Photo by gcoldironjr2003
Step 10 in increasing your chances of getting on any vocal reality show should be that you need to learn how to make eye contact and sell the song and the experience.

One of THE MOST important skills you need to master is eye contact. If you are uncomfortable making eye contact in general you’ll need to overcome that fear. Otherwise, the judges will notice your lack of confidence. Great artists know how to connect with their audience.

To help you overcome your fear, a good practice is to lock into the eyes of the person you are engaging in conversation. Stare them down. You can actually make it a game and see how long it takes them to start feeling uncomfortable and look the other way. Eye contact is the cornerstone to an artists’ confidence. Think about this. If you go to a concert or meet your favorite artist, wouldn’t you feel more engaged with the artist if he or she notices you and looks you directly in the eyes? I believe you would. When you are performing your song, don’t just stare uncomfortably into outer space. Deliver your song to the audience, the judges! Sell them. Convince them you’ve lived the song you are singing. Master this skill of eye contact while performing. Even if your vocal performance may not be the best, confident eye contact could make the difference in you getting to the next round!

Here is a quick story about eye contact. When I was performing showcases for record labels, oftentimes the room would be full of men. Imagine singing a love song to that audience. Sheesh! If you are a male singer, then this is uncomfortable to say the least. I eventually overcame the discomfort and turned it into one of my new weapons. What I found out was that the more I stared them down, the more uncomfortable THEY became. I had just flipped the script on them. What I demonstrated to them was that I wasn’t scared; I was willing to sing to them any song, of any subject, to convince them that I had what it takes to become a recording artist. Not sure what they thought but it worked for me.

That wraps our series of ten tips on how to audition for American Idol for this month. Be sure to check out our YouTube Channel-My Idol Time for plenty of videos that will give you the edge to get on your favorite vocal reality show!

I’m the author of “My Idol Time” and vocal producer on AI. Find more on how to audition for American Idol . Get my e-book on how to audition for American Idol by going to Amazon or at BnN.

Photo by Luiz Fernando / Sonia MariaThe history of rock and roll music has certainly a lot of names that have marked our musical tastes, but one of the most important musicians in history is definitely Jimi Hendrix. Everyone knows songs like “Hey Joe” or “Little wing”, but specialists can assure us that the influence Hendrix has had on music is immense. His presence itself was an influence, which helped the psychedelic movement impose itself among the youngsters.

It is not difficult to realize why he acquired so much fame and what led to his immense success. He was a pioneer of the psychedelic music and attitude and no one can deny the influence he’s had not only on the emerging musicians, but also on music in general. Among his main influences were Miles Davis and various blues singers, and that is how he gave birth to the new musical genre jazz-funk and fusion. He sought for the right fusion of soul, jazz, blues and rock, which would obliterate categories and boundaries between music genres and people.

Jimi Hendrix’s trajectory was a sinuous one, which renders his figure even more impressive and iconic. He had a tormented and rather unhappy childhood and the guitar he received at 15 became his best friend. He absorbed all the styles and their languages became part of his vocabulary, an innovative and unheard one, vivid and overflowing with energy. His technical ability and his creativity allowed him to revolutionize rock’n'roll with unusual distorts and distinctive sound effects.

More than anyone else, Jimi Hendrix was able to express the fullest range of sounds that could be obtained from an amplified instrument. Among the main musical currents that incorporated into his music we can distinguish free jazz, delta blues, acid rock, R&B, soul, hardcore funk. As long as the lyrics are concerned, he was a fan of Bob Dylan and the Beatles. Despite all these influences, his music doesn’t resemble anything else and is even today original and distinctive.

Hendrix had during his musical career a cornucopia of guitars, and we could say that he tried all brands. The instrument is extremely important for a musician, for it can give a distinctive sound to his music. If you’ve always dreamed of becoming a musician or even try and play the guitar, the first thing you could do is to visit a guitar shop and “try on” some guitars. PRS Guitar is a guitar manufacturer who imposed itself in the musical field for the great variety of guitars it offers and for their irreproachable quality. You will definitely find the perfect instrument for you in one of their shops!

Sounds Great Music stock a great variety of PRS Guitar instruments, and our specialized staff can help you choose the right guitar for you.

Today we interview Buck Stienke and Ken Farmer, writers of the brilliant action thriller novel “Black Eagle Force“. Buck is also the CEO of Timber Creek Productions, eminent company in the movies industry, and Ken is its Chief Operating Officer.

Manuel: Buck, how is to be a producer in 2011? Easier or more difficult than in the previous century?

Buck: Financing is definitely more difficult in the current economy. Many people who had significant real estate holdings in their portfolio are under water. From a technology standpoint, digital film making is probably less than 10% of the costs of film, with far more flexibility. Print, editing & distribution costs are down, of course. Electronic transmission of business plans, video taped auditions and the finished product itself save time and money. Networking provides instantaneous access and exposure to many thousands of potential customers.

