Hey Look, It's Me

For the last eight years, I've been working as a paid, professional artist. And in that time, I've never spun the camera around on myself. I've always just been behind the curtain, creating and producing art. But the time has come for me to break that cycle.

In an effort to put a face to my name, I've decided to create tutorials and the like where people can see who I am. In fact, I've already delivered one as of this week. My comfort level on camera still sucks, but I'll get loads better. Hopefully this will make my work more interesting now that people can see me.

Here's the first one. Can't wait until I can say I'm way better than this. I'll just have to put it out of my mind for now.

Bailey

Turning Point

Cinematics will always hold a special place in my heart. They captured my imagination when I was younger, and I continue to love them to this day. However, there was one particular cinematic that inspired me more than any other...

One afternoon back in 2009, while I was deep in the internet on some tangent going from one article to the next, I came across a random video link. I had no idea what it was, but I clicked on it anyway. It began with the developer's logo emblazoning on the screen. It was familiar, but I didn't really know who they were. Then screen went dark. Lights flickered on and machinery began to come to life. It seemed spooky, so I shielded my eyes for a second in case it was a trailer for some horror movie. But slowly I came to understand that it was sci-fi, and the brooding music foretold that that something interesting was going to happen. Then, when the music thundered into the second phase, it had my full attention. I was positively glued to the screen. It was wonderful! I couldn't believe what I was watching. Who made this again? Finally, when it was all over, the title of the game faded into view. StarCraft II. I proceeded to watch the trailer over and over and over again. I was smitten.

Many of you may know exactly what this feels like. It was a clear and undeniable turning point in my career. I've experienced this only a handful of times in my life. The cinematic itself wasn't the best thing that's ever been made, but it was deeply appealing to me. I wanted to know everything about it. And, ultimately, my trajectory as an artist was influenced by this trailer. I'm dead serious about that.

Here's the video I was talking about. I'm sure most of you know it well, but go ahead and watch it. Such nostalgia! (this cinematic was made by Blizzard Entertainment)

Again, I had nothing to do with this video. But I post it here to emphasize my anecdote. To me, this is one of the best cinematic teasers out there. It's got atmosphere, killer music, great art, and piques one's curiosity (as any teaser worth its salt should).

Bailey

The Client and Artist Relationship

People say that when you're a freelancer, all that matters is keeping your client happy. And while I make every effort to establish and maintain a healthy and productive working relationship with my clients, ultimately the product is what's important. The effectiveness and quality of the art is more important than simply doing what my client wants me to do.

“The effectiveness and quality of the art is more important than simply doing what my client wants me to do.”

First and foremost, my job is to make a good product. Those sixty to ninety seconds of story, art and music are all that matter. But the journey to that moment is a long and arduous process of toil, joy, frustration, anxiety, learning, epiphanies, excitement, fear, and exhaustion.

Understanding that the art is what matters gives me the confidence to perform to the best of my ability. Sometimes it's tempting to agree with a client and give them exactly what they ask for. After all, we want to please. But it takes guts to push back when it's called for, and to educate when needed. On the surface it may seem right to immediately give them what they want, but often times it's a disservice to them. Why? Because artists can deliver so much more.

Ultimately what a client really wants is for the artist to tell them what they want. As artists, it's our job to interpret what they tell us into actionable endeavors and then to expand on that. And when a client takes issue with something, they're usually not sure how to fix it. Often times they don't know how to describe the thing that's rubbing them the wrong way. It's not their fault, but they will use language and terminology that doesn't translate well to the art tasks. Or it may be misinterpreted. It's a language barrier of the professional variety. They speak the language of their profession, and we speak ours. An experienced artist knows how to bridge the gap, and determine what they actually want to convey.

“They learn to trust how I work, and I learn how to interpret their desires. ”

I work to develop strong communication channels with my clients. The more I work with specific people, the better we're able to work together. They learn to trust how I work, and I learn how to interpret their desires. This requires that I occasionally educate them on how things work. It can be tricky, but I strive to gently show them how the artistic process works to build trust and ease their fears.

On the whole, this profession of mine has caused me more than a few heartaches. Art is an emotional, vulnerable and risky endeavor. It's one hell of a journey, I'll tell ya.

Bailey

Goals

Over the course of my career, and in my personal life, I've discovered that I'm useless without a plan. My will power is decent, but it doesn't solve everything. I need goals or else I don't achieve well.

