Last year, post-thesis show, I felt like a director staring at a blank screen, prepping for the next big feature but unsure of the storyline. But then I found myself employed and beyond excited to be teaching again so soon! The classroom morphed into an interactive film festival, each lesson a unique blend of video art and academia. Bridging communications and fine arts was like combining film genres, creating this mesmerizing, experimental filmography. With every new semester, I find myself curating a fresh batch of digital stories, each student bringing their own video diary to the mix.
My own journey into filmmaking as no longer a formal student has been electric. From personal video diaries, spilling raw emotions, to the unfiltered voices echoing from my voicemail project, every piece I craft feels like a frame of experimental digital media. Animation? That's the latest subplot. It’s like adding a sprinkle of magic to already vivid narratives. How I can expand the scope of my work next is a question i’m comfortable arriving to through trial and error but thus far the results have been fruitful and my intuition coupled with everything I’ve learned has been effective.
Finding my footing in these new surroundings, while navigating the snowy landscapes, felt like dropping into another planet but the usual beats have made my new home have a familiar feeling. Walking and biking everywhere always seems to ground me and make me notice what makes a place…well a place. As I brace for the cold on year two, I’ve found warmth in surprising places – my growing love for self, the camaraderie of my online community, and yes, the comforting backdrop of 'Criminal Minds' episodes as I inevitably get sick. The concept of peace has begun to feel less like an abstract idea and more like a commitment.
Inspiration's been sneaking in wherever it can for me lately. Shows like ‘Midnight Gospel’ and a lineup of eerie films seem to be setting the scene. With a fair amount of finished videos behind me, I sense a gentle fade-out approaching; a period of writing and planning in between my slower schedule for producing work actively. Teaching has been its own special fulfillment, but the heart of my story remains in the fusion of video diaries, art, and digital experimentations. Here’s a nod to past screenings, the ongoing film festival of the present, and the trailers of what's yet to come. Hope this movie of mine is good.