The Hadestown Project

I'm find myself a little overwhelmed. There is much to do; so much, in fact, that it's difficult to see where I should start. Should I take some drawing lessons? Maybe learn a thing or two about composition? Backgrounds? When you don't know much about visual art, it's likely that you'll find yourself feeling lost.

I started watching the tutorials of a brilliant artist called Daniel Gies, who explains the creative process of his animation studio, e.d. Films. It's faschinating stuff to me, and I whenever I watch his videos, I feel like I'm seeing some kinf of stunt performance where I turn to Stefan and I exclaim: "Oh, man, did you see that? Did you see what he did there?". Anyways, he emphasized on the importance of storyboarding before you begin your animation - something I hadn't even considered before he mentioned it. Gies recommended a book called "Directing the Story" by Francis Glebas. I just started it yesterday and it truly is very informative - you never think about how much work goes into the entire process of animation and this gives me a lot of insight into what I have to do in order to present my story effectively. I'm still in the beginning and I'm already getting all sorts of new ideas that I hadn't considered before, which is excellent.

I decided to start learning about storyboarding because 1. the book is really interesting and I just kinda wanna read it anyway, 2. because I can't draw. I really can't draw, you guys. And it goes beyond being able to make a horse look like a horse (which I regularly and hilariously fail at), I lack the skills required to make an image compelling and interesting - that's why I probably should get a book on composition and read that, too. I also believe storyboarding will help me not feel like there's an enourmous amount of work that has to be done - there will be, don't get me wrong, but a visual script of my movie will give me a sense of direction that will keep me motivated.

So this is where I start from. And since the book mentions preparation as a vital step towards creating a successful storyboard, this is what I will put my energy in in the next time.

My biggest problem with blogs is usually the fact that I forget I have them or I run out of things to say. Or I just become disinterested in the topic. My solution is simple - center this blog around my biggest dream and have it follow my path to acomplishing it.

In a lot of ways, this blog will feel a lot like a diary to me.

I cannot describe you the amount of experience I have with first pages of diaries. I am a pro at this stuff. I have a whole structure and everything. There is a certain check-off list that exists for this very speific type of literature(?) and I can honestly say that I'm very close to mastering it.

1. start off with a one-liner or witty sentence to get things going;
2. talk about how often you've had to write first pages of diaries because you are just so inconsistent and irresponsible and something as equally as self-deprecating because critisizing yourself makes you seem like you're very in touch with who you are;
3. do not forget to mention how skeptical you feel about making this blog/diary a long-term commiment. If you're 14 years old and in your "angst" phase, you can kind of make an analogy about your fear of commitment in romantic relationships and/or hint at the fact that you believe you'll never find true love in your life.
4. sort of talk about what this blog/diary is going to be about? maybe. you'll figure it out.
5. end with a one-liner or, if you're feeling extra pretentious, a quote by an author whose books you've never read.

You can also causally mention some cool song or a movie that you've been enjoying lately so that you can find this blog/diary in two years and bury your hands in your face in sheer shame and disappointment. Hey, future me, how about them Fleet Foxes, huh?

The truth is, this might not work out at all. Most likely it won't. Not because of some cliche fear of commitment or a busy schedule, but because I forget. I forget and I'm lazy. And sometimes writing feels like a chore. And because when it's 9pm I'd much rather watch an Onion video than to sit down and make up things to say.

But what I can confess is that this is important to me - it has been everytime I've written one of my first pages - and I can't promise that I'll keep going, but I'll try. I'll try.