News pertaining to my own [film] career.
I’m a podcaster! The first episode of my new podcast, Coffee & Contemplation is now live. It’s a journey back through the world of Stranger Things from a post-season three perspective. Expect spoilers, in-depth, close readings of the story and technique behind the series, and gushing over our favorite moments and characters.
You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more, and join the conversation on Facebook and Tumblr.
What an amazing start to the day! My friend and awesome teacher, Sara Jacobs, brought my attention to an Instagram post (by @archers_all_stars); three photos with a group of students viewing my first film, an adaptation/fan film of Chris Van Allsburg’s The Stranger.
Original post: “Every year when the weather starts to get cold, I read aloud The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg!! Then, I let them watch a short 18 minute video based on the book!! Talk about 30 minutes of pure engagement and discussion!!! Love it!!! ❤️❤️…”
Moments like this make my heart sing. The book remains magical to me; it sparked my draw to storytelling and crafting narrative, which led me to filmmaking, writing a novel, and working in media production. So it’s wonderful to see the story continue to reach new students, and I couldn’t be happier to be a small part of that through the film.
Shout out to the rest of the “Stranger” team: Jenna Miller, Justin Moe, Devin Connor, Rob Engels, Katy Cox Engels, Brendan Biondi, Elizabeth Anne Taylor, Lorrin Rodgers, and Shane Hann.
Watch the film below:
@robincfarrell on Instagram
Every year, the Television, Internet, & Video Association of DC holds their Peer Awards Ceremony. I’ve personally been attending since 2015 as part of DUO Media Productions. We’ll be back again this year – already looking forward to it! – but we were asked what makes it special. Why we submit our work? Why do we make a special point to dress up and go to the annual evening event?
In this video, some of DUO’s team members – myself included – expound on our enthusiasm, and what makes being a media maker in the Washington, DC / Maryland / Virginia region.
Fingers crossed DUO takes home some 2018 Golds!
It has been over three months since MAG Fest, but I can finally share something from that event; I was spontaneously interviewed for a podcast! Cris Alvarez, host of CrisAlvarez.com, recognized my cosplay, having taken my photo at a previous convention. He asked if he could interview for me for his website; ask me about my writing process and about the novel.
Listen to the interview here or click through the photo.
It has been a LONG time since I posted in my blog, but since I’ve been publishing my novel, Resistance Rising, I’m hoping you’ll forgive me! As a way to ring in the new year, as well as embrace a new phase of my life, I decided to make a MAJOR change by way of a haircut; parting with 12 inches of my hair, which I am delighted to donate. For years, I thought I was unable, since I dye my hair, but the salon I’ve been going to use non-synthetic dye and no bleach, so I am able to donate after all!
2017 was as much a whirlwind for me as it was for everyone else; I was a bridesmaid, I celebrated my one-year anniversary with DUO Media Productions (coming up on two years this month!), I pushed my cosplay limitations, and I’ve gotten a crash course into becoming my own, personal book-marketing team.
The process of publishing the book was an extremely enlightening process and pulled my priorities into sharp focus. I am giddy with pride over the finished product, but I also had to learn to let a lot of things go. One of my colleagues (over at DUO Media Productions) likes to say, “you’re never done, you just run out of time.”
I’ve had long, nearly-waist-length hair my entire life, so this was a significant metamorphosis. I’m adapting to this new hairdo far more quickly than I expected, and I find that it is, indeed, very reflective of who I am now.
Don’t you love it when everything falls into place?
In addition to publishing Resistance Rising, I’m approaching my two-year anniversary with DUO Media Productions and Star Wipe Films and I wanted to showcase some of the great work we’ve been producing, and of which I get to contribute. It really is a blast to work with such a fantastic team.
Work included (in order of appearance):
More on DUO Media Productions and Star Wipe Films
2015 was a whopper of a year, for reasons both good and bad. 
On the positive side, this past year included the start of working for DUO Media Productions, participating in the Baltimore 48 Film Festival with Star Wipe Films, who also debuted their short film Apocalypse Rock at the AFI Silver Theatre. I was only briefly involved with the film (providing a voice-over towards the end of post production), but I’d be a big fan either way. I joined the team at the TIVA Peer Awards Ceremony, at which film took home several awards, including the Gold for Best Independent Short, Editing, Acting on Camera (fiction), Silver for Production Design and Sound Design. The Forge Studios (The Rangers, Outlawed Faith) has become a full-time production house, and I’m fortunate to continue to play as part of their extended team. I’m very excited to see what 2016 holds for all of us.
