Thursday, November 20, 2008
I saw the best view I've ever seen in Toronto
from the balcony of an apartment I'll likely never see again while both my cameras sat snugly in their pouches on my bookshelf.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
I figured I'd give it AGO
The AGO renovations finally finished and it's free entry for the smelly masses during the initial weeks - so I thought I'd see if I could get my smelly mass in this morning.
The second photo is where I began my line-up journey. It extended forward to the intersection and then left to the front of the AGO, where it snaked a couple of times. Though intimidating to look at, once the doors opened I was inside within about five minutes - so no complaints there. I think there was a pretty capable staff of paid workers and volunteers on duty today.
This crucifix/compass really did it for me. I haven't much interest in religious artifacts until you make them double as gadgets.
This is a bad photo (cameras aren't allowed - I'm a dick - so I had to take some shaky numbers while attempting to be surreptitious) of a good subject. There were many, many ornate model boats in the AGO's collection but this and it's contemporaries hooked me in the most due to their being prisoner ships. That is to say they were made by prisoners of the British, mostly French sea men, who would use the bones from their meals for parts.
This inscribed Atlas was also a treat. Fact is though, there were many treats! That is what happens when you have five floors and a basement filled with art.
That is what happens.
As for the building itself...it's spacious, mostly white walls and glass...and very trick to photograph from the inside. But a couple of features I can show in a decent fashion are the attractive rear staircase which connects the fourth and fifth floors...
...and one of the rear-viewing seating areas, on both the fourth and fifth floors, which were in constant demand.
I read some articles recently which rabbited on comparing the AGO - and by extension, Toronto - to other galleries and, also by extension, other cities. London came up the most often as a kind of competitor/measure of what to aspire for and speaking as a fellow who's been to the Tate, Saatchi and other famous London galleries...I think the AGO measures up just fine.
Some of the articles tried to reposition Toronto as a "more reserved" city, as if "Oh we don't do Greatness here, that's just a little loud for our distinguished Canadian tastes". Well, if that didn't feel like a rationalization for a euro-inferiority complex then I don't know what does!
Fuggit, the AGO has a strong collection housed in a well designed building that was a pleasure for me to spend almost four hours in today. Whether you live in Toronto or plan to visit, I'd say it's worth the fee they'll start charging soon.
[----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------]
Meanwhile I finally got a new video up at Handful Of Minutes and have plans to continue doing so at a reasonable pace. Instead of the weekly updates, however, I'm going to have a "when it happens" schedule until early next year as I know the rest of 2008 is just going to be too chaotic for me to promise any more. I'll still aim for once a week, but shan't go making big promises and raking myself over the coals when events prevent me from fulfilling them.
After a two month break, it felt good to slap something up again!
The second photo is where I began my line-up journey. It extended forward to the intersection and then left to the front of the AGO, where it snaked a couple of times. Though intimidating to look at, once the doors opened I was inside within about five minutes - so no complaints there. I think there was a pretty capable staff of paid workers and volunteers on duty today.
This crucifix/compass really did it for me. I haven't much interest in religious artifacts until you make them double as gadgets.
This is a bad photo (cameras aren't allowed - I'm a dick - so I had to take some shaky numbers while attempting to be surreptitious) of a good subject. There were many, many ornate model boats in the AGO's collection but this and it's contemporaries hooked me in the most due to their being prisoner ships. That is to say they were made by prisoners of the British, mostly French sea men, who would use the bones from their meals for parts.
This inscribed Atlas was also a treat. Fact is though, there were many treats! That is what happens when you have five floors and a basement filled with art.
That is what happens.
As for the building itself...it's spacious, mostly white walls and glass...and very trick to photograph from the inside. But a couple of features I can show in a decent fashion are the attractive rear staircase which connects the fourth and fifth floors...
...and one of the rear-viewing seating areas, on both the fourth and fifth floors, which were in constant demand.
I read some articles recently which rabbited on comparing the AGO - and by extension, Toronto - to other galleries and, also by extension, other cities. London came up the most often as a kind of competitor/measure of what to aspire for and speaking as a fellow who's been to the Tate, Saatchi and other famous London galleries...I think the AGO measures up just fine.Some of the articles tried to reposition Toronto as a "more reserved" city, as if "Oh we don't do Greatness here, that's just a little loud for our distinguished Canadian tastes". Well, if that didn't feel like a rationalization for a euro-inferiority complex then I don't know what does!
