Your faithful narrator has calmed some in the last week, although there are still some bumps in the road. I’m still working a lot, but not as much as I was. This looks to be a very light week, and I have made personal headway on the Derek’s movie ETERNAL. 
I’ve been working on a teaser trailer for the Derek, albeit several weeks past due. Thanks to the tutorials for After Effects from VIDEOCOPILOT.NET
, I’m reinvigorated on playing with motion graphics. I have not had an interest in doing anything new or fun with motion graphics in about 2 years, maybe more. Now I’m learning to play in 3D space, a feature that has been a part of the program for several versions, but not something I did much with. Now I’m tinkering, toying, and manipulating almost for fun, but with a distinctive deliberate look in mind. Since ETERNAL is a horror film, I’m going grungy with the titles I’m using. As is always true for me, I’ll spend 3 times as much time on sound design, music, and sound mix than I will with a picture edit on this trailer.
It’s very hard to focus though. When I spend all day editing, the last thing I want to do when I get home is edit more. My brain is fried and what little I have in the way of wits are whittled down to a brain dead weasel that solely wants to watch TV, which I generally fail to do because I feel I should be doing something more productive. I wind up pseudo working, writing something for publication, or something semi-productive. The zone I am in at this point hurts some and frustrates a lot.
Still, I manage to meander my way through doing some things creative. I feel as though my temporary reprieve from production will soon end and I will go full tilt boogie into several projects. Most of my ideas are awaiting better weather and a healthier budget than the usual $354 pieces of garbage that invade YouTube and online sites.
Let me take a moment to say I am constantly impressed with the generosity and mindset of someone like Sean McHenry in our local film scene. Here is a guy who imparts wisdom, loans equipment, helps out, and participates on every level with the filmmaking community. Often I learn something new from Sean, even though our aesthetics and likes in film are more often opposite than similar. This is someone leading by example. I’d follow someone like Sean. Even though his love is for more artsy films and prefers film over video, Sean seems to be very accepting of other points of view and just overall, a positive influence on the community as a whole. I barely know Sean, but I am impressed by his character more than anything. It’s people like that that influence me and remind me to be generous and giving to other filmmakers.
One thing I’ve got to give to the online forums and boards is that they often help me unintentionally. Someone asked a basic question about renting a theatre and my response has become my next paid article I’m writing for a new magazine. I had no intention of becoming a freelance writer, but sometimes you fall ass backwards into something good.
After my birthday party with the family, I was handed some blasts from the past. I had forgotten that I was a press whore even when I did music. If I had a clue, I would have exploited these press clippings into something. At the time, I was naïve enough to think that the snow ball would become the avalanche on its own. I didn’t even send a press release at the time, but I think I called someone on the phone. The press must have thought it was so cute that some kid wanted to have a story on them in the newspaper because they made a CD.
I don’t miss being a musician at all. My cousin has taken the mantle and run with it, and he is doing things far beyond what my skills could have ever allowed. Ian Ross plays guitar and writes songs very well. Sadly, I had achieved the simple goals I set for myself. With filmmaking, the goals are much loftier and possibly unreachable, but I shan’t give up.
The great Bob Dylan once said, “There must be some kind of way out of here.” I can only hope I’ve found my way out. I have. Suck on it, psychos.
– Peter John Ross
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