Crack the Code...

Simply take out the X's... but are you ready for the answers?

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Rest in Peace Michael Jackson.

I was just about to write a blog about 'Cloudale' and I just got the most shocking news. Michael Jackson died today.

Speaking from personal experience, I grew up with M.J. He was the inspiration behind my brother's English name. Most of my family idolized him. I even performed to one of his songs a long time ago (I wish to forgot that peformance tho). When I heard today that he was taken to the hospital, I was shocked but I did not think that the day would end with his death and now he is gone.

Michael Jackson has always been my epitome of a pop star. Every person after Michael, were simply trying to be Michael. Most of them won't even deny it. He was a star and he left his mark.

I hate the tabloids and it shocks me to the core that they were able to take a person who once had a successful career and destroy it to the point where people would ignore his contribution to society. He WAS pop music. This man made 'Thriller', 'Smooth Crimminal', 'Bad', 'Billie Jean'... the list goes on and on. Sure he had not made anything of that same calibur recently but his legacy can not be denied.

I can't believe it... early today I wrote in an email to my wife that with Farrah Fawcett's death that it was the end of an era. Now it's not even a question, It truely is.

Good-bye Michael, you have gone to a better place... thank you for all your have done for us. I will continue to ignore the bad and remember the good. You deserve it.

R.I.P. the King of Pop.

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Signposts.

There is some signposts that signifies when a project of mine is in the works.

One of them is me putting together a playlist of songs that I feel will get me into the mood to write. It's the soundtrack of my project if you will. I have already done that and I will share the 'Cloudale' ost (official sound track) when I am done.

Another signpost is that I start writing a character bible and an outline. Whilst the outline is not done, the character bible is.

And finally we come to the above signpost. A teaser created by my company Apocryphic Visions. Nearly all my projects have teaser videos. 'The Woods' has one, 'Run' has one and 'Hauntings' as well, 'The Mansion' actually has two. Believe it or not the only project I have completed that I did not do a teaser for was 'Homecoming' mainly because what I had in mind was a bit too ambitious and I don't have the means to create it yet.

However this blog is about 'Cloudale's teaser. I believe it is subtle but I think it works. This teaser is also my first attempt and doing some animation and it worked out okay... LOL I am no Pixar but it got the job done.

So more about the actually teaser itself. The music is 'Postcards from Far Away' by Coldplay from their 'Prospekt's March EP'. I liked the dream like quality of it. It's kind of sucky because when I get around to uploading this on YT, I will have to change the song so I don't get music claimed. It's a shame but at least the original/ directors cut can be viewed here.

The 'Cloudale' logo is very straightforward as well. I ran with the cloud motif and the covering of a sun, foreshadowing dark days of drama to come.

I also used a quote from one of the characters just like how the 'The Woods' trailer did with "Do you think something is out there" (thanks for the v/o work wifey) line. The context of the quote will become more apparent as you read the novel itself.

It occurs to me it's ironic that I am talking about signposts when Cloudale is an actual destination that we will all be heading towards soon. I guess in the end... everything is... wait... no... I use that too much. Hmm. Okay. Trying again.

All Roads Lead to Cloudale...

ahh better.

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Rants and Raves: The List

It is common for me to copy and paste something from blogger to facebook, I do it all the time. It however is un-common for me to copy and paste from facebook to blogger... I however felt I needed to share this one tho.

Rants: Something that gets on my nerves, Raves: something I enjoy and can't stop talking about.

Rant: People who favorite their OWN videos that they have uploaded on youtube... LOL why?Rave: Shining Force games... destroyer of my free time.
Rant: Seasons Beating 3... so bad, I refuse to go back for Seasons Beatings 4
Rave: The Fame by Lady GaGa. Album is like audio crack.Rant:
My hair in the morning... urgh.
Rave: The way my hair stays fine for the rest of the day heh.
Rant: Diet Dr. Pepper... take something extremely good and just make it not.
Rave: Dr. K from Krogers groceries... taste just like Dr. Pepper at a fraction of the cost.
Rant: Writers block.
Rave: Being on fire and can't stop writing.
Rant: TV shows on hiatus.
Rave: Current season of So You Think You Can Dance... go Ade and Melissa.
Rant: Cloudale... so hard to get started.
Rave: Cloudale... LOL

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Magnum Opus

Linking to my last blog, I think I might describe what 'Cloudale' is for people who are not in the know.

