The Arts in New York City | Baruch Fall 2013 Macaulay Seminar 1

Interview With Sean Simonds — Guru of yoga and claymations

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Austin Fischer

Interview with Sean Simonds

Sean Simonds is a freshman at Baruch College currently working to maintain his grades so that he can make his way to Zicklin School of Business. For the years before college, Simonds worked to create all types of projects that involved creating animations by taking hundreds to thousands of pictures, each of which displayed a minute change of an inanimate object. Besides his creative hobbies at home, Simonds worked full time during the summers at a yoga studio called Bija. Simonds worked as a counselor at the studio and led dozens of children, aged three through six, through artistic exercises that he hopes will redirect their chaotic energy into a calm, creative and productive life structure.

Q: What do you do?

A: “In my free time I make stop motion videos using “claymation” and other inanimate objects that I then make move. For the last three years, I have been a counselor at Bija, a child yoga facility in Brooklyn. I work to help create art projects that use recycled materials, and create a curriculum [within Bija] that helps create a life style that promotes a practice [children] can carry with them for the rest of their lives. It is a holistic experience that works to give space for creativity to be explored without interference, and this is something I think is crucial for a developing mind.”

Q: What arts scene do you participate in? How would you classify yourself?

A: “I would classify myself as a filmmaker… out of personal optimism and wishfulness. But, I don’t think I’m part of a stop motion scene… rather just a public forum for sharing all types of work.”

Q: Do have a favorite between stop motion and your work at Bija?

A: “I would say that my own work is my passion, so that is what I really love. At the same time…I’m really excited to see some of these kids fully grow. I think that the experience that Bija and my work has offered is something that has never been offered before and that we are creating a new generation and hopefully within this we can finally see how these holistic teachings are going to empower people to be more holistic in their experience. Whether it be corporate or being a painter, I think that the holistic experience can add an incredible amount of artisticness and art mindfulness to the world.”

Q: Could you explain what Bija is?

A: “Bija…well, it started as a yoga program for afterschool children and has developed to become a holistic childcare facility. They do daycare, summer camp, [and] after school programs.”

Q: Is there any overlap between what you do at home and what you do at work?

A: “My mom is a yogi, or a yoga practice person… I was always kind of taught these things, like on the simplest level to take a deep breath. Being in the realm and watching these children for the past few years, seeing how the arts and these sensory experiences and objects can create such a change from the normal child care experience [is amazing]. Seeing how kids can go from a big emotional trauma to being ready for the next experience in a deep breath is kind of incredible, and I’ve since tried to change my own ways to embody these goals that we set for these kids so that I can benefit from them as well.”

Q: Is it your interaction with the arts entirely positive?

A: “One of the greatest negatives is people approaching the mission and not fully understanding what it really is. Being holistic in all of your endeavors is really important, and working with people that think they share the belief really takes so much more than this [just thinking] … you need to live through this belief and this is what it requires and that’s how you need to present yourself.”

Q: What about your own work?

A: “The most frustrating thing to me is how much shit I have going on besides [stop motion]. If I could drop everything in my life, and make stop motions for every minute of every day I would probably be the loneliest person in the world but I might also be the happiest.”

Q: Would you consider what Bija does an art form?

A: “The piece of art is the practice we are creating for these kids. I think a lot of it is about the children, and being able to teach them to not fall into a box. I think that being told: this is how you’re supposed to play, this is what you’re supposed to do is bad. They should have free reign to create their own experience, and decide how they want to approach something. The best way to define Bija is that it allows kids to be able to define how they are motivated. They can choose what and how they want to pursue, they have options to do art, yoga, theatre and all types of practices and this really opens doors for them to explore the rest of the world rather than having to be told or hold to prior beliefs.”

Q: What are your most proud accomplishments?

A: “I’m gonna be included in an advertising campaign for Bija that will be put on the subway. I was published in the Ted blog as one of the ten coolest NYC kids for one of my stop motions that I had on Vimeo… that got me into college. I wrote a little application and attached a link to my video and got selected. I would say my videos, any of them, are my most proud accomplishments. I don’t put anything up that I am not proud of… probably finishing the work that I do, any one video, the attention and so specific in detail nature that I need to do [is what I am proud of]. I’ve done a stop motion over forty-five minutes for the simplest ones to ones that have taken me days. My favorite medium is always clay, I can’t draw for shit but I can build anything out of clay.”

The Skills of Paper Cutting

Posted on October 23, 2013 by sijiayou

Tina Jing Ru Shen is currently a freshman at Macaulay Honors College in Baruch. She has been trained in the traditional art of paper cutting since the age of 6, under a renowned artist Mr. Ming Liang Lu. Paper cutting is the traditional art of cutting paper designs. It is an art passed down from the 6th century Six Dynasties period in Xinjiang, China and requires the utmost control of the paper and scissor blade. Between 2006 and 2011, Tina has been able to actively participate in events that displayed her skills and experience in paper cutting.

Amy: How did you start paper cutting? What made you so dedicated to it? Why did you begin at such an early age? Is it a familial or cultural tradition?

Tina: My family does not have a tradition in cutting paper actually. I learned Chinese paper cutting from classes. The paper cutting classes I took were at a Chinese cultural center that taught Chinese traditional dance. The director of the center gave us a tour through the center, and we passed by the paper cutting class. According to my mom, I was intrigued by what they were doing so they let me sit down to have a demo class. My teacher realized that I was much more patient than the other kids, so he took interest in me and believed that I could have a future in paper cutting. Weeks became months, and months became years, and years became twelve years.

Amy: What has learning paper cutting taught you? Have you learned about your culture and why these skills have been passed down from generation to generation?

Tina: When I was younger, I enjoyed paper cutting because it allowed me to relax and forget about school work. But in the past few years, after being asked to perform at many Chinese culture-related events, I realized how important learning Chinese paper cutting is – especially for an American born Chinese like me. Although Chinese paper cutting is only one little aspect of Chinese culture, I feel very connected to my native culture. Studying in LaGuardia also helped me understand that Chinese paper cutting is an expression of history. Many believe that paper cuts only have aesthetic value in that you put it on your windows to enliven your home appearance, but it is much deeper than that. I think that Chinese paper cutting can actually connect different cultures in the future – at least that is what I hope to do.

Amy: How has your teacher, Ming Liang Lu, influenced and inspired your paper cutting style?

