Inspiration

Only two classes and nine more weeks and then I’ll be graduating.

If I’d really let that fact sink in, I’m sure I’d be terrified.  But right now I just want to be finished so I’m suppressing the terror and allowing the feeling of wanting to be done to wash over me.

One of my classes is animation portfolio.  It’s the class where I learn how to market myself.  I’ll be creating business cards and resumes and putting together my demo reel.  Holy poop.  This is when I realize that, in my three years at school, I didn’t do that many animations.  The few that I’ve created aren’t demo worthy.  It’s all good.  There’s not much I can do about it now except fix what I have and start creating more portfolio worthy pieces.  I just hope I’ll have the time.  I’m already a busy boy with all the…sleeping and farting that I do.

You know how musicians always say they listen to different bands for inspiration?  I tried that trick while I was working on my senior film.  Since the animation is slightly dark and very emo, I listened to a lot of Dashboard and Showbread throughout the filmmaking.  I particularly listened to Showbread’s "If You Like me Check Yes, if You Don’t I’ll Die" over and over again.  It’s one of my all time favorites and I love how it captures that feeling of teenage lust, love and loss.

After burning through most of the bands on my iPod, I went to Hulu and watched a lot of television shows.  I went through the complete series of Strangers with Candy and Arrested Development.  I also watched the first two seasons of Buffy and would have watched more if Hulu had them available.  Season two was good inspiration with the whole Angel/Buffy thing.  Arrested Development and Strangers with Candy wasn’t so much for inspiration as it was for entertainment.  Coloring is a mindless activity and doesn’t require a lot of thinking or concentration.  It’s mostly busy work for my hands so I was able to indulge in a little comedy to keep me occupied.

Wow, this was pretty pointless…with the exception of the amazing music and television I mentioned.  So, if anything, you have something cool to watch and listen to when you get bored.  Gosh, I really felt like there was going to be more to this.  But this is all I have.

I’m working on some new poetry.  I have several new ideas and a few first drafts.  The one thing I don’t have is the motivation.  I’m sure it’ll happen, though.  LIfe will break my heart and I’ll be read to write again…