mush melon

Auguste Rodin -- The Man with the Broken Nose (1863-1864)

Part 2 of sharing-is-caring week. At the bottom, a short film – Mush Melon – I directed. In between the text: images that I snapped during my visit to the local museum. With Mush Melon on my mind, these are the artworks I noticed. In particular, Still Life with Fruit by Valadon, as it inspired the opening shot of the short film.

Suzanne Valadon -- Still Life with Fruit (1937)

Thanks to stellar producing and a talented crew, this short came together as pleasantly as a short can come together. The editing process was as difficult as production – which is the case with much low-budget fare – but the final cut, in the end, exists in a shape that I am more than happy with. The precise, swelling score drives as much of the emotional journey as the visuals, so listen closely. (Apology by way of a note: I think if the composer/sound editor heard me say, "quirkier," as a music note one more time, he was going to lose it. It's not a helpful note.)

Simon Vouet -- The Toilet of Venus (1640)

The intent was always to have it start in the way I see so many bad short films, as overly dramatic. This was to lower the bar and the expectations a viewer may be feeling going in. Hopefully by the end, a viewer has went on a ride through a variety of emotions: compassion, annoyance, glee, disgust. As this was my first time directing, I learned a whole bunch along the way, which helped me – both as a writer and a director.

Alberto Giacometti -- Walking Man I (1960) with Mark Rothko -- Yellow and Blue (Yellow, Blue on Orange) (1955) as a backdrop

The nugget of the idea came together in one day: I cleaned the head of my vacuum cleaner, which was clogged with a collection of strands of hair. It was an off-putting chore, but I saw how it could anchor a short film as a visual. After writing a quick script, I tossed out a potential date for filming. The date was only a few months out, but people seemed to have the day free and thought that the short would be doable in that amount of time. As is the case, once a date was on the calendar, everyone worked to hit said date. Though that won't work for every project, having a hard date to work towards can be the catalyst needed to get the gears grinding.

I hope that each and every one of you have the time in your day/week to sit and watch a video for fun – even if it is not this one.

indoor animal is curated by a human: Tim Papciak. On Mondays, he shares one link to one music video to help spark creativity in himself and in other creative types. On Thursdays, he recommends a book, movie, show, art piece, or link to some dusty corner of the internet that he believes either 1.) adds to the human experience, or 2.) serves as a coping mechanism in the year 2025. Note: this is not, and never will be, self-help content.