Tina: Ming has helped me develop my own style of paper cutting – which is more caricature than traditional. He studied all forms of traditional Chinese art when he was in Shanghai, but after he came here to teach paper cutting, he invented his own interpretations of animals, scenery, and portraits in cutting. His more modernistic approach rubbed off on me and now I can proudly say that I combine modern cartoon motifs with traditional designs.

Amy: What difficulties did you face when dancing? Were you able to overcome them? If so, what gave you the persistence and diligence to do so?

Tina: Some difficulties I faced were managing my time to allow for time to paper cut. I always did things slowly – especially schoolwork. Other students took less time to do homework, and I sometimes had to stay up until midnight to finish my work because not only was I slow, I also had paper cutting to do. Especially when I was invited to perform somewhere and had to have a large work completed, I stayed up late many nights. I guess if you are committing to any of all the arts trouble with time management is common.

Amy: How has your paper cutting style developed over the years? Did it change as you matured and gained more experience? Were the basics still the same?

Tina: For the basics, I always use what my teacher taught me. But now that I seek to make innovative work, I use my own artistic and life experiences in my work. I plan to combine Western art with Chinese art in my paper cutting even more in the future.

Amy: What did you like most about learning the art of paper cutting?

Tina: When I was studying Chinese paper cutting, I was always excited for the next class only because Ming was planning to teach something new. I always liked trying and learning new things and that is probably why paper cutting has stuck with me all these years.

Amy: What does paper cutting mean, to you? Is it a way of expressing yourself? Or is it a way to stay close to your roots?

Tina: Chinese paper cutting, to me, or even art in general, is an expression of the artist’s emotions on a specific topic: it could be a concept or a historical event. Sometimes art can be a story that the artist develops through what he/she absorbs from their surroundings. I also believe that art can connect people from different cultures because art is universal. Although Chinese paper cutting derived from China, it can be interpreted in many different forms, and, in my case, I think I can apply Western art design and concepts to Chinese paper cutting. In 2012 when I went to the United Nations, the UN Ambassador to China said that I could become the bridge between the United States and China. I hope to work to that statement and actually unite the two different cultures through Chinese paper cutting. During my demonstrations and mini classes at cultural events, children of all ethnicities participate in the classes. They’re not Chinese, but why are they so interested in the art? So again, I think Chinese paper cutting can become a universal thing.

Check out Tina’s website!

Interview with Kristy Chiu

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Donald Fung

Interview with Kristy Chiu

Kristy Chiu is an architecture student in her senior year at Cooper Union. Her interest in architecture began in her junior year at Brooklyn Technical High School and since then, she has taken part in numerous architectural projects. Aside from studying architecture, she is also an intern at Domingo Gonzalez Associates which is an architectural lighting firm located in downtown Manhattan. In this interview, she discusses her experience as an architecture student and intern, explaining in detail some of her designing experiences and work with professional lighting designers. As an aspiring architect, she is working hard at her internship and studying for the Architect Registration Examination. Her goal is to work for a non-profit architectural organization to bring professional design services to communities in need. Below are edited sections from our discussion.

Donald: How did you become interested in studying architecture?

Kristy: I have always been interested in drawing as well as science and math. Instead of choosing to pursue one or the other, I felt that architecture was a combination of both of my interests. I also took a lot of technical drawing classes in my high school, Brooklyn Tech, and in my junior year, I selected the architecture major. I thought it was interesting so I decided to stick with this major when I was applying for college.

Donald: What was the experience with studying architecture like at Cooper Union? Do you think Cooper focused more on the technical or creative aspect of architecture?

Kristy: I came to Cooper with more of a technical background so the work was very different from what I was used to. Cooper puts a lot of emphasis on thinking through drawing and creating. Students spend a lot of time learning how to draw and how to express their ideas through their drawings. We do a lot of conceptual work. There’s a reasonable amount of freedom to explore and experiment with different materials and ideas. Sometimes the work is very frustrating, especially when you spend so much time on a drawing and you end up scrapping everything for a different approach at the last minute, but that is part of the thinking process. When you finally bring a good idea to life in your work, though, it’s very gratifying.

Donald: Have you encountered any major challenges during your college or job experiences with architecture?

Kristy: I would say one of the biggest challenges is learning to work with other people, especially those who you don’t necessarily agree with. Even though someone may be very stubborn or present a conflicting idea, you need to collaborate to get the job done. Also, a major part of design in architecture school is pinning up your work to be reviewed by your professors and critics, which includes professors within or outside of your school and other professionals in related fields. The challenge is being able to stand up for your ideas as well as being able to listen to their criticism and use it constructively to improve your project. I am also an intern at a lighting design firm and I think this applies to both school and work, not only for architecture, but also for almost any other field.

Donald: I definitely agree with you, being able to stand up for your ideas and take constructive criticism can be difficult but it is definitely important in many fields, especially those pertaining to art. Can you describe a major project you have undertaken as an intern at your lighting design firm?

Kristy: At Domingo Gonzalez Associates, I mostly support junior and senior lighting designers by helping them with detail drawings, shop drawings, lighting layouts, calculations, renderings, and a handful of other tasks. One major project I worked on was the street lighting along Main Street and Bushnell Park in Hartford, Connecticut. For this project, my responsibilities included gathering information on existing conditions before the designers began working on various changes for the site. I went to Hartford with a junior designer to survey the site, which included taking photos and lighting measurements as well as recording information about the different lighting on the site. With the help of Google Earth, the information I gathered, and documents from others who were working on the same project outside of the firm, I created a lighting layout of the site, along with a catalog of all the different light poles, panoramic views, and other supporting documents. The designers took it from there to propose changes. Usually I work on different projects simultaneously, with tasks ranging from minor to major. During the school year, when my hours are limited, the projects I work on depend upon which has the most urgent tasks.

Donald: Were there any particular designers that you personally knew or studied about that influenced or inspired you?

Kristy: Most of the people who influenced or inspired me were those I came across in my studies. I think the school that you study at has a significant impact on who influences your work. At Cooper, there is a lot of emphasis on Le Corbusier and his work so I would say he has influenced me to a certain extent. Adolf Loos and Alvar Aalto also inspire me, but I don’t really look to one person for inspiration. There are many sources of inspiration depending on the project I am working on or my particular interests and I think it’s interesting to be open to a variety of ideas and to look at a range of different works.

