RIP Akira Toriyama

It was announced over the weekend, that manga icon Akira Toriyama passed away recently on March 1st. Fans of his work (myself included) mourn the loss of one of the most iconic manga/anime artists of the past 40 years. His style is so distinctive that I think only Studio Ghibli can rival it in terms of being as easily identifiable.

I first encountered his work upon seeing Dragon Ball Z figurines featured for sale in the back of the videogame magazines I used to buy as a kid. But it wasn’t until 1995 that I picked up the game Chrono Trigger at my local Blockbuster Video that I gained an appreciation for his work.

This game right here?! Defined my childhood easily. Solely responsible for my JRPG addiction.

I would come across his work in subsequent years, especially during the late 90’s/early 2000’s when Dragon Ball Z was all the rage. I would even improve my drawing skills practicing on my favorite Dragon Ball Z characters. I can’t tell you how many times I drew Goku in high school. Fast forward all the way to 2020 and I would once again be charmed by Toriyama’s work, this time in the videogame Dragon Quest XI. A game full of so much charm and character, it’s become one of my favorite games of all time. I even went down a rabbit hole learning about the history of Dragon Quest, a series I knew about as a kid, but never got into. Dragon Quest XI got me started down the path and I’ve found nirvana.

This game hits me right in the feels every time I play it. It’s my happy place.

It was nice to discover how Toriyama was recruited to work on Dragon Quest alongside creator Yuji Horii and composer Koichi Sugiyama. They would go on to create one of the most iconic(there’s that word again) game franchises in history, collaborating on each subsequent release in the years to come. So from Dragon Ball to Dragon Quest Toriyama had already created or worked on two historical franchises. He would go on to continue to cement his legacy working on videogames, manga, and various short stories. Tragically composer Sugiyama would pass away in 2021 and now with Toriyama’s recent passing, only Yuji Horii remains from the original Dragon Quest trio. He’s currently working on Dragon Quest XII which will probably be the final project Toriyama’s work is featured in. It breaks my heart just to type that.

An absolute legend of a character. I always hated how Toriyama treated him, but glad he made him so dang cool.

As a fan, I think my personal favorite character design (and character) is Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z and a close second would be Veronica from Dragon Quest XI. She’s a major inspiration for the fantasy novel I’m working on.

It’s sad to write about the death of your heroes. Fixtures of your childhood that we wish could always be around. The youth of tomorrow may never understand the impact of people who came well before their time, but if you were someone into manga, anime, or Japanese videogames, undoubtedly you knew and respected the work of Akira Toriyama. Thank you for all the wonderful memories, amazing characters, captivating stories, and fresh ideas. May you continue to create and inspire from the heavens.

Rest in peace.

Oscarheimer

I especially loved the part when Oppenheimer said, “I have become death, destroyer of award shows.”

The 96th Academy Awards came and went and in my opinion, it was probably the best one in years. A return to form if you will. I liked how they paid homage to the history of Hollywood with previous winners presenting the nominees, music from famous scores playing to underscore the events of the night, and just homage after homage to the storied history of Hollywood.

As for the winners, it went how I predicted and how it should have gone.

Oppenheimer took home Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey, Jr.), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Editing(Jennifer Lame), Best Cinematography (Hoyte van Hoytema), Best Score (Ludwid Göransson), and the coveted Best Picture.

I maintain, Oppenheimer was the best film of the year and it’s not even close. Barbie fans were mad the film didn’t pick up any key nominations or awards, but honestly, it didn’t deserve it. To me, an Oscar film elevates the genre, the craft, and/or shows us performances from brilliant actors that we’ve never seen before (Joaquian Phoenix as Joker, Hilary Swank as Margaret Fitzgerald, Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump, Forrest Whitaker as Idi Amin, Denzel Washington as Alonzo Harris). If it’s a middle of the road, run of the mill film that we’ve seen before, it’s probably not Oscar worthy. Oppenheimer was an event and a challenge to take such a complex topic, with complex individuals, simplify it without killing the soul of the story, and turn it into a film worth watching. It’s Nolan’s best. A culmination of all his brilliant years as filmmaker.

Well deserved. I’ll watch it again this week.

Poor Things and “Stylish Cinematography”

Wide angle lens = cinematography. Apparently.

Emma Stone got a well deserved Best Actress win for Poor Things. A film that was visually impressive, but didn’t win the nod for Best Cinematography. I’ve heard people rave about the cinematography of the film, but I found it indulgent.

