Musings: April 26, 2024

It’s been a very busy week, so I’ve decided to drop some musings to hit my weekly quota. How lazy, I know. And I’m also spending time playing Stellar Blade all weekend so being productive is the least of my concerns. Ya gotta kick back sometime ya know? But here are some thoughts:

Photography Life

• Great clients make the job feel fulfilling. I’ve very fortunate to have had an almost month long sequence of fantastic clients. Not so much the money I’ve earned, but more so how nice and appreciative they’ve been. Must be something in the water, but I’m loving this moment. I had a corporate client the other day that was so nice, I was taken aback. It made me emotional for a second. They were so accomodating, friendly, and just downright pleasant throughout the day it was refreshing. And one of the ladies comes back into the room I was shooting in and goes, “ I just wanted to tell you, these are the best pictures I’ve ever had of myself. Thank you.” I’m not crying, you’re crying.
  
  It’s great when you work with people who appreciate what you do, are thankful for your effort, and also have the decency to be kind and patient throughout the process. As glamorous as shooting models can be, it’s often thankless work. They don’t really care as much; with an almost jaded attitude towards the outcome. Give me a nice old person who is happy they took a great picture over a young model who can’t be bothered to stop staring at her phone while in hair and makeup anyday. Thank you to my clients this week. You all have given me new life.

• With all the research I’ve been doing on the current state of Hollywood and filmmaking, I admit I’m a bit undecided on which direction I’ll go in. Writing has been so enjoyable as of late, that I’m not as excited about making a film as I am about writing interesting stories. Sure I’ll make a film or two, but maybe my path is writing books versus making movies? Sometimes when I get in a flow while writing, I feel like it matches my personality and way of working better than being on set. Sitting quietly while I listen to music and write dialogue is so relaxing, almost therapeutic in a way. Who knows what the future holds?

• Allow yourself time for R&R. Or a vacation. Whenever I have an abnormally busy week or month, I make sure I take the time for R&R. I remember I used to stay up till the wee hours of the morning retouching, tinkering with camera stuff, or just doing anything random thing related to photography. Now, I force myself to take a break. I don’t count things like gym as a break. But sitting back playing videogames, listening to music, going somewhere new, or just sitting outside people watching helps me recenter myself and keeps me inspired. You can get way to wound up working all the time. Disconnect and just do nothing for a bit. You’ll find that passion and excitement again.

Hollywood

The Raimi Suit is still the best Spiderman suit. Fight me.

• They say that a hero will save us. Hollywood is really in trouble. It’s so bad that the number 2 film last weekend was Spider-Man 2! Yes, the 2004 Sam Raimi film starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. We could blame the strikes last year for the delay in big Hollywood releases, but I’d say this is also indicative of the desperation movies theaters have in order to get customers. This weekend, Alien(1979) and The Mummy (1999) are being re-released. While I love all three of the aforementioned films, it’s sad that things have declined so much where they have to roll out old classics to get people to even show up. Calling it now, but I expect a round of theater closures within the next year. The demand and customer interest just isn’t what it once was.

Great song. I don’t care, I liked Nickelback.

• A few articles on the Hollywood downward spiral. Check out this one by Harpers. This one by Bill Mesce. And this one by NPR. While each goes into great detail about the demise of the business from different angles, I think they miss a crucial point on why movies are so bad and customers have tuned out: politics and social agenda over story. It’s like the dismissiveness and ignorance Democrats have when they speak about people who voted for Trump. It could only be racists, sexists, homophobic people, etc. Instead of being objective and saying, okay, maybe there are some legitimate reasons people would vote for him. We should look at those things and see if we could implement that into our platform. But no, they stubbornly ignore those things and moan when voters don’t show up or go the other way.
  
  The “experts” are weighing in on the demise of Hollywood and but it’s all “streaming services”, “rising costs”, “greedy Hollywood executives”. Nary a mention of the political and social agendas that have been placed at the forefront of most Hollywood productions. Race swaps, gender swaps, completely ruining characters, feminism everywhere, preachy messages. Audiences don’t want THAT. And they have TOLD you they don’t want it. They want to be entertained you idiots. And you refuse to listen. So they tune out. And it’s unlikely you’ll ever get them back. Looking at you Disney.