Donald: Do you get opportunities where you can express your artistic side? Do you think creativity is important in architecture?

Kristy: One project that fostered creativity was designing a library in an educational setting. I started with ideas of reading and the exchange of information to develop my library, but I also considered the more pragmatic aspect of a building. After developing my idea, I considered structure and different building systems and incorporated them into my design in a way that worked with my existing ideas. I also designed a construction detail of my library, which accurately represented my idea. This project allowed me to display my creativity because I was able to take my ideas and manifest them into something that could potentially be built in real life. While creativity is essential in architecture, it is important to keep in mind that the top priority for any work is structure and stability.

Donald: What advice would you give to incoming architecture students?

Kristy: Time management is crucial; try not to leave everything to the last minute because work builds up and you may not get to do what you wanted to do if you don’t start early enough. Also, you might come to architecture school with a preconceived idea of what it should be like, but it might turn out to be something completely different. It’s good to keep an open mind to different ideas and to look at things from different perspectives. Also, try not to take criticism too personally. Use it to your advantage to make your work better.

Donald: What is your goal for the future?

Kristy: After I graduate, I plan on getting an internship and taking the ARE (Architect Registration Examination) in order to become a registered architect. Ideally, I want to approach architecture from a humanitarian perspective. For example, I want to work with non-profits such as Architecture for Humanity. I feel that the architecture field is too driven by profit and I want to focus on working directly with individual communities.

Interview with Rafid Amin

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Alan Chen

Interview subject: Rafid Amin

Rafid Amin is an aspiring and spontaneous author. His first short story outside of the classroom was during his kindergarten years and from that point on he wanted to be an author. He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and is currently studying at CUNY Hunter College with honors as a freshman. Rafid’s favorite book is “The Deathday Letter” by Shaun David Hutchinson. Other than writing, he enjoys reading, long walks, exploring new places, playing video games, and interacting with people. Rafid is dedicated to making his life as exciting and interesting as possible. He is the type of person that would end up in strange situations as long as it would further his writing. His ambition is to write bestseller books and eventually have a movie created for one of his books before he is thirty years old. Below is an interview with Rafid about his goals in literature, edited and shortened for clearness.

Q: Why did you decide to be an author?

A: Honestly, I think it is because I like the creativity of it. You aren’t restricted into what you have to do. You always have to follow the rules at school, work, and other places. You have to have a little space or realm of yourself to do whatever you want.

Q: What traits are necessary to become an author?

A: You can’t give up. You have to force yourself to write at least one page a day. If you want to stay on track, timeliness is important. You have to give a date for when everything is due. For example, I’ll have 20 pages by the end of the week. You also have to be flexible. You can’t expect the story or yourself to go one way. You just write. You can’t be a perfectionist. Your writing should only come from your head.

Q: What is creativity to you?

A: Creativity is not being in a boundary.

Q: What do you mean?

A: When it comes to creativity, there is no box, no line, and no border. You should be able to go wherever you want, whenever you want, however you want, and think about whatever you want. There should be no point where you say, “this is it,” and “this isn’t real.” Everything you think about should be real, no matter how much of a fantasy it may be. Accepting wherever you thoughts take you should lead you to a brand new world. You should never be able to completely map it out. It should be new, every step of the way.

Q: How do you get around writer’s block?

A: You literally sit down and force yourself to write – no matter how many times you are distracted. When I first started writing my novel this summer, I would have a page down every hour. I wanted to have 15 pages everyday. Some days I spent nine hours writing with distractions. Other times I free write, writing about whatever I want. As long as you are writing, it doesn’t matter what you write it’s going to get you around the block.

Q: Those are conventional methods. Do you have any unconventional methods?

A: Going outside and doing something new or doing something you have never done before. If you have never been to the museum, then go to the museum.

Q: Give me an example of a method you used.

A: My first novel is about zombies. The characters have to survive and run. I started learning parkour, such as jumping off five feet buildings, rolling, and somersaulting. Let’s say you are blocked on a situation your character is in; you literally put yourself in your character’s shoes. If you character skateboards, you skateboard. If your character sings, you sing no matter how bad you sound.

Q: What clichés do you try to avoid?

A: You avoid mainstream ideas. If it is magic, “Harry Potter” has already been done. You don’t do magic. If you do use magic, you come up with something new that does not involve wands. You don’t follow the big ideas out there. You can think of the basics, but you have to form something you have never read before.

Q: Do you write to please your readers or satisfy yourself?

A: To satisfy myself. It should never be about pleasing your readers. At one point, you want to publish your story and people to read it, but even that is something for yourself. If you are going to kill a character, you are going to kill the character. It doesn’t matter whether readers like it. You are going to write what you want in a way that your readers like it. In the end, it is about that world you keep to yourself, that new step of creativity.

Q: How do you feel about today’s popular literature?

A: They are fun to read. If you think carefully about them, their basis comes from a book two years earlier. “The Hunger Games” is based on “Battle Royal”, a Japanese coliseum type of fighting. “Fifty Shades of Gray” is a fan-fiction of “Twilight.” I haven’t read much of the popular literature of today, but it is always going to be that same cycle. For example, in romance boy meets girl and boy tries to get girl, but the conflict of parental rejection or a sickly disease interferes. Today’s popular literature is basically the same skeleton. It is just named and brought about differently, but it is the same story.

Q: Do you approve or disapprove popular literature?

A: I disapprove it. I think there are good writers out there. Everyone is a good writer. If they gave five minutes of thought and worked a little harder, they could probably create a new genre and a new type of story.

Q: How do you plan to enter the market?

A: I haven’t really thought of a way; I just write. When I finish this novel, I’m going to look for a publisher, an agent, and an editor. When I find that person, I’ll see what happens. If I self-publish then I’ll self-publish. I don’t think there is a set way; I’m just going to go with the flow in the end.

Q: What are your reactions to the average salary of authors?

A: Most authors have a second job. The big mainstream authors can live off of their writing. It is great if you make it big, but at the same time, you might not. I feel literature is at a lower status in society. Kids don’t read as much as they play video games and watch television. That is depressing. If people paid more attention to writing, salaries would go up.

Q: Do you think literature’s status will change anytime soon?

A: Yes and no. I think it is happening, but very gradually.

Q: Do you think the works you will write will make the bestseller list?

A: Honestly yes, the few people who have read my work asked for more. This is the foundation of a good writer. Not asking people to read, but having people ask you to write. Maybe it will not happen with my first book, but I think book after book it will catch on like wildfire.

