Inquiring minds want to know when Xanga will be ready to move into the beta testing stage? I would love to sign up for that. I already have a few issues that I should post in the support section, but the main problem is finding people. Who are they? Where are they? Besides yours truly, who's savoring the ancient internet ritual of updating a blog?
Y'know, when I took on my very first concept art gig, I was very excited because, well... it was a gig. There was also the extremely satisfying feeling of accomplishment. Being the art school drop-out, I always feared that would have knee-capped me from getting any job in the art industry. Fortunately, the entertainment business doesn't work that way. It's all about your talent, what you bring to the table, and who you know. Location plays a factor into it as well, but, ultimately, you can find work outside of any art school's seal of approval... though it wouldn't hurt to have a degree attached to your portfolio.
Of course, no mater how much education you have, you'll never be prepared for getting dicked around...not the first time around, at least. The unfortunate thing about that gig was I never received a contract or nondisclosure agreement (NDA), which made me ten shades of paranoid. Hell, I didn't even receive the full movie script. That paranoia effected my work and enthusiasm. The entire project was shaky as fuck to begin with, so I couldn't help but feel like I was setting up shop on a sinking ship.
I recently had a talk with a friend on Facebook and he brought up the idea of me working on a film he's trying to pitch to a major studio. Of course, I said yes. Concerning my first gig, I was young and dumb with zero appearance. I didn't know anything and put my trust in their professionalism. It turns out, that project never left the ground and I didn't receive any compensation for the work I did. I'm not too upset because it wasn't my finest hour, concerning quality. To be honest with you, I'm ashamed of the work I put into it. That was a few years and I matured since then. I'm wiser and my skills have improved.
So, back to my friend...
He offered me a concept art gig. The cool part is that he sent me the NDA in a matter of hours. No fucking about on his end. I remember having several phone conversations with the producer of my first gig and I mentioned the NDA and contract almost every single time. I was promised that I would get it, but it just never happened. The other cool part about this current gig is that my friend and his producer are setting something up where I would get paid half up front for the work, which was something I was planning to bring up first. They beat me to the punch and that's always a good sign. My first assignment felt nightmarish due to the uncertainty of getting paid for my effort and ideas. That's just like a NFL wide-receiver having contractual issues with his team. He's not going to work hard and risk his health trying to catch passes. He could get injured and not have the money to take care of his family. The lack of certainty shows in people's work, no matter the profession.
It's always good to work with folk that are serious about the business side of things. I know what happens when all the ducks aren't in a row and it's nice seeing how things look when they are lined up to perfection. Even though my friend put me on this assignment, it's still on a trial basis. He's smart enough to know that just because he get along outside the realm of film making doesn't mean things will go smoothly when the work comes in. For all he knows, I could be a disaster. This small gig is a way for him to set up a good business relationship with me and we'll move forward from there.
I'm excited because it's a gig and it just feels damn good to start fresh.
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Current Jam:
► Jacuzzi Jazz by Audio Lotion
Harley Quinn - Contest page
Old news if you follow me on Facebook or Google +, but I did a thing for the DC Comics Talent Search. I missed the deadline due to technical difficulties, but here it is. My advice to fellow artist trying to break into major companies or just folks trying to produce their own shit: Complete everything early. Never turn in anything the day of the deadline. That's a no-no.
From here on out, I'm going to make sure to join the ol' early bird special for everything because the stress ain't worth it.
http://www.movieweb.com/movie/godzilla-2014/trailer
Looks promising.
Phase two is really taking its dear time.
A few years ago, I joined up with a start-up film company in Philadelphia. To call it a company would be most generous because they weren't all that put together just yet, but the potential was there. Other than a short film, nothing major ever came of the collaboration. The guy that set it all up either got cold feet or he wasn't satisfied with the finished product. It's a little sad, but it wasn't a complete waste. I met some cool people and they're pretty much my contacts, concerning their particular skill set. I met a costume/wardrobe specialist, a "Jane of all trades" filmmaker, and a production coordinator. Networking is the shit, children.
I figured, since the whole thing is over, there should still be a film presence in Philly. Just because the company was abandoned doesn't mean everyone can't collaborate on something else. A few months ago, I decided to contact the production coordinator via LinkedIn. For some weird reason, she was dismissive and didn't want to learn more about my ideas and scripts. I'm still a bit disappointed by that, but the best thing to do is move on.
Film is one big collaboration. No matter how indy I try to make something---no matter how DIY I want it to be, I fall short. The biggest reason for that is, well... I want it to look good. There has to be some quality to it, otherwise, I'm wasting my fuckin' time. What's the point in doing anything if you're not striving to be good? Film needs funding, producers, artist, directors, actors, and too many other things to name. That's something one guy can't do alone.
So, I've come to the realization that I need to double my efforts in networking. As much as I bitch and complain about not being in California, Philly has a lot of potential. It's still an untapped resource. Someone needs to tap that ass and it might as well be me. Heh.
