My work [life] spans various roles (artist, creative director, transmedia producer, philosphical storyteller...) and industries (entertainment, education, technology…). These role-industry variants are not mutually exclusive, and often intertwine, making an in-the-box description futile. Currently, pattern recognition seems to sum up what I do and who I am. Connecting the dots of cognition, evolution and storytelling.
General interests:
#art, #AR/MR, #architecture, #biomimetics, #complex systems, #communications, #computational creativity, #consciousness, #data visualization, #deep learning, #design, #environment, #evolution, #futurism, #interfaces, #meta-mythology, #music, #open source, #semiotics, #storytelling technology
A special thanks to my collaborators whose influence, ideas, design, and art comprise this website and overall experience. Steve McDonald (Futurist) - Andrew Lee (Producer) - Chris Ohlson (Producer) - Nevie Owens (Editor) - Hugo Santos (Designer) - Jason Harter (Cinematographer) - Martin Stebbing (VFX / 3D) - Matt Humble (Communications)
From an early age, my curiosity of the unknown universe forged my path in storytelling. With over 20 years of creative experience as a transmedia producer, experience designer, and educator, my work explores the inherent connections among consciousness, nature, culture, and the evolving human mythology.
In the early ‘90s the confluence of art, information, and technology became the perfect storm for the germination of ideas that continue to inspire me today. My academic research (‘95-‘03) at UT Austin and New York University focused on communication theory, information technology, and media production.
During my education I mentored with visionary producer Tommy Pallotta on films (Waking Life), music videos (Destiny, In the Waiting Line), and the interactive sci-fi mystery (Amnesia Moon). In 2003, I launched Spectral Alchemy as a creative interface for my work and continued to develop my skills over the next decade: indie/studio development, broadcast, interactive design, and commercial production.
In 2009, I decided to focus exclusively on my personal creative vision. As a result, my first documentary, DMT: The Spirit Molecule, premiered two years later and became an instant cult classic. The DMTRMX project, an open source media library and emergent storyworld, became the inspiration for MYTHAPHI.
My ongoing curiosity of the future and academic musings on cultural evolution have led to speaking appearances at conferences (Bioneers, SXSW), universities, festivals (Burning Man), and nonprofits (IONS) across North & South America, Europe, and Australia (OoC Tour).
Transdisciplinary R&D in the arts, cognitive psychology, emerging tech, and philosophy. Each area of inquiry, or data point, is evaluated through the lens of consciousness (perceptual framework), evolution (change dynamics), and story (information pattern). Humans perceive only a fraction of the universe, yet our technology allows us to see further and deeper with every novel invention. Our awareness develops new ways of coping and interpreting life as we know it, while our technology seems to be revealing the source code of creation. It is this dynamic interplay that fuels my R&D.
I consult a variety of clients, including companies, organizations, and individuals. The typical themes cover artistic direction, communication strategy, understanding change and how the emerging paradigm creates the future. Through a global perspective and systemic methodology, I offer a unique perspective with technical know-how and creative vision - helping clients interface the future by identifying underlying patterns and trends for adaptation. To learn more about collaboration, please contact me for more information. Each relationship is unique and requires a tailored design.
My ongoing curiosity of the future and cultural evolution led to speaking appearances at conferences, universities, festivals, and nonprofits around the globe. In addition to lectures, I lead interactive workshops, and currently developing an expanded online version to compliment a forthcoming book. People around the world sense a shift, but it can be challenging to put into words or even wrap our heads around. As humanity approaches a “momentous leap forward in consciousness”, which promises radical change to our social structures, technologies and life in general, my goal is to share what I have learned through experience and research.
Recent research examined the visual response of people observing prehistoric ceramics from around the world. The data shows that visual behavior mirrors the evolutionary trends of complex societies that created the artifacts. In addition, the research reveals that technology plays a crucial role in our psyche and could help humans shape the future of the species. Marshall McLuhan immediately comes to mind when decoding the relationship of consciousness and technological development.
Researcher Felipe Criado-Boado states, ”We hypothesized that culture and social life influence cognition in a highly stereotyped fashion. Eye movements are the most objective proof of a parallel evolution between the cognitive process, material development and changes in social complexity. This is why perception cannot be separated from form. Seen from this perspective, it could be proposed that the shape of objects and the pattern of visual exploration they produce have changed over history, and are connected with behavior in the same way as they are with the social realm, including social complexity.”
Another researcher, Luis M. Martínez, says "In our brain, there are neural circuits, or maps, that represent our personal and peri-personal space. These circuits determine the way in which we relate socially, and also with the world around us. With experiments of this kind, we are demonstrating that these representations are modified by the use and making of tools and other cultural artifacts; what we are discovering is that they are quickly incorporated into these neural maps, becoming part of our body schema as if they were an extension of it. These experiments unequivocally demonstrate that there is a very close interaction between cultural changes and brain plasticity, which provides a new perspective on how the brain governs for the transmission of cultural values, beliefs and customs.”
comp. creative, ux design, emergent stories
documentary, fiction, short, print
brand content, commercial spots, creative dev.
Technology is an obvious driver of change,...