-Alan Chen

An interview with an up and coming actor and singer

Posted on October 23, 2013 by alexandraszilagyi

Interview with Matteo Vitale

Matteo Vitale is an eighteen-year-old singer and actor. He has starred in a movie, formed several bands, and he has also been in Broadway productions. He is currently the lead singer of The State of Matteo, which is a local band. Matteo was born in Italy, and moved to the United States when he was a toddler. It is in the streets of New York that he was discovered. Currently, he is attending Marist University.

How did you start out in the arts?

Well, before I came to the United States I was in a movie. I was three years old. It was about an Italian orphan who comes to America, which is kind of ironic. I played the lead role of childhood. I played the first fifteen minutes of the movie and then the rest was the older version of me.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Probably not acting professionally, not going to lie. Probably taking over my family’s Real Estate business, but still acting on the side.

Do you prefer acting or singing more?

Singing. Definitely singing.

Tell me more about your summer tour.

I did a small tour this summer. I did solo singing throughout New Orleans which was really cool. But we (The State of Matteo) are actually going to be performing for Mardi Gras in New Orleans which will be fun. And actually this weekend I’m performing in Washington DC.

How did you end up forming The State of Matteo?

How DID we start our band? I guess we were just jamming out one day, and we were just like, “Eh why not play a show together.”

Is The State of Matteo your first band?

I’ve been in like seven bands. I mean all of them just kind of started the same way where we just played together and we thought that it went well. We had a lot of fun doing that stuff, but I think that this (The State of Matteo) is my most serious band. We’ve been together for about a year and a half now.

What type of music do you prefer playing for your audience?

We try to switch it up a bit. We don’t want to have the same show every single night. So if we’re performing in New Orleans one night and then we’re going to Tennessee the next, then we want to have two different shows. We hate playing the same things every single night. So we switch it around- we do different songs. We play mostly our own music, but we always like to throw in a few covers. We’ll have a little bit of Frank Zappa, or Jack Johnson, put in a little Dave Matthews. So it kind of all relates in a sense, but it’s not all the same.

How many people come out to your shows?

It depends on what venue we’re playing in. So when we’re doing Mardi Gras, we’re anticipating between a thousand and I don’t know how many thousands of people. If it’s a small venue where we do very little promo, it could be like a hundred, two hundred people. It depends on what the location is, what the event is, and who we’re playing with.

Who is one person you emulate?

As in acting or just in general? (Either way). I don’t know. I’m trying to think of someone that everybody knows, because most people would say their grandfather, but I’m trying to help you out here. That’s a good question. That’s a REALLY good question. To be honest, I don’t even know how to answer that. Let me get back to you on that question.

How did you get the opportunity to be on Broadway? What was your favorite role?

I was singing in the streets when I first came to the United States- you know I was just walking around casually singing, and somebody stopped me and they said I had a lot of talent and that they worked for an agency. They gave my mom their card, and then we actually didn’t go with them, but we kind of started doing our own stuff and then I kind of got discovered that way. My favorite part that I did is between Jack Kelly in Newsies or Michael Banks in Mary Poppins which I did in the Westend in London. That was really cool.

How many Major Musicals have you been in?

I’ve done Mary Poppins, Newsies, and one other one. So I’ve done three.

In today’s economy, people are more focused on getting high paying jobs than on participating in artistic expression. What’s one thing that people can gain from participating in the arts?

I think it shouldn’t be about the money; it should be about doing what you love. And it’s a very hard struggle to do Broadway shows, but in the end you feel accomplished because this is what you wanted to do. It’s the same thing for pretty much most jobs. You know, a lot of guys become firefighters. I’m a volunteer firefighter, but I’m not getting paid for that stuff. I think it’s really about doing something that you love rather than working in some corporate world where you’re doing something that you’ve always hated doing. And I think you find satisfaction by doing something that you love and it just pays off in the end. But you know, most people work two different jobs. They’ll work as a waiter or waitress and do some writing and stuff on the side. The key is to just follow your dreams.

What was the process of getting ready for a musical like?

The audition is always a scary thing. We have to make videos of ourselves, we have to meet them in person; present ourselves. I mean I’m kind of used to auditions, but it’s still a very stressful process. Especially because you know that you’re trying out with many different people, so to get that callback is the most amazing feeling. The rehearsal process is tough. You know, you go in, you learn your stuff- next time you come in you have to know it by heart. There’s almost no turning back. If you don’t know it, you’re fired. So it’s very difficult, it’s very demanding, and it moves very quickly.

How long is the process in general?

I mean I was never in the originals. So I’m not too sure, but they usually decide about a year before. And usually it (the musical) has already been in production before, and they use the same cast as before. But for me personally, I had to learn everything I knew in about a month.

If you weren’t in the original cast, how did you get in?

They were looking for understudies, or when someone says, “I’m going to leave” they try to find new people. They also have auditions all the time, so if the actors do not call them back, they can always call you. And they’ll say, “hey, we saw your audition, we really like you, we really want to hire you in case somebody leaves or somebody gets hurt.” And the way we have it scheduled is that we have a few shows a week, so we really have to be on top of our game. And if someone gets hurt then we always have more than one person on backup. So it’s exhausting.

If you could choose one musical that you’d love to be in, what would it be?

I would love to do Urinetown. It’s a very powerful musical. Lot of great numbers- it has a lot of meaning behind it. The music is amazing, so probably that. Either that, or Jersey Boys.

Do you ever get nervous before a show?

It’s the same thing with both Broadway and bands- you kind of have the nerves that run through you, but you get over it.

Do you have any rituals before a show?

Before Broadway shows, we like to play Bop It. For the band- not really, we just chill on a couch and just talk.

functional artists

Posted on October 23, 2013 by jasonwoo

Background:

With the task of interviewing an artist, I immediately contacted my close friend Zara Z Tamton. Born and raised in Staten Island, New York, Zara always had a love for drawing. Her hobby of doodling on every paper handed to her developed into something serious during her years at Staten Island Technical High School. Influenced by her high school’s prevalent engineering scene, Zara decided to pursue architecture. What she considers, “the perfect mixture of beauty and functionality.” Today, she is studying architecture at The City College of New York.

How exactly did your love for architecture begin?

