Life in Pixels

haud ignota loquor

  • A New Notebook for Writing

    I was in Cape Town this past week, and whilst browsing the Exclusive Books at the V&A Waterfront (awesome place, by the way), I cam across the limited edition Pac-Man Moleskine notebook range.

    OK, so this range of Moleskines aren’t that new – they came out around the latter part of 2010 – but being South Africa, we’re always last to get everything. Anyway, I had been contemplating buying another notebook. My old Moleskine, a small lined journal, serves as an “extension to my brain”. I basically store all my random thoughts in it. Ideas for blog posts are there (most have already been written now…). I have some sketches of designs I plan on some day developing further in Google SketchUp. There’s a few short stories in there (“Target: A Short Story”, based on the short film I made last year, was first-drafted in this very notebook.) And there’s also copious amounts of notes on my novel, including various maps, diagrams and outlines.

    Whilst I love that old faithful notebook, I’ve decided that to best serve my writing, I need a separate journal that can store my short stories, opinions and perhaps other creative writing. This leaves the small Moleskine to be specifically for my muses, untidy sketches and those copious notes for the elusive novel I’m trying to tame.

    The Pac-Man edition is awesome. It’s retro-cool, ultra-stylish, and carries the unmistakable aura of the legendary notebook that is Moleskine. I have yet to start writing in it, but I’ve already got two short story ideas (one of which has been in the works, off-and-on, for well over a year now), that I plan on writing out longhand in the new notebook. I’ll also have the full planning done in that. And then, of course, the amazing Scrivener will be used to draft it in digital form, and if I deem it fit for public scrutiny, these new stories will make their way onto Life in Pixels.

    You may wonder at my curious affinity for something as retro as a notebook, especially seeing as I’m a very techno guy (or so I’m led to believe…). Well, as I mentioned above, the legacy that Moleskine carries is in itself inspiration to write. Then there’s the wonderful freedom that writing longhand can bring, and I especially find that mapping out a story on paper is my best way of getting the tale started. Plus, Moleskine’s are super stylish. What more could I ask for?

    I’ll keep you guys posted on how the novel is going. I’ve had a great new development in the narrative, but there’s still a long way to go. I’ll also be pausing work on it once I get back to school, seeing as this is my final year. In the meantime, as always, you can follow me on Twitter: @RahulDowlath.

  • The Share Complex

    Early in 2010, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg took to the stage at the annual f8 conference in San Francisco to announce some major changes to the popular social network. Amongst them, Zuckerberg detailed the “social graph”, a concept created by the young billionaire and his team from Palo Alto where they aim to connect you and your friends across the web – and not only in the caged ecosystem of the Facebook site.

    Essentially, what Facebook aims to do is stake its presence across the web, and the first signs of this came shortly after the big announcement at f8 2010 when the emergence of the “like” web gadget appeared on blogs and other social sites. Upon clicking “like” next to a blog post, for instance, a short post is sent to your Facebook Wall and you have instantly shared with your friends the blog post that you liked. It’s the Palo Alto giant’s idea of easing the access of information and creating a neater way of sharing interesting content with friends. (Of course, this has been dramatically abused – if one can call it that – as ad-covered “like” sites have emerged). However, the concept is neat, and Facebook can take a bow for their attempts at connecting you to the world, and the world to you.

    But the “sharing” culture that defines this new generation of the web (Web 2.0 or the “social web”, as it’s known) has a sinister way of embedding itself in the subconscious. It starts to grow on social media users like ivy down the side of a building; it becomes a reflex of sorts and suddenly you’re wanting to share every tiny find, wanting others to experience the same thing you’ve just discovered.

    It’s a dangerous advent, a parasite of this wonderful new age. Now, I hate ridiculing the social media scene – in fact, I usually turn my head the other way when I hear uninformed critics lambaste the age of the web – but this “share complex” that comes with the democratisation and closer nature of the new web is an issue that can potentially harm one.

    We need to draw the line clearly as early as possible in our exploration of the possibilities that open with the progressing web, before the share complex can take a greater psychological control of our minds. The subconscious nature of the share complex can drive us to divulge information that shouldn’t be divulged; thus, greater caution should be taken in these endeavours online. A discerning nature must be adopted so that we may enjoy the new web in a way that a dark pest like this share complex may not deter us.

    But on the whole, I’m looking forward to what social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, and the others out there, have in store for us. It’s certainly exciting times to be living in.

  • 2011: It’s Going To Be a Great Year in Film

    In case you didn’t already know it, Planet Earth just crossed over into the year two thousand and eleven (so happy new year to you). And, as usual, it feels just like it was yesterday that it was 2010. Now, last year was a great year in film (as I’ve written about here) but 2011 promises a brilliant year of some tantalising cinematic experiences.

    Here’s a list of films I’m personally looking forward to. Below each film is the expected release date (as given by trusty old Wikipedia). Remember that the release dates in South Africa may vary for each. I’ve also included, for a few films, some of the actors/actresses whose performances I’m looking forward to seeing.