Gear Talk

• I bought another GFX 100 II. Yeah, yeah, I know I said I may be done with medium format, but I couldn’t stay away. I’ll keep it this time as I have a specific use case for it.

• The Sony FX3 gets shutter angle. Sony is finally stepping up and giving the FX3 Cinema camera shutter angle capability. No more relying on the ol’ shutter speed being double the frame rate. Just set your shutter angle and choose whatever frame rate you want. You’d think this would be on all their cameras. Panasonic has had it for years, but better late than never I guess. But oddly, it won’t drop until September via a firmware update. It’s not so impressive that the FX3 is getting it, but the fact this feature may start becoming standard in most of Sony’s cameras going forward. I sure hope so.

• Batteries with USB-C Charging built-in. After I bought my GFX 100 II, I was in the market for a set of extra batteries. The Fujifilm branded batteries are usually my choice, but I’m not above third-party options. B&H has the Watson line I love but they’re currently closed for Passover, so I went to Amazon and found these amazing batteries from SmallRig with a USB-C Port built-in! No more having to carry obnoxious chargers. Just plug your USB cable right into the battery and go. They have these available for Fuji, Sony, and Canon so find the model you need. If I weren’t already invested heavy in Sony batteries I’d snap these up for Sony as well. I think the original idea was from the company Nitecore as I saw them with them a couple of years ago, but Smallrig is a brand I trust so I went with them.

Videogames & Bombshells

• Stellar Blade is out and I’m playing it all weekend. As mentioned above, the controversial South Korean action game, Stellar Blade has finally released and that will be taking up a bit of my time over the weekend. The game sparked controversy and heated debates for its sexy female protagonist which caused quite the online uproar by the usual suspects who don’t want anyone to have any fun anymore. To think a sexy drawn woman is cause for debate. Jessica Rabbit is somewhere laughing to herself. So what the character’s sexy and the costume’s are ridiculous? That’s the whole point. Either lean in to whatever makes your project unique and create something that stands out or hold back because you’re afraid of offending someone and make something average. The former usually fairs better for the creative type. And Stellar Blade is just one game in an ocean of thousands. Don’t like it, play something else. Of course the game could be terrible, but after I played the demo last month, I pre-ordered immediately. Don’t like the slick and sexy veneer fool you, this game is great.
  
  Personally, I want to support companies that go against the grain and are willing to push back against all the ridiculous social and political nonsense that has seeped into every facet of American entertainment. From school curriculums and sports to films and videogames, certain groups have tried to position themselves as the authorities of what people should and should not like. From body types to ethnicities, they want to police what you find attractive and/or beautiful. I’m sick of it and it’s great to see companies throw up a middle finger and make what they want. It also helps when the game comes from another country where entitled America “puritans” can’t push their values and beauty standards onto them. South Korea is not beholden to the thoughts and whims of some liberal college grad in New York.
  
  I could write a thesis on why sexy characters like Eve from Stellar Blade as well as real-life bombshells like Sydney Sweeney are important, but who has the time. Modern America hates beauty. At least in the mainstream. It makes insecure types feel uncomfortable and threatened. While Western game developers focus their time deliberately making characters ugly, outside of the American bubble, sanity still reigns. South Korea and Japan have no problem making characters that look cool, beautiful, sexy, roguishly handsome, etc. How far we’ve fallen in the name of progressivism.

It’s okay to be hot Sydney. Make the uggies seethe.

• This song from Dragon Quest XI. After replaying and completing the game a second time, it’s officially my favorite of game all-time. The story, the themes, the characters, all the amazing, emotional moments, and the soundtrack. Chef’s kiss. I’ll leave you with this gem, With Sadness In Heart by Koichi Sugiyama.