Well, I went to an engineering high school and I took a class that taught students how to use CAD, computer-aided design. I finished all my assignments well before the due dates; so to keep me busy my teacher gave me architectural layouts to recreate. I loved the extra work and was really good at it so when the college application process started, I looked into schools with strong architecture programs.

Describe some projects you are currently working on.

Last month my studio class went to the MOMA to see Le Corbusier’s architecture exhibit. Le Corbusier spent most of his life in the contemporary architecture world and revolutionized how things are designed. Our assignment is to recreate his cabanon, French for house, into a sectional model in a 1.5 to 1 scale. I am only a student so it is daunting having to recreate work by the world’s most well known architect.

I know architecture programs are notoriously time consuming, how are you dealing with the workload?

It is very exhausting. I never overlook any detail and I always want to show my best. Finishing a project early means nothing because there are always minor tweaks and improvements that can be made. I spend hours in the studio, often the entire night into the next morning, finishing my projects. It is strange because studio is not about grades. We present our work and have to defend what we did or did not do. Without a strict grading system, I feel obligated to work harder because it is for my benefit. In the end, architecture is really draining, but I completely accept that.

How close is architectures relationship with art?

Architecture has much to do with art. The two are inspired by each other because artists are inspired by architecture and art inspires architects. It is a two-way street.

You love to draw; did you have any formal training?

No, I never took formal lessons. I have been drawing things since I was young and the only course I took, if it is considered a course, was AP Studio Art in high school. I was torn between taking AP physics and taking AP Studio. Like I said, I went to an engineering high school so I felt pressured to take a physics course. After much consideration and many visits to my guidance counselor, I decided AP Studio was right for me. I was dead-set in studying architecture and I needed to enhance my portfolio. A physics course would have been a waste of time. AP Studio Art did not teach me anything new, in terms of drawing and art, but it developed my portfolio which, at the time, was much more important.

Is CCNY facilitating your needs as an architecture student?

Yes, CCNY is definitely facilitating my needs. The studio life here is incredible, not only because it is in New York City, an architectural hub, but also because of the people surrounding me. All the architecture students are forced to spend most of their time together because so much time is needed to perfect projects. There are showers here in the architecture building and sleeping bags in the closets are also common. Whenever we get sick of looking at our spreadsheets, we go to the roof and just sit. We are all really busy, but I feel that is how it should be.

If you did not choose to study architecture, what would have been your intended major?

Haha, this is going to sound pretty bad, but I would have chosen to study either architectural or civil engineering. The two are fairly similar to architecture, but have one major difference. While architecture puts heavy emphasize on design, the main goal of civil and architectural engineering is sustainability. I cannot imagine straying far from what I am currently studying. It seems scary.

What do you hope to do after college?

This is a five-year program so I do not spend too much time thinking about my future after college. To become a licensed architect a certain number of hours in the field must be fulfilled. I can either complete these hours as an intern for a firm or as a graduate student. Hopefully I get an internship, because I do not know if I want or need a post-grad education, but I will figure it out in the next five years. I have to.

Is there any question you think I should have asked you?

Honestly, I think you covered everything. You asked my view on arts relationship with architecture and details of what I am currently doing.

A Dancer Who Truly “Hearts” What She Does

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Nicolette Belitsis

Alexandra Reyser is a dancer, Laguardia High School alumni, and current honors student at Baruch College. She has been dancing for over 15 years and has performed in countless roles and recitals. She has worked with many respectable dancers and teachers. Alexandra has used her dancing talents for good; during high school, she started an organization called Arts for All Hearts in which a group of talented students, including her, perform for those who need a bit of cheerfulness in their lives. She is going to be in a rendition of The Nutcracker this December. As a Baruch Honors student, Alexandra plans on majoring in math.

When did you first start dancing?

I first started dancing in Russia when I was three years old and then when I moved here I continued it.

So you originally lived in Russia?

I was born here and then I moved there when I was really little.

What types of dancing did you start out doing?

I started out doing classical ballet and I did classical ballet until like 9^th grade. I’ve done a little bit of character, but that’s all part of classical ballet. And in high school, in Laguardia, I had to do modern and contemporary.

Which is your favorite dancing type?

Ballet. Ballet definitely.

Was dancing something that was common in your family?

No, not really. My grandma put me in a ballet class because she wanted me to hear music really well, she wanted me to hear waltz. But then she saw I really liked it so..

Can you tell me about your most memorable performance?

My most memorable performance would be when I was 12, I went to an audition to be in Le Corsaire with the American Ballet Theatre which is an insane audition. I wasn’t even really invited to go to the audition but I went anyway, and out of hundreds of people they somehow chose me, and it’s only like little kids that perform in it that aren’t part of the American Ballet Theatre company, so that was absolutely amazing that I actually got to dance on the Met Stage.

Had you not gotten into Laguardia, do you think you would have continued dancing?

No I don’t think so because after 6^th grade – I finished 6^th grade and then I quit ballet because I didn’t get moved up to the next level, and it was really time consuming and so I stopped dancing for two years; I did figure skating instead, but then I auditioned for Laguardia and then I got in so I continued it.

What made you decide to get back into dancing?

I missed it. I really really missed it.

Have you ever been involved in a performance that you hated? Or do you have a favorite performance?

That I hated? Yes. For our graduation dance concert we had to..Well I hate Graham, which is a type of modern dance, and we had to do it in school all the time. And the two pieces that were chosen to for our graduation dance concert, one of them was called “Celebration” by Martha Graham, and I was miserable. And to make it worse, after our graduation dance concert, which is a like month before our actual graduation, they made us dance it at graduation as well. I thought it would be over after the dance concert, but then they made us continue rehearsals, which was awful. And it was also really tiring.

How do you think living in New York City impacted your involvement in dance all these years?

Um, well New York City in general is I think the center of culture very much, except for like Paris and Europe. But in America, it’s definitely a center of culture. So I get to live and be side by side with many dancers. I’ve met many dancers; I get to go to performances all the time. There are many many dancers that come in to the city to teach classes from all around the world. Um, I went to school a block away from the Met which is, the American Ballet Company is like one of the best companies in the world and all the other companies come and tour in the city and that’s like amazing.

Have you ever had a really memorable dance teacher?