    Note: Films aren’t in order of release. Just thought I’d let you know.

    Captain America: The First Avenger

    Release Date: 22 July 2011

    Actor: Samuel L. Jackson

    Thor

    Release Date: 6 May 2011

    Actors: Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins

    Transformers: Dark of the Moon

    Release Date: 1 July 2011

    The Green Hornet

    Release Date: 14 January 2011

    Actor: Christoph Waltz

    Rango

    Release Date: 4 March 2011

    Voice of Johnny Depp

    Season of the Witch

    Release Date: 7 January 2011

    Actor: Nicolas Cage

    Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides

    Release Date: 20 May 2011

    Actors: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz

    The Hangover: Part II

    Release Date: 26 May 2011

    Actors: Zach Galifianakis (“the Hangover guy”), Liam Neeson, Bill Clinton (?!)

    Source Code

    Release Date: 1 April 2011

    Actor: Russel Peters

    Cowboys & Aliens

    Release Date: 29 July 2011

    Actors: Olivia Wilde, Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig

    The Three Muskateers

    Release Date: 14 October 2011

    Actors: Christoph Waltz, Orlando Bloom, Mila Jovovich

    Mission:Impossible – Ghost Protocol

    Release Date: 16 December 2011

    Actors: Tom Cruise, Anil Kapoor

    Sherlock Holmes 2

    Release Date: 16 December 2011

    Actors: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Stephen Fry, Rachal McAdams

    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

    (Hollywood re-make)

    Release Date: 21 December 2011

    Actor: Daniel Craig

    In Indian Cinema, there is just one film I’m looking forward to this year. It’s a black comedy film, something of an “arthouse”, and sounds to be a thoroughly good cinematic outing in the foreign language field – something that I consider to be true “Indian Cinema”, a distinct difference to the mainstream, run-of-the-mill “Bollywood” that plagues the screens throughout the year. It’s called 7 Khoon Maaf (Seven Murders Forgiven), and stars one of my favourite Indian-film actresses, Priyanka Chopra, in what’s been called her best performance to date.

    So that was my pick of films I’m looking forward to this year. What’s your take on the list? Got any films not mentioned on here that you’re looking forward to? Drop a line or two in the comments to let me know! Enjoy the films.

  • Initiate: War

    Written in 2007. Rediscovered in late-2010. Enjoy.

    INITIATE: WAR

    a short story by Rahul Dowlath

    The unnatural, austere, white glow emanating from the room’s walls were enough to light the place. But bright, 100-watt fluorescent lights were fitted along the edges of the ceiling.
    Three flat-screen computers gently hummed in unison, on a circular table, also white, at the centre. Everything about the place was in shades of white, adding to the futuristic appeal of the room.

    General Vladimir Stukov stood with his arms folded, at the centre of the room, in front of a terminal. Beside him, dwarfed by Vladimir’s height, stood another individual. They were the only two elements of colour in the otherwise white room.

    Suddenly, a white mobile phone, which was positioned at the centre of the circular table, began to ring. The General answered it. He did not even greet the caller, for there was no need to; there was only one person who had access to this number. He listened intently to what the caller had to say, and spoke only one word, in his native language of Russian.
    “Understood.”  The General ended the call.

    *

    Four thousand miles away, in the desolate and icy ghost town of Murmansk, Russia, a figure crept silently toward the abandoned submarine fleet that had once been the pride of the Soviet Union. He stealthily maneuvered through a broken barbed-wire fence, ran toward the only entrance, and sneaked up behind the solitary guard stationed at the wooden post. A sharp bang! Echoed off the icy snow and the guard dropped to the ground, blood running rapidly from the wound to his head.

    “There is to be no evidence of this mission,” the Agent was told. “Any trace can be used against us, and then the whole Plan will be terminated. I’m sure you wouldn’t want your beloved Russia to be laughed at again now…?”

    No, he wouldn’t. Russia was all that he had left now. And if it meant that a few hundred people were to die so that Russia could regain its once respected dominance, then so be it.

    So, Agent Viktor Matvei ran the last few meters to the silent submarines.

    In the 1900s, Russia was notoriously known for its lethal fleet of nuclear submarines. If detonated together, they could cause an explosion unprecedented by the Human race, destroying nearly half Planet Earth’s population with the mortal nuclear toxic waste.
    Viktor approached the fleet. The abandoned vessels looked for the entire world a mass of innocent submarines left to rust in this barren land. But Viktor knew otherwise.

    An icy chill ran through him, as the wind sliced through the freezing air, like the deathly sharp blade of a sword.

    He silently jumped onto the first of the many abandoned vessels, and continued to leap from vessel to vessel with the accuracy and precision of a professional in this line of business. Finally, he stopped at a particular submarine – the oldest in the fleet. With great care, and immense strength, he wrenched open a rusted door, and swiftly slid in.

