Category: Film

Film Project Info.

“ShadowPlay”

Scott J Mulvaney Leave a comment
I thought ‘WorldPlay’ would complete the ‘Mystery Train’ of thought that’s been powering the last two posts, but this week there’s a tunnel ahead, and within it’s sheltering darkness there are deeply personal truths waiting for us to discover. What do these truths say about us? And what secrets do they hold? This is where ‘ShadowPlay’ comes in, to teach us the Art of Playing in Shadow.

D esire is a series of psychic signs that burn with unrequited longing, and guide us toward the people, places, or ideas that reveal the shadow side of our identity. It’s also a warning: ‘Danger: Minefield;’ and an invitation: ‘Enter Here.’ When we choose to walk this path, we trip the emotional and psychological mines that contain the explosive truths about ourselves; and if we feel our way through them, they flense our illusions, and give us the wisdom & courage to reclaim our power.

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“WorldPlay”

Scott J Mulvaney Leave a comment
L ast week’s post started with a cup of dark roast, and a steaming “Mystery Train”; and this week I’m jumping back in to unpack the concept of ‘Play’. If you’ve read my ‘Be Magnificently Simple‘ post, you know I see emotion as the body’s way of signaling us that there’s ‘digging to be done & treasure to be found,’ so I’m honoring that urge by re-entering the great big creative Sandbox for some well deserved ‘WorldPlay: The Art of Playing Yourself,’ a playful spinoff of last week’s “Mystery Train.”

Y ou’ve probably guessed by now that I love playing in all kinds of Sandboxes, and basking in the imaginative freedom they offer. I even like the feel of the grains of memory & experience stuck between my toes, because they remind me that every human canvas needs a little grit to give it depth and resilience. But the best thing about Sandboxes is that they’re everywhere you look, and if you’re playing yourself’ like a Pro, you’re creating Sandboxes at home, work, and everywhere you go: That’s the essence of WorldPlay.

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What's in a Story

What’s in a Story?

Scott J Mulvaney Leave a comment
A hhh story. Like most of us, I grew up thinking stories were what you read or watched, and thought of them as entertainment, a fun way to pass the time. As the only child of ‘busy’ adults, I devoured them and developed an urge to scribble my own, without realizing – until much later – that my creative muse was giving me a tool to know myself, and with that knowing, decipher the story of everything.

E verywhere you look, corporate story engines are influencing billions of people and raking in trillions of dollars in the process; crowding our devices like an aggressive gaggle of garrulous Carny Hawkers desperate to sell us everything from toothpaste, to ideology, to hookups. My goal here is  to play through all that noise, and help you understand & master the universal ‘What’s’ in every story – because these ‘What’s,’ are at the heart of your own high-powered story engine.

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Anatomy of a ‘Creative’ – Chapter Two

Scott J Mulvaney Leave a comment
I was waiting for the Solar Eclipse to remind us of the celestial mechanics that drive the universe, when my creative sensors lit up and suggested that I jump back into my Anatomy of a ‘Creative’ Series. If you read ‘Anatomy of a ‘Creative’- Chapter 1′, you know that I believe everybody is a ‘Creative,’ and that creativity works through us to power everything we are and do, so welcome to Chapter Two: Your ‘Creative’ Legs: What you ‘Stand On,’ ‘Stand For,’ and the strength of your ‘Standing.’

Standing is Essential – Physically, it keeps you fit; emotionally, it keeps you strong; intellectually, it gives you perspective; and spiritually, it represents your connection to you earthly journey. And when you choose to stand, you set the wheels of creativity in motion, and make magic happen.

I ‘ve mentioned a few of the amazing folks, from Norman Lear to Ray Bradbury, et al. that I’ve ‘Stood With’ over the years, and it’s through their example that I learned what ‘Standing Up’ is all about. Throughout the long arc of their lives they developed a profound understanding that their ‘Standing’ in the world depended on how much positive creativity they shared with us; how committed they were to ‘Standing For’ the people, places, causes & beliefs that underpinned their beliefs & vision; and how solid their ‘Standing On’ reflected the collective power of our shared creative purpose.

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The Ultimate Writer’s* Toolkit – Chapter 2

Scott J Mulvaney Leave a comment
W elcome back scribblers! I’m in between drafts, and was inspired to jump into The UWT C2 while the perspiration & inspiration are fresh. I just had a call with a dear friend and I marveled at her tenacity, and willingness to move past the ‘E’ and into the ‘CC’ – the ‘E’ being Ego, and the ‘CC’ Connected Creativity. If you’ve been perusing my posts, you may be growing weary of hearing me expound on the many juicy delights of getting out of your own way, so I decided to go really, really big, and show you how to re-purpose ego by using ‘Presence’ to expand your Ultimate Scribbler’s Toolkit!

B ut Scott! You just said we have to move past the ‘E,’ absolutely correct! But moving past it, doesn’t mean that it evaporates like a bad dream. Ego, when applied properly, is a scribbler’s delight. How? Well, I hate to annoy the enlightened souls out there, but stripping the world of ego, also strips it of conflict, and conflict my dear scribblers, is the lifeblood of all fiction. Without it we would sit around the maypole in blissful satiety, singing ‘Kumbaya’ ’till the cows came home. So today we’re going to put ego in it’s proper place and practice using it the way it was intended, to help us build powerful stories.

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Anatomy of a 'Creative' - Chapter One

Anatomy of a ‘Creative’ – Chapter One

Scott J Mulvaney Leave a comment
U nderstanding ‘Creative Anatomy’ is an essential power tool for anybody interested in filling their life with the restorative powers of resonant bliss: The supercharged connection/s between you and your world. To “Know Thyself” (gnothi seauton) is an incredible joy, and creative anatomy is a primary ‘Knowing‘ tool that speaks to the bones that support your consciousness, and frame your dynamic movement in & through life. It is also your personal Rosetta Stone, translating the impossible complexity of life into a DIY, with a practical set of instructions on how to show up with confidence!

When I hear the old saying, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” I sincerely get it. All the paths we take and choices we make, become the roadmap of our lives. But they don’t define us. We are so much more than biography, and the most sublime joys of life can be easily found in the peak experiences that reveal our inner selves.

So let’s get this show on the road with a little personal story that will provide you with a ‘slider’ sized map of my anatomical journey from film lover – to film maker, which you can apply to everything you love to do… Continue reading “Anatomy of a ‘Creative’ – Chapter One”

Writer's toolkit

The Ultimate Writer’s* Toolkit – Chapter One

Scott J Mulvaney Leave a comment
W hen I lived in Los Angeles, I would often run into Ray Bradbury, a creative genius if there ever was one, and we’d talk about writing, movies and all things phantasmic. He was a joy to know; passionate, focused, relaxed, and extremely generous with his time and creative attentions, and one of those great souls who believed in the power of art to expand consciousness, while having fun in the bargain. Ray’s freebooting imaginative spirit inspired this article, and I feel him looking over my shoulder as I write this, so “Ray, this one’s for you!”

The greatest thing about writing is that there are NO RULES! And the most terrifying thing about writing is that there are NO RULES! My dearest South Philly wise woman, Maryanne, called writers (and artists) ‘Scribblers,’ which I like a whole lot better than the more formal and emotionally charged title of ‘Writer.’ So let’s be scribblers together and adopt the following motto: “Use Tools, Not Rules,” and open up this wordsmith’s toolkit for a look-see. Continue reading “The Ultimate Writer’s* Toolkit – Chapter One”

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