Yeah I had Olga Dvorovenko, she taught ballet, at my original ballet school, Ballet Academy East. She’s here. Um, she’s Russian, she was a principal dancer in um, I forget what company but, a big company in Ukraine, and so was her husband. Um, and her daughter is Irina Dvorovenko, who’s a principal – she just retired this year – but principal dancer at American Ballet Theater, same with her husband. Maxim. And um, they just had a daughter, Emma, so I babysit her so I get to be around them all the time so it’s cool.

Tell me about The Nutcracker.

I’m currently rehearsing for the Yorkville Nutcracker. It takes up a lot of time but I think that the more things you have planned, the more you get done.

When does it start?

It’s in December. It’s only 6 performances. It’s only one week, but we rehearse from September all the way through December every weekend.

Do you ever get stage fright?

I get a little bit nervous when I’m backstage but it’s more, um, excitement. Adrenaline. There’s the word.

Tell me about Arts for All Hearts. When did this first start?

So I came up with the idea, I would say like November of sophomore year of high school, and I don’t remember why I came up with the idea, but I just remember hearing sad stories about many children, and the holiday season was approaching and I wished I could do something for them and I also love The Nutcracker music, and I love the holiday spirit and dancing. So I came up with the idea, and it was perfect for me because I was at Laguardia, so I asked some people to help me and we came up the name Arts for All Hearts, and we had our first performance. I would organize all the rehearsals and then we just sort of continued it from there and I’ve just been continuing emailing people trying to set it up.

Where have you guys gone?

We’ve gone to several places. We’ve gone to two nursing homes, one that we went back to several times, which is a Russian nursing home. Then we went to Lenox Hill Hospital, we performed at Morgan Stanley Presbyterian Children’s Hospital, we performed at Bellevue, so very different people, some of them were children who were mentally depressed, and then adults who were mentally depressed, and senior homes for the elderly. The reactions that we get are just amazing. Even people with like clinical depression are able to smile sometimes afterwards and it’s really great.

Do you have a memorable performance or experience you’d want to talk about?

Um, I think my favorite experience was at the Russian elderly center. After each performance, they always beg us to come back, they always start singing along with us. Last time we did Russian music, and they know the songs and they’re all singing. And they’re just happy, some of them can barely move, but they give these speeches to you, they’re like, “wow you really made me happy, please come back during this season.” It’s so worth it, it just makes me happy talking about it. And they always give us like chocolate or flowers and food, and they’re all just so sweet. It’s really cute.

So it’s something you definitely want to continue doing?

Yeah. Definitely. Oh, we have a performance coming up on the 24^th at Lennox Hill.

If a young dancer ever asked you for advice, what would you tell them?

I would tell them that my biggest mistake was not trying when I was younger when I had very good potential, and to just always focus because I was very focused for some time and then I would just stop. So I would definitely say to always try your best, because the better you are the better you have to try and it’s kind of like a circle.

Could you see yourself dancing as your career?

I could see myself, but I would probably devote less time to studying and to school. Some people are able to do it, I think it’s very difficult – it’s not the easiest job to have as a dancer, and you’re not paid well.

But do you think you’re going to continue dancing forever?

Yes. Yes because I can’t not move. I can’t hear music and not want to move. And it just feels good; my entire body feels good after taking a dance class.

Art Interview

Posted on October 23, 2013 by adonagjoka

Adona Pjetergjoka

Professor Zoe

IDC 1001H

23 October 2013

A Passion for Filming

Ameer Kazmi’s passion for filming and precise eye for photography has helped him reach and develop his goals thus far in the field of filming. He just graduated Townsend Harris High School and is currently a freshman at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, a well-known arts and design school. Since his early teenage years, Ameer knew he didn’t want filming to be just a hobby, but rather a career. Using hard work, imagination, and a group of good friends, Ameer was able to conduct projects that involved advertising different community events by filming them.

Question (Adona): Hello, Ameer. To start off, can you share some general background about yourself?

Answer (Ameer): Well, for some general background about myself: I was born and raised in New York City; I just graduated Townsend Harris and now I’m a filming major at the School of Visual Arts. That’s pretty much about it.

Q: When did you first become interested in photography and filming? Who influenced you?

A: No specific influences. I started skate boarding first and did that for a while. Then, one day I picked up a camera to start recording my friends’ skate boarding. Also, a lot of my influence came from people who film for skate boarding companies professionally. Once I started getting more into films, narratives, and stuff like that, I picked up on directors; I was mainly interested in directors who worked with their communities. I honestly just went from there and fell in love with filming.

Q: When did you start skate boarding? Also, how are filming and skating related?

A: I started the summer of 2009 and shortly after I picked up a camera. Even though people probably think skating and filming have no correlation, they are actually very closely related. Skate video premiers are the reason why skate boarding has blown up so much; they include feature length films and have actual screenings. I went to a skate video premier last month and it showed me how much skate boarding is portrayed by using different settings in a community.

Q: You mentioned before that you picked on some directors who indirectly influenced you. Can you name a few of your favorite directors?

A: This is a tough question. My favorite directors would have to be Stanley Kubrick, Wes Anderson, Daniel Aronofsky, Spike Lee, and there’s definitely more. These directors are all different, but what they share is their ability to use mediums to portray exactly what’s going on in their heads.

Q: Since you just graduated high school, how do you think it prepared you for filming?

A: Well, my high school didn’t really offer much to cater to my passions since it wasn’t an arts high school, but I met a couple friends who shared similar interests with me. I developed bonds with them and we sparked off of each other’s creativity.

Q: Did having friends that share similar interests with you help you expand on your ideas throughout high school?

A: Definitely. When I was about 14-years-old, my friends and I started a skating company called Deki and it’s still carrying on to this day. I currently have a meeting at a skate shop with the owner of Deki to discuss which merchandise will be put in the shop. It relates to filming and photography because basically all of the advertising done for Deki has to do with films and capturing pictures of different skating techniques.

Q: Did you take any art related classes in high school?

A: One class that I was fond of was called French Cinema, which I took during my senior year of high school. It wasn’t a very professional course, but we screened a few French films and I learned a lot just by observing them. I actually ended up getting an award for French Cinema.

Q: Have you done any projects during your high school career that allowed you to express your filming and photography skills?

A: Yes, one of my biggest projects involved spreading the word about the damage Hurricane Sandy causes last year on many neighborhoods in New York. I did a documentary that was actually filmed at my high school with a few of my friends; it was a good way to use our medium and art form to speak out for our community. We followed the lives of a couple people that we knew from high school who were really devastated by the storm. We filmed them through their neighborhoods to capture the damage. It was a changing experience to see and film firsthand how greatly Hurricane Sandy had impacted those neighborhoods.

