Music for the Coming Weekend: Crystalline by björk
Julia Voth emerging from the shadows. A still from ‘Lilith.’
I pulled this screencap from Lilith because I think it shows the one thing that I said I would be committed to, and that is nuance. I love how the details struggle to be seen, but it’s not forced. I’m really liking how the final film has turned out, and regardless of fest results, I sleep well knowing that my collaborators and I made a really good film. I’m proud of it.
It’s been a long week of writing, and with writing comes writer’s block. But I was really invigorated and inspired to get back to work when I heard björk’s new cut from her upcoming album. I love sonic density and attention to details, and björk and her collaborators have always delivered. I also love that as an artist she’s never phoned it in, just throwing together an album because an album has to be made. The level of thought and consideration she puts into her work is phenomenal, and she’s always worn her heart on her sleeve. She’s one of the true living legends of music, and she deserves out time and ears.
I get inspired by artists who consistently throw caution to the wind, who defy convention not for the sake of being different but because they have an intense desire to share the world that they see and hear every day. What’s odd to us is normal for them, and we get the blessing to be invited into their private worlds and partake in their dreams. Every time I play a björk record, I’m inside her head and heart. And it’s always been a magical, sometimes terrifying, but always unique place. I can’t say that about a lot of things.
So this weekend, let’s all take on a challenge - let’s dig and discover something new. You don’t have to buy it, it can be an online article, or a movie, comic book, music, philosophy, or it can even be a picture that you snapped while taking a walk. On Monday I’ll share my discovery, and hopefully someone reading this blog will share their discovery with me.
It’s all part of a new direction that I want to take this blog in. Having gone through the creative process of building Lilith for the past year-and-a-half, I want to partake in something new, which is building a film community. I know a lot of filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers read this blog, and I want to start making you a part of the spirit of what this body of work represents.
In the near future I’m going to put a call out for guest contributors on this blog. It might be in the form of guest columns from working directors, cinematographers, writers and actors, or if someone wants to promote a short or their art. But it’s not just a shout out, I want for us to know the process and thinking behind it. I’m also thinking of starting a message board where people can ask questions and network with each other. Right now this blog has been a passive affair - I write, and people read. I want to take it to the next level, where I or someone else writes, we all read, and then we discuss. We work in each others’ best interests.
What’s the point to all that? It’s simple - in any independent venture it’s always helpful (and at times life saving) to know that we’re not alone. And if someone has gone through something you’re going through now, then they might be able to lend some practical advice to help you through it. If there’s one thing we all need as artists, it’s experience, and the more we share, the more we learn.
It’s still just an idea, but my gut says to try it. Have a great weekend!