Manuel: Ken, considering your actor experience, what changed in acting since the beginnings of your career and todays acting?

Ken: When I began as a professional actor thirty-eight years ago, we had to have hundreds of headshots printed up and demo reels duplicated. These headshots/resumes/demo reels were either hand delivered or mailed to casting directors, producers, directors or agents. Today, we can just hit “send”. It’s far faster and less expensive… Oh, and green. Video taped auditions are becoming the norm as opposed to driving many miles to do the same thing. I can recall having to go to five auditions in one day spread all over LA, what a bitch. One thing that has never changed, however, is Acting is still Storytelling. No getting around that. It’s still a skills business. I have been teaching an organic acting class in Dallas for over 12 years now.

Manuel: Ken and Buck, how you met and how you had the idea to create Timber Creek Productions?

Ken and Buck: We met through mutual friends and Buck bugged me for four months to read some of my scripts. I finally brought him a copy of “Rockabilly Baby“, a script I had adapted from a Leslie Jordan stage play about the birth of rock and roll in the fifties. Leslie and I had been friends since the ’80s and I loved his stage play. After reading the script, Buck asked what it would cost to shoot it. I told him and he just said, “Let’s do it.” It was getting close to the end of the year and he wanted to finish for that year’s taxes. I cast it mostly from my acting class I had been teaching for almost ten years. The lead actor, Denton Everett (Baby Boy Watkins), had been studying with me for 8 years. We prepped for thirty days and started shooting on Dec. 10. I had called a long time friend and DP in LA, Jim Roberson, to come out and shoot for us. We decided to shoot the three camera HD system with P2 cards. We wrapped on Dec. 21.

We did 547 set ups with a total of two hours of overtime and a grand total of one, that’s 1 outtake on a 105 page script. The finished product was edited down to 86 minutes. We also wrote all original rock and roll music.

Manuel: What can you tell us about Black Eagle Force that really makes this novel unique?

Ken and Buck: “Black Eagle Force – Eye of the Storm” is a story/character driven military action novel. The uniqueness comes from the premise that half the action takes place in Texas involving illegal aliens/drug cartels, border incursions with suit case nukes and human trafficking. The Black Eagle Force is a group of former military Special Ops veterans and pilots who contract with the DoD for ultra rapid response interdiction within the US and abroad. They fly a special high speed VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) attack craft equipped with a futuristic electromagnetic, multi-barrel, rapid fire coil gun, air to air and air to ground missiles. The craft is a highly modified stealthy four nacelle Moller Skycar with the speed of a plane (400 mph) and the maneuverability of a helicopter re-designated as the M600/A Black Eagle. They kick ass. The novel will be published by Tate Publishing this summer. Our Fan page on FaceBook is: link

Manuel: What about the screen/teleplays you wrote?

Ken and Buck: Buck and I have written over 25 screen or teleplays over the last four years. We adapted the 690 page novel, “Verdict! In Search of a Crime” by John Eastman, into a 120 page feature screenplay. It’s being reviewed in LA as we speak. Doing the adaptation of John’s novel gave us the inspiration for writing our own novel, ie, “Black Eagle Force – Eye of the Storm”. We have also already adapted BEF into a feature screenplay. In addition, we have written ten episodes of “Rockabilly Baby” as a thirty minute sitcom and a two hour pilot of “Bone”, a sci-fy based cop dramady initiating with the historical space craft crash in Aurora, Texas in 1897 (Google it) with fourteen one hour episodes. “Bone” is currently being reviewed for a possible series.

Manuel: What do you plan to do together in the next months? Any new projects?

Ken and Buck: We are currently working on the sequel to “Black Eagle Force – Eye of the Storm”, entitled, “Black Eagle Force – Sacred Mountain”. BDF – Sacred Mountain will introduce new characters and new futuristic, but realistic weapons. And, of course, we’ll be on a Book Tour when “Black Eagle Force – Eye of the Storm” is released. There will be an E-Book, an audio book as well as the printed version. We also think it would make a great video game.

Manuel: How do you see the future of Entertainment Business?

Ken and Buck: The business is constantly evolving. New ideas will continue to surface but, unfortunately, many of the decision makers in Hollywood have little stomach for risk or innovation, That’s why we see so many remakes of even mediocre films. Perhaps that is the nature of a capital intensive business, but someone has to make the original Rocky, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, SAW first. Independent producers must be flexible and innovative. Costs and incentives have driven much work out of California and the scourge of reality programming will be with us as long as advertisers can find an audience.

We thank Ken and Buck and wish them to have wonderful ideas for new novels!

Photo by ahhyeahThe individuals and organizations that are prospering today prioritize creativity and innovation in their product design- and strategic choices. In a nutshell: they yield results through empowering creative people in business. Below are three cases that particularly illustrate this point: Steve Jobs, Jonathan Ive and Pixar.

Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple Computers, is a name that most folks have heard. Mr Jobs’ achievements, his industry-shifting, market-shaping concepts and strategies, his creativity in brand strategy, product deployment, the building of an exceptionally loyal user base, and often-controversial statements and decisions, provide enough material to fill several books. His example is a compelling case for emphasizing the role that innovative individuals play in the world of industry.

This article describes the results of Jobs empowering the correct individuals to become industry-leaders and create revolutionary products in two instances: investing in/buying The Graphics Group, now called Pixar; and employing Jonathan Ive. The products created by the group of genius individuals that compose Pixar and the results of Ive’s innovative product designs at Apple have been exceptionally well-received, and the intense creativity employed in their respective models and practices has motivated the implementation of industry-wide changes.

The Apple iMac was the brainchild of genius design chief Jonathan Ive. Ten years ago, the 1st generation iMac, a revolutionary all-in-one desktop, became the highest-selling PC in the US shortly after its release. The current iMac is still a giant in the market, but Ive and his team have not been idle in the meantime. With the release of the iPod, then the iPhone and recently, the iPad, Apple has become not only a global household name, but a coveted consumer brand.

The combination of revolutionary technology, Ive’s (and Apple’s) impeccable design aesthetic, versatile and user-friendly operating systems and ability to increase the already full-featured functionality of Apple’s gadgets via the supremely successful iTunes and App stores, have made Apple products attractive, coveted and critically lauded.

Pixar stands for technological innovation, artistic integrity, the highest quality standards and, above all, valuing talent and the creative process in all aspects of their organization. This philosophy has led them to eleven critically-acclaimed, stratospherically-grossing animated features (March 2011). Pixar has been awarded the most lauded creative, technical and business awards and honors thanks to their films, their ever-growing contributions to technological development and their enviably empowering model (which is informed by Frank Gehry’s ‘Organization of the Artist’, which prioritizes talent, creativity and artistic integrity over other interests).

The empowerment of creative people in business is always a great strategy for success. The luminaries featured in this article have contributed to and improved their industries in more ways than their obvious developmental and technological achievements. They have also introduced new models in terms of best practices, tech trendsetting, market strategies and HR management.

Get inside info on the importance of empowering creative people in business now in our guide to web design gold coast and all you need to know about how and where to find the best Gold Coast web design company.

Today we interview Shawn Sharp, Art Producer at ArenaNet and one of the Gurus behind Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2.

Manuel: Tell us something about your career, Shawn, how did you arrive at ArenaNet?

Shawn: Originally I started out as a graphic designer and illustrator working in advertising for the most part. I was also doing illustrations for pen and paper role playing game companies on the side. Dynamix, at the time a small start up computer game company in Eugene, Oregon contacted me to see if I would be interested in moving there to art direct computer games. This was in 1989, I had just started a graphic design studio and frankly didn’t even really know what computer games were. While it looked interesting I passed on the opportunity. A year later they contacted me again, I was a little more savvy and decided to give it a shot. I loved the idea of interactive story-telling and still do.

After 13 years of art directing at a couple of companies as well as free-lancing as a concept and story board artist I was looking for a move back to the Pacific Northwest and came across a small start up in Seattle named ArenaNet. I was a huge fan of the games the three founders had been involved in at Blizzard and decided to check them out. As soon as I walked in for the interview they sat me down in a room and told me to draw a monster. I was sold. I wasn’t actually applying for a concepting position and so decided right then I would take the job if they offered.

Let me explain why. Over the years with art development tools becoming ever increasingly complex there’s been an understandable emphasis put on technical as opposed to artistic abilities. Sort of “Do you know which buttons to push” instead of “Do you understand how to tell a story with those buttons”. This is over simplifying it I realize, but, the point is that Anet was less concerned with technical prowess than with artistic prowess. Less with “Can you model an Ettin?” than with “Do you know what an Ettin is?”
So anyhow, once I had the job it evolved quite a bit as the company grew from 25 to close to 200. I started out primarily concepting for our first title. As such I was the primary liaison with the design department. Eventually the sheer volume of work we were producing and the number of people involved necessitate I make the art pipeline my primary focus and was asked to take on the position of art producer. That was seven years and five titles ago.

Manuel: Making Video Games was something you always wanted to do? (and you made it very well!)

Shawn: No, it really wasn’t. As I mentioned above I turned the job down at first. Of course growing up on a farm in the 60’s and 70’s for all intents and purposes there were no computer games per se. At least not that I was aware of. I played arcade games from time to time but it never occurred to me to make them.

Manuel: Guild Wars has been an impressive innovation in MMORPGs, can you tell us about these innovative components?

Shawn: Well, technically, strictly speaking, GW isn’t really an MMORPG in the traditional sense. I point this out both to describe what I feel were some fantastic innovations as well as to segue into the next question about GW2. Obviously one of the biggest innovations we introduced with Prophesies – the first Guild Wars campaign – was no subscription fee. This was actually a big issue for me. I’ve played a lot of MMOs of course and one of the things I keep coming back to is asking myself if I feel like I’m getting 15 dollars of new content each month or if playing with other people on line is worth the money to me. I suppose lot of people ask themselves that.