Q: What do you study at SVA? Why did you choose SVA?

A: I’m currently in a film foundation course, so I take classes like Introduction to Production, Film History, Narrative to Writing, Introduction to Avid. Narrative to Writing really helps me understand how directors portray their films on paper because I read screenplay writing and literature. Next semester, I’ll be taking Introduction to Final Cut to discover more about software used in the professional world. Next year, I plan on focusing on cinematography.

Q: Why did you decide to major in Cinematography? Also, do you think the classes that you’re currently taking will help you with your major in the future?

A: Cinematography has been one of my interests for a long time because I want to be able to bring the ideas of directors to life. Not only does cinematography include shooting a scene, but also developing it and making it reach out to the audience.

Q: Which class or classes do you enjoy the most so far?

A: I would say my favorite class is Introduction to Production because it’s preparing me for my major; it’s very hands-on and I’m learning the technical and physical aspect of creating a film based on different factors. This class is also helping me discover what I like to do most on set. My Narrative to Writing class is also pretty interesting; it has inspired me to write at home about different films because it helps me expand on my ideas.

Q: Are you currently working on any projects?

A: Yes, I’m working on a 32^nd Spot for Vans with an advertisement student on a complete 360-advertisement campaign. It’s going to be submitted to a couple of award associations in the middle of November like ADC and the Cannes Film Festival.

Q: Were you always a filming God?

A: [Laughter] No, I was not always a filming God and I still don’t consider myself that. There’s always room for improvement.

Astoria Churns Out Future Actor

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Diana Perlov

Sam Vartholomeos, 18, is an aspiring actor from Astoria, Queens. Sam attends Pace University, but is unsure of how much longer he will continue his studies there due to his priorities in acting. The young actor attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, where he thrived in leading roles in musicals and shows. In addition, he has been in a number of commercials, has been featured on The Colbert Report, and is currently awaiting for Christmas, but not for the same reasons as most people. Sam is featured in Ben Stiller’s, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, as young Walter Mitty. Luckily, I was able to meet with him and have a chat about his experience as a young actor in New York City, just trying to make it big like the rest of us.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Long Island, then moved to Floral Park and lived there for a couple of years. After that, my family moved to Astoria and that’s where I was raised and I’ve lived there ever since.

So how did growing up in Astoria affect your involvement in the arts?

I’ve always felt blessed to live in Astoria because there’s such a large population of people in the arts. I know a lot of actors that were my tenants or my neighbors. Two of my closest friends were actors; they were my neighbors and lived next to me for ten years before moving to LA. One of them was an actor and her husband, also an actor, was known as a stunt coordinator. I was always pretty much surrounded by tenants who were actors and musicians. Astoria itself has a very large arts community, you know, we have Kaufman Studios. What is it on 36^th avenue? So there are always trucks around. They’re actually shooting Elementary right by my house now so that’s pretty cool. They even closed the block down which is something they do in California, so it’s nice to see New York being taken on by the film industry as well, since it’s based in LA.

You’ve brought up LA a couple of times, but you’ve never thought of moving there?

No I’ve thought about moving to LA. It’s definitely possible… definitely in the future.

So how would you say you’ve gotten started?

I think you know, either consciously or subconsciously, when you’re born into the arts, whether it’s acting, dancing, singing, sculpting… There is definitely a nature vs. nurture aspect involved. When you realize it, I guess it’s up to you. I realized it when I was very young and started taking it up professionally a few years ago. For example, getting my headshots, taking more classes, and stuff. My mom is also a very theatrical person; she used to do plays when she was younger. So overall I was probably most influenced by the entire community.

I take it that your family is supportive?

Oh absolutely!

Do you have a favorite show that you’ve been in?

I was in a production of Cabaret in my senior year of high school. That was by far, my favorite.

Describe that experience.

It was just a really big learning experience and it was perfect timing too because I was about to go out into the real world and experience all these people… a whole new world of acting. It was nice to experience working with people you don’t necessarily connect with on a good amount of different levels, so overcoming that obstacle was a huge learning experience for me and to go through that at the age of 18… Man I was just lucky! And just to work with such a talented group of people that are the same age as me and that I’ve known for 4 years is pretty rare and I guess doesn’t happen much in the real world. But it was great to work with people who I wish I worked with in the past and to finally get that opportunity to connect with them.

What about an experience that wasn’t so great?

I think everyone can look back in their acting reel and say ‘what the hell did I do… what the fuck was I thinking?’ I definitely have those… I look back on some monologues and say ‘wow that was really horrible’. There’s no doubt in my mind I’m going to look at things I do now and ask myself what I was thinking, even things I think are fantastic right now. When you do something as an actor I think it shows courage and stride. You know, I’m not gonna say I wish I hadn’t done that… Everything is a learning experience. You have to fall to get back up.

Do you have a dream character?

I don’t feel like I know myself enough to pick that character. I feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface of who I am, so to answer that question would be crazy, so I don’t have one.

How do you plan on scratching that surface?

Just like anything else… experience, practice, rehearsal rehearsal rehearsal. You do things that start revealing a lot about yourself. Even life experiences (namely anything to do with love, death or money) reveal a lot about ourselves. I think it’s important to bring that into your acting as well. You have to learn to think like the character and ask what the character would do not what Sammy would do.

What are you currently doing in the arts world?

I mean I’ve been going out to auditions just like every other actor. You can see me in December I’ll be in Ben Stiller’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I play his character when he was 18… it’s a flashback scene. I hope I’ll be in it anyway! You never know till you see it on the screen.

Wow I didn’t know they just cut scenes out after shooting like that!

Yeah I mean you never know! You gotta start somewhere so I’m just grateful for the experience!

How did that compare to Cabaret?

I’m gonna say I enjoyed working on Cabaret more than I did on the movie because I really felt… it just felt… I didn’t wanna say it but it felt right. It felt fantastic to be on stage and it felt so organic. You have the vibe and the aura from the audience and you know the fellow actors on stage with you. I don’t know if you get the same feeling from film since I haven’t done it all that much. I’ve been in a few commercials but I’ve never experienced what I’ve experienced in theater.

So would you say theater is your favorite type of acting?