Trouble arises whenever I complete something. Last week, for instance, I completed a 3-month, long-distance running goal. Over the 12 weeks, I knew exactly what to do each day. The decisions were made for me ahead of time and were in service of a larger plan. But as soon as it was finished, I began to flounder again. I had no fitness purpose.

My career has endured many ups and downs like this. I know what I'm working towards, and then I feel a bit lost, and then it repeats. Luckily this time I had a plan figured out, but I still felt a little down after my last project. Project ends are always high energy for me, so I guess it's natural to have a decompression afterwards? I honestly don't know.

So, I'm thinking that I may need concrete goals ad infinitum. This means I need to figure out exactly what needs to happen every day, forever. I suppose my walls are doomed to be covered in an unending stream of calendars. I wonder how ambitious people manage to achieve consistently. It's a tough business, I'll tell ya.

Bailey

Twenty Percent

The last twenty percent of every project is always the most fun for me. It's when everything starts coming together. Because for the longest time (the 80%), the art is never very interesting. There are so many missing pieces, proxy portions, and tests littered throughout the video. In fact, for most of the project I'm just hoping that I'm making something good. It's hard to see the end result when everything is in progress. It requires lots of imagination.

But once the polish phase begins, that's when I get really energized. I assume there are lots of other artist out there who feel the same. And as the puzzle forms, the vision finally comes into focus. It's very rewarding, in general.

I'm currently entering the last week of such a project, and as I feel the joy of this 20% time, I have to be extra careful not to work myself too hard. Like I've said before in the 20-Mile Marching article, it's easy to get caught up in the work and not get enough sleep each night. I'll admit that it remains a struggle to resist the urge to work in favor of rest.

Bailey

The Skill Paradox

This week saw a ton of look development on the commercial project I've been working on for weeks. It's tough trying to find something that fits the company's vision, the music, the story, and ultimately my taste. I am continually reminded of how difficult this process is. Oof!

Still just a concept, but getting closer to something that I don't hate.

Oh hey, I also added a section to the site where I recommend my favorite books on business. Go here and read those books (if you haven't already).

Art Troubles

I recently saw a tweet from an artist named Dave Kellett. He made a comic strip that captured a feeling I've been having for some time now. You can check out his work here.

Art http://t.co/zdb5ZcUiy9 pic.twitter.com/Y3sI4qDftN

— Dave Kellett (@davekellett) August 21, 2015

With each new project I embark upon, I have found that it becomes more and more difficult to feel like I'm creating something worthwhile. I have happy accident moments, but I was expecting my career to remain just as difficult as time goes on. Instead, it seems to be getting more difficult as I get better. So, perhaps the comic strip above explains this?

It's as if my increasing standards inhibit my ability to get excited about most of the stuff I create. I've always been hard on myself, but I remember past projects feeling more energized, like I was riding the edge of my skill set and everything was new.

I still push myself, and I always do as many new things as possible with each project. But it feels like when I understand how to do something, I'm no longer interested in making stuff like that again. Basically I worry that if I do something that I already know how to do, I risk making something that is too same-y, and ultimately uninspired. I fear making art that is soulless, so I'm constantly attempting to create things that interest me and are genuinely "me."

It's a tough business, I'll tell ya. I'll figure this out eventually (I hope), but these are my thoughts at the moment. Let me know if you have any insights? How do other artists create things that are similar over and over again, but are still genuine?

Bailey 

The CG Argument

Over the past few years, I've heard a lot of criticism of computer generated visual effects in movies. Some people talk about how practical effects are better than modern movie magic techniques. And, overall, there seems to be a lot of nostalgia for a time when props were the thing. But this insistent love for practical effects is often misguided. Pretty much every movie has computer generated imagery in it nowadays. And when visual effects artists are doing their jobs well, no one even knows it was made digitally. On top of that, tools continue to advance, and people continue to get better at their craft. This means that at the top level it's getting harder and harder to spot what's practical and what's not.

So, for years I've been frustrated whenever someone confidently tells me how CG effects are worse than practical effects. It's such a broad and dismissive statement that, as a digital artist, I've felt the need to educate them on the facts and calmly explain that computer generated images in of themselves aren't bad. Digital tools are just tools, and it's up to the artist to deliver something good. However, my words don't always properly convey what I want to say.

