BEAR NECESSITIES

Today, I'm going to share out some wisdom that isn't mine. Its the sort of thing I might say, would like to say, have kind of said now and then, but have never actually said so eloquently in this order.

What we have here is 24 tips for film-makers taken from the back of Paul Cronin's book Werner Herzog: A Guide for the Perplexed. If this is what they chose to throw on the back cover, count me for whatever's inside and consider a copy on its way.

Whilst they may originally be intended for film-makers, if you're trying to achieve anything that's out of the ordinary or that you want to do on your own terms (or both), they are as true for you as anybody:

1. Always take the initiative.
2. There is nothing wrong with spending a night in jail if it means getting the shot you need.
3. Send out all your dogs and one might return with prey.
4. Never wallow in your troubles; despair must be kept private and brief.
5. Learn to live with your mistakes.
6. Expand your knowledge and understanding of music and literature, old and modern.
7. That roll of unexposed celluloid you have in your hand might be the last in existence, so do something impressive with it.
8. There is never an excuse not to finish a film.
9. Carry bolt cutters everywhere.
10. Thwart institutional cowardice.
11. Ask for forgiveness, not permission.
12. Take your fate into your own hands.
13. Learn to read the inner essence of a landscape.
14. Ignite the fire within and explore unknown territory.
15. Walk straight ahead, never detour.
16. Maneuver and mislead, but always deliver.
17. Don’t be fearful of rejection.
18. Develop your own voice.
19. Day one is the point of no return.
20. A badge of honor is to fail a film theory class.
21. Chance is the lifeblood of cinema.
22. Guerrilla tactics are best.
23. Take revenge if need be.
24. Get used to the bear behind you.

Some things make your heart sing like a phoenix. 

It also has bears in it, which makes it doubly worth a damn, obviously.

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Sometime in recent history, I dropped something on here about Clive Barker's Scarlet Gospels - if such news rattled your cage and started a fire in your eyes, here's a link to the Earthling Deluxe Edition. It's not cheap but don't shoot the messenger. 

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INTERLUDE

Even though you never asked, I'll tell you this anyway - this sounds great on vinyl:

END OF INTERLUDE

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Talking of bears, which we kind of were, my lovely friend Michelle - better known as WolfSkullJack to the world and whose art you should be spending your money on - sent me a note yesterday and we talked (briefly... in 140 characters or less) about maybe doing something together to give the Romanian Bears a little something extra.

Thinking, thinking, thinking. This could be seriously supercool and very fun.

In case you missed it... she is wonderful and this is mine:

I believe it's based loosely on me... and if it's not, I don't care because that's what I tell everybody anyway. It's a better story than it not being based on me. 

Never let the truth come between you and a good story, huh.

I should add that to the end of the list from Werner Herzog and see if anybody notices.

GOOD DAY AT THE OFFICE, DEAR?

I follow a fair few writer blogs and some of those guys have the best fans in the world. Seriously. They draw things for them, make things, start insane campaigns to get things done in their name - they probably go through their trash sometimes as well but I've not seen anybody write about that. Not ever.

Anyway. That kind of thing comes under the banner of "dreaming about movies nobody will ever make about my life". Particularly when you have but a couple of finished works out in the world and nobody really knows about the teetering stack hidden behind the door - but you know what? I can be so busy doing the things I'm trying to do here that I forget exactly how many hours and words I plough into the mag doing the day job and what effect some of those things have once they're out there.

Today, two things happened. Last weekend, I met Michelle Harvey (aka wolfskulljack) and immediately fell in love with her art. I'm not sure she believed me but that's OK. I never believe anybody when they say nice things about me either. She went away from the show and painted this based on er... me. Which is so fucked up and so incredibly cool at the same time, I had to buy it. 

When it arrives, I will frame it and hang it somewhere people will see it and ask me about it - that's more than good enough but I will probably also 'force' them to buy other works from her because it's hard being an artist of any kind out in the real world. Don't wait for me though - her store is right here.

Shit like that doesn't happen very often (when I say 'very often' I mean: 'ever'), so later, when I got an email from a guy who runs a blog (I don't know what it is yet or I would namecheck it) asking me for advice because he was into the way I did things, I felt kind of weird. Kind of like the Gods were playing some intricate cosmic gag that I hadn't seen coming but I guess when people take the time to do or say something wonderful because of something you do, you should accept it like a man.

I haven't yet replied to this one (if you happen to be reading), well, I have, but it's currently the length of a short novel that badly needs some attention before it makes sense.

So yeah - it was a  good day at the office, thanks for asking.