Beethoven symphony paintings

Hey guys,

Some new things:

1.  Paintings of Beethoven symphonies, by Mo Willems. Click through the videos that profile each one -- totally subjective -- interesting? too analytical?
   

2. Google presentation I directed, cut down here to a short sizzle. Initially presented to me as a chance for some wacky set design and camera work, but as it often goes, it was toned down to its safest form, both before the shoot, and during the edit. Having a director's version like this means bringing a little fun back.
   Shot with DP Alex Gallitano. Graphics work by David Dorsey.
   

3. Recently on IG:
   
   Durrës, Albania, New Year's Eve, and
   
   Baba Cool, and
   
   frames/clip from a scene I shot as an exercise for a future film (in which each sequence is driven by a music track that incorporates all the scene sounds). Have done similar things in the past (this Audio-Technica spot), but here it's applied more to some storytelling, and with different sound sources (gaming-style fx).
   Ljova, electronic artist Conrad Clifton, and I produced the music, carefully coordinating it with the actions and sounds. Arthur Woo is the scene DP.
   If you missed it before, see the full scene here.
   

4. Hustle is not enough.
   

5. We have reached a moment in time in which artists, formerly the counterculture, are now the army of the establishment. This is not bravery. This is regurgitating what they've heard through the media, without any thorough exploration for themselves.
   

6. Maverick Moore is a fellow filmmaker from the Bushwick Film Festival last year. His short My Dinner with Werner (as in Werner Herzog) is online now -- very interestingly cast -- check it out and share it!
   

7. Missed this last year -- pretty good accents from dialect coach Erik Singer. And a very informative tour across the country.
   Also, killing the Southern accent and a piece of her soul
   

8. Finally got to see more of Euphoria, having to dig into clips for research. It's a beauty. The shots are frequently creative. But here's the thing (and the thing with many things, more and more these days): it's not the technical wizardry or creative artistry that holds them back from greatness.... it's the choice of tone, often lacking a greater wisdom.
   
   Euphoria gives an informative look at youth culture and addiction, but too often it's shot so fashionably -- every frame could come from a trendy commercial or music video -- without enough contrast to this style or discernment of when to apply it. The result is, both unconsciously and somewhat consciously, it ends up glamorizing these kids' lives... meaning, not just making them look cool, but giving them the benefit of taking them so seriously.
   
   What's the issue? It's like reading the diaries of high schoolers. Sure, it's great to hear their perspective and sympathize, but their tone is not going to have the benefit of hindsight. It's often going to treat every character and situation like really consequential or beautiful shit, which is how it feels when you're that age. If you emulate their tone too much, rather than adding to it, you're in a feedback loop, an insulated bubble... and you're going to miss the wisdom that comes with distance.
   
   That's pop. And of course people are going to gravitate to it more readily, because pop is candy. Pop is cool. People want to be cool. Doesn't make it a worthy goal.
   
   A comparison with Requiem for a Dream came up. A film that shows the allure of addiction, without glamorizing it. Aronofsky observes the peculiarity of the culture, pointing out that these characters are a little immature and trapped in their own present. And he still manages to immerse us with them.
   
   So... find the moments where characters are less hip, more ridiculous -- you know, how people in real life often are. This is the power of tone. (And script wording.) It can mean the difference between actors getting their big adult acting moment, and actors giving a great performance. 

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Chris