There is a difference between stylish and effective cinematography. I haven’t heard this talked about at length, but in short, Poor Things falls into the trap of what I call “stylish” cinematography. Lots of visual flair and flourishes that don’t necessarily improve or support the narrative. It’s just chosen because it looks cool. I could film a scene of two actors arguing and put the camera on the ceiling and shoot at a downward angle, but doesn’t mean it’s “effective”. In comparison, Oppenheimer utilizes “effective” cinematography. No fluff, just beautiful imagery that supports and improves the narrative. Shallow depth of field, wide angles, etc. are all chosen with purpose and don’t distract from the action on screen. Poor Things is riddled with moments where the camera goes to a random place for no reason other than to be like “look at this cool shot we did”.

This sort of preference for “stylish” cinematography is something you see YouTube filmmakers praise and gush over, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. Yeah it’s cool you can do rotating camera shots, but is it necessary? There are many great films with little to no camera movement. Think about the script, the scene, and plane your shots around that. Not because you have a cool new camera and want to show off.

Some film study for you is the brilliant, No Country for Old Men. Simple and effective cinematography that supports the narrative, not the cinematographer’s ego.

Emma Stone and Poor Things

Emma Stone(aka Best Emma) got another Academy Award for her brilliant performance in Poor Things. What I especially liked is the physicality she brought to the role. It wasn’t just how she delivered dialogue, but her childlike, stilted movements that were part robot, part toddler. While I loved Stone’s performance, I didn’t like Poor Things. I think it was regretably feminist in all the worst ways the movement has been depicted in modern cinema. No accountability, her character is just great at everything, no consequences for her actions, all the men are bumbling idiots except the minority, etc.

And the overall concept doesn’t hold up to scrutiny soon as you turn your brain on. Spoiler, her character is the result of a scientific experiment. Her “father” found her pregnant mother dying after a botched suicide attempt. Desperate to save the baby, he removed her infant brain and put it in the place of her mother’s brain. So now she’s a baby within an adult body and all the gross implications that has when you think about a child that looks like a grown woman having promiscuous sex with countless men. Brave huh. Okay, then the fact that at the end of the movie, her father is dying and instead of, I don’t know, taking his brain out of his head and putting it in another body (which the film has already established can be done), no, she just lets him die. It’s a dumb film that tries to be smart. 6/10. But the actors are great. Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe being the standouts.

Bradley Cooper and Maestro

Bradley Cooper failed to win anything for Maestro. A try-hard, Oscar-bait film that did nothing to humanize Leonard Bernstein. It was pretentious in every sense of the word. The biggest crime this film commits is we learn NOTHING about Bernstein’s music, his process, or his creative inspirations. It’s just his sexcapades, in spades. I’m sure there was more to the man that what he did with his penis. But we never learn any of that.

Cooper’s performance wasn’t one of passion, but desperation. And it shows. Carrey Mulligan is a delight in the film. Beautiful, poised, nuanced, and she captivates in every scene. If Emma Stone didn’t win, Mulligan would have been my other pick. Don’t get me wrong, I like Bradley Cooper, but I think he has to take a less obvious approach for the Oscar. Just go do a film you’re passionate about, not one because you think it will get you the Oscar. You’re better than that.

Robert Downey Jr.

A well deserved win for perhaps the best performance of Downey, Jr.’s career. It was nice to see him distance himself from the creative black hole that Marvel/Disney has become and start doing roles with depth. Roles that will add to his legacy as an actor. No more fluff for children. And he was rewarded for it. His performance of Lewis Strauss was so good, I started to despise him. Everytime his smarmy mug would come on screen, I found myself agitated. He nailed it. Congrats sir.

Cillian Murphy

The role of a lifetime and Murphy’s best performance. This was a Daniel Day-Lewis-esque performance. Nuanced, quiet, measured, but gripping and captivating. This wasn’t a loud performance with lots of yelling and screaming to be considered “acting”. It was sophisticated and mature akin to Chadwick Boseman’s performance as T’Challa in Black Panther. You don’t have to scream or cry to win an Oscar. Just glue us to our seats by your presence on screen. I’m very happy for him because this was a film Murphy carried. He’s featured predominantly throughout the film and doesn’t miss a beat. No powerful co-star to bounce off of throughout, he has to carry us through this story. The weight of carrying a film can get to an actor, especially one used to lower-profile roles, but Murphy rose to the occasion and gave a virtuoso performance.

My Only Gripe

No one thanks the audience. They didn’t thank the fans for seeing their film and supporting their projects. Just “I’d like to thank the Academy and all my fellow actors blah blah blah”. Thank your audience you ungrateful snobs! It’s a small thing, but it would be good to feel like the general public matters. I mean they are watching the Oscars at home and bought tickets to all the films being honored.

Overall a great show that I hope is followed up with an even better one next year. Bravo to the Academy. 7/10.

The Black List of Broadway

A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a very respected client of mine. She’s worked in entertainment for the past 20 or so years mainly in theater, but also in film and tv. We spoke on many of the changes that have occurred in New York post-pandemic. Some of our favorite restaurants have closed, the city is noticeablely dirtier, crime is up, etc. Usual post-pandemic fair. Then our conversation switched to entertainment and her love for theater. However, as much as she loves theater, she found herself concerned with some of the recent behavior exhibited by the theater community.