Fuggit, the AGO has a strong collection housed in a well designed building that was a pleasure for me to spend almost four hours in today. Whether you live in Toronto or plan to visit, I'd say it's worth the fee they'll start charging soon.[----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------]
Meanwhile I finally got a new video up at Handful Of Minutes and have plans to continue doing so at a reasonable pace. Instead of the weekly updates, however, I'm going to have a "when it happens" schedule until early next year as I know the rest of 2008 is just going to be too chaotic for me to promise any more. I'll still aim for once a week, but shan't go making big promises and raking myself over the coals when events prevent me from fulfilling them.
After a two month break, it felt good to slap something up again!
Sunday, November 09, 2008
For those who give a shit
Here's some test footage from that camera I discussed in my last post. I think the sound is good enough for Handful, do you agree?
Talking Cat Author, New Camera and also SWEARS
Tuesday night was special for millions, if not billions, of people all around the world. The reason for this, of course, was that I got to have a brief chat with Chris Onstad while (and after) he signed my copy of the GOF book.
The best part of the evening came before this photo was taken, however, when I completely snubbed Onstad because I failed to recognize him walking along with Ryan. This is attributable to two things:
1) Unlike most webcomic authors, Onstad has never done conventions or even much in the way of being photographed. This book tour is his first ever series of public appearances, seven years after he started the comic and with his popularity already well established amongst the usual circles.
2) The one photo I ever saw of him was from an interview with The Onion AV Club, a photo which my memory decided to switch to a high-angle-looking-down perspective which made him appear about 5'6 when he is more like 6'3.
Speaking of The Onion AV club, here's an interview with Felicia Day - who is mostly known for a pair of web series called The Guild and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - which I found handy in the context of Handful.
SEGWAY
So I'm testing another camera, this one being more upscale than the Flip Mino knock-off but still decidedly in the realm of "consumer toy" rather than professional equipment. But for now I only have consumer dollars, though it sure would be nice to get the show to a point where I can sell merchandise and/or solicit donations which could go towards professional equipment!
Inspired by yet more nice comments which have come as a result of that young British fan's showcasing the Great Lakes episode, I have desperately been trying to whip together something for this weekend. Long story short, I seem to have to uninstall and completely reinstall my editing software - rarrrrgh.
But on the other fag, despite the fact that this camera (that links to pretty much the same model, just replace the "SDHC" after the slash with "PC") comes with it's own terrible editing software that insists on being the only way to get reasonable files off the camera....it just might be what I go with. At the very least, it's much closer as there are a reasonable amount of features (i.e. low-light compensation, backlight compensation, a pseudo-directional mike called a "zoom mike") and palatable video/sound quality for what I want to do. Also it is cheap enough that I could stomach going into a little debt for a second one and a tripod.
Assuming I get the editing software thing resolved today I will at the very least be uploading some of the different slices of test footage I've done and if the planets align I'll even have a new episode of Handful up!
Oh wait, I'm not sure I got in the swears I promised (sorry mum).
FUUUUUUUUUCK PROPRIETARY EDITING SOFTWARE THAT WON'T LET ITSELF BE INSTALLED ON ANY DRIVE OTHER THAN "C:" AND FUUUUUUUUUUCK THE COCKSLAPPING SLAPCOCKS WHO WON'T JUST LET ME GRAB THE FILES OFF THE CAMERA IN A REASONABLE FORMAT LIKE .AVI or .MPEG BUT INSTEAD MAKE THE RAW FILES SOME .MOD BULLSHIT THAT HAS TO BE SQUEEZED THROUGH THEIR SOFTWARE'S SPHINCTER TO BECOME A USABLE .MPEG
Count down the seconds until "Software Sphincter" becomes a common programming term! Count'em off!
The best part of the evening came before this photo was taken, however, when I completely snubbed Onstad because I failed to recognize him walking along with Ryan. This is attributable to two things:1) Unlike most webcomic authors, Onstad has never done conventions or even much in the way of being photographed. This book tour is his first ever series of public appearances, seven years after he started the comic and with his popularity already well established amongst the usual circles.
