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What is success?

So far I've learned in my short career as a filmmaker that.... If a tree falls in a forest and there's no one around to market it.... it doesn't make a sound.

I was talking to a publicist- he was ready to do an introductory campaign for Heart String Marionette for $7500- I could have put it on a credit card but I didn't - but why? If that's how successes are made than why am I not willing to do that?

I don't really know the answer to that.

I make films because I have too... because something forces me too... I have a game project in progress as well as a novel... I moved away from those for the time being and jumped into a new film with I am Nightmare.

I WISH my passion was in line with something more marketable- but my strange introspective genre defying films it is- at a time where escapism and the desire to "turn off one's brain"  IS STRONG I'm creating films that require thought and challenge the viewer... great choice Mike ^_^

You know sometimes I get hate mail/messages/comments wherein people tell me that I am failing and/or they hope that I fail- they often use the word "obscurity" - The thing I don't get is that I already am obscure and I'm fine with that- these people assume their definition of success is the same as mine.

In my definition- as long as I continue to create and complete my creations I am successful in what I choose to do.

So I say think twice before you accept someone else's definition of success...

Ok maybe I have some ideas as to why I'm fighting getting a publicist and doing that whole thing...

The status quo is built on lies... on controlling and manipulating information... on having supposed experts telling people what they are seeing and telling them how and what to think... So I have an aversion to telling people what to think or feel... I want them to make up their own minds... hence my non-existent marketing campaign haha

The status quo in America has brainwashed people into thinking that popular people and things are the best...better than less popular things/people... the highest grossing movies must be the best right?! Look at how much money they made?! I don't want to try and shine up my films to impress people- that doesn't get ME interested in films... its the comments and reviews of regular people that get me interested...

Maybe its just me being stubborn and wanting to do it my way- I want my films/audience to grow organically... not because I spammed social media and said "LIKE and FAV! PLEASE SUB/FOLLOW" I hate that shit...

Even if I had no audience I'd still make these films... as completing my films is success to me... is that success to other people? Maybe? Maybe not? But I'm not other people... I'm me.

I'm not trying to be the next *Insert popular person... I'm the first M dot Strange.

The status quo is collapsing around us so why would I join in now? To try and reach someone else's idea of success?

I'm travelling through the darkness now... I can't see a light at the end of the tunnel, no... but I've got a light inside of me that's guiding me along... as long as I follow that I can never go wrong.








Comments

  1. As long as you're happy, why give 2 shits what anybody else has to say about you?
    Sad not many people have the same mind-set.
    --
    Partially related.. I saw this movie "God Bless America". I really liked it, it sort of reminded me of some of the things you've talked about in the past.

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    1. Fo sho! I tend to forget sometimes and have to remind myself ^_^ It also makes me happy to work with other people on their passion projects so just let me know when you need me to do some music if you still do Tim ^_^

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    2. I haven't forgotten. This time of the year leaves me little "free time" is all.

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  2. i think there'll be a breakout film at some point, for sure, but until then you'll just keep making exactly what you want.
    big inspirational guy.

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    1. Yeh I think as long we're staying true with what we're making we can't go wrong- I've seen people change to try and get "success" and even though they became richer and stuff they were unhappy- so if I'm happy now and have c00 peeps like you watching my stuff thats pretty awesome ^_^

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  3. Thanks M dot you're probably one of my biggest inspirations for being an artist and each day I try to work towards making myself as focused, honest, and die hard for my art as you are for yours. That's why I have all the music you've released on my mp3 player, bought the DVD for We Are the Strange when it became available, bought the soundtrack and download for Heart String Marionette, gave money for your kickstarter, and pre-ordered I am Nightmare (still need to get all the books though). It sucks that you're not getting the recognition you deserve but the fact that you keep going no matter what obstacles are put in your way is what allows me to not even consider giving up on what I do an option. So thanks for keeping on and I'm really excited to see what else you have to show world.

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    1. Thanks so much for your support! And please keep me up to date on your projects as I remember yer username from way back when ^_^ I'll keep moving forward for sure!

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  4. You're the one and only space wizard, Mike. Don't change that.
    It's quite sad like 99,9% of the people are mainstream oriented, watching the same shit over and over and over again in the 20th remake of an unoriginal concept. AND LOVING IT.

    This is why your work is outstanding. I recommend your work to people who aren't like them but still its hard to find the right audience. Which makes me sad because your hardcore uberrectorskillz definitely deserves a way bigger audience!

    Sometimes i dream about having the same epic quest trough space and time like you do, but i haven't grown the skills yet to actually craft anything outstanding because i'm fucking lazy but you are a great motivation for me since you simply refuse to stop walking your path trough the nevurendingdarknezz.

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    1. Thank you for your support! Yeh being original makes for a slow start in my case but I think it pays off in the end ^_^ I mean even if my audience is tiny- its made up of peeps like you so I'm excited to keep making stuff for yall!