On the personal side, I took a trip to New York to see the fabulous Thrilling Adventure Hour shows; Beyond Belief and POW! Sparks Nevada Live. I have continued to embrace my draw to cosplay, attending both Awesome Con in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore Comic Con. I’ve continued to finesse and expand my Tenth Doctor cosplay (which will probably always be my favorite) and I’ve delved into the brainstorming for future characters, including a genderbend take on one of the Miser Brothers and a crossover between Green Lantern and Star Wars based on fanart I saw at Awesome Con by artist ModHero. Oh, and I finished the first draft of the Genre Wars novel this year, which is currently in the hands of some awesome beta readers.
That novel has been the primary focus and outlet for rather a large majority of my creative energy, and now, in its wake, I find myself at a bit of a loss. I’m still connected to the project, but not able to actively work on it until the notes return in full and I can begin the next step: revision and rewrite. Until then, I’m in unfamiliar territory: unable to continue, but also unable to begin something new, so as not to become too deeply involved in another project entirely. And the truth is that my head is still far too wrapped up in Kabathan and its people to really embrace a new world or characters. I can multi-task when necessary, but I prefer to work by completely enveloping my concentration into one endeavor.
So, as something of a new venture, I’ve joined forces with friend and colleague H.L. Shelper to start a podcast, which will be a review and discussion over what we consider classics, beloved by us and many audiences of varying demographics. Release will be a long way off; we’ve only just begun the research and recording, but it’s a creative outlet of a kind I’ve never before explored and between it, working for DUO Media, Star Wipe Films, The Forge and cosplay, I believe I have enough on my plate to stay occupied until Genre Wars circles back into my sights again.
Happy New Year, y’all. Bring on 2016!!!
… oh, and Star Wars happened. That was awesome.
I have become woefully behind on my blog over the last few months. I have a reasonable excuse: Genre Wars: Resistance Rising was monopolizing my attention for the end of July, ALL of August, most of September and some of October. The rest of the time since then has been devoted to picking up the grindstone and reacquainting my nose with it, playing catch-up for the severe dent the project left in my bank account. Rest assured that every penny spent on the project was well worth it and I regret absolutely nothing.
As of late, I’ve been rediscovering my chops for broadcasting and athletics. I’ve returned to the familiar world of college football and have subsequently added basketball coverage to my repertoire, both men’s and women’s.
I haven’t been out to the cinema much, but I have caught a flick or two over the course of autumn and early winter and some reviews are coming, including Ender’s Game, Catching Fire, Frozen and my thoughts on The Hobbit franchise. I’m also planning to post more regularly on trailers and news regarding upcoming films; starting with I, Frankenstein, the fairly epic trailer for Jupiter Ascending and the addition of Wonder Woman to the cast of characters in the forthcoming Man of Steel 2.
In the meantime, I am vastly overdue to acknowledge the things for which I am thankful this year. Thanksgiving came and went and Christmas already looms on the horizon and in the spirit of the holiday season, I want to stop and take a moment to acknowledge how truly wonderful things have been, are and look to continue being in 2014.
This has been a rapid twelve months for me. In fact, I don’t really think it’s been a full year; I think the time-space continuum experienced a glitch and made the world spin faster, given how much has happened in these 365 days. I am SO humbled by the experiences I have been blessed to go through in 2013. From the early stages of the Genre Wars project, to the post-production phase we’re in and the freelance work I have been fortunate enough to have been able to attain. I also hit a landmark this summer.
I stopped waiting tables.
I may go back to doing that semi-part-time eventually, just to pick up some extra money but for the first time in my life, I am finding my feet within a new, freelancer lifestyle. I’ve been frugal with my Christmas shopping and am saving more than I had expected to. I am, for the first time, ever, doing what I do. I’m writing, photographing and doing videography, broadcasting, editing and being creative overall in my everyday work. I am so amazed and so very thankful.
Genre Wars is currently in a state of flux as we reassess our progress and the future for it; more concrete details to come with the ringing in of the New Year. With the amount of work we’ve accomplished in one year, I’d say we’ve earned a break for holiday merriment.
Cheers!
Robin C. Farrell 