The best way for me to describe 'Cloudale' is epic. I actually had plans to write it way before 'Hauntings', 'Run' and tons of other projects I have completed in the intermin. I still see 'Homecoming' as a big achievement. I am proud that I was able to write it and it was definately a story that needed to be told. However 'Cloudale' is on another level. It is my magnum opus.

Magnum opus in latin means 'a great work' not 'the great work' but a great work. It's also a title used for big undertakings. Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower' series of books is his magnum opus (he has describe it as thus) and Clive Barker's books about 'The Art' will probably get to that level.

One of the reasons why I kinda avoided 'Cloudale' at first is because of this epic nature of it. I have to re-assure myself that I can write something of this magnitude and to make matters worse for myself. I upped the ante recently. 'Cloudale' was originally going to be three novels, interconnected with each other... yeah sounds kinda familar doesn't it?

'Cloudale' tho was going to take 'everything is connected' to the next level tho and certain characters who played minor roles in earlier stories would take centre stage in following books. In hindsight tho, I don't think three books will do it justice anymore. I keep wanting to add new characters and I want to make sure they all get to tell their story. I had already did the three book trilogy of interconnected stories in 'Hauntings' also. So 'Cloudale' will be a lot of interconnected 'episodes' and I am thinking more tv series then trilogy.

Now only time will tell if I can bring it all to life.

Also I will like to debut Cloudale's tagline.

'All Roads Lead to Cloudale'.

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Turning around to go Forward

It's funny, yesterday I wrote a rather personal blog about how I am feeling lately. Whilst that blog has not became reduant I have had some changes.

The first and most obvious one is the audio change. I finally found 3 songs that I would like enough to make a player with and boy did I go through the wringer to get it up here. I really miss the days where it was simple and not this new beta crap they have on Mixpod.

The 3 songs are different I must admit. It's not my usually combination of r'n'b/ hip hop and Kenna songs that usually dominate my music players. All three of them have a distinctly electronic feel to it but do not get it twisted, I am not going techno on people. I just dig these songs.

B.E.P's Boom Boom Pow I have mentioned before, I like it because when I listen to it, I get visions of crazy combos in any fighting game I play especially when the beat comes in at 2:00. I really want to make this work so don't be surprised to see a project with this song. It's funny as I am growing to like it more, I am hearing it more and more everywhere. So You Think You Can Dance used it recently for example. Tho like always I was feelin' the song before I saw it on tv... strange how that happens eh?

Don't Trust Me by 3OH3! is a guilty pleasure of mine. When I first saw the video I was like WTF?! Then I watched it some more and I was still WTF?! but hey, I don't mind it and now I really like it LOL. The song is also the inspiration for my signature on SRK in case you were not in the know. Oh and yes I know that Helen Keller line is controversial but controversy sells records, ask Eminem.

I Like It Rough by Lady Gaga is just too damn good. Anyone that know me, knows that I love multi-part chorus and this song has it in spades. It's stupidly addictive, like most of her songs off her 'The Fame' album.

The second change is something related to my writing. I have been sitting around waiting for inspiration to hit me again but nothing. However one thing I realized is I am sitting on a story, I just have not written it yet. Hence the title, I think I might put my finger to word processor and go back to one of my original stories I always wanted to write. This saga (because it will be one, trust me) actually predates 'Homecoming' and 'Run' but was never written, till now. Yes, it is time to visit...

Cloudale.

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At this Point...

So it's actually been awhile and I must apologize. For some strange reason, I haven't felt like posting a blog lately.

It's eleven days into the new month and I haven't even updated my music player and truth be told the reason why is because I haven't heard any songs that really makes me want to create a new player. I got some songs that I am diggin' like 'Boom Boom Pow' (mainly because of the combo video potential with that beat) but nothing is really getting me really excited.

It's been awhile since I had a great idea that I want to write down and run with and it doesn't help that people say they are interested in reading my material and then never get back to me.

I have not done any video editing in ages. Literally I can't remember the last project I edited and it's sad because I have ideas but they literally go away as fast as they come.

So yeah, the only thing I have done recently that I am even remotely proud of is, I finished Shining Force (the original) and I did it in style.

I am just feeling nonchalant lately.

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