You won’t find this sort of stuff discussed openly in news media. It’s all industry stuff that’s secretive and kept from the public. If you’re in the industry, you’ve probably heard whispers if you’re paying attention.

You see, she attends many of the events surrounding the various Broadway productions. Parties where people schmooze and rub elbows with a proverbial who’s who in the industry. She found herself mortified when engaged in a conversation with some very “important people” who openly boasted about a black list they’ve created in the Broadway social circle. What is this black list you ask?

Apparently, those who don’t share the right opinions, world view, or political stance are automatically added to this list and shunned from ever working in the industry. The list includes directors, musical programers, actors, costume designers, and so forth. Because of this, many are very hush hush about their beliefs and smile awkwardly while nodding in agreement in an attempt to win favor by those in power. Or at the least, not be otracized, no, banished from the group. And those that tell on someone who has “wrong think” will be rewarded for their loyalty to the cause. The Salem Witch trials blush at this modern day buffoonery.

Discussing Headshots with the Wall Street Journal

Client and design director Christine Aaron looking stylish and radiant in her headshot.
Check out some of her amazing design work here.

If you’re interested in taking your professional image up a notch, check out a small feature I had in The Wall Street Journal discussing headshots and crafting a stylish professional portrait.

View the article here: Is Your LinkedIn Headshot Holding You Back? How to Master a Stylish Professional Portrait

With social media really coming into its own in the 2010’s, having a professional photo of yourself is more important than ever before. Especially if you’re someone working in the corporate sector. Whether you’re applying for a job, a professional with their own website, or a company wanting to project a professional image to their clients, a quality headshot can go a long way in conveying you or your team are right for the job.

You’d be surprised at how often people downplay the importance of hiring a professional or prefer to just snap a photo on their cellphone. If you have an eye for photography, doing it yourself can be an option. But my suggestion would still be to hire a professional. Someone who can help you with posing, selecting wardrobe and flattering lighting, and retouch your image in a way that’s not overdone or…unbelievable. Trust me, the benefits outweigh the cost.

A big thank you to The Wall Street Journal and journalist Ashley Ogawa Clarke for the feature. I’m humbled and thankful for the opportunity. I’d also like to extend a huge thank you to my client Christine Aaron, a brilliant designer, who graciously lent her time and image to be featured in the article.

If you’re in need of a headshot or just want to see more of my headshot work, you can do so here at www.jwheadshots.com.

More to come!

Art and Entitlement

Artists are an interesting bunch. Creative, imaginative, clever, funny, enthusiastic, passionate, driven, and determined. But one characteristic that I find amongst many artists (myself included earlier in my career) is an often strong sense of entitlement. Expecting validation, praise, and success just because “you’re working hard”, “you put everything into this”, or simply because you made something and think it deserves attention and acclaim.

Of course, there’s a commercial component where you hope people like the thing you create enough to purchase it so you can earn a living. That’s fine and healthy. Entitlement is not.

I hate to break it to you. No one gives a shit about your art. The sooner you accept this, the better off you’ll be.

Ooooo you made this thing? And spent hours on it? Days even?

So what? Who fu*kin cares?!

Not me.

Not your mom.

Not your dad.

Not your boyfriend.

Not your girlfriend.

Not your Tinder date.

Not your Amazon delivery person.

Not your teacher.

Not your personal trainer.

Not your accountant.

Not your sister.

Not your brother.

Not your nephew.

Not your offspring.

Not your dead relative.

Not the barista at Starbucks.

Not the models.

Not the actors.

Not the producers.

Not the flight attendant.

Not the Uber driver.

Not the waiter.

Not the hostess.

Not your followers.

Not their followers.

Not your dog.

Not your cat.

Not your plant.

Not the subway riders.

Not the person next to you in traffic.

Not the person next to you in line.

Not your agent.

Not Taylor Swift.

Not Beyonce.

Not Elton John.

Not Zendaya.

Not DiCaprio.

Not that influencer you worship.

Not the universe.

Not your God.

No…one…cares.

Now, with this knowledge that no one gives a shit, will you still paint, draw, sing, photograph, film, produce, dance, sculpt, animate, invent, design, program, write, perform, act, play…create?

Will you do the thing you do everyday even if a marching band and cheerleaders aren’t following you around 24/7 telling you how amazing you are? Will you create even when your IG post only gets a handful of likes?

If so, you’re on your way.

If you need validation or praise to do your work, you should probably call it a day. You don’t need that sort of stress right?!

This probably isn’t for you.

It’s not important that others care. It’s most important, that YOU care.

I hope this helps give you some perspective.