    The inside of the craft displayed the aggressive arrogance and harshness of the former Soviet Union. There were rows upon rows of complicated machinery, hostile-looking and stained with the deaths of thousands. It was here, at the centre of the oldest submarine in the Russian fleet, that Agent Viktor Matvei placed the trigger – a lethal explosive that would make his beloved Russia the most powerful force in the world.

    Immediately, the Agent hoisted himself up and out of the submarine, and swiftly, he headed away from the aging Russian fleet.

    Standing in the middle of the harsh, icy land, Agent Viktor produced his mobile phone, and dialed the only number stored in it.
    The call was accepted, but there was no reply. As expected; the sign that Viktor is to report on his mission.
    “Sir,” Viktor began, in fluent Russian, just one of the five languages that he had the privileged of speaking effortlessly.
    “The Trigger has been implemented in the submarine. We are at an all-clear. I repeat, you are at an all-go to execute detonation.”

    Only one word was said in reply.

    “Understood.”

    *

    General Vladimir Stukov placed the white mobile phone back on the table. The man standing next to him, his assistant, picked up a device that looked not unlike a 2-way radio. However, this device had only one control, and it could broadcast a signal for up to four thousand miles. The man handed the deadly device to Stukov.

    “We are at an all-go for detonation. The world will once again realize the power and authority that Russia commands. The Soviet Union will once again be reborn.”

    And with that, General Vladimir Stukov pressed the single control on the device in his hands.

    Four thousand miles away, in the ghost town of Murmansk, a fierce explosion occurred, destroying Russia’s nuclear submarine fleet. Every inhabitant of Murmansk, including Agent Viktor Matvei, were instantly killed. But that number would be nothing compared to the millions that would die in a few hours, when the noxious nuclear particles would engulf the entire planet…

  • Short Story vs. Novel Writing

    Let me tell you something: writing is not easy. Sure, sitting around daydreaming is a part of the job, and may entice many people, but the bottom line is that to create something out of nothing takes a lot of mindpower. To write a short story can be enormous fun, yet exceptionally tedious (especially when there’s that awful thing called Writer’s Block that strikes…).

    I’ve dabbled in short-story writing, and it really took off in about 2007 with my short story The Shadow of the Underworld. From then, I’ve experimented in different formulas and found some that worked for me. But the biggest thing about short-story writing is the limited space a writer has to work in.

    The unwritten rule about short stories is that they are anything under 10 000 words. Most of mine are under 1000. That’s a really small space in which to establish character, mood, atmosphere. But that’s what makes it so fun: the limited space means that stuff can happen… and fast. There’s no time for excessively-brooding characters, multiple-layer storylines and other gadgetry. It’s quick stuff.

    On the other hand, novel writing – something I’m doing at the moment on a “TOP SECRET” project – is quite daunting. For starters, the unwritten rule here is that a novel is any text longer than 50 000 words. Oh my gosh. Fifty Thousand Words. That’s a heck of a lot, and a huge amount of space for an author to work in. But that space opens up new possibilities: now the writer can explore the vast dynamics of the character, introduce sub-plots and interesting structures that could be virtually impossible to do in the small spaces provided by the short story format.

    But novel writing can lead to serious Epic Fails. I’ve had my share of them over the past year. In fact, I went as far as nearly 15 000 words on a previous project before jumping ship because of the lame excuse that “I didn’t like what I’d written”. Prior to that I had tried my hand at writing an epic sci-fi/fantasy tome that didn’t make it past 10 000 words and a number of printed pages and scrawled notes. Then toward the latter-half of 2010 I attempted another project (also an Epic Fail) – but I might just return to it. Because, you see, I paused that book so that I could explore the exciting possibilities provided by the idea I scribbled in my notebook a good few months ago, and which I am now delving in to with the great help of the awesome Scrivener app. Perhaps one of the major drawbacks of my previous attempts was structure, and now with the right tools and (what I at least think is) a great idea, I’m positive I’ll complete this project.

    However, the above Epic Fails perhaps summarizes the art of novel writing. It’s difficult. The thing is, unlike short story writing, where, with the limited space the writer has, things can happen quickly and thus an idea can be seen in almost-full perspective from early on, in novel writing, it’s a whole different game. The idea is extremely high-level at first, and it can take time to delve into the depths of the lower levels of that idea. That’s why the original idea needs to be so compelling, so captivating and enthralling, that the writer can justifiably stick with it to the bitter end. Novel writing doesn’t happen quickly; it’s a long, tedious and extremely fulfilling process. Sometimes the writer will just want to quit, and that’s when tremendous willpower of epic proportions needs to come into play, to salvage the book.

    This isn’t a criticism of either format; it’s simply my opinion of the two formats and how different yet related they can be. Writer friends out there, what’s your take on this whole business of writing? Let me know in the comments section below!