10 Good Things

1.  Musical Theatre:

My love for musical theatre is my most nerdy secret, but is also a big part of what I am.  Growing up, my mom always took me to see shows with her all the time and these musicals were my first exposure to art that had some sort of impact on me and made me feel things.  There's something special about characters spontaneously breaking into song, often accompanied by an elaborate dance number with a big chorus and a kick line.  It makes me feel like I'm full of helium and will float out of my body.  This musical number from the show Grand Hotel is one of the best I've ever seen, with infectiously joyful performances and some crazy legs.



2.  Cabaret Music:

Derived from my love of musical theatre comes this strange and hodge-podge genre of music that almost everyone I force it upon hates.  I think it came from early 1900's musicals and Jazz music and nowadays it can be a lot of things: whether it's a seedy European nightclub song or a folksy balkan tune.  It often has accordion or horn accompaniment and explores dark themes.  I really like this music because it is so unlike everything else that's being made, and it's cool that it often juxtaposes fairly upbeat and jazzy melodies with lyrics that deal with sex or lust or addiction or the end of the world, etc.  The bands that perform cabaret infused music often are very theatrical and perform as characters or have specific period style influenced looks.  They utilize spectacle and theatricality heavily, and I love that.



3.  Children of Time:

This book blew my mind as a kid.  It's obviously for young readers but that doesn't mean it's not good!  It's sounds really dumb from just the premise so I'm not going to explain it but it's really fun and gripping and makes you feel crazy emotions about humanity and the end of the world.  I sometimes forget how much I like this book and every few years I'll remember it and will have to dig it out of my bins at home and read it.  It's good every single time.



4.   Wings music video by HAERTS:

This video I found one day at like 3:00 AM and watched it four times in a row while sobbing.  It has since become an artistic bible to me.  It basically depicts everything my childhood was about, and feels exactly the way I felt as a kid.  From the filter on the video to the toys the kids play with and the way their house looked: it's all the same.  Kids tend to find magic and adventure in the most mundane things, like Chef Boyardee Ravioli and a pink wig.  Kids are innocent and ignorant and beautiful, and seeing images of their small town treasures juxtaposed with the grime and grit of the lives of the adults in the town and how void of hope they are really made an impression on me.  The innocence of childhood is lost in everyone eventually, and it's the most depressing thing.  Plus this song is really good.
 


5.  Pushing Daisies:

This show is the digital equivalent of comfort food for me.  It's this wonderful alternate reality world that exists upon the foundation of a macabre fairy tale premise.  Everything from the production design to the unique characters to the fast-paced witty dialogue to the ridiculous situations is charming and delightful and fun and emotional.  It is the closest thing to happiness for me.



6.  Over The Garden Wall:

This miniseries is everything I want to make and more.  It's smart, funny, strange, spooky, and has a lot of heart.  The animation is pretty and the songs are catchy and beautiful.  It evokes a weird sense of nostalgia in me for a time I was never alive during and a land that I was neither a part of nor will ever be: as it doesn't exist.  I wish all children's media could be this good, because it's uncommon to find something that can be just as entertaining to a child as it can be for an adult.  This show does so, and more.



7. Romance and Cigarettes:

I don't really know why I like this movie so much but I do.  I think it's weird and crazy and fun and sad and even boring sometimes.  I don't necessarily connect to the theme, but I think the movie as a whole is an interesting concept.  The dialogue is stylized, and set against the gritty New York working class scenery the musical numbers are fresh and interesting.  There is a lot of good in this movie.  And also a lot of bad.  But I really like it.



8.  Disneyland / Disney World:

I grew up going to Disneyland every few years with my family and the Disney influence was big in my household.  Disneyland was the most exciting thing my little body ever experienced and so it will always hold a special place in me heart.  I recently did an internship where I worked at Disney World on Main Street and that was a dream come true.  I don't care if Disney is really cheesy or childish, I think it's magical.



9.  Greek Mythology:

Instead of being really into superheroes or whatever as a kid, I got hooked on these stories.  I must have checked out every book in the library on Greek Mythology.  I've since forgotten a lot of it because I haven't kept up my research, but those gods and goddesses will always be super to me.




10.  Makeup:

I think production design is amazing and would love to do it on a professional level, and my favorite department within production design is makeup.  It's amazing how much you can change a person's personality, facial structure, and entire identity by their makeup.  Also it's just really fun to try and think up ways to make cool looking things on someone's body.  And while I love doing glamour makeup, the fun stuff for me is in special effects, blood/scars/bruises, and stylized makeup.