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  5. You could try doing both?
    I think those t-shirts have a lot of un-used potential if you make them a little more main stream goth or punk , or even beberish , they’d sell great at hot topic or someplace like that , you made like 30 of them in a day , you can easily keep up with fads and trends with them, you don’t have much emotional attachment to them and you don’t need much $ if you made like 2K a month (double your kick starter) you would have enough money to make any kind of hard to sell artistic showpiece movie pulled out the darkest forsaken recess of your mind you wanted then
    Try calling the publicist back and tell him you’ve got some shirt’s to look at and they can be made to sell
    I think it be worth a try and if it doesn’t work you’d only be out a couple days work , at the most, what do you think dude , I just like your movies and I want you to be able to make more of them? I actual first saw we are the strange on hulu , have you tried putting HSM on their? Did you make any money off them?

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    1. Good ideas! Yeh I def need to do something with those shirts IRL too- like make a bunch and pitch them to some companies- I have a friend who makes a good living doing just that so I should ask him for some tips..

      I'll never stop making movies- even if it means using sock puppets or whatever else ^_^ The company that released the WATS dvd's put it up on hulu and itunes but haven't gotten any money from those BUT glad you found my stuff that way! ^_^

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    2. a sock puppet movie would be so freaky , you should totally do a "mdots sesame street" sock puppet short

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  6. I dunno. I've been following you for a while and this is one of the things you talk about that tears me. The films you make are undoubtedly yours, but... film is a medium that communicates. If you're not going to get it in front of as many faces as you can, it's a bit self-defeating isn't it? Why bother with film as a medium at all? To prove you can? As far as I've seen, you've proven you can. I don't really see anything wrong with passing the baton onto some professional teamsters if it means your survival as a filmmaker and making more films, which is the most important thing, right? Maybe I'm operating on some wrong-headed assumptions, in which case, feel free to set me straight.

    You're good, bro. I got HSM the night you released it. I say whatever it takes to get your work funded and put out is something to consider. The hype machine is already in place and it's not going away. Might as well use it to your advantage like everyone else you and I have heard of. Don't let your philosophy bury you, dude. Adaptation is survival. But that's just me.

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    1. Good points- I think when it comes to a lot of these things I'm self defeating- I become my own worst enemy- the stubbornness and control freakism that helps me complete projects limits me from changing my ways and branching out further- I'm aware of it and making small changes all the time- I'm just kinda slow when it comes to this haha

      You're totally right man- I keep trying new things- as long as I keep trying new stuff with some aspect of the process I won't totally write myself off as a lunatic ^ ^

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  7. you're doing what you love and that's great. even though it might look bleak right now, i can see your work reaching very far.

    hang in there dude!

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    1. Thanks for your long time support! To not stop I think is the key- every film is a new chance- a new gamble- we filmmaker types just need to keep gamblin! Interested to see what you've been up to as well ^_^ Last time I checked yer blog you were doing some c00 VJ stuff

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  8. when you first posted that 'i am nightmare' image with all them characters, i was like 'none of those characters interest me. i'm not curious to know shit bout none of them fools.'

    i still feel the same way.

    you could pay $7500 to a hundred marketers but i'm not gonna buy 'i am nightmare' because them characters on that image you posted do nothing for me.

    that said, is there a place i can donate money to the fafp? i love that shit. you and screamerclauz are super cool and i miss james id. james id might not make anything but he talks all good like so put that muh fuckah on!

    what's that song you play at the start and end of fafp?

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    1. Yer thoughts about the way the characters look was something I want to do in that film- I want to focus on my abilities as a storyteller and director so that perhaps when one sees the characters they feel nothing as I want it to be the way the characters act - not the way they look that gives them personality...

      I love stuff like the Vampire Hunter D films because the characters are very designy and look awesome BUT one of the greatest manga/anime stories in my opinion is Monster and the character design is very bland- I didn't like the character design at all- as the stills looked boring BUT the story/acting was AMAZING and made me feel more for those characters than any others I've seen in animation.

      I believe a true storyteller can make you care about a character and feel things with a stick figure so I'm trying to live up to this personal challenge to myself by not relying on the design so much.

      So once the film is done- at least check out a trailer ^_^ I'm betting my characters will win you over and you'll want to see the film ^_^

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    2. And I'm glad you like the podcast! Hmm well the podcast doesn't cost us anything to do but Jimmy Screamerclauz does pay to host the files- if you want to drop him some dollarz for the hosting fees his paypal is screamerclauz@gmail.com we'll try to ramp up the show output too as I know its been kinda sparse lately

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  9. Look at this video :)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2L_cGjQSR80#at=173

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  10. I love your work. I love your styles. It is always you.
    I do think you need help marketing. I'm sure you could make more of a living. It sucks we need money to live but need to find the balance between needing money to live and living for money.

    I still think you should serialize your work. Portals like newgrounds would build a bigger audience than youtube. 5 minutes a month. Heck tear down HSM into increments and repost it on a sight like newgrounds as a series.

    DId you do the reddit thiing someone mentioned?
    Just some thoughts. I think those could be some really simple and fast things to try.

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