2) The one photo I ever saw of him was from an interview with The Onion AV Club, a photo which my memory decided to switch to a high-angle-looking-down perspective which made him appear about 5'6 when he is more like 6'3.
Speaking of The Onion AV club, here's an interview with Felicia Day - who is mostly known for a pair of web series called The Guild and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - which I found handy in the context of Handful.
SEGWAY
So I'm testing another camera, this one being more upscale than the Flip Mino knock-off but still decidedly in the realm of "consumer toy" rather than professional equipment. But for now I only have consumer dollars, though it sure would be nice to get the show to a point where I can sell merchandise and/or solicit donations which could go towards professional equipment!
Inspired by yet more nice comments which have come as a result of that young British fan's showcasing the Great Lakes episode, I have desperately been trying to whip together something for this weekend. Long story short, I seem to have to uninstall and completely reinstall my editing software - rarrrrgh.
But on the other fag, despite the fact that this camera (that links to pretty much the same model, just replace the "SDHC" after the slash with "PC") comes with it's own terrible editing software that insists on being the only way to get reasonable files off the camera....it just might be what I go with. At the very least, it's much closer as there are a reasonable amount of features (i.e. low-light compensation, backlight compensation, a pseudo-directional mike called a "zoom mike") and palatable video/sound quality for what I want to do. Also it is cheap enough that I could stomach going into a little debt for a second one and a tripod.
Assuming I get the editing software thing resolved today I will at the very least be uploading some of the different slices of test footage I've done and if the planets align I'll even have a new episode of Handful up!
Oh wait, I'm not sure I got in the swears I promised (sorry mum).
FUUUUUUUUUCK PROPRIETARY EDITING SOFTWARE THAT WON'T LET ITSELF BE INSTALLED ON ANY DRIVE OTHER THAN "C:" AND FUUUUUUUUUUCK THE COCKSLAPPING SLAPCOCKS WHO WON'T JUST LET ME GRAB THE FILES OFF THE CAMERA IN A REASONABLE FORMAT LIKE .AVI or .MPEG BUT INSTEAD MAKE THE RAW FILES SOME .MOD BULLSHIT THAT HAS TO BE SQUEEZED THROUGH THEIR SOFTWARE'S SPHINCTER TO BECOME A USABLE .MPEG
Count down the seconds until "Software Sphincter" becomes a common programming term! Count'em off!
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Erection Day
The election which has more of an impact on our lives than that of our own nation's happens tomorrow.
Finally.
I wouldn't say I'm worn out, but it's been getting hard to remember what I did with some of my spare time when I wasn't obsessively bouncing between the BBC, Crooks & Liars, The Daily Show, Real Time with Bill Maher, fivethirtyeight.com and - when feeling particularly obsessive - any damn news source I can get my hands on.
I read three articles in the Toronto Sun today. The Sun for Christ's sake.
The way I see it is this, yes I can end up being pretty OCD with my interests but this is something else. Bush Jr came into power not long before I left home and his reign kicked into overdrive as I'd barely begun my University degree. So he has basically been the U.S. President of my adult life thus far. Say what you will about the coming end of American dominance, this has been and will continue to be one of the most influential individuals in the entire human race. And though he's a far cry in deeds, I can't say much more about our own slide from Chretien to the breif bit of Mr. Mediocre to Prime Minister "Fuck the arts, fuck the environment, fuck you" Harper.
It's been an adult-hood where I've witnessed the bar just sink lower and lower and lower. Where I've repeatedly felt like the satirical warnings of yesterday have become the terrifying realities of today. I'm not some naive twat that thinks Obama is going to fly around the world dropping "Solve all your problem" vouchers.
But good gravy, I think that he'll be a breath of fresh air after the last eight years. I even think there is a good chance he'll put as positive a tone to the next eight as W. has put a negative one to the last eight.
Turn off your cynicism for a moment and just try to imagine such a thing. It's rather pleasant and uplifting, isn't it?
I'm going to go to an election party at the Bloor Cinema tomorrow night and expect to get as wound up as I've often seen others get while watching the final game of the World Series or the like. The stakes are certainly high enough!
----
In other newz, lord but I kind of want this but must pinch pennies for a camera or two and also other important things that are not an internet reference in shirt form.
Finally.
I wouldn't say I'm worn out, but it's been getting hard to remember what I did with some of my spare time when I wasn't obsessively bouncing between the BBC, Crooks & Liars, The Daily Show, Real Time with Bill Maher, fivethirtyeight.com and - when feeling particularly obsessive - any damn news source I can get my hands on.
I read three articles in the Toronto Sun today. The Sun for Christ's sake.
The way I see it is this, yes I can end up being pretty OCD with my interests but this is something else. Bush Jr came into power not long before I left home and his reign kicked into overdrive as I'd barely begun my University degree. So he has basically been the U.S. President of my adult life thus far. Say what you will about the coming end of American dominance, this has been and will continue to be one of the most influential individuals in the entire human race. And though he's a far cry in deeds, I can't say much more about our own slide from Chretien to the breif bit of Mr. Mediocre to Prime Minister "Fuck the arts, fuck the environment, fuck you" Harper.
It's been an adult-hood where I've witnessed the bar just sink lower and lower and lower. Where I've repeatedly felt like the satirical warnings of yesterday have become the terrifying realities of today. I'm not some naive twat that thinks Obama is going to fly around the world dropping "Solve all your problem" vouchers.
But good gravy, I think that he'll be a breath of fresh air after the last eight years. I even think there is a good chance he'll put as positive a tone to the next eight as W. has put a negative one to the last eight.Turn off your cynicism for a moment and just try to imagine such a thing. It's rather pleasant and uplifting, isn't it?
I'm going to go to an election party at the Bloor Cinema tomorrow night and expect to get as wound up as I've often seen others get while watching the final game of the World Series or the like. The stakes are certainly high enough!
----In other newz, lord but I kind of want this but must pinch pennies for a camera or two and also other important things that are not an internet reference in shirt form.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Hallowed Weiners
Hooo boy Halloween was good this year. My buddy Victor saved me from coming to our party as "Jerk Without A Costume" by whipping up this little number.
Alas, the nearest dollar store was all out of toy guns I could have done up to help complete the look, but I ain't complaining.
The past week has been something of a blur thanks to the latest in my favorite video game franchise of all time. Once more I am reminded of a friend's suggestion that I look into writing for video games, given the overall trend to graft a cinematic storyline onto even the dumbest, most straightforward 'tard-with-gun simulators being produced. It's an interesting thought but:- I know very little about how to get to the point where I'd help write a game.
- It would involve collaborating with an entire team of writers, not something I'm sure I'm keen on.
In Handful news, I succeeded in finding an editor only to have a different rug pulled out from under me. My cameraman is, quite fairly, taking six weeks paid work on a production which will render him incommunicado for that period (for those who don't know how these things tend to go, my pal is due for days that will average ten to twelve hours and which will frequently go for longer. Understandably he will want to use his small amounts of free time to rest!).So I am leaning even more towards accepting some debt and investing in a pair of cameras along with a pair of clip-on microphones. I desperately need to get more control over the means of production if I'm going to get the show coming out on a regular basis when I get into season two, instead of fits and starts.
But I am feeling encouraged today, thanks to a very kind gesture by a British fan who gets piles of traffic. A couple of days ago he set my "Not So Great Lakes" to be the featured video on his youtube channel page, which has resulted in it's views going to 1,826 as of five minutes ago. This in turn has led to some more subscribers and some kind, thoughtful comments - which are basically as rare an occurrence as air turning to gold.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Seeing London, Seeing Toronto
Look up.
So I followed through on my desire to take more pictures, but I guess I mostly got the desire to literally try a different way of looking at the city.
Not to be mean to Toronto, but in London I could just spin in a circle, tap the button and get an interesting picture - if I put myself in the right neighborhood. I find that isn't the case here.
But I don't want to give up on finding a little wonder where I live, just because it's more familiar.
I haven't spent as much time here as I did in London, but we're getting there. In a little over two weeks time it will have been a year since I returned from London.
To myself I have fairly frequently thought "A year ago I was doing X in London, today I'm doing Y in Toronto". No one comparison is enough to answer "Did I make the right call coming back? Did I make the right call to go in the first place?". So I keep checking and I guess I won't stop until November 14th, a year from the day I dragged my life down the Northern Line and into Gatwick airport.
Trying to answer those kinds of questions is fairly asinine in my opinion, but necessary all the same. Between having received something of a steady kicking for the past couple of months and seeing several projects and working relationships change shape recently...I'm feeling that urge to try and draw out on a piece of paper the perfect diagram of what I'd like to make happen in the months to come.
So take a picture why don't you.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
I'd prefer the "Well Read Room"
These last two are from The Red Room, part of a pseudo-franchise which includes The Green Room, Nirvana and the Java Hut. They're all pretty good places if you want to get a tasty meal for less than $10, listen to good music and enjoy a casual ambiance.
This made me piss myself laughing and has been added to my "Got to Paint" list...it is a funny little portrait of James Barry.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Oh look he's taking pictures again
So yeah we've had a pretty okay weekend in Toronto, weatherwise, and after finally getting a new charger for my camera's battery I'm taking pictures again.
And it's something I really want to take up again. Taking pictures for el bloggo here was certainly an important part of what would motivate me to get out and explore London - to make the most of it.
It's often tempting to feel that, even though this is my first time living here and I certainly have not seen all Toronto has to offer, there isn't much reason to do this here. "It's Canada, whatever...I've seen Tim Hortons before. I've seen the architecture and heard these people before. La dee dah".
But that's a pretty shit way to look at where you live and - frankly - a great way to get depressed! So here's to trying to make more of an effort to enjoy the city at it's fullest and to report back here with some decent pictures - I want to do more on-site stuff, when possible, for Handful and I reckon that ought to feed back into this as well.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Hoo boy! THEFT
Remember that lovely racist comment I got on the General Butt Naked episode? Well it turns out that arse features ripped my video, added some in-video notes and posted it as his own - where it has more views! AUGH
I flagged it as "infringing my copywrights" but I'm not sure what else I can do (other than start a useless flame war, I guess?). It's not the end of the world but it certainly gets up my ass a fair bit!
I flagged it as "infringing my copywrights" but I'm not sure what else I can do (other than start a useless flame war, I guess?). It's not the end of the world but it certainly gets up my ass a fair bit!
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
VEEEEEEEEEEEE BLOGGGGGghghghghghghg
So yesterday I gave the Movie-Pix HD mini-cam a whirl to see if it might be of use for the next season of Handful. Amongst other muckings around, we have this spontaneous...interview?
It's not a bad little fellow, filming in a perfectly acceptable resolution...but it loses quality when there is any serious motion. My pal and sometimes cameraman/collaborator Mark theorized that this may be because it almost certainly only records one frame out of thirty - which would make sense since it's files are ungodly small for filming in high definition at a 1280 x 720 frame rate.
All this might have been okay, except the tiny mike inside it is kind of shitty? On top of that, for reasons known neither to man nor beast, the audio doesn't even show up at all in my editing software. The device comes with it's own proprietary video software but that sort of thing always makes me hell of wary. I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO TAKE A PEEK THOUGH.
On the plus side it can take an external memory card. 8 GB's get's me just over four hours at top resolution and the card only cost $20, which brought the total cost up to about the same as a Flip Mino (which I was first looking at).
In the end, unless I discover some rather cleverly hidden features which aren't even listed in the manual, I think I'll be taking this guy back. It's annoying though, since this is very close to what I want to try using for the show! FUGGIN' UNSATISFACTORY CONSUMER ELECTRONICS MAKE FIRST WORLD HULK MAADDDDDDD
It's not a bad little fellow, filming in a perfectly acceptable resolution...but it loses quality when there is any serious motion. My pal and sometimes cameraman/collaborator Mark theorized that this may be because it almost certainly only records one frame out of thirty - which would make sense since it's files are ungodly small for filming in high definition at a 1280 x 720 frame rate.
All this might have been okay, except the tiny mike inside it is kind of shitty? On top of that, for reasons known neither to man nor beast, the audio doesn't even show up at all in my editing software. The device comes with it's own proprietary video software but that sort of thing always makes me hell of wary. I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO TAKE A PEEK THOUGH.
On the plus side it can take an external memory card. 8 GB's get's me just over four hours at top resolution and the card only cost $20, which brought the total cost up to about the same as a Flip Mino (which I was first looking at).
In the end, unless I discover some rather cleverly hidden features which aren't even listed in the manual, I think I'll be taking this guy back. It's annoying though, since this is very close to what I want to try using for the show! FUGGIN' UNSATISFACTORY CONSUMER ELECTRONICS MAKE FIRST WORLD HULK MAADDDDDDD
Friday, September 26, 2008
Radiohead strikes again
Man, I didn't know you could make a shirt out of recycled water bottles and cotton!
It's bloody expensive, though I don't know how much of that has to do with the way the shirt was made and the fact that it is band merchandise, which is traditionally about 200% above usual prices.
Life has been rather mad for the past two weeks but the dust is finally starting to settle and so I hope to get something substantial up here in the next while. Perhaps a dissertation on THE HORRIBLE URGE TO QUALIFY NOT HAVING WRITTEN A LONG POST ON YOUR BLOG?
Perhaps!
It's bloody expensive, though I don't know how much of that has to do with the way the shirt was made and the fact that it is band merchandise, which is traditionally about 200% above usual prices.
Life has been rather mad for the past two weeks but the dust is finally starting to settle and so I hope to get something substantial up here in the next while. Perhaps a dissertation on THE HORRIBLE URGE TO QUALIFY NOT HAVING WRITTEN A LONG POST ON YOUR BLOG?
Perhaps!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Screw Harper Screw Harper Screw Harper Screw Flanders
I'm usually not one for "Voting strategically", but when it comes to Harper I think it could very well be warranted. Anyone But Harper offers this interesting widget which helps you work out the candidate to vote for in your riding who has the best chance of cockblocking the conservative candidate.
There's a more detailed description here and I must say that this little group keeps good company.
There's a more detailed description here and I must say that this little group keeps good company.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
I'm also half convinced "her" child with down syndrome is really her daughters, but hey there's enough other stuff to work with.
Sarah Palin's Churches and The Third Wave from Bruce Wilson on Vimeo.
I'm not a big fan of political censorship, Internet censorship or this stupid cow who somehow set the bar for American politicians even lower - so I'm helping to spread this video.
True story.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
1234
Shucks howdy, I sure had me some fun joining my friends Victor, Paul and Ryan in The Board Meeting yesterday. I'll share some of the pictures when I can steal'em off Victor (man I can't wait to finally get a new battery charger for my own little beast in a couple of weeks).
So yes, I didn't really finish my thoughts in the last post.
The sabbatical was a success in many ways. I distinctly remember setting myself two goals.
1) Get paid for writing.
2) Make something, anything.
I achieved both and so I guess I'm pretty satisfied! I wish I'd been able to find someone else to do the editing on Handful. As much as I enjoyed challenging myself in quite possibly my weakest area, at the end of the day I'm not trying to become an editor/tech support guy...I'm trying to become a successful writer/director! So it is without any great dismay that I've begun looking for someone to take that over and, blessedly, I got a lead yesterday that might pay off.
I can also fairly say I made pretty good use of the summer weather, there was no languishing in a beige bin while gay children busied themselves under a shining sun. I wrote a fair deal while sitting under a tree in either Kensington or Trinity-Bellwood parks and so that was another little personal goal that was met.
But man I could have done without winding up in such dire money trubbles. I guess I could have escaped them if I'd been willing to go back to temporary office work to sustain myself, but I felt that after almost two years of the shit...well it's called temporary for a reason. Even though I've ended up back in retail to rebuild my coffers, it's at least at somewhere I can feel like an adult and maybe even a little classy at times. Plus I saw a rich woman punch her husband in the gut, then face...so I guess some of my friends predictions that this would provide good writing fodder were pretty apt. My coworkers are pretty A+ too, which is always key.
But I think that the next step is to focus more on writing, get the second season of Handful made and ready to upload before the first episode is put up and to start applying for writing grants like crazy. Money from the gubbermint to live on while I scriptwrite? YES PLEASE.
Grants are a side of the industry I haven't thought about since just after I got my degree and I might have gone longer still if my pal Mark hadn't started applying for some himself. Most government grants aren't open to folk who're less than a year out of school, so that mixed with my feelings that I didn't have enough "chops" to have a chance of getting anything and led to my ignoring grants for long enough to plum forget about'em.
But it's been a couple of years and now I've got film and show ideas bursting from a fat binder and several notebooks. I've got a little bit to show, between my trailer and Handful (and that short film I've gotten paid to write, once it's made). I'd also like to think my writing has improved!
You know what, I will.
I will think that.
I've slapped together a three to four month plan and as long as I don't eventually get up to a five-year plan I think life won't feel too fleeting.
So yes, I didn't really finish my thoughts in the last post.
The sabbatical was a success in many ways. I distinctly remember setting myself two goals.
1) Get paid for writing.
2) Make something, anything.
I achieved both and so I guess I'm pretty satisfied! I wish I'd been able to find someone else to do the editing on Handful. As much as I enjoyed challenging myself in quite possibly my weakest area, at the end of the day I'm not trying to become an editor/tech support guy...I'm trying to become a successful writer/director! So it is without any great dismay that I've begun looking for someone to take that over and, blessedly, I got a lead yesterday that might pay off.
I can also fairly say I made pretty good use of the summer weather, there was no languishing in a beige bin while gay children busied themselves under a shining sun. I wrote a fair deal while sitting under a tree in either Kensington or Trinity-Bellwood parks and so that was another little personal goal that was met.
But man I could have done without winding up in such dire money trubbles. I guess I could have escaped them if I'd been willing to go back to temporary office work to sustain myself, but I felt that after almost two years of the shit...well it's called temporary for a reason. Even though I've ended up back in retail to rebuild my coffers, it's at least at somewhere I can feel like an adult and maybe even a little classy at times. Plus I saw a rich woman punch her husband in the gut, then face...so I guess some of my friends predictions that this would provide good writing fodder were pretty apt. My coworkers are pretty A+ too, which is always key.
But I think that the next step is to focus more on writing, get the second season of Handful made and ready to upload before the first episode is put up and to start applying for writing grants like crazy. Money from the gubbermint to live on while I scriptwrite? YES PLEASE.
Grants are a side of the industry I haven't thought about since just after I got my degree and I might have gone longer still if my pal Mark hadn't started applying for some himself. Most government grants aren't open to folk who're less than a year out of school, so that mixed with my feelings that I didn't have enough "chops" to have a chance of getting anything and led to my ignoring grants for long enough to plum forget about'em.
But it's been a couple of years and now I've got film and show ideas bursting from a fat binder and several notebooks. I've got a little bit to show, between my trailer and Handful (and that short film I've gotten paid to write, once it's made). I'd also like to think my writing has improved!
You know what, I will.
I will think that.
I've slapped together a three to four month plan and as long as I don't eventually get up to a five-year plan I think life won't feel too fleeting.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Wimmin and Werk
We men sure like to draw them! It's part of how we try to own them, own them with OUR MAGIC OWNERSHIP EYES. Neither of these are done, but both were started this weekend and I'm finally returning to the reg'lar workforce this Thursday so I don't know when I'll be finishing them.
Which I guess means my unintentionally extended writing sabbatical is over, having run about three months and three weeks. I am pretty okay with what happened, though I wish I'd done more but isn't that always the way.
Which I guess means my unintentionally extended writing sabbatical is over, having run about three months and three weeks. I am pretty okay with what happened, though I wish I'd done more but isn't that always the way.
Monday, September 08, 2008
RADIOFACE
As if in answer to my post yesterday - and I assume it is because I am AN ONLY CHILD AND THE WORLD REVOLVES ARRRRROUND MEEEE - there is this interesting episode of a new British webshow called Radioface.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
To be quite honest...
....this phenomena is a big part of why I decided to leave England. I was lucky enough not to be victimized directly, but it had a profound effect on my psychological state at times and it was easy to tell when you were talking with someone who was wound up about it in one way or another - regardless of the topic actually being discussed. Folk often asked me about the cameras and what effect they had on my mindset, but really it was the effect they (and all that comes with them) had on people I interacted with.
This is also probably why I'm overly quick to get fed up with the highly reported Toronto crime "scene". Putting out thirteen trillion images and twenty kajillion words worth of media for every dick who stabs another dick doesn't do anything to make me safer, you dicks!
This is also probably why I'm overly quick to get fed up with the highly reported Toronto crime "scene". Putting out thirteen trillion images and twenty kajillion words worth of media for every dick who stabs another dick doesn't do anything to make me safer, you dicks!
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