Biscuit Blog

Ok, so to say I’ve been neglecting this page would be putting it mildly…

Things have been a little nutty, and I just haven’t been that interested in keeping the site as up-to-date. It really is that simple…I had better things to do. I’m not trying to be a web-personality of a social networking mogul. I maintain this site for me. If others find their way here and are interested in what I say or post or whatever, that’s cool…but that’s a bi-product at best. Considering my average monthly traffic is somewhere in the high single digits, and most of that is a result of some ‘tween google-ing Harry Potter, I hold no illusions that my site is popular or that it’s going to be a vehicle for my meteoric rise to socialite extraordinaire. It’s a blog that I happen to post work and miscellaneous stuff to, so I have access to it and so others can access it too.

That being said. I do have some Ideas on how to utilize my little corner of the internet better. I don’t want to get into it now but, if you are actually reading this because you’re genuinely interested in my misadventures and not just because I mentioned Harry Potter (i get hits everything I write “Harry Potter”…google analytics just logged a few more…), then stay tuned because there will be some new stuff posted soon. I can’t promise WHEN it’ll happen…just that it WILL happen.

Don’t touch that dial…
-b

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: “B, we all feel this way.” You’re right, John Q Public, we DO all feel this way. I’m not a beautiful and unique snowflake, and I’m no different than anyone else that feels that there’s never enough time to do what we NEED to do and still be able to do what we WANT to do. Sacrifices are made, compromises are reached and peace is kept throughout the land…and the people are…happy? Generally? Yeah, I’d say that I’m happy. Work is good and my personal life is actually existent (SHOCKER!). Why, then does the header make it sound like I want more? Well, because I do. I don’t want to sacrifice, I don’t want to compromise…I want it all, and I don’t feel that that’s too much to ask for. I also don’t feel that this is exclusive to me. I don’t feel that I should be the only one that wants it all. EVERYONE should want it all, EVERYONE deserves it all. WE should be enamored with our professional work, WE should be engrossed in the goings on of our personal lives…and, I am…at least, I am as much as I can be. However, just like all the other snowflakes in this blizzard we call life, there just isn’t enough time to appreciate and dedicate our full attention to what we’re doing at the moment because there’s always that gnawing feeling in the back of your mind that you’ve had to cut something else short to experience THIS moment or you’ll have to cut this moment off prematurely because of THAT thing you have to do later. It’s exhausting.

Obviously, there are those of us that have our “shit” together and seem to have enough time to do everything. I’ve been looking at ways of making my life more organized, trying to cut down on some of the clutter in the hopes that getting my “shit” together will make me more efficient and allow me to reclaim some of the time I lose/waste from day to day…everyday. Trying out new things like Evernote have helped to some extent. Now I don’t have to go rooting through notepads to find a note I’ve written or scramble to find a notebook so that I can write a note to myself. In that respect, it’s been a tremendous help. In other respects, though, it’s not really helping much at all. In changing the way I try to keep myself organized I’ve found that I’m actually a little more disorganized than I used to be. I’m usually very good about keeping track of things, I just have a mind for it and I’ve been told I have a freakishly good memory. That’s all well and good, and it’s served me well thus far. I’m not naive enough to believe that that trend will continue. I keep telling myself that it’s like other things and that it’ll get worse before it gets better. While the though of it, eventually, getting better…knowing that it’s going to get worse…NOT a comfort, not at all.

I think maybe I’m getting off topic a little…and that’s ok because this is MY blog (so there). I guess what I’m getting at is that we’re all looking for balance, and we’re all looking for our own way to achieve it. Some of us find it sooner than others, and others of us may spend our entire lives looking for it. It’s a very personal quest, and one that you have to take on your own. Please don’t take me literally, NO this is not some hero’s quest that must be taken alone and in the complete absence of companionship. Finding balance on your own and being around those that make you happy are not mutually exclusive.

Time to cut THIS moment off because I have THAT thing I want to do later and I still have some work to do before then ;)
-b

Gonna keep this one brief. Figure I don’t have to write that much since there are visual aids that accompany this post.  It’s been awhile since I updated the site with something really worth checking out. This is one of those updates that I’m pretty excited about and wanted to make sure that those of you that are paying attention to the goings on in my life have a chance to check out.

So, the film I’m working on released a teaser trailer on Halloween. If you like what you see (and you will), by all means feel free to share it on the social networking venue of your choosing. We’re really trying to spread the word and make sure that this film, shot entirely in Michigan, gets the attention it deserves.

I’m going to stop talking now…roll ‘em!

**the symbol at the beginning and the titles at the end of the teaser were done by With A Twist Studio.

Wow, I’m not quite sure where to begin. Obviously, It’s been quite some time since my last post and, surprisingly enough, quite a bit has happened. Most of it good, some of it not so much unfortunately. I guess I should start with the not-so-good-news huh? Last week I got a call from my Dad letting me know that my Grandma had passed. Her health of late hadn’t been stellar and, with the passing of my Grandpa earlier this year, we kinda figured that she wouldn’t be with us much longer. I guess when you’re with someone for as long as my grandparents were together, it’s not surprising that they don’t stick around much longer after one of them passes. So, as awful as it is to loose my Grandma I guess, in some way, I had kind of made my piece with it well before it actually happened. It wasn’t a “shock” and she went peacefully. In some way, I don’t think I could have asked for it happen any other way. All things being equal, it happened the best way it could have…and I’m happy about that. My sister and I flew down to Atlanta for the viewing and the service. As I’m writing this, she’s arriving in Florida where (tomorrow) she’ll be laid to rest with my Grandpa.

On a happier note, things in my personal and professional life are going well…which is always awesome!

At the studio, I’m getting back to the business of MAKING vfx rather than telling others how to make vfx. I love that aspect of my job. I love creating…I love making things, building things. The part of my job I don’t care for, and the type of work that I’ve been required to do more and more of as of late, is the administration stuff. I hate making spreadsheets. I don’t think I can stress that enough…I HATE MAKING SPREADSHEETS!!! With the white-hot intensity of a thousand sounds (that’s pretty intense)…that’s about how much I hate it. We got a couple other shows in the studio, which has taken some of the artists off of the show I’m running…which is fine, that many less people to supervise means that many less people I have to make/update spreadsheets for. The less of that I have to do, the more time I have to actually create. I’ve been working on the vfx for a title sequence, and it’s been some of the most fun I’ve had at work in I couldn’t tell you how long. I love doing VFX work, burning stuff, blowing stuff up, creating systems, writing scripts, figuring out how to make the shot work…LOVE IT. It’s been a real breath of fresh air to get up off the bench and play a little…reminded me of why I got into this business in the first place, and why I stick with it even when it beats me up: “it said it loved me, and that it was for my own good.” (too much?)

Personal life is good too and, at present, that’s all I have to say about that ;)

How long is a piece of string?
-b

ok, so, in updating wordpress and my theme I (apparently) jacked up a whole bunch of stuff…awesome. fixing everything will probably have to wait til this weekend. one of these days i’ll learn to back things up before i update…one day…obviously, not today.

sorry for any inconvenience…the 3 of you that are actually paying attention ;)
-b