Star Wars has always been about legacy and embracing destiny. To me, that is no more apparent than it is in Return of the Jedi. You have Luke fully embracing his role as a Jedi and accepting that Vader is his father. This leads to Vader protecting his son after Luke stands up to Palatine which is Vader fulfilling his destiny as The Chosen One who would bring balance to the Force. This is why the last bit of Return of the Jedi is some of my favorite moments in Star Wars. Luke was able to come through and redeem Vader because he knew that his father's legacy as a Jedi meant there was good in him. As artists, we have a lineage too. We come from a long line of artists who came before us and others before them. They may not be blood relatives but they still build a sprawling line that leads to where you are today. Knowing where you come from is the key to figure out where you're going.
Read MoreCreating can be a big, lonely undertaking occasionally even bigger than taking on Thanos on your own. Sometimes you can get through on your own but everyone can benefit from a little help from time to time. Whether you’re taking on a small project or a massive one, it helps to know how to assemble your team. Here’s what you should consider when finding collaborators.
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One of my favorite things about sci-fi has always been the cool tech. It’s a fun spotlight for creativity and is a subtle but effective way to contribute to the world building. Pacific Rim has some of the coolest tech in it along with some of the greatest world building this side of Star Wars. Chief among them are the distinctive jaegers to take on the massive Kaiju. I mean, come on, they’re giant freakin’ robots. It is so incredibly easy to be hung up on wanting to get the latest and greatest gear. As a tech enthusiast, the feeling of wanting the latest phone or tablet is not foreign to me. It’s okay to want to add the latest gear to your utility belt but you don’t need the latest gear to kick kaiju butt, you just need to know how to use the gear you have. Pacific Rim gives the perfect perks of knowing your old gear.
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Without a doubt, Batman is one of the most iconic superheroes in comics history. You would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t know something about the Caped Crusader. There’s the origin story of his parents being gunned down in alley when he was a kid or the gallery of colorful rogues that he faces off against (some of which have their own spin-off movies of varying degrees of quality) to the costume that immediately distinguishes itself from other heroes. One of the more interesting facets is the fact that he’s just a dude who can keep up with people who are basically gods. One of the big ways he does this is with his equally iconic utility belt. Across all of the Batman media, he has a gadget that does just about anything and knows how to use it in any situation. I think we as artists & creatives should also have a utility belt. A set of tools to have on hand to help overcome creative challenges or capture rogue ideas when not at home. Not one with shark-repellent bat spray and one that goes beyond paint brushes or DAW plug-ins. They don’t even need to be the best or flashiest thing that only Bruce Wayne can buy, they just need to be handy. Here’s a list of Physical & Digital tools that I use on a regular basis and think every creative should have in their utility belt.
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