I would also say with our instancing system we avoided a lot of the grieving problems that turn so many people off from traditional MMORPGs while still allowing a fantastic PVP experience. Guild Wars has always been about cooperative play. For instance you don’t have to worry about other players stealing your kills, spawn camping and so on. With GW2 we build on that.

Manuel: Guild Wars 2 will be even more innovative! What about it?

Shawn: The reason I held off on this interview for a while was that I wanted to wait until we were ready to start talking about some of the GW2 features. We’ve recently posted some interviews on our site outlining just some of the really cool things we have in the works for GW2.

While Guild Wars 2 will definitely be an MMORPG I honestly believe we’re reinventing the genre. Not only will it offer a rich and rewarding multiplayer experience but single player as well. For the more mission and quest oriented players there’s tons of directed play and our scaling event system creates a living world in which there’s always things going on and you can get involved regardless how many other people are there at the time. Our side-kicking system lets you play with friends regardless of level disparity or what race you decided to play.

Obviously there’s a ton of things I can’t talk about yet but check out our site and you’ll get an idea of why, as a gamer, I’m so excited about GW2.

Manuel: Why videogames in actual industry are not so innovative? Seems that developers and publishers do not want to risk very much.

Shawn: I would say there’s no end to innovative ideas and creative people in the industry but certainly the risk issue is a big factor in some cases. Considering the amount of money it takes to get some of the larger titles to market companies can be understandably nervous about investing in an unproven idea. Depending on the type of game, platform and whether you’re a development or publisher there may also be a large number of other people that need to be convinced to take what could be a fairly expensive chance on an unproven idea.

We’ve certainly had times where we’ve said to ourselves, “Wow, this is pretty different; I hope people buy into it” but we’ve had advantages supporting innovative that a lot of companies don’t. For one thing NCSoft has always been incredibly supportive of us. I can’t overstate how important that has been. We also have some of the most experienced and talented people in the business so not only do we have a pretty good idea of what’s going to excite the audience. In fact, we ARE the audience so that helps a lot. But, speaking of the audience, one huge advantage we’ve had over the years is really listening to player feedback. Even years before we shipped Prophesies we had the game live and a really active alpha player base. We’d do a build, play it, get response and make changes. Sometimes we would make small changes and sometimes totally toss an idea and start from scratch.

Manuel: How do you see the future of MMORPGs?

Shawn: I would expect to see them continue to branch out in terms of broad audience appeal and become much more a part of mainstream gaming. While most are pretty solidly fantasy based at the moment I also expect to see a greater range of settings and style of game play.

Manuel: I absolutely believe that VideoGames are important Forms of Art, but many do not think so. What can we say to them?

Shawn: This subject has gotten a lot of attention recently due in some part to comments made by Roger Ebert. It’s possible that, due to the similarity in budgets between movies and games in some cases and the fact that there’s a certain amount of cross over in talent that there’s an expectation they should compete on the same level. I wouldn’t agree with this nor say one is a more legitimate form of art. They are, as the saying goes, apples and oranges. While they are both telling stories to a greater or lesser degree, with the exception of color and sound, movie making as an art form has not changes substantially in the past 100 years. Games change and evolve constantly, vary greatly by genre and culture, are interactive and often non-linear. While many of those same things can be said of film-making certainly not to the degree of games. To suggest they are not “art” per se would be similar to a fiction writer denouncing sculpture for not being art; a painter saying the same of theater etc. It’s all art.

I feel it’s safe to say that not only will games themselves continue to be accepted as mainstream entertainment but that what we think of as games – interactive entertainment – will continue to evolve and become more and more a part of our concept of art, entertainment and education.

Manuel: Last but not least, Videogames as social communication. Multiplayer games and MMORPGs are creating a wonderful network of new communication opportunities between players. Playing with people from anywhere in the world definitely opens minds and leads to world integration. Your ideas?

Shawn: I absolutely agree and believe it will continue to grow and evolve. Due to the internet the idea of interacting with people across the planet is pretty common place anymore but games give you a common goal, a shared experience and can, ideally, compel a cooperation that may not naturally exist. “We need to team up to defeat the dragon”.
That said, there are downsides as well. Anonymity can also invite negative behavior. Some people do and say things on line they would never say or do to a person face-to-face. Clearly this will always be a part of on-line interaction whether in games or elsewhere.

But I suspect it will to some degree weed itself out. Just as real world social behavior evolves to benefit society – laws, codes of conduct, social mores – so too will those of the virtual worlds. Players in these on-line worlds will become less tolerant of negative behaviors and developers will respond accordingly to appease their customer base. People who persevere in spite of these efforts will find themselves alienated. Much like the real world. But, much like the real world we’ll never be entirely free of griefers.

Another aspect of on-line society I feel has a positive and negative potential is the one-world society. As much of a proponent as I am of virtual and expansive on-line communities there is always a danger of it replacing local and face-to-face interactions. It’s critical for our social evolution to interact with people around the world. The more you know of that family on the other side of the world the more understanding you are of their ways and culture.

