2010 - a new year - week 1

I tend to get a jump start on "Resolutions" . I'm a big fan of change and I like to shake things up . . . maybe a little more than is necessary. The new year has just begun but I am happy to say that I started implementing most of my resolutions in November and December.

I also aspire to update my blog more frequently.

Some personal goals are already underway. You know, the usual, stay in shape and get regular physical activity to become a part of my life.
Although I tend to stay physically active (hiking a couple times a week) and run, I decided to give yoga a shot. I joined the yoga studio down the street and have been going to pilates classes a couple times a week - going on week 5. The yoga classes are a little "lite" for me but I am getting into the challenges of pilates.

Business goals weigh in with equal and often more importance. I want to utilize more of my creativity to contribute to new and exciting projects and of course, get projects to score with larger budgets. I have an indie film to score in February, but my ambitions are to be working with more directors and producers who I click with. To find people with projects that welcome experimenting with music arrangements and textures against the picture.

Getting to work with Lance Hayes on Forza Motorspot 3 was a great experience. Ideally at this time next year I want to be leading a games music team. I have a passion for creating unique orchestrations and aspire to add depth to a game's world through musical texture.

Many people I talk to about continuing my career forward say to give it time, that eventually people will hear what you do and want to work with you. Maybe I am asking to much for only scoring professionally for just 4 years.

A good friend said advised I share your music in videos on the internet. "People will spend more time watching and have a richer experience then if you just have music samples." she said.

This bit of advice really resonated in me. I don't even have a scoring reel.
So moving forward I decided that along with my bi-monthly newsletter to all my friends, filmmakers, game developers and directors, that I would include a promo video for each one in 2010. I was motivated enough that I completed the first video (First Snow - Holiday Greeting) for the Holidays in December.

I taught myself how to animate over a weekend and completed the video. It was fun and since it was also a holiday greeting, I was able to not take it so seriously. This allowed me to experiment and learn a little bit about animation and have some first hand insight as to the process of making a film.

As soon as I completed that I realized that there are so many great opportunities for me to make short films and videos to go along with my music. And then after speaking to my brothers (Tbob - the screenwriter and Bernard - the aspiring film maker) I knew that we already had a little short animated project that we could all work on together. Dispite the fact that none of us are illlustrators or animators we had come up with a fun concept last year and will be documenting our attempt to animate a short film.

It's taken many years to realize that most people don't have a relationship like I do with my brothers. I feel really lucky that I have two creative, talented and positive friends to share ideas with. Both Tbob and Bernard were instrumental in the birth of The Radioactive Werewolf album as well as supporting and advising me on several of my other personal projects. I have always thought "They are my brothers and this is how siblings do things" but I guess most people don't have the same kind of experience - brainstorming, supporting, facilitating each others creative endeavors.
I am lucky to have them as well as so many talented creative friends.