With Sadness in Heart by Koichi Sugiyama

Till next time…

Art and Entitlement II: Hollywood Writers

As Hollywood slowly crashes and burns, I read an article via the Hollywood Reporter highlighting the troubles writers are facing in light of all the downward changes occurring in the industry at the moment. The article mainly focuses on how writers are struggling to find work and are dealing with layoffs and lack of opportunities. Some are turning to jobs such as bartending or teaching. It was very enlightening on the mindset of some of these wonderful people. Two notable quotes stood out to me:

“Nobody ever starts their career thinking that it will last forever. I never thought I’d be a writer for as long as I have, but I didn’t expect to run into a brick wall. I thought it’d be a slow tapering, but this feels like a cataclysm. It was a very emotional thing I did when I applied for teaching jobs. I don’t know if I’m ever going to forgive Hollywood for this. To go from the pandemic to the strikes to this? It feels like one war of attrition after another.”

And another:

“For writers who are trying to pay their bills, it’s really scary because we only make money if things sell. As a showrunner who is a queer woman of color and I can’t get work? That’s saying a lot. It’s very frustrating.”

The sense of entitlement exhibited by these two is amazing. I’m in awe of it.

The first quote, “I don’t know if I’m ever going to forgive Hollywood for this.” So dramatic. Hollywood doesn’t owe you anything. They don’t owe you a job. Maybe what you’re writing isn’t good enough. Maybe you’re difficult to deal with. Maybe there just isn’t any openings for you to fill at the moment. You lost your job, and that sucks, but they didn’t commit some heinous act against you. Being unemployed sucks, I know. Not knowing how you’re going to cover your bills, rents, etc. is frightening and my heart goes out to people struggling financially. I’m not being insensitive here. But the industry doesn’t owe you anything. Stop looking for someone to blame and focus on finding another job. Use your energy productively. Go pen your next masterpiece. Maybe this will be the best thing that happened to you! But feeling entitled to it? That’s not going to help you right now.

The second quote, “As a showrunner who is a queer woman of color and I can’t get work?” Wow. So do those two qualities entitle you to a job? More so than other people? I like how she didn’t describe how brilliant of a writer she is, but instead focused on her identity. Apparently, her identity alone is the reason she deserves the job.

Identity politics is one of the big reasons Hollywood is dying. The industry has been infiltrated by some of the most whiny, entitled, cowardly people in our society who only see things through the lens of their identity. Who are now in positions to determine the creative direction of popular entertainment. It’s no wonder so much of it is terrible. When your identity is your primary character trait, I don’t have much faith in your creative abilities. You’re too focused inward(on self) versus outward(on the world around you) as the best artists seem to be. You can’t write compelling stories because you “need to see yourself in them” or these stories need to be fixing all the ills of society. Get over yourself and write to entertain. To make people laugh, cry, or get excited to go on a grand adventure of their own. Your identity doesn’t matter more than producing great stories. And you are not entitled to a job because of it.

It’s okay to feel like you deserve, say, a certain salary due to your knowledge and years of experience. Or to be paid appropriately for your services because you do great work. But a company does not owe you a job. Regardless of your talent, they have the right to choose whoever they want. If you’re not picked you have to keep searching. Actors deal with this all the time. When you find another job, guess what? You denied someone else that position. How do you think they feel? Not so good huh?

Entitlement does nothing to help you grow. It doesn’t hold you accountable for your own failings as an artist. And it will cause you not to work as hard as you should. You just expect a positive outcome. You don’t expect to work hard for it.

I hope these writers are able to find work, but I also hope they see how entitled they come across from this article. It definitely doesn’t endear them to the people in a position to hire them. A little change in perspective, a positive attitude, and far less entitlement will go a long way.

LA and the Demise of Hollywood

There’s a lot I could say on this topic, and believe me I have a lot of thoughts about it, but Los Angeles and to a greater extent, Hollywood is not the place to be anymore. You could point to countless events: people moving out in droves due to taxes, lowering quality of life, dumb politics changing the landscape of the city with homeless encampments popping up all over, criminals being given a slap on the wrist and rising costs for law abiding citizens. It’s like the people who run these places have utter contempt for the populace. New York’s not much different and worse in a lot of ways.