But, the family on the other side of the fence in your own neighborhood is the one that will protect your house when you’re away, will babysit your kids and have dinner with you. It’s important to cultivate both.

Ceri Shaw suggested me an interview from our friends at Americymru. So here’s this beautiful interview with Dr. Karl Jenkins (I include also the link to their ticket giveaway competition for his performance at Carnegie Hall NY on March 6th 2010).

A Beautiful Interview

Dr. Karl Jenkins is Britain’s greatest and most versatile living composer, the author of an ocean of amazing and exalting music unlimited by genre, style or instrument. He holds a doctorate of musicology from the University of Wales and the Royal Academy of Music London. His many awards include several fellowships at various universities and an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for “services to music.” He has composed for jazz bands, orchestra and voice, for advertising, film, and live performance.

Dr. Jenkins is a native of the village of Penclawdd in the Gower peninsula, where his father was a school teacher and the choirmaster and organist of the Methodist church the family attended.

Two of his most recent works are Stabat Mater (2008), an adaptation of a 13th century Roman Catholic prayer and Stella Notalis (2009), adaptations and compositions of Christmas carols from around the world.

Americymru: You’ll be appearing as guest conductor at Carnegie Hall on March 6th . What are the circumstances and what will you be conducting?

Karl: As part of Welsh Week I’ve been asked to conduct some of my music as the first half of the concert. I have a strong relationship with Jonathan Griffith of DCINY who has arranged the event and who has been fantastic in that he has conducted and supported much of my work in the USA. On Martin Luther King Day 2010 he performed my The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace and my Requiem. On this occasion I shall be conducting Palladio [famous for its use on a TV ad for diamonds], two choral extracts, Benedictus & Ave verum [from the Armed Man & Stabat Mater respectively] and the USA premier of my Concerto for Euphonium & Orchestra played by David Childs for whom it was written Karl Jenkins Conducts “Palladio”

Americymru: You’re a musician, your wife is a musician, your son is a musician, your daughter-in-law is a musician, your father was a musician, has music always been part of your family’s life?

Karl: Well obviously that is the case. My father started the ball rolling really since he was hugely influential with regard to my musical education. He taught me piano from an early age and music was always in the house, both live & recorded. My wife Carol Barrat is a celebrated music educationalist while our son, a percussionist and film composer has just scored a Bollywood movie! His wife Rosie, whom he met in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain is currently playing oboe with the London Symphony Orchetra.

Americymru: You’ve said in other interviews and your biography that your father was the organist and choirmaster at your village’s Methodist chapel, was he the greatest musical influence in your life? Do you think you’ve been the same influence in your son’s life?

Karl: What we’ve done as parents is introduce Jody to music and by default, the musicians life so he’s quite worldly for a young man [he's 28]. We did not force him in any way and having played piano & flute as a child, he asked to play percussion when he was ten. This was his instrument and became principal in the aforementioned NYOGB, won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music [where I had studied 30 years before] and graduated with first class honours. So, he’s been his own man really but I suppose it helps in that we work in different areas. What we do all share as a family is a love of all good music, regardless of categorisation, and in any genre.

Americymru: How would you describe Welsh congregational singing to someone who’s never seen it? Would you say that growing up with that musical experience effected or enriched you as a composer?

Karl: It’s obviously hard to describe music in words but what makes it unique is the rawness of the vocal sound. On the printed page it looks like any other four part hymn but the sound, to me anyway, is hugely atmospheric especially when sung in Welsh. The sound influenced my Adiemus project which had a degree of global success. This was a mix of the ‘classical’ but with voices that were not from the European classical tradition but more “tribal”. The text was my own invented language.

Americymru: You’ve performed and composed a very wide variety of instruments and styles of music and incorporate a great variety in your work, from the 13th century Roman Catholic Stabat Mater to Japanese haiku and African folk – what inspires or directs fitting these styles together in a piece? Where do you start writing music or creating music?

Karl: My musical journey, following academic classical training at Cardiff University & the RAM, has taken in a wide variety of genres and I’ve arrived at what I do now by way of being a musical tourist. Essentially I am a composer who always looks outside the European tradition for influences, texts & instrumentation, particularly percussion. With regard starting a piece, if I’m setting words then I immediately have a peg on which to hang the piece. If it’s instrumental or Adiemus then I’m on my own! The principle is searching around for ideas [usually using a piano] and developing what takes my fancy. A huge amount of intuition is involved, but intuition based on an armoury of acquired musical craft; harmony, counterpoint, orchestration, form et.

Americymru: “Stabat” Mater (2008) is your adaptation of a 13th century Catholic liturgical hymn, in which you included an amazing variety of instruments and material from sources as wide as 13th century Persian poetry and the Epic of Gilgamesh, how did you come to create this, what was your process in expressing this?

