© Kirby Ferguson (via YouTube)
There is an element of explotation to all creatitvity, to appropriate is to take without permission —that’s creativity. You don’t ask others if you could do it, you just do it. Who would you ask anyway? It’s okay to take if you do it the right way.
As a foreigner very much into Asian –more particularly Japanese– culture, philosophy and design, cultural appropriation is a topic I’ve thought about quite a bit already —and even more so since I’m a father now, trying to be the best role model I can be.
Just like with his absolutely amazing series on remixing, Kirby Ferguson makes some valid points on this sensitive topic during his Farewell to Cultural Appropriation.
On a related note: Ferguson is bringing his 2020 series This Is Not a Conspiracy Theory to YouTube (for free). Episode one is available already, the other five parts will be released every two weeks. I haven’t seen it as of now, so I can’t tell you if it is any good, but given the recent track record of the filmmaker, I’m going to watch it for sure!
© The Beauty Of (via Youtube)
Some shots from one of my favourite movies, 2021’s fantastic interpretation of Frank Herberts Dune by Denis Villeneuve.
© Polyphonic (via YouTube)
It’s absolutely mind-boggling to me that ‘Inside’ by Bo Burnham was released almost a year ago. But the dwindling of time asides;
After seeing the Special multiple times since its release and listening to the songs separately even more often, I still consider it to be one of the most notable pieces of art published in years. Not only is it an accurate reflection of the pandemic reality and the feelings probably most of us had or have to face as a consequence, but beyond that, I consider it to be one of the most spot-on dissections of (current) internet culture the entertainment industry has to offer.
As I have learned through the recently released video essay Bo Burnham, Arcade Fire, and the Infinite Dread of the Internet by Polyphonic, Arcade Fire –who have returned not long ago with a new single from their upcoming album WE, (tbr. in May)– have been criticizing the development plaguing the world wide web years ago, as well. Guess it’s time to give their albums ‘Reflector’ (2013) and ‘Everything Now’ (2017) a more considerate listening (again).
© Fame Focus (via YouTube)
Recently I received the beautiful behind-the-scenes book “The Art and Soul of Dune“, so I’ve been searching for and soaking in every making-of about Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi masterpiece I managed to get my hands on lately.
Besides the already mentioned amazing Sound of Dune, I particularly found this one about the practical effects and the huge challenges caused by filming in the desert quite interesting: Dune 2021’s “Sand Screen” Method VFX Breakdown
© Patrick Tomasso (via YouTube)
As –hopefully– established already, I’m a huge fan of not only movies but especially cinema. And even though I’m not creating (very much) video content myself and I don’t think I will ever create something for the so-called big screen, I always enjoy learning about what makes a movie great and how it was archived.
Fairly recently I shared a wonderful video about the astonishing sound of Dune, this time it’s this great video essay ‘Why The Batman Is So Beautiful‘ by Patrick Tomasso about the visual grittiness of ‘The Batman’ by Director Matt Reeves and cinematographer Greig Fraser.
Related: If you are into movies and cinema yourself I recommend the documentary Netflix series VOIR. Produced by David Fincher and David Prior, it’s a wonderful ode to the big screen and the craft of filmmaking told through visual essays and personal stories of movie lovers.
© School Of Life (via YouTube)
Wabi-sabi refers to the beauty of the impermanent, the imperfect, the rustic and the melancholy. It derives not from the love of invincibility, youth and flawnessness, but from a respect for what is passing, fragile, slightly broken and modest.
I keep coming back to this essential principle of Japanese philosophy.
© SoundWorks Collection (via YouTube)
The Sound of Dune provides some insights on how the truly marvellous soundscape was designed that accompanies the absolutely astonishing visuals of the recent screen adaptation of Dune.
I’m going to write a long-form essay –like the one about Her– on director Denis Villeneuve’s latest masterpiece, after having seen it more than once, but for now, I’m just leaving this here alongside my strong recommendation to go watch it on the big screen. This is exactly the material movie theatres are made for.
soundworkscollection.com/post/the-sound-of-dune-with-director-denis-villeneuve-and-sound-team
© Kirby Ferguson (via YouTube)
Our creativity comes from without, not from within. We are not self made, we are dependent on one another. Admitting this to ourselves isn’t an embrace of mediocrity and derivativeness —it’s a liberation from our misconceptions, and it’s an incentive to not expect so much from ourselves, and to simply begin.
As creatives, we are usually driven to chase what we think of as purely original ideas. While I was studying design, a video series called Everything is a Remix was making the rounds, offering another –presumably much healthier– perspective on novelty and inspiration.
A decade later, Kirby Ferguson is apparently redoing the series for 2021 and I recommend every creative to watch it —but especially those who are still in training.