Storyboarding: Inspired by inactivity

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Last night, because I wasn't working on music or anything else worth my time, I decided I should still use my energy and work on something. So I cracked open a dusty text file with the outlines for the story of the film and read. Unable to focus long on the words, I decided to attack from a different angle and opened up a sketchbook where I have a sparse few doodles penciled in for this project. I blocked out a corner of a blank page and started to set up the opening shot of the film. Then the next block and the next and realized I could really see the story better unfolding in storyboard form.

I've only done a few cells so far but I can already feel the story making more sense. So long as I can fill in the blanks between the major moments I'm sketching, this could actually work. Of course character designs, color palates, and over all style are still nebulous. But when have I ever done a project "like everyone else?" I mean, I started with a soundtrack and I'm working backwards!

The storyboards will definitely help me see everything better and give me something to come back to when I'm not sure what to do next. Everyone else involved in this project is in the midst of other more pressing matters. One brother, Mike,  is directing and shooting a movie with one group, designing websites, and still working a day job. Another brother, John, is preparing for his first baby with his wife! (Congratulations to all three of them! ^__^) My sister Theresa is busy with a dance/performance art group and various collaborative art projects. And my other brother Jim is a full time parent and part time thinker-of-big-things who is getting ready to move his great big family to Texas. Put all our skills together on the table and this movie can definitely happen. It's just a matter of coordination between individual endeavors and life-matters and those pesky day jobs we call livelihoods.

Perhaps I'll share these early storyboards some time. Especially if they become outdated and are replaced by better work from Mike. He's the animation guy here after all! Until then, watch this beautiful 26+ minute film I found on YouTube and completely adore. It's set in a dark Steampunk world where the sky is sailed upon like the seas and monsters are waiting behind closed doors.

Also, here's a music video for a song called Eye of the Storm. The songwriter was involved in making the video as well. There's a behind the scene video as well which shows how hard they worked on this. Inspiring stuff from both videos!

Merry Steamery & Punkitude,
--dam

More Silence and Looking Busy

It has been, once again, quite a while. Again.

My most recent attempts to recreate Part 3 of the music that was lost have been, at best, failures. Mostly due to the spontaneity involved in the composition and arrangement of the piece. I attacked this music with far less discipline and much more of the whimsy and madness I so long to employ in my work. I think this kind of orchestration lends itself to a little madness, as does the steampunk genre as a whole. So, clearly, this inability to recreate a spontaneous work means it won't ever be exactly as I meant it at that moment. But hopefully, with a little time and a lot of mad luck, I can make something that is on par if not better than what I intended. THEN....

Then? This movie can actual move. The plot is there. Details need to be sorted and then finer details, still. But I think I have a great piece of art to share. And I'll be damned if I don't see it through as far as I can on my own and with the help of my sibling-cohorts.

Now, I know this is not much of an update. It's rehashing of previous thoughts. But, really, it's exactly where I'm at with this project. Frustrated, and honestly, pissed off at my own artistic abilities. That will pass and in will come some clarity, soon. In the meantime, I continue to work on my solo musical endeavors found here: www.davemagario.com.

Currently, I'm working on my first ever proper studio album, as many of you know. Most of you probably even have a few dollars of vested interest in this project. (Many thanks for that. You know I love you for it.) So please keep an eye out at my website and here for any movement in this film project. It will be a labor of love and time. Thanks for the continue interest! See you around the web and in the real world.

--dam

Sometimes, computers hate us without knowing it.

In case you didn't know. It's 2011 now. Way to go, Dave, on keeping up with the times. This beautiful idea of mine. This concept...it's still in the conceptualization stage. Because of the loss of music-files in the folder for this project, the entire 3rd movement of this piece has to be re-recorded and somehow rebuilt with only a scratch take to base it off of. SO much work and energy lost to the infinite abyss that holds all of our collective lost files. Sometimes, computers hate us without knowing it.

All that said, I haven't given up on this project. But I am still royally PISSED. The track that I lost had roughly 15 tracks (different audio layers). It was about 5 1/2 minutes long. That all took me a dozen upon dozens of hours to record, re-record, mix, edit, and so on. And it was nearly finished. Just a couple things were left... So to have it be scrapped...and need to start over? You can see why I've had to step back. I almost said 'Forget it' and tossed the whole thing. That would have been stupid and brash. I would have regretted it.

So, this year, I plan to buy a new keyboard. With that, plus a hopeful reviving of my trumpet skills, I'll be able to rebuild Part 3 and put this project back on track. My siblings have some great ideas and really keen senses for artistic direction. I'm positive we will see this thing finished. Here's to a new year, folks. I'll see you around the steampunk'd bend.