Is It Worth Changing Yourself For Someone Else's Sake?
Two days before my graduation ceremony from the animation vocational school I was literally running to my house after work. My Japanese grandparents were supposed to arrive to live with me for a while!
I was already breathless when I found it was not just them waiting at home... My mother came too! From Spain! *_*!!
1) " 理事長賞" (Presidential award) for my work in Return the Favor animated short film.
2nd best prize among 380 graduated students!!
Mar in the Japanese graduation ceremony.
I used to be very direct speaking, which is a nice way to say I was pretty rude. Especially with my mother.
It is difficult to change relationship habits!
But I do want to be rude to her my whole life?
I want to change for her AND for me.
HOWEVER DIFFICULT IT IS, THERE ARE PEOPLE WORTH CHANGING YOURSELF AS LONG AS IT IS A CHANGE YOU DO WANT. KEEP TRYING!
PSSST! This content was previously shared in a Newsletter some months ago.
The other day I just remembered again how much fun it is to illustrate and paint. Ironic, since it looks like I never stop.
But actually, I wasn't creating much because I spent so much time in preparing Return the Favor’s animated short film launch, presenting it to festivals, networking, etc.
During the past weeks though, after solving some personal issues, I decided to apply what I’ve been hearing from most of you. And I started to draw a lot again, but it was not chapter 3 of the Windy Lightning comic yet.
It was a few new illustrations for a new and very special account.
You prefer reading a comic all at once than one panel at a time, right?
Well, I’ve finally put in place a complete strategy to give you chapter 3 at once in FULL and more by building the MARU EXPOSITO PATREON ACCOUNT!!
That account has new illustrations, a special July 2018 offer (commissions!) and a brand new short video to explain all of this to you.
In Patreon's platform, you can get lots of cool Believe in Fake Magic treasures by pledging X amount to Y tier so go check it out.
Now, I can focus on chapter 3 knowing that you have a chance to get it as soon as possible.
IF YOU SUDDENLY DISCOVER YOUR LIFE IS NOT GOING WHERE YOU WANT TO, AND YOU ARE FALLING, PAUSE ANY EXTRA PROJECTS, THINK, AND REDIRECT YOUR ACTIONS!
Do you come from “www.maruexposito.com”?
On early February we fully changed the website. Now it is Windy Lightning centered but we are the same team behind it.
Overall, you will find way more content such as vlogs news, history, illustrations, graphics, interviews, stories/advice, and so on. This website more intuitive, clear, and it even allows comments!
The anime interviews go online!
A good friend told me to interview my animation school teachers to help RETURN THE FAVOR SHORT!! reach more viewers on Youtube.
Many want to see how the animation world in Japan is like in reality. There are SO many myths online and I am probably one of the few Western with access to it. So, why not?
Thanks to the extra excuse to meet with my teachers (all animation professionals), I learned a lot on/off camera. And it even helped me strengthen our relationship!
However, before I edited the videos, I saw my VLOGS on Youtube weren't bringing much views compared to other strategies, so I lost my motivation.
In December 2018, I met my teachers again and decided to give more importance to it. Come on, they made time for me! And I promised they would be online on 2019.
After editing them, I realize the these interviews are GOLD.
Even Yoshiki, who kindly checked my Japanese to English subtitles, found value in the videos. And he is not even into the anime o_o!!
- Do animators watch their own anime?
- What is their advice for aspiring animators?
- How did the industry change?
- Worst struggles and best joys of their work.
Return the Favor is winning awards!
OUR FIRST ANIME just got some international love at festivals. According to the notification, this means that it will be screened at some of them and got nice laurels (more plants is always good, right?).
After 21 "not selected" notifications, I really wasn't expecting a thing anymore. Now I am more nervous for the pending cases (8 more or so). Will more people see this animation?
I am replying deeply to Frequently Asked Questions in Patreon, mostly related to my life in Japan, the comic creation, animation industry, or whatever information is valued from me.
• How did you get to an Animation school in Japan?
• How did you come up with Windy Lightning have an end?
• Is people racist in Japan?
• Which software do you use?
• How is it to make comics while working somewhere else?
• How did you come up with the characters names?
This tier is a test so, if I don't see people joining, I may take it down soon.
Even if you don't pledge the 1$ a month, you may get a part of the answer to your question for free.
So, send your question(s) adding comments to this post or CHECK THE “FAQ MARU” EXAMPLE IN PATERON.
November 2017: There were still 3 months left to finish the graduation animation project at the vocational school when my main teacher applied his ultimate praise-threat technique.
He was making several general announcements about our graduation projects (mine being Return the Favor, the animated short film about Windy Lightning ).
Teacher: [...] “Also, Mar. Make yourself free the 20th of February."
T: “We'll expose the projects in the Tokyo's Art Museum (Tokyoto Bijutsukan) and it is ideal you're there since you'll win the best award in animation this year..."
Looks at our full team, the other 4 members.
He announced in front of everyone that he already decided who the winner was… 3 months before evaluation!!
I think he noticed it was awkward when he added: “Well, technically anyone could win but… yeah” Looks at me again.
Then, another student went verbally mad while my team looked at me freaking out for the extra pressure. I was in shock.
3 months passed, AND WE DID FINISHED IT!!
And yes, I won the expected 優秀賞 (something like "outstanding performance award" or "excellence award"). Other teachers kept praising the film and actually, one of them cried of the emotion when seeing its premiere!!!
PSSST! This content was previously shared in a Newsletter some months ago. It has been modified to fit here.
Right after Return the Favor, my graduation project at the vocational school in Tokyo, my teachers honored me with a bit more of their time.
So, I filmed 2 freelance animators + 1 animation studio director!
They talk about how they entered the industry, struggles, joys, processes, etc. I learned so much just by being there interviewing them.
And they all did a draft illustration of Wendel, the main character of Windy Lightning *_*.
The launch date is set sometime during 2019.
As voted in OUR PATREON ACCOUNT, I am dividing the 3 interviews in shorter videos gathered by topics.
They are all in Japanese but I am adding subtitles. Thank you in advance, Yo, for your help and patience with all the Japanese related questions I put you through. I love you!
Do You Have Fictional Stories You Have To Follow Secretly?
Have you ever felt ashamed of saying you like a certain story?
Well, that makes sense. The stories you follow tell about who you are!
But that doesn't mean that if you like war stories your inner desire is to go kill every enemy (hopefully!). Maybe you just like the heroic settings, strong friendship bonds and the high stakes of every scene.
Catherine is the assistant for Windy Lightning who draws the minicomic now being released (before my art comes back again for chapter 3).
Image belongs to Twilight saga's copyright owners.
I don't pursue drinking blood nor being super dependent on boys. But I like the supernatural powers stories, big wolves and "normal" person getting to experience rich people environments. And the most interesting part for me is most likely the super love connection between the characters even when I can't connect much with Bella's decisions and how she thinks.
Catherine is perfectly ok and respectful on that. So now the problem is solved and now we even have a deeper understanding of each other!
When you keep a story you follow in secret most of the time your worry is just about others having a misconception about you.
But we are who we are!
Do you want to hide who you are from your friends?
IF STORIES SAY SOMETHING ABOUT YOU, LET THEM BE A HELPFUL BRIDGE TO UNDERSTAND YOURSELF AND CONNECT WITH OTHERS.
Odds are that if you share this comic, others will also like it. And then you have someone to enjoy the story with!