2015, Here We Go!

Happy 2015, a once in a lifetime celebration. Humanity finally made it here and we are still not enslaved by robots (though I must say we are getting there since our hands are glued to our smart phones)

2014 is done; a history for some unlucky kid to read about in school  decades from now. For some, it was a year they will never forget, for others it was a year they wish they can forget. Either way it was a blessing that some of us managed to unravel the disguise it hid itself in. For me it was a full year, full time test of the mind, body, and spirit. It brought me to my yield strength, almost went beyond to break me. But I’ve learned long ago that god does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.

Well, I finished my intern, officially a doctor now… okay okay, a dentist… you won’t see me do “… CLEAR!!” ZAPP!! Anyhow, I finished my intern, wealth and fame should be right afterward, my new clinic, my new brand clothing, tea with the queen every week… well… surprisingly it didn’t happen… plot twist!! I got sick… severe lung infection that no one yet knows what was the cause. So I stayed in bed, coughed blood once in a while, missed my employment date, and couldn’t do a better release for my novel Iblis. The sickness resolved itself, now I’m much much better than I ever was. I jog without coughing, and can actually breath without feeling ticklish between my ribs (only thing I missed 🙂 ).

I returned to my previous plans, found and regrouped with some of my friends and acquaintances who, not so long ago, decided to make a production company, a place where we can have the seeds of our talents and ideas planted and watch them grow. It turned out that they were not cut off for it, how do I know that? Well… I believe people are much like books, and like any book, there are things between the lines that are not written but can be formed through clues of well or poorly chosen words. They eventually wanted to call the company Q80Can (Kuwaiti can… as in a Kuwaiti can do it) and they wanted to focus on things that only attract Kuwaiti viewers. Now, living in Kuwait, one could understand why they thought that way, but I believe if it’s not meant for all, then it’s not art, Kuwait is a very small country, and plus, out of the twelve, only three were actually Kuwaiti, and an international team that only focuses on one place, one culture and a specific demographic viewers. In other words, the idea I have planned to produce with them was about to be altered so that it can only suit one nation. There are already boarders between countries… no need to place boarders in our minds.

I promote this… I am a citizen of the world.

So I contemplated, sulky and still ticklish between the ribs. I didn’t know what to do, I couldn’t find anyone who can bring the ideas buried deep with to life. That was the second question in the test… how will I answer it. In life you either win or lose… not true, you either win or learn.

 I saddled up and went on the hunt for an artist who may give form to my vision. Some would say eventually I would find one, but I have been severely unlucky, cursed some may think. The harder I tried the stronger was the fall. Living in Kuwait is one of the issues that is causing my writing career to move at a slower pace.

One would abandon such dreams at that point and call it a day. But not me. When you can’t stop thinking about your idea, when you live in two worlds, when it really hurts that you can’t accomplish it, that’s when you realize how important it is to you. But I ask myself, why is it so hard to make such a thing… is there another plan for how it should be done?

The answer came in a dream. I saw one of our generations best story tellers, Hideo Kojima, all I can say that this person makes me jealous. I told that person how much I hated his success… the answer was…” what is stopping you?” I answered by saying “I have no one to help me with it” Then, right before I woke up, that person said “You make it happen, don’t wait for anyone”.

So, following in the footsteps of one of my favorite motion graphic creators, Brooke Burgess, I decided to learn digital drawing and After Effect. But not until two weeks ago I decided to create everything literally by myself, and I mean Literally; drawing using Manga studio and photoshop, music score using FLStudio, editing usind After Effect, and even voice acting using Adop Audition. A full 26 episodes done entirely by yours truly, in hopes not to just inspire through the story I wrote, but also through the way I’m doing it, to prove that nothing is impossible, everything can be done with a little of faith, passion, tickly ribs, and most importantly, YOU.

I’ll talk more about that of course, for now I’ll just let the pictures do the talking for me.

All the pictures seen are done by moi. It is my first time drawing and it took me a while to find a method that suits a beginner artist like me. I am trying my best to see this episodic story to its end. Story wise it is done, drawing wise just finished drawing episode one. Learning through doing is how I plan to do, through trial and error until something makes sense eventually :).

Here’s where the magic happens. I’m using an Alienware laptop, Bamboo drawing pad and a Yamaha keyboard and some figures to cheer for me.

Well, I guess it is obvious what my new year resolution would be, that and publishing Iblis on bookstores where I am, also, I am working on the third book and I still have Kima, my inspirational story set in 1928 South Africa. So, since my hands are starting to cramp, I’ll leave you with my deepest wishes of happiness and health for you and all your beloved ones.

One more new year’s resolution is to learn this 🙂

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