Teaching
Posted by Allison Mack | Filed under Projects
So, I was hanging out with a group of friends last night, chatting and giving feedback to them regarding a short film I was helping them make, and as we were talking about the process of film-making and my process as an actress and as a director, I just got deeper and deeper into what I love to do and why.
Isn’t it amazing how explaining something to someone allows you such amazing insight into that thing.
I am considering teaching for this very reason. I left that evening feeling so inspired and exhilarated; feeling so clear about what I am doing and why.
It was such an awesome exchange for myself and the people I was working with. I think that should be challenge to al of you for this week. Teach someone how to do something you are good at; see how it feels and what it does to your relationship with the thing.
Beautiful.
xo
allison
Tags: Challenge, film-making, teaching
Ego
Posted by Allison Mack | Filed under Musings, Projects, Public Appearances
Last night was the screening for Alice and Huck and I was, in fact, terrified! The movie was fabulous; so beautiful and interesting. My director, Kaleena, is an unbelievable talent and the writing was poetry.
So with that in mind I was as cool as a cucumber all day, and then wham! The party started, we screened the movie, and I wanted to disappear into the wall.
I had no idea I would feel that way, but exposing myself and the work that I had been a part of creating was one of the most vulnerable experiences I have ever had.
Film is such an incredible medium because it creates a permanent mark in time. It highlights and isolates history in a way that is undeniable. Whatever phase or thoughts were prevalent at the time of shooting are forever immortalized and publicized for all the world to see.
It’s interesting because it really does feel like the ultimate form of self-expression and authenticity, if that is in fact the type of performance you are striving to attain.
I wonder why authenticity is so challenging for me. I suppose it links back to simply admitting who I am and letting go of the image or the desire to be anything other than this. I was having a chat with my good friend, Nandie, and we were talking about how different the world would be if there was no ego. We certainly would never be embarrassed. Ego is one of those bizarre things that we create as a barrier for truthful experience. What is good about it? Anything?
Tell me… What do you think are the pros and cons of ego?
xo
allison
Tags: Acting, Alice & Huck, art, ego, expression, kaleena kiff, talent
Why all this?
Posted by Allison Mack | Filed under Blog, Musings, Projects, community
I have been reading all the “A bit about you” posts and I must say that I am so excited by your posts. I set a goal for myself to increase the amount of daily hits by 50% in 3 months… I set this goal in August, so it is up in October and I’m now halfway through.
As I began posting every day, I saw, thanks to the handy google analytics, that the amount of people coming through daily increased steadily as I increased my blog postings. This was super cool! Then they started to level off. So I thought to myself “ok, what now?”
This is when I decided that maybe making a poll and seeing more details about the people that come to my site might help. This would give me the information I need to see what direction people are coming from so I can see which way best to go. Ultimately, I am striving to create a community of diverse people who come together to express themselves. To explore, ask why, and share the conclusions they come to.
My interest in expanding the group is simply to create more diversity, more opinions, go deeper and seek farther. I recognize that I have an advantage when it comes to gathering people in one place and I want to take advantage of that advantage.
I want to encourage myself to sit daily and contemplate and share.
I want to encourage myself to appreciate small things, to make art out of every day, and I hope that the ripple of me doing this in a more public and community oriented forum will do this.
I feel as though I have something started, but now I want to go to the next step.
The Internet is a beautiful tool of globalization. It is an amazing invention we as people have designed and expanded upon, and rather than use this as a weapon to destroy and separate I would like to use it as a tool build and evolve. So this is why the interest in expanding and branching out. This is why the desire to reach more.
Not because I want to be rid of the intimacy, but simply because I want to extend the intimacy; ultimately see what sort of emergent property can come of this experiment.
I have loads of ideas of off shoots of something like this community and all my time off I spend building communities of people who want to build and create together.
So there it is. Why I am doing this.
Every morning I feel a questioning sense of panic, “What is the point?” I ask myself. “Why am I doing this?”
Usually I glaze over these questions, busying myself with the day to day so as not to focus on thinking and finding answers, until today.
So thank you all for the replies, and thanks to those who questioned why I am doing what I am doing. Funny thing is the questions are never really answered, and the thoughts I put out there are never fully solved.
I find panic in this because answers feel so good, but really, the curiosity of life is what I seek to uphold. A reminder of this is so important.
I feel like a big fat tattoo of CURIOSITY might be helpful… ha… too bad I am an actress and this would certainly type cast me. 
Thanks for the interest.
Why do you do what you do? Do you spend most of your time distracting yourself from answering this question? Tell me? Why are you doing the things you are doing in your life?
It’s a really interesting question to ponder… sort of one step further from the “beliefs” post we have been doing.
Ciao for now.
xo
allison
Tags: art, community, passion, Polls, stats
A bit about You!!
Posted by Allison Mack | Filed under Fun, Musings, Projects
So as I’m trying to build this sort of Xanadu dream community on my website I am starting to recognize that it would be very valuable for me to find out where all of you lovely people came from and how you found me. Then, why you come back and what I should focus on to get even more people to come around as well as places I should try to link up with… aka interviews I should try and cultivate and other sites I should try and pair up with!
I hope you all wouldn’t mind too terribly if I ask a few simple questions in a poll format!