For the burgeoning artist who wants to work in film though, even the incentive of Hollywood being there, is no longer enough. Streaming is failing(Disney is hemorraghing money with their platform), mass layoffs occurring at many of the major studios (I think Paramount is looking to sell itself), producers focusing on identity and agenda over storytelling, and the demise of the “Hollywood” celebrity have completely changed the landscape. Things have drastically changed.

Not to mention the rise of disruptive technology like A.I. Of course there’s ChatGPT, the software that absolutely terrifies the writers in Hollywood.

But have you seen Sora?

Amazing? Scary? Yes. Inevitable? Also, yes.

Sora is so pervasive that Tyler Perry cancelled his plans to build an $800 Million dollar studio citing how powerful the software is. Although it’s still not ready for primetime, in about 3-4 years it will be. Studios will no longer need massive backlots with expensive overheads. They will no longer need to employee hundreds of production people. Of course, people will whine about the loss of jobs and how A.I. is dangerous to society, but I must stress this very real fact: You. Cannot. Stop. It.

I expect other studios to eventually downsize in relation to the new technological changes. Perry saw the writing on the wall and got out least he make a huge financial investment that completely sinks his business.

Sure, people will complain about A.I., but I see it no more “fake” than all the greenscreen Disney uses in most of its productions.

Black Widow (2021). They greenscreened a bar. Yes, a bar.

The future is coming whether you embrace it or not. And A.I. technology for filmmaking and other creative endeavors will become standard practice in the years to come. I’m calling it now, Sora or whatever A.I. program takes over the film industry will be used to bring people back from the dead.

—————

Wait…something just came across my desk.

It looks like actor James Deen, the handsome leading man of yesteryear who died in a car crash in 1955 will be appearing in a new film. Yes, you heard that right. James Deen is set to make his return in an upcoming film.

Only a matter of time before Audrey Hepburn, Bruce Lee, and Marilyn Monroe make their returns. You just know Marilyn Monroe will be back with how much her image has saturated entertainment media over the years. Even in death, they leech off you.

I digress. Back to the topic.

—————

Hollywood also has had its share of scandals plaguing it which has soured its image over the years. High-profile criminal convictions, sleazy producers, shady parties with the elites doing all sorts of weirdo and illegal behavior, celebrities singing “Imagine” during Covid. It’s just a mess.

The parties aren’t as F. Scott Fitzgerald as this anymore, but the vibe is. IYKYK

And lastly, the decline of movie theaters to a younger generation of viewers. I turned 39 this year which places me 20 years ahead of many college students today. Many of my actor clients fall into this age group and I often ask them about shows they’re watching, movies they’ve seen or are excited for. Many of them barely watch tv shows and a majority of them rarely go to the movies. My age group, when we were their age?! The movies was the place to be! Now, they’d rather chill at home and watch TikTok videos. Not knocking it at all, just pointing out that the viewership has changed. They don’t care about Hollywood as much as Hollywood thinks they do. The Hollywood celebrity is far less influential to the youth than the social media celebrity. Which in turn, makes Hollywood irrelevant. It no longer has its hand on the pulse of the culture and is desperately playing catch up. Fighting with every ounce of energy left in order to hold people’s interest.

“Look at me! I’m still here! I did all the things you wanted! Love me!” Hollywood desperately screams to the youth, who stares coldly into the abyss of their iPhone 15 as some zoomer dances on TikTok.

When I go to the theater now, it’s like a ghost town. Even on supposedly busy Friday/Saturday nights. Unless it’s a really huge release(Dune 2 for example), people aren’t showing up as much anymore. It makes me sad, but that’s just time moving forward.

I feel you Harry Styles. I feel you bro.

When I was in film school pre-2010, Hollywood had this veneer of sophistication. It was the standard of quality storytelling, featuring our very best artists showing what imagination and vision could be with a big machine behind it. The sort of moving pictures we got back then inspired millions nationwide and the world over. It was the place to be and everyone was clamoring to be there. Fast forward well over a decade later and it’s becoming a desert wasteland. *watches tumbleweed roll across Sunset Boulevard*

If Ariel was performing Part of Your World, she’d rise out of the ocean and see the Los Angeles landscape be more reminscent of Fallout, not Beverly Hills 90210.

