You all know how much I love finding new talents from animation schools, and it looks like I stumbled on another great team. This animation team, led by Tyler Carter, is from Brigham Young University’s Center of Animation and they have created a suspenseful tale about dreams, a little boy, and a book of mythology. Watch to see the creative solution dreamed up by….the dream fairy? Great job, Tyler and his animation team, on your first film! And thanks again, Vimeo.
Stumbling through Colossal on my latest visit, I came across an eye-opening video called “Buenos Aires – Inception Park” that was done by Black Sheep Films. Doesn’t that look like ridiculous fun!!!! A city that has been converted into a carnival park through the magic of filmography. Check out some of the other amazing works they’ve done on their site. Incredibly fun talent from these guys. Gives you a new outlook on the term black sheep, doesn’t it?
And check out some more of their work on Vimeo.
Awesome find, Colossal!!!
What do you do when you’ve reached that magical place of glory with one of your creations? Expectations are always so ridiculously unhinged that you will keep creating magnificence from that point on. But what if it doesn’t? Are you doomed to be considered a failure? And that is what we humans put ourselves up against. Unrealistic expectations.
Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love, know all about pressure. After all, her book was made into a movie starring one of the biggest names of Hollywood, which most people consider to be the epitome of success. And she was expected to follow up strong. No pressure. Riiiiiight. So, she went on a search to find a way to split her anguished creative side with the working creative side, so that she could continue to do what she does best: write. And her search gave her the wisdom that maybe the pressure wasn’t only necessary, but also wasn’t fair. Just because we’re enlightened doesn’t mean that creativity would suddenly embrace responsibility.
How about if we just looked at creativity anew? Creativity is still that unknown spark within us that comes up with the most stupendous things at the most unexpected times. Was it a touch of divinity? Was it a touch of genius? Instead of wrapping ourselves in the expectation, how about we just let the creative do what they do best: create. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some days, you will get an Olé for your creation. And some days, you will deserve an Olé for the work. Just remember to receive it, because it’s deserved, no matter what, if the effort was honest.
How did these authors affect your thoughts and motivations? I know that I will cherish and add their words to my education in becoming a stronger and better person.
Let’s spend this day listening to some words from a few well-known authors. We all know and love JK Rowling for bringing us the wonderful world of Harry Potter and Hogwarts. But this commencement address at Harvard back in 2008 goes down the paths that her own life took and won’t leave you dry eyed. She has some powerful words to say about not only the power of imagination (not in the way you think), but also that failure is necessary and liberating. Rock bottom is a good place to start because you’re set free from any and all expectations. What you imagine can become reality if you’re up to the test. You’ll find out a lot about yourself, and even more about those who stay to support you.
Listening to JK Rowling’s story reminds us all that we are but mortals, without the gift of real magic, but we still have magic nonetheless. Our capabilities are only limited by what we imagine ourselves capable of. The trails and tribulations are life’s lessons that we can choose to accept or ignore. But what we do with the answers we hold dearly will dictate whether we truly did live a life well and good.
– Thanks for directing me again, Ted. This was a lesson well and good.
If you listened to Steve Job’s commencement address, then you heard him extort the amazing creation that was the Whole Earth Catalog. Unless you were a reader of it back when it was in publication from 1968 to 1972 and sporadically until 1998. Well, it looks like we are now in luck as they have a site that is collecting all that they created.
For those who aren’t familiar with the Whole Earth Catalog, here’s the founder’s, Stewart Brand, description of the project:
“We are as gods” said, “At a time when the New Left was calling for grass-roots political (i.e., referred) power, Whole Earth eschewed politics and pushed grassroots direct power—tools and skills. At a time when New Age hippies were deploring the intellectual world of arid abstractions, Whole Earth pushed science, intellectual endeavor, and new technology as well as old. As a result, when the most empowering tool of the century came along—personal computers (resisted by the New Left and despised by the New Age)—Whole Earth was in the thick of the development from the beginning.”
Enjoy! I know I will. : )
Men do get creative when the big moment pops into their lives. I just found this sweet proposal done by Drake to Stacy on DesignTaxi in the form of an infographic. It’s obvious that this guy loves his stats and has chosen to use them to come up with a most unique way of looking at his girl. She told him that they were soulmates, and he proved that they really were the most perfect match in the whole wide world. Go to Mashable to see the whole infographic proposal, and to see if he got the answer that he was looking for. I hope so, because this was one of the most imaginative ways in using an infographic (One to share with their kids)!
btw – I checked and the answer was…. Continue reading
This short Ted Talk by Drew Dudley has a powerful message about leadership. It’s not that leaders are special, but that we have all had leadership moments that didn’t go acknowledged but had a massive effect on another person. And that message is one that is resonating everywhere, as people say that not only are you a leader, but that we all are leaders. The concept that collaboration isn’t always going to be extensive is a powerful shift. Because it means that these moments can become second nature as we all open up to one another and share for the purpose of creating something better than we might have alone. We share because it makes the experience bigger. We share because it is in our nature.
We are all leaders, but many of us may not realize it yet. Go put one thought out there into the ether, digital or otherwise, and see if it doesn’t get transformed into something that went beyond your initial intention. We’re all capable of touching someone else’s life in unexpected ways. We just need to keep doing it until leadership is no longer placed on a pedestal that it doesn’t necessarily belong on.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.” – Marianne Williamson
Yes, I have once again come across another amazing offering from Reddit. We’ve all seen what human artists can do with a little imagination and unexpected materials. But how amazing is it when Mother Nature gets creative herself, and makes some ice art. A Redditer named foxxxaygrandpa offered up this image for consideration, and I just had to share it.
Art happens in the most unexpected places, and sometimes needs to be searched for. And sometimes a simple glance is all it takes to realize that we really do live in an incredible world that offers us something creative everyday. Creativity isn’t just a hobby. It’s something deeper, ingrained in us all, just waiting to come out to play. Let yours out.
This is the cutest and coolest thing I’ve seen done with reclaimed digital components and other man-made materials. Sean Avery makes some amazing wild life sculptures using tossed out computer parts, like he did with this adorable Thorny Devil. This is making good use of our old technology so that they don’t pollute our planet, plus it’s unique!
When Sean isn’t working on these ingenious sculptures, then he’s probably out somewhere writing a children’s picture book. Bravo to another artist who is stretching not only his imagination, but his mind. Looking forward to seeing more from him!
– thanks again, Colossal (go check out some amazing shattered CD art by Sean)
I thought that I’d take a musical interlude here and listen to one of my favorite groups, Playing For Change. Considering all of the crap that we’re going through because our leaders continue to divide us, this seems like the perfect time to bring this amazing song, United, to you. Like all of their songs, it’s a group effort from around the world. But this song is meant for us all: all 7 billion+ of us. They’re calling it a world anthem, but I’m calling it a miracle that should be passed around until we all hear their message.
We have to learn to build the world together. Learn to live as one.
It’s now part of the global movement, 7billionactions.org. Isn’t it awesome that at least the people are joining together to help rebuild this world. Now, we have to convince the rest to join us!
