Oh yeah... A Blog!
Lately I've been so caught up in work, that I forgot to update my blog and almost forgot I even had one. Scouts honor, I'll be more consistent.
During my amnesia of this blog, I was able to complete work on my new horror film 'Hide The Monster'! This was definitely one of my most challenging projects, but also one of the most creatively rewarding. I've always been a huge fan of horror films and getting the opportunity to create a spooky story was boatloads of fun! From the masks, props, monster scenes... you are swimming in creative possibilities.
Getting to work with such fantastic actors is also a huge benefit, but when they also turn out to be great people and friends, it makes the work that much better. You trust each other, and trust is crucial on a film set.
In a nutshell, we started shooting 'Hide The Monster' in late May and premiered in late September!
You can see it now on Amazon Video and at www.HideTheMonster.com *Coming soon to Hulu & Netflix
Hide The Monster - Interview
Onward,
Gabe S.
Be present for yourself & everyone else... :)
So for the past month I've been interning at the Dallas Comedy House. It's been great, I get to hangout with fun people & experience a flood of creative energy from people.
I recently sat in on some of the stand up comedy open mic. You stand under a spotlight & your EXPECTED to be funny! There was a comic doing a set my first night at DCH who I thought did great! He had a dry sense of humor, & his jokes were spot on, I loved it! ... if only others had been paying attention. For the most part, there are always those people that feel a force stronger than gravity that causes them to pull out there phone, the blast of light making them light up like little towers in the theater. ("Uh hello, it's called multi-taking, duh! Get ova' yourself!")
As the comic's show concluded, he had a masked look of disappointment & frustration. Disappointed because his show didn't go as he had hoped & frustrated because even if it had gone the way he planned, most people weren't paying attention!! He looked up and said one last thing before walking off stage, "Take a break from your phone's people, because one day your gonna look back up & the ones you love won't be there anymore."
Only about half the room even heard him, but he felt the need to say it. I thought at the moment it was such a profound thing to say to an audience. Granted some of the other audience members were other comics waiting for their chance to grace the stage, but it didn't make sense these fellow comics weren't AT ALL engaged with their colleagues work, process, or performance. Even watching bad performances has value!! It could be going through what the person did right or wrong. It could be deconstructing jokes & seeing what landed or what needs work.
Yet we are all so attached to our "smart" phones!! I recently saw Captain America 8 (or which ever version they're on now,) where a guy pulled out his phone & started talking to someone... as if we didn't all just see the same 3 minute mini-PSA asking us all not to!
We have a 24 hour day at our disposal and we sleep about 8 hours a day, which now leaves you with about 16 hours for "freedom". BUT WAIT, you're supposed to be working, no worries it's only going to be a short 8 hour day. So now you're left with about 8 hours of "freedom". PUMP THEM BRAKES, your place is also dirty, there's laundry, you have family commitments, a spouse, kids, blah, blah, etc. Let's stay all those things take 4 hours, conservatively. You now have 4 hours to work on whatever you want in the world... which is turning more and more into that little voice that says "hey... YOU should check your phone."
I used to be the same way though... until I realized that life happens whether you're present for it or not. I'd really hate to have my life flash before my eyes & realize I checked my phone the whole time!
Onward,
Gabe S.
Success for Metronome! Accepted & nominated into Miami Webfest.
Metronome was just accepted into the Miami Webfest & nominated for an award! It feels phenomenal putting all your creative energy into a project & having it validated!! I must admit, somedays while producing, writing, & acting in this series I had my own self-doubts; we all do at times, right? We all run into the same cross-road: either we will listen to these negative voices & back down, sticking with the status-quo OR we can brush off these negative voices & keep moving forward nonetheless!!
I'll be traveling to Miami in late September to attend the screening of Metronome & the award gala; it's also an amazing excuse to visit the beach! I can't wait to hear some feed back on this mysterious series! If you haven't seen it yet, here's a link to the full series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLID4qj40BgCmuJvOnNXH4aighNgt85d51
Onward,
Gabe S.