Yeah absolutely. And it brings us back in time – not 20, 30 years ago- but ancient times when that was thing to do. That was your Facebook… it was your Twitter. That’s how people used to learn, it’s so organic I love it. I love having that effect on people… being able to be that glue for them. It’s really a shame now that theater is so expensive to go to and people aren’t seeing these really great shows.

Right I totally agree. So I wanted to end by asking you where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully not dead! [Laughs] Well you know what they say… ‘Man makes plans and God laughs.’ I really just wanna be doing what I love and hopefully having an income that can sustain my lifestyle.

Great! Any last words?

Um… ‘A day without laughter is a day wasted’ Charlie Chaplin… that’s my motto. I try to laugh every day. It’s important!

Artist Interview

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Edward Mordechay

Artist Interview

Introduction:

I chose to interview the wonderful Sarah Nicole Phillips, a freelance painter and print maker. Mrs. Phillips is a graduate of Brooklyn college and has moved here from Toronto ten years ago. I found her through a local art gallery where she had a print of a man inside of an ATM machine and it was quite the funniest little image I had scene for a long time. Mrs. Phillips has her paintings in galleries all over Brooklyn, and has been producing art for over 15.

Interview:

What is your name?

My name is Sarah Nicole Phillips

Is that two names Sarah, Nicole?

No, well, first name Sarah, middle name Nicole, last name Phillips, but my name, Sarah Phillips, is so common that for art purposes I throw in my middle name, to distinguish myself.

You studied in Toronto, right?

Yep

What did you study there?

At the University of Toronto I majored in Visual studies and minored in art history. Visual studies means art, like studio art, they just call it visual studies.

What made you study that major?

Uh, well, in high school I was always artistic, as a kid, but then after high school I had no idea what I wanted to study so I took three years off and traveled around the world. I lived in New Zealand and Australia, and then traveled around South East Asia. Well, the trip was two and a half years and well, but, anyway, in that time. (Laughing). After two and a half year I still did not know what I wanted to do so I just decided to do what I enjoyed doing. You know, to take classes I enjoyed in University. I just started taking more and more art classes.

Can you pick somebody, a time frame, or something that makes you love art, or did art just happen?

No, it was more gradual. I can’t point to a specific incident. No, it just started happening gradually and I didn’t have any control over it.

Do you use the art as a way to release frustration?

Right. That’s like a therapeutic form. Um, no. I have in the past created some art that has had therapeutic value, but as a general, no. When my brother died ten years ago, and that was a sudden and traumatic time, I did create some work just so I could “process” that experience for a lack of a better word, but besides that sort of one year, um, generally, my work is more, you know, I want it to be more cerebral. It has a concept, and it’s less to do with me personally processing than wanting to put information out in the world.

What is your biggest inspiration, or what was your biggest inspiration, or who has inspired you the most?

Um, I wouldn’t put it on a single person. I think my biggest inspiration is more just a desire. I feel that every person is born with an innate desire to work and to create, so whether that’s with your mind or ones hands, and, so, lets get that out of the way. And I like offering the world an alternative way of seeing something. So, you know, for instance, for the body of work I am doing right now, the discarded envelopes, which you’ve seen on my website,

the collage is made out of discarded envelopes, well the collage is made out of garbage, and so you know, this is a ubiquitous material that is mostly just thrown away or recycled, you know thrown in the bin, so I had a desire to highlight the beauty out of this you know throwaway object also to reuse the object to sort of demonstrate that things can have a life beyond their original intended use. And then also I do like enjoy aesthetics, making things that please people. Not all of my art is pleasing to look at; some of my art is weird and political. Yea, if it is not going to make you think, then I want it to be nice to look at in the worse case scenario, it is both nice to look at and makes you think and so my inspiration to … you’re going to get a lot of background sounds … it is not so much as inspired by a muse.

How do you art?

It starts off … I carry a notebook with me at all times and I just scribble things in it and sometimes it doubles as my to do list. I do sketches and stuff, but I write my shopping list or to remember pants that are being hemmed. So when I am out in the world and I am inspired by what I am seeing or even inspired by something that just happens I always got the book to scribble it down. Maybe one day Ill get a tablet, but for now I’m using my notebook. And I am sort of inspired by the phonetic life of the city, taking the subway, looking at people, looking at billboards umm … encounters on the street, whether they’re positive or negative, whether there is this tension and conflict that happens on the street, I don’t mean like conflicts on the street, but like tensions or maybe I see a pile of garbage and I am inspired or yea so. Look at this, there is no curb cut on the other side there, anyway. So I just start by observing, I’m observing and jotting things down. And to actually create a piece I a generally sort of … it takes time to synthesize all the ideas and thoughts I’ve had and sometimes the ideas are a phrase or something strange or a weird encounter. I often have just a doodle or a drawing and then out of all that raw information I may decide to create a piece. I will decide to create a piece and well 99% of it is garbage and should be ignored you know most of art ideas are dumb or obvious or just not worth pursuing anymore than wasn’t that an interesting encounter or wasn’t that neat you know that doesn’t have to be umm placed in amber and preserved for the rest of days. So lets say after a while I have a collection of ideas and then I sort of have a piece that is screaming to be made and so that turns to more … once I decide, alright I am going to make a piece of art that looks … I have a vision in my mind I do more sketches and then it becomes very technical and you know work, sitting down, sketching, more sketching … ok, the size is wrong, taking out an x-acto knife and cutting it out and sort of making a mock up of what I think the thing is going to be. It actually gets very boring and methodical, or possibly I am making a mock up on Photoshop um … and then once I decided … once I’m happy with the mockup with what the piece needs to be. so I don’t work emotionally or intuitively umm its very planned out labor intensive there’s very few happy accidents. It’s sort of anal in that way.

Would you say that there is a stereotype that all artists have to be intuitive?

I feel like there is a stereotype in pop culture that suggests that artists are more emotionally and intuitive umm … but a lot of the artists I know work sort of more like I do because its not about a cathartic release, but its more like I have a project to do, it’s a job, the final piece needs to look like this, and you know I have to set aside time and resources to actually complete this piece in a certain fashion. That’s not to say … I do know some artists who are painters and just look at a blank canvas and go for it, but I think in real life more of us are more methodical. You have to budget for materials and umm you know schedule time to work make sure you are properly fed and its much more planned out and I believe that folks who aren’t in the creative industry don’t really realize how seriously we take the work, our work, and thinking of it as a job, yea.