Karl: Well the established text is there already. Then much of what I have expressed above came in to play, looking outside Europe to the Middle East/Holy Land for relevant [i.e. concerning grief] ancient text, employing languages that were lingua franca at the time and including indigenous instruments in the orchestration. The eminent Welsh poet [and academic] Grahame Davies [who wrote the words for my recently composed anthem for the National Assembly of Wales] did quite a bit of research for me with regard to the literature.

Americymru: You’ve said in interviews before that you “don’t see any point in being a composer if you don’t communicate with people,” what does that mean to you? Do you feel that response in the audience is important, that response is the “product” or goal of a piece of art or music? What response do you want to create in your audiences?

Karl: I believe music should emotionally connect with an audience; make them cry, laugh, administer ‘goose bumps! I’ve heard far too much music with ‘one man and his dog’ in the audience, the piece never heard again and the event receiving “critical acclaim”.

Americymru: Wales seems to produce a lot of musical artists who would be (or are) described as “crossover”, yourself included – do you think Wales has a musical character or tradition that inspires or tends toward experimentation or something like hybridization, a lack of adherence to artificial limitations of genre?

Karl: I don’t like to use the term cross-over. I’m not sure what it means and I’ve explained what I do above. I don’t think the Welsh like music particularly. What they do like are singers which is not necessarily the same thing. I like to think that what I do is at least individual and at least it’s new. Most albums and repertoire [not just by Welsh artists] are a series of singers singing the same songs, songs that everyone knows. Many such artists are described as opera singers when they have never sang in an opera in their lives. At least good modern ‘pop’ has more integrity since it is newly composed.

Americymru: Did you have particular creative goals as an artist and if you did, have you achieved them? What would you like to look back on at the end of your life and see that you did or created?

Karl: Following my journey, I have come relatively late in life to what I do now, but the corollary is that I would not have arrived at this point without this musical tourism and the influence and skills that have come with it. There is still much to do. I’m setting the Gloria text for a Royal Albert Hall premier in July and there is much more to do.

Americymru: Is there any particular instrument you especially like to compose for? If so, what instrument and why?

Karl: Sounds pompous [which I'm not] but my instrument is the orchestra [& choir] and the rich palette of colours it provides.

Americymru: Is there any one work or piece that you created that you’re particularly proud of or happy to have done? If so, what is it and why?

Karl: The worrying thing is that some of my most popular pieces were kind of written quickly and which I didn’t set great store by. However, I suppose the Armed Man because of it’s impact but I think there is better music in the Requiem.

Americymru: What music do you listen to for pleasure?

Karl: I listen far less than I did, most certainly because I’m always writing and I need a break! Favourites would be Mahler, Strauss, Wagner, Bach, Stravinsky, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Weather Report, Steely Dan…

Today we interview Andres Martinez, owner of baKno, a game development studio located in Key Biscayne, Florida. They are a group of video game enthusiasts committed to developing new ways to deliver fun, interactive and challenging software.

Living as Independent Developer

Manuel Marino: You declare yourself and your team as “video game enthusiasts”. How much being a “videogames fan” is important in creating games?

Andres Martinez: All companies have their own stories, but in our case, developing and self-publishing our games has been difficult, with low sales during several months at our beginnings, and still low if they get compared to a regular studio. The only reason we have been able to survive is our passion for the art of game creation.

Can we say that the old games of the past were “better”? What can we say to the nostalgic gamers?

20 to 30 years ago the video game space was totally different. Accessibility to video games was very low, the product itself was like an experiment and the assumed audience was reduced, fortunately for us, we fell into that target, and we enjoyed every bit of Space Invaders, Galaga, Pac-Man, etc.

Some may say that it was better for game developers at that time because it was easier to create totally new and different IPs (Intellectual Properties). But the reality is that, they created myriads of games and only a few stood up to catch the public’s attention. Additionally, they were tremendously limited by technology and market penetration.

So, to answer your question, I don’t think old games were better or worst. But I think that our judgement is usually biased by the emotional attachment we have to those old great experiences.

How is the Independent developers world?

If we can name our day to day activities at baKno a “world”, then it is great!. Being able to make a living out of our own game creations is a wonderful feeling. None of us worked in this industry before and we don’t know how it is to distribute games through an experienced third party, maybe sales are much higher, but I suspect that for those particular jobs your independence is quite compromised.

What’s the difference between being “indy” and being “in the industry”?

We don’t consider baKno to be an industry player yet, we are independents as explained before, but it does not excludes the possibility of being an influent member of the gaming industry at the same time.

Videogames are more a “work of art” or a “industry product”?

All baKno games are a “work of art” built upon an “industry product” foundation. This foundation provides a minimum quality, design and support standards, and it becomes the canvas where the artist paint his game creation.

What can be done to make modern games better and innovative?

