smoky mountain grove
A big reason why I wanted to start the Roost in the first place was to have a spot where I could record my feelings and outlook on the world in various stages across my life. I know that this is likely of little interest to any of you (you've got your own feelings to deal with, why have to deal with mine too) and that's ok and perhaps the way it ought to be. But that won't stop me from writing these little pieces for me, and if they're some help to you too, great! (here's the part in the conversation where you can leave without it being awkward - last chance, buckaroo)
I think it's important for me to leave a (digital) paper-trail of my mindzone because it's very easy for me to forget what it felt like to be a freshman, a sophomore, a high schooler, etc. I have different cares, different skills, and different worries now than back then. And while it's right and fitting that I'm moving on, growing up, and trying to become more and more "Daniel," if I can't remember what it was like to be younger, then it's harder for me to empathize with others and I make incorrect assumptions about other students (you don't know who the Nine Old Men were? whaaaaaat? You're not crazy worried about internships right now? WHHAAAAAT?) Rereading my journals and now the Roost helps me to get out of my own world, and exit the all-encompassing hamster ball that the working in animation can feel like sometimes.
I'm 21 now. I'm about to enter my junior year at Lipscomb. I'm going to be an RA and am heading back this weekend for training (that's why my summer's end may seem a bit early). This summer has been rather quiet; after an adventurous start with a sailing trip I've spent most of my time at my desk in my family home. Although it's always a little surprising to find yourself at the end of summer, this summer has felt longer than most - especially last summer, during which I worked 9-5 every weekday. And therein may be the reason. This summer has been one of rest, of study, of cloud-gazing, of refilling the inspiration tanks; not one of much busy-ness or official work. Instead, I finished an Aaron Blaise course on horses, made a hefty amount of fanart (some of which got reposted - very exciting), and created about 1/4 of a prop design portfolio.
I started playing Overwatch again, played D&D again, and reread the Wind in the Willows. I tried to watch Evangelion, which people have been talking about since it hit Netflix this June. Some of the ideas were nice, and the scene where they catch the falling Angel was really cool, but I was disappointed to see how the show just meandered into weirdness towards the end and everyone just got sad. I didn't finish it. I've been somewhat out-of-touch with friends from Nashville, not on purpose, mind you. I just have really liked being home in NC and would rather hear everything from them in person when we're back together. Cause phone calls with almost anyone makes me anxious.😍 Gorgeous! https://t.co/f2wtyMt93w— ThunderLotus @ Spiritfarer (@ThunderLotus) July 25, 2019
Ghibli season is out - vintage Disney is in. A camping trip and frequent listening of the Over the Garden Wall soundtrack has made me generally nostalgic for old cartoons and fall weather (which wasn't great timing since September is still a month away. I've been fascinated by the films of Disney's Golden Age, particularly Bambi. Disney's Three Little Pigs and Warner's I Haven't Got a Hat have been fun little gems, Pigs for the music and Got a Hat for some surprising moments of humor. I've enjoyed expanding upon the finds from last semester's animation history class.
It's weird that I don't yet have any major expectations of what this next year at school is going to be like. I haven't really given it that much thought. I imagine that this will make living in Nashville again feel like a nice surprise. Last summer I was all concerned with what it was going to be like having new freshmen in the program, but since I've lived through it once I feel more ready to roll with the punches this time (I'm probably going to be eating those words soon, aren't I?) I guess my major issue will be if we get too many. Already the animation program is bursting at the seams and one course in particular has experienced a major drop in quality. In the animation major, it feels especially crushing to turn anyone away, but if we don't rein in our numbers then the government is probably going to institute a hunting season to keep the population in check.
Woah, that was some seriously dark humor. Don't know where I got that one from.
I hope that this lack of expectations will manifest in a hopefulness and adaptability towards the coming year, rather than apathy. And that I'll make some goals and stick to them. Although the pressure of getting an internship is currently on hold due to my RA committments, there's still a lot to do and discover and learn!
I think it's also safe to say by now that I'm working on a short film? I made a promise - not quite a solemn oath but one I intend on keeping anyways - at this spring's 5 Minute Film Festival at Lipscomb to submit something animated for next year's showing. I think it's also a good idea to make something before my thesis film to get a handle on the process and to compete better with those CalArts guys. I've been working on it for the past month, trying to come up with story ideas and pretty concepts. At the moment, I want to tell a story about the departure from childhood that I've been so acutely feeling over the past few years. I put a lot of work into my first idea, but I'm having trouble making crucial visual concepts work. And I felt like the story became too clear and obvious. Especially in light of my current influences, I really wanted to make something that felt more poetic and wasn't a clear allegory to my current emotional state. To put it simply, I was getting frustrated. I've now been exploring a completely new ideas based on the same theme, and trying to keep the runtime as short as possible. One thing that became clear after last night's re-watching of The Lion King (the original) is that I need to quickly establish a strong sense of personality in my main character. Most of my ideas so far have been more focused on backgrounds and visual concepts, which can be a pitfall of animated storytelling... but I need to decide quickly and before classwork gets too demanding. I'm sure being around friends in Nashville will give me more opportunity to workshop the ideas soon.
Summer isn't truly over, as I expect to still have a lot of fun with my friends during RA training before classes actually start in mid-August. But since this weekend will encapsulate a big change of place and community, I think it's safe to say that the next stage of my year is beginning now.
A music recommendation before you go:
This little, muted, vintage chiptune from the end credits of Back to Backspace, a Cartoon Network pilot that wasn't greenlit (yet), fits the show and a really weird corner of my musical taste perfectly. Gives off 2 AM television commercial, abandoned mall, and defunct retro vibes.
It's probably best to listen to it as part of the pilot, rather than by itself.
AEDAN PETERSON do not watch the pilot before I get to Nashville.
Here's to junior year!
Thanks for your readership.
-dh