I'm hoping to round up folks from the previous movie from a few years back. I think a major production company in Philadelphia is possible. The potential is here, but we need somebody at the helm that's made of sterner stuff. I never really considered myself leadership material, but, in the interest of getting shit done, I'm willing to put on that hat and wear it proudly.
At the very least, I would like to have a crew set up by this time next year. That's a good deadline when you consider the script, finding talent, locations, and fundraising. It's going to be tough, but I'm confident things will be better this time around.
I remember being in school on this day, 12 years ago. That's about it. Most of the day was a blur leading up to the reports of the World Trade Center. I can't even recall if we (the students) had a TV set to watch the reports. We were stuck inside a school during a very confusing time and I was ten shades of pissed off.
Our principal was telling all the students about his first time seeing the towers in New York and how it all seemed endless. He described how he had to look all the way up, almost bending his entire body just to see the top, which was impossible. The thing that bothered me was his grin. He was describing his experience and I wanted to do was punch him in the face because he was so out of character. The man was usually void of any emotion, you're garden variety dictator. Now, as an adult, I realized he probably was trying to keep himself calm and smiling is a nice way to reassure people that everything is OK. Still, he needed to get punched in the face. Years after graduating, I found out he was getting probed by Uncle Sam for stealing money from the school. For all I know, he's probably in prison right now, getting traded for a pack of cigarettes.
Back to 9-11, most of the students were rattled because information was scarce. Regardless of information, I do remember that we all wanted to go home and be with our families. The principal wouldn't allow it, which was probably a good move. At the time, I wanted to walk out and uppercut anyone that stood in my way (including the principal). I mean, the hermit in me wanted to shut the world out for a while. I needed my own surroundings.
For the rest of the day, things were mostly quiet and for some reason, I remember the lights being dim as fuck. I'm not even sure why. You'd figured during a scary time like that, it's important to maintain a sense of stability and the fuckin' illusion of normal. Nope... The lights were dim and with all the news and speculation, combined with a broken routine, it really felt weird---almost sickening.
Of course, my tiny experience of that day was absolutely nothing compared to the folks living in New York, especially those near ground zero. The entire country felt something that day, but I will always have a special place in my heart for the people of New York. The firefighters, the police, the rescue workers, all the citizens... They were put through the ultimate test.
I'm just testing the "Press This" button I found in the tools section. It seems to work just like "Pin It" button from Pinterest. It's basically quick and dirty blogging, which is pretty damn neat. If you're on Chrome, you just drag it to your bookmark bar at the top of the screen and it should stick.
Women with glasses... That's been my kryptonite ever since I was able to understand the concept of time. Sometimes wearing them doesn't do the trick. It's not meant for everybody, concerning rockin' my socks. When it does work, I'm completely malleable. The same can be said about short hair, but that's just me.
What's your weakness?
According to what I read, my premium payment actually does count for something. I wish the Xanga team would have mentioned that beforehand because that little nugget of information would have saved me from being disgruntled, sad, and even lethargic. I was mainly worried about where would I blog, if not here. I'm somewhat comfortable on Xanga, but I probably should make an effort to fill up my blogspot account with some content. If anything, more artwork, but that's another subject for another time.
The new format isn't that bad. It's really "Word Press" with minor adjustments. One of the things I'm going to miss will be the ol' whatcha playin' or whatcha watchin' Amazon option. That was my little finisher to the entries and I feel a bit naked without it.
Now, more than ever, we need blog groups to find each other again. The majority of friends I met on the old Xanga were through the groups and blogrings. There were the random visitors that stumbled onto my page, but that was during a time when people were eager to blog and didn't live in 140 characters or less.
The theme is pretty damn plain and I miss the hell out of my old "look & feel." My photos are still showing up in the archives, but I can't access them. Right now, in the new format, we have a media library and it's... empty. I figured the old photos would be there from the migration, but there must have been an issue or two. I'm patient, but I am considering the customer service option.
Then again, maybe it's time for a new theme. The old one was a bit geeky, but that's me. I guess you can say I'm the ambassador of geekery in the House of X. I remember a time when it was rare to run into geeks on here. Having the shindig set up the old way will let bloggers with similar interest know what's what. Nowadays, we all could use a little consistency, eh?
I want to know how to sync my Xanga account with my kenesu.com Word Press site. I have an attractive tech-goddess for this sort of thing, but I certainly don't want to come to her with any issues... not without having some compensation for her troubles. To be honest, I like handling all this stuff on my own. When it comes to Word Press, my technical kung-fu is growing... Slowly, but surely. More so, she's busy making moves that I probably couldn't even comprehend, so I'm going to refer to the tutorials and consult with this generation's equivalent of Socrates...
Sadly, he's You Tube.com.
I have to admit, this is a little awkward.
I didn't see myself being in the new Xanga, but I'm here and I'm not even sure how that's possible since I, well... Let's just say I don't have two pennies to rub together, yet here I am. Maybe the $25 subscription counts of half a year or something? Maybe someone hooked me up? I really don't know, but I'm just going to go with it.
