Return to school, Dredd 2.0, random stuff...

So- Returning back to school from the ground up was great.... Things could have swung either way, where it could have squashed any interest whatsoever in creating ANYTHING for the rest of my life.... or be an interesting re-ignition of a love affair with creating, after a marriage that went really really sour for awhile. The odd thing is: First time I started taking film classes, I felt indestructible and it was ok to make all the mistakes in the world- and everyone was enthused because it was all fresh and new to everyone else, too.... with no idea how far things would go, or where it would go.

I was pretty voracious with creating short films for awhile (no, a large percentage isn't up on youtoob)--- and I was enthused with jumping onto other people's shoots, helping out as well--- but I have to admit the disappointing reception to Vangelis and the immediacy and criticalness of the internet strangled the fearlessness that you SHOULD have in creating. Thus, the endless procrastination with many of the projects that got uploaded later on: Black Canary and Faith, are the most immediate things that come to mind. Announcing it on a blog and then not meeting deadlines just makes it so much worse. Ug.

Anyhow.... It's weird and pleasant going back to night school. Before, I used to fret and care what the world thought about what I put up- to a point of paralysis.... now, so much time and pain has passed, (plus huger-scale real life issues that come with age), I don't care anymore... in a good way. So, that's where my head is at. In the meantime- Yep, yep, yep...... I didn't forget Faith. The school is only a short few months. I want to finish Faith the comic- and -am figuring out the style choices for Black Canary- the whatever-format-I end up doing (not ruling out film, but more likely animation or comic). And.... If you're wondering about why I've got "Dredd" images on this post, it's because I finally caught the new "Dredd" movie that got some buzz on the net. At first I thought it respectable but WAYYY underwritten (especially with great actors in the roles)--- I think with "True Blood" and "Game of Thrones" on HBO, it's upped the ante for doing a good balance of character and action. Those shows don't have great budgets (although they look pretty nice), but they make up for it by having great character development. Still- in any case, the old "Dredd" movie with Stallone was goofy, noisy, and felt a little too Stallone-ized. (And not in a good way) The new "Dredd" movie made me excited about the possibilities and wonder more about the source material more, enough so, that I ordered the Brian Bolland collection of it. Anyhow- the year is off to a bit of a clunky/slow start. But hopefully this year is a game changer creatively. The community that's already come from a beginning film class has given me a much-needed jolt of enthusiasm, which perhaps was squashed by more fear of what the world thought these last few years. I don't know who said that you need self-delusion to really create, but if that's not true, then definitely I think you need to feel a life force to create that's so big, you don't give a shite who thinks you're an idiot to ignore everything and everyone around you and just do it. Wonder if that's how Steve Jobs and Ed Wood did what they did?

Peter David Stroke???

Now and then when I actually peruse the web (not very often in the last few months, mainly use the internet to check any emails from my work)--- I usually pop on over to friends' work/blogs/videos when I can. In surfing a little bit, got a huge shock when I went to NealAdams.com blog, talking about 'helping out Peter David'---I was curious. What did that mean? Then I went to PeterDavid.net (a site I've put in my links and often visit) and found a few posts detailing Peter David's stroke while on vacation on his family for this new year... and almost fell out of my seat. The posts resonate on a lot of levels. Hopefully he makes a full recovery, but from what the posts are saying, it doesn't sound likely. Been mulling over what now seems like minor irritations today... hearing about a health issue of this magnitude about someone that you admire and imagine is a bit of an icon and isn't all that old is a great way to wake one up and get perspective again. Worst possible way (to say the least) for them to start a new year. Wish his family the best and for his health to return as much as possible.

The Hobbit and taking a chance....

Well--- Started the first week of the new year ignoring my health resolutions, but at least catching "The Hobbit" on the magnificent supersize screen (non-3d, but far far better than Liemax) in town & actually committing to being on a waitlist for a (drumroll) return to school. First off: My own impressions on "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Prequel".... Short review is: Good film, was thrilled to read that Peter Jackson was directing again, as I had big love for his "Lord of the Rings" movie adaptations. It was also fun trying to play 'hmm...where is the Guellerman De Toro influences' bits to myself. (Ironically, had a great 'trailer pre-show' with the same Del Toro's "Pacific Rim", Nolan/Sndyder's "Man of Dark Steel" and Gigi Abrams' "Star Trek into Darkness"). Was great to see Sir Ian McKellan & Andy Sirkus come back (as Gandalf and the Gollum, who really steals the show once again- really, there shoulda been a spinoff: "the Gollum monologues", if you're reading this, Peter J.) In fact the best bits involved seeing cast members pop up and return from the Lord of the Rings movies--- and- while the 'new' cast is fine.... the lesser bits involved a lot of exposition and setup involving them. While I enjoyed the extended editions a lot, I have to admit that on first viewing, "The Hobbit" really could have lost about 20-30 minutes towards the beginning and I would have been fine with that. But, still, at least it's nowhere near the horribly disappointing movie experience that was "The Dark Knight Rises (badly)". On another note- After much lagging and stagnation with my projects, decided to 'dive in' and actually commit to going back to school to take a filmmaking class again on the side. I have to admit--- There's something both encouraging and paralyzing about putting stuff up on the internet. I used to have a lot more output when I was making student films, and far less so after "Vangelis" and--- well, yeah, even more of a mess (my fault) with "Black Canary" not even reaching the finish line. So- Yeah. Will see if I get into the class and see if it helps... or hurts. Eh. Like I like to say: "What doesn't kill you.... doesn't kill you." :)