But the fine folks over at RocketJump Film School have just released a new video that breaks down this argument. And they do it beautifully:

"Are computer generated visual effects really ruining movies? We believe that the reason we think all CG looks bad, is because we only see "bad" CG. Fantastic, beautiful, and wonderfully executed CG is everywhere - you just don't know it. Truly great visual effects serve story and character - and in doing so are, by their very definition, invisible."

Thanks again to Freddie and company for entertaining and educating. I've been a big fan of their work for many, many years. Check out their work if you haven't already.

Bailey

Forma Turns 1

Wow.

I can't believe it. Forma Pictures is officially 1 year old.  What was once a crazy dream is now entering a new year of existence.

When I started this thing last summer, I didn't know what the hell I was doing. All I knew was that I had to do it. It's hard to explain unless you've felt what I'm talking about. I just had to go for it.

One thing I can attest to is that I have no regrets. This past year was the happiest year of my life. I'm pretty darn grateful that I got the opportunity to live it. If I can manage to keep this crazy train going another year, I will almost feel greedy.

I've learned a lot this year too. Like, I'm surprised by how much I didn't know about running a business last year. Still, the greatest takeaway I've garnered is this: go for your dreams. I was terrified when I decided to do this, but it was worth enduring that fear. The joy outweighs whatever cons crop up from time to time.

And so I march on. :)

Bailey

The Crucible

I'm in still in a metaphorical crucible right now. I was having lunch with a friend and former colleague of mine and it dawned on me this stage in my career is what I'll later consider to be the dark times. But there's no way around it. I have to go through this to get where I wanna be.

This isn't complaining, it's just an acknowledgement of how much more I have to experience and learn. It's not like I'm a baby to this industry either. I've been working for years and years. But it really just takes that long, or it can, depending on luck.

The thing that I'm "waiting" for is when I'm at a level in both skill and presence where I don't have to struggle so hard each day to work on the kind of projects that satisfy my heart. More than anything, I just want to work on meaningful projects. And high quality ones too.

The following may sound braggadocious, but believe me, it's not. I sometimes wonder what it would be like not to care so much about the stuff I work on. Maybe I would be happier overall? While passion has its benefits, I think that the negatives should be discussed too. Here's how I break it down: Passion means that you want things to be a certain way, you want them to be what you envision. This means that you have expectations about how things should unfold, and therefore happiness is conditional. And when situations don't fit this, frustration naturally arises. In my experience so far, it has been very difficult for me not to be affected by this sequence. Passion is a double edged sword. That said, I'm grateful for it.

My new thought this week is that each hardship I endure (of varying degrees of pain) is toughening me up. I've noticed that I can better handle things that used to cause me a lot of stress years ago. Every embarrassment, failure and mistake I make create opportunities to learn. So as long as I keep at it and continue to work hard, things should get easier.

Or so I hope.

Bailey

Music Addict

Music is my muse. I can't imagine a life without it, and I can't imagine running a business where music isn't an integral part of the creative process.

Besides the really high end projects that are out there, I feel like music is underutilized in most videos. It often plays the role of a filler element.

Forma Pictures is all about creating music-driven storytelling. At the start of all of my projects, I like to spend as much time as I can with just the music. It's more than something nice to have, it's essential. It's the voice of a video, and as such it deserves lots and lots of attention.

The visuals are important too. I'm a designer working in this time-based medium, so I believe deeply in visual storytelling. But the cool thing about this medium is that it unifies visuals and sound. So, I think more people should take advantage of this wonderful union.

Think of it like this. A painting can be beautiful. One can gaze at the brush strokes of a master and appreciate the beauty of design. Next we have animation, and that's like pure magic. It's when designs are given life and a whole world of possibilities open up. Lastly, when you add music to all of this, the results can be heavenly. It elevates the art to dizzying heights. Multiple art forms, working as one. Delicious.

So, to all of you visual creators out there: don't forget about music! Composers are our greatest allies in our quests to make great works of art. Take care of them, give them cookies, and keep them close. Then go out and make things that are greater than the sum of their parts.

Bailey

Quality Crusades

Before I begin this post, let me make it clear that I am still not at the artistic level that I want to be one day. When I talk about quality, I talk about how badly I strive for it. I would never assume to say that I've creating anything truly great. This is just about the intense struggle for quality.

