54/100 - Personal Projects

How can personal projects feed our professional development? Ji Lee changed his career trajectory with 30,000 stickers and a guerrilla art approach.

These are old talks which I have watched before, but I've been thinking about them lately. Ji Lee is the Communication Designer at Facebook. In these two talks he discusses the importance of having personal projects and how they really opened up new doors in his career. That seems to be a big trend in finding new opportunities. Jessica Hische also comes to mind. Her Daily Drop Cap project seem to have made a big splash leading to her work in all sorts of beautiful books.

Our speaker at the March 2011 CreativeMornings/NewYork was Ji Lee, at the time Creative Director Google Labs, now Creative Director at Facebook. (http://pleaseenjoy.com/) The event was generously hosted by Galapagos Art Space (http://galapagosartspace.com/) in DUMBO, Brooklyn. ........ ABOUT CREATIVEMORNINGS? CreativeMornings is a monthly breakfast lecture series for creative types. Each event is free of charge, and includes a 20 minute talk, plus coffee! You can currently join us in New York, Zurich, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. (http://www.creativemornings.com) ........ A big thank you to Sy J. Abudu (http://syjabudu.com/) for filming and editing the talk.

53/100 - #TBT 48hr Film Festival

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I was on a 48hr film festival team last summer. It was the first time I'd done the contest. I was on Team XX - the contest's first all-female team... from cast to crew. I think our film turned out really well. We didn't win, but it was great to work with such a talented group. Our genre was suspense or thriller, our prop was a mirror and our line was "I looked at it a long time before I saw it."  Here's our final product: 

City: Portland, Oregon As a young actress prepares for a big audition she begins to have some unnerving experiences. Is someone following her? Is she starting to lose it? This uncertainty leaves her shaken and threatens to be her undoing.

51/100 - Finding your edge in Japan

You have to find your edge. I just hope that one day people recognize me for my storytelling and not just for being the black guy making films that feel super-Japanese.
— Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour

I had no idea there was a Black filmmaking community in Japan. This was so nice to read about and discover more work that's happening outside of the U.S. It makes me want to pack my bags and experience a new country. This article is in a Japan TImes column called Black Eye. I'll be adding the column to my reading list. The article highlights four Black filmmakers who are living, working and creating in Japan. It's especially interesting to read about the different ways they're approaching their work and their identity. 

Black filmmakers ‘find their edge’ in Japan

50!!!/100 - Currently listening to... Eryn Allen Kane

Written and peformed by Eryn Allen Kane (www.twitter.com/ErynAllenKane) Directed by Austin Vesely (www.twitter.com/AustinVesely) Cinematography by Nathan Salter Gaffer - Scott Summers Underwater Photography by Mitch Nasser Inspired by Joseph Chilliams

Eryn Allen Kane has a such a powerful voice, it'll blow you away. This song is just layers of vocals and simple snapping. I hope she has more music coming out. She's also features on Prince's song Baltimore. 

Also, this post in number 50 in #the100dayproject. Halfway there in my goal to share something in a blog format everyday for 100 days. 

49/100 - Favorite Links #7

A few highlights of what I watched and read this week. Enjoy.

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Shameless Maya's touching video: How To Live When You're Dying

Black water whirlpool installed in former theater

Loved the play Skylight. Bill Nighy on his Tony nomination

"There's nothing like a Tony nomination. For ten minutes gives you confidence. For those ten minutes when the phone call [comes], you go, 'Well, maybe I'm not crazy!'" - Bill Nighy

Naptural85's UpCrown Funk Uptown Funk Parody... LOL!

Michael B. Jordan: Why I'm Torching the Color Line

"Sometimes you have to be the person who stands up and says, “I’ll be the one to shoulder all this hate. I’ll take the brunt for the next couple of generations.” I put that responsibility on myself." - Michael B. Jordan

Emma Sulkowicz's protest ends as she carries mattress to get diploma

"Dancing Man" finally gets his Hollywood dance party