ALMOST THERE...

I am just about back in business, with everything up and running after my major computer crash experience. Of course, it will never be the same, but moving forward, one would expect things will be better! I've learned some things in getting back up to speed, things about following the trend. I am talking about a technological trend here. Software is always updating and some newer "better" version of something is always coming out, but does that mean it is the best thing for your project? We as indie creators don't necessarily benefit from using the same tools the studios use, no matter how good they may seem.

Rebuilding from scratch I saw a lot of flaws in where I had taken my system and my production pipeline. We've all heard the term "bloatware". There are some major software packages many of use that are guilty of that. They keep piling things on, adding new code and features when they should be rewriting and the program just bogs down over the years. Well, that's what I had done to my system. I had all this power and didn't see that it was stifling. When I first got the system, what was one of the first things I did? It was ANIGEN. Production was smooth and simple, using mostly tools that came with the system. I could create in freedom. If I had an idea, I could just do it.

I am coming back simple now. Recreating my system has allowed me to organize things in such a way that nothing can stand in the way of an idea. I could imagine something and see on screen results in a matter of hours, with sound and music even! I am now getting back into posting on my blog regularly and have a lot of topics I want to discuss about the state of the industry and where we as independent creators can go from here. I also have some new animation under way and there will be a few surprises coming up pretty soon.

One of things I am wondering about, for those who are working on their own projects, if anyone is struggling to just see results, what is the one thing you think is keeping you from getting into a "just do it" mode? I have learned from much experience that oftentimes the main thing holding me back is me. My own thinking about a project or worry about what a project should be instead of truly doing what I love. Looking around at what everyone else is doing, what Hollywood is doing, or what the Japanese are doing, concerning myself with what's "popular" or "could sell". There's no such thing as should in nature.

It should be fun! If it isn't, ask yourself, are you truly doing your project or are you doing someone else's?

Tags: life, Art