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Through Creative Life and Other Fancies, I seek to inspire and inform people about living as a creative person. Here you will find my successes, failure, and best of all, attempts. Enjoy!

Friday, October 28, 2011

A Good Time to Be a Non-LA TV actor?...or crew?

So I just read this article on the state of TV in LA.  More specifically, the state of jobs in TV in LA.  According to stats, California has less dramatic (read: scripted, not "reality") TV being filmed than New York and even Canada.  Yes, our northern market is booming in comparison to La La Land in terms of dramatic television series.  We have some great tax credits here for production and that's making Canadian cities alluring to TV money spenders.  And while that's bad news bears to Hollywood, it's the sound of opportunity knocking in the Great White North.  


What do I mean by that?  Well, it means our crews and actors will start (in some cases, continue) to work on more recognizable projects.  Not only will this allow our talents to shine but to also more fully develop as the work continues.  Put this development hand-in-hand with recognizable projects and you start a perfect cyclical storm of networking, talent, and good ol' name dropping (oh my God, you worked with who, on what?!) that can lead to more work and more jobs.  From my experience thus far in this industry, one big job often yields another or one big production follows another.  Three cheers for employment!


I realize this is an overly optimistic post and I'm most definitely not saying that the film and TV industry is about to be flush with jobs, so don't go quitting your stable income maker to be the next Shonda Rhimes (you did hear she just sold a bunch of shows, right?).  At least, not yet.  What I am saying is that it's exciting to see some good things happening here in the entertainment biz.  And that's always reason to celebrate.  Thanks tax credits.  I'll drink one in your honour.


Happy creating!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Ben Affleck and The Stand?

Ben Affleck is in talks (confirmed?) to write and direct "The Stand", one of Stephen King's best loved novels.  Rumour has it, it will be a trilogy.  Which given the length of the novel, is probably a good thing.  Now, I enjoyed reading the novel.  I did.  But hated the ending.  It just felt like it didn't know how to end so it just did. 


Anyway, read about the announcement here:


http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/10/ben_affleck_stephen_king_the_s.html?mid=twitter_vulture


Thoughts on casting?  


Now, if they would just get around to making a 7 film long epic retelling of the Dark Tower...


Happy creating!

Friday, October 7, 2011

Practice Makes Perfect--Ode to Professionalism

I've been talking a lot recently to different artists from all across the creative melieu.  I should clarify that I've been speaking to professional artists.  You know, the ones that seek to create and entertain beyond the level of a hobbyist.  Their passion may have started as an extra-curricular love but that need to tell stories, whether through film, photography, words, or dance, has evolved into something bigger than a part-time commitment. 


I've discovered that we all have something in common.  True professionals are constantly practicing.  They seek to continually improve, to jump to a new level of expression.  Be it through formalized classes or just doing moves in the studio, on camera, over the mic, we work.  We keep our tools sharp and at the ready by continually doing and realizing that we are forever students.  To be honest, I'm not sure if I ever want to be a master at something.  It implies that I've finished learning and I enjoy that process to damn much to end it.  Being challenged rocks and nothing pushes me past a plateau of blah and safe better than a good challenge.  To quote Timothy Findley, I kill my darlings to allow myself to discover new ways of bringing truth to characters.


So how are you evolving as a professional?  I'd love to hear!


Happy creating!