The Kiss of the Inbetween

Great News in Halfland!

March 1, 2023 will start experimentation with what we're calling Resupp (short for Remote Support). This will involve my texting friend and helper Kyelynn M—F at 9 am and letting her know my Halfland Task priority for the day. Followed by a 3 pm Update as to whether I completed it or why not.

She doesn't have to reply, encourage, or do anything other than receive the texts. (Her ideas for alternative means of overcoming whatever issues arise are very welcome as she is insightful and smart.) Just having someone in the world to, in a sense, be my partner even while we're in our own homes.

Additionally, I have finally plugged into my ideal project productivity management platform Asana (not an ad). (I'm using their free basic plan and while it could also include others in the workflow very well, I'm only using it privately to keep all aspects of the project prioritized and to easily track the actual progress made going forward. This is how my current priorities layout in Board format, for those interested):

 click each to enlarge

Setting this up was dreamy easy as was modifying it to my needs by hiding a ton of details that I don't need, like due dates (obviously, as it's been 30 years so far.) Asana will render summary updates of the number of completed tasks each Friday and it's super easy to alter and update as I go.

I hear you asking, "Shelley, why on earth if you already KNOW what task to do each day, why are you also telling someone else, ¿por qué?"

Well, Friends, it's because in building our garden for the last several years, Kyelynn proved to be an indispensable paid helper, I saw clearly how having a supportive presence made all the difference in getting things actually DONE! I wasn't afraid or overthinking when she was here to work. We just buckled down and got on with it and big things got things DONE. Without that support, projects would just sit for years making me feel awful at my inability to embark on doing them by myself.

Halfland has had Many Volunteers over the years for which I'm grateful. In the same way as above, things got done that would not have otherwise. It wasn't perfect but the net effect was some progress.

Since those days, I've stopped waiting for the cavalry to arrive and concluded that no one else is crazy enough to make Halfland but me. (Did I ever mention the harsh reality check I got when the director of CalArts Film and Video School's animation program came to lunch to see the Halfland set and told me there was no way any of her program's students would ever come here to intern on the project. It was because there was nothing in it for them. I wasn't famous. Had no cache that would make having my project on their CV mean anything to anyone and wouldn't raise their professional profile. Ouch. Facts though.)

Likewise, I couldn't pay for someone like Eliya to help me finish 1/2L as it is strictly a no-budget amateur production. It would've taken too many years out of her life and she and I agreed that how I imagine it really has to come from me. 

It's like a painting, you can have people helping you mix the paints and stretch the canvases but the work has to be yours if it's yours.

These points bring into strong relief the difference between art as a pure expression of the self vs. a commercial business. Both of these opposing mindsets exist in all forms of art. You've got the people painting watercolors in their homes for pleasure vs. art world celebrities positioning themselves in big museums and getting collectors paying millions for pieces. Very different motivations are involved, with differing value and values behind the results.

I know where I stand with this. After so long watching 1/2L taking shape, I now see it's not meant to be seen in large numbers, to be popular, to win awards, to make money, or to lead to anything larger after itself. It's a one-off, stand-alone art project, by a naive, unprofessional, first-time animator who's doing it for her own pursuits.

So, having Asana and Kyelynn there to act as "objects of accountability", something outside myself to reflect what I'm doing back to me in real time, promises to kick me into gear. Posts here will show what gets done each week.

This post didn't end up at the magical kissing part. Will put that in the very next one...