Aaron Denius's Blog, page 3
February 13, 2015
Free Form Friday: Hairy Carnage
Creators create. So I am happy to announce the re-launch of Hairy Carnage. A comedy duo that I am a part of along with Oren “Squeegee” Rehany. For the last couple of years, we have posted videos sporadically, but we are now in the process of restructuring the content to make it more of a variety show format and more consistent.
We will be featuring sketches, guest stars, rants and rave, and so much more.
So to kick it off, here is one of our most recent:
Check out other videos as well and Subscribe!
February 11, 2015
Work It Wednesday: Feb. 11, 2015
I actually wrote last night for the first time in weeks. It’s amazing what music can do.
I had been struggling to find my creative voice recently and was having trouble immersing myself into the world that I want to write. As a writer I split my life between two worlds; the real world and the world I create. I had been having trouble entering into the world of the TV Pilot that I’m writing because I just hadn’t discovered the tone. That is until yesterday when an old Muse song played on the radio.
That second, I knew. Images started flying through my head. Scenes became clear. I saw how I wanted the pilot to end. So last night I spent a good hour creating a playlist of Muse songs. I am excited to be writing again!
February 9, 2015
Motivation Monday: Keep The Ego In Check
Well Kanye proved yet again what an idiot he is. Now I will be the first to admit that I have let my ego get the best of me on occasion, but I will never throw someone under the bus in the process.
Whether or not you believe that Beck should have won The Grammy’s Album of the Year over Beyonce, what Kanye did after was classless. This wasn’t even his first offense. Remember Taylor Swift. I mean to say that Beck isn’t an artist when he writes and composes all of songs, and plays most of the instruments as well. I dare Kanye to try to do that without sampling a single song. Kanye West wants true artists, and no offense to Beyonce’s talents, she can sing the shirts off of men, but all her music is mass produced by a group of people. She is a singer, not an artist. You are comparing Picasso to a paint by numbers artist.
Now Kanye is entitled to his own opinion, as is everyone else, but keep it simple and classy. Something along the lines of “I think Beyonce should have won, but congrats to Beck” would have been good.
I know this turned into more of a rant instead of a motivational post, but what can be taken away from this was Beck’s response to Kanye’s outburst: ”I was just so excited [West] was coming up, he deserves to be onstage as much as anybody. How many great records has he put out in the last five years, right?” “I thought she was going to win. Come on, she’s Beyonce! … You can’t please everybody, man. I still love [West] and think he’s genius. I aspire to do what he does.”
Always take the high road!
February 6, 2015
Free Form Friday: Shower Ideas
Why do our best ideas come in the shower? The explanation is actually quite simple. We aren’t thinking.
Showering has become a daily ritual that most of us could do with our eyes closed. We don’t have to think about what we are going to do in the shower. In fact, I bet you wash yourself and go through the same routine every time. I start by washing my chest, then my left arm, and then I switch the soap to my left hand. I don’t think about it, I just do it. Thus keeping my mind clear from what I am doing at the present moment.
The shower is also a place of solitude with no distractions. 96.4% of the time you are showering alone and there isn’t a tv or internet to preoccupy your mind. It’s just you and the water hitting your back. When you give yourself the time to just enjoy your shower, your mind is clear and relaxed. This is when the ideas come. This is when you have your Aha! moment.
The key is to find a way to emulate that outside of the shower.
February 4, 2015
Work It Wednesday: Feb 4 , 2015
So over the last week I did an intense marketing and promotional push for my book. I had a kindle deal running and I did a scavenger hunt for signed books around LA. I also had an interview to start working with a fairly well known writer and director. We will see what happens with that.
I have been struggling however with getting back on the writing wagon. It seems like every time I buckle down, something up comes up with my book that I need to attend to. In the last two weeks alone I have had 4 interview requests, including one for a radio show. I’m starting to realize more and more why people hire assistants. I am going to force myself to write this week though. even if it means staying home on Saturday.
The thing that I realized too, when I’m writing, I’m healthier. Since I switched my focus to the marketing and promoting of my book, I have estopped working out and I have eaten poorly. So even if it’s just for my health, I need to start writing again. Maybe I will but one of these:
February 2, 2015
Motivation Monday: Quotes
Today I feel like sharing a few of my favorite quotes:
Yeah, I put up one of my quotes. Deal with it! Ha.
January 30, 2015
Free Form Friday: Super Bowl
Meh. I was writing this whole piece of the current state of sports and blah blah blah. But I decided to delete it and give my Super Bowl predictions.
Seahawks 34 - Patriots 31
Brady has a chance to win it at the end, but the Seahawks defense steps up and clinches it with an interception.
Even though he only has an average game. Russell Wilson will win the MVP with 240 yds. 2TD 2INT and 1 rushing TD.
The Seahawks will score a defensive TD and Marshawn Lynch will score the other, running for 97 yards.
Brady will throw for 337 yards, 4TD and 2 INT, but it’s that last interception that will prove costly.
1 week after the game the NFL will announce their findings on deflategate and the Patriots will lose first round picks in 2015 and 2016. There will also be a fine of at least $500,000 and possibly someone big retiring or stepping down.
Cheers and Happy Super Bowl!!!
January 28, 2015
Work It Wednesday: Jan. 28, 2015
So this week I kicked off a major marketing push for my book. Amazon.com is selling my eBook for only 99 cents - Click —> "Gene. Sys."
And Amazon.co.uk is selling my eBook for £0.99 - Click —> "Gene. Sys."
I have also been doing a Signed Book scavenger hunt in Los Angeles, where I have been signing two copies in a different Barnes and Noble each day.
Hell, I have even been promoting it on Tinder:
It’s been all in good fun. This is a bit of a final push for a while though, because next week I intend to switch my focus back to TV writing. I want to get this pilot written before the end of February. Staffing season is right around the corner, so I need to have all my tools ready. Tonight I am actually going to an event at the Writer’s Guild about staffing season.
Butt needs to get into gear!
January 26, 2015
Motivation Monday: Be the Bee
This post is actually an expansion on a tweet I made a few weeks ago.
We all want to affect and change the world in some shape or form. None of us live our lives thinking, “I like everything exactly how it is.” There are injustices everywhere. Pain and sorrow surrounds us. So we all look for ways to make things better. Unfortunately most of us get discouraged by the scale of the task before us. We look at what needs to be done and we think to ourselves that we are too small or insignificant to make a difference.
I invite you to imagine this scenario: Imagine a room with 50 people arguing with each other about anything and everything. They are all focused on themselves and whatever words their lips are forming. Or really just imagine a room with 50 people in it. Now, go into the room and let loose an angry bee. See how quickly the attention of all 50 turns to that of the bee. Their unified focus becomes the bee. The bee is small and relatively insignificant, and the most damage it can do is sting one person, but no one wants to be that person.
So if you think you are too small or insignificant to affect change, Be the Bee!!
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January 25, 2015
TV Review: Black Mirror
Black Mirror
Those cheeky Brits have done it again. Black Mirror is one of the most inventive and eye opening shows I have ever seen.
The title refers to the black screen one sees when their phone, tablet, computer or TV is turned off. This BBC show is already in their 3rd season, but the first 2 are on Netflix. A total of 6 fantastic episodes. Rather than talk about any singular episode I will briefly talk about the theme of the show.
This show uses each episode to highlight our obsessions with technology and how we as a society are glued to our devices and are obsessed with fame and the downfall of fame. Remember when Britney shaved her head and went crazy? yeah. It’s just like that. What this show does though, is show us where these obsessions could lead. Its a scary and eye opening.
Black Mirror can be found on Netflix
My Rating: Must Watch