Hollywood, 2024. Still want to be here Ariel?

So what does this all mean? Does that mean one shouldn’t move to Los Angeles? Maybe, maybe not. It’s hard to say. We have to take a hard look at these things and determine if it’s still viable. I’m not moving there anytime soon, not because I prefer New York(I don’t), but I don’t want to upend my operation to go to a place where the party may already be over. Maybe in the next year things will change and I’ll reconsider.

But for now, it’s too uncertain. For me and for Hollywood.

You Don't Have to Be Artsy

I freakin’ LOVE shooting on the beach. Art be damned.

A trap I think a lot of artists fall into is this notion that you have to be artsy in order to be an artist.

If you’re a photographer, you have to do some intellectually charged art project in order to be accepted by the high brows of society. Even my favorite photographer, Richard Avedon, fell into this trap. His commercial/editorial photography was immensely successful both critically and especially financially. He was rich off the beautiful images he created for glossy fashion magazines. But the art community at the time frowned their noses up and didn’t really embrace him into their elitist fold. This bothered Avedon and he would go on to labor for years on work that would earn him that seal of approval from this group of “tastemakers” of the time.

Truthfully, whether you like it or not, all of it is art. To what degree is certainly debatable, but it all falls under that umbrella. Whether you’re doing it for money or doing it for passion, it counts as art.

The thing to remember is that you don’t have to be artsy in order to be successful and/or appreciated. Daniel Day-Lewis is one of my favorite actors of all time, but I wouldn’t consider his films as entertaining as Tom Cruise’s. He’s considered more of the “artist” between the two, but that doesn’t make Cruise any less successful or appreciated for the entertainment he provides.

Your films don’t have to be these pretentious affairs with fancy cinematography set it the countryside of Europe. Your photographs don’t have to be black-and-white melancholic street scenes. Or portraits where everyone looks sad and vacant. And your music doesn’t have to be classical for it to be “art”.

Glossy, popular, even trendy work has a place. There’s no shame it and you should create it proudly. And audiences/customers love it and are often asking for it.

Don’t feed them salad when they’re asking for cake.

If you’re doing what people love and they clamor for more, give them what they want. That’s Business 101.

Speaking for myself, I dabble across genres. There’s the more serious studio portraiture. Then there’s slick, colorful photos of beautiful models in swimwear. I also do nudes. I plan to shoot lingerie. I do street photography on occassion. And I plan to produce much more color work going forward. Do I give a shit if some snob in an art gallery or pseudo intellectual type appreciates my work? It’s nice if they do, but I’m not working for their approval.

Story time. I had a colleague who’s not terribly familiar with my work, but she remarked rather ignorantly, “I think your black-and-white portrait work is more you than your swimwear stuff. It’s more like art.” Mind you, she said this more out of her disinterest in and bias against swimwear photography or work featuring models. She fancies herself an intellectual and praises the work of the French New Wave. Of course she wouldn’t like glamorous imagery of attractive models on the beach. And she’s welcome to that preference. But do I change my direction because I don’t meet her personal standard of what is art? Of course not.

I do work I personally enjoy and I encourage other artists to do the same. I don’t “chase the market”. If people like what I do and are willing to pay me for it, then I’ll continue to serve them that.

But it won’t always be salad. It will likely be cake.

Something for you to ponder on your own artistic journey. Do your glossy, colorful, trendy, beautiful, glamorous, sexy work with pride.

You too, are an artist.

Sometimes I Just Wanna Ask...

Have you ever dealt with someone who behaved in such a way that just leaves you utterly puzzled? Like it betrays all logic and reason? You can’t talk to them. Or get them to relax enough for civil conversation. They just want to throw everything away for nothing. Just a Juggernaut of unchecked, irrational emotions launching furiously in one direction.

Sometimes I just wanna ask…

I guess I’ll never understand.