Thanks so much for being my OG dead poets society!
Xo
allison
MMM Chocolate Chip Cookies…
Posted by Allison Mack | Filed under Projects
Hey guys!
I heard some of you Internet geniuses found a little Alice & Huck blip online, on our editor’s website…
No! It’s not done yet!!!! We still have the whole process of sound design before we can let anyone see it. It’s like eating the cookie dough before the cookies are baked– or worse eating the pasta without the sauce! It’s just not right!
Don’t worry, when it is done I will show you all, I promise! Thank you for your amazing interest and support!
I’ll keep you all posted with the progress of the film as it happens!
Ciao for now
Allison
Tags: Alice & Huck
Juicy Peach Update
Posted by Allison Mack | Filed under Projects
Hey, all my fantastic friends!
I just wanted to give you all an update on Juicy Peach, the arts grant that Kristin and I are starting. So we discovered that getting all the legalities of starting an official not-for-profit are actually a bit labour intensive and take a bit of time to pass through… Who would have thought?
Given that Kristin is training to kick some serious Street Fighter butt in Thailand, we are moving forward with the company, but just a little more slowly than before.
I wanted to let you guys know that the calendars are still for sale, and we actually did a fantastic photo shoot with my beau, Chad, for personalized photos that are for sale to support Juicy Peach as well!
Check it out, guys, and we will keep you up-to-date with all the fun and crazy stuff we are working on to get this cool idea off the ground. Thanks again for all your support!
Ciao
Allison
Tags: Juicy Peach
Alice & Huck: Collaboration and Inspiration
Posted by Allison Mack | Filed under Projects
Tags: Alice & Huck
What is Alice & Huck?
Posted by Allison Mack | Filed under Projects
So here is the next doc for Alice & Huck! It gives a little more detail about what the darn thing is all about! Enjoy!
Ciao
Allison
Tags: Alice & Huck, video
Juicy Peach Update
Posted by Allison Mack | Filed under Projects
Hey all! Just a quick update on the Juicy Peach front!
- We’re planning a special, non-”Smallville” photo shoot for the headshots that you purchase from Juicy Peach. Our photographer is out of town until the end of the month, so we’ll be sending the shots out in February. Just wanted to let you all know so that you’re aware of the slight delay in receiving the pics you order.
- There have been a few questions regarding international details for the company. We are, in fact, shipping internationally, and those details will be on the site shortly. The grant will only be a national grant, for now.
- We’re still refining the criteria for grant approval, and we’ve evaluated our initial financial stipulation. We’ve decided not to put a cap on the amount earned in a year. We really want to keep the grant open to all artists that have the goal of creation and a belief in the power of authentic expression.
- We’ve decided to put a cap on the amount of calendars we’re putting out. So, we’re only going to be selling 150 calendars for the year! But don’t worry– we’ll keep coming out with more fun things as we make them!
As we’re growing and changing, we’ll keep you all updated!
The actual store will be up very soon!
This is very exciting! It’s all happening!
Xoxo
Ciao,
Allison and Kristin
Tags: Grant, Juicy Peach, Kristin Kreuk
More on Juicy Peach
Posted by Allison Mack | Filed under Projects
Hey, gang! I want to start off by saying how rad you all are and how amazing it is that you’re so up for supporting Kristin and me in our creative ventures! That being said, I think it’s important that I explain a little more about what we’re doing. In typical me fashion, I got so excited about what we were doing that I really threw the cart before the horse!
So let’s take a few steps back and share with you all what it is that we’re attempting to do with this crazy little store venture! Here’s the blurb Miss Kreuk so eloquently came up with. The store itself will be launched in just a few days, and the first 10 calendars are going out as soon as the post offices open!
Juicy Peach will be a not-for-profit company based in the U.S.A. and will be official in January 2008. All products sold will come with a receipt.
Criteria for artists:
- Must be making less than $26,000 per year directly from your art.
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Artists who receive this grant will be creating authentic, unique, and innovative work in any of the following fine art fields: writing, performing, and visual arts, including film. Juicy Peach supports and encourages the brave act of authenticity in the pursuit of skilled professional artistry. Part of being human is to encounter and work through adversity. As an artist, there are times when adversity feels like a massive concrete wall directly in front of you, reaching just beyond where you could feasibly leap on your own. Juicy Peach is part of helping you find a way through that big, giant concrete wall.
Grant
The first Juicy Peach grant will be $1,000 and will be given when we have raised that much money. If you would like to donate your work to the store, please send your submissions to info@juicypeach.org. When your work is sold, Juicy Peach will reimburse you for your raw materials, but not your time. Profits will go directly into the grants. Juicy Peach will begin to take submissions for grants shortly.
Inspired. Authentic. Juicy.
Allison Mack and Kristin Kreuk
I know a few of you have expressed concerns about the details of the not-for-profit status, but know that we’re in the process of getting together all the government and legal stuff necessary to get that finished and, in the meantime, all the profits being made are simply hanging out in an account waiting for an artist to support. Yay! I can’t tell you how cool this whole process is! Thank you so much for being a part of this!
Ciao, all!
Allison
Tags: Juicy Peach, Kristin Kreuk
