It’s 2020

practice practice practice

by marcozagara

Featured Spaceship

My favourite spaceship: the Ancient (both in age and the name of its creators) ship Destiny. A ship that travelled across galaxies for millions of years, searching for meaning in the universe, until Syfy cancelled the show it was on. Such a beautiful design, and well thought out too.

Some very interesting writing tips, taken from a beloved studio. Less telling than I’d have thought about the studio itself though.

These rules were originally tweeted by Emma Coats, Pixar’s Story Artist. 

You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.

You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be very different.

Trying for theme is important, but you won’t see what the story is actually about til you’re at the end of it. Now rewrite.

Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.

Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You’ll feel like you’re losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.

What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?

Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.

Finish your story, let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.

When you’re stuck, make a list of what WOULDN’T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.

Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you’ve got to recognize it before you can use it.

Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you’ll never share it with anyone.

Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.

Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it’s poison to the audience.

Why must you tell THIS story? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That’s the heart of it.

If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.

What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against.

No work is ever wasted. If it’s not working, let go and move on – it’ll come back around to be useful later.

You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.

Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.

Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d’you rearrange them into what you DO like?

You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can’t just write ‘cool’. What would make YOU act that way?

What’s the essence of your story? Most economical telling of it? If you know that, you can build out from there.

Sources: [1] [2]

Follow Ultrafacts for more facts

I was in stitches when I first saw this. The tragic part is it makes too much sense. Why must you put us through this Michael? I get that you’re a demon trying to help his friends, but really? At least we get the Judge’s gestures to represent this debacle.

But like, Jason BEEN knew. 

A surreal yet natural image.

This Lion’s Mane mushroom growing in a swamp 😰

The ineffable husbands as "Couple Dancing" by Leyendecker

Painting this was difficult but really fun and rewarding, I love the result!

(I'm @/noixtky on Instagram!)

EDIT: thank you soooo much for the support to this painting ❤️ I've gotten a few comments about getting this as a print so if you're interested in that please read this ^^

Two Truths and a Lie

A short poem I wrote relating to the lack of justice or transparency in politics:

Two Truths and a Lie.

Can you spot the falsehood?

Or have candour and mendacity become inseparable?

The snakes have danced their dance, and mesmerised the populace,

And now reality is a dream.

Or a nightmare.

Is there a binary anymore?

A distinct black and white.

Or is our world now made in endless shades of grey?

We have been left trying to pick out the minutia,

But when everything is a pencil sketch can differences be found?

The struggle for justice has lost its hue,

When the heroes you found are branded villains and questionedBy a media unable to speak.

Or scream.

The truth of the matter is that there is no truth now.

There are only lies to be found.

And truth.

When Orwellian thinking is the lifeblood of leadership,

Is there any solace to be found?

When the values so long encouraged and denied

Are diminished by the very people who defended, and coveted, those same values

Is there any future?

Will there even be an end?

Or are we trapped in an abyss of decline,

Until our very being is lost to thought so indecipherable and grey,

That we can no longer observe anything at all.

Can you spot two truths and the lie in a post-truth world?

Project 77 - by Martin Deschambault

“I was inspired by rock balancing sculptures! I think it could be epic and scary at the same time to have these giant rocks above your head.”

More selected art for Project 77 on my tumblr [here]