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The joys of doing it yourself
Pulp Culture
More and more in the artistic fields in Indianapolis, people are just getting out there and doing it themselves. I was going to write this essay as sort of a short how-to guide for do-it-yourself projects, but that would have been a massive missing of the point. The great advantage of DIY is that there is no one way. “Frankly, there is nothing better than having 100% control over your own work. For me, its that simple,” said New York comic writer/artist Brian Wood, creator of Channel Zero. “If you learn HOW to fish, you can say fuck you to McFish sandwiches,” added Brooklynite Rob G, artist of Teenagers From Mars. Truer words were never spoken. There are many roads to success, and if some contradict themselves, very well, they contradict themselves. The arts world is vast; it contains multitudes. Some people team up and take the world on through unity, like IndianapolisFilm.net or the comrades of TheFilmCommune.com. Others go it completely alone, and others pick and choose what they want from both worlds. Some guys advertise through the web, others through word of mouth, still others hit the convention circuit and do everything but sell the product out of the trunk of their cars to get it in front of the audience. And some people don’t even have to go very far. Indianapolis is becoming the cultural mecca we’ve aimed for, in ways that might not have ever been expected. Gen Con, the biggest role-playing game convention in the world, is now here every July, and the Star Wars Celebration will be returning in 2005. On a more local level, we’re seeing tremendous amounts of work from all sides in numerous fields you would never connect with Indianapolis. Thriving microcultures, a dozen unconnected hearts beating and pulsing to different rhythms. Mike Simon and Jay Payne of Final Level Games (www.finallevel.com), for example, have released an extremely polished role-playing game in the form of WindZone, which debuted at Gen Con this year. Over in comics books, Howard Shum (www.howardshum.com) has made himself a significant national figure with the excellent Gun Fu series, which has drawn raves from many sides. Stuart Sayger’s Shiver in the Dark (www.stuartsayger.com), now on its second issue, is a chilling ride in the best tradition of 1970s horror comics. Richard Kolkman, Matt Fischer and Andy Kuhn are only a few of the others who continue to make their names in the comics field. In the film world, working together within both film and music is becoming a driving force. In October, IndianapolisFilm.net and IndianapolisMusic.net will be joining forces to place trailers for local films on the next IMN showcase CD and to show trailers and other local film work at the CD release event. They’re also teaming with the ORANJE progressive art show to display local film at that event Sept. 20, and expect to continue to partner with Greenbriar Cinema Grill for future events. Ron Keedy at Key Cinema (www.keycinemas.com) continues to screen local films on a regular basis, with Oh, No! Zombies! and the premiere of Don Boner’s feature debut Loser’s Lounge, both on Oct. 14. The Film Commune continues to sponsor the Indianapolis Underground Film Festival every year, with the next event coming December 5-6. Lots of stuff is in the pipeline, as well; foremost among them is Ben Rose and Joel Umbaugh’s adaptation of I, Robot, QT-1. The trailer is up at www.staticfilms.com and looks incredible; I’m looking forward to the final product. I’ve had the chance to see and review many alternative arts in Indianapolis in the last year. Some I’ve liked, some I haven’t liked, and some I’ve absolutely loved, but no matter what I or anyone else thinks, the work is completely THEIRS. Nobody can tell Shum what he can or can’t do with Gun Fu. Same with Sayger and Shiver in the Dark, and the Final Level guys with WindZone. The work rises or falls on its own merits; at the end it’s all you.
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Oct 12, 2008
Downtown
Booker’s art, which quickly gained notoriety when she first began making sculpture from the discarded rubber in the late ’90s, is breathing n...
Do you sleep in the nude?
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