Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

“If you don’t take money, they can’t tell you what to do, kid…Money’s the cheapest thing. Liberty, freedom is the most expensive.” —Bill Cunningham “Be fiscally responsible so you can be creatively reckless.” -Tom Rothman “I had learned to manage on very little money. I had it down to a science. I really didn’t needContinue reading ““If You Don’t Take The Money…””

“You become what you give your attention to.” -Epictetus “The willingness to figure things out as you go is often the only difference between those who achieve difficult things and those who never begin.” -Shane Parrish “To know what you are going to draw, you have to begin drawing.” =Pablo Picasso If you’re scared toContinue reading ““Haven’t Done This Before””

In addition to recapping my end of year favorites (films, plays, books, albums, etc.) I thought for 2025, I’d share each month. Without further adieu and in no particular order, here are March faves… FILMS: The China Syndrome directed by James Bridges – I’ve watched this one multiple times now and each time I appreciateContinue reading “March 2025 Favorites”

“And this is the main thing I learned was that I’m writing music for an orchestra. I’m like, “I don’t even know what I’m doing. Why is that coming out?” I don’t feel like I’m doing it. I feel like I picked up the pen. I feel like I had the idea to do theContinue reading “Give Your Ego A Break”

“How you do anything is how you do everything.” -Zen Buddhist Proverb “In the morning, when you brush your teeth, brush them in such a way that happiness is possible during the whole time of brushing – which may last only one or two minutes. That is something I do every morning and after eachContinue reading ““Age Quod Agis””

Failure is an opportunity.If you blame someone else,there is no end to the blame. Therefore the Masterfulfills her own obligationsand corrects her own mistakes.She does what she needs to doand demands nothing of others. -“Tao Te Ching” by Lao-Tzu, Verse 79, (Stephen Mitchell Translation) “If you’re not failing, you’re not learning. If you’re not learning,Continue reading “Failure and Archery”

“If you have to ask somebody how to become a film director, you’ll probably never do it…The film industry is all about saying ‘no’ to people, so inherently you cannot take ‘no’ for an answer…If [my reply] pisses you off, and then you go out and say, ‘I’m going to show that Jim Cameron; IContinue reading “Q & A: “Should I Do It?””

“We don’t get our wants. We don’t get our shoulds. We get our musts. When it becomes a must, it happens.” -Shaan Puri “Action is the antidote to despair.” -Joan Baez The joy you feel from accomplishing something is the same whether you had to do it or wanted to do it. So, wanna feelContinue reading “Get Some Sh-t Done”

“Art is never finished, only abandoned.” -Leonardo da Vinci If you’re working with a master whose aim is a masterpiece, then you have to constantly remind yourself that in terms of completion, “it takes what it takes.” Read this post from George Bothamley and his always excellent Art Every Day Substack about Ludovico Sforza (TheContinue reading “MASTERpiece”

“If you should ever turn your will to things outside your control in order to impress someone, be sure that you have wrecked your whole purpose in life. Be content, then, to be a philosopher in all that you do, and if you wish also to be seen as one, show yourself first that youContinue reading “Impressing”