I often feel like a lone crusader in the fight against mediocrity. I've worked with a number of great people who are passionate about quality above all else, but most of my days are still spent alone in this seemingly unending struggle.

Everyone says they want high quality work, but when it comes time to spend the required time and monetary resources on it, you'll find a select few are able or willing to do it. Some businesses and people simply aren't in a financial position to commit to extremely high quality projects. That doesn't bother me, and I completely understand that. What bothers me is when people have unreasonable expectations about how much quality costs.

When I became a freelancer, I started frequenting job posting sites. What I found unsettling was how little the clients were offering to pay. I saw dozens of people asking for weeks of work for absurdly low dollar amounts like $400. If you do the math, that’s not even minimum wage. And quite frankly, artists should be insulted that their craft is so undervalued.

These days some (but not all) of the people I attempt to work with still have incorrect expectations. To be fair, most of them aren't looking for something great, they just want something. But why? I guess that regardless of how primitive the art is, it's still valuable for their company.

All I can say is that I will live and die by Quality. My company will either fail or succeed based on how good my art is. If I can only book projects that don't give me enough time or resources to make something worthwhile, my company will suffer. I need quality stuff for the portfolio. More often than not I use my personal works to fill this void, but I'd love to make a living making work that will promote me. So, you see, quality may not be necessary for every video project out there. But polished works are critical to Forma Pictures. Quality is the best business plan, after all.

This is why I will fight for quality. Everyday. Ad infinitum.

Bailey

P.S. If you are a client, I implore you to really consider going for quality not just for my sake, but for yours.  Just ask yourself if your customers and potential business partners will be delighted, motivated, inspired, or intrigued by average art.

The Fire

The passing of Time is probably the best and worst thing that happens to all of us. No one can escape it.

I often think about how much time I have left to live, assuming I stay healthy and injury/death-free until I'm lucky enough to die of old age. But even with a best case scenario like this, the time I have left is still too little. It's rather unsettling.

I know most people either don't or try not to think about the end of the line, but I try to use the knowledge that one day I'll die to my advantage. It may seem morbid that I think about death every day, but the truth is that knowing I'm going to die one day really motivates me to make the most of the time I have left. And I wouldn't write about it in this blog unless it had something to do with business and my career.

Take at look at this graphic. The ratios are correct. Your own personal graphic might look very similar to mine, depending on how much older or younger you are than me.

Some of you might find this interesting or maybe depressing. How does one actually utilize this knowledge?

Well, what I've done so far is learn to prioritize things in life. There are things I've never done or will ever do because they don't help me have a fulfilling life. Everyone has different needs in life, so I won't venture to say what's good and what's bad. And we each have different career ambitions. I'm sure there are people who would find what I do boring and meaningless. It's all subjective (unless it's harmful).

On a day-to-day basis, I cease doing activities that don't support my long term goals (business) or immediate needs (eating lunch). It's trial and error, but I eventually root out those things that don't help me live the life I want to live. I recommend this book for more on the subject: Eat That Frog!

If you have any thoughts on the matter, I'd love to hear about them. Comment some ways that you live with and manage time. :)

Bailey

No Original Ideas

This was an especially productive week for my original short film (Hunted), side projects, and even client work. In addition to all of that, I was thinking about my next edited short, and I had this idea that I thought was extra clever. After a few hours of work on it, I decided to see if someone else had tried something like this before, and sure enough someone already had. What's more, they had used the same music! My enthusiasm drained, and I paused the video. But then I decided to watch the rest of it, to see how good it was. Alas, the video was mediocre. Whoever had made it had taken the easy way out for most of the video, and hadn't spent the necessary time to develop a good edit.

So, I was left with a conundrum. Here was this cool idea, just exploding with potential. And while I was beaten to the punch by nearly 4 years, I felt deep in my heart that I could deliver something worth watching. If this unknown creator had made something excellent, I would have been forced to tip my hat in respect and move on to a different idea. But I can't. This idea is just teeming with potential glee, and no one has delivered on it yet.

After sleeping on it, I decided I'm going to make it anyway. This is a side project, so I won't feel too bad if it's not successful, or if people criticize me for repeating an idea.

Here's a teaser of what the "idea" has to do with (yes, I'm being somewhat secretive):

I'm planning a release in June or July, depending on my schedule. :)

Bailey