Notes on notebooks, sci-fi and two interviews.
With some vague teasers to new work, Youtube watch later and a smorgasbord of photographs.
Tena koutou, he tau hou tenei. Haere tatou!
Notes on Notebooks and processes.
For as far back as I can remember, I’ve used a notebook or variations on pen on paper. My notebook usage is a bit scattered; I blur the lines between diary entries, writing ideas, and random to-do lists. Recently, my friend Jessie and my partner Lauren inspired me with their exquisite notebook systems. It’s part of my analog re-brand-- my phone in the other room, no more Garmin watch for running, and clock radio alarm. The notebook is now getting a makeover.
I’ve chosen these 5 notebooks for different purposes.
A Blank pad for brainstorming, fluff, and getting ideas on paper. A weekly planner for 2024, is a very new thing for me as I’m so tied to Google Calendar. A smaller unlined notebook to take what was on the blank pad and refine further. A pad of post-its for quick notes and to-do’s. And a journal for the more deep and meaningful.
I’ve always discovered that beginning with pen and paper is the best way to eliminate distractions and get to the core of my message and visualisation when writing treatments and responding to creative briefs. Getting it all down essentially writes a plan as I’m going, so I always have something to refer to. Once I start, I find all these little nuggets of my unique expressions that I can’t recreate just by typing from scratch. Sometimes I find if I just type it out, I get into this kinda algorithmic way of writing cause I just reference what I read and see daily.
While I’m banging on about my new notebook system and speaking of working on treatments and briefs. I have a few trusted and indispensable go-to things. The initial one is Are.na, a website I’ve been utilising since its early days, roughly in 2014-15. I gather all my references, links, notes, and ideas for personal and professional projects. Google everything is also a go-to, slides, docs, sheets, storage, it’s just easy, it all works and talks to each other and I don’t have to pay another whole subscription for each new thing. I love using the Drafts app for taking notes, writing drafts, and saving links. Lately, I started using Milanote cause my brain likes to see everything on one big page and if it hides in another folder within a folder, I just forget about it.
For me, as a practicing artist and commercial photographer turned director, about 80% of the creative process is spent on writing, planning, thinking, researching, checking, referencing, and updating. In the past, I would work 3-4 different jobs each week, ranging from editorial to campaign to personal. I thought that was the approach that made sense for a working photographer like me. Following an exhausting year of nonstop work and travel in 2017, I had a profound change in perspective on how I create and appreciate my work. Ideally, we would spend several weeks on development and production, but often it’s only a few days. I consistently inquire about the factors driving this urgency or the potential for time flexibility, especially to allow ample time for developing the idea.
Maybe this is the year I start working with a Pentax 67 or similar and go full analog mode. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I’m finding with my digital work (and don’t get me wrong, I love my digital process) I just have to work the files to bring the life out of them. Everything is so sharp and clear from the get-go.
We will see 👀
Two Interviews
I had two interview experiences at the end of last year that I'm very proud of and grateful to have been invited/involved in. The first was by my friend Christian whose substack is lol/sos. You can read that here. Christian has written my favourite pieces for Good Sport and is currently deep-diving into another that I can’t wait to read.
And Sam from Blasé Sound came to my house, and we chatted for a good while I just felt so comfortable and enjoyed his approach. Plus, some of the previous guests Sam has had are people I’ve looked up to for many years and so it was nice to be invited on. You can listen to that here.
Books!
I’m a sci-fi, magic realism kinda reader and just read the Southern Reach Trilogy, it left me with more questions than conclusions, but I soaked it up and the writing style took me on a journey, the descriptions of nature and environment were written in ways I’ve never experienced before. I’m going to go re-watch the film adaption of Annihilation with Natalie Portman again, where I first discovered these books.
And, a fav from late last year was Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. I know this was on a lot of reading lists, but wow, it just was so beautiful, the way it spoke about friendship over many years. Something I think a lot about and am deeply nostalgic for and often get in my head about.
Keeping it very vague here.
But two new films (both nearly done). Two publications (one will be Good Sport Issue 06). And it’s our running crew’s 10th anniversary which is wild. 1. That I’ve been running for 10 years and 2. the sustained effort and energy of the crew is very special. We’ll be having a heap of fun this year and collaborating with all our mates.
My Youtube watch-later.
Jeff Wall is always my go-to for articulating processes and thoughts on photography.
And this New Zealand film about working the Milk Run is a true inspiration.
A few images to sign off on.
Ngā mihi nui, thank you!