creativity

Joy today: Can mussels be the solution to our water crisis?

Christa Avampato

What is it about biomimicry that has me so fired up to make it the center of my business career? It’s articles like this piece on NPR about how mussels can clean oil and heavy metals from water. Nature holds the key to so many problems we have. It already knows what to do; it already has the solutions we are so desperate to find. (And given the state of our planet, our desperation is justified!) Our job now is to listen, to watch, to observe, and then replicate what works. We can do this. (Big thanks to my dear friend, Edith Gonzalez, who helped me find a new way forward when I was at first unsure, and to Brian McCormack, who sent me this article and constantly helps me find the light amidst so much darkness.

 

creativity

Joy today: I’m going to Sci Comm Camp in November

Christa Avampato

Screen Shot 2019-08-17 at 9.26.49 AMI found summer camp for science nerds – but even better because it’s during the Fall, my favorite season. And I’m going!

Yesterday I was listening to Ologies podcast and Alie Ward mentioned Sci Comm Camp, a gathering that takes place over a long weekend in November outside of LA. There are workshops, fun presentations, and plenty of downtime to connect with people who love science and are passionate about sharing science with others.

Given my graduate studies in biomimicry at Biomimicry 3.8 and Arizona State University, my desire to spread this practice as far and wide as possible, and my love for collaborating and learning from others, this seems like the perfect event for me. Plus, I’m hoping to sneak in a trip to see some L.A. pals while I’m there. Already looking forward to November!

creativity

Joy today: I’ll finish writing my second novel this month

Christa Avampato

“I’m restless. Things are calling me away. My hair is being pulled by the stars again.” ~ Anaïs Nin

August is by all accounts a slow month. People go on vacation, business slows down, and we all take a collective breath before Fall. I believe in the power of radical focus so I’ll be in a very hefty period of heads down writing for the rest of the month. I know this time is an invaluable gift and I feel so fortunate. I have to put this time to the best possible use. My goal is to finish my second novel by August 31st. A story calls and I must write it.

creativity

Joy today: The camera doesn’t make the film

Christa Avampato

Today’s filmmaking lesson: the quality of the camera only gets you so far. What matters more is the filmmaker’s taste and ability to tell a story. A film with a lower grade camera and an A+ filmmaker will create a far better film than a high-end camera and a mediocre filmmaker. A class can teach you about techniques and the technology. It cannot give you taste. It cannot give you the story. That is up to you. Yes, a camera will give you the settings you need, the resolution, etc. But what matters most is what you put in the frame and how that frame drives the audience to keep asking, “And then what happened?” Without that emotional need-to-know, the greatest camera in the world will do nothing for a filmmaker.

creativity

Joy today: Fear of writing

Christa Avampato

I’ve learned that being afraid to write something is a very healthy thing. It shows that you’re going to have to risk something to tell that story. This raises the stakes. It puts energy and excitement into the language. Feel the fear, and write anyway.

creativity

Joy today: How making a movie teaches life lessons

Christa Avampato

Yesterday I had my first meeting to be considered as a director of photography on a small film. Still many more meetings to have and it’s by no means a done deal, but just the fact that this meeting happened at all so early on in my Double or Nothing Media venture is thrilling!

In my camera class we talked about the concepts of critical focus and framing each shot with the subject of greatest significance. Parallels between filmmaking and life aren’t lost on me. I’m grateful for the reminder and encouragement as I make massive changes in my life and career right now. It takes a village to start and run a business.

creativity

Joy today: On the passing of Toni Morrison

Christa Avampato
Toni Morrison taught me that prose can be poetry, that struggle can lead to freedom, that you get what you give in writing and life.

She gave me 2 priceless lessons: we all have time to write and never give up. As a single mom with 2 kids, Morrison wrote her first novel, The Bluest Eye, in 15-minute increments each day because that’s all the free time she had. It took her 5 years to write it.

She kept writing despite her novel’s low sales. 3 years later, her next novel, Sula, was nominated for the National Book Award. Her following novels received mixed reviews, but she remained determined.

In 1987, 17 years after publishing her 1st novel, she won the Pulitzer. If you have a dream project, work on it bit by bit. Don’t let critics sap the joy you get from your work. Toni Morrison lived her life with passion and unending grace. She taught me to keep writing.

You were the GOAT, Ms. Morrison. How lucky we are to forever inhabit your multitude of worlds through your gorgeous books. Rest in Power, because that is what you gave all of us—the power of our own language, our own stories. What a life. What a gift.

creativity

Joy today: Starting film classes at Manhattan Neighborhood Network

Christa Avampato

Today I start my film classes at Manhattan Neighborhood Network and I’m so excited! Check out all of the great resources they have to help New York City filmmakers thrive. http://Https://mnn.org

creativity

Joy today: My biomimicry career goal

Christa Avampato

My goal for my Master of Science in biomimicry and starting a biomimicry-based product development studio: turn New York City into the model that shows how a city can give back to the planet more than it takes.

creativity

Joy today: The creative projects I’ll be writing, filming, and recording this Fall

Christa Avampato

This Fall, I’ll be working on a few different creative projects that are now in pre-production:

Emerson Page
I’m going to finish my second Emerson Page novel by December 31, 2019. This sequel has taken longer than I hoped it would, but that’s mostly because I want it to be even better than the first book. I don’t know when the book will be released, but as soon as I have a date I’ll let you know!

While I work on writing the second book, I will also be recording the audiobook for book one of the series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, and launching it on Audible later this year. I’m so pleased to share that actress Alexandra Taylor will be recording the audio book. I’ll be producing, directing, and editing it. The audiobook will have cut scenes that were not included in the book, and it will have some other Easter eggs as well for listeners to hear. I’m really excited to make the beginning of Emerson’s journey accessible in this format.

Additionally, I’m going to work on filming a couple of short scenes from the book—enough to put together a short trailer for a limited run TV series or feature film.

New York City’s Secrets and Lies
I’ll be writing and filming the pilot episode of New York City’s Secrets and Lies. Originally staged as a live game show of two truths and a lie with New York City secret history, I’ve got ideas of how to take this concept to a wider audience via TV and streaming services.

#JoyProject
I’ll be filming and editing a series of short films showcasing joy. A set of talented, hilarious, and passionate people will be showing me and telling about one thing that brings them a supreme amount of joy. From ballroom dance to stage fighting to the teaching history to bullet journals, get ready to smile wider than you ever thought possible.

In Whiskey We Trust
I finally figured out the right threads to tell New York City’s whiskey story in an immersive, location-based tour. I’m working on stitching it all together now and will run a beta this Fall.

Looking forward to sharing all of the progress with you in the coming months! If you’re interested in being involved in any of these projects, please let me know.