Creating better games is not that difficult, just use your common sense to take advantage of the ever-growing processing capacity, graphics and audio capabilities and internet bandwidth. As an example, you can enhance a simple old-school cards game with better graphics and effects, and maybe adding a multiplayer option with audio chat capability. Creating quality innovative games is an art, and for that there is no recipe or guideline to follow.

Why is it that I find games from independent developers being more innovative?

Innovation is weapon that cuts both ways. The more you innovate in a game, the higher the chance of being a great hit or a great failure. Established studios have serious economic responsibilities like payroll or rent, and they cannot afford to risk the company viability in a single game. On the other hand, and usually not even knowing about it, independent developers working from home are the risky creators of real innovative game experiences.

Internet can be of help?

Sure. In general, for casual games Internet has been the medium to reach massive audiences by offering free-to-try downloads, something that would have been impossible (very expensive) by mailing free CDs. In particular, baKno relies heavily on the Internet not only as a distribution medium but also as an effective way to communicate with our customers, and also to enhance the game experience with additional online features.

What are your next projects?

We are working now the online gaming for Billiards. We want to create a subscription service before mid-year. And by the end of the year we want to create a game with 100% pure baKno IP.

How do you see the future of videogaming?

As an interesting mixture of platforms, game genres and players’ demographics. Internet is going to be the default distribution medium, there won’t be a single dominant gaming platform, more and more people will embrace video games as an entertainment alternative, and most important: the general public will recognize the cognitive development value provided by video games (most of them).

In this exclusive interview, Todd Cericola, owner of Clocktower Pictures, talks about his movie studio, about music in movies and about the independent productions world.

Manuel Marino: When did you start your movie studio and how did you have the idea?

Todd Cericola: Clocktower Pictures was started in February of 2008. We are a new company in the Philadelphia area that specializes in independent film. We started it after working on a t.v. sitcom pilot called “Two One Five.” Myself, and my two partners Keelen Monahan and Matt Tomko had all been working individually on producing, directing, and writing and decided to put our efforts into one basket by opening up what would eventually become Clocktower.

How much is difficult to manage a movie studio?

I don’t know that it’s as difficult as it is fun. We are all doing something that we throughly enjoy doing. There is a strong workload, especially since we are a new company, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. We are a very hands on company working directly with our actors on a one on one basis. We try to cater to all of their needs as well as our own.

I’m a music composer, so the question is natural, how much music is important in the production?

As a musician myself, I think that music is one of the most important thing in a film. If you’re trying to paint a picture to set up a scene, background music is key to setting a mood. A good song will always have the scene set perfectly and you may not even notice it in the background, but when you have a bad song you, as the filmgoer, will always notice the mistake of choice.

What is your latest production? Can you tell us something about it?

Right now we are working on a few things. We are working on a feature film called “Describing the Moon,” about a guy in his mid-twenties struggling with trying to please his friends and complete his life’s goal of becoming a script writer. It’s a fantastic script that’s really dialogue driven, and very funny. We will be finishing up auditions for that next weekend, and should begin filming in October. Two One Five is a big priority as well, we are shopping around to try and sell and make an entire season. As well as entering short film and television festivals to get the name out. The entire episode is up on our website for free viewing at Clocktower Pictures. We are also looking into opening up a second branch of the company under the banner Clocktower Music helping to produce local artists and independent musicians. So we have a lot going on.

How we can define an independent movie and why it’s important that indies are supported in their work?

I think independent film is a very important thing because it brings out more creativity in people. When you’re writing without cause and shooting without big budget you’re working harder at making something the way you see it, so you’re getting the original vision of what you’re going for. It’s like an artists painting, you want to express your own ideas in your own way, not someone else. Too many hands in the cookie jar is never a good thing.

Do you think internet can help indies?

I think the internet is a great advantage for people in any area of creative arts. You can reach out to millions of people at the single click of a button for your company, your movie, your art, your music anything you want. I think with the advent of facebook, myspace, mandy, craigslist, and countless others we’re living in an age where getting yourself out to the masses of people is just that much easier, and that much better.

How do you see the future of movie production?

As far as movie production in general goes, I see it bulking up even more. Budget’s for production are getting larger by what seems daily, actors are making more and more money, and the intake is getting outrageous. On a smaller scale, Philadelphia is getting its own studio soon which has already scene production in the city jump up ten fold.

Mark Weakley is an impressive artist; sculptor, painter, musician. He plays guitar, banjo and harmonica, and has recently recorded a CD of his original compositions. In this exclusive article he talks about himself, about his passions, about his father, about traditional american music, about vintage guitars and banjoes, and much more.

American Music and Vintage Guitars

My father was a gunsmith and fastidious in his craft. As a boy I once watched him raise a dent in an antique rifle stock. He had dampened a soft white cloth, folded it over a few times and placed on that blemish in the wood while applying the low heat of an iron. He did this patiently for hours, for days it seemed. Why didn’t he just fill it and do some sanding? I know the answer now. That random few moments when I was the youthful observer may have been the most precious thing he left me. It was really the seed of true craftsmanship and it grew within me despite my natural inclinations. It was not an overnight revelation. Not only did I see a glimpse of patience when the word had no meaning to me I also saw that it was the only way to do it right. Anything less is just that.

