. A mere glance at this list took me back to the bad old days of 1991 (when I graduated from college) through to 2007 (when I began to learn that I had the power to live the life I've always wanted.) That's about 16 years of excuses, self-sabotage, a lack of self-confidence and a lack of guiding principles. Don't make the mistakes I did by falling victim to the excuses listed in this post! You can achieve anything you want to achieve by picturing it, believing that you currently possess it and working hard to acquire it.


Read this list carefully and consider, "When have I used these excuses?"

Opening Scene Thumbnails II

I'm convinced that my recent meditating and studying of the conscious and subconscious is helping both my day job AND this project!

Example: last night I was still struggling with this new opening scene. I decided that the thumbnails I posted yesterday were not going to work in silhouette. I needed a new solution.

I paced around the apartment consciously thinking about the problem. Soon after, I meditated for 10 minutes then went to bed.

Within 10 minutes of getting into bed, a solution popped into my head! It was the result (I firmly believe) of my subconscious mulling over the problem. The beauty of this new solution is that it satisfies all of my criteria…plus solves some other problems: it reads clearly, it allows for me to keep the credits on the t.v. (which I really like), it clearly sets up Luthor on the edge of the bed, it provides a reason for the lights being on in the room which means I don't have to figure out how to make the room look dark.

The hopefully LAST thumbnails for the new opening:

Would you like to see these thumbnails in animatic form?

Opening Scene Thumbnails

Honey and Luthor are kissing in extreme closeup. Honey moves out of frame, leaving Luthor behind. In the next scene, she enters the bathroom then we pan to Luthor sitting on the edge of a bed. The visual/storytelling problem: is it clear to the audience that Honey and Luthor originated on the edge of the bed in the prior kissing scene OR is it necessary, for clarity, to show the audience the environment of the characters and their physical relationship to each other?

I made an executive decision! I decided that, indeed, the audience needs to see—before Honey moves to the bathroom—that she and Luthor are kissing in a dimly lit bedroom, on the edge of the bed.

Below are some thumbnails/gesture drawings I used to develop this new scene:

Next post: this new scene in the animatic!

Final Animatic—New Opening Scene

I have officially started the final animatic. This will be the last "rough draft" of the film before I start the really good part…animating!

Below is the new opening scene. As I said yesterday, it's shorter than the first version which gets the story started sooner & grabs and holds the audience's attention faster. 

Should I change the opening to this new version or keep the original?

FINAL Animatic Has Begun!

Thanks for your patience as I took a break from this project. It was helpful to not think about it purposely; by doing so, I ended up thinking about it unintentionally and coming up with some great improvements!

The first change will be the opening. I—and others—really liked the original opening. It was, however, a bit too long; I was showing too much unnecessary information before getting to the important part, the characters.

My next post will be a video of the much-simplified opening. I think it's better because it immediately puts the audience into the story. Here's a screenshot from the new opening: