Hitchcock Interview and machinima

In a world of fast talking, fast moving, fast cutting film, I find it refreshing to go back and watch older films. I have a great respect for the filmmakers of the past. I find they are more artful, more thoughtful, more personal. Perhaps this is my own age talking.

I have always been disenchanted with mass market art in any form, film, writing, music, etc. It just leaves me flat. There is no resonance to it, no depth.

The same thing applies to machinima. I have noticed lately that machinima is becoming more main-stream. As it does so, I find myself incrementally and proportionally dissatisfied with it as an art form.

I know there are lots of people who are over-joyed that the machinima communities are growing and there is more and more coverage in the media about it. But I liked it better when it was just us. I liked it better when it was underground, a secret society of animators working in their basements late at night.

Until next time ...

Into the Darkness

It was 1973. I was 17 about to turn 18. I bought the Procol Harum album "Grand Hotel" and for the first time I tasted my own darkness. Not everyone has the darkness inside of them - I think more artists and creative types have it than the general population. Steven Spielberg does NOT have it. Walt Disney did NOT have it. Johnny Depp and Tim Burton DO have it. Edward Gorey had it. Goya had it. Michelangelo had it. Dickens had it. Beethoven had it. Edgar Allen Poe definitely had it.

The darkness isn't necessarily a negative thing. It can be a very creative space from which to work. It can be rich and velvety, deep and meaningful. Embracing one's own darkness can be a very powerful, profound and emancipating action.

But there is definitely a demarcation between the people who possess it and those who do not. Those who have it seek each other out, even though we prefer to be loners. We understand each other. The darkness is like a sea in which we swim - mysterious and unfathomable.

Those who don't have it ... well, they just don't get it.

There is a Tim Burton exhibition at the New York City MOMA. If you are near there and like me, have the darkness inside of you, I highly recommend it.



Until next time ...

Thanksgiving

It has been a long 10 days - feels more like 10 years. They were finally able to do an MRI on my best friend's Dad and it turns out he has multiple brain tumors. The next steps will be to decide what is the best course of action.

I want to thank the people who have been kind enough to send me their words of support in emails and on this blog. Your encouragement and prayers go a long way and mean a lot to me.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

Until next time ...

Rough Stretch

My best friend's Dad suffered some sort of seizure Monday night. He's in the hospital and as yet they can not determine what is wrong, but they are leaning toward a brain tumor.

Until things return to some form of normal I have put everything else in my life on hold. I go to work and the hospital. That's it.

All prayers and good thoughts are welcome and appreciated.

Until next time ...