Around this time, 1960 or so, I was captured forever by the sound of Traditional American Music and struggling to learn the guitar when guitar players were scarce indeed for an Army brat in Munich, Germany. I thought the Kingston Trio were great until an older mentor loaned me his copy of the Harry Smith Anthology Vol. One. He suggested that I might find it interesting.

Interesting? My life simply changed forever and for the better. A door to another most wonderful world slammed open and has not closed for the last forty- eight years. Yes, interesting. It was a strange and mysterious world that opened like the fabled parallel universe. I truly felt, and still feel, that I found of part of me that had been missing. I loved the wonderful names, Blind Willie Johnson, Buell Kazee, The Masked Marvel, Furry Lewis and all the others. I had to know what they were saying and how they said and played. Griel Marcus calls it the “Old, Weird America”. I know it certainly called me to a lost world. These people were making music because they had no choice. It was in them as deep as breathing and money was not the object. At least, not then.

My passion has grown and my playing has improved but I am still drawn to the archaic in all arts. I have learned tunes note for note from these and countless other old recordings. In my later years I have seen that these same tunes are no longer played rote but that I have brought something of my own expression to them. I fear imitation for its’ own sake. Still, I must admit that guitar buddies of mine and I have spent untold hours dissecting each quavering semi-tone of “Dark Was the Night and Cold Was the Ground” by the magnificent Blind Willie Johnson. We do it with love and full knowledge that we will never succeed and rejoice that someone recorded it. To me it’s the most important recording ever made.

My love of vintage guitars and banjoes grew accordingly. ‘Neath beds and in closets they lurk. I am a lover of Martin guitars particularly and was thrilled and honored to illustrate a portrait of Perry Bechtal to used in advertising and as a label inside the guitar itself. Oddly enough it is executed in scratchboard – a technique I learned as a Medical Illustrator.

There came a point when I was hearing my own songs and found the courage to record and release them on my own CD entitled “Farewell to Pony Bob”. We did it in a back room of my house without fear.

I was truly surprised to hear that it is available on PodSafeAudio.com. With thanks to Steve James and Michael Martin bless their souls. Look ‘em up. The visitor to my website, will see that my recent paintings of dogs have included a musical influence. Great care was taken to render the banjo and guitar with accuracy. Those pups deserve the best.

There are times I have been painting or drawing, rendering detail that will read as I want it to, when I happen to notice the time. And it is hours past where I thought it might be. I confess those are moments of pure joy. Time and space went somewhere else for a while. Or maybe I am finally learning to see in the fullest sense of the word. Looking at something becomes not quite enough.

My father knew and I thank him for the lesson.

Today we interview Raymond Jacobs, owner of Ethereal Darkness Interactive. Founded in 2002 Ethereal Darkness Interactive is commited to developing quality indie games with high production values. Raymond talks about his latest project, Morning’s Wrath 2, about videogames, Arts and technology.

Raymond Thoughts about Games and Arts

Manuel Marino: You are working on some new features for your next game…

Raymond Jacobs: yes, it is going to be Morning’s Wrath 2, the Sequel to our first game. You would be the first news source to really mention that!! As for the new systems… they are some various forms of internet integration with our new engine (The S3Engine 2.0) (version 2.0 of the engine used to make Malathedra). They will allow players to directly in-game leave comments to the developers about what they think of the game as well as submit any errors encountered via the internet automatically.

This is part of our new ‘internet technologies integration’ initiative as well as trying to know the minds of our target market better so that we can provider better games and faster fixes.

Sounds really innovative! The game reminds me Ultima Online…

Somewhat, though it is a single player game. In MW1 you had to fight off an invading army from taking over your castle along with learning the ways of magic though in doing so you get stricken by a terrible ‘dissease’ since the magical elixer that you use (mana) is by nature poisioned.

MW2 continues with this story, having morning lead her army across the continent to strike back at the invading Ashidian Army; and her search for a cure for her poisioning which is slowly driving her insane. It will likely be done in episodic format, and 3 episodes are currently slated.

Can we say that videogames are a form of Art?

Personally I consider videogames as a major form of Art but I don’t believe that people yet see games as an Art form, at least not the vast majority. They are still mainly an entertainment source however indie developers are definitely causing a movement of games as an Art form.

As for my company everything we do is first a source of artistic inspiration and second a business endevor. We feel that without the artistic and creative backbone, what we develop isn’t likely to be enjoyable.

How technology fits with creative skills?

We limit ourselves to fairly proven technology, choosing not to push the technological envelope very much; but instead create a platform for creative expression; by creating a limited and finite set of functionality on existing technology it forces us to be creative, rather than to rely on technology to turn heads.

The newest HDR rendering may be very pretty, but beyond that it says nothing about the depth of a particular game, so in short, we use technology as a pedistal from which to express our creativity.

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