My sabbatical... a year for creative discoveries!
In two weeks time I will embark on a unique adventure, my own special sabbatical! This is something I've always wanted to do... just get away from the hustle & bustle of life & remember what it means to LIVE. You know, travel, create, learn new languages, read new books, write, act, & really just do anything I've always wanted to do.
It's so strange that from an early age we're all encouraged to follow the same road map. Finish grades K-12, then go to college for a few years, then get a respectable corporate job, get married, buy a house, pop out a few babies, save for the golden years... then die...? It blows my mind how boring this all sounds... & yet we all buy into this same story-line. Hence, the sabbatical!
I was inspired by the amazing TED Talk from Stefan Sagmeister & his notion that every 7 years you should go on sabbatical to recharge & refresh your creative outlook. Perhaps we should all take time to clear out the clutter of our own mind & remember what it's like not only to day dream, but make your actual days dream like!
I've included the video below, let me know what you think... and maybe you should start planning your own sabbatical...! Stay tuned for updates on my progress during this adventure!
Wish me luck & Onward,
Gabe S.
Looking at Metronome Chapter 5 & beyond!
Well after lots of hard work & having to continually push my own professional boundaries, I have successfully completed the first season of Metronome the webseries! It was truly a great experience writing, producing, & acting in this mysterious story! See the conclusion of Metronome Chapter 5 below! Now it's time to submit the series to Film Festivals & show them what we've got!
If you've missed any previous episodes, catch up on them with the links below!
Metronome
Chapter 1: https://youtu.be/pMNDMWs7On8
Chapter 2: https://youtu.be/2IW91tZ9p7k
Chapter 3: https://youtu.be/Vjsn_h6wVJ8
Chapter 4: https://youtu.be/mvmL7rpwo8c
Onward,
Gabe S.
Metronome Chapter 4 Release
Hey there friends, below is yet another chapter in the mysterious Metronome WebSeries! The stakes continue to be raised on Dr. Evans as he continues his increasingly dangerous search for his missing patient. As he learns more about the Black Monarch Dr. Evans begins to question where this all leads. Watch the latest episode below & subscribe to our YouTube Channel to catch up & past chapters & to stay up to date on future episodes!
Need to catch up on past chapters? Links here:
Chapter 1: https://youtu.be/pMNDMWs7On8
Chapter 2: https://youtu.be/2IW91tZ9p7k
Chapter 3: https://youtu.be/Vjsn_h6wVJ8
If there's one lesson I've learned from writing, producing, & acting in these productions it's that the best way to learn how to do something is to get out there & do it. Yeah, it won't be perfect, but name one thing in this world that ever is... :)
Onward,
Gabe S.
Metronome Chapter 3 - Release
Well after lots of hard work, Chapter 3 of our webseries, Metronome is here! We had a blast putting this together & I'm really happy with the way things turned out.
To be honest, when you start a project you just never really know where it may lead and as an actor you pour your heart into a role & you never really know if it'll even see the light of day ( I've filmed a few projects that never even came out & never even received footage). Unfortunately, so many things can and do go wrong. I'm always thrilled when projects do make it out of the creative obstacle course & are able to be seen! However, the release itself can be riddled with anxiety, what if people say it's no good, what if others think you're not a very good actor, or what if you think you don't look good on camera... I mean the list goes on & on.
At the end of the day none of that noise matters & it IS just noise. The point is that you set out to do something & you've accomplished it (good or bad) nobody can take that kind of experience away from you. You've grown & learned so much, and that alone is worth the journey... which brings me to why I decided to title my website with one of my favorite quotes... "THE VALUE OF ART IS IN YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STARE DOWN THE RISK & TO EMBRACE THE VOID OF POSSIBLE FAILURE." Because it says so much about what we do as creative people. So be bold, take risks & never surrender to your FEARS, never!
If you haven't seen Chapter 1 or 2 of our series I've included links below. Let me know your thoughts! The mystery continues...
Click here to watch - Metronome: Chapter 1
Click here to watch - Metronome: